Motorola Edge 40 Pro vs Samsung Galaxy S23 FE
The Verdict
Motorola Edge 40 Pro positions itself as the premium flagship with superior specifications across multiple dimensions. Its 165Hz pOLED display with 1600 nits brightness significantly outperforms the Galaxy S23 FE's 120Hz AMOLED panel, while the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 processor provides notably faster performance than the Exynos 2200 variant. Camera capabilities favor Motorola, featuring a 60MP front sensor, 8K video recording, and a 50MP ultrawide compared to Samsung's more modest 10MP front and 12MP ultrawide. Charging speed represents perhaps the most dramatic difference: 125W TurboPower versus 25W standard. However, the Galaxy S23 FE offers exceptional value at $599, delivering respectable performance, reliable Exynos/Snapdragon processing options, and Samsung's polished One UI experience. For budget-conscious buyers prioritizing practicality over cutting-edge specs, the S23 FE justifies its lower price. Those demanding flagship performance, superior displays, and faster charging should choose the Edge 40 Pro.
Who Should Buy
Buy the Motorola Edge 40 Pro if…
- →125W wired charging fills battery in ~30 minutes
- →165Hz display is among the smoothest available
- →60 MP front camera for excellent selfies
Buy the Samsung Galaxy S23 FE if…
- →Flagship features like 120Hz AMOLED and IP68 at a lower price
- →Bright 1450-nit display for good outdoor visibility
- →3x optical zoom telephoto is rare in this price range
Category Scores
Pros & Cons
Motorola Edge 40 Pro
Pros
- 125W wired charging fills battery in ~30 minutes
- 165Hz display is among the smoothest available
- 60 MP front camera for excellent selfies
- Near-stock Android with minimal bloatware
- IP68 with stylish vegan leather finish
Cons
- Telephoto is only 2x (no periscope option)
- Software update support shorter than Google/Samsung
- Only one storage configuration
- Curved display prone to accidental touches
Samsung Galaxy S23 FE
Pros
- Flagship features like 120Hz AMOLED and IP68 at a lower price
- Bright 1450-nit display for good outdoor visibility
- 3x optical zoom telephoto is rare in this price range
- Four years of OS updates guaranteed
- Wireless charging with reverse wireless PowerShare
Cons
- Exynos 2200 variant has weaker performance and efficiency
- Only 25W wired charging is slow for 2023
- Gorilla Glass 5 is older protection than Victus 2
- 8 MP telephoto resolution is low
- Heavier at 209 g due to older processor thermals
Full Specifications
| Spec | Motorola Edge 40 Pro | Samsung Galaxy S23 FE |
|---|---|---|
| Software | Android 13 | Android 13 (One UI 5.1) |
| Body | ||
| Weight | 199 g | 209 g |
| Material | Aluminum frame, vegan leather back | Aluminum frame, Gorilla Glass 5 |
| IP rating | IP68 | IP68 |
| Dimensions | 163.1 x 74.4 x 8.6 mm | 158 x 76.5 x 8.2 mm |
| Camera | ||
| Main camera | 50 MP, f/1.8, OIS | 50 MP, f/1.8, Dual Pixel PDAF, OIS |
| Front camera | 60 MP, f/2.2 | 10 MP, f/2.4 |
| Video | 8K@30fps, 4K@60fps | 4K@60fps |
| Telephoto | 12 MP, f/1.6, 2x optical zoom | 8 MP, f/2.4, 3x optical zoom, OIS |
| Ultrawide | 50 MP, f/2.2, 114-degree | 12 MP, f/2.2 |
| Memory | ||
| RAM | 12 GB | 8 GB |
| Storage options | 256 GB | 128 GB, 256 GB |
| Battery | ||
| Capacity | 4600 mAh | 4500 mAh |
| Charging | 125W TurboPower wired | 25W wired |
| Wireless charging | 15W wireless | 15W, Wireless PowerShare |
| Display | ||
| Size | 6.67 inches | 6.4 inches |
| Type | pOLED | Dynamic AMOLED 2X |
| Resolution | 2400 x 1080 | 2340 x 1080 |
| Refresh rate | 165Hz | 120Hz |
| Brightness (nits) | 1600 | 1450 |
| Processor | ||
| CPU | Octa-core (1x3.19 GHz Cortex-X3 & 2x2.8 GHz Cortex-A715 & 2x2.8 GHz Cortex-A710 & 3x2.0 GHz Cortex-A510) | Octa-core |
| GPU | Adreno 740 | Xclipse 920 / Adreno 730 |
| Chipset | Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 | Samsung Exynos 2200 / Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 |
| Connectivity | ||
| 5G | ||
| NFC | ||
| USB | USB-C 3.1 | USB-C 3.2 |
| Wi-Fi | Wi-Fi 6E | Wi-Fi 6E |
| Bluetooth | 5.3 | 5.3 |
Related Comparisons
This comparison is based on verified manufacturer specifications covering display, performance, camera, battery, and build quality. Scores are generated by analyzing specs across weighted categories on a 10-point scale. Learn more about our methodology.
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