Both phones chase an ultra-slim ideal: iPhone Air measures 5.6 mm and weighs about 165 g, while Galaxy S25 Edge is 5.8 mm and 163 g, so both feel startlingly light and pocketable for their class. Apple uses Ceramic Shield front and back, while Samsung touts a titanium frame with Corning Gorilla Glass Ceramic 2, signaling a shared focus on sleekness without abandoning durability language. The S25 Edge’s “optimally curved edges” differ from Apple’s crisp thin-slab aesthetic, but each aims for comfort in hand at very low thickness.
Display and ergonomics
Galaxy S25 Edge features a 6.7-inch QHD+ Dynamic AMOLED 2X panel with an adaptive 1–120 Hz refresh rate, which is ideal for both smooth UI and battery optimization at low frame rates. iPhone Air uses an OLED display around 6.5 inches, maintaining Apple’s color calibration and brightness targets associated with the iPhone 17 generation form factor. The S25 Edge’s spec-forward panel gives it an edge for granular refresh-rate control and pixel density, though the Air’s thinness and weight keep one-handed comfort high despite its screen size.
Performance and AI
iPhone Air runs Apple’s A19 Pro, bringing Apple Intelligence features and a Neural Engine tuned for on-device AI, albeit with a slightly modified GPU configuration compared to Pro models, which still translates to strong day-to-day performance and AI responsiveness. Galaxy S25 Edge uses Snapdragon 8 Elite for Galaxy, with Qualcomm’s custom tuning for on-device AI and sustained performance paired to a reworked thin vapor-chamber design to manage thermals in the slim chassis. On the software side, Apple Intelligence and system features like Action button/Camera Control contrast with Galaxy AI agents, Now Bar integrations, and deep Gemini Live tie-ins, so the choice hinges on preferred AI workflows and ecosystem.
Cameras
Apple leans into a single 48 MP rear camera on iPhone Air, enabling 1× and 2× in-sensor zoom along with 28 mm and 35 mm focal length options, prioritizing simplicity and computational imaging over lens count. Samsung equips S25 Edge with a 200 MP wide and 12 MP ultra-wide with autofocus, layering in Nightography upgrades and the ProVisual Engine for detail, skin tones, and scene-specific optimizations, which materially broadens creative flexibility out of the box. Those who rely on ultrawide or advanced night shooting will likely prefer S25 Edge’s hardware versatility, while those content with a single high-quality wide camera and Apple’s computational pipeline can be very satisfied with the Air.
Battery and charging
Galaxy S25 Edge lists a 3,900 mAh battery and supports fast wired and wireless charging standards, framed around practical quick top-ups and Wireless PowerShare in a very slim device. Apple doesn’t emphasize battery capacity for iPhone Air, and early hands-on coverage suggests Apple prioritized thinness and weight, scaling back certain features to achieve the design, which typically signals some trade-offs in endurance against thicker peers. Real-world longevity will depend on usage patterns, but spec-readers will appreciate the clearer battery disclosures on Samsung’s side in this particular matchup.
Software experience
iPhone Air arrives in Apple’s late-2025 lineup “designed for Apple Intelligence,” integrating on-device models and tight coupling with system apps, alongside hardware affordances like Action button and Camera Control for quick access and multimodal workflows. Galaxy S25 Edge ships with One UI 7 on Android 15 and doubles down on Galaxy AI, including agents across apps, Now Bar enhancements, and Gemini Live’s camera/screen-sharing multimodal capabilities for real-time assistance. Both philosophies are robust, but differ in privacy posture and integrations—Apple keeps emphasizing on-device processing, while Samsung highlights flexible cross-app AI companions with Google tie-ins.
Price and availability
In the U.S., iPhone Air starts at $999 for 256 GB, effectively replacing the “Plus” tier with a thinner, lighter alternative that still packs Apple’s top-end silicon. In India and global markets, both devices have official product hubs signaling availability, though Samsung’s regional pages and partner listings suggest configurations up to 512 GB on the S25 Edge. Those weighing value should factor local pricing, carrier offers, and storage preferences, with iPhone Air’s baseline at 256 GB and S25 Edge commonly ranging from 256 to 512 GB
