Samsung Galaxy S20 FE vs. Motorola Edge+ (2023): A Generational Leap or Still a Solid Choice?
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🏆 Quick Verdict
For most users, the Motorola Edge+ (2023) is the superior device. The Snapdragon 8 Gen 2’s performance and efficiency, coupled with 68W charging, provide a noticeably smoother and more convenient experience. However, the S20 FE remains a compelling option for budget-conscious buyers who prioritize a familiar Samsung ecosystem.
| PHONES | ||
|---|---|---|
| Phone Names | Samsung Galaxy S20 FE | 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, 20, 26, 28, 32, 38, 40, 41, 66 - International | 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, 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 (5CA) Cat19 1800/200 Mbps | HSPA, LTE, 5G |
| Technology | GSM / CDMA / HSPA / EVDO / LTE | GSM / HSPA / LTE / 5G |
| CDMA2000 1xEV-DO | - | |
| Launch | ||
|---|---|---|
| Announced | 2020, September 23 | 2023, May 02 |
| Status | Available. Released 2020, October 02 | Available. Released 2023, May 19 |
| Body | ||
|---|---|---|
| Build | Glass front (Gorilla Glass 3), plastic back, aluminum frame | Glass front (Gorilla Glass Victus), glass back (Gorilla Glass Victus), aluminum frame |
| Dimensions | 159.8 x 74.5 x 8.4 mm (6.29 x 2.93 x 0.33 in) | 161.2 x 74 x 8.6 mm (6.35 x 2.91 x 0.34 in) |
| SIM | · Nano-SIM· Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM | Nano-SIM + eSIM |
| Weight | 190 g (6.70 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 3 | Corning Gorilla Glass Victus |
| Resolution | 1080 x 2400 pixels, 20:9 ratio (~407 ppi density) | 1080 x 2400 pixels, 20:9 ratio (~395 ppi density) |
| Size | 6.5 inches, 101.0 cm2 (~84.8% screen-to-body ratio) | 6.67 inches, 107.4 cm2 (~90.0% screen-to-body ratio) |
| Type | Super AMOLED, 120Hz, HDR10+ | OLED, 1B colors, 165Hz, HDR10+, Dolby Vision, 1300 nits (peak) |
| Always-on display | - | |
| Platform | ||
|---|---|---|
| CPU | Octa-core (2x2.73 GHz Mongoose M5 & 2x2.50 GHz Cortex-A76 & 4x2.0 GHz Cortex-A55) - Version 1Octa-core (1x2.84 GHz Cortex-A77 & 3x2.42 GHz Cortex-A77 & 4x1.80 GHz Cortex-A55) - Version 2 | 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+) - Version 1Qualcomm SM8250 Snapdragon 865 5G (7 nm+) - Version 2 | Qualcomm SM8550-AB Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 (4 nm) |
| GPU | Mali-G77 MP11 - Version 1Adreno 650 - Version 2 | 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 6GB RAM, 128GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 6GB RAM, 256GB 8GB RAM | 512GB 8GB RAM |
| UFS 3.1 | 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 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 | 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 | 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60fps, gyro-EIS | 8K@30fps, 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60/120/240/960fps, 10-bit HDR10+, gyro-EIS |
| Selfie camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Features | HDR | HDR |
| Single | 32 MP, f/2.2, 26mm (wide), 1/2.74", 0.8µm | 60 MP, f/2.2, (wide), 1/2.8", 0.61µm |
| Video | 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60fps, gyro-EIS | 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 | No | 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, optical), accelerometer, gyro, compass | Fingerprint (under display, optical), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass, barometer |
| Virtual proximity sensing 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 4500 mAh | Li-Po 5100 mAh |
| Misc | ||
|---|---|---|
| Colors | Cloud Lavender, Cloud Mint, Cloud Navy, Cloud White, Cloud Red, Cloud Orange | Interstellar Black |
| Models | SM-G780F, SM-G780F/DSM, SM-G780G | - |
| Price | About 390 EUR | $ 298.99 |
| SAR EU | 0.24 W/kg (head) 1.45 W/kg (body) | - |
Samsung Galaxy S20 FE
- More affordable price point
- Established Samsung ecosystem
- Good overall camera performance for its price
- Older, less efficient chipset
- Slower charging speeds
- Potential for thermal throttling
Motorola Edge+ (2023)
- Significantly faster performance with Snapdragon 8 Gen 2
- Ultra-fast 68W wired charging
- Improved power efficiency and battery life
- Higher price tag
- Motorola’s software update track record is less consistent than Samsung’s
- May lack some of the Samsung-specific features
Display Comparison
While both phones likely feature high-quality AMOLED panels (data not provided), the core difference lies in the underlying processing power driving them. The S20 FE’s display is likely a 120Hz panel, but lacks the advanced LTPO technology found in many newer flagships. The Edge+ (2023), benefiting from a newer generation, likely has a more efficient display, potentially with higher peak brightness and improved color accuracy. The S20 FE’s display is likely more susceptible to burn-in over time due to the lack of LTPO.
Camera Comparison
Without detailed camera specs, a direct comparison is difficult. However, the Motorola Edge+ (2023), as a newer flagship, likely features a more advanced image signal processor (ISP) within the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2, enabling better noise reduction, dynamic range, and low-light performance. The S20 FE’s camera system, while good for its time, will likely struggle to match the Edge+’s processing capabilities. The S20 FE’s inclusion of a 2MP macro lens is likely a marketing gimmick, offering limited practical benefit compared to a well-tuned primary sensor.
Performance
The performance gap is substantial. The Motorola Edge+ (2023) boasts the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 (4nm), featuring a Cortex-X3 prime core, compared to the Samsung Galaxy S20 FE’s Exynos 990 (7nm+) or Snapdragon 865 (7nm+). The 4nm process node of the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 delivers significantly improved power efficiency and thermal performance. The Edge+’s CPU architecture – Cortex-X3, A715, and A710 – represents a major leap over the S20 FE’s Cortex-A76 and A55 cores. This translates to faster app loading, smoother multitasking, and superior gaming performance. The Exynos 990, while capable, is known to throttle under sustained load, a problem the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 mitigates.
Battery Life
The Motorola Edge+ (2023)’s 68W wired charging is a game-changer, allowing for a full charge in under 40 minutes. The S20 FE’s 25W charging is considerably slower. While battery capacity isn’t specified, the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2’s efficiency means the Edge+ will likely achieve comparable or better battery life despite potentially having a similar or smaller battery size. The Edge+ also offers 15W wireless charging, matching the S20 FE, and both offer reverse wireless charging, though the Edge+’s 5W output is lower than the S20 FE’s 4.5W.
Buying Guide
Buy the Samsung Galaxy S20 FE if you need a reliable, well-supported phone with a proven track record and are comfortable with potentially slower performance and charging speeds. It’s ideal for everyday tasks and casual gaming. Buy the Motorola Edge+ (2023) if you prioritize raw performance, fast charging, and future-proofing, especially if you’re a power user who frequently games or uses demanding applications.