Change of strategy for Motorola which today presents three new smartphones of the Edge 20 family and focuses on a slightly different target than last year,
with more aggressive prices and three different hardware platforms. There are many points of convergence: from the size of the OLED display (6.67 inches) to the fingerprint reader that changes place and back to the side, from mono audio to fast charging that goes from the antiquated 18W of the old Edge to the current 30W via proprietary adapter.
Motorola that comes definitely after all the others and has had time to observe the competition, thus focusing on three apparently very valid and interesting devices from different points of view. The offer is varied and there are also some question marks that can only be resolved with a more accurate test, I am thinking for example of the autonomy and the batteries used: for Edge 20 Pro and Edge 20 we have chosen respectively for a 4,500 mAh and 4,000 mAh units. Will they be enough?
EDGE 20 PRO
The most valuable of the three , it is also the only one that boasts a glass body and greater attention to detail, such as the materials and the multimedia compartment (photos and videos). The choice to focus on the Snapdragon 870 SoC instead of 880 is curious but, behind the move, something more than a simple saving could be hidden. The company claims to have discarded the top-of-the-range chip also for a matter of temperatures, since SD888 tended to heat up more than expected with continuous use.
It is thus folded on the equally excellent SD870, octa-core made at 7nm that derives directly from last year’s SD865 ( here the table and details ) and therefore boasts the same components: X55 5G modem, Adreno 650, WiFi 6, Quick Charge 4+ and Kryo 585 CPU. The real advantage should be the slightly higher refresh rate, theoretically up to 3.2 Ghz.
It is therefore difficult to complain too much about the “horses under the hood”, moreover we have directly experienced these hot spirits of the Snapdragon 888 chip when it is not kept at bay; end users probably won’t even distinguish the difference in pure power. What matters is always the level of optimization and integration with the software, a crucial point on which Motorola focuses a lot thanks to a light customization, adhering to the stock but with some gems that never hurt.
MOTOROLA EDGE 20 PRO TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS
SoC : Qualcomm Snapdragon 870 (7nm)
Display : pOLED 6.67 inches FullHD + in 20: 9 ratio and max refresh rate 144Hz.
Memory :
12GB RAM LPDDR5
256GB UFS 3.1 storage memory
Camera :
Rear : 108MP + 16MP + 8MP (periscope 5x zoom)
Front : 32MP
Connectivity : Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, USB-C, NFC, 5G sub-6Ghz
Sensors : side fingerprint reader
Audio: mono, tuned by Waves
Battery : 4,500mAh with support for fast charging at 30W
Dimensions and weight : 3 x 76.1 x 7.9mmv185 grams
Operating system : Android 11
Among these I put the new Camera App, with a renewed, fresh and above all functional graphic look. Finally something new that facilitates the achievement of the most important options, tools immediately available and well-positioned keys. Good Motorola.
In addition to the graphics, shared with the two younger brothers Edge 20 and Edge 20 Lite, we also have a more complex camera system on this more expensive model that includes a 108MP main, alongside a 16MP wide-angle and an 8MP periscope with zoom 5x optical (OIS). Greater possibility therefore to space, best ISP Spectra 480 for data and video processing up to 8K at 24fps.
A lot of memory available in the only configuration provided by 12GB of RAM and 256GB of storage (UFS 3.1) and truly maximum reactivity thanks to the OLED display that can be set up to 144Hz. Too bad for the mono audio, in fact the second speaker is missing.
We close with the price that includes a list of 699.90 euros and three colors: Midnight Blue, Iridescent Cloud and Blue Vegan Leather. They are even 500 euros less than last summer’s Edge Plus; compared to the latter it reduces the battery a little but pushes on faster charging, it is certainly more intriguing and accessible net of a compromise on the SoC that half a thousand euros make us forget soon.
EDGE 20 THE SLIM
I will go against the tide but Edge 20 is perhaps the most interesting of the three from an aesthetic and also general point of view, the quality / price ratio could in fact push it into sales and convince many who love ultra-thin and valid smartphones. Definitely squared in its shapes, straight lines reminiscent of other times and old models of the American (or rather, Chinese) house and a record profile for the times: only 6.99 millimeters.
