Motorola Edge (2022) is here to conquer the mid-range American market

Motorola is introducing a new device for its North American customers. This time the phone is from the Edge family, and it is called the Edge (2022). As its name suggests, this is a smaller, more ‘lite’ version of the Edge Plus (2022) that was released earlier this year.

The phone resembles both last year’s Edge (2021) and Motorola’s Edge 30 which is sold in Europe. Still, the new Motorola mid-range device is different from the rest of the brand’s lineup. The Chicago brand’s Edge (2022) will first be available at T-Mobile at a regular price of $498 and with a limited-time offer to get it for free if you add a new line. Let’s find out if this new phone is mid-range king material.

Design

In terms of design, the Edge (2022) closely resembles the rest of Motorola’s 2022 smartphone lineup. The device has slightly rounded edges and a round camera module, just like the bigger and more expensive Plus model. Both the rails and back of the phone look to be plastic, but the fit and finish seem decent in pictures. Considering the price of the device, a lack of metal is to be expected.

The camera bump of this phone’s triple-camera system is tiny, which helps when using the phone while it is sitting on a flat surface. As far as the front of the phone goes, the Edge (2022) has tiny bezels around its display and a punch-hole-style front camera. The fingerprint scanner is also found on the front of the phone as it is an under-display one.

When it comes to size, the new Edge measures 160.86 x 74.24 x 8.24mm and weighs 170g. This means the Motorola is lighter by 19g than its main competitor, the Samsung Galaxy A53, yet it is almost identical in size.

Motorola’s Edge (2022) is IP52 splash and dust resistant. This means the phone should survive the occasional drops of water it might encounter from a rainy day or a spilled drink.

This phone features two stereo speakers that support Dolby Atmos audio and a total of three microphones. Unfortunately, the Edge (2022) doesn’t have a headphone jack or a microSD card slot. Keep in mind that in the mid-range phone market many devices still feature one or both of these extras. Another disappointing fact about the new phone is that it comes in only one color option called Mineral Gray.

Display and performance

Motorola didn’t make any compromises when it came to the display of the Edge (2022). This phone features a 6.6-inch OLED panel with a 144Hz refresh rate and an FHD+ resolution. Motorola also brags about this display being able to hit 1,300 nits in its high brightness mode.

The Edge (2022) is equipped with a MediaTek Dimensity 1050 processor. This chip is similar in terms of performance to Snapdragon’s 778G and 778G+ chips. The one area MediaTek’s chip seems to have the edge over Qualcomm's alternative is the gaming department. This combined with a 144Hz refresh rate screen means that the new Edge should be among the best phones for gaming in the sub-$500 smartphone market.

As for the storage, the new Edge comes in two versions. The base one has 6GB of RAM and 128GB of storage, and there is a second, more expensive version with 8GB of RAM and 256GB of storage.

Motorola’s Edge (2022) supports sub-6GHz 5G networks and also mmWave on T-Mobile’s 1.5GHz fast 5G network. The latter is one of the fastest networks currently operating in the USA.

Camera

As we mentioned earlier, the Motorola Edge (2022) features a triple camera system. The main camera is a 50MP sensor with an f/1.8 aperture, OIS (optical image stabilization), and Ultra Pixel technology. Ultra Pixel combines four pixels into one for better low-light performance while saving on storage space.

The ultra-wide camera of the Motorola Edge (2022) is a 13MP sensor with an f/2.2 aperture and a 120° ultra-wide angle. This camera also has Micro Vision, which means it is used for macro shots. The third camera is a 2MP depth sensor which should help with portrait photography.

The main camera can record a video in 4K 60 fps and a slow motion video at either 720p 960fps or 1080p 120fps. The ultra-wide shooter is limited to a 1080p 30fps video recording. The front camera is a 32MP f/2.45 sensor that also uses Ultra Pixel technology.

Software and battery life

Software-wise, the Motorola Edge (2022) will arrive with Android 12 out of the box. However, the brand is promising the phone will be quickly updated to Android 13. Including this update, Motorola is guaranteeing three major OS updates in the next three years and four years of bimonthly security patches.

The new Edge comes with Motorola's traditional software tweaks and features, like the double chop to turn on the flashlight and the brand’s ReadyFor platform. ReadyFor is a platform that turns your phone’s user interface into a desktop-like experience when casting to an external display or a TV, or on a Windows PC via an app. You can use the phone’s screen as both a keyboard and a trackpad. The platform also supports third-party Bluetooth mice, trackpads, and keyboards.

According to Motorola, most people look for a phone that offers great battery life. That’s why the brand has equipped the Edge (2022) with a beefy 5,000mAh battery. For example, this is 1,000mAh more than the Europe-sold Edge 30 and 200mAh more than the Edge Plus (2022).

Motorola claims this battery will last up to two days, and when you finally run out of juice, this new Edge supports 30W fast wired charging, 15W wireless charging, and 5W reverse wireless charging. The last option lets you charge another device wirelessly as long as it supports wireless charging, giving the new Edge a battery bank functionality.

Price and availability

As we mentioned earlier, the Motorola Edge (2022) will first arrive at T-Mobile at a starting price of $498. T-Mobile will offer the phone in the coming weeks. After that, the new Edge will be available at AT&T, Verizon, and USCellular as well.

There’s also going to be an unlocked version of the device, which will be offered at BestBuy, Amazon, and Motorola’s online store with a limited-time launch price of $499. The new affordable Edge will also be available in Canada in the coming months.

As far as the packaging is concerned, the Motorola Edge (2022) is the brand’s first device to have 100% plastic-free packaging. This is part of Motorola’s plans to become more and more eco-friendly by reaching net zero carbon emissions in its production in the coming years.

Unfortunately, being more environmentally friendly also means that this phone doesn’t come with a charger in the box. There you will find only a USB-C charging cable and a SIM ejection tool.