Samsung Galaxy S20 5G vs. Motorola Edge+ (2023): A Generational Leap?
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🏆 Quick Verdict
For most users, the Motorola Edge+ (2023) is the superior choice. Its Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chipset delivers substantially improved performance and efficiency compared to the Exynos 990 (or Snapdragon 865) in the S20 5G, alongside significantly faster charging. While the S20 5G remains a capable device, the Edge+ offers a more future-proof experience.
| PHONES | ||
|---|---|---|
| Phone Names | Samsung Galaxy S20 5G | Motorola Edge+ (2023) |
| 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, 38, 39, 40, 41, 66 - SM-G981B | 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 13, 14, 17, 18, 20, 25, 26, 28, 29, 30, 38, 39, 40, 41, 41, 46, 48, 66, 71 |
| 5G bands | 1, 3, 5, 7, 8, 28, 40, 77, 78 SA/NSA/Sub6 - SM-G981B | 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 12, 14, 20, 25, 26, 28, 29, 30, 38, 41, 41, 48, 66, 70, 71, 77, 78 SA/NSA/Sub6/mmWave |
| Speed | HSPA 42.2/5.76 Mbps, LTE (7CA) Cat20 2000/200 Mbps, 5G (5+ Gbps DL) | HSPA, LTE, 5G |
| Technology | GSM / CDMA / HSPA / EVDO / LTE / 5G | GSM / HSPA / LTE / 5G |
| 2, 5, 41, 66, 71 SA/NSA/Sub6 - SM-G981U | - | |
| Launch | ||
|---|---|---|
| Announced | 2020, February 11 | 2023, May 02 |
| Status | Available. Released 2020, March 06 | Available. Released 2023, May 19 |
| Body | ||
|---|---|---|
| Build | Glass front (Gorilla Glass 6), glass back (Gorilla Glass 6), aluminum frame | Glass front (Gorilla Glass Victus), glass back (Gorilla Glass Victus), aluminum frame |
| Dimensions | 151.7 x 69.1 x 7.9 mm (5.97 x 2.72 x 0.31 in) | 161.2 x 74 x 8.6 mm (6.35 x 2.91 x 0.34 in) |
| SIM | · Nano-SIM + eSIM· Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM | Nano-SIM + eSIM |
| Weight | 163 g (5.75 oz) | 203 g (7.16 oz) |
| IP68 dust/water resistant (up to 1.5m for 30 min) | IP68 dust/water resistant (up to 1.5m for 30 min) | |
| Display | ||
|---|---|---|
| Protection | Corning Gorilla Glass 6 | Corning Gorilla Glass Victus |
| Resolution | 1440 x 3200 pixels, 20:9 ratio (~563 ppi density) | 1080 x 2400 pixels, 20:9 ratio (~395 ppi density) |
| Size | 6.2 inches, 93.8 cm2 (~89.5% screen-to-body ratio) | 6.67 inches, 107.4 cm2 (~90.0% screen-to-body ratio) |
| Type | Dynamic AMOLED 2X, 120Hz, HDR10+, 1200 nits (peak) | OLED, 1B colors, 165Hz, HDR10+, Dolby Vision, 1300 nits (peak) |
| Always-on display 120Hz@FHD/60Hz@QHD refresh rate | - | |
| Platform | ||
|---|---|---|
| CPU | Octa-core (2x2.73 GHz Mongoose M5 & 2x2.50 GHz Cortex-A76 & 4x2.0 GHz Cortex-A55) - GlobalOcta-core (1x2.84 GHz Cortex-A77 & 3x2.42 GHz Cortex-A77 & 4x1.80 GHz Cortex-A55) - USA | Octa-core (1x3.2 GHz Cortex-X3 & 2x2.8 GHz Cortex-A715 & 2x2.8 GHz Cortex-A710 & 3x2.0 GHz Cortex-A510) |
| Chipset | Exynos 990 (7 nm+) - GlobalQualcomm SM8250 Snapdragon 865 5G (7 nm+) - USA | Qualcomm SM8550-AB Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 (4 nm) |
| GPU | Mali-G77 MP11 - GlobalAdreno 650 - USA | Adreno 740 |
| OS | Android 10, upgradable to Android 13, One UI 5.1 | Android 13, upgradable to Android 14 |
| Memory | ||
|---|---|---|
| Card slot | microSDXC (uses shared SIM slot) | No |
| Internal | 128GB 8GB RAM, 128GB 12GB RAM | 512GB 8GB RAM |
| UFS 3.0 | UFS 4.0 | |
| Main Camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Features | LED flash, auto-HDR, panorama | Dual-LED flash, panorama, HDR |
| Triple | 12 MP, f/1.8, 26mm (wide), 1/1.76", 1.8µm, dual pixel PDAF, OIS 64 MP, f/2.0, 29mm (telephoto), 1/1.72", 0.8µm, PDAF, OIS, 1.1x optical zoom, 3x hybrid zoom 12 MP, f/2.2, 13mm, 120˚ (ultrawide), 1/2.55" 1.4µm, Super Steady video | 50 MP, f/1.8, (wide), 1/1.55", 1.0µm, multi-directional PDAF, OIS 12 MP, f/1.6, (telephoto), 1/2.93", 1.22µm, PDAF, 2x optical zoom 50 MP, f/2.2, 114˚ (ultrawide), 1/2.76", 0.64µm, AF |
| Video | 8K@24fps, 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60/240fps, 720p@960fps, HDR10+, stereo sound rec., gyro-EIS & OIS | 8K@30fps, 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60/120/240/960fps, 10-bit HDR10+, gyro-EIS |
| Selfie camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Features | HDR | HDR |
| Single | 10 MP, f/2.2, 26mm (wide), 1/3.24", 1.22µm, dual pixel PDAF | 60 MP, f/2.2, (wide), 1/2.8", 0.61µm |
| Video | 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30fps | 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60/120/240fps |
| 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 | 5.0, A2DP, LE | 5.3, A2DP, LE, aptX HD, aptX Adaptive |
| NFC | Yes | Yes |
| Positioning | GPS, GLONASS, BDS, GALILEO | GPS, GLONASS, GALILEO, BDS |
| Radio | FM radio (Snapdragon model only; market/operator dependent) | No |
