Motorola Edge is here to take on OnePlus 8 — here's what you get

Motorola Edge Plus
(Image credit: Tom's Guide)

The Motorola Edge Plus is a serviceable $999 flagship with stellar performance, respectable battery life, a headphone jack and one big problem — Verizon exclusivity. Thankfully, those who wanted an Edge Plus but didn't want to make the switch to Big Red will be able to buy a similar device unlocked this summer, called the Motorola Edge. As in, without the Plus.

Today (June 30), Motorola announced the Edge will cost $699 when it goes on sale later this year. That squares it up nicely with the OnePlus 8 and iPhone 11, which also cost $699. However, there's a catch. Or two.

Motorola has made some concessions to the Edge to lower the cost by $300 from the Edge Plus, so you lose some features. The big one is performance: Instead of getting a Snapdragon 865 processor like the Edge Plus has, you're left with the inferior Snapdragon 765. That chip can connect to 5G networks just like the 865 can, but performance and graphics are slower overall.

Additionally, while the Edge has the same 90Hz, 6.7-inch OLED display as the Edge Plus, the cheaper model ditches the Verizon-exclusive variant's 108-megapixel main camera. Rather, the unlocked Edge opts for a 64MP primary sensor — though the Edge Plus' ultrawide, telephoto and depth lenses still come along for the ride.

The regular Edge's battery is 4,500 mAh instead of a the nice, round 5,000 mAh of the Edge Plus, and RAM is halved to 6GB as well. In all other respects, the Motorola Edge is equivalent to its Plus sibling, even down to its lack of an IP-rating for water resistance. Like the Verizon-only Edge Plus, the Edge makes do with just a water-repellent nano-coating.

The Motorola Edge, seen here, looks almost indistinguishable from the pricier, Verizon-exclusive Edge Plus.

The Motorola Edge, seen here, looks almost indistinguishable from the pricier, Verizon-exclusive Edge Plus. (Image credit: Motorola)

Overall, the Motorola Edge looks to be a competent premium-looking phone for under $700. But with the iPhone 11 and OnePlus 8 delivering true flagship power for the same price, and the OnePlus 8 even rivaling the Edge in terms of 5G support, Motorola's latest unlocked offering appears to be a bit of a tough sell. In fact, it only looks to get tougher if Apple can deliver the iPhone 12 with 5G for under $700, like rumors have teased. 

To make matters worse for Motorola, the Edge Plus' cameras were only passable, and one would imagine the lower-spec 64-MP main lens in the regular Edge will be a downgrade. And Motorola's lackadaisical attitude toward Android updates has us more than a little concerned about future support.

In fact, the only feather in the Edge's cap would appear to be its audio suite. The Edge has a headphone jack, which is a perk neither Apple nor OnePlus' similarly-priced handsets can claim, along with some pretty powerful stereo speakers that impressed us in the Edge Plus.

Motorola isn't offering specifics on availability quite yet, other than saying the Edge will begin shipping later this summer, and that it'll be unlocked for use on any carrier. You can look forward to our review in the coming weeks.

Adam Ismail is a staff writer at Jalopnik and previously worked on Tom's Guide covering smartphones, car tech and gaming. His love for all things mobile began with the original Motorola Droid; since then he’s owned a variety of Android and iOS-powered handsets, refusing to stay loyal to one platform. His work has also appeared on Digital Trends and GTPlanet. When he’s not fiddling with the latest devices, he’s at an indie pop show, recording a podcast or playing Sega Dreamcast.

Read more
The new Moto G 2025 and the Moto G Power 2025
Moto G and Moto G Power 2025 editions arrive — here's what you get for less than $300
close up on Moto G 2025 cameras
I review phones for a living — and this is the budget phone I recommend to friends and family
Moto G 2025 back panel with cameras
I tested Motorola’s new budget phone and I'm surprised by what you get for less than $200
Apple iPhone 16 held in the hand.
Best unlocked phones in 2025
Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge next to Galaxy S25 Plus
Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge vs. Galaxy S25 Plus: Everything we know so far
Motorola Razr Plus 2024 cover display
Motorola Razr Plus 2025 leak reveals a new color — meet 'Rio Red'
Latest in OnePlus Phones
Oppo Find N5 from the top, partly open
OnePlus Open 2 could have been the best foldable of the year — so why is it not happening?
OnePlus 13 and OnePlus 13R
OnePlus reportedly developing massive smartphone batteries — what we know
Oppo Find N5 partly open, from behind
We won't be getting the OnePlus Open 2 this year
OnePlus 13 back
Major OnePlus leak claims OnePlus 13 Mini is actually OnePlus 13T — here's the specs
OnePlus 13R main interface
I left my OnePlus 13R alone for a week — and I was shocked at what happened when I returned
oppo find 5 teaser images showcasing thickness
OnePlus Open 2 images reveal just how thin this foldable phone could be
Latest in News
Apple Watch Ultra 2
Apple Watch Ultra 3 just tipped for two major upgrades
NYTimes Connections
NYT Connections today hints and answers — Tuesday, March 25 (#653)
A first look at Amazon's Fallout TV series coming to Prime Video
‘Fallout’ season 3 plans are reportedly being made — while season 2 is still filming
Surface Laptop 7 from the front
Amazon just gave Surface Laptop 7 a 'frequently returned' label — here's what's going on
New emojis with iOS 18.4 beta release.
iOS 18.4 beta brings 8 new emoji to your iPhone — here's all the new options
23andME box
23andMe has declared bankruptcy — here's how to delete your data now