Motorola Edge (2023)
The newest Motorola Edge is positioned perfectly to take on the likes of Google as it launches its newest Pixel model. The phone is cheaper, and offers a few key characteristics that shine in the face of solid competition. 68W charging and a pristine O-LED display make it an intriguing choice among some of the more well-known names in modern smartphone technology.
Motorola Edge (2021)
Motorola’s 2021 Edge model is a Gorilla Glass and plastic affair. The device ships with a 5,000mAh battery and a quality, 30W wired charging capability. It won’t blow you away in terms of chipset performance or image processing, but the phone remains a solid option.
Motorola has been busy lately. The brand’s Edge phones have consistently been solid performers, andthe 2023 iteration of the Edgeappears to be positioned specifically to take on the Pixel 8. The Edge is a $600 smartphone that introduces a number of excellent features, specs, and performance standards.
An important question remains, however. If you’re already sold on the Motorola brand, or are ready to make the switch, how does the new Edge stack up against its prior generations? In particular, many owners of the 2021 Edge may be ready to make an upgrade about now - is the Edge (2023) the phone to tempt you into a purchase?
model enjoys a variety of great features as well as a severely reduced price tag. Even with a competitive pricing model when stacked up against the newest competitors out there, how does it compare to Motorola’s own lineup when discounted pricing models are introduced?
Price, availability, and specs
Both phones are currently available. The Edge (2023) was released on June 22, 2025, and you’ll have no trouble finding the device on Amazon, at Motorola’s own storefront, and elsewhere, costing $600.
Both phones come with only one storage option, 256GB with 8GB RAM, and each phone only ships in a single color. For the 2023 iteration, that’s Eclipse Black, while the 2021 Edge is offered in just Nebula Blue. Neither colorway will really do much to turn heads, but cases are available for either option as a way toaccessorize your new purchase.
While both are readily available, you may be looking at a refurbished model if you opt for the older phone. The 2021 Edge is two generations removed from the current release, making it somewhat harder to come by in new condition. However, it’s certainly not impossible to find. The 2021 Edge can be found on Amazon for $249 new, and $214 refurbished, and at $300 for a refurbished model on Best Buy.
Design and display
The design of these two Motorola smartphones is very similar. The 2021 Edge is a little larger overall. It’s heavier, weighing 200g to the 2023 Edge’s 168g. The phone is also thicker: 9mm from front to back when compared to the 2023 build’s 7.7mm thickness. The 2023 Edge is also slightly smaller with a 6.6-inch screen compared to the 2021’s 6.8-inch display. None of these dimensional specs might make a world of difference individually, but when taken as a whole they result in a more polished device that’s sleek and refined.
Display performance
Both phones include a 144Hz refresh rate, making either choice a great device for fast moving gameplay or streaming needs. However, the 2023 update includes a P-OLED screen with HDR10+ compatibility and the ability to display 1 billion colors, a clear upgrade on the 2021 edition’s LCD.
Durability
Build materials differ slightly, too. The 2021 Edge brings a Corning Gorilla Glass 3 screen into play alongside a plastic back. The phone carries an IP52 protection rating, affording it protection against splashes and bursts of water and general effectiveness against dust and debris. However, the phone won’t be able to handle being submerged and debris will inevitably begin to collect inside the phone over time.
In contrast, the 2023 Edge is rated for IP68, providing complete protection against dust ingress and allowing for water resistance in submerged conditions up to half an hour in 1.5 meters of water (about 5 feet). The build quality is improved as well, with an equally potent tempered glass front to match an aluminum frame and an eco-leather back.
The frontrunner here is clear. In every key respect, the 2023 Edge leads the way when stacked up against its 2021 predecessor.
Performance
The Motorola Edge 2023 is a better performer all around than its predecessor. That’s a reality that shouldn’t surprise anyone. With two additional years in the pipeline, the newer model has had plenty of time to build on previous successes and remedy past mistakes.
The 2021 Edge shipped with Android 11, with support for updates to Android 13. This means that the current (and outgoing) version of the Android operating system is the last system update you’ll get for the 2021 model, whereas the 2023 Edge arrives already loaded with Android 13, and is slated to receive four years of security updates and three updates to the integrated OS. Unfortunately, the newest phone doesn’t already come preloaded with the incoming Android 14 system, but it should offer an update to this new standard soon as the rollout continues across Android supported devices.
Neither of the phones ship with a lot of bloatware, although users of the 2023 Edge have been subjected to automatic downloads of entertainment and other apps (like Hulu and Netflix) upon tapping on certain folders. This isn’t a great feature, but it is one that can be remedied without too much struggle.
