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Apple has just announced the iPhone Air, equipping it with a version of the A19 Pro, which is its best-performing chipset. That puts the ultra slim device right against the Galaxy S25 Edge, and now we have the first opportunity to see which one is faster.
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Unfortunately, the answer may turn out to be a little more complicated than fans of either brand would like. On the bright side, you can say either is faster, as long as you’re okay with a bit of cherry picking.
We don’t have a clear winner between the iPhone Air and the Galaxy S25 Edge
The first benchmarks for the iPhone Air have started showing up on Geekbench, revealing that Apple has kept its promise to provide top-tier performance for the ultra-slim device. The single-core score of the iPhone Air ranges from 3,206 to over 3,700 points, and the multi-core score is between 8,546 and 9,737 points in different runs.
Comparing that to the results of the Galaxy S25 Edge makes for an interesting journey. Samsung’s ultra-slim phone has been available for months, so there is more data on Geekbench’s database. However, the single-core scores from the last few days range from 1,579 to 3,205, and the multi-core scores go as low as 6,564 and as high as 10,102.
Do you pay attention to the benchmark scores of your phone?
Yes, that’s the main reason to choose a certain model
14.87%
Yes, but only out of curiosity
30.38%
Sometimes, but it’s not important for me
17.72%
No, that doesn’t matter in real life
37.03%
Keep in mind that many people own a Galaxy S25 Edge and are running tests in all sorts of conditions. Once the iPhone Air reaches its first owners, it is likely to see a similarly wide range of scores. Even with that in mind, the S25 Edge outperforms the iPhone Air in its best multi-core tests and lags in the single-core tests. That doesn’t tell the full story, though.
Which phone do you want to appear faster?
The iPhone Air of Schrödinger is faster and slower than the Galaxy S25 Edge. | Image Credit - Apple
If we compare the average scores of all available iPhone Air tests and the averages of all Galaxy S25 Edge since September 9, Apple is clearly doing better. In fact, the difference between the average scores looks jarring.
Best score
Average score
iPhone Air (single-core)
3,736
3,642
Galaxy S25 Edge (single-core)
3,205
2,634
iPhone Air (multi-core)
9,737
9,496
Galaxy S25 Edge (multi-core)
10,102
8,818
Before Samsung fans get mad, I need to clarify that with a bit of cherry picking, we can make either of the devices look superior. And that’s the main issue with such comparisons – they’re rarely representative of how the devices perform in real life.
There’s something more important
Looking at the scores, the only thing I can safely say is that both phones are fast. I don’t think any of them would stumble with any task. What’s left to see is how the iPhone Air holds up under sustained load, which is probably more important than the peak performance.
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Ilia, a tech journalist at PhoneArena, has been covering the mobile industry since 2011, with experience at outlets like Forbes Bulgaria. Passionate about smartphones, tablets, and consumer tech, he blends deep industry knowledge with a personal fascination that began with his first Nokia and Sony Ericsson devices. Originally from Bulgaria and now based in Lima, Peru, Ilia balances his tech obsessions with walking his dog, training at the gym, and slowly mastering Spanish.
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