Thin is officially in. After years of phones getting thicker for bigger batteries, Apple and Samsung flipped the script in 2025. The result is two striking phones, the iPhone Air and Galaxy S25 Edge.
Both are slim, both have titanium frames, and both cost around $999 to $1,099. But they are very different, and picking the wrong one could be frustrating.
The iPhone Air is Apple’s thinnest phone ever, powered by the A19 Pro chip and perfect for anyone in the Apple ecosystem. The Galaxy S25 Edge is slightly thicker but offers a bigger screen, two cameras, and full Android features.
Here’s a closer look at what each does best and where they fall short.
iPhone Air vs. Galaxy S25 Edge
| Feature | iPhone Air | Galaxy S25 Edge |
|---|---|---|
| Starting price | $999 | $1,099 |
| Thickness | 5.64mm | 5.88mm |
| Weight | 165g | 163g |
| Display | 6.5″ OLED 120Hz | 6.7″ AMOLED 120Hz |
| Chip | A19 Pro | Snapdragon 8 Elite |
| Rear cameras | 48MP (single) | 200MP + 12MP ultrawide |
| Battery life | 27hrs video playback | 24hrs video playback |
| Max storage | 1TB | 512GB |
| OS | iOS 26 | Android 15 / One UI 7 |
| Feature | iPhone Air / Galaxy S25 Edge |
|---|---|
| Price | $999 / $1,099 |
| Thickness | 5.64mm / 5.88mm |
| Weight | 165g / 163g |
| Display | 6.5″ OLED 120Hz / 6.7″ AMOLED 120Hz |
| Chip | A19 Pro / Snapdragon 8 Elite |
| Rear Cameras | 48MP single / 200MP + 12MP ultrawide |
| Battery Life | 27 hrs / 24 hrs |
| Max Storage | 1TB / 512GB |
| OS | iOS 26 / Android 15 / One UI 7 |
iPhone Air — the thinnest iPhone ever
Best for
Apple ecosystem users who want the most striking, lightweight iPhone ever made and don't need a versatile camera system. Also great for anyone upgrading from an older iPhone who wants Pro-level performance without the Pro price.
Pros
- Thinnest iPhone ever — incredible in-hand feel
- A19 Pro chip — same as iPhone 17 Pro
- 27hrs battery life — impressive for its size
- 3,000 nits peak brightness — best in class outdoors
- Up to 1TB storage
- $100 cheaper than S25 Edge at base
Cons
- Single rear camera only — no ultrawide
- No telephoto zoom whatsoever
- Small battery — heavy users may struggle
- Design-first trade-offs not for everyone
Galaxy S25 Edge — Samsung’s slim challenger
Samsung got to ultra-thin a few months before Apple, and the S25 Edge is seriously impressive. At 5.88mm it’s just a bit thicker than the Air, but the 6.7-inch display and dual cameras give you a lot more flexibility. Side by side, you barely notice the thickness difference, but the bigger screen really stands out.
The Snapdragon 8 Elite keeps up with the A19 Pro for most tasks and handles GPU-heavy games slightly better. Samsung’s Galaxy AI features are also more polished right now, with real-time call translation, AI photo editing, and Note Assist that actually feel useful.
The camera system is where the S25 Edge shines. The 200MP main sensor and 12MP ultrawide let you take shots the Air can’t match, whether you want wide landscapes, detailed crops, or night photos. The trade-offs are the $100 higher price, a 512GB storage limit, and battery life that is slightly shorter than the Air even with a bigger battery.
Best for
Android users and Samsung loyalists who want an ultra-thin phone without sacrificing camera versatility. Also ideal for anyone who watches a lot of video and wants the biggest screen possible in a slim form factor.
Pros
- 200MP + 12MP ultrawide — far more camera versatility
- Bigger 6.7" display — great for video and media
- More vibrant colours and saturation indoors
- Snapdragon 8 Elite — excellent GPU performance
- Mature Galaxy AI features
Cons
- $100 more expensive than iPhone Air
- Maxes out at 512GB — no 1TB option
- Less bright outdoors than iPhone Air
- Worse battery life despite larger battery capacity
Camera comparison: iPhone Air vs. Galaxy S25 Edge
Cameras are the biggest difference here. The Galaxy S25 Edge has a 200MP main and 12MP ultrawide, giving you wide landscapes, tight portraits, and great low-light shots. You can crop heavily and still get sharp photos, making it perfect for travel and creative shots.
The iPhone Air has a single 48MP camera. Colors are natural, low-light shots are solid, and video is excellent, but there’s no ultrawide or telephoto. Fitting a group or wide scene in one shot can be tricky.
For selfies, the iPhone Air pulls ahead with its 18MP Center Stage front camera.
Winner: Galaxy S25 Edge — two rear cameras beat one, and the 200MP sensor offers flexibility the Air can’t match.
Display comparison: iPhone Air vs. Galaxy S25 Edge
Both phones have high-quality OLED screens with 120Hz refresh, but they shine in different ways.
The S25 Edge has a bigger 6.7-inch QHD+ display with richer colors indoors, making Netflix, YouTube, and games look amazing. The iPhone Air, on the other hand, is brighter outdoors at 3,000 nits versus 2,600 nits on Samsung and has an anti-reflective coating that cuts glare.
Both scroll smoothly and look sharp, so it comes down to what matters more — indoor media or outdoor visibility.
Winner: Tie. Samsung wins for color and size, iPhone wins for brightness and glare.
