Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge: the only chance of success is a power-efficient chip

The Samsung Galaxy S25 series has already been unveiled, but one of the most intriguing models is still behind the scenes – the Galaxy S25 Edge. Unlike past devices with the prefix Edge, the novelty will not get a curved display. Instead, we’re looking at a thinner version of the standard Galaxy S25 with a more compact body and, presumably, reduced weight.

Edge.

Official details are still scarce, but it’s already clear that Samsung is positioning the S25 Edge as a premium device with an emphasis on usability and design. But such a concept has serious risks-historically, thin smartphones have often suffered from weak batteries and compromised specs. And if the leak about the 3900mAh battery with 25W charging is confirmed, the S25 Edge’s prospects are in jeopardy.

And if the leak about the 3900mAh battery with 25W charging is confirmed, the S25 Edge’s prospects are jeopardized.

This time around, however, Samsung has a chance to avoid past mistakes. All thanks to the new energy-efficient Snapdragon 8 Elite processor, which could be a key factor in the model’s success.

Samsung’s new Snapdragon 8 Elite processor could be a key factor in the model’s success.

Why have past thin smartphones failed?”

The market has already seen many ultra-thin smartphones, but almost all of them have failed to gain a foothold. The main reasons:

• Limited battery capacity. Compact devices almost always sacrifice battery life.
• Overheating and Trottling. In a narrow package, lack of space for heat sinking led to performance degradation.
• Low performance. Reduced chipsets or power-efficient versions of flagship processors were inferior to standard models, scaring off buyers.

At first glance, the Galaxy S25 Edge could repeat those mistakes. This time, however, there’s a chance that things will be different.

The Galaxy S25 Edge

Snapdragon 8 Elite: a rare case of a power-efficient flagship

The Galaxy S25 Edge will be powered by Snapdragon 8 Elite -a processor that has proven to be unexpectedly energy efficient compared to its predecessors.

Snapdragon 8 Elite -a processor that has proven to be unexpectedly energy efficient compared to its predecessors.

There’s no definitive data yet on what exactly made it possible to achieve such energy efficiency. It could be the result of improved architecture from Qualcomm or TSMC’s advanced 3nm process (N3E). Be that as it may, this is the first time that the flagship chip is becoming not only more powerful but also more cost-effective.

The first time that a flagship chip is becoming not only more powerful but also more cost-effective.

Samsung should opt for the 7-core version of the Snapdragon 8 Elite

Recently, Qualcomm unveiled a stripped-down variant of the Snapdragon 8 Elite with 7 cores. It removes one high-performance computing unit, which reduces power consumption without seriously sacrificing performance.

Snapdragon 8 Elite.

This chip is ideal for compact devices that don’t need maximum power but are critical for energy efficiency. The only question is whether Samsung will allow such a processor to be used in the S25 Edge.

The question is whether Samsung will allow such a processor to be used in the S25 Edge.

If the company bets on this option, the benefit is two-sided:

• Users will get a thin smartphone with normal battery life.
• Samsung will save money by procuring the same chip for foldable smartphones and new compact devices.

But if the S25 Edge comes out with a overclocked processor like the rest of the series, then with its 3900 mAh battery the result will be predictable – disappointment in battery life and criticism in reviews.

Why is performance not the most important thing anymore?”

For a long time, smartphones competed in processing power, but today even average processors can handle most tasks. Unless you’re mobile gaming at max settings or editing video, your smartphone is only using a fraction of its capabilities.

If you’re not gaming at max settings or editing video, your smartphone is only using a fraction of its capabilities.

But that said, autonomy remains a major concern. Every year, manufacturers advertise improved cameras, screens, and chipsets, but device uptime remains almost the same.

But that’s not the case.

• Growing battery capacity doesn’t solve the problem because more powerful components use up charge faster.
• Performance and energy efficiency are opposites. Improving one means sacrificing the other.

The Galaxy S25 Edge is not positioned as a gaming smartphone, which means that paying more attention to energy efficiency would be a logical decision.

Samsung should bet on battery life, not benchmark numbers

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Samsung has proven time and again that it knows how to create premium devices with a thoughtful balance of features. However, in recent years, the company has prioritized performance over power consumption.

Galaxy S25 Ultra, S25 and S25+ use an exclusive overclocked version of Snapdragon 8 Elite, focused on maximizing test results. But how useful is that to the average user?”

Galaxy S25 Ultra.

It’s likely that Samsung won’t go for a 7-core version of Snapdragon 8 Elite in the S25 Edge. However, if the company chooses to go that route, it could be a breakthrough decision.

Samsung.

If the S25 Edge comes out with a power-efficient processor, it will become the first thin smartphone with adequate battery life. Otherwise, the story will be predictable: a beautiful but useless flagship with a mediocre battery.

S25 Edge.

Conclusion

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The Galaxy S25 Edge is an interesting experiment by Samsung that could either become a success due to a successful balance of features, or fail if the manufacturer repeats the mistakes of the past.

An interesting experiment by Samsung.

Key success factors:

• Use of the 7-core Snapdragon 8 Elite to reduce power consumption.
• Focus on battery life rather than maximum performance.
• Compact and lightweight body that doesn’t sacrifice convenience for design.

If Samsung doesn’t address these nuances, reviews of the S25 Edge will be predictable: stylish but with a bad battery. However, the company has a chance to first make a thin smartphone that’s actually comfortable for everyday use.