Technologies

My Hands-On With the Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge Has Me Reconsidering a Thin Phone

This slim phone is similar to other S25 series phones, but the thin design leaves more of an impression than I expected.

I’ve used plenty of different phones in several form factors: large ones, small ones, phones that fold in ways that seem too fragile to work. But as I hold Samsung’s super-thin and light — yet surprisingly sturdy — Galaxy S25 Edge, the first word that comes to mind is «airy.» My next thought is: If I were the S25 Plus, I’d be worried.

In my early hands-on with the S25 Edge at a preview event in New York, I was struck by how much the new phone carries over from its S25 counterparts. It maintains the 200-megapixel wide camera from the S25 Ultra, the 6.7-inch display from the S25 Plus and the Snapdragon 8 Elite processor you’ll find across the other three S25 devices. But it does so within a sleek, 5.8mm titanium frame, clocking in at 163 grams. It feels like something I can throw in my bag or pocket and hardly notice.

In fact, the S25 Edge strikes me as exactly what a middle-of-the-line flagship phone should be: a fresh, elevated take on the baseline model, which pulls in premium features to justify its $1,100 price. The exciting design, Ultra-level wide camera and spacious display actually make this an enticing option for anyone who wants something a little out of the ordinary.

But that’s not to say there aren’t any compromises in store, the most notable being the battery; more on that later.

Preorders for the Galaxy S25 Edge are open now, and the phone will arrive on May 30. It comes in three colors: silver, jet black and icy blue.

What makes the S25 Edge stand out

The biggest question leading up to the release of the S25 Edge has been: Why would someone want a thinner phone anyway? After spending a little time with the device, I began to see the appeal.

While the S25 Edge’s thickness may not be visually striking at first glance, getting your hands on the phone is a different story. Comparing how the S25 Edge’s 5.8mm, 163g frame feels to the S25 and S25 Plus, I registered just how much thinner and lighter it really is. For reference, the baseline S25 is 7.2mm thick and weighs 162g, but has a smaller 6.2-inch screen. The S25 Plus has the same 6.7-inch display as the Edge, but is 7.3mm thick and weighs 190g. It’s a noticeable difference.

The moment of truth was applying some force to the phone to see if it gave at all. Impressively, it felt quite sturdy. (If not, I’d probably have gotten myself into some trouble with Samsung.) It touts a Corning Gorilla Glass Ceramic 2 display, along with a Gorilla Glass Victus 2 backing. My initial impression is that you shouldn’t have to worry about accidentally turning the S25 Edge into a foldable by keeping it in your back pocket, but that’s certainly something I’ll have to test in my review. The S25 Edge also maintains the same IP68 rating for dust and water resistance you’ll find on the other S25 series phones.

The biggest trade-off, at least on paper, appears to be battery capacity. The Galaxy S25 Edge’s 3,900 mAh battery pales in comparison to what you’ll get on the baseline S25 (4,000 mAh) and the S25 Plus (4,900 mAh). Samsung isn’t sharing how many hours you’ll get out of the S25 Edge’s battery, other than stating it’ll last you all day. That’s something else I look forward to testing. The S25 Edge supports 25-watt wired charging and 15-watt wireless charging.

With thinner phones, camera hardware can also be scaled back. But the S25 Edge boasts three cameras: a 200-megapixel wide, a 12-megapixel ultrawide and a 12-megapixel selfie camera. Megapixels aren’t everything, so I’m eager to see how that all translates into real-world photography. Samsung points to Galaxy AI for helping to boost camera quality and for powering photo editing features like Generative Edit.

Like the S25 Plus, the S25 Edge has 12GB of RAM and 256GB and 512GB storage options. It’ll cost a little more than the S25 Plus, though: $1,100 for 256GB and $1,220 for 512GB. But it’s still priced lower than the top-of-the-line $1,300 S25 Ultra.

You’ll find the same Galaxy AI features Samsung has been touting on the rest of its S25 phones, like Sketch to Image and Audio Eraser. Gemini features are also onboard, like Gemini Live and Circle to Search.

On the edge of a new trend

The launch of the Galaxy S25 Edge comes amid a thin-phone phenomenon. Earlier this year, Oppo released its super-thin Find N5 foldable, which it calls the «world’s thinnest book-style foldable,» measuring just 8.93mm thick when closed and 4.21mm thick when opened. Apple is also rumored to be developing a thinner «Air» version of the iPhone 17. And at MWC 2025, phone maker Tecno showed off its Spark Slim phone concept, which measures 5.75mm thick and weighs just 146 grams, according to the company.

Depending on how consumers respond, the S25 Edge could be the phone to help kickstart the thin phone craze. If people don’t have to compromise too much when it comes to camera, storage and battery — three of the biggest considerations when buying a phone, according to a CNET survey — they could be inclined to pay up for a fresh form factor. After all, phones have become rather boring and predictable, apart from a handful of foldable options. The S25 Edge could be a breath of fresh air.

I look forward to seeing how the S25 Edge holds up in the real world and whether it truly can maintain its edge (I had to do it).

