Motorola Edge review

Wrap-up

The Motorola Edge is a long overdue step forward and breaks ground for future premium mid-rangers and flagships. Sure, the Edge doesn't have anything we haven't seen before - the screen included - but it is a breath of fresh air after a long streak of not very inspiring budget phones.

The Motorola Edge has the right screen and hardware for gaming and the battery to keep doing that for a long time. Its camera kit is quite good, too, and shows real potential in daytime. We were also happy to find a few hard-to-find features - the audio jack, the memory expansion, and the FM radio.

The design of the Motorola Edge is, well, edgy, and we think it will spark some controversy. But we are convinced this particular design feature will be one of the phone's biggest draws. Along with the attractive pricing, of course.

Granted, the Motorola Edge is not without its faults - most of them fixable. The zoom camera should save photos in its native resolution, and then Moto has to come up with better low-light processing. The popular streaming services should start streaming hi-def content as they do for the Moto Edge+. Overall, there's nothing a software update can't easily resolve.

Alternatives

The first alternative that comes in mind is the brand-new Samsung Galaxy A71 5G. It costs the same as the Motorola Edge, has a similarly large Super AMOLED, and matches the Edge's performance. The A71 lacks a zoom camera but on a positive note - it charges faster.

The OnePlus 8 is probably the biggest threat to the Motorola Edge. The new OnePlus 8 has a similar 90Hz OLED screen, runs on the flagship Snapdragon 865 chip, and recharges much faster. The camera on the back is less impressive and can't do 2x optical zoom but has OIS and performs much better at night. The OnePlus 8 is €100/$100 more expensive, so it is not an easy pick for sure.

The Mi 10 5G also impresses with the fastest chip on the market plus it does an excellent job at night with its main camera. Then again, the Mi 10 5G has no zoom camera, and it costs €200 over the Edge. Not the best deal for sure.

Finally, the Realme X50 Pro, where available, costs €600 - the same as the Edge. It tops the Edge with a faster Snapdragon 865 chip. It's got a similar camera on the back but with superior low-light performance. The X50 Pro also brags with a dual-selfie cam, but quite a few screen pixels had to go because of it. Still, the X50 Pro makes a good case, but its limited market availability along with the fact that it comes from a relatively unknown challenger brands puts it at disadvantage.

Samsung Galaxy A71 5G • OnePlus 8 • Xiaomi Mi 10 5G • Realme X50 Pro 5G

The verdict

Even with its omissions, the Motorola Edge is shaping as one of the hottest deals of the season. It has the performance, the battery, and the camera to go with its great looks. It also runs Android 10 buttery-smooth on the 90Hz OLED, so there is a lot to like.

The vanilla Edge is great on that price, and we do recommend it. Motorola's recent sabbatical from the upper mid-range tier could be the only thing standing in the way of the new Edge series. The company has to convince consumers it's got what it takes to make a great high-end phone. The Motorola Edge is certainly a nice step in this direction.

Pros

• Beautiful design, splash-proof
• Large and curvy OLED HDR10 screen with 90Hz refresh rate and small cutout
• Excellent battery life
• Stereo speakers with excellent audio quality
• The fastest midrange chipset
• Versatile cameras that excel during the day
• We loved the selfies
• MicroSD slot, 3.5mm jack, FM radio

Cons

• No 1080p streaming support for now
• Not the fastest charging
• The telephoto camera saves upscaled images
• Neither of cameras is particularly good at nighttime, though Night Vision helps