Motorola Edge 20 vs Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G: The Ultimate Showdown
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🏆 Quick Verdict
The Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G generally wins thanks to its superior processor, brighter display, and faster charging. However, the Motorola Edge 20 offers excellent value and impressive battery life, making it a solid choice for budget-conscious buyers.
| PHONES | ||
|---|---|---|
| Phone Names | Motorola Edge 20 | 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, 18, 19, 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 3) | Glass front (Gorilla Glass Victus), plastic back, aluminum frame |
| Dimensions | 163 x 76 x 7 mm (6.42 x 2.99 x 0.28 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 | 163 g (5.75 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 (1x2.4 GHz Cortex-A78 & 3x2.2 GHz Cortex-A78 & 4x1.9 GHz Cortex-A55) | 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 SM7325 Snapdragon 778G 5G (6 nm) | Qualcomm SM8350 Snapdragon 888 5G (5 nm) - Version 1Exynos 2100 (5 nm) - Version 2 |
| GPU | Adreno 642L | Adreno 660 - Version 1Mali-G78 MP14 - Version 2 |
| OS | Android 11, upgradable 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 | 128GB 6GB RAM, 128GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 6GB RAM, 256GB 8GB RAM |
| UFS | - | |
| Main Camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Features | Dual-LED dual-tone flash, HDR, panorama | 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/2.4, 79mm (telephoto), 1.0µm, 3x optical zoom, PDAF, OIS 16 MP, f/2.2, 17mm, 119˚ (ultrawide), 1/3.06", 1.0µm, AF | 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 | 4K@30fps, 1080p@30/60/120/240fps, 720p@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 | 1080p@30fps | 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 | 5.2, A2DP, LE, aptX HD, aptX Adaptive | 5.0, A2DP, LE |
| NFC | Yes | Yes |
| Positioning | GPS, GLONASS, BDS, GALILEO | GPS, GLONASS, BDS, GALILEO |
| Radio | No | Unspecified |
| USB | USB Type-C 2.0 | USB Type-C, OTG |
| WLAN | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/6e, 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 4000 mAh | Li-Ion 4500 mAh |
| Misc | ||
|---|---|---|
| Colors | Frosted Grey, Frosted White, Frosted Emerald | White, Graphite, Lavender, Olive |
| Models | XT2143-1 | 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 140 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 86h | Endurance rating 92h |
| Camera | Photo / Video | Photo / Video |
| Display | Contrast ratio: Infinite (nominal) | Contrast ratio: Infinite (nominal) |
| Loudspeaker | -28.7 LUFS (Average) | -26.9 LUFS (Good) |
| Performance | AnTuTu: 424031 (v8), 488574 (v9) GeekBench: 2550 (v5.1) GFXBench: 29fps (ES 3.1 onscreen) | AnTuTu: 566529 (v8), 719696 (v9) GeekBench: 3049 (v5.1) GFXBench: 56fps (ES 3.1 onscreen) |
Motorola Edge 20
- Excellent battery life
- Smooth display
- Competitive price
- Sleek design
- Less powerful processor
- Slower charging
- Camera not as impressive as S21 FE
Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G
- Powerful processor
- Brighter display
- Faster charging (wired & wireless)
- Good camera performance
- Higher price
- Battery life slightly shorter than Edge 20
- Design can be polarizing
Display Comparison
The Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G boasts a significantly brighter display at 792 nits compared to the Edge 20's 650 nits. Both offer excellent contrast ratios (infinite nominal), but the S21 FE's higher brightness makes it more usable in direct sunlight. Color accuracy is generally good on both, though Samsung's display often has a slightly more vibrant look.
Camera Comparison
Both phones offer capable camera systems. The S21 FE 5G generally produces more detailed and vibrant photos, especially in good lighting conditions. Low-light performance is also slightly better on the S21 FE. The Edge 20's camera is still very good, but it doesn't quite match the S21 FE's overall image quality. Video recording is solid on both devices.
Performance
Here, the S21 FE 5G takes a clear lead. Its Snapdragon 888 (or Exynos 2100) chipset is considerably more powerful than the Edge 20's Snapdragon 778G. This translates to smoother multitasking, faster app loading times, and better performance in demanding games. The S21 FE handles intensive tasks with ease, while the Edge 20 might show some slight slowdowns under heavy load.
Battery Life
The Motorola Edge 20 and S21 FE 5G have very similar endurance ratings (86h vs 92h). While the S21 FE has a slightly longer rating, real-world usage will likely be comparable. However, the S21 FE 5G offers significantly faster charging (30W wired, PD3.0, 15W wireless, reverse wireless) compared to the Edge 20's 30W wired charging.
Buying Guide
The Motorola Edge 20 is ideal for users prioritizing long battery life, a smooth display, and a more affordable price point. The Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G is better suited for those who demand top-tier performance, a brighter screen for outdoor use, and faster charging capabilities, even if it comes at a slightly higher cost.