When I reviewed the Moto Edge (2024), I highlighted how it was a tale of two phones. At $550, it didn’t make sense; there were too many other mid-range phones offering more for less money. However, I was confident Motorola would lower the price again this year, making it a much more attractive device. Sure enough, Black Friday sales brought about a better price, and the Moto Edge is only $350, completely changing how it should be viewed. If you’re a Motorola fan in the market for a budget phone with an outstanding balance of performance and value, the Moto Edge is worth a look.
No Thanks, Keep Reading
The display was always worth it
Premium build quality for less
Even though I didn’t feel the Moto Edge was worth $550, I never doubted the display’s worth. It’s a gorgeous 6.6-inch P-OLED 1080p panel refreshing at 144Hz. It’s fluid and vibrant, with excellent color saturation. Games like Pokemon Go look fantastic, and if you’re a fan of how Samsung used to tune its displays, you’ll love the Moto Edge. I also enjoy the contrast of Motorola’s displays on budget phones. Movies look great on the Edge, such as the Moto G Stylus (2024), which I’m a massive fan of.
The Moto Edge is straight out of central casting for a flagship smartphone from 2018. It sports a moderately curved display tapering to a thin aluminum frame. I get plenty of comments from people saying they don’t feel a smartphone is premium unless it features curved glass, so I know there is still a market out there. I also wish more companies would adopt eco-leather on budget phones. It feels fantastic and adds grip. I always recommend protecting your investment with a case, but if you’re bold enough to go without, the Moto Edge feels solid in the hand.
Mid-range power at a budget price
More than enough performance for daily tasks
Last year’s Moto Edge used a Dimensity 7030 chipset. It was adequate for daily tasks and smooth scrolls of Instagram and Facebook; however, it wasn’t ideal for more intensive applications. I don’t consider the Snapdragon 7s Gen 2 a significant upgrade, but it was better with multitasking, and games like Genshin Impact ran well at low settings. It’s solid performance, but paying $550 and not getting more horsepower from the chipset would be frustrating. At $350, any potential misgivings I have melt away.
Moto Edge (2024) camera samples
I want to discuss the Motorola Edge’s camera system, as I’m impressed with the company’s work. I’m glad Moto did away with the nonsense sensors it included on budget phones. Nothing produced a worse image than the dismal 2MP macro sensor that was a trend on less expensive devices. Moto narrowed it down to the essentials, and the results are promising. I’m pleased with the photos from the phone’s primary 50MP sensor. You’ll get saturated images with excellent contrast in good lighting. Image quality starts to degrade in low-lighting, but it’s hard to expect more for $350 unless you pick up a Pixel on sale.
Software is still a challenge
It’s more forgivable at this price
The Moto Edge launched with Android 14 out of the box. It features Motorola’s new Hello UI skin. While the company desperately needed a fresh coat of paint for its Android version, I hope it doesn’t cause even more software update delays. Motorola’s track record is spotty with promised updates, but it’s something I’m more willing to look past for $350 that I would’ve had a significant issue with for $550 — it’s impressive how price alters perspective.
Motorola has managed to confuse me for a second straight year.
Potential concerns aside, the software is clean and aesthetically pleasing. All our favorite Moto gestures are still present, from a wrist twist to pull up the camera to a demonstrative chop to turn on the flashlight. The company promises two years of Android upgrades and three years of security updates. I’m sure we’ll see the updates, but don’t expect new Android versions in the same calendar year other manufacturers release them.
Don’t miss out on a great deal
Motorola has managed to confuse me for a second straight year. It has released a phone I wouldn’t consider at launch price, but then made it hard to pass up on a deep discount. If you’re a Motorola fan looking to save money, the Moto Edge (2024) is worth considering for $350 with its gorgeous display, decent performance, and solid build quality. Maybe Motorola will give me a break next year and release the next Edge at the proper price so we don’t have to wait until Black Friday.
Motorola Edge (2024)
The Motorola Edge (2024) offers much of the same as last year’s model, but that’s not bad, considering we loved the display and build quality. It features a 6.6-inch P-OLED 1080p display refreshing at 144Hz. Its screen is protected by Gorilla Glass 3, and the Moto Edge has an aluminum frame. The Moto Edge really shines on Black Friday where it’s available for only $350.
