A pretty good phone for casual use
If you’re looking for a phone for casual use and you want to consider Motorola, the Motorola Edge 2024 is a decent option. It looks slick and feels great in the hand, can keep up with intensive tasks like gaming, and has a crisp, bright screen. But considering other similar phones at the same price point offer more, you might want to consider your options.
For
- Lovely design with anti-slip back
- Excellent display
- Good battery life
Against
- Processor doesn't perform well
