The new 2022 Motorola Edge brings some high-end features from the Edge Plus to this lightweight phone, priced at $500 at launch.
Let’s be honest, when Motorola invited us to a mid-August phone launch, we were hoping to see the Motorola Razr 2022, Motorola’s exciting new flagship that has only been announced for the Chinese market. Instead, we saw the newest version of the Motorola Edge; a flat, mid-range Android that won’t turn heads like it’s folding cousin, but is obviously a much more sensible phone, especially for today’s market.
Instead of giving us a $1000 flagship phone, a successor to the Motorola Edge Plus perhaps, Motorola showed off a fancy new smartphone that costs less than half that price. Motorola says it has listened to customers, a common refrain among manufacturers, but we spot some sensible choices. The new Moto sacrifices some camera power but keeps the huge 5,000mAh battery from the older flagship, for instance. There are some sacrifices, but all around it feels like Moto is delivering most of what made the Edge Plus interesting.
Check out our complete hands-on look at this mid-range competitor. Competition is steep in this price range, with the Google Pixel 6a and even Samsung’s A-series phones making a strong showing. The Motorola Edge (2022) has distinct advantages over these devices, though, that will make it worth a deeper look.
There is one new Motorola Edge for 2022; no numbers or Pro or Plus or Max attached. It’s set to go on sale in the coming weeks on T-Mobile first, for $498. If you’re an international reader, it can be hard deciphering Motorola’s model numbers, but here in the US it is very simple.
Motorola isn’t giving us a specific timeline, but after T-Mobile, it will show up on AT&T, Verizon, Spectrum Mobile, UScellular, and Visible. No word on Dish Network’s new Boost Infinite, which will also launch this fall. Boost has offered Motorola Edge devices in the past, though.
The new Motorola Edge (2022) will also eventually be available unlocked at Best Buy, Amazon, and Motorola.com, for $499.99.
What’s first striking about the Motorola Edge (2022) is that the screen size is the same as the Motorola Edge Plus, and the battery is just as large, but Moto has managed to trim almost a full ounce from the weight of the phone. That’s a major accomplishment, and the phone feels remarkably light from the moment you pick it up. It weighs less than the Google Pixel 6a, even though the screen is a full half-inch larger and the battery is bigger.
Otherwise, the Motorola Edge (2022) adopts a fairly bland design amidst smartphones today; it’s unadorned. Moto is showing off only one color option: a shimmery grey. The phone is smooth like a stone, with no design notes that stand out, for better and worse.
Unfortunately, it feels light due to cheaper plastic materials. The phone felt sturdy enough, but the finish and the weight gave it a cheaper feel. Of course, the $500 Motorola Edge (2022) should feel cheaper than its $1000 Edge Plus relative, just be beware of the difference.
