Ultra-thin phones are finally having a moment. Apple’s iPhone Air and Samsung’s Galaxy S25 Edge are the two most daring entries yet, trimming every excess gram and millimeter to deliver featherlight slabs without (supposedly) gutting what matters. I’ve been using both side by side, and the winner comes down to how each brand balances physics with everyday practicality.
Design and ergonomics
The iPhone Air’s 5.6mm profile is shockingly thin. It feels more like a precision instrument than a phone, with flat, grippy sides that make one-handed use comfortable. You notice the rigidity; there’s no creak, no flex. Apple’s restraint shows: fewer lenses, a lighter camera bump, and meticulous component stacking.
Samsung’s S25 Edge is also svelte, with a gently curved display that sinks into the frame. It’s stunning on a desk and slides more easily into pockets. The trade-off is ergonomics: those curved edges can feel slippery, especially when your palms sweat. If you hate cases, the Air’s flatter frame is easier to hold for long stretches.
Display and outdoor readability
On paper, Apple’s panel wins on peak brightness: up to 3,000 nits versus Samsung’s 2,600. In real use, that margin matters. Under noon sun, maps and messages remain legible on the Air where the Edge needs a palm shadow or a tilt. Both run at 120Hz with excellent color accuracy and robust glass, but size favors different hands: the 6.5-inch Air is easier to span, while the 6.7-inch Edge is better for media and multitasking.
Display experts have long noted that higher peak brightness improves HDR pop and outdoor readability, even at small window sizes. In other words, the Air’s luminance advantage isn’t just a spec sheet flex—it’s a daily quality-of-life upgrade.
Performance and heat in a thin chassis
Both phones run top-tier silicon with ample RAM, and both are impressively quick for photo edits, video exports, and on-device AI tasks. The catch with skinny phones is thermal headroom. Extended gaming or 4K recording will warm them up faster than thicker flagships.
Apple’s thermal management leans conservative, gently curbing performance to keep the frame cool to the touch. Samsung lets clocks ramp longer, which benefits bursty workloads, but the area near the camera island gets notably toasty. Neither overheats in typical day-to-day use, but you’ll want a thin case if you game or film often.
Cameras: flexibility vs consistency
Samsung packs a 200MP main camera and a 12MP ultrawide, giving the S25 Edge more framing options and generous crop headroom. For daylight landscapes and intricate textures—think architecture or product shots—the detail recovery is excellent. This aligns with what labs like DxOMark have observed broadly: high-resolution sensors excel when light is abundant and processing is tuned.
Apple counters with a 48MP “Fusion” system that leans on computational photography to punch above its pixel count. The Air’s colors are balanced, skin tones are trustworthy, and exposure is predictable across scenes. Low light is where Apple’s pipeline shines; night portraits retain realistic contrast without the waxy smoothing you sometimes see on high-megapixel Androids.
If you crave creative flexibility and frequent ultrawide shots, the S25 Edge is the better pocket camera. If you value consistency and lifelike faces straight from the shutter, the iPhone Air feels more dependable.
Battery life and charging
Numbers favor Samsung: 3,900mAh versus Apple’s roughly 2,800mAh. Unsurprisingly, the Edge runs longer on heavy days. Stream video, navigate with GPS, or shoot clips and the Edge still reaches the evening with a buffer. The Air is fine for light-to-moderate use, but power users will reach for a charger by late afternoon.
Charging speeds also lean Samsung, with faster wired top-ups than Apple’s more conservative approach. Wireless charging is present on both. Efficiency helps the Air, but physics is physics—thinner often means smaller cells and less reserve.
Software, AI, and longevity
The S25 Edge ships with an expansive AI toolkit, blending Samsung’s Galaxy AI with Google’s services. Circle to Search, live transcription and translation, and robust image-editing tools make a tangible difference if you live in your phone all day. Android’s flexibility remains a perk for power users.
Apple’s iOS advantage is polish and ecosystem gravity—reliable app optimization, seamless device handoff, and sturdy long-term support. While Samsung has publicly pledged extended OS and security updates on recent flagships, Apple’s historical support spans many years as well. For service, Apple’s retail network is a real asset when something goes wrong.
Connectivity could sway travelers. The S25 Edge supports physical SIM in addition to eSIM (market dependent), while the iPhone Air goes eSIM-only. GSMA Intelligence reports rapid eSIM uptake worldwide, but frequent roamers who prefer local physical SIMs will appreciate Samsung’s flexibility.
Price and value
Starting at $999 for 256GB, the iPhone Air undercuts the S25 Edge by $100 at the same storage tier. Given its display brightness lead, build feel, and ecosystem perks, Apple’s value story is stronger than expected for a phone this radical. Samsung counters with better battery endurance, faster charging, and a more versatile camera—features that also justify the premium depending on your priorities.
Verdict: the thin phone to buy
If your goal is the least compromised ultra-thin phone, the iPhone Air is the winner. It nails ergonomics, outdoor readability, and day-to-day reliability while coming in at a lower price. For most people, that balance makes it the safer, smarter pick.
Choose the Galaxy S25 Edge if you want more camera flexibility, longer battery life, faster charging, and the breadth of Android’s AI features—especially if you travel frequently and need a physical SIM. But for a thin phone that feels finished, consistent, and easier to live with, the iPhone Air edges it.