They may not be the highest-selling smartphones out there, but don’t sleep on the advantages that a thin and light phone can give you. Lighter than most, more comfortable to hold — and just plain appealing in terms of design — the Apple iPhone Air and Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge are the future of slim phones (and the foundation for foldables like the Galaxy Z Fold 7 and rumored iPhone Fold).
But are you giving up too much else for a slim phone? If you press them together, are they much thicker combined than a regular iPhone 17 or Galaxy S25 (or the new Galaxy S26)? And do they overcome trade-offs in battery life, camera and sound quality that come with a thinner design? I’m here to do the math and compare features for you.
Looking to order the iPhone Air? Check out our order guide to learn if you can get it free and other great deals.
Want to
...Keep reading this article on CNET.