Battery life comparison: iPhone Air vs. Galaxy S25 Edge
Here’s the surprise: the iPhone Air has a smaller 3,149 mAh battery but claims 27 hours of video playback, beating the S25 Edge’s 3,900 mAh battery at 24 hours.
That’s thanks to the A19 Pro chip and Apple’s new C1X modem, which is much more power-efficient than Samsung’s Qualcomm modem. iOS 26 also helps with Adaptive Power Mode to stretch your battery when it gets low.
In everyday use, both phones easily last a full day. Heavy users with navigation, video, or gaming will still need a charger by evening. Charging speeds are similar — S25 Edge does 25W wired and 15W wireless, while iPhone Air does 20W wired and up to 25W wireless with MagSafe.
Winner: iPhone Air — it surprises by lasting longer despite the smaller battery.
Performance comparison: iPhone Air vs. Galaxy S25 Edge
Both chips are top-notch, and for everyday stuff like apps, browsing, photos, and social media, you won’t notice a difference. The gaps show up in heavier tasks.
The iPhone Air’s A19 Pro is faster in single-core tasks and real-world jobs like video transcoding — it finished a 4K-to-1080p transcode about 30 seconds faster than the S25 Edge. The Snapdragon 8 Elite pulls ahead in multi-core tasks and GPU-heavy work. Both phones have 12GB of RAM, so multitasking is smooth, and Samsung adds extra productivity features if you connect the phone to a monitor.
Winner: Air for single-core and video, S25 Edge for GPU-heavy work, but for most people it’s basically a tie.
Gaming performance: iPhone Air vs. Galaxy S25 Edge
For casual games like puzzles or racing, both phones are way overpowered — you’ll never hit their limits.
The difference shows up with demanding 3D games. The Snapdragon 8 Elite in the S25 Edge hits around 39fps in heavy benchmarks, about 10fps more than the iPhone Air, giving it a small edge for graphically intense games.
The catch is heat — both phones can get warm under heavy gaming.
Winner: Galaxy S25 Edge — a slight GPU edge for demanding 3D titles.
Ultra-thin phones handle heat differently. Both the iPhone Air and S25 Edge will throttle under long gaming or heavy editing, though normal use is fine.
Both are tough with titanium frames and strong glass, but at 5–6mm thin, they can bend more easily than chunkier phones. Get a case.
The downsides of thin phones — what nobody tells you
Before you fall for the thinnest phone hype, here’s the reality:
No headphone jack. Smaller batteries. Both phones throttle under heavy use. They feel more fragile, so get a case. Accessories cost extra, and the initial “wow” of thinness fades after a few weeks.
In short, ultra-thin looks amazing but comes with trade-offs you’ll notice if you push it hard or skip protection.
Which one should you actually buy?
Let me make this as simple as possible.
If you’re already in the Apple ecosystem — iPhone, Mac, iPad, AirPods — get the iPhone Air. It’s $100 cheaper, has the same Pro chip as the iPhone 17 Pro, outlasts the Samsung on battery despite being thinner, and the in-hand feel is genuinely something else. The single camera is the only real trade-off, and for most day-to-day shooting it holds up just fine.
If you’re on Android, already a Samsung user, or if photography is a priority for you — get the Galaxy S25 Edge. The dual camera system is in a completely different league for versatility, the 6.7-inch display is gorgeous for Netflix and YouTube, and Samsung’s AI tools are ahead of Apple’s right now. You’ll pay more, but the camera alone earns it.
If neither camera system is good enough for you — honestly, look at the iPhone 17 Pro or the Galaxy S25 Ultra instead. Both offer full multi-lens systems with real telephoto zoom, and neither forces you to compromise on camera versatility to get a slim design.
Frequently asked questions
Is the iPhone Air thinner than the Galaxy S25 Edge? Yes. The iPhone Air is 5.64mm thick versus 5.88mm for the S25 Edge. Both are extraordinarily slim, but the Air is the thinnest production iPhone Apple has ever made.
Does the iPhone Air have an ultrawide camera? No — and this is its biggest trade-off. The iPhone Air has a single 48MP rear camera with no ultrawide or telephoto. If shooting a variety of scenes matters to you, the Galaxy S25 Edge or iPhone 17 Pro are better options.
Which has better battery life — iPhone Air or Galaxy S25 Edge? Surprisingly, the iPhone Air. Apple claims 27 hours of video playback versus 24 hours for the S25 Edge, despite the Air having a smaller 3,149 mAh battery. Apple’s A19 Pro chip and new C1X modem are significantly more power-efficient than Qualcomm’s equivalent in the Samsung.
Is the Galaxy S25 Edge worth the extra $100 over the iPhone Air? Only if the dual camera system matters to you. The S25 Edge costs $1,099 vs. $999 for the Air. The extra money buys you a second ultrawide lens and a bigger display — if neither of those are priorities, the iPhone Air is the better value.
Can the iPhone Air store more than the Galaxy S25 Edge? Yes. The iPhone Air goes up to 1TB of storage, while the S25 Edge maxes out at 512GB. If you shoot a lot of 4K video or prefer keeping files locally rather than in the cloud, the Air has a significant long-term advantage.
Which is better for gaming? Both are excellent. The iPhone Air’s A19 Pro wins on single-core and everyday app performance, while the Snapdragon 8 Elite in the S25 Edge edges ahead in GPU-heavy 3D benchmarks. For most mobile games, you won’t notice a difference. For the most demanding 3D titles, the S25 Edge has a slight graphics advantage.
