Motorola Edge (2021) vs Samsung Galaxy S23: A Clash of Titans
| Phones Images | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
🏆 Quick Verdict
The Samsung Galaxy S23 is the clear winner, offering significantly superior performance, a vastly improved camera system, and a brighter, more vibrant display. While the Motorola Edge (2021) provides decent value, the S23's premium features and overall experience justify its higher price tag.
| PHONES | ||
|---|---|---|
| Phone Names | Motorola Edge (2021) | Samsung Galaxy S23 |
| 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, 14, 17, 18, 19, 20, 25, 26, 29, 30, 38, 39, 40, 41, 66, 71 | 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 13, 17, 18, 19, 20, 25, 26, 28, 32, 38, 39, 40, 41, 66 - International |
| 5G bands | 2, 5, 25, 41, 66, 71, 77, 78 SA/NSA/Sub6 | 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 12, 20, 25, 28, 38, 40, 41, 66, 75, 77, 78 SA/NSA/Sub6 - International |
| Speed | HSPA 42.2/5.76 Mbps, LTE Cat18 1200/150 Mbps, 5G | HSPA, LTE (up to 7CA), 5G |
| Technology | GSM / HSPA / LTE / 5G | GSM / CDMA / HSPA / EVDO / LTE / 5G |
| - | 1, 7, 25, 28, 41, 66, 71, 78, 258, 260, 261 SA/NSA/Sub6/mmWave - USA | |
| Launch | ||
|---|---|---|
| Announced | 2021, August 19 | 2023, February 01 |
| Status | Available. Released 2021, September 02 | Available. Released 2023, February 17 |
| Body | ||
|---|---|---|
| Build | Glass front, plastic back | Glass front (Gorilla Glass Victus 2), glass back (Gorilla Glass Victus 2), aluminum frame |
| Dimensions | 169 x 75.6 x 9 mm (6.65 x 2.98 x 0.35 in) | 146.3 x 70.9 x 7.6 mm (5.76 x 2.79 x 0.30 in) |
| SIM | Nano-SIM | · Nano-SIM + eSIM· Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM + eSIM (max 2 at a time) |
| Weight | 200 g (7.05 oz) | 168 g (5.93 oz) |
| Water-repellent design | IP68 dust/water resistant (up to 1.5m for 30 min) Armor aluminum frame with tougher drop and scratch resistance (advertised) | |
| Display | ||
|---|---|---|
| Protection | Corning Gorilla Glass 3 | Corning Gorilla Glass Victus 2 |
| Resolution | 1080 x 2460 pixels (~395 ppi density) | 1080 x 2340 pixels, 19.5:9 ratio (~425 ppi density) |
| Size | 6.8 inches, 109.8 cm2 (~85.9% screen-to-body ratio) | 6.1 inches, 90.1 cm2 (~86.8% screen-to-body ratio) |
| Type | LCD, 144Hz, HDR10 | Dynamic AMOLED 2X, 120Hz, HDR10+, 1200 nits (HBM), 1750 nits (peak) |
| - | Always-on display | |
| Platform | ||
|---|---|---|
| CPU | Octa-core (1x2.4 GHz Cortex-A78 & 3x2.2 GHz Cortex-A78 & 4x1.9 GHz Cortex-A55) | Octa-core (1x3.36 GHz Cortex-X3 & 2x2.8 GHz Cortex-A715 & 2x2.8 GHz Cortex-A710 & 3x2.0 GHz Cortex-A510) |
| Chipset | Qualcomm SM7325 Snapdragon 778G 5G (6 nm) | Qualcomm SM8550-AC Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 (4 nm) |
| GPU | Adreno 642L | Adreno 740 |
| OS | Android 11, planned upgrade to Android 13 | Android 13, up to 4 major Android upgrades, One UI 8 |
| Memory | ||
|---|---|---|
| Card slot | No | No |
| Internal | 128GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 8GB RAM | 128GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 8GB RAM, 512GB 8GB RAM |
| - | UFS 3.1 - 128GB only UFS 4.0 | |
| Main Camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Features | Dual-LED dual-tone flash, HDR, panorama | LED flash, auto-HDR, panorama |
| Single | - | 12 MP, f/2.2, 26mm (wide), Dual Pixel PDAF |
| Triple | 108 MP, f/1.9, (wide), 1/1.52", 0.7µm, PDAF 8 MP, f/2.2, 119˚ (ultrawide), 1.12µm, AF Auxiliary lens | 50 MP, f/1.8, 24mm (wide), 1/1.56", 1.0µm, dual pixel PDAF, OIS 10 MP, f/2.4, 70mm (telephoto), 1/3.94", 1.0µm, PDAF, OIS, 3x optical zoom 12 MP, f/2.2, 13mm, 120˚ (ultrawide), 1/2.55" 1.4µm, Super Steady video |
| Video | 4K@30fps, 1080p@30/60/120ps, 720p@960fps, gyro-EIS | 8K@24/30fps, 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60/120/240fps, HDR10+, stereo sound rec., gyro-EIS |
| Selfie camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Features | HDR | HDR, HDR10+ |
