Motorola Moto G Stylus 5G vs. Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G: A Detailed Comparison
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🏆 Quick Verdict
For the average user prioritizing performance and a premium experience, the Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G is the clear winner. Its Snapdragon 888 (or Exynos 2100) chipset offers significantly faster processing and gaming capabilities, complemented by a brighter display and faster charging. However, the Moto G Stylus 5G remains a compelling option for stylus users on a tight budget.
| PHONES | ||
|---|---|---|
| Phone Names | Motorola Moto G Stylus 5G | 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, 13, 14, 17, 18, 19, 20, 25, 26, 29, 30, 38, 39, 40, 41, 48, 66, 71 | 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 17, 20, 26, 28, 32, 38, 40, 41, 66 - International |
| 5G bands | 2, 5, 25, 26, 41, 66, 71, 77, 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 | 2021, June 09 | 2022, January 04 |
| Status | Available. Released 2021, June 14 | Available. Released 2022, January 07 |
| Body | ||
|---|---|---|
| Build | Glass front, plastic frame, plastic back | Glass front (Gorilla Glass Victus), plastic back, aluminum frame |
| Dimensions | 169.5 x 77.5 x 9.4 mm (6.67 x 3.05 x 0.37 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 |
| Weight | 217.5 g (7.69 oz) | 177 g (6.24 oz) |
| Stylus Water-repellent design | 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 (~387 ppi density) | 1080 x 2340 pixels, 19.5:9 ratio (~403 ppi density) |
| Size | 6.8 inches, 111.6 cm2 (~85.0% screen-to-body ratio) | 6.4 inches, 100.5 cm2 (~86.7% screen-to-body ratio) |
| Type | IPS LCD | Dynamic AMOLED 2X, 120Hz, HDR10+ |
| - | Always-on display | |
| Platform | ||
|---|---|---|
| CPU | Octa-core (2x2.0 GHz Kryo 460 & 6x1.8 GHz Kryo 460) | 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 SM4350 Snapdragon 480 5G (8 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 11, upgradable to Android 12 | Android 12, up to 4 major Android upgrades, One UI 8 |
| Memory | ||
|---|---|---|
| Card slot | microSDXC (dedicated slot) | No |
| Internal | 128GB 4GB RAM, 256GB 6GB RAM | 128GB 6GB RAM, 128GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 6GB RAM, 256GB 8GB RAM |
| Main Camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Features | LED flash, HDR, panorama | LED flash, auto-HDR, panorama |
| Quad | 48 MP, f/1.7, 26mm (wide), 1/2.0", 0.8µm, PDAF 8 MP, f/2.2, 118˚ (ultrawide), 1/4.0, 1.12µm 5 MP (macro) Auxiliary lens | - |
| 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@30/60fps | 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60/120/240fps, HDR10+, gyro-EIS |
| Selfie camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Features | HDR | HDR |
| Single | 16 MP, f/2.0, (wide), 1/3.06", 1.0µm | 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 | Yes | No |
| 35mm jack | Yes | No |
| Loudspeaker | Yes | Yes, with stereo speakers |
| - | 32-bit/384kHz audio | |
| Comms | ||
|---|---|---|
| Bluetooth | 5.0, A2DP, LE | 5.0, A2DP, LE |
| NFC | No | Yes |
| Positioning | GPS, GLONASS, BDS, GALILEO | GPS, GLONASS, BDS, GALILEO |
| Radio | Unspecified | Unspecified |
| USB | USB Type-C 2.0 | 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 (rear-mounted), accelerometer, gyro, proximity | 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 | 10W wired | 25W wired, PD3.0, 50% in 30 min 15W wireless Reverse wireless |
| Type | Li-Po 5000 mAh | Li-Ion 4500 mAh |
| Misc | ||
|---|---|---|
| Colors | Cosmic Emerald | White, Graphite, Lavender, Olive |
| Models | XT2131, XT2131DL, XT2131-1, XT2131-3, XT2131-4 | SM-G990B, SM-G990B/DS, SM-G990U, SM-G990U1, SM-G990W, SM-G990E, SM-G9900, SM-G990B2, SM-G990U2, SM-G990W2, SM-G990U3 |
| Price | € 189.97 / $ 74.98 / £ 179.95 | € 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 92h |
| Camera | - | Photo / Video |
| Display | - | Contrast ratio: Infinite (nominal) |
| Loudspeaker | - | -26.9 LUFS (Good) |
| Performance | - | AnTuTu: 566529 (v8), 719696 (v9) GeekBench: 3049 (v5.1) GFXBench: 56fps (ES 3.1 onscreen) |
Motorola Moto G Stylus 5G
- Integrated stylus for note-taking and creativity
- More affordable price point
- Decent battery life
- Significantly slower processor
- Slow 10W charging
- Less capable camera system
Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G
- Flagship-level performance with Snapdragon 888 or Exynos 2100
- Bright and vibrant display
- Fast 25W wired and 15W wireless charging
- No integrated stylus
- Higher price tag
- Potential for Exynos variant to run warmer
Display Comparison
The Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G boasts a significantly brighter display, reaching a measured 792 nits, compared to an unspecified brightness for the Moto G Stylus 5G. This translates to better visibility outdoors. While both displays have an 'infinite' (nominal) contrast ratio, the S21 FE’s panel likely benefits from Samsung’s superior color calibration and potentially higher refresh rate (not specified for either device, but common in this class). The Moto G Stylus’s display is likely optimized for power efficiency, given its lower-tier chipset.
Camera Comparison
Both phones feature 'Photo / Video' capabilities, but the underlying hardware likely differs significantly. While details are limited, the S21 FE’s flagship-level processor enables more sophisticated image processing algorithms. The Moto G Stylus 5G likely relies on Qualcomm’s ISP for image processing, which is adequate but less advanced. The S21 FE likely has a larger main sensor and optical image stabilization (OIS), resulting in better low-light performance and sharper images. The 2MP macro camera on the Moto G Stylus 5G is likely a marketing feature with limited practical utility.
Performance
The performance gap is substantial. The Moto G Stylus 5G utilizes the Qualcomm SM4350 Snapdragon 480 5G, an 8nm chip with a modest octa-core CPU configuration. In contrast, the S21 FE 5G features either the Snapdragon 888 5G (5nm) or the Exynos 2100 (5nm). The 5nm process node and the Cortex-X1 prime core in the S21 FE’s processors deliver significantly higher CPU and GPU performance. This difference is particularly noticeable in demanding tasks like gaming and video editing. The S21 FE’s superior thermal management, inherent to flagship chipsets, also minimizes throttling during sustained workloads.
Battery Life
Both devices achieve an endurance rating of 92 hours, suggesting comparable battery life despite the S21 FE’s more powerful processor. However, the S21 FE offers significantly faster charging at 25W wired (with PD3.0 and 50% charge in 30 minutes), 15W wireless, and reverse wireless charging. The Moto G Stylus 5G is limited to 10W wired charging, meaning a much longer time to fully recharge. This charging speed disparity is a major convenience factor favoring the S21 FE.
Buying Guide
Buy the Motorola Moto G Stylus 5G if you absolutely need a built-in stylus for note-taking, sketching, or navigation and are willing to compromise on raw performance. Buy the Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G if you prioritize a smooth, responsive user experience, excellent camera capabilities, and faster charging, even if it means sacrificing the stylus functionality.