Motorola Edge 5G UW (2021) vs Google Pixel 7a: A Head-to-Head Showdown
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🏆 Quick Verdict
The Google Pixel 7a emerges as the overall winner thanks to its superior camera, smoother software experience, and brighter display. While the Motorola Edge 5G UW offers a faster charging speed and potentially better value depending on pricing, the Pixel 7a's strengths are more impactful for most users.
| PHONES | ||
|---|---|---|
| Phone Names | Motorola Edge 5G UW (2021) | Google Pixel 7a |
| Network | ||
|---|---|---|
| 2G bands | GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 | GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 |
| 3G bands | HSDPA 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 1900 / 2100 | HSDPA 800 / 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, 14, 17, 20, 25, 26, 28, 29, 30, 38, 40, 41, 48, 66, 71 - GWKK3, G0DZQ |
| 5G bands | 2, 5, 25, 41, 66, 71, 77, 78, 260, 261 SA/NSA/Sub6/mmWave - Verizon, USA | 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 12, 14, 20, 25, 28, 30, 38, 41, 48, 66, 71, 77, 78 SA/NSA/Sub6 - GWKK3 |
| Speed | HSPA 42.2/5.76 Mbps, LTE Cat18 1200/150 Mbps, 5G | HSPA, LTE, 5G |
| Technology | GSM / HSPA / LTE / 5G | GSM / HSPA / LTE / 5G |
| - | 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 12, 20, 25, 28, 38, 40, 41, 66, 75, 76, 77, 78, 79 SA/NSA/Sub6 - GHL1X, G82U8 | |
| Launch | ||
|---|---|---|
| Announced | 2021, October 14 | 2023, May 10 |
| Status | Available. Released 2021, October 14 | Available. Released 2023, May 10 |
| Body | ||
|---|---|---|
| Build | Glass front, plastic back | Glass front (Gorilla Glass 3), aluminum frame, plastic back |
| Dimensions | 169 x 75.6 x 9 mm (6.65 x 2.98 x 0.35 in) | 152 x 72.9 x 9 mm (5.98 x 2.87 x 0.35 in) |
| SIM | Nano-SIM | Nano-SIM + eSIM |
| Weight | 200 g (7.05 oz) | 193.5 g (6.84 oz) |
| Water-repellent design | IP67 dust/water resistant (up to 1m for 30 min) | |
| Display | ||
|---|---|---|
| Protection | Corning Gorilla Glass 3 | Corning Gorilla Glass 3 |
| Resolution | 1080 x 2460 pixels (~395 ppi density) | 1080 x 2400 pixels, 20:9 ratio (~429 ppi density) |
| Size | 6.8 inches, 109.8 cm2 (~85.9% screen-to-body ratio) | 6.1 inches, 90.7 cm2 (~81.8% screen-to-body ratio) |
| Type | LCD, 144Hz, HDR10 | OLED, HDR, 90Hz |
| - | Always-on display | |
| Platform | ||
|---|---|---|
| CPU | Octa-core (1x2.4 GHz Cortex-A78 & 3x2.2 GHz Cortex-A78 & 4x1.9 GHz Cortex-A55) | Octa-core (2x2.85 GHz Cortex-X1 & 2x2.35 GHz Cortex-A78 & 4x1.80 GHz Cortex-A55) |
| Chipset | Qualcomm SM7325 Snapdragon 778G 5G (6 nm) | Google Tensor G2 (5 nm) |
| GPU | Adreno 642L | Mali-G710 MP7 |
| OS | Android 11 | Android 13, upgradable to Android 15, up to 5 major Android upgrades |
| Memory | ||
|---|---|---|
| Card slot | No | No |
| Internal | 128GB 6GB RAM, 256GB 6GB RAM | 128GB 8GB RAM |
| - | UFS 3.1 | |
| Main Camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Dual | - | 64 MP, f/1.9, 26mm (wide), 1/1.73", 0.8µm, dual pixel PDAF, OIS 13 MP, f/2.2, 120˚ (ultrawide), 1.12µm |
| Features | Dual-LED dual-tone flash, HDR, panorama | Dual-LED flash, Pixel Shift, Auto-HDR, panorama |
| 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 | - |
