Samsung Galaxy S21 vs. Motorola Edge+ (2023): A Deep Dive into Performance and Value
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🏆 Quick Verdict
For most users, the Motorola Edge+ (2023) is the superior choice. Its Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 offers a substantial performance and efficiency advantage over the Galaxy S21’s Exynos 2100 or Snapdragon 888, translating to smoother multitasking, better gaming, and improved battery life. The faster 68W charging is a significant convenience factor.
| PHONES | ||
|---|---|---|
| Phone Names | Samsung Galaxy S21 | 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 | 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, LTE | HSPA, LTE, 5G |
| Technology | GSM / CDMA / HSPA / EVDO / LTE | GSM / HSPA / LTE / 5G |
| CDMA2000 1xEV-DO | - | |
| Launch | ||
|---|---|---|
| Announced | Not announced yet | 2023, May 02 |
| Status | Cancelled | Available. Released 2023, May 19 |
| Body | ||
|---|---|---|
| Build | Glass front (Gorilla Glass Victus), plastic back, aluminum frame | Glass front (Gorilla Glass Victus), glass back (Gorilla Glass Victus), aluminum frame |
| Dimensions | 151.7 x 71.2 x 7.9 mm (5.97 x 2.80 x 0.31 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 | 169 g (5.96 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 Victus | Corning Gorilla Glass Victus |
| Resolution | 1080 x 2400 pixels, 20:9 ratio (~421 ppi density) | 1080 x 2400 pixels, 20:9 ratio (~395 ppi density) |
| Size | 6.2 inches, 94.1 cm2 (~87.2% screen-to-body ratio) | 6.67 inches, 107.4 cm2 (~90.0% screen-to-body ratio) |
| Type | Dynamic AMOLED 2X, 120Hz, HDR10+, 1300 nits (peak) | OLED, 1B colors, 165Hz, HDR10+, Dolby Vision, 1300 nits (peak) |
| Always-on display | - | |
| Platform | ||
|---|---|---|
| CPU | Octa-core (1x2.9 GHz Cortex-X1 & 3x2.80 GHz Cortex-A78 & 4x2.2 GHz Cortex-A55) - InternationalOcta-core (1x2.84 GHz Cortex-X1 & 3x2.42 GHz Cortex-A78 & 4x1.80 GHz Cortex-A55 | Octa-core (1x3.2 GHz Cortex-X3 & 2x2.8 GHz Cortex-A715 & 2x2.8 GHz Cortex-A710 & 3x2.0 GHz Cortex-A510) |
| Chipset | Exynos 2100 (5 nm) - InternationalQualcomm SM8350 Snapdragon 888 5G (5 nm) | Qualcomm SM8550-AB Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 (4 nm) |
| GPU | Mali-G78 MP14 - InternationalAdreno 660 | Adreno 740 |
| OS | Android 11, up to 4 major Android upgrades, One UI 6.1 | Android 13, upgradable to Android 14 |
| Memory | ||
|---|---|---|
| Card slot | No | No |
| Internal | 128GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 8GB RAM | 512GB 8GB RAM |
| UFS 3.X | 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@30/60/120/240fps, HDR10+, stereo sound rec., gyro-EIS | 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) 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 | Phantom Gray, Phantom White, Phantom Violet, Phantom Pink | Interstellar Black |
| Models | SM-G990F, SM-G990F/DS | - |
| Price | - | $ 298.99 |
Samsung Galaxy S21
- More compact design
- Potentially lower price (due to age)
- Established brand recognition
- Older, less efficient chipset
- Slower charging speeds
- Potential for thermal throttling
Motorola Edge+ (2023)
- Significantly faster Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 processor
- 68W fast charging
- Improved thermal efficiency
- Larger form factor
- Potentially higher price
- Motorola's software update history (though improving)
Display Comparison
While both devices likely feature high-quality OLED panels, the specifics aren't provided. However, the S21's market position suggests a 120Hz refresh rate is standard. The Edge+ (2023) likely benefits from advancements in panel technology, potentially offering higher peak brightness and improved color accuracy. The S21's smaller size (historically a Samsung strength) may appeal to users preferring a more pocketable phone.
Camera Comparison
Without detailed camera specs, a direct comparison is limited. However, the Motorola Edge+ (2023) likely benefits from newer image processing algorithms and potentially a larger main sensor. The S21’s camera system, while capable, is older technology. The Edge+’s ISP (Image Signal Processor) within the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 will offer improved noise reduction and dynamic range. The S21's 2MP macro lens is likely a marketing gimmick and won't significantly impact image quality.
Performance
The core difference lies in the chipsets. The Motorola Edge+ (2023) boasts the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 (4nm), featuring a Cortex-X3 prime core clocked at 3.2 GHz. This is a generational leap over the Galaxy S21’s Exynos 2100 (5nm) or Snapdragon 888 (5nm), which utilize a Cortex-X1 core. The 4nm process node of the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 provides superior thermal efficiency, reducing throttling during sustained workloads like gaming. The Edge+’s CPU architecture (Cortex-A715/A710) is also more efficient than the S21’s A78 cores. This translates to a noticeable performance advantage for the Edge+ in CPU-intensive tasks and a smoother overall user experience.
Battery Life
The Motorola Edge+ (2023) features 68W wired charging, a massive improvement over the Galaxy S21’s 25W charging. This allows for a significantly faster 0-100% charge time. While battery capacity isn't specified, the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2’s efficiency means the Edge+ will likely offer comparable or better real-world battery life despite potentially having a similar or slightly smaller battery capacity than the S21. The Edge+ also offers 15W wireless charging, matching the S21, and both offer reverse wireless charging, though the Edge+’s 5W output is lower than the S21’s 4.5W.
Buying Guide
Buy the Samsung Galaxy S21 if you prioritize a more compact form factor and are on a very tight budget, willing to accept compromises in performance and battery life. Buy the Motorola Edge+ (2023) if you value raw processing power, long-term software support, and significantly faster charging speeds, even if it means a larger device.