Motorola One 5G vs Samsung Galaxy S21 FE: A Detailed Comparison
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🏆 Quick Verdict
For most users, the Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G is the superior choice. Its Snapdragon 888 (or Exynos 2100) chipset provides significantly faster performance, a brighter display, and more versatile camera capabilities. However, the Motorola One 5G remains a compelling option for those prioritizing affordability and basic 5G connectivity.
| PHONES | ||
|---|---|---|
| Phone Names | Motorola One 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, 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, 41, 66, 71 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 | 2020, September 01. Released 2020, September 14 | 2022, January 04 |
| Status | Discontinued | Available. Released 2022, January 07 |
| Body | ||
|---|---|---|
| Build | Glass front, plastic back, plastic frame | Glass front (Gorilla Glass Victus), plastic back, aluminum frame |
| Dimensions | 168 x 74 x 9 mm (6.61 x 2.91 x 0.35 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 | 207 g (7.30 oz) | 177 g (6.24 oz) |
| Water-repellent coating | IP68 dust/water resistant (up to 1.5m for 30 min) | |
| Display | ||
|---|---|---|
| Protection | - | Corning Gorilla Glass Victus |
| Resolution | 1080 x 2520 pixels, 21:9 ratio (~409 ppi density) | 1080 x 2340 pixels, 19.5:9 ratio (~403 ppi density) |
| Size | 6.7 inches, 104.9 cm2 (~84.3% screen-to-body ratio) | 6.4 inches, 100.5 cm2 (~86.7% screen-to-body ratio) |
| Type | IPS LCD, 90Hz, HDR10 | Dynamic AMOLED 2X, 120Hz, HDR10+ |
| - | Always-on display | |
| Platform | ||
|---|---|---|
| CPU | Octa-core (1x2.3 GHz Kryo 475 Prime & 1x2.2 GHz Kryo 475 Gold & 6x1.8 GHz Kryo 475 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 SM7250 Snapdragon 765 5G (7 nm) | Qualcomm SM8350 Snapdragon 888 5G (5 nm) - Version 1Exynos 2100 (5 nm) - Version 2 |
| GPU | Adreno 620 | Adreno 660 - Version 1Mali-G78 MP14 - Version 2 |
| OS | Android 10 | Android 12, up to 4 major Android upgrades, One UI 8 |
| Memory | ||
|---|---|---|
| Card slot | microSDXC (dedicated slot) | No |
| Internal | 128GB 4GB RAM | 128GB 6GB RAM, 128GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 6GB RAM, 256GB 8GB RAM |
| UFS 2.1 | - | |
| Main Camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Features | Dual-LED flash, ring flash (macro camera), panorama, HDR | LED flash, auto-HDR, panorama |
| Quad | 48 MP, f/1.8, 26mm (wide), 1/2.0", 0.8µm, PDAF 8 MP, f/2.2, 118˚ (ultrawide), 1.12µm 5 MP (macro), AF 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 | 4K@30fps, 1080p@30/60fps, gyro-EIS | 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60/120/240fps, HDR10+, gyro-EIS |
| Selfie camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Dual | 16 MP, f/2.0, (wide), 1.0µm 8 MP, f/2.2, (ultrawide), 1.12µm | - |
| Features | HDR | HDR |
| Single | - | 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 | 5.1, A2DP, LE | 5.0, A2DP, LE |
| NFC | Yes | Yes |
| Positioning | GPS (L1+L5), GLONASS, GALILEO | GPS, GLONASS, BDS, GALILEO |
| Radio | FM radio | 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 (side-mounted), accelerometer, gyro, 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 | 15W wired | 25W wired, PD3.0, 50% in 30 min 15W wireless Reverse wireless |
| Type | Li-Po 5000 mAh | Li-Ion 4500 mAh |
| Misc | ||
|---|---|---|
| Colors | Oxford Blue | White, Graphite, Lavender, Olive |
| Models | - | SM-G990B, SM-G990B/DS, SM-G990U, SM-G990U1, SM-G990W, SM-G990E, SM-G9900, SM-G990B2, SM-G990U2, SM-G990W2, SM-G990U3 |
| Price | About 420 EUR | € 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 One 5G
- Significantly more affordable
- Reliable 5G connectivity
- Clean Android experience (likely)
- Substantially slower performance
- Less capable camera system
- Slower charging speeds
Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G
- Flagship-level performance
- Brighter, more vibrant display
- Faster charging and wireless charging
- Higher price point
- Potential for Exynos throttling (Version 2)
- More complex software experience
Display Comparison
The Samsung Galaxy S21 FE boasts a significantly brighter display, reaching a measured 792 nits, compared to an unspecified brightness for the Motorola One 5G. This translates to better visibility outdoors. While both displays have an 'infinite' (nominal) contrast ratio, the S21 FE’s panel likely benefits from superior color calibration and viewing angles. The lack of information on the Motorola’s panel technology suggests it’s a standard LCD, while the S21 FE likely uses a Dynamic AMOLED 2X panel, offering richer colors and deeper blacks.
Camera Comparison
Both phones offer photo and video capabilities, but the S21 FE is expected to deliver superior image quality. While specific sensor details are missing for both, the S21 FE benefits from Samsung’s advanced image processing algorithms and likely a larger main sensor. The Motorola One 5G’s camera system is likely more basic, potentially struggling in low-light conditions. The inclusion of a 2MP macro camera on the Motorola is unlikely to provide significant value, as image quality from such sensors is often subpar. The S21 FE’s camera system is geared towards versatility and detail, offering a more refined photography experience.
Performance
The performance gap is substantial. The Motorola One 5G’s Qualcomm Snapdragon 765 5G (7nm) is a capable mid-range chip, but it’s no match for the Snapdragon 888 5G (5nm) or Exynos 2100 (5nm) found in the S21 FE. The 888/2100’s Cortex-X1 prime core, clocked up to 2.9GHz, delivers a significant boost in single-core performance, crucial for app launch speeds and responsiveness. The 5nm process node used in the S21 FE’s chipsets also contributes to better thermal efficiency, potentially mitigating throttling during sustained workloads. The Motorola’s Kryo 475 cores, while efficient, simply can’t compete with the raw processing power of the S21 FE.
Battery Life
Both devices achieve an endurance rating of 92 hours, suggesting comparable battery life under similar usage scenarios. However, the S21 FE’s 25W wired charging, with a 50% charge in 30 minutes, is significantly faster than the Motorola One 5G’s 15W charging. The S21 FE also adds the convenience of 15W wireless charging and reverse wireless charging, features absent on the Motorola. While the battery capacity isn’t specified for either device, the faster charging speeds of the S21 FE provide a more convenient user experience.
Buying Guide
Buy the Motorola One 5G if you need a reliable 5G connection on a tight budget and prioritize long-term software support over raw performance. It's ideal for everyday tasks like browsing, social media, and light media consumption. Buy the Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G if you demand a smoother, more responsive experience for gaming, photography, and demanding applications, and are willing to pay a premium for flagship-level features like faster charging and a brighter display.