Technologies

My First Day With the Galaxy S25 Edge: Battery Life Be Damned, I’m in Love

I got used to Samsung’s slim, light phone far quicker than I expected, and I’m not sure I can go back.

I have never wanted to slap a case on a phone more, but that would defeat the whole purpose.

I’m holding the $1,100 Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge as I stand outside my apartment, waiting for an Uber. It’s the first time I’ve taken the super-slim phone beyond the confines of my home and into a world of rough pavement. I tighten my grip.

I marvel at how the 5.8mm device feels in my hand, about 20% thinner than its Galaxy S25 sibling. Yes, it’s skinny, but that’s not what stands out most. Rather, it’s how utterly light it is. At 163 grams, the S25 Edge weighs one gram more than the baseline S25 but 27 grams less than the S25 Plus, which has the same 6.7-inch display. Meanwhile, in my other hand, the 227-gram iPhone 16 Pro Max feels like a behemoth.

In my first day with the Galaxy S25 Edge, I’m amazed at how quickly I got used to the idea of a slim, lightweight phone. Holding anything else already feels outdated. While typing and scrolling on the feather-light device, I often found myself muttering «this is crazy» as I gently tossed it in my palm. I slipped the S25 Edge into my pocket and threw it into my bag without worrying about it snapping, despite its sleek form. «Maybe Samsung really does know what we want,» I conceded as I marveled at the design.

Battery compromises

But you know what else we want? Long battery life.

A slimmer phone means scaling back on some components, including the battery. The Galaxy S25 Edge has a 3,900 mAh battery, compared to 4,000 mAh on the baseline S25 and 4,900 mAh on the S25 Plus. Samsung says the S25 Edge’s battery should last you all day, and in my experience so far, this has been true — but don’t expect any more than that.

After a day of texting, scrolling, snapping photos, using Google Maps, posting to Instagram and hailing an Uber (all regular activities for me), the S25 Edge lived up to that full-day battery promise but was ready to be recharged after nearly 24 hours. I started with a full charge at 4 p.m. Wednesday soon after the phone arrived, and by 2 p.m. on Thursday, I was at 11%. So keep that charger handy at your nightstand.

As I continue to use the S25 Edge, I’m eager to see whether this really becomes an inconvenience. Because truthfully, I’m always going to charge my phone at the end of the day (my excessive screentime habits necessitate it). This may just be a compromise I’m willing to make, if the actual experience of using the phone is more enjoyable — and so far, it definitely is.

Camera first impressions

Another area where Samsung had to scale back is the S25 Edge’s cameras. Instead of three rear cameras like the rest of the S25 series, this slimmer phone has a 200-megapixel wide (like the S25 Ultra) and a 12-megapixel ultrawide camera, as well as a 12-megapixel selfie camera.

One of my favorite attributes from a hardware perspective is that the rear camera module isn’t particularly obtrusive. Yes, it sticks out a bit, but not enough to take away from the phone’s overall sleek design.

I took the S25 Edge’s camera for a quick spin to see how it performs in the real world, and have been impressed so far. I’ve always admired the vibrancy of images captured by Galaxy S devices, so I can’t say I’m surprised. But the S25 Edge did a great job snapping punchy photos that weren’t over- or undersaturated, and brightened up night-mode shots to make objects discernible even in pitch darkness.

I hit up The Cowden Rose Garden in Walnut Creek, California, to photograph the spring blooms. The S25 Edge captured crisp imagery that faithfully relayed the array of pink, red and white buds throughout the garden.

My favorite photo is this one captured in portrait mode (I’m always a sucker for portrait mode). I love the balance of how subtly blurred the background is compared to the crisp foreground, making for a cohesive image overall. And again, the colors are fabulously punchy.

I flipped the camera around for a quick selfie to see how the front-facing camera performs. In signature Samsung style, it offers a nice smoothing effect on my face (no makeup, no problem), while preserving detail and overall sharpness in both the flowers on my jumpsuit and the real-life roses in the background.

I also snapped photos at .6x zoom, 1x zoom and 2x zoom (no telephoto lens means that’s all you’re getting). As is the case when I tested the S25 and S25 Plus, I appreciate how .6x zoom doesn’t weirdly distort the image. 2x zoom also nicely punches in and preserves detail.

