Motorola launches Edge 20 series without Edge screen, but with 5G
On July 29, Motorola unveiled its latest Moto Edge devices to the masses. As with the Moto One, the new Edge 20 would ditch the key defining feature that gave the series its name - the curved screen (or edge!). On the other hand, all three models come with an AMOLED display armed with a high refresh rate and 5G compatibility.
- The Edge 20 range comprises of three models: Edge 20, Edge 20 Lite and Edge 20 Pro.
- Curved display that defined its name is a thing of the past.
- Hardware specifications overlap with blend the Moto G line.
While the Moto G line has moved into the entry-level territory with the Moto G10 and the mid-range market with the Moto G100, the Edge family has decidedly dropped out of the flagship race by firmly establishing itself among the premium mid-range segment, based on the processor used.
In short, while the Moto Edge+ drew attention for including the fastest SoC at the time, the Snapdragon 865, the new high end Edge 20 Pro adopts almost the same processor, the Snapdragon 870 chipset, which is inferior to the high-end Snapdragon 888 and Exynos 2100.
These new models stand out because they offer a desktop mode that is similar to Samsung's DeX - apart from having high refresh rate displays and 5G compatibility, of course. In addition, all three of them will be equipped with a 108-megapixel camera.
Motorola Edge 20 Pro
At the top of the new family is the Edge 20 Pro model. On paper, it bears some similarities with the Moto G100, including the aforementioned Snapdragon 870 chipset and desktop mode (wireless Ready For). However, the camera configuration used here highlights the main novelty of the device in the Motorola range: a periscopic lens with 5x zoom on an 8-megapixel sensor, the telephoto camera also boasts of optical image stabilization (OIS) and up to 50x digital zoom.
The photographic part is complemented by the 108-megapixel main camera and a 16-megapixel ultra wide-angle and macro "combo" lens.
The Edge 20 Pro will see a 30W charger included in the box (although this will not be available in all countries), an integrated under-screen fingerprint reader, a 6.7-inch Full HD+ AMOLED display with a 144 Hz refresh rate.
Motorola Edge 20
The Pro model's screen can also be found in the regular Edge 20, which swaps out the Snapdragon 870 SoC for the newly released Snapdragon 778G. The Edge 20 has less memory and internal storage (8GB RAM/128GB versus 12GB RAM/256GB on the Pro), in addition to a smaller battery albeit carrying the same 30W charger in the box (in selected countries).
The camera setup is virtually identical as the one found in the Pro model. The Motorola Edge 20, however, will throw in a traditional telephoto lens with a magnification of 3x while offering optical stabilization. The lower price point was made possible by tweaking the biometrics as the fingerprint is not an under-display one but rather, a dedicated module located on the side of the handset.
Motorola Edge 20 Lite
Last but not least, we have the Edge 20 Lite that will not see any Qualcomm processor powering it, but rather, a MediaTek Dimensity 720 chipset that incidentally, is also compatible with 5G networks (DSS and Sub-6GHz). Another difference of the Lite is the fact that it offers a storage expansion option via microSD card.
The AMOLED display has been retained, featuring the same 6.7-inch Full HD+ resolution although experiencing a slight loss in smoothness due to the 90 Hz refresh rate. The Ready For mode, on the other hand, works on the Edge 20 Lite when tethered.
As for cameras, the Motorola Edge 20 Lite will also offer a 108-megapixel main camera, with the remaining sensors bearing far more modest specifications such as an 8 MP ultrawide and macro lens, and a 2-megapixel depth sensor.
Edge 20 range specifications
| Edge 20 Pro | Edge 20 Pro | Edge 20 Lite | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Processor | Qualcomm Snapdragon 870 | Qualcomm Snapdragon 778G | MediaTek Dimensity 720 |
| screen | 6.7-inch AMOLED Full HD+, 144 Hz |
6.7-inch AMOLED Full HD+, 90 Hz |
|
| Memory | 12GB | 6 or 8 GB | |
| Storage | 256 GB | 128 or 256 GB | |
| Expansion with microSD? | No | Yes | |
| Cameras | Main camera: 108 megapixels Ultra-wide-angle + macro: 16 MP Telephoto (5x zoom, OIS): 8 MP Selfie: 32 MP |
Main: 108 megapixel Ultra wide-angle + macro: 16 MP Telephoto (3x zoom, OIS): 8 MP Selfie: 32 MP |
Main: 108 megapixel Ultra wide-angle + macro: 8 MP Depth sensor: 2 MP Selfie: 32 MP |
| Battery | 4,500 mAh | 4,000 mAh | 5.000 mAh |
| Operating system | Android 11 | ||
| Dimensions | 163 x 76 x 7.99 mm | 163 x 79 x 6.99 mm | 166 x 75.95 x 8.25 mm |
| Weight | 185 g | 163 g | 185 g |
Motorola Edge 20: availability and price
The new Edge 20 range has no specific release date apart from an August 2021 window, where they will hit markets in Europe, Latin America, and Asia. There has been no announcement by Motorola to launch these devices in the US, although we do know that Motorola has committed to two Android OS upgrades for the new Edge devices. We also know that the Motorola Edge 20 is already on sale in Italy with the following suggested prices:
- Edge 20 Pro: €649.99
- Edge 20 (8/256 GB): €499.99
- Edge 20 (6/128 GB): €449.99
- Edge 20 Lite (8/256 GB): €379.99
- Edge 20 Lite (6/128 GB): €349.99
So, what did you think of these devices? Were you intrigued to see the Edge line lose its curved display, or were you more curious to know just how Lenovo/Motorola intend to differentiate the Edge and G lines? Share your opinion with us in the comments!
Dumping the curved edge is the right move