Motorola’s Edge Plus is a fascinating option for smartphone buyers, but there is at least one notable catch: You can only get one if you’re a Verizon customer. (Verizon is Engadget’s parent company, but has no control over what we post, so let us just say “Boo!” To this particular exclusivity deal.)
Fortunately, fans of the phone’s flagship style will soon have another option. This morning, Motorola confirmed that it will start selling the Edge a little more modestly, and fully unlocked, starting July 31. You’ll be able to buy one directly from Motorola, in addition to the usual roster of retail partners like Amazon, B&H, and Best Buy. And even better, Motorola offers a surprisingly good deal for first-time users. At least for a time, the Lenovo affiliate will sell the Edge for just $ 500, below the usual $ 700. It is not yet known whether the discounted Edge will rank on our list of the best mid-range phones, but this is far from easy.
As we have mentioned elsewhere, the Motorola Edge is one of the rare devices that seems almost indistinguishable from its more premium cousin. Both phones, for example, share the same 6.7-inch, 90Hz “Endless Edge” screen that partially wraps around their bodies. And both also include the same stereo speakers tuned by Waves Audio; They may not change the game, but they are still an improvement over the weak drivers you usually find on smartphones. And the Snapdragon 765 chipset we checked above should ensure that the Edge works more like a flagship phone than almost any other device in Motorola’s current lineup, aside from the Edge Plus, naturally. Still, it’s worth bearing in mind that phones using the popular Snapdragon 765G chipset, such as LG’s Velvet and the lively new OnePlus Nord, are marginally faster.)
Still, the Edge has plenty of premium flair for a decidedly non-premium selling price. However, that doesn’t mean Motorola didn’t have to make some notable changes here. This phone’s triple camera setup isn’t quite as wild as you’ll find on the Edge Plus, and the company ditched mmWave 5G here so that it can support the more widely available 5G sub-6 networks to be released worldwide. All of that seems easy to swallow, but one thing’s for sure: As compelling as the Edge may seem, it’s taking on a new generation of high-powered phones at reasonable prices. Calling the competition stiff would be a considerable understatement, perhaps Moto should consider making that price cut permanent.
