Samsung’s Galaxy S25 lineup simply bought a modern new sibling: meet the S25 Edge. It’s an ultra-thin, titanium-clad model of the flagship, designed to lure within the premium crowd. Over in Apple-land, there’s a brand new child too: the iPhone 16e. It’s not flashy, not titanium, however it’s the least expensive strategy to get a brand new iPhone this 12 months.
So, which digital ecosystem do you need to plug your life into? We’re breaking down how these two stack up on worth, design, show tech, battery life, and cameras. If you happen to’re right here for a fast choose and worth is your solely metric, simply get the 16e and transfer on. However in order for you the total image, please, preserve studying.
We must also notice that for those who’re excited for the 12 months of skinny telephones, you will have to attend for the rumored iPhone 17 Air to get an ultra-slim Apple smartphone.
The brand new Samsung Galaxy S25 provides lots of options for the cash, however the 16e wins on worth alone.
Credit score: Alex Perry / Mashable
Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge vs iPhone 16e: Worth and specs
If you happen to’re judging by worth alone, the iPhone 16e is the clear winner. It begins at $599 — virtually half the price of Samsung’s Galaxy S25 Edge, which begins at $1,099 for 256GB or $1,219.99 for the 512GB model. At that time, you possibly can simply get an ordinary iPhone 16 for $799 and nonetheless have money to spare for equipment.
So what does $599 get you with the 16e?
It’s not dripping in luxurious, however it’s fashionable the place it counts.
In the meantime, Samsung’s S25 Edge does price extra. This isn’t a telephone for deal hunters — it’s for Android customers who need one thing razor-thin, ultra-premium, and unapologetically unique. Nevertheless, the S25 Edge nonetheless provides lots of worth for its worth. It has lots of the identical options because the flagship S25 Extremely, however for a complete lot much less (each in {dollars} and dimension).
For $1099, consider it much less as a telephone, extra as a flex:
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12GB RAM
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256GB storage
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Snapdragon 8 Elite
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6.7-inch AMOLED show
Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge vs iPhone 16e: Design
Samsung’s pitch for the S25 Edge is easy: Take every thing you like in regards to the flagship S25 and wrap it in a physique that’s thinner, lighter, and slicker. It’s bought these signature curved edges, a titanium body that feels extra aerospace than smartphone, and three sharp finishes: Titanium Silver, Titanium Jetblack, and Titanium Icy Blue.
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The iPhone 16e takes a extra utilitarian strategy. It’s bought Apple’s tried-and-true aluminum-and-glass construct paired with a Tremendous Retina XDR show. It appears to be like clear, feels stable, and is available in precisely two shades: Black and White. Easy, traditional, and never making an attempt too onerous.
Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge vs iPhone 16e: Show
The iPhone 16e sticks with what works: a 6.1-inch Tremendous Retina XDR OLED panel that’s sharp at 460 ppi. You continue to get Apple’s common bag of tips — True Tone, Vast Coloration (P3), and Haptic Contact. It’s vivid sufficient for most individuals, topping out at 800 nits in typical use and 1200 nits for HDR content material. It is also value noting that the 16e ditches a rear digicam in comparison with the usual 16.
Samsung, by no means one to be outdone in show tech, offers the S25 Edge a 6.7-inch AMOLED display screen wrapped in a brand new Corning Gorilla Glass Ceramic 2. It boasts a crisp 3120 x 1440 decision, a dynamic refresh price from 1Hz to 120Hz, and a peak brightness of two,600 nits. It’s greater, smoother, and sharper on paper.
Meet the ultra-slim new Samsung telephone.
Credit score: Alex Perry / Mashable
Plus, there’s an ultrasonic fingerprint sensor constructed proper into the show. Just like the 16e, the Edge additionally drops one of many common rear cameras, maintaining issues a bit extra minimal this time round.
Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge vs iPhone 16e: Cameras
This one is for the photographically inclined; you may get by with both smartphone. Each the S25 Edge and the iPhone 16e are straight shooters relating to taking a photograph. Here is what the iPhone 16e provides:
What the S25 Edge offers up in digicam depend, it tries to make up for in sheer megapixel flex. Samsung’s additionally betting huge on Galaxy AI, promising smarter seize, enhancing, and sharing:
Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge vs iPhone 16e: Efficiency/Battery Life
Underneath the hood, the iPhone 16e runs on Apple’s new A18 chip, constructed with a 6-core CPU—two efficiency cores, 4 for effectivity— designed to juggle duties easily whereas maintaining energy draw low. The primary spec cut up from the common iPhone 16? The GPU. The 16 will get a 5-core GPU, whereas the 16e settles for 4. It is not a large distinction, however for those who recreation or edit video in your telephone, you may really feel it.
On the Android facet, the Galaxy S25 Edge runs Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Elite — the identical chip that powers the S25+ and Extremely. It’s tuned for critical cell horsepower, from AAA cell gaming to AI-heavy picture edits. The Edge additionally packs extra RAM than the 16e, which provides it a leg up in multitasking and efficiency headroom.
If battery life is your dealbreaker, the iPhone 16e may simply edge out the Edge — sarcastically. Samsung’s obsession with making the S25 Edge thinner and lighter got here at a value: battery capability. The iPhone 16e packs a 4,005mAh cell, which Apple claims is sweet for as much as 26 hours on a single cost.
The S25 Edge isn’t far behind, with a 3,900mAh battery. That places it nicely forward of the baseline iPhone 16 (which sits at 3,561mAh), however nonetheless barely behind the 16e.
Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge vs iPhone 16e: Which must you purchase?
If you happen to’re in search of most worth with out feeling such as you’re settling, the iPhone 16e is a brilliant, balanced choose. It offers you flagship-level efficiency, fashionable Apple design, stable battery life, and simply sufficient of the bells and whistles to really feel present, all for $599. It’s not flashy, however it’s environment friendly, dependable, and comfortably inside attain for many patrons who simply need an awesome telephone that’ll final a couple of years.
The Galaxy S25 Edge, alternatively, is a press release piece. It’s the telephone you purchase since you need one thing that feels high-end each time you choose it up — ultra-thin, titanium-framed, and loaded with show and digicam tech. It’s extra highly effective, extra polished, and dearer, as anticipated. However that price ticket is shopping for you greater than specs — it is shopping for a vibe. So for those who’re deep within the Android ecosystem and crave modern {hardware} with top-tier efficiency, the Edge earns its title. Simply convey your pockets.