| USB | USB Type-C 3.2, OTG | USB Type-C 3.2, OTG, DisplayPort 1.4 |
| WLAN | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/6, dual-band, Wi-Fi Direct | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/6e/7, tri-band, Wi-Fi Direct |
| Features | ||
|---|---|---|
| Sensors | Fingerprint (under display, ultrasonic), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass, barometer | Fingerprint (under display, optical), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass, barometer |
| Samsung DeX, Samsung Wireless DeX (desktop experience support) ANT+ Bixby natural language commands and dictation Samsung Pay (Visa, MasterCard certified) | Ready For 3.5 support | |
| Battery | ||
|---|---|---|
| Charging | 25W wired, PD3.0 15W wireless (Qi) 4.5W reverse wireless | 68W wired 15W wireless 5W reverse wired 5W reverse wireless |
| Type | Li-Ion 4000 mAh | Li-Po 5100 mAh |
| Misc | ||
|---|---|---|
| Colors | Cosmic Grey, Cloud Blue, Cloud Pink, Cloud White, Aura Red | Interstellar Black |
| Models | SM-G981, SM-G981F, SM-G981F/DS, SM-G981B/DS, SM-G981U, SM-G981U1, SM-G981N, SM-G981B, SM-G9810, SM-G981W, SC-51A, SCG01 | - |
| Price | $ 158.44 / £ 144.99 / € 272.39 | $ 298.99 |
| SAR | 1.07 W/kg (head) 1.03 W/kg (body) | - |
| SAR EU | 0.38 W/kg (head) 1.52 W/kg (body) | - |
Samsung Galaxy S20 5G
- More compact size for easier one-handed use.
- Potentially lower price point due to age.
- Established Samsung ecosystem and software support (though nearing end-of-life).
- Significantly slower processor and less efficient.
- Slower charging speeds (25W vs 68W).
- Older camera technology with potentially inferior image quality.
Motorola Edge+ (2023)
- Much faster and more efficient Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chipset.
- Significantly faster 68W wired charging.
- More modern camera system with improved image processing.
- Larger form factor may not appeal to all users.
- Motorola's software update track record is less consistent than Samsung's.
- Potentially higher price point.
Display Comparison
While both devices feature OLED panels, the specifics aren't provided. However, given the S20 5G's 2020 release, it likely utilizes a 120Hz panel with a variable refresh rate, but potentially lower peak brightness than a modern display. The Edge+ (2023) likely benefits from advancements in OLED technology, potentially offering higher peak brightness and improved color accuracy. The S20 5G's smaller size may appeal to those preferring a more pocketable device, but the Edge+ likely offers a larger, more immersive viewing experience.
Camera Comparison
Without detailed camera specs, a direct comparison is limited. However, the Motorola Edge+ (2023) likely features a more modern image signal processor (ISP) within the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2, enabling improved image processing, noise reduction, and dynamic range. The S20 5G’s camera system, while capable in its time, will likely struggle to match the Edge+'s low-light performance and overall image quality. The Edge+ likely benefits from advancements in computational photography algorithms.
Performance
The performance disparity is the most significant difference. The Motorola Edge+ (2023) boasts the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 (4nm), featuring a Cortex-X3 prime core, compared to the Samsung Galaxy S20 5G’s Exynos 990 (7nm+) or Snapdragon 865 (7nm+). The 4nm process node of the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 provides a substantial efficiency gain, translating to less heat generation and reduced throttling during sustained workloads. The Edge+'s CPU architecture – Cortex-X3, A715, and A710 – is a generation ahead of the S20 5G’s Mongoose M5, A76, and A55, resulting in markedly improved single-core and multi-core performance. The Edge+ also benefits from faster LPDDR5x RAM, further enhancing responsiveness.
Battery Life
The Motorola Edge+ (2023) significantly outpaces the Samsung Galaxy S20 5G in charging speed with 68W wired charging versus 25W. This translates to a much faster 0-100% charge time for the Edge+. While both support 15W wireless charging, the Edge+’s more efficient chipset will likely result in better overall battery life despite potentially similar battery capacities. The Snapdragon 8 Gen 2’s efficiency means less power draw during everyday tasks and gaming, extending usable battery life.
Buying Guide
Buy the Samsung Galaxy S20 5G if you prioritize a more compact form factor and are on a very tight budget, finding a significantly discounted unit. Buy the Motorola Edge+ (2023) if you demand the latest performance, faster charging speeds, and a more efficient processor for extended gaming or demanding applications. The Edge+ is the clear choice for users who value longevity and a smoother user experience.