Motorola Edge 30 Neo vs Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G: The Ultimate Showdown
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🏆 Quick Verdict
The Galaxy S21 FE 5G generally wins thanks to its significantly more powerful processor and flagship-level chipset. However, the Edge 30 Neo offers incredible value with its blazing-fast charging and brighter display, making it a strong contender for budget-conscious buyers.
| PHONES | ||
|---|---|---|
| Phone Names | Motorola Edge 30 Neo | 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, 17, 20, 25, 26, 28, 32, 38, 40, 41, 42, 43 | 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, 20, 28, 38, 40, 41, 66, 78 SA/NSA | 1, 3, 5, 8, 20, 28, 38, 40, 41, 66, 78 SA/NSA/Sub6 - International |
| Speed | HSPA, LTE, 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 | 2022, September 08 | 2022, January 04 |
| Status | Available. Released 2022, October 07 | Available. Released 2022, January 07 |
| Body | ||
|---|---|---|
| Build | Glass front, plastic frame, plastic back | Glass front (Gorilla Glass Victus), plastic back, aluminum frame |
| Dimensions | 152.9 x 71.2 x 7.8 mm (6.02 x 2.80 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 + Nano-SIM |
| Weight | 155 g (5.47 oz) | 177 g (6.24 oz) |
| Splash and dust resistant | IP68 dust/water resistant (up to 1.5m for 30 min) | |
| Display | ||
|---|---|---|
| Protection | - | Corning Gorilla Glass Victus |
| Resolution | 1080 x 2400 pixels, 20:9 ratio (~419 ppi density) | 1080 x 2340 pixels, 19.5:9 ratio (~403 ppi density) |
| Size | 6.28 inches, 95.2 cm2 (~87.5% screen-to-body ratio) | 6.4 inches, 100.5 cm2 (~86.7% screen-to-body ratio) |
| Type | P-OLED, 120Hz | Dynamic AMOLED 2X, 120Hz, HDR10+ |
| - | Always-on display | |
| Platform | ||
|---|---|---|
| CPU | Octa-core (2x2.2 GHz Kryo 660 Gold & 6x1.7 GHz Kryo 660 Silver) | 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 SM6375 Snapdragon 695 5G (6 nm) | Qualcomm SM8350 Snapdragon 888 5G (5 nm) - Version 1Exynos 2100 (5 nm) - Version 2 |
| GPU | Adreno 619 | Adreno 660 - Version 1Mali-G78 MP14 - Version 2 |
| OS | Android 12, planned upgrade to Android 15 | 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 |
| Main Camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Dual | 64 MP, f/1.8, (wide), 1/1.97", 0.7µm, PDAF, OIS 13 MP, f/2.2, 120˚ (ultrawide), 1/3.0", 1.12µm, AF | - |
| Features | Dual-LED flash, HDR, panorama | LED flash, auto-HDR, panorama |
| Single | - | 32 MP, f/2.2, 26mm (wide), 1/2.74", 0.8µm |
| Triple | - | 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 | 1080p@30/60/120fps | 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60/120/240fps, HDR10+, gyro-EIS |
| Selfie camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Features | HDR | HDR |
| Single | 32 MP, f/2.4, (wide), 1/3.0", 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, with stereo speakers | Yes, with stereo speakers |
| - | 32-bit/384kHz audio | |
| Comms | ||
|---|---|---|
| Bluetooth | 5.1, A2DP, LE, aptX HD, aptX Adaptive | 5.0, A2DP, LE |
| NFC | Yes | Yes |
| Positioning | GPS, GLONASS, GALILEO | GPS, GLONASS, BDS, GALILEO |
| Radio | No | Unspecified |
| USB | USB Type-C 3.1, OTG | USB Type-C, OTG |
| WLAN | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, dual-band, Wi-Fi Direct | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/6, dual-band, Wi-Fi Direct |
| Features | ||
|---|---|---|
| Sensors | Fingerprint (under display, optical), accelerometer, 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 | 68W wired 5W wireless | 25W wired, PD3.0, 50% in 30 min 15W wireless Reverse wireless |
| Type | Li-Po 4020 mAh | Li-Ion 4500 mAh |
| Misc | ||
|---|---|---|
| Colors | Very Peri, Black Onyx, Ice Palace, Aqua Foam | White, Graphite, Lavender, Olive |
| Models | XT2245-1 | SM-G990B, SM-G990B/DS, SM-G990U, SM-G990U1, SM-G990W, SM-G990E, SM-G9900, SM-G990B2, SM-G990U2, SM-G990W2, SM-G990U3 |
| Price | € 156.44 / $ 185.00 / £ 229.00 | € 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 104h | Endurance rating 92h |
| Camera | Photo / Video | Photo / Video |
| Display | Contrast ratio: Infinite (nominal) | Contrast ratio: Infinite (nominal) |
| Loudspeaker | -26.4 LUFS (Good) | -26.9 LUFS (Good) |
| Performance | AnTuTu: 380818 (v9) GeekBench: 1964 (v5.1) GFXBench: 16fps (ES 3.1 onscreen) | AnTuTu: 566529 (v8), 719696 (v9) GeekBench: 3049 (v5.1) GFXBench: 56fps (ES 3.1 onscreen) |
Motorola Edge 30 Neo
- Blazing-fast 68W charging
- Brighter display (1004 nits)
- Excellent value for money
- Sleek and lightweight design
- 144Hz Refresh Rate
- Less powerful processor
- Camera not as versatile as S21 FE
- Build quality slightly less premium
Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G
- More powerful Snapdragon 888/Exynos 2100 chipset
- Superior camera system
- Samsung ecosystem integration
- Wireless charging (including reverse)
- Premium build quality
- Slower charging speed
- Lower display brightness (792 nits)
- Higher price point
Display Comparison
The Motorola Edge 30 Neo boasts a significantly brighter display at 1004 nits compared to the S21 FE's 792 nits, making it better for outdoor visibility. Both have excellent contrast ratios (nominal 'infinite'), and offer smooth visuals. The Edge 30 Neo often features an OLED panel with a 144Hz refresh rate, while the S21 FE has a Dynamic AMOLED 2X display with a 120Hz refresh rate, both providing a fluid user experience.
Camera Comparison
The S21 FE 5G generally offers a more versatile and higher-quality camera system. While both phones have capable cameras, the S21 FE's larger sensor and more advanced image processing algorithms typically result in better photos and videos, especially in low light. The Edge 30 Neo's camera is still good for everyday use, but lacks the flagship-level features of the S21 FE.
Performance
Here's where the S21 FE 5G pulls ahead. Its Snapdragon 888 (or Exynos 2100) chipset is considerably more powerful than the Snapdragon 695 in the Edge 30 Neo. Expect smoother multitasking, faster app loading, and better performance in demanding games on the S21 FE. The Edge 30 Neo is still capable, but it won't handle intensive tasks as gracefully.
Battery Life
The Motorola Edge 30 Neo takes the lead in battery endurance, boasting an impressive 104h rating compared to the S21 FE's 92h. However, the Edge 30 Neo's 68W wired charging is a game-changer, allowing for incredibly fast top-ups. The S21 FE offers 25W wired charging and 15W wireless charging, including reverse wireless charging, which is a nice bonus.
Buying Guide
The Motorola Edge 30 Neo is ideal for users prioritizing fast charging, a vibrant display, and a more affordable price. The Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G is best suited for those who demand top-tier performance, a more refined camera system, and the Samsung ecosystem.