I’m doubtful I’ll really feel the absence of 3x optical zoom like you’ll find on the other S25 series devices, or the 5x optical zoom option you’ll get on the S25 Ultra, but we’ll see if more time with the phone makes me change my mind.

And finally, in this picture taken in my living room at night, AI and processing work their magic to brighten up the final shot (which looked almost indiscernible on my screen as I was capturing it). It’s not a particularly stunning image — photos taken on a phone in pitch darkness hardly ever are — but this captures how well the S25 Edge can handle those deep shadows and brighten up a subject.

Initial takeaways

In my first full day with the Galaxy S25 Edge, I’m amazed at how quickly I’ve gotten used to a form factor that seemingly no one asked for. As dramatic as it sounds, any other phone now feels unnecessarily hefty after holding the S25 Edge (although perhaps Apple will hop aboard the slim phone bandwagon soon, too). And I’m happy to still have a quality camera in my pocket without the bulk.

Despite my initial apprehension, towing the S25 Edge around town doesn’t feel as big a risk as I anticipated, both from a durability standpoint as well as a battery one — at least not yet. Sure, the battery life doesn’t seem stellar but, so far, it also doesn’t seem unmanageable. Let’s just hope that slim frame doesn’t slip through my fingertips and make me regret living on the edge.

Technologies

Today’s NYT Mini Crossword Answers for Friday, July 4

Here are the answers for The New York Times Mini Crossword for July 4.

Looking for the most recent Mini Crossword answer? Click here for today’s Mini Crossword hints, as well as our daily answers and hints for The New York Times Wordle, Strands, Connections and Connections: Sports Edition puzzles.

There are a few July 4-related clues in today’s Mini Crossword. Need answers? Read on. And if you could use some hints and guidance for daily solving, check out our Mini Crossword tips.

The Mini Crossword is just one of many games in the Times’ games collection. If you’re looking for today’s Wordle, Connections, Connections: Sports Edition and Strands answers, you can visit CNET’s NYT puzzle hints page.

Read more: Tips and Tricks for Solving The New York Times Mini Crossword

Let’s get to those Mini Crossword clues and answers.

Mini across clues and answers

1A clue: Uncle ___
Answer: SAM

4A clue: It’s full of stars
Answer: SPACE

6A clue: It’s full of stripes
Answer: ZEBRA

7A clue: Month when the American Revolutionary War began
Answer: APRIL

8A clue: 4th of July sales promotions, e.g.
Answer: ADS

Mini down clues and answers

1D clue: Big brand of hummus
Answer: SABRA

2D clue: Foul-smelling
Answer: ACRID

3D clue: Breakfast, lunch and dinner
Answer: MEALS

4D clue: Singer who performed «All the Stars» at Kendrick Lamar’s Super Bowl halftime show
Answer: SZA

5D clue: Lively energy
Answer: PEP

Technologies

Act Fast to Save 15% on This Powerful CarbonMag Portable Charger

This Sharge charger can keep you powered on the go, and right now you don’t have to pay full price.

There’s nothing worse than your phone dying in the middle of the day, especially when finding an outlet means being stuck in an uncomfortable situation. MagSafe portable wireless chargers are a great fix for that, as they snap onto the back of your phone and charge it while you go about your day. One solid pick that won’t weigh your phone down like a brick is the CarbonMag MagSafe portable charger by Sharge. And right now it can be yours for less with this Prime Day deal.

Thanks to Prime Day, you can currently snag it for 15% off with the code QHUAPIWG at checkout — bringing the price down from $70 to just $59. That’s the same cost as the smaller 5,000mAh model, but this one gives you double the battery capacity for the same price.

This device is made out of carbon fiber, which makes it 40% lighter than your usual power banks and 80% more durable than chargers made with the materials normally used. It gets you a 10,000mAh battery capacity, enough to charge your devices multiple times throughout the day. You’ll enjoy up to 15W wireless charging, which can power an iPhone 15 from 0% to 55% in just 44 minutes.