| Single | 32 MP, f/2.3, (wide), 0.7µm | 12 MP, f/2.2, 26mm (wide), 1/3.2", 1.12µm, dual pixel PDAF |
| Video | 4K@30fps, 1080p@30/120fps | 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30fps |
| Sound | ||
|---|---|---|
| 3.5mm jack | No | No |
| 35mm jack | No | No |
| Loudspeaker | Yes | Yes, with stereo speakers |
| - | 32-bit/384kHz audio Tuned by AKG | |
| Comms | ||
|---|---|---|
| Bluetooth | 5.2, A2DP, LE, aptX HD, aptX Adaptive | 5.3, A2DP, LE |
| NFC | Yes | Yes |
| Positioning | GPS, GLONASS, GALILEO | GPS, GLONASS, BDS, GALILEO |
| Radio | No | No |
| USB | USB Type-C 2.0 | USB Type-C 3.2, 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/6e, tri-band, Wi-Fi Direct |
| Features | ||
|---|---|---|
| Sensors | Fingerprint (side-mounted), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass, barometer | Fingerprint (under display, ultrasonic), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass, barometer |
| - | Samsung DeX, Samsung Wireless DeX (desktop experience support) Bixby natural language commands and dictation Samsung Pay (Visa, MasterCard certified) | |
| Battery | ||
|---|---|---|
| Charging | 30W wired | 25W wired, PD3.0, 50% in 30 min 15W wireless (Qi) 4.5W reverse wireless |
| Type | Li-Po 5000 mAh | Li-Ion 3900 mAh |
| Misc | ||
|---|---|---|
| Colors | Nebula Blue | Phantom Black, Cream, Green, Lavender, Graphite, Lime |
| Models | XT2141-1 | SM-S911B, SM-S911B/DS, SM-S911U, SM-S911U1, SM-S911W, SM-S911N, SM-S9110, SM-S911E, SM-S911E/DS |
| Price | About 90 EUR | $ 237.95 / C$ 336.75 / £ 255.00 / € 322.41 / ₹ 49,990 |
| SAR | - | 0.95 W/kg (head) 0.88 W/kg (body) |
| SAR EU | - | 0.96 W/kg (head) 1.30 W/kg (body) |
| Tests | ||
|---|---|---|
| Battery life | - | Endurance rating 101h |
| Camera | - | Photo / Video |
| Display | - | Contrast ratio: Infinite (nominal) |
| Loudspeaker | - | -27.0 LUFS (Good) |
| Performance | - | AnTuTu: 1231075 (v9) GeekBench: 4950 (v5.1) GFXBench: 110fps (ES 3.1 onscreen) |
Motorola Edge (2021)
- Affordable price
- Large display
- Decent performance for everyday tasks
- Clean Android experience
- Lower performance compared to flagship phones
- Less impressive camera
- Slower charging
- Less premium build quality
Samsung Galaxy S23
- Exceptional performance
- Outstanding camera system
- Bright and vibrant display
- Premium design and build quality
- Long-term software support
- Fast charging (wired and wireless)
- Higher price
- No expandable storage
Display Comparison
The Samsung Galaxy S23 boasts a significantly brighter display (1198 nits peak) with an infinite contrast ratio, offering exceptional visibility even in direct sunlight. The Motorola Edge (2021) has a good display, but it lacks the S23's vibrancy and brightness. The S23's display technology is also generally considered superior.
Camera Comparison
Samsung's Galaxy S23 camera system is a major upgrade. It captures more detail, has better dynamic range, and excels in low-light conditions. The S23 also offers more advanced video recording capabilities. The Edge (2021) has a capable camera, but it can't compete with the S23's image quality and features.
Performance
The Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 in the Galaxy S23 absolutely dominates the Snapdragon 778G in the Edge (2021). Expect noticeably faster app loading, smoother multitasking, and better gaming performance on the S23. The S23's chipset is built for demanding tasks, while the Edge (2021) is more suited for everyday use.
Battery Life
The Galaxy S23 demonstrates exceptional battery life, achieving an endurance rating of 101 hours. While the Edge (2021) offers respectable battery performance, the S23's optimization and larger battery capacity provide significantly longer usage times.
Buying Guide
Who should buy the Motorola Edge (2021)? Users seeking a budget-friendly phone with a large display and decent performance for everyday tasks. Who should buy the Samsung Galaxy S23? Users prioritizing top-tier performance, a stunning camera, a premium design, and long-term software support.