Motorola is bringing a new midrange device to market, and not only is it $100 less than the Google Pixel 8, but it also offers some nice features of its own. Say hello to the Motorola Edge (2023), a sleek phone with curved glass aesthetics and leather covering that has a starting price of $599 in the US.
The latest Edge has a familiar look to its predecessors, but it features MediaTek’s Dimensity 7030 chipset with 8GB of RAM and 256GB of onboard storage. The phone runs Android 13, but Motorola won’t say how many OS updates it will get. Also, there is no charging adapter in the retail box.
On the front is a 6.6-inch HDR-ready FHD+ (2400 x 1080 pixels) OLED display with a peak refresh rate of 144Hz and a maximum brightness output of 1,200 nits. The curved glass approach looks neat, and Motorola claims the Edge (2023) build is IP68 certified, meaning it can handle the occasional splash of water without frying its circuit board.
One of the biggest features of the phone is that it has a 4,400mAh battery that supports 68W fast charging, which is twice as much as the Pixel 8. Motorola says 10 minutes of charging will be enough for a full day of use, but these metrics are subjective. Thankfully, you also get support for 15W wireless charging and the ability to share power with other devices in the same wireless manner at the 5W rate.
On the back is a 50-megapixel optically stabilized main camera with support for features like Active Photo, Night Vision, and 4K capture at 30fps. The primary camera offers an impressively wide f/1.4 aperture and relies on 4-in-1 pixel binning to process light data on a 2-micron super-pixel.
In simple words, it can let in more light and deliver shots with more detail and depth. The ultrawide camera relies on a 13-megapixel sensor that also takes digitally cropped macro shots, while selfie duties are assigned to a 32-megapixel snapper.
The Motorola Edge (2023) is priced at $600 and is now available on the company’s official website, Amazon, and Best Buy. It comes in a sole Eclipse Black color with vegan leather finish.
Motorola’s latest offering seems like a value-focused phone for its price, but the competition is more intense than ever. Google’s Pixel 8 offers extremely good cameras along with faster silicon, Android OS upgrades for the next seven years, and feature-rich software. Samsung’s Galaxy S23 FE also hovers in the same price bracket, and you can easily get a refurbished or discounted older mainline iPhone for that asking price.
Still, if you’re looking to buy a phone that costs under $600, the Motorola Edge (2023) is worth taking a look at. We’ll be testing the Edge (2023) as soon as we can to see if it’s worth that much cash, so stay tuned for a full review coming soon.