Galaxy S25 Edge vs. Galaxy S25 vs. Galaxy S25 Plus vs. Galaxy S25 Ultra

	Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge	Samsung Galaxy S25	Samsung Galaxy S25 Plus	Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra
Display size, tech, resolution, refresh rate	6.7-inch AMOLED; 3,200×1,800 pixels; 120Hz refresh rate	6.2-inch AMOLED; 2,340×1,080 pixels; 1-120Hz adaptive refresh rate	6.7-inch AMOLED; 3,120×1,440 pixels; 1-120Hz adaptive refresh rate	6.8-inch AMOLED; 3,120×1,440 pixels; 1-120Hz adaptive refresh rate
Pixel density	548 ppi	416 ppi	509 ppi	501 ppi
Dimensions (inches)	2.98 x 6.23 x 0.23 inches	5.78 x 2.78 x 0.28 in.	6.24 x 2.98 x 0.29 in.	6.41 x 3.06 x 0.32 in.
Dimensions (millimeters)	75.6 X 158.2 X 5.8mm	146.9 x 70.5 x 7.2 mm	158.4 x 75.8 x 7.3 mm	162.8 x 77.6 x 8.2 mm
Weight (grams, ounces)	163g (5.75 oz)	162g (5.71 oz)	190g (6.70 oz)	218g (7.69 oz)
Mobile software	Android 15	Android 15	Android 15	Android 15
Camera	200-megapixel (wide), 12-megapixel (ultrawide)	50-megapixel (wide), 12-megapixel (ultrawide), 10-megapixel (3x telephoto)	50-megapixel (wide), 12-megapixel (ultrawide), 10-megapixel (3x telephoto)	200-megapixel (wide), 50-megapixel (ultrawide), 10-megapixel (3x telephoto), 50-megapixel (5x telephoto)
Front-facing camera	12-megapixel	12-megapixel	12-megapixel	12-megapixel
Video capture	8K	8K	8K	8K
Processor	Snapdragon 8 Elite	Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite for Galaxy	Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite for Galaxy	Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite for Galaxy
RAM + storage	12GB RAM + 256GB, 512GB	12GB RAM + 128GB, 256GB	12GB RAM + 256GB, 512GB	12GB RAM + 256GB, 512GB, 1TB
Expandable storage	No	None	None	None
Battery	3,900 mAh	4,000 mAh	4,900 mAh	5,000 mAh
Fingerprint sensor	Under display	Under display	Under display	Under display
Connector	USB-C	USB-C	USB-C	USB-C
Headphone jack	None	None	None	None
Special features	IP88 rating, 5G, One UI 7, 25-watt wired charging, 15-watt wireless charging, Galaxy AI, Gemini, Circle to Search, Wi-Fi 7.	2,600-nit peak brightness; 7 years of OS and security updates; 5G (mmWave); IP68 water and dust resistance; wireless PowerShare to charge other devices; 25W wired charging (charger not included); Galaxy AI; Wi-Fi 7	2,600-nit peak brightness; 7 years of OS and security updates; 5G (mmWave); IP68 water and dust resistance; wireless PowerShare to charge other devices; 25W wired charging (charger not included); Galaxy AI; Wi-Fi 7; ultrawideband	Titanium frame, 2,600-nit peak brightness; 7 years of OS and security updates; 5G (mmWave); IP68 water and dust resistance; wireless PowerShare to charge other devices; integrated S Pen; UWB for finding other devices; 45W wired charging (charger not included); Galaxy AI; Wi-Fi 7; Gorilla Glass Armor cover glass; ultrawideband
US price starts at	$1,100	$800 (128GB)	$1,000 (256GB)	$1,300 (256GB)
UK price starts at	TBA	£799 (128GB)	£999 (256GB)	£1,249 (256GB)
Australia price starts at	TBA	AU$1,399 (256GB)	AU$1,699 (256GB)	AU$2,149 (256GB)

Technologies

Google Discover Gains Follow Button and Expands Content Sources

Google’s personalized news feed will feature a wider variety of content in the coming weeks.

Google Discover, Google’s personalized news feed, has largely remained the same since its introduction in 2018, but it’s now receiving some new and helpful features.

On Wednesday, Google announced that Discover will soon expand the type of content found within the feed and allow you to follow publications and creators. You can find Google Discover in the Google app, and it will be built into the home screens of some Android phones.

Don’t miss any of our unbiased tech content and lab-based reviews. Add CNET as a preferred Google source.

Instead of just seeing a list of web pages to visit on your feed, you’ll soon see a mix of web articles, YouTube videos and social media posts from X and Instagram, effectively widening the net of content shown in Discover.

Along with expanding content from more sources, Google Discover is allowing users to follow specific publishers and content creators using a «follow» button at the top right of each content card.

Google says that tapping the publication’s or creator’s name will open a new page previewing the content that’s typically shared before you choose to follow the outlet. From our testing across multiple phones so far, it appears the feature is still rolling out.

Your Google Discover feed should now allow you to follow content creators. A more diversified mix of content will roll out over the coming weeks.

