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Updated January 10, 2024·
Since the Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra tends to be cheaper than the Motorola Edge (2021), if budget is a concern, the Galaxy S21 Ultra could be the better choice. However, consider what features are important to you. The Galaxy S21 Ultra generally has a superior camera system, which might justify the higher cost if photography is a priority for you. Battery life is also usually better on the Galaxy S21 Ultra, providing longer use between charges. Screen size on the Galaxy S21 Ultra is larger, which could enhance your media consumption and gaming experience, albeit potentially at the cost of being less one-hand friendly. If the phones have different operating systems, take into account which ecosystem you're more invested in or prefer, as this affects your app choices and user experience. Give Feedback
this description is based on the product variant with some specs and product variant with some specs. At the time of writing, the variant with some specs cost some dollars and the variant with some specs cost some dollars.
Advantages of the Motorola Edge (2021)
- Very good battery life
Advantages of the Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra
- Good for taking photos
- Good for recording videos
- Very good display quality
- Good performance
Key differences
Overall Camera Quality
5.2
7.8
The Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra has good overall camera quality, while the Motorola Edge (2021) has poor overall camera quality.
The Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra has a higher selfie quality compared to the Motorola Edge (2021), making it better for taking self-portraits and front-facing videos. Additionally, the Galaxy S21 Ultra offers a suite of cameras with greater resolution, dynamic range, low light performance, and versatility, which translates to overall better photo and video capture experiences across a variety of conditions.
Photo Quality
5.3
7.8
The Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra takes good photos, while the Motorola Edge (2021) takes poor photos.
The Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra captures better photos than the Motorola Edge (2021) due to its higher-rated photos software experience, dynamic range, and low-light performance. Additionally, the Galaxy S21 Ultra's camera versatility and selfie quality are substantially better, which directly contributes to its overall superior photo-taking capabilities compared to the Motorola Edge (2021).
Video Quality
4.7
7.1
The Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra takes good videos, while the Motorola Edge (2021) takes poor videos.
The Motorola Edge (2021) delivers suboptimal video experiences due to its fair video stabilization, fair video software experience, and poor video dynamic range and low-light performance, while the Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra excels with its good video stabilization, good video software experience, and very good video dynamic range and low-light performance. Additionally, the S21 Ultra's microphone quality is evaluated as good, which is likely to contribute to better overall video quality compared to the Motorola Edge (2021), which has merely fair microphone quality.
Battery
8.7 Hours
6.7 Hours
The Motorola Edge (2021) has 8.7 hours of battery life. The Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra has 6.7 hours of battery life.
Cost
$600
$423
$200
$300
$400
$500
$600
$700
$800
$900
The Motorola Edge (2021) has a price of $600 and the Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra costs $423.
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Key similarities
Screen Size
The Motorola Edge (2021) has a screen size of 6.8 inches and the Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra is 6.8 inches.
