Motorola Edge 30 Ultra vs Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra: The Ultimate Showdown
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🏆 Quick Verdict
The Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra emerges as the overall winner, boasting a more refined software experience, superior camera versatility, and a slightly more efficient processor. However, the Motorola Edge 30 Ultra offers incredible value with its blazing-fast charging and impressive display, making it a compelling choice for budget-conscious users.
| PHONES | ||
|---|---|---|
| Phone Names | Motorola Edge 30 Ultra | Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra |
| 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, 18, 19, 20, 25, 26, 28, 32, 34, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 48, 66 | 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 | 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 20, 28, 38, 40, 41, 66, 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, LTE, 5G | HSPA, LTE (up to 7CA), 5G |
| Technology | GSM / HSPA / LTE / 5G | GSM / CDMA / HSPA / EVDO / LTE / 5G |
| - | 1, 7, 28, 41, 66, 71, 78, 258, 260, 261 SA/NSA/Sub6/mmWave - USA | |
| Launch | ||
|---|---|---|
| Announced | 2022, September 08 | 2023, February 01 |
| Status | Available. Released 2022, September 08 | Available. Released 2023, February 17 |
| Body | ||
|---|---|---|
| Build | Glass front (Gorilla Glass 5), glass back (Gorilla Glass 5), aluminum frame | Glass front (Gorilla Glass Victus 2), glass back (Gorilla Glass Victus 2), aluminum frame |
| Dimensions | 161.8 x 73.5 x 8.4 mm (6.37 x 2.89 x 0.33 in) | 163.4 x 78.1 x 8.9 mm (6.43 x 3.07 x 0.35 in) |
| SIM | · Nano-SIM· Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM | · Nano-SIM + eSIM· Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM + eSIM (max 2 at a time) |
| Weight | 198.5 g (7.02 oz) | 234 g (8.25 oz) |
| - | IP68 dust/water resistant (up to 1.5m for 30 min) Armor aluminum frame with tougher drop and scratch resistance (advertised) Stylus (Bluetooth integration, accelerometer, gyro) | |
| Display | ||
|---|---|---|
| Protection | Corning Gorilla Glass 5 | Corning Gorilla Glass Victus 2 |
| Resolution | 1080 x 2400 pixels, 20:9 ratio (~395 ppi density) | 1440 x 3088 pixels, 19.3:9 ratio (~500 ppi density) |
| Size | 6.67 inches, 107.4 cm2 (~90.3% screen-to-body ratio) | 6.8 inches, 114.7 cm2 (~89.9% screen-to-body ratio) |
| Type | P-OLED, 1B colors, 144Hz, HDR10+, 1250 nits (peak) | Dynamic AMOLED 2X, 120Hz, HDR10+, 1200 nits (HBM), 1750 nits (peak) |
| - | Always-on display | |
| Platform | ||
|---|---|---|
| CPU | Octa-core (1x3.19 GHz Cortex-X2 & 3x2.75 GHz Cortex-A710 & 4x1.80 GHz Cortex-A510) | Octa-core (1x3.36 GHz Cortex-X3 & 2x2.8 GHz Cortex-A715 & 2x2.8 GHz Cortex-A710 & 3x2.0 GHz Cortex-A510) |
| Chipset | Qualcomm SM8475 Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 (4 nm) | Qualcomm SM8550-AC Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 (4 nm) |
| GPU | Adreno 730 | Adreno 740 |
| OS | Android 12, upgradable to Android 15 | Android 13, up to 4 major Android upgrades, One UI 8 |
| Memory | ||
|---|---|---|
| Card slot | No | No |
| Internal | 128GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 12GB RAM, 512GB 12GB RAM | 256GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 12GB RAM, 512GB 12GB RAM, 1TB 12GB RAM |
| UFS 3.1 | UFS 4.0 | |
| Main Camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Features | Dual-LED dual-tone flash, panorama, HDR | Laser AF, LED flash, auto-HDR, panorama |
| Quad | - | 200 MP, f/1.7, 24mm (wide), 1/1.3", 0.6µm, multi-directional PDAF, OIS 10 MP, f/2.4, 70mm (telephoto), 1/3.52", 1.12µm, PDAF, OIS, 3x optical zoom 10 MP, f/4.9, 230mm (periscope telephoto), 1/3.52", 1.12µm, PDAF, OIS, 10x optical zoom 12 MP, f/2.2, 13mm, 120˚ (ultrawide), 1/2.55", 1.4µm, dual pixel PDAF, Super Steady video |
| Single | - | 12 MP, f/2.2, 26mm (wide), Dual Pixel PDAF |
| Triple | 200 MP, f/1.9, (wide), 1/1.22", 0.64µm, PDAF, OIS 12 MP, f/1.6, (telephoto), 1.22µm, PDAF, 2x optical zoom 50 MP, f/2.2, 114˚ (ultrawide), 1/2.76", 0.64µm | - |
| Video | 8K@30fps, 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60/120/320/960fps, gyro-EIS, HDR10+ | 8K@24/30fps, 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60/120/240fps, HDR10+, stereo sound rec., gyro-EIS |
| Selfie camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Features | HDR | HDR, HDR10+ |
| Single | 60 MP, f/2.2, (wide), 1/2.8", 0.61µm | 12 MP, f/2.2, 26mm (wide), 1/3.2", 1.12µm, dual pixel PDAF |
| Video | 4K@30fps, 1080p@30fps | 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30fps |
| Sound | ||
|---|---|---|
| 3.5mm jack | No | No |
| 35mm jack | No | No |
