Motorola Edge 2024 review: Good phone, awful pricing

Motorola has short-circuited my brain with a smartphone for the second year. Last year’s Moto Edge was a bizarre mix of compromises and premium features that never really felt at home in any price range, and this year’s Edge is more of the same. It’s absolutely not worth the $550 Motorola charges: there’s just too much competition from Google, OnePlus, and others with devices offering more than the Edge at that price.

But when you look at what the Moto Edge delivers — a gorgeous display, decent performance, and a serviceable camera — it’s hard to claim it’s only worth $400 — the price most people will pay thanks to Motorola’s aggressive sales. So, while I still don’t fully comprehend Motorola’s strategy with the Edge, let’s see if we can’t find a home for Moto’s mystifying midranger because it’s not a bad phone, just a misunderstood one.

Price and availability

The Motorola Edge is available through Motorola and Amazon for $550. It’s sold in one configuration with 8GB of RAM and 256GB of storage. Motorola offers only one color for the Edge this year, so I hope you like Midnight Blue (which looks more black than anything). Pricing is always a rollercoaster with Moto phones, but especially the Edge. If you’re inclined to purchase but can wait, I highly recommend holding out for the inevitable sales that will push the Edge to around $400. It’s a more palatable price and a significant discount from MSRP.

What I like about the Moto Edge

Slim and light

Motorola continues to surprise me with excellent displays. The 2024 Moto G Stylus features a gorgeous panel, and last year’s Moto Edge was no slouch — but the company took it one step further with the display for this year’s Edge. It’s still a fantastic 6.6-inch P-OLED display refreshing at 144Hz, but Motorola increased the maximum brightness for 2024. It’s highly readable outdoors, and the colors pop off the display for games and movies. It’s a premium panel and the only part of the 2024 Edge that lives up to a $550 price tag.

The Moto Edge for 2024 is powered by a Snapdragon 7s Gen 2, complicating the conversation. Last year’s phone featured a MediaTek Dimensity 7030, so the SD7sG2 feels like a lateral move. Moreover, the Edge doesn’t exist in a vacuum. For $500, you can choose a Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 on the OnePlus 12R or a Tensor G3 with the Pixel 8a — either one providing better raw performance than the Moto Edge.

I kept returning to this theme in last year’s review: it’s not that the Edge is bad; there are simply better options for the same (or less) money. I was actually pleased with the phone’s performance. I never noticed any significant slowdowns or lag, even with multitasking. Genshin Impact ran smoothly on lower settings, and I never had a problem snagging a Pikachu in Pokemon Go. The SD7sG2 is complemented with 8GB of RAM, helping to keep the Edge snappy.

Like last year’s Edge, the 2024 version looks like a time traveler from 2019. It features a tapered, curved display with a thin aluminum frame, which feels excellent in the hand. It’s also light, tipping the scales at a mere 174g, a featherweight compared to 2024’s flagships. The Edge is a welcome throwback to when phones could be powerful and premium without weighing as much as a ‘90s ThinkPad. The Moto Edge is IP68-rated dust and water-resistant for added peace of mind, so beach days aren’t out of the question.

I’ve slowly become a fan of eco-leather backs on phones. I love the feel; the added texture makes me more confident carrying the Edge without a case. In addition, an eco-leather back means no glass, so I can keep features like wireless charging without the added weight. I still think a frosted matte glass back looks gorgeous, but eco-leather is the way for midrange and budget devices.

Thankfully, Motorola doesn’t share the phobia of other Android manufacturers that release devices in the US. The Moto Edge sports 68W wired charging with TurboPower, reducing the time it takes to top off your phone. Motorola claims the Edge can recharge to 50% in 15 minutes, which checks out in testing. It’s impressive, and I wish Samsung and Google would follow Motorola and OnePlus’ lead with faster charging speeds. The 2024 Edge also includes 15W wireless charging.

Battery performance was middling. I typically got around 6 hours of screen-on time on a single charge. Battery-saving measures might improve that figure, but I wouldn’t consider the Moto Edge a battery beast.

I’m not naive; I understand that true security is near impossible on smartphones, but I like Motorola’s efforts to help us regain control. Moto Secure is fantastic software, allowing users granular control over security permissions. But what’s more, it allows you to see which apps have accessed information. So, if a random app is accessing your calendar, you’ll see a log entry and can take action if it feels out of place.

Smart Connect (formerly Ready For) is also fantastic. It gives users desktop functionality through your phone. You can use your Edge as a webcam or access apps and software from your computer. It’s also a great way to transfer files back and forth.

The Moto Edge’s cameras could’ve gone in either section. I do like the images from its 50MP primary sensor. The photos display good contrast and detail, albeit oversaturated like last year’s model. If you’re a fan of Samsung’s old computational photography, you’ll love the images coming from the Edge. It also includes a 13MP ultrawide lens, but the quality drops off from the primary sensor, as expected. Low-light images get soft and grainy, but I’m happy enough with the overall performance to include the cameras as a positive.

What I don’t like about the Moto Edge

Pricing needs work

I don’t understand Motorola’s pricing strategy. As of writing this article, the 2023 Moto Edge is selling for more on the company’s site than this year’s Edge. But no matter how I try to justify it, the 2024 Moto Edge is not worth $550. But I’m torn because I know it will shortly be on sale for an attractive price.

I wish Motorola didn’t act like a Temu seller, pricing its devices high to show a more impressive percentage off MSRP later. The sweet spot for the Moto Edge is $430. Sure, it’s still a competitive landscape at that price, and the Edge wouldn’t be a slam-dunk selection, but at least it would be part of the conversation.

The Moto Edge ships with Android 14, and Motorola promises two years of Android upgrades and three years of security updates. Let’s momentarily set aside my obvious disappointment at the promised support because my greater concern is when those updates will arrive.

Moto is notorious for slow updates, making users wait 90 days or longer for bi-monthly security patches. With Motorola’s new Hello UI being more heavily skinned, I don’t see the company improving its update efficiency anytime soon. And, yes, only two years of Android upgrades is downright sad for $550.

Should you buy it?

I wish I could give the Moto Edge two ratings because it’s a tale of two phones. If you’re forced to pay $550, I’m giving the Edge a 7 out of 10, but if you’re lucky enough to get it on sale for around $400, it’s an 8 out of 10. Aside from its display, the Moto Edge hasn’t stood out to me again this year. Thankfully, Motorola devices make for great carrier deals, so it’s decent value for $3 a month through your cell provider. Otherwise, I’d look towards one of the many impressive smartphone options available for $550.