Inevitable that the camera module is protruding more than usual, the real compromise lies in the battery which has been reduced to just 4,000mAh. I would not make it a question of status, Motorola has in fact accustomed us to excellent consumption management, thanks to the software and also to the thoughtful choice of chips that here has fallen on the brand new Snapdragon 778G . Announced only in May, it is made with a 6nm production process and boasts custom Kryo 670 CPU, Adreno 642L GPU and X53 5G modem.
So a lot of computing and graphics power, no compromise in terms of connectivity and triple ISP (Spectra 570L) to manage images and videos in peace. The only limit is 4K that does not allow you to go beyond 30fps, perhaps the most obvious compromise compared to the Edge 20 Pro. Now we need to see it at work, test its advantages and any limits.
MOTOROLA EDGE 20 TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS
SoC : Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 778G (6nm)
Display : 6.67 inch FullHD + OLED in 20: 9 ratio and 144Hz max refresh rate.
Memory :
6GB / 8GB RAM
128GB / 256GB UFS 3.1 storage memory
Camera :
Rear : 108MP + 16MP + 5MP (3x optical zoom)
Front : 32MP
Connectivity : Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, USB-C, NFC
Sensors : side fingerprint reader
Audio: mono, tuned by Waves
Battery : 4,000mAh with 30W fast charging support
Dimensions and weight :
163 x 76 x 6.99 mm
163 grams
Operating system : Android 11
Available in two colors, Frosted Gray and Frosted White, Edge 20 will come from € 449.90 in the basic configuration with 6GB of RAM and 128GB of storage; for the most demanding there will also be the next cut with 8GB of RAM and 256GB of internal memory at a cost of € 579.90, but is it really worth spending € 130 to get this upgrade?
EDGE 20 LITE
We could define it as the real novelty of this round, Edge 20 Lite is in fact the expected unexpected that sneaks in and expands the family, actually lowering the requests with a different approach but not too much. Although the 6.67 “FHD + OLED display remains, the maximum refresh changes, which can be set here at 90Hz, a small limit that is added to the dual camera system that always sees the 108MP sensor as the protagonist but reduces the resolution of the wide angle to 8MP.
Less refined plastic materials, rounded shape and less slender profile that also hides a larger 5,000mAh battery. The real difference lies in the platform given the choice of the MediaTek Dimensity 720 chip , octa-core designed for the mid-range and also able to guarantee 5G connectivity, computing power and sufficient graphics (thanks to the Mali-G57 GPU) .
Among the limits is the internal memory a little slower, we are talking about 128GB UFS 2.1 (the chip does not go beyond UFS 2.2). The rest is to be discovered, the software consistency with the two other members of the family bodes well and the large battery gives less worries. Also available in two colors, Electric Ghaphite and Lagoon Green, it will be available in the basic variant (6 / 128GB) for € 379.90 or with more memory (8 / 128GB) for € 399.90.
MOTOROLA EDGE 20 LITE TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS
SoC : MediaTek Dimensity 720 (7nm)
GPU: Mali-G57 MC3
Display : 6.67 inch FullHD + gOLED in 20: 9 ratio and 90Hz max refresh rate.
Memory : 6GB / 8GB RAM 128GB UFS 2.1 storage memory
Camera : Rear : 108MP + 8MP + 2MP (depth)
Front : 32MP
Connectivity : Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, USB-C, NFC
Sensors : side fingerprint reader
Audio: mono, tuned by Waves
Battery : 5,000mAh with 30W fast charging support
Dimensions and weight : 89 x 76 x 8.25 mmv185 grams
Operating system : Android 11
AVAILABILITY
For all three this is nothing more than a first appearance, even Motorola has to deal with the lack of chips and a summer period that certainly does not help much in communication, for this (and for other reasons) the three new Edge 20 they will be marketed at an unspecified time between the end of August and the beginning of September.
It will be interesting to evaluate the differences with the direct competitors now devalued after so many months from the launch and observe any price adjustments of these models, much more aligned with the market than the excellent two Edges of last year, beautiful but too expensive. The music seems to have changed.