Processing power
Processor-wise, the Motorola Edge (2021) comes loaded with the Qualcomm Snapdragon 778G. The octa-core Snapdragon acts as a sort of “little brother” to the more flagship-powered Snapdragon 888 of the same year, and it’s therefore a bit less impressive than you might expect if you’re looking for a potent phone that can engage in solid multitasking and other heavy usage features. Still, the phone will perform well under typical conditions and is more than capable of launching and running standard game environments and providing high quality streaming or workplace performance.
The 2023 Edge is powered by a MediaTek Dimensity 7030 SoC. This is a new chip for 2023, and it’s a quality processor that can handle gaming, streaming, and general multitasking requirements without trouble. The Dimensity chipset is highly capable and notably avoids warming up significantly during heavy periods of usage. This makes the phone a more comfortable tool to use throughout the day while still cranking up the performance by a notable margin over its predecessors.
Battery life and charging
Battery is one area in which there’s a little more wiggle room. The 2021 Motorola Edge offers a 5,000mAh battery, larger than the 4,400mAh cell in the newer phone. Even so, the 2023’s battery easily lasts for an entire day without requiring a midday recharge. The phone is efficient and powerful in this regard.
Even if you do find yourself draining the battery through intense and constant use, the 2023 Motorola Edge supports up to 68W wired charging, among the fastest in any phone sold in the US. The result is a phone that can recharge completely from zero in as little as 20 minutes — a true game changer when it comes to battery management and heavy usage requirements.
Just as importantly, the 2023 Edge also supports 15W wireless charging and 5W power sharing, giving you another convenient option to top the phone up.
In contrast, the 2021 Edge is limited to slower 30W charging that’s on par with or better than some of the highest quality competitors, but it doesn’t allow for wireless charging. And when compared to the blistering charge speeds of the newer model, the impressive 30W charging starts to feel a little pedestrian.
While the 2021 Edge provides excellent battery life and overall power performance, the 2023 model easily outpaces it with drastic improvements over its previous models and the smartphone field more broadly.
The 2021 Edge comes packed with a 108MP primary camera sensor, alongside an 8MP ultrawide lens and a 2MP depth sensor that adds more visually than photographically (creating a trio of stacked lenses on the phone’s back face). The ultrawide lens isn’t all that impressive, and while a 108MP shooter might be capable of snapping stunning detail, Motorola’s image processing can’t get the best out of the sensor.
This leaves the 2021 Edge in a middling spot, camera-wise. Photos in ideal lighting conditions come out great, while low light and outdoor images can take a while to process, leading to blurry and fuzzy products that won’t wow.
The 2023 Edge drops the third lens and switches to a 50MP main shooter alongside a 13MP ultrawide lens. The main camera lens offers optical image stabilization that appears to improve notably over its predecessor in outdoor and lower light environments.
Both phones introduce 32MP front-facing cameras for selfies and video calling. Both support HDR and both 4K and 1080p video.
While the megapixel rating might be higher on the older model, the camera array is better equipped to take a range of different types of photographs on the newer 2023 Edge. Therefore, while most buyers won’t be flocking to Motorola for their cameras, the 2023 model should be your go-to choice among the two if snapping pics is high on your list of needs.
Which is right for you?
For most new phone buyers, the newer 2023 Motorola Edge offers better performance and build quality. It’s the better phone in nearly every measurable way, and a worthy upgrade for existing Edge owners. At the end of the day the newer operating system, improved features and retail price that still comes in under much of the competition combine to make the 2023 Edge our top pick in this shootout between classic and contemporary.
The Motorola Edge (2023) is a solid performer that improves on all the great aspects of the Motorola platform. The phone falls within a budget-friendly price range while adopting quite a few impressive performance specs, like 68W charging. It’s a great option for someone looking for a no-nonsense Android device that will reliably tackle daily tasks without issue.
With all that being said, the 2021 Motorola Edge remains a great phone, and if yours is running well then there’s no urgent need to ditch it.
Still, the IP rating is something to be wary of, and with Android 13 set to be the phone’s last planned update, you should probably be thinking about an upgrade within the next year.
The 2021 iteration of the Motorola Edge is a quality option as well. The phone lacks the tougher IP rating that modern smartphones users have come to expect, and its chipset won’t provide the same snappy responsiveness as a newer device. Still, with phenomenal battery performance and a quality display, the 2021 Edge remains a good option.
