Motorola Edge
Following on from the hugely popular Razr launch last year, Motorola has finally moved back to the high-end flagship device market, with its new Edge smartphones.
The big sticking point for consumers with the Razr was despite giving many a welcome nostalgia kick and showed off just what Motorola can design and deliver, its flagship price tag was met with mid-range specs!
Edge comes in a standard and Plus format but sadly both will only be available in selected markets.
Features
Unlike other manufactures who release a standard and plus models, the Edge handsets are both just about the same size. Instead, Motorola focused on power and specifications rather than larger and smaller.
And fortunately, that has even flowed into the pricing with the Edge expected to start at a very respectable $650/£579. For a high-end smartphone that is a great price point.
To stand apart in the market, we wanted to build a family of new devices that nails everything consumers care about most.
The result is a state-of-the-art smartphone that delivers advanced technology in every category that matters
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Display
Both devices boast a 6.7″ Endless Edge Display that wraps around each side at almost a 90º angle. This edge to edge effect reduces the front bezel to just a thin top & bottom section.
There’s a single punch-hole style front-facing 25MP selfie camera in the top left corner, which appears much less intrusive than the ‘notch’ on other models.
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The only difference between the two models is the Edge+ has HDR10+ and the Edge just HDR10. Unless you are able to hold both devices side by side this shouldn’t be noticeable and I doubt this will be a deciding factor for many.
HDR10 or High Dynamic Range provides better colour to a display. The ‘+’ is just an enhanced version.
Edge Camera
One of the benchmarks for a flagship smartphone is the main camera and the new Motorola Edge+ can boast going head to head with the latest Samsung S20 Ultra!
The Edge+ has a rear triple camera system with a main 108MP lens, a 16MP wide-angle and 8MP 3x Optical zoom lenses. Whereas the Edge only a 64MP main lens and 2x zoom, it still looks set to be a solid offering.
Some of the promo photographs from the launch should give travellers who like taking a picture some food for thought as their next upgrade approaches.
All taken on the Motorola Edge +.
5G Connectivity
2020 is the year of 5G connectivity and both Edge models come with it as standard. The Edge+, aimed at the US market, has the mmwave & Sub-6GHz variant of 5G technology on board.
Both models support Bluetooth 5.1 and WiFi with the Edge+ coming with WiFi 6.
Design
There is very little difference, visually between the models. The Edge+ is ever so slightly thicker to allow for the larger 5,000mAh battery that reportedly delivers 2 days of normal use.
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Unlike many other flagship smartphones, Motorola has kept the 3.5mm audio jack on the Edge/Edge+ along with the USB-C port for charging.
Apart from the far superior camera, the Edge+ has a much faster Snapdragon 865 processor with 12GB RAM. The standard Edge has a respectable Snapdragon 765 with 4GB RAM.
Specifications
Where the Razr had a flagship price tag with mid-market specs, the Edge has flipped that around with a very tempting package at an affordable price.
Admittedly, the Edge+ has been priced higher due to the bigger specs but will also be at the same price point as some of its more established flagship competitors.
| Motorola Edge | Motorola Edge+ | |
|---|---|---|
| Dimensions (mm) | 161.6 x 71.1 x 9.29 | 161.1 x 71.4 x 9.6 |
| Weight (g) | 188 | 203 |
| Colours | ???? ⚫️ Midnight Magenta Solar Black | ⚪️ ???? Thunder Grey Smoky Sangria |
| Processor | Qualcomm Snapdragon 765 | Qualcomm Snapdragon 865 |
| Rear Cam | 64MP Main w/ OIS 8MP 2x Optical Zoom 16MP Wide-Angle | 108MP Main w/ OIS 8MP 3x Optical Zoom 16MP Wide-Angle |
| Front Cam | 25MP | 25MP |
| Display | 6.7″ OLED Endless Edge (90Hz) | 6.7″ OLED Endless Edge (90Hz) |
| Battery (mAh) Charging | 4,500 18W TurboCharge | 5,000 15W Wireless Charge 18W TurboCharge |
| Storage (gb) | 128 + MicroSD | 256 |
| Software | Android 10 | Android 10 |
| Security | Under Screen Fingerprint Reader | Under Screen Fingerprint Reader |
| Microphones | 2 | 3 |
| Speakers | 2 | 2 |
How Much does the Motorola Edge Cost?
Now for the bad news. Both devices will not be available in every market, and where they are, some carriers appear to have exclusives on them.
The Motorola Edge & Edge+ will launch in May 2020 with expected retail prices of $650/£579/€599 for the Edge and $1,315/£1,047/€1,199 for the Edge+.
Join the Conversation
Do you think the new Motorola Edge smartphone can join the more established flagship devices already on the market?
How do you feel about devices only being launched in select markets and how do you get around it if you really want the device?
Comment below or join the conversation on Twitter.
Visit motorola.com for further information.