Hey, did you know? CNET Deals texts are free, easy and save you money.

The charger also features ultrastrong (but safe) magnets that maintain a stable hold on your smartphone. You can use the built-in USB-C port for pass-through charging or to power another device at the same time. The only catch? We don’t know when the discount code expires, so you might want to hurry.

Impulse Buys Under $25 That Make Surprisingly Great Gifts

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See all photos

Why this deal matters

MagSafe wireless chargers can be a game-changer for anyone tired of juggling wires throughout the day. This deal gets you a slim, lightweight, yet powerful option at a $11 discount for a limited time. We recommend acting while you can.

Technologies

Save Up to $35 Off a Baseus Charging Station This July 4th and Stay Powered Up All Weekend

When USB ports aren’t enough, a Baseus charging station is what you need. Power all your gadgets with multiple well-spaced AC outlets and no clutter.

Keeping all your gear charged can be a job unto itself, and it gets more complicated when you have visitors. Whether you’re having guests this Fourth of July weekend or you just need a better charging solution for your family, a charging station could be the answer. But even the best charging stations can only share so many watts between devices, which is why the best charging stations from brands like Anker and Baseus not only feature multiple USB ports but also multiple AC outlets. AC outlets accommodate those few devices that still use proprietary chargers, and it lets you expand beyond the included 2-4 USB ports without sacrificing wattage when you need to top off everyone quickly before heading out.

The Fourth of July deals are bouncing into next week’s Amazon Prime Day to give us some of the best savings of the year a week early. Among the dozens of mobile accessories Baseus has on sale this holiday weekend is a trio of towers that can declutter your desk and keep everything you need ready and recharged. Available in 6-in-1, 7-in-1 for $65, and 10-in-1 varieties, these charging stations all offer two USB-C ports, at least one USB-A port and multiple AC outlets. Just note: You’ll need to clip the on-page coupon to get the lowest possible price.

For the best blend of power and ports, Baseus’ 100W 7-in-1 USB-C charging station can fast charge a laptop at 65W — full speed for all Chromebooks and many Windows laptops — while a phone and tablet each standard charge at 15W and still leave 5W for your smartwatch while your non-USB tech or your desk’s smart speaker can use the AC ports on both sides and the back of the tower. These towers are part power delivery chargers and part surge protectors with surge and lightning protection to keep your digital lifelines from frying should calamity strike.

The Baseus $35 10-in-1 desktop charging station model may sound like it’s the most powerful, but it only offers 35 watts to share between the two USB-C and USB-A ports, leaving the lion’s share of the station’s potential power to the six AC ports. This isn’t to say 35W between four ports is useless, but you’ll want to use those ports for lower-powered devices like recharging your smartwatch or wireless earbuds.

If you’re looking to charge multiple phones and tablets with those ports, you’re probably better off going with the 6-in-1 USB-C Charging Station at $50, which may only have three AC ports but features a retractable USB-C cable in addition to one standard USB-A and one USB-C port. Those three ports share 65W, meaning that you can charge both a phone and tablet at full speed rather than both getting middling speeds.

Why this deal matters

I use a 100W charging station like this at my desk and have another next to my couch for both me and my guests to keep our phones powered and ready. Being able to stick my 65W travel charger into one of the AC ports and fast charge four phones instead of two — well, one phone and my Chromebook — when I have people over and then swap it back to powering my oil diffuser or smart speaker once they’re gone is a godsend, and since the wall outlets are spread out across multiple sides of the tower instead of sandwiched next to each other in a line, I never have to worry about bulky plugs blocking out half my ports.

Because these charging stations double as surge protectors, you can also click their switch to power off and disconnect everything when severe weather comes, unlike standard charging stations you would have to unplug. Living in lightning capital of the U.S. makes this feature more important to me than most, but it can also be handy for parents wanting a one-click shut-off for all the kids’ consoles and computers.

We’re still days away from Prime Day, and deals like these will continue to drop through the next week, but these chargers are all within a few dollars of their lowest prices ever. We’ll watch for further price drops and competing deals throughout the holiday week, including Anker’s plethora of deals on chargers, speakers and smart home appliances.