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How the Motorola Edge (2021) and the Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra compare to other phones
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Motorola Edge (2021) | Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$600 | $423 | ||
Brand | |||
Brand | Motorola | Samsung | |
Operating System | |||
Operating System | Android | Android | |
Release Date | |||
Release Date | September 2, 2021 | January 29, 2021 | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Screen Size | |||
Screen Size | 6.8" | 6.8" | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 2460 x 1080 | 3200 x 1440 | |
Variable refresh rate | |||
Variable refresh rate | Yes | Yes | |
Pixels Per Inch | |||
Pixels Per Inch | 395 | 515 | |
Display Type | |||
Display Type | LCD | OLED | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | SD778G | SD888 | |
Internal Storage | |||
Internal Storage | 128 GB | 128 GB | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 8 GB | 12 GB | |
CAMERA | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Overall Camera Quality Score | |||
Overall Camera Quality Score | 5.3/10 | 7.9/10 | |
Photos Score | |||
Photos Score | 5.4/10 | 7.8/10 | |
Videos Score | |||
Videos Score | 4.7/10 | 7.1/10 | |
Rear Cameras | |||
Rear Cameras | Main, Ultrawide | Main, Ultrawide, Telephoto, Super Telephoto | |
Main Camera | |||
Main Camera | 108 megapixels | 108 megapixels + OIS | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 8.7 Hours | 6.7 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 5000 mAh | 5000 mAh | |
Wireless Charging | |||
Wireless Charging | No | Yes | |
Wireless charging Speed | |||
Wireless charging Speed | 0 W | 15 W | |
Reverse wireless charging | |||
Reverse wireless charging | No | Yes (4.5 watts) | |
PHYSICAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Size | |||
Size | 6.65" x 2.98" | 6.5" x 2.98" | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 7.05 oz | 8.01 oz | |
Back Material | |||
Back Material | Plastic | Glass | |
Stereo Speakers | |||
Stereo Speakers | No | No | |
CONNECTIVITY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Dual SIM | |||
Dual SIM | No | Yes | |
Bluetooth Version | |||
Bluetooth Version | 5.2 | 5.2 | |
A2DP | |||
A2DP | Yes | Yes | |
WiFi Version | |||
WiFi Version | 6e | 6e | |
NFC | |||
NFC | Yes | Yes | |
US 5G Bands | |||
US 5G Bands | (SA/NSA/Sub6)2, 5, 25, 41, 66, 71, 77, 78 | (SA/NSA/Sub6/mmWave)2, 5, 25, 41, 66, 71, 260, 261 (SA/NSA/Sub6)1, 3, 5, 7, 8, 20, 28, 38, 40, 41, 66, 77, 78 | |
OTHER FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Biometric unlock | |||
Biometric unlock | Face unlock, Fingerprint sensor: Side | Face unlock, Fingerprint sensor: Under Display | |
Unlockable Bootloader | |||
Unlockable Bootloader | No | No | |
Color | |||
Color | Nebula Blue | Phantom Black, Phantom Silver, Phantom Navy, Phantom Titanium | |
Stock Android | |||
Stock Android | Yes | No | |
SD Card | |||
SD Card | No | No | |
Shopping
Motorola Edge (2021)
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Dig into reviews and images
Tom's Guide
Philip Michaels | October 2021
"If you've overlooked Motorola's higher-end phones in the past, the Motorola Edge 5G UW does a very good job at trying to regain your attention. Improvements to the main camera impress. I'm also impressed by how quickly the phone recharges. It's the affordability that ultimately wins the day for the Motorola Edge. this phone offers enough premium features to put it at the forefront of midrange options."
Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra
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Dig into reviews and images
Android Authority
David Imel | January 2023
"The Galaxy S21 Ultra is a killer combo of great design, blazing-fast performance, a wonderful display, long-lasting battery life, and one of the most versatile camera systems you can get in a smartphone today."
Get a great deal on the Motorola Edge (2021) or the Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra
About Motorola
Motorola, a well-known name in the smartphone world, has a long-standing legacy in the industry, with a history dating back to the early days of mobile phones. The brand is mostly known for striking a balance between affordability and functionality, as well as providing a clean and straightforward interface with their software skin on top of Android. While they have traditionally been prominent in the budget and midrange categories, Motorola has also occasionally ventured into the high-end category for smartphones.
About Samsung
Samsung is one of the most recognizable names in the smartphone industry, standing as the undisputed best-selling brand of Android smartphones in the United States for many years now. Samsung is known for offering a variety of smartphones in all available price points, as well as for implementing cutting-edge technology and innovative features in their flagship devices, ones that often shape the market going forward. The company offers its own unique spin on Android, called One UI, which focuses on offering a multitude of features and is heavily customizable, according to user preference.
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This information was produced and vetted by the PerfectRec phones team. We are a product research and recommendation organization that meticulously reviews and evaluates the latest phone information and makes it digestible for you.
By the numbers
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Joe is an entrepreneur and lifelong electronics enthusiast with a Ph.D in Economics from the University of Michigan.
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