Motorola Edge 20 Pro vs Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G: The Ultimate Showdown

The smartphone market is overflowing with options, making it tough to choose. Today, we're pitting two strong contenders against each other: the Motorola Edge 20 Pro and the Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G. Both offer compelling features, but which one truly delivers the best experience?

Phones Images

🏆 Quick Verdict

The Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G edges out the Motorola Edge 20 Pro thanks to its brighter display, more modern chipset (especially with the Snapdragon 888 version), and faster charging. However, the Edge 20 Pro boasts impressive battery life and a slightly more affordable price point.

PHONES
Phone Names	Motorola Edge 20 Pro	Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G

Network
2G bands	GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900	GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900
3G bands	HSDPA 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 1900 / 2100	HSDPA 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 1900 / 2100
4G bands	1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 13, 17, 20, 26, 28, 32, 34, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 66	1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 17, 20, 26, 28, 32, 38, 40, 41, 66 - International
5G bands	1, 3, 5, 7, 8, 28, 38, 41, 66, 77, 78 SA/NSA/Sub6	1, 3, 5, 8, 20, 28, 38, 40, 41, 66, 78 SA/NSA/Sub6 - International
Speed	HSPA 42.2/5.76 Mbps, LTE Cat18 1200/150 Mbps, 5G	HSPA 42.2/5.76 Mbps, LTE (5CA) Cat19 1600/200 Mbps, 5G
Technology	GSM / HSPA / LTE / 5G	GSM / CDMA / HSPA / EVDO / LTE / 5G
	-	41, 66, 71, 260, 261 SA/NSA/Sub6/mmWave - USA

Launch
Announced	2021, July 29	2022, January 04
Status	Available. Released 2021, August 16	Available. Released 2022, January 07

Body
Build	Glass front (Gorilla Glass 5), aluminum frame, glass back (Gorilla Glass 5) or eco leather back	Glass front (Gorilla Glass Victus), plastic back, aluminum frame
Dimensions	163 x 76 x 8 mm (6.42 x 2.99 x 0.31 in)	155.7 x 74.5 x 7.9 mm (6.13 x 2.93 x 0.31 in)
SIM	Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM	· Nano-SIM· Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM
Weight	185/190 g (depending on color) (6.53 oz)	177 g (6.24 oz)
	Water-repellent design	IP68 dust/water resistant (up to 1.5m for 30 min)

Display
Protection	Corning Gorilla Glass 5	Corning Gorilla Glass Victus
Resolution	1080 x 2400 pixels, 19.5:9 ratio (~385 ppi density)	1080 x 2340 pixels, 19.5:9 ratio (~403 ppi density)
Size	6.7 inches, 110.2 cm2 (~89.0% screen-to-body ratio)	6.4 inches, 100.5 cm2 (~86.7% screen-to-body ratio)
Type	OLED, 1B colors, 144Hz, HDR10+	Dynamic AMOLED 2X, 120Hz, HDR10+
	-	Always-on display

Platform
CPU	Octa-core (1x3.2 GHz Kryo 585 & 3x2.42 GHz Kryo 585 & 4x1.80 GHz Kryo 585)	Octa-core (1x2.84 GHz Cortex-X1 & 3x2.42 GHz Cortex-A78 & 4x1.80 GHz Cortex-A55) - Version 1Octa-core (1x2.9 GHz Cortex-X1 & 3x2.80 GHz Cortex-A78 & 4x2.2 GHz Cortex-A55) - Version 2
Chipset	Qualcomm SM8250-AC Snapdragon 870 5G (7 nm)	Qualcomm SM8350 Snapdragon 888 5G (5 nm) - Version 1Exynos 2100 (5 nm) - Version 2
GPU	Adreno 650	Adreno 660 - Version 1Mali-G78 MP14 - Version 2
OS	Android 11, planned upgrade to Android 13	Android 12, up to 4 major Android upgrades, One UI 8

Memory
Card slot	No	No
Internal	128GB 6GB RAM, 128GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 12GB RAM	128GB 6GB RAM, 128GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 6GB RAM, 256GB 8GB RAM
	UFS 3.1	-

Main Camera
Features	Dual-LED flash, panorama, HDR	LED flash, auto-HDR, panorama
Single	-	32 MP, f/2.2, 26mm (wide), 1/2.74", 0.8µm
Triple	108 MP, f/1.9, (wide), 1/1.52", 0.7µm, PDAF 8 MP, f/3.4, 126mm (periscope telephoto), 1.0µm, 5x optical zoom, PDAF, OIS 16 MP, f/2.2, 13mm, 119˚ (ultrawide), 1.0µm	12 MP, f/1.8, 26mm (wide), 1/1.76", 1.8µm, dual pixel PDAF, OIS 8 MP, f/2.4, 76mm (telephoto), 1/4.5", 1.0µm, PDAF, OIS, 3x optical zoom 12 MP, f/2.2, 13mm, 123˚ (ultrawide), 1/3.0", 1.12µm
Video	8K@24fps, 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60/240/960fps, gyro-EIS	4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60/120/240fps, HDR10+, gyro-EIS

