The smartphone market is getting even more packed as Motorola just dropped three new devices: the Edge+ 2023, the Moto G 5G, and the Moto G Stylus.
First, the Edge+ is a flagship at $799 with a big, vibrant display and a versatile set of features that will go up against the Galaxy S23 trio and the OnePlus 11 5G. The Moto G 5G and Moto G Stylus are the latest versions of some of Motorola’s best-selling budget, aka low to mid-range, phones. They’re sub $300 at $249.99 and $199.99, respectively.
If you’re already interested, the good news is that you won’t have to wait long. The Moto Edge+ will be up for preorder on May 19, with a ship date of May 25. While the Moto G Stylus lands on May 5, and the Moto G 5G arrives on May 25.
Ahead we’re breaking down what you need to know about these devices and sharing some of our first impressions.
The Arena Media Brands, LLC and respective content providers to this website may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website.
Motorola Edge+: What You Need to Know
As the name hints, the 6.7-inch pOLED display slopes down the left and right sides of the phone for what Motorola dubs an “Endless Edge.” It’s like Samsung phones that previously featured an Edge, allowing for some unique software features. The screen itself is up to snuff with other 2023 flagships with a 165Hz refresh rate, a 20:9 aspect ratio, and a layer of Corning Gorilla Glass Victus to protect from scratches or drops.
You’ll find minimal bezels at the top and bottom, but the Edge+ is all-screen on the front. Up-top centered is an ultra-wide 60-megapixel selfie cam. This will group pixels to offer more details like previous Motorola phones and even Samsung or Google ones.
A triple camera system lives in a rectangular bump on the back. For 2023, Motorola opted for a 50-megapixel primary lens, a 50-megapixel ultra-wide lens with the ability to take a Macro shot, and a dedicated 12-megapixel telephoto lens that is designed for taking portraits.
It should lead to a versatile setup, but unlike Samsung Galaxy’s Space Zoom or Google Pixel's SuperRes Zoom, there isn’t a solution for a zoom mode on the Edge+ this year. We’ll need to put this to the test, but if you are eager to get a wild shot from afar, you may want to consider another phone. Motorola also offers the ability to capture in long exposure, dual capture, a burst mode, and up to 8K UHD at 30 frames per second video recording with the primary camera.
The rest of the rear is where Motorola’s bonafide design chops come through. The Edge+ might only be available in a dark Interstellar Black, but the materials being used are pretty nice. They’ve opted for a sandblasted frame and a matte anti-glare rear.
Out of the box, the Edge+ will be running Android 13 with a Motorola user interface, and powering it all is Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 processor with 8GB of RAM. It will feature 256GB or 512GB of storage, depending on the configuration.
This processor should perform quite well and be able to handle more intense or advanced tasks. It’s the same processor as the $699 OnePlus 11 5G and similar to the customized version used in the Galaxy S23 family.
Motorola always strives to offer long battery life, and the Edge+ should be up to the challenge with a 5,100mAh battery inside. You can charge the phone via the USB-C port or the Qi-enabled wireless charging standard. The most exciting thing here, though, is that Motorola is including a 68-watt TurboPower charger in the box which should let you refuel the Edge+ in a wildly short time. Motorola says you can get around 12 hours of usage in about nine minutes.
Regarding flagship smartphones, the Edge+ gets a lot right with a larger, vibrant, smooth display, a versatile array of cameras, a fast processor, and long battery life. The price is also competitive at $799.99 unlocked, and we’re hopeful that Motorola might roll out a preorder deal to make it even more affordable.
Smartphones are a packed arena, with the Galaxy S23 Ultra at the top for Android phones. The Moto Edge+ doesn’t necessarily have all the features possible to compete with that, but it should be considered for those looking to spend $800 or under on a smartphone. That puts the Edge+ in line with the OnePlus 11 5G, the Galaxy S23, the Galaxy S23+, and even the Pixel 7 or 7 Pro.
We’ll be back soon with a full review of the Edge+ closer to its availability date of May 25, but if you need a phone sooner, we’d recommend checking out some of the competition.
Moto G Stylus: What You Need to Know
So as you may correctly assume, this Moto G features an integrated stylus for easy control, note-taking, and doodling, but also doesn’t offer 5G connectivity.
The Moto G Stylus is by all means a mid-range Android phone, but it gets quite a bit right on paper. Front and center is a 6.5-inch 720pHD display that spans up to a 90Hz refresh rate. From our brief hands-on time, visuals looked sharp and we appreciated the 20:9 aspect ratio which gave us plenty of room to jot a few notes down. The front screen has a pinhole cutout at the top for an 8-megapixel lens as well.
Motorola’s interface is still light on pre-installed apps and runs smoothly here. Don’t expect flagship level performance though for the $199 price or from the MediaTek Helio G85 processor that’s inside. It’s paired with 4GB of RAM and 64GB of internal storage with the option to expand via a microSD card slot. The Moto G Stylus will be running Android 13 with a Motorola user interface on-top out of the box.
All of this hardware should come together for a smartphone that is good at the basics and can scale for some more advanced tasks. It certainly can handle taking notes, navigating the interface, and doodling with the included stylus as well.
Over on the rear you’ll find a dual camera setup consisting of a 50-megapixel main camera that will group pixels together for a sharper end result and a 2-megapixel macro camera. The latter seems a little strange as most folks would have been better served by an ultra wide, but we’ll need to fully test this lens out. Motorola is promising all-day battery life from a 5,000mAh internal cell and given the past efficiencies, we have a good feeling it will meet the challenge.
Motorola’s Moto G Stylus will be available on May 5 from Amazon and Motorola directly for $199.99. It will be available in Midnight Blue or Glam Pink with support for 4G LTE.
Moto G 5G: What You Need to Know
If you don’t need a stylus and are cool with spending $50 more, the base Moto G 5G deserves a look. It starts with a similarly sized 6.5-inch 720p HD LCD screen that scales the refresh rate all the way up to 120Hz in a 20:9 ratio. The additional swiftness should make this a bit more natural when scrolling. It features the same 8-megapixel front-facing camera as well.
It also has more power inside from Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 480+ processor that’s paired with 4GB of RAM. Like the Moto G Stylus, the Moto G 5G comes out of the box with Android 13 and a Motorola user interface. Features like customizable gestures to open the camera or turn on the flashlight, Peek display, and other Motorola mainstays are all here.
This processor also enables 5G support here and in the United States it will have the proper bands to support AT&T, T-Mobile, and Google Fi among others. It should last at least all day with a 5,000mAh battery inside as well.
Just like the Moto G Stylus, the Moto G 5G features dual cameras on the rear—a 48-megapixel main lens that will group pixels together for a better image and a 2-megapixel macro camera. The latter will let you get up-close for dramatic images, but we would have been happier to see an ultra-wide setup here.
If you’re sold, the Moto G 5G lands on May 25 from select carriers and as an unlocked device from Amazon or Motorola directly for $249.
Let’s Recap the Moto G Stylus and Moto G 5G
While both of these standout as solid low to mid-range smartphones, they’re definitely appealing to a specific customer with the features in-town. Specifically long-lasting battery life, solid performance, and a stylus on the Moto G Stylus.
They’ll be up against tough competition from the likes of the Galaxy A54 5G and Pixel 6a which should offer better performance and more versatility with cameras. These two are more expensive, but not by a whole lot at $449.99 (down to $199 with a trade-in) and $449.99 on sale for $314.99. The Pixel 6a at 30% off offers an incredible value.
Prices are accurate and items in stock at time of publishing.
