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| Image: Motorola |
Overview
The Motorola 2022 Edge is a thinner, upper-midrange device
(if we talk about anything that is between $500 to $750) than most Motorola phones. The Edge’s 6.6” display is, OK, big. It has a very decent 1080p OLED
panel with a refresh rate of 144Hz, top! But the auto rate selection mode, to
me, seems it does not hit 144Hz every so often, but in general, it bounces
between 60Hz - 120Hz, if it is locked to 144Hz. Overall, 120Hz makes for an
exceptionally smooth scrolling experience. It offers many good-to-have
characteristics, which cannot always be found in the upper echelon of midrange
devices. These include wireless charging, a 144Hz screen display, and a big Li-Po 5000 mAh battery (non-removable). Outside, in daylight, the
screen hits into high illumination mode making it comfortable to use even in an extremely vivid condition. The 2022 Edge is a premium phone that outshines in
extracurriculars but tends to limp off in its core classes. But some good news
here: its in-display fingerprint scanner is fast and precise, which is more
than the Pixel 6’s.
The Cost
Tough, it is only IP52-rated (Protected from limited dust
ingress), and the plastic frame does not motivate me a ton of confidence for
long-term durability. However, for $500 mid-price, it favors the 2022 Edge. In
particular, if you would like the extremely biggest and most excellent screen
for that kind of big bucks. And though the MediaTek Dimensity 1050 chipset
stands it all well, a few go-slows in the camera apps expose the processor to be
not on par with the best in its class. The phone’s 6.6” display panel with a
fast 144Hz refresh rate is indeed its top advantage. Paired with reliable
all-day battery life, plus wireless charging, and its capability of three OS
version upgrades and four years of security updates, it is top-notch.
However, paying $600 for the 2022 Edge, I think, is simply
too much, even with its perceived 256GB of storage included. A T-Mobile version
with 128GB of storage will cost $498, while the unlocked Motorola version with
256GB of storage costs $599 if you can grab it at the $499 preorder price.
Furthermore, it does a fair amount of handholding,
introducing you to unique characteristics, but never it feels intrusive. For
one, the camera app will politely suggest that I turn on the leveling point to
take straighter photos. That is just thoughtful.
The Design
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| Image: Motorola |
The 2022 Edge is slimmer than most Motorola phones,
measuring just 8 mm thick while other Motorola phones measures above 9 mm
thick. The Edge’s display is smooth-flat secured by a glass panel, and the
fused plastic back cover curves slightly towards the edges. The external frame
too is plastic, which may break if it falls. The phone is rated IP52, very different from the IP68 rating that the Pixel 6 carries, which allows it to be submerged
in water for a short time.
A huge 5,000mAh battery powered the phone. Motorola claims
you can get two days on a single charge. But surely not much if you enable
those battery-consuming features, akin to the speediest screen refresh rate and
also a lot of watching videos. Thus, if you are wise enough on your settings,
you could see going through two days. Moreover, the 2022 Edge supports 30W
wired charging (charger not included per usual these days). Additionally, fast
15W wireless charging is provided. It is great to have one because at this
price range, not every phone has wireless charging at any speed. Likewise,
there is also wireless power sharing to charge up other Qi-compatible
accessories and phones on the fly.
The Performance
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| Image: Motorola |
There is more on the surface about the 2022 Edge which you
may like. To keep up your daily routines, the MediaTek Dimensity 1050 processor
is capable enough – even for a taxing assignment. But, as always, and it has
always been said that a good processor and a great one often emerges in the
camera app. That is where the MTD 1050 is a little lacking. For instance,
shooting off portrait mode photos in rapid succession, you start noticing some
significant lag in image previewing. It is obvious enough that it makes it
tougher to keep pace with a subject that is a bit moving in the frame where you
wanted it to be. Compare it to the Pixel 6 where you can capture quick-fire
portrait mode photos without a conspicuous dip in frame rate.
Furthermore, the Dimensity 1050 has both sub-6GHz 5G plus
the ever super-fast, hard-to-find mmWave class. Though, only the 2022 Edge
model exclusively sold by Verizon will support mmWave – all others are sub-6
only, which may well be a blessing in disguise. A mmWave 5G is incredibly range-limited, as a result, it can
be difficult to get a signal even in an area where it exists. Anyway, a
Sub-6GHz 5G is expanding more swiftly now, especially in the US because it
comprises the all-important C-band spectrum. Additionally, according to
Motorola spokesperson Stephanie Stiltz, an unlocked 2022 Edge will support
Verizon and T-Mobile 5G when the phone goes on sale. Similarly, AT&T 5G will
be getting on board later on “in the next few months.”
According to Motorola, the 2022 Edge will get three OS
version updates and four years of security updates – a telling improvement on
Moto’s policy with previous devices. This comes much closer to the Pixel 6’s
five years of security updates.
Our Conclusion
This device is more impressive than Motorola’s high-priced
Edge Plus. The Plus just cannot hook up with the costlier high-end Android
flagships, while the 2022 Edge positions more comfortably into the sparingly crowded
upper-midrange class. Given you can get the right tag price to match up, it is
worth owning it.
Specifications
NETWORK
Technology: GSM
/ HSPA / LTE / 5G
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BODY
Dimensions: 160.9 x 74.2 x 8 mm (6.33 x 2.92 x
0.31 in)
Weight: 170 g (6.00 oz)
Build: Glass front, plastic frame, plastic
back
SIM: Nano SIM, eSIM | Water-repellent
design
___________________________________________________________
MEMORY
Card slot: No
Internal: 256GB 8GB RAM
___________________________________________________________
PLATFORM
OS: Android 12, planned upgrade to
Android 13
Chipset: MediaTek Dimensity 1050 (6 nm)
CPU: Octa-core (2x2.5 GHz Cortex-A78
& 6x2.0 GHz Cortex-A55)
GPU: Arm Mali-G610 MC3
___________________________________________________________
SCREEN DISPLAY
Type: OLED, 1B colors, 144Hz, HDR10+
Size: 6.6 inches, 105.2 cm2 (~88.1%
screen-to-body ratio)
Resolution: 1080 x 2400 pixels, 20:9 ratio (~399
ppi density)
___________________________________________________________
MAIN CAMERA
Triple: 50 MP, f/1.8, (wide), 1/1.55",
1.0µm, multi-directional PDAF, OIS | 13 MP,
f/1.5, 120˚ (ultrawide), 1.12µm | 2 MP, f/2.4, (depth)
Features: LED flash, HDR, panorama
Video: 4K@30fps, 1080p@30/60/120fps,
gyro-EIS
___________________________________________________________
SELFIE CAMERA
Single : 32 MP, f/2.5,
(wide), 0.7µm
Features: HDR
Video: 1080p@30fps
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SOUND
Loudspeaker: Yes, with stereo speakers
3.5mm jack: No
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COMMUNICATIONS
WLAN: Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/6e,
tri-band, Wi-Fi Direct, hotspot
Bluetooth: 5.2, A2DP, LE
GPS: Yes, A-GPS, GLONASS, BDS, GALILEO
NFC: Yes
Radio: No
USB: USB Type-C 2.0, USB On-The-Go
___________________________________________________________
FEATURES
Sensors: Fingerprint (under display,
optical), accelerometer, gyro, proximity,
compass, barometer
___________________________________________________________
BATTERY
Type: Li-Po 5000 mAh, non-removable
Charging: Fast charging 30W | Fast wireless
charging 15W
Reverse
charging 5W
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