The Moto G9 Play and Galaxy A21S are midrange Samsung and Motorola smartphones that bring in the datasheet features such as large battery and 64 GB storage. However, they differ in aspects such as a processor and camera. As they compete with a similar audience, Techidence has prepared a comparison of specifications. Check out the lines below.
Moto G9 Play vs Galaxy A21S
Specification | Moto G9 Play | Galaxy A21S |
---|---|---|
Launch | September 2020 | June 2020 |
Current price | from $178 | from 199 |
Screen | 6.5 inches | 6.5 inches |
Screen resolution | HD + (1600 x 720 pixels) | HD + (1600 x 720 pixels) |
Processor | Snapdragon 662 (octa-core up to 2 GHz) | Exynos 850 (octa-core up to 2 GHz) |
RAM | 4 GB | 4 GB |
Storage | 64 GB | 64 GB |
Memory card | MicroSD up to 512 GB | MicroSD up to 512 GB |
Main camera | Triple Camera: 48, 2 and 2 MP | Quadruple Camera: 48, 8, 2 and 2 MP |
Front camera | 8 MP | 13 MP |
Operating system | Android 10 | Android 10 |
Battery | 5,000 mAh | 5,000 mAh |
Dimensions and weight | 165.2 x 75.7 x 9.2 mm; 200 g | 163.7 x 75.3 x 8.9 mm; 192 g |
Colors | blue, green or pink | blue, black or white |
Screen and Design

The two smartphones come very close in terms of screen. To begin with, the two displays are the same 6.5 inches in size and use IPS technology, which is quite common in entry-level smartphones. Another similarity lies in the HD+ resolution of 1600 x 720 pixels in the two phones and results in a pixel-per-inch density ratio of 270 PPI.
Both devices have a modern design and plastic composition. In Samsung’s case, the panel is obstructed only by a small hole in the top left corner of the screen for the selfies camera. In the case of Motorola, the solution is different: the front camera is centered in a drop-shaped notch.
Regarding colors, the Moto G9 Play has dark blue, green, or pink versions. On the Samsung side, there are versions in blue, black, or white. Neither is water-resistant.
Cameras

The Galaxy A21S features a quad-camera system that divides between a 48 MP main sensor and f/2.0 focal-aperture; 8 MP ultra-wide camera (f/2.2); macro lens with f/2.4 and 2 MP sensor; and depth camera with 2 MP (f/2.4) responsible for identifying the distance of objects for a more natural and accurate portrait mode.
Samsung’s phone allows the user to choose the blur intensity, before and after taking a photo. Also, both smartphones offer image enhancement features using the phone’s internal processing. A highlight of the Motorola phone is the night vision mode for capturing photos in the dark.
The Moto G9 Play comes with a triple camera that also has a main 48 MP and f/1.7 wide lens. With two 2 MP cameras – f/2.4 macro and f/2.4 depth – the big difference in hardware from Motorola to Samsung is the absence of an ultra-wide lens. At first glance, the Moto G9 Play may have a harder time taking well-open photos compared to the Galaxy A21S photo set.
The selfies are 13 MP in Samsung and 8 MP in Motorola.
Performance and storage
The performance should not be too different. The Galaxy A21S comes with an Exynos 850, Samsung’s processor. It features an 8-nanometer manufacturing process and can be more efficient than Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 662 chip which is present in the Moto G9 Play and has 11 nanometers.
Moreover, the two processors have a very similar profile. Both are octa-core and in both cases, the maximum operating speed is 2 GHz.
In RAM there is a new match. Both Galaxy and Moto G9 Play offers the same 4 GB. The storage is also the same. Both phones come with 64 GB of internal space and offer the possibility of expanding this total using microSD memory cards of up to 512 GB.
Battery

In both cases, the consumer finds batteries of 5,000 mAh of maximum capacity. Samsung calculates that this charge is enough to keep the Galaxy A21S up and running for 23 hours with 4G or Wi-Fi on.
Motorola says that the 5,000 mAh of Moto G9 Play allows the phone to go up to 83 hours playing music. Still, according to Motorola, the component is enough for up to two days away from the plug in a scenario of moderate use.
In terms of charging, both phones feature fast recharging technology. In Samsung’s case, the charger specification is 15 W, while the Moto G9 Play accepts charging up to 20 W.
Android Version

Both devices leave the factory with Android 10 installed. In Samsung’s case, the system has a more unique facet of the brand: the so-called One UI interface. Motorola opts for a system with few modifications.
Samsung has already confirmed that the A21S will receive the Android 11 until May 2021. On the Motorola side, it is known that the Moto G9 Play will also receive the Android 11 in the future.
Additional Features

The two mobile phones have a fingerprint reader feature through a sensor located on the back and, unlike the much more expensive devices, still offer the traditional output for headphones with a 3.5 mm connector. The Moto G9 Play also has an exclusive button for Google Assistant.
In network connectivity, the two phones have 4G access and allow the use of two SIM chips at the same time. Besides GPS, the phones also use Bluetooth 5.0 and offer Wi-Fi 5 (or 802.11ac, in the most technical designation). Neither has NFC, which makes it impossible to use the proximity payment technology.
Price
Galaxy A21S arrived in the market in June 2020, it can be purchased on Amazon for $194.
The Motorola arrived in the market in September 2020, and the Moto G9 Play can currently be seen on Amazon for $178.99.
- Buy Galaxy A21s
- Buy Moto G9 Play