Camcorders are at the top of the list of characteristics that people look for when buying a new smartphone. With more devices, more quality, and more move, each entry-level mobile stands out. However, bulky cameras are easy target for chucking off when the goal is to produce&nbsp, one of the smallest phones on the market.

Despite having the same specifications as the one in Samsung’s Galaxy S25 Ultra, the new Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge features a surprising 200 megapixel ( MP ) f/1.7 wide camera. In fact, with the most recent updates to Android and Gemini as extra bonuses, the Edge’s$ 1,100 price tag could be justified by its 200MP camera only. S25 Ultra&nbsp, a similar resolution on the&nbsp, starts at$ 1, 300.

But why did Samsung decide to put a premium function on a smartphone that was part of the S25 line-up? People will pay for a good camera that they can take anywhere.

Read more: CNET’s Abrar Al-Heeti reviews the Galaxy S25 Edge.

See this: The Galaxy S25 Edge Hands-On: The Super-Thin Phone from Samsung Impressive.

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Most phones have features similar to those of monitors.

The distinction between phones in the same portfolio frequently decreases as a result of the model’s addition. &nbsp,

The Galaxy S25 is a thoroughly capable phone with ( to cherry pick specs ), a Snapdragon 8 Elite processor, a 4, 000 mAh battery, a 6.2 % display, and a camera kit that includes 50MP wide-angle, 12MP ultra-wide, 10MP 3x telephoto, and 12MP front camera. For 256GB of storeroom, it costs$ 860. The 128GB bottom unit costs$ 800, but I’m using the 256GB model to keep the backup consistent across all of our cases.

The Galaxy S25 Plus has a 6. 7-inch camera and a larger 4, 900 yer power, all of which are included in a larger package, making it easier to use. For that, you’ll have to pay an additional$ 140 more than the S25 to purchase the 256GB configuration for$ 1, 000.

Then you can get the$ 1,300 Galaxy S25 Ultra for less, which has a 200MP major camera, a 50MP ultra-wide camera, a second 50MP lens camera with 5x optical zoom, a slightly bigger 6.9-inch display, and a 5, 000 yer power.

So where does the Galaxy S25 Edge fit into the portfolio? The S25 Plus has the same 6. 7-inch screen as the S25 Plus, but with an additional layer of protection ( it is covered by Corning’s Gorilla Glass Ceramic 2 ), a smaller 3, 900 mAh battery ( as is expected in a thinner case ), as well as a 200MP wide camera.

Although the S25 Ultra camera has the same specifications, it’s not yet clear whether the components is the same. Samsung explained how it redesigned the cameras housing to meet the 200MP camera in the official Samsung event video that actually introduces the S25 Edge. I’m assuming it’s the same key components, only redesigned to fit a smaller type factor, but a clear photo comparison will be the actual test.

Thin isn’t enough on its own;

The S25 Edge’s key appeal, by name only, is the thin design of its design. The camera’s introductory video is jam-packed with diagrams and computer-generated animations showing how its various components fit into its slim frame. And appearance has a benefit, too, merely look at Apple’s dedication to producing everything from thin to light, such as the rumored iPhone 17 Air.

However, the antioxidant quality of thinness isn’t enough ( to make the apparent joke, it’s literally basic ). Samsung may have simply focused only on the camera’s style rather than the 50MP wide cameras used on the S25 and S25 Plus. However, it hits a sweet spot where a customer might think,” I’m getting a super thin version of the S25 but with the camera of the$ 1, 300 S25 Ultra,” by including the top-end 200MP camera from the series ‘ most expensive and premium phone.

Actually without a telephoto lens, decent move is also possible.

The fact that the S25 Edge does not have a dedicated lens cameras is another thing that sets it off. Every additional S25 unit comes with at least one lens camera to capture close-up images.

That extra range is typically the distinction between” consumer” and “pro” models. For instance, the phone 16 and 16E and the Pixel 9 and 9A both have wide-angle and ultra-wide devices, but they lack telephoto lenses. People frequently zoom in when taking photos, but Google and Apple promote higher-quality optical zoom at the higher price points of the professional models.

Samsung is also declare a 2x “optical value” move by including the 200MP cameras on the S25 Edge. Technically speaking, that’s a crop into the middle of the device, but the great megapixel count leaves plenty of room for resolution to produce high-quality images. Although you can also move farther, you rely heavily on picture processing to improve the digitally zoomed image.

( A key point regarding solution: Keep in mind that you may not always be capturing pictures at 200MP solution. A 12MP camera’s pixel-binned solution is used as a larger image that gathers more light, which acts as a pixel-binned sensor. Thus, the S25 Edge is most likely using AI widescreen to zoom at that resolution. However, the 2x focus is more likely to be a direct crop from the sensor’s recording at the 50MP and 200MP quality configurations.

This even reinforces the fact that mobile photography is extremely supported by real-time, AI-supported photo processing. Shooting at the entire 200MP resolution requires a lot of processing to enhance the details that are captured by such a tiny image sensor. I frequently see people using pinch-to-zoom instead of one of the better quality preset visual options, yet with professional phones. About 27 % of respondents to the Android Authority survey zoom easily rather than using preset zoom levels.

Will clients especially purchase the S25 Edge due to the camera features it has? Not completely, but the 200MP camera’s prominent presentation along with the new thin design gives them an opportunity to choose it.

Test out Abrar Al-Heeti’s photographs from her first 24 hours working for the Edge. CNET Managing Editor Patrick Holland’s Galaxy S25 Ultra evaluation, as well as Andrew Lanxon’s graphics pitting the S25 Ultra against the phone 16 Pro, offer more details on what the 200MP you do.