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Mid-range Motorola Edge (2021) is official and available at a $499 discount price

By Iskren Gaidarov

Updated: Aug 24, 2021, 9:01 AM

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Mid-range Motorola Edge (2021) is official and available at a $499 discount price

Surprise, surprise, we have another Motorola Edge phone just weeks after the announcement of the Edge 20 series. This one is made specifically for the US market, and it is called the Motorola Edge (2021). The new phone is available to purchase for $499 during its pre-sale period, which is $200 less than its retail price. Let’s see what is different about this phone compared to its European cousins.

Pre-order the Motorola Edge (2021) now with a $200 discount

$449 ⁹⁹

$699 ⁹⁹

Get a $200 discount if you order during the pre-sale period

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Design

The design of the Motorola Edge (2021) is very similar to that of the Edge 20 phones. The most noticeable difference is its bigger chin below the display. A punch-hole selfie camera is located in the middle of the screen, below the earpiece. You only have one color option with this one: Nebula Blue.

Motorola's new phone has an IP52 water repellent rating, which means it can withstand drops of water, but it cannot be submerged. Overall the design of this phone looks modern and stylish, even though it lacks in color options and premium materials.

The 2021 Motorola Edge has a single speaker located on the bottom, which is a bit disappointing, as most phones in this class have stereo speakers with the earpiece acting as the second speaker. Keep in mind that this phone isn’t very pocketable, measuring 169 x 76 x 8.85mm. It isn’t the lightest either, weighing 200g. At least you get a large battery.

Display and cameras

The Motorola Edge (2021) uses a different display compared to the Edge 20 phones. It is a slightly bigger 6.8-inch FHD+ screen with a 144Hz refresh rate. Unfortunately, it is an LCD panel, while the rest of the Edge phones use OLED panels, but at least its high refresh rate will make navigating through the phone a snappy experience.

Motorola’s Edge (2021) has a triple-camera system. The main camera is a 108MP sensor with an f/1.9 aperture and Ultra Pixel technology. Ultra Pixel combines every nine pixels from the 108MP camera into one, essentially using them as one larger pixel. This produces 12MP photos with better detail in low light. The ultrawide camera on the phone is an 8MP sensor with an f/2.2 aperture and Macro Vision, while its third camera is a 2MP depth sensor with an f/2.4 aperture. Macro Vision allows the ultrawide camera to capture macro shots at a shorter distance.

This phone has a 32MP punch-hole selfie camera with an f/2.25 aperture and Quad Pixel technology. This technology is similar to the Ultra Pixel one, combining four pixels into one. This produces an 8MP photo with better quality.

Promotional photo taken with the Edge (2021)

Performance, storage, software, and battery

Motorola’s new phone is powered by a Snapdragon 778G processor, which supports mmWave 5G. The device will come in two storage variants, 128 and 256GB. The base model will have 6GB of RAM, while the more expensive one will have 8GB. This phone doesn't have expandable storage or a headphone jack for that matter.

The Motorola Edge (2021) runs Android 11 out of the box, with guaranteed two major software updates and two years of security updates. The phone also supports the Motorola Ready For software platform. Ready For lets you interact with your phone’s files, games, and apps on your PC or TV. You also have access to all your information, and can control the settings of the phone, as well as make and receive calls and messages. You can also easily transfer files from your PC to the Motorola Edge (2021).

Battery-wise there is nothing to worry about with this one. It has a big 5,000mAh battery unit, which according to Motorola should last up to two days of regular use. The Edge (2021) isn't among the fastest charging phones, with only 30W fast wired charging supported, but at least the fast charger comes in the box (varies by carrier).

The Motorola Edge (2021) packs a big battery unit

Price and availability

The Motorola Edge (2021) will retail at $699, but for a limited time, its price will be $499, which is a $200 discount straight away. The phone will be available at Motorola.com, BestBuy, Amazon, and B&H Photo. Pre-sale starts August 23, with shipping starting September 2.

The Edge (2021) will also become available to purchase from Verizon and Spectrum Mobile in the coming months. The new phone will be available in Canada in the coming months too.

The Motorola Edge’s package contains a 30W fast charger (varies by carrier), USB-C charging cable, and a SIM ejection tool.

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Iskren, a tech journalist at PhoneArena, has been passionate about technology since his childhood, sparked by his early experiences with phones like the Ericsson T28 and Sony Ericsson P910i. After earning a bachelor's degree in Media and Journalism, he turned his fascination with smartphones into a career, with a particular interest in Apple and Motorola. Outside of his tech pursuits, Iskren enjoys watching TV series, movies, driving, and has a deep passion for cars and Formula 1. He looks forward to the future of mobile tech, particularly the potential of rollable smartphones.