| Video | 4K@30fps, 1080p@30/60/120ps, 720p@960fps, gyro-EIS | 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60/120/240fps, OIS |
| Selfie camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Features | HDR | HDR, panorama |
| Single | 32 MP, f/2.3, (wide), 0.7µm | 13 MP, f/2.2, 20mm (ultrawide), 1.12µm |
| Video | 4K@30fps, 1080p@30/120fps | 4K@30fps, 1080p@30fps |
| Sound | ||
|---|---|---|
| 3.5mm jack | No | No |
| 35mm jack | No | No |
| Loudspeaker | Yes | Yes, with stereo speakers |
| Comms | ||
|---|---|---|
| Bluetooth | 5.2, A2DP, LE | 5.3, A2DP, LE |
| NFC | Yes | Yes |
| Positioning | GPS, GLONASS, GALILEO | GPS, GLONASS, GALILEO, BDS, QZSS, NavIC |
| Radio | No | No |
| USB | USB Type-C 2.0 | USB Type-C 3.2 |
| 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 |
| Features | ||
|---|---|---|
| Sensors | Fingerprint (side-mounted), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass, barometer | Fingerprint (under display, optical), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass, barometer |
| Battery | ||
|---|---|---|
| Charging | 30W wired | 18W wired, PD3.0 7.5W wireless |
| Type | Li-Po 5000 mAh | Li-Po 4385 mAh |
| Misc | ||
|---|---|---|
| Colors | Nebula Blue | Charcoal, Snow, Sea, Coral |
| Models | - | GWKK3, GHL1X, G0DZQ, G82U8 |
| Price | About 550 EUR | € 179.90 / $ 150.00 / £ 170.00 / ₹ 25,980 |
Motorola Edge 5G UW (2021)
- Faster Charging (30W)
- Larger Display (likely)
- Potentially Better Value (depending on price)
- Weaker Performance
- Less Bright Display
- Inferior Camera
Google Pixel 7a
- Superior Camera
- Smoother Performance (Tensor G2)
- Brighter Display
- Excellent Battery Life
- Wireless Charging
- Guaranteed Software Updates
- Slower Wired Charging (18W)
- Higher Price
Display Comparison
The Pixel 7a's display shines with a measured 1070 nits of peak brightness, making it significantly easier to see outdoors. The Edge 5G UW likely has a decent display, but lacks the same level of brightness. Color accuracy and overall viewing experience are also likely better on the Pixel 7a.
Camera Comparison
This is where the Pixel 7a truly excels. Google's computational photography is legendary, delivering stunning photos and videos in various conditions. The Edge 5G UW's camera is competent, but it can't match the Pixel 7a's image quality, dynamic range, and low-light performance. The Pixel 7a also benefits from Google's software features like Magic Eraser.
Performance
The Google Pixel 7a's Google Tensor G2 chipset, built on a 5nm process, provides a noticeable performance edge over the Snapdragon 778G in the Edge 5G UW. While both have octa-core CPUs, the Tensor G2's architecture and Google's software optimization result in smoother multitasking and faster app loading times. Gaming performance will also be better on the Pixel 7a.
Battery Life
The Pixel 7a boasts an impressive endurance rating of 76 hours, suggesting significantly better battery life than the Edge 5G UW. While the Edge 5G UW has 30W wired charging, the Pixel 7a offers 18W wired and 7.5W wireless charging, providing more flexibility.
Buying Guide
The Motorola Edge 5G UW (2021) is a good choice for users prioritizing fast charging and a larger screen on a budget. The Google Pixel 7a is ideal for those who value a top-tier camera, clean Android experience, and guaranteed software updates.