Motorola Edge (2022)

Motorola Edge (2022) Review

The Motorola Edge (2022), launched on September 22, 2022, is a mid-priced smartphone aiming to deliver a premium experience without a flagship price tag. It measures 160.9mm in height, 74.2mm in width, and 8mm in depth, weighing in at 170 grams.

Build Quality

The Motorola Edge (2022) features a slim profile and a lightweight build. While the exact material is not specified, it incorporates a 2.5D curved glass screen and Corning Gorilla Glass 3 for scratch resistance, giving a decent in-hand feel. It is available in a Grey color option. The device has a relatively standard design for its price point with no unique features, but feels solid and well put together. The absence of an SD card slot does restrict expandable storage options, however, the provided 256 GB option (in the reviewed 8GB/256GB configuration) should be sufficient for most users.

Screen Quality

The device sports a 6.6-inch OLED display with a resolution of 1080 x 2400 pixels and a pixel density of 399 ppi. The screen has a 20:9 aspect ratio and a 144Hz refresh rate for smooth visuals, further enhanced by HDR10+ support for enhanced contrast and color depth, which the OLED technology allows. With 1 billion colors (10 bits) supported, it should provide vibrant visuals. The screen has a hole-punch notch, and is a full frameless capacitive multi-touch display. While it lacks LTPO technology for variable refresh rates, the 144Hz panel provides a fluid user experience. It is a solid display for the price bracket.

Camera Performance

The Motorola Edge (2022) features a triple rear camera setup. The primary camera is a 50MP Omnivision OV50A sensor with an f/1.8 aperture, 1.00µm pixel size, and 1/1.55" sensor size, which supports 1-4 (2x2) pixel binning. It is accompanied by a 13MP wide-angle lens with an f/1.5 aperture and 1.12µm pixel size, and a 20MP Macro lens with an f/2.4 aperture, 0.90µm pixel size, 1/2.83" sensor size, and pixel binning. It uses an Omnivision OV24B1Q sensor. On the front, there's a 32MP selfie camera with an f/2.45 aperture and 0.70µm pixel size.

The camera system offers features such as Optical Image Stabilization (OIS), Phase Detection Autofocus (PDAF), digital zoom, autofocus, touch focus, continuous shooting, geotagging, panorama, HDR, face detection, and various scene modes. The phone can record 4K video at 30fps with EIS and 1080p video at up to 120fps, also with EIS. While the camera specifications are generally capable for the price bracket, the absence of more details on the ultrawide sensor and the lack of video features like 4k/60fps may be considered downsides.

Software Experience

The device ships with Android 12, with an upgrade to Android 13 confirmed. The Motorola experience typically leans towards a near-stock Android feel with some added features. It is a relatively clean experience with minimal bloatware, which should enhance performance. The long-term software support remains limited to one major update which is not great for longevity.

Battery Performance

The Motorola Edge (2022) packs a 5000 mAh Li-Polymer battery. It supports 30W fast charging and 15W wireless charging, and also offers 5W reverse charging. This provides a decent battery life expected of a modern smartphone and the fast-charging capabilities are welcomed. Reverse charging allows you to charge other devices.

Value for Money

The Motorola Edge (2022) is positioned in the medium price range with prices fluctuating between $99.99 and $239.99. The 8GB/256GB variant provides a good balance of RAM and storage, while the device also offers a 6GB/128GB model (America only). Its chipset is a MediaTek Dimensity 1050 (6nm), with an Octa-core CPU (2x2.5 GHz Cortex-A78 & 6x2.0 GHz Cortex-A55) and an Arm Mali-G610 MC3 GPU, which gives it a competent mid-range performance. The device incorporates several other features like an under-display fingerprint sensor, NFC, and a wide range of network bands. The inclusion of dual SIM (nano + eSIM), stereo speakers with Dolby Atmos, and a barometer add to its value proposition. The antutu v9 score of 522375 suggests reasonable performance for general use and moderate gaming. Its overall value is quite competitive in its price class and presents itself as a solid mid range phone.