Selfie camera
Features	HDR	HDR
Single	32 MP, f/2.3, (wide), 0.7µm	32 MP, f/2.2, 26mm (wide), 1/2.74", 0.8µm
Video	4K@30fps, 1080p@30/120fps	4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60fps, gyro-EIS

Sound
3.5mm jack	No	No
35mm jack	No	No
Loudspeaker	Yes	Yes, with stereo speakers
	-	32-bit/384kHz audio

Comms
Bluetooth	5.1, A2DP, LE	5.0, A2DP, LE
NFC	Yes	Yes
Positioning	GPS (L1+L5), GLONASS, BDS, GALILEO	GPS, GLONASS, BDS, GALILEO
Radio	No	Unspecified
USB	USB Type-C 3.1, DisplayPort 1.4	USB Type-C, OTG
WLAN	Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/6, dual-band, Wi-Fi Direct	Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/6, dual-band, Wi-Fi Direct

Features
Sensors	Fingerprint (side-mounted), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass	Fingerprint (under display, optical), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass
	-	Bixby natural language commands and dictation Samsung Pay (Visa, MasterCard certified) Samsung DeX (desktop experience support)

Battery
Charging	30W wired	25W wired, PD3.0, 50% in 30 min 15W wireless Reverse wireless
Type	Li-Po 4500 mAh	Li-Ion 4500 mAh

Misc
Colors	Midnight Blue, Blue Vegan Leather, Iridescent Cloud	White, Graphite, Lavender, Olive
Models	XT2153-1	SM-G990B, SM-G990B/DS, SM-G990U, SM-G990U1, SM-G990W, SM-G990E, SM-G9900, SM-G990B2, SM-G990U2, SM-G990W2, SM-G990U3
Price	About 330 EUR	€ 199.00 / $ 143.95 / £ 154.99 / ₹ 29,990
SAR	-	0.77 W/kg (head) 0.90 W/kg (body)
SAR EU	-	0.95 W/kg (head) 1.48 W/kg (body)

Tests
Battery life	Endurance rating 112h	Endurance rating 92h
Camera	Photo / Video	Photo / Video
Display	Contrast ratio: Infinite (nominal)	Contrast ratio: Infinite (nominal)
Loudspeaker	-29.2 LUFS (Average)	-26.9 LUFS (Good)
Performance	AnTuTu: 711090 (v9) GeekBench: 3140 (v5.1) GFXBench: 49fps (ES 3.1 onscreen)	AnTuTu: 566529 (v8), 719696 (v9) GeekBench: 3049 (v5.1) GFXBench: 56fps (ES 3.1 onscreen)

Motorola Edge 20 Pro

Exceptional battery life
Smooth performance
Affordable price
Good camera

Slower charging
Lower peak brightness
Older chipset

Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G

Brighter display
Faster performance (Snapdragon 888 version)
Wireless charging
Reverse wireless charging
Modern design

Shorter battery life
Can be more expensive
Performance varies based on chipset (Exynos version may be less efficient)

Display Comparison

The Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G takes the lead in the display department with a measured peak brightness of 792 nits, significantly higher than the Edge 20 Pro's 673 nits. Both offer excellent contrast ratios (nominally infinite), but the S21 FE's higher brightness makes it more visible in direct sunlight. Both utilize OLED technology for vibrant colors and deep blacks.

Camera Comparison

Both phones offer capable camera systems, but the S21 FE 5G likely has a slight edge in overall image quality, particularly in challenging lighting conditions. The S21 FE's processing tends to produce more vibrant and detailed images. Both offer versatile shooting modes and good video recording capabilities.

Performance

The Galaxy S21 FE 5G generally offers superior performance. While the Edge 20 Pro's Snapdragon 870 is no slouch, the S21 FE's Snapdragon 888 (or Exynos 2100) provides a noticeable boost in processing power, especially for demanding tasks like gaming and video editing. The S21 FE's newer architecture and potentially higher clock speeds contribute to this advantage.

Battery Life

The Motorola Edge 20 Pro shines in battery life, boasting an impressive endurance rating of 112 hours. The S21 FE 5G lags slightly behind with a rating of 92 hours. However, the Edge 20 Pro's 30W wired charging is slower than the S21 FE's 25W PD3.0 charging, and the S21 FE also offers wireless and reverse wireless charging.

Buying Guide

The Motorola Edge 20 Pro is ideal for users prioritizing exceptional battery life and a smooth, reliable experience on a budget. The Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G is a better choice for those who want a brighter screen, faster performance, and the versatility of wireless charging and reverse wireless charging.

Frequently Asked Questions

❓ Which phone has better gaming performance?

The Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G, particularly with the Snapdragon 888 version, generally offers better gaming performance due to its more powerful chipset.

❓ Is the Motorola Edge 20 Pro worth buying if battery life is my top priority?

Absolutely! The Edge 20 Pro's exceptional battery life makes it a fantastic choice for users who prioritize longevity between charges.