Galaxy S25 Edge vs Galaxy S26+

The month Samsung's promise of security updates for this phone runs until: the date Samsung's own page gives, or worked out from the number of years Samsung announced, counted from when the phone came out.

A phone bought later or used has fewer years left. "No longer updated" means the phone is no longer on Samsung's list of phones that get security updates.

Matters most if: You plan to keep the phone for years, or you're buying one used.

The version of Android, Google's phone software, that was installed when the phone first came out. Samsung adds its own design and features on top, called One UI (TouchWiz on older phones).

A Galaxy moves to newer Android versions through updates, so this shows where it started, not what it runs today.

What Samsung charged in the US when the phone launched, for the version with the least storage, before sales tax. Phones from before about 2014 were often priced with a two-year carrier contract.

This is not what it costs today: check the used and refurbished links for current prices. If Samsung has not confirmed a price, the site shows "Price not confirmed by Samsung".

How much charge the battery holds, measured in mAh (milliamp-hours). Samsung lists a typical figure; we show the one Samsung gives.

A bigger number stores more energy, but how long a charge lasts also depends on the screen, the chip and which features you use.

Samsung's own figure for how long a full charge lasts in one of its tests, usually hours of video playback (talk time on older phones).

It is a lab test of one activity, so real use with a mix of apps is usually shorter. Compare it only with another Samsung figure for the same test.

Matters most if: You are often away from a charger all day.

How many cameras are on the back. Each one is a separate lens for a different view: wide (the main camera), ultra wide and telephoto (zoom), depending on the model.

More cameras let you switch between a wide scene and a zoomed-in view using real lenses instead of cutting out part of the picture.

The resolution of the main camera's sensor in megapixels (MP), meaning millions of light-catching dots.

High-megapixel cameras usually combine neighboring dots into a smaller photo by default; you can switch to full resolution for large prints or cropping.

Matters most if: You want full-size photos for large prints or for cropping later.

The resolution in megapixels (MP) of the telephoto camera: a separate zoom lens that sees far-away things as if you were closer. "None" means the phone has no telephoto camera. Some Ultra models have two.

At the telephoto's own zoom level, the photo comes from a real lens instead of a cropped, enlarged image.

Matters most if: You photograph kids' sports, concerts, pets or wildlife from a distance.

How far the telephoto lens zooms on its own compared with the main camera (1x), for example '3x optical zoom'. Where Samsung lists two telephoto lenses, the comparison uses the longer one.

At this level the lens does the zooming, so no part of the image is cut away. 'Optical quality zoom' figures some models list come from cropping a high-resolution camera, not from a lens.

Matters most if: You compare zoom between phones: compare this row, not the 'up to' figures.

The farthest the camera can zoom, with software doing the work beyond what the lenses reach. Samsung calls it Space Zoom on many models.

Past the lens's own zoom, the camera enlarges part of the picture and relies on processing to keep it sharp, so the highest levels lose detail.

Matters most if: You zoom far and need the photo to show fine details.

More in the glossary →

Ways to unlock the phone with your body instead of typing a PIN: a fingerprint sensor (in the screen, the side key, the home key or on the back), face recognition, or on some older models an iris scanner.

An ultrasonic sensor in the screen reads your finger with sound waves; others use light. Where the sensor sits changes how you unlock the phone with one hand.

How much the phone weighs in grams (g); about 28 g is 1 ounce.

You feel the weight most when you hold the phone up for a long time, such as reading or filming.

The phone's size in millimeters (mm): height x width x depth (thickness). 25.4 mm is 1 inch.

Height and width tell you whether it fits your pocket and hand; depth is how thick it is.

What the outside of the phone is made of: the cover glass over the screen and back, and the frame around the edge, as Samsung lists them.

Glass names such as Corning Gorilla Glass Victus or Gorilla Armor are tougher generations of glass; a titanium or aluminum frame changes the weight and feel more than the strength in daily use.

How fast the phone charges with a cable, in Samsung's words, such as Super Fast Charging (25W or 45W). W (watts) is how much power the charger can deliver.

The top speed needs a charger and cable that support it; recent Galaxy phones come with a cable but no charger.

Matters most if: You often need a quick top-up before heading out.

Whether and how fast the phone charges on a wireless charging pad, in Samsung's words, such as Fast Wireless Charging 2.0.

The fastest speed usually needs a matching Samsung charger. Wireless charging is slower than a cable but saves plugging in.

Bluetooth connects wireless accessories, such as earbuds and watches, to the phone. The number, such as v5.3, is the Bluetooth version.

Newer versions add features such as LE Audio, but your earbuds or watch need to support them too.

An eSIM is a digital SIM built into the phone: it connects you to your carrier without a SIM card.

Whether you can use eSIM depends on your carrier and country. Some versions of a model have eSIM and others do not.

Matters most if: You travel abroad or want two phone lines on one phone.

FeliCa is the contactless chip behind Osaifu-Keitai, the tap-to-pay service used in Japan for transit cards such as Suica and e-money such as WAON.

Samsung Japan lists it for the Galaxy versions sold in Japan; versions sold elsewhere do not have it.

Matters most if: You live in Japan, or want to use Suica or other Osaifu-Keitai services.

Lets you send messages through a satellite when you have no mobile network and no Wi-Fi, on the Galaxy phones and carriers Samsung lists.

You need a clear view of the sky, and it works only in the countries and with the carriers that offer it.

Matters most if: You hike, camp or drive through places with no mobile coverage.

The main processor: the part that runs apps, camera processing and on-device AI. Samsung uses its own Exynos chips in some countries and Qualcomm Snapdragon chips in others, sometimes for the same model.

Where the chip depends on the country, the page shows a switch for the versions Samsung lists. A newer phone can have an older chip, so compare the chip names rather than the year.

Matters most if: You are buying a model that was sold with two different chips.

More in the glossary →