Technologies

New Bill Aims to Block Both Online Adult Content and VPNs: How Your VPN Could Be Affected

A proposed bill in Michigan has a broad reach that covers everything from adult AI content to manga and even depictions of transgender people. It includes a VPN ban to avoid workarounds.

If you live in Michigan, you might not be able to legally use a VPN soon if a new bill is passed into law. On Sept. 11, Michigan Republican representatives proposed far-reaching legislation banning adult internet content.

The bill, called the Anticorruption of Public Morals Act and advanced by six Republican representatives, would ban a wide variety of adult content online, ranging from ASMR and adult manga to AI content and any depiction of transgender people. It also seeks to ban all use of VPNs, foreign or US-produced.

Don’t miss any of our unbiased tech content and lab-based reviews. Add CNET as a preferred Google source.

VPNs, or virtual private networks, are software suites often used as workarounds to avoid similar content bans that have passed in states like Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi and the UK. VPNs can be purchased with subscriptions or downloaded and are also built into some browsers and Wi-Fi routers.

But Michigan’s bill would charge internet service providers with detecting and blocking VPN use, as well as banning the sale of VPNs in the state. Associated fines would be up to $500,000.

What the ban could mean for VPNs

Unlike some laws banning access to adult content, this Michigan bill is comprehensive. It applies to all residents of Michigan, adults or children, targets an extensive range of content and includes language that could ban not only VPNs but any method of bypassing internet filters or restrictions.

That could spell trouble for VPN owners and other internet users who leverage these tools to improve their privacy, protect their identities online, prevent ISPs from gathering data about them or increase their device safety when browsing on public Wi-Fi.

Read more: CNET Survey: 47% of Americans Use VPNs for Privacy. That Number Could Rise. Here’s Why

Bills like these could have unintended side effects. John Perrino, Senior Policy and Advocacy Expert for the nonprofit Internet Society, mentioned to CNET that adult content laws like this could interfere with what kind of music people can stream, the sexual health forums and articles they can access and even important news involving sexual topics that they may want to read.

«Additionally, state age verification laws are difficult for smaller services to comply with, hurting competition and an open internet,» Perrino said.

The Anticorruption of Public Morals Act has not passed the Michigan House of Representatives committee or been voted on by the Michigan Senate, and it’s not clear how much support the bill has beyond the six Republican representatives who have proposed it. As we’ve seen with state legislation in the past, sometimes bills like these can serve as templates for other representatives who may want to propose similar laws in their own states.

Could VPNs still get around bans like these?

Could VPNs still get around this type of ban? That’s a complex question that this bill doesn’t really address.

«From a technical standpoint, ISPs can attempt to distinguish VPN traffic using deep packet inspection, or they can block known VPN IP addresses,» said NordVPN privacy advocate Laura Tyrylyte. «However, deploying them effectively requires big investments and ongoing maintenance, making large-scale VPN blocking both costly and complex.»

Also, VPNs have ways around deep packet inspection and other methods.

«Some VPNs offer obfuscation — which tries to disguise VPN traffic as standard web traffic — using dedicated servers or custom VPN protocols, like NordVPN’s NordWhisper or Proton VPN’s Stealth,» said CNET senior editor Moe Long. «But note that obfuscation isn’t foolproof.»

There are also no-log features offered by many VPNs to guarantee they don’t keep a record of your activity, and no-log audits from third parties like Deloitte that — well, try to guarantee the guarantee. VPNs can even use server tricks, such as RAM-only servers that automatically reboot to erase data after every browsing session.

If you’re seriously concerned about your data privacy, you can look for features like these in a VPN and see if they are right for you. Changes like these, even on the state level, are one reason we pay close attention to how specific VPNs work during our testing, and recommend the right VPNs for the job, from speedy browsing to privacy while traveling.

Technologies

Today’s NYT Strands Hints, Answers and Help for Sept. 19 #565

Here are hints and answers for the NYT Strands puzzle for Sept. 19, No. 565.

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

Do you drink your coffee black? If so, today’s NYT Strands puzzle might be a puzzler. If you need hints and answers, read on.

I go into depth about the rules for Strands in this story.

If you’re looking for today’s Wordle, Connections and Mini Crossword answers, you can visit CNET’s NYT puzzle hints page.

Read more: NYT Connections Turns 1: These Are the 5 Toughest Puzzles So Far

Hint for today’s Strands puzzle

Today’s Strands theme is: Pour it on.

If that doesn’t help you, here’s a clue: Wow, no cow.

Clue words to unlock in-game hints

Your goal is to find hidden words that fit the puzzle’s theme. If you’re stuck, find any words you can. Every time you find three words of four letters or more, Strands will reveal one of the theme words. These are the words I used to get those hints but any words of four or more letters that you find will work:

NONE, CONE, RICER, SHEW, FAIR, FAIRY, DRAY, YARD, MILK, CASH, DONE, DRAM, MADAM

Answers for today’s Strands puzzle

These are the answers that tie into the theme. The goal of the puzzle is to find them all, including the spangram, a theme word that reaches from one side of the puzzle to the other. When you have all of them (I originally thought there were always eight but learned that the number can vary), every letter on the board will be used. Here are the nonspangram answers: