Motorola Edge (2022) evaluate: a passing grade

The 2022 Motorola Edge is a top rate midrange telephone that excels in extracurriculars, however tends to slack off in its core categories.

It gives numerous nice-to-have options you don’t at all times discover in an upper-midrange instrument (let’s name that anything else between $500 and $700), like wi-fi charging, a 144Hz display, and an enormous 5,000mAh battery. Nevertheless it simplest will get a passing grade for construct high quality and sturdiness, and whilst its processor is succesful, it’s no longer within the working for valedictorian.

Pinning down precisely how a lot this telephone prices is more or less a check in itself. A model offered by way of T-Cellular with 128GB of garage will price $498, whilst the unlocked model Motorola sells comprises 256GB of garage and prices $599 — until you clutch it on the $499 pre-order value. Oh, and Verizon will promote a model too; that one may have mmWave 5G improve which the others received’t, however on the time of this writing, I couldn’t get any individual to inform me how a lot it is going to price. MSRP! What an idea!

For $500, I believe there’s an issue to be made within the Edge’s prefer, in particular if you need the very greatest and very best display you’ll be able to get for that more or less cash. The telephone’s 6.6-inch display with a quick 144Hz refresh price is actually its very best asset, accompanied by way of loyal all-day battery lifestyles, wi-fi charging, and a promise of 3 OS model upgrades and 4 years of safety updates.

However within the different column, it’s simplest IP52-rated, and the numerous scuff at the nook of my evaluate unit’s plastic body doesn’t encourage a ton of self belief in its long-term sturdiness (or it’s only a excellent argument for a powerful case). And whilst the MediaTek Dimensity 1050 chipset assists in keeping up neatly, for essentially the most phase, some slowdowns within the digicam app disclose the processor to be no longer somewhat on par with the perfect within the elegance.

Paying $600 for the Edge simply looks like an excessive amount of, even with 256GB of garage incorporated. I’m no longer satisfied that it is going to stay up neatly towards the tip of its lifespan, and that’s one thing that its opponents with flagship processors, like the Pixel 6 and OnePlus 10T, are higher situated for. Heck, I will be able to’t recall to mind a perfect reason why to select the Edge over the $450 Pixel 6A — its display is smaller and restricted to a normal 60Hz refresh price, however in maximum different facets it suits or exceeds the Edge’s features.

Let’s get started with that display: the Edge’s 6.6-inch show is certifiably giant. It’s additionally an excellent, 1080p OLED panel with a best refresh price of 144Hz. Within the auto price variety mode, it doesn’t appear to hit 144Hz continuously — most commonly, I noticed it soar between 120Hz and 60Hz until I locked it to 144Hz. Finally, 120Hz makes for an overly clean scrolling revel in. In direct daylight, the display kicks right into a high-brightness mode that makes it relaxed to make use of even in very brilliant prerequisites. There’s extra excellent information: the in-display fingerprint scanner is fast and correct, which is greater than I will be able to say concerning the Pixel 6’s.

Additionally within the “pleasant-to-use” class: Motorola’s tackle Android 12. It does an excellent quantity of handholding to introduce you to other options, however it by no means feels intrusive. The digicam app with courtesy prompt that I flip at the leveling information to take straighter footage, and what? That’s simply considerate. I stay the extent on always now.

The Edge gets 3 OS model updates and 4 years of safety updates — an growth over Moto’s coverage with earlier units, and far nearer to matching one thing just like the Pixel 6’s 5 years of safety updates.

The 2022 Edge is slimmer than maximum Motorola telephones I’ve used not too long ago, measuring 8mm thick. It makes me rethink the thickness of the Edge Plus (8.8mm) and Motorola’s finances telephones, that are far and wide 9mm thick — I by no means concept a lot about it when I used to be the use of them, however now they appear too cumbersome. The Edge’s display is flat and secure by way of a tumbler panel, and the composite plastic again curves moderately on the edges.

The exterior body is plastic, too, and liable to chipping if the telephone occurs to slip out of the pocket of your joggers onto a concrete patio. To that finish, the telephone is rated IP52, this means that it gives some mud coverage and a bit of resistance from water droplets falling at a undeniable attitude. I’d be very cautious about the use of it within the rain, and as a Seattlite, that’s the most important use case for me. That’s no longer precisely confidence-inspiring, and a a ways cry from the IP68 score that the Pixel 6 carries, taking into account complete water submersion for a short lived duration.

There’s a large 5,000mAh battery on board, and Motorola claims you’ll be able to get thru two days on a unmarried fee. My revel in was once extra like a cast day of reasonable use with round 4 hours of screen-on time, however no longer a lot more should you allow battery-draining options just like the quickest display refresh price and watch numerous movies. When you’re good about your settings, I may see getting thru two days, however it wasn’t my revel in. The Edge helps 30W stressed out charging (no charger within the field, consistent with same old at the moment). There’s additionally rapid 15W wi-fi charging. Now not each telephone on this value bracket gives wi-fi charging at any velocity, so it’s nice to have right here. There’s additionally wi-fi energy sharing to fee up different Qi-compatible equipment and telephones at the fly.

There’s lots at the floor to love concerning the Edge, and the MediaTek Dimensity 1050 processor is succesful sufficient to stay alongside of day by day duties — or even taxing assignments, like enjoying Genshin Affect. However the variations between a excellent processor and a perfect one continuously emerge within the digicam app, and that’s the place the 1050 comes up a bit of brief. Firing off portrait mode footage in quite fast succession, I begin to see some important lag within the symbol preview. It’s pronounced sufficient that it makes it not easy to stay a topic that’s transferring a little within the body the place I would like it. That’s no longer an issue at the Pixel 6, the place I will be able to seize rapid-fire portrait mode footage and not using a noticeable drop in body price.

The Dimensity 1050 helps each sub-6GHz 5G and the super-fast, hard-to-find mmWave selection. Alternatively, simplest the Edge type offered by way of Verizon will improve mmWave — all others are sub-6 simplest. And that’s wonderful! mmWave 5G is highly range-limited, so it may be not easy to discover a sign even in a space the place it exists. Sub-6GHz 5G is making improvements to briefly in the United States because it comprises the all-important C-band spectrum. The unlocked Edge will improve Verizon and T-Cellular 5G from the time it is going on sale, however in line with Motorola spokesperson Stephanie Stiltz, AT&T 5G can be approaching board in a while “within the coming months.”

The Edge gives a 50-megapixel f/1.8 primary rear digicam with optical stabilization that uses pixel-binning to spit out 12-megapixel footage. There’s a 13-megapixel ultrawide with autofocus that doubles as a macro digicam. There’s a 32-megapixel selfie digicam round entrance that produces 8-megapixel pictures, plus a intensity sensor at the again that doesn’t appear to do a lot of anything else.

Grid View

The footage from the Edge are most commonly simply k, regardless that they infrequently get all of the approach to excellent. The digicam will get into bother overdoing the HDR impact every now and then, and neither the ultrawide nor selfie cameras are very goo d in low gentle. The primary digicam does strangely neatly with very dim prerequisites — between the lend a hand from stabilization, evening mode, and pixel binning, it holds directly to bits and bobs neatly in low gentle. I just like the digicam’s total tendency towards hotter colours, and portrait mode footage are satisfactory.

The Motorola Edge can be a standout in its elegance if it weren’t for the Pixel 6 status proper over its shoulder. The Pixel 6 is similar value because the 256GB Edge at $599, albeit with much less garage, however it covers the core competencies a bit of higher. It comprises Google’s flagship chipset, Tensor, and it’s IP68 rated, slated for 5 years of safety updates, and is derived with a extra succesful digicam.

The Edge does have a larger display, which numerous other people want (I don’t), with a quicker best refresh price than the 6’s 90Hz panel. For my cash, the Pixel 6 looks like a more secure guess. You have to even save a bit of cash and opt for the Pixel 6A, which additionally comprises Tensor, a powerful IP67 score, and the similar five-year instrument improve because the Pixel 6 for $450. Its display is far smaller at 6.1 inches,

The OnePlus 10T is also in the mix. It’s a bit of pricier at $649, however it will get you one of the crucial perfect chipsets you’ll discover on an Android telephone: the Snapdragon 8 Plus Gen 1. There’s additionally extraordinarily rapid 125W stressed out charging, which could be price the additional cash for individuals who wish to recharge briefly all through the day.

As a complete bundle, this instrument makes extra sense than Motorola’s pricier Edge Plus. The Plus simply can’t hold with the high-end Android flagships, however the Edge slots into the (in moderation populated) upper-midrange elegance extra conveniently. Supplied you discover the appropriate price ticket to compare, it’s worthy of a passing grade.

Pictures by way of Allison Johnson / The Verge