| Loudspeaker | Yes, with stereo speakers | Yes, with stereo speakers |
| - | 32-bit/384kHz audio Tuned by AKG | |
| Comms | ||
|---|---|---|
| Bluetooth | 5.2, A2DP, LE | 5.3, A2DP, LE |
| NFC | Yes | Yes |
| Positioning | GPS (L1+L5), GLONASS, BDS, GALILEO | GPS, GALILEO, GLONASS, BDS, QZSS |
| Radio | No | No |
| USB | USB Type-C 3.1, OTG, DisplayPort 1.4 | USB Type-C 3.2, OTG |
| WLAN | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/6e, tri-band, Wi-Fi Direct - InternationalWi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/6, dual-band, Wi-Fi Direct - PRC | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/6e, tri-band, Wi-Fi Direct |
| Features | ||
|---|---|---|
| Sensors | Fingerprint (under display, optical), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass | Fingerprint (under display, ultrasonic), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass, barometer |
| Ready For support | Samsung DeX, Samsung Wireless DeX (desktop experience support) Bixby natural language commands and dictation Samsung Pay (Visa, MasterCard certified) Ultra Wideband (UWB) support | |
| Battery | ||
|---|---|---|
| Charging | 125W wired 50W wireless 10W reverse wireless | 45W wired, PD3.0, 65% in 30 min 15W wireless (Qi) 4.5W reverse wireless |
| Type | Li-Po 4610 mAh | Li-Ion 5000 mAh |
| Misc | ||
|---|---|---|
| Colors | Interstellar Black, Starlight White | Phantom Black, Green, Cream, Lavender, Graphite, Sky Blue, Lime, Red, BMW M Edition |
| Models | XT-2201 | SM-S918B, SM-S918B/DS, SM-S918U, SM-S918U1, SM-S918W, SM-S918N, SM-S9180, SM-S918E, SM-S918E/DS |
| Price | € 238.91 | € 549.90 / $ 454.99 / £ 433.00 |
| SAR | - | 1.12 W/kg (head) 0.92 W/kg (body) |
| SAR EU | - | 0.96 W/kg (head) 1.40 W/kg (body) |
| Tests | ||
|---|---|---|
| Battery life | Endurance rating 92h | Endurance rating 126h |
| Camera | Photo / Video | Photo / Video |
| Display | Contrast ratio: Infinite (nominal) | Contrast ratio: Infinite (nominal) |
| Loudspeaker | -23.4 LUFS (Very good) | -25.6 LUFS (Very good) |
| Performance | AnTuTu: 1074722 (v9) GeekBench: 4265 (v5.1) GFXBench: 73fps (ES 3.1 onscreen) | AnTuTu: 1241531 (v9) GeekBench: 4927 (v5.1) GFXBench: 67fps (ES 3.1 onscreen) |
Motorola Edge 30 Ultra
- Blazing-fast 125W charging
- Vibrant and bright display
- Powerful Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 chipset
- Competitive price
- Camera not as versatile as S23 Ultra
- Software updates may be less frequent
- Slightly less efficient processor
Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra
- Exceptional camera system with 200MP sensor
- Premium build quality and design
- Long-term software support
- Powerful Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chipset
- Integrated S Pen
- Higher price point
- Charging speed slower than Edge 30 Ultra
- Software can feel bloated to some users
Display Comparison
Both phones feature stunning displays with near-infinite contrast ratios. The S23 Ultra takes the lead with a measured peak brightness of 1274 nits, significantly brighter than the Edge 30 Ultra's 1047 nits, offering better visibility in direct sunlight. Both offer excellent color accuracy and sharpness, but Samsung's display is slightly more refined.
Camera Comparison
Samsung's Galaxy S23 Ultra dominates the camera comparison. Its versatile camera system, featuring a 200MP main sensor, offers exceptional detail, dynamic range, and low-light performance. The Edge 30 Ultra's camera is capable, but lacks the S23 Ultra's zoom capabilities and overall image processing prowess. Video recording is also superior on the S23 Ultra.
Performance
The Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 in the S23 Ultra provides a noticeable performance edge over the Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 in the Edge 30 Ultra. While both are incredibly fast, the S23 Ultra handles demanding tasks and games with greater ease and efficiency. The S23 Ultra's CPU architecture also contributes to improved power efficiency.
Battery Life
The S23 Ultra demonstrates better real-world battery life, achieving an active use score of 13:24h. While the Edge 30 Ultra boasts an impressive endurance rating of 92h (likely a theoretical maximum), the S23 Ultra's efficiency shines through in daily usage. The S23 Ultra also offers faster charging (45W wired) compared to the Edge 30 Ultra's 125W, though the Edge 30 Ultra's charging speed is still incredibly fast.
Buying Guide
The Motorola Edge 30 Ultra is ideal for users prioritizing fast charging, a vibrant display, and a powerful chipset at a more accessible price point. The Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra is perfect for those seeking a top-tier camera system, a premium build quality, long-term software support, and the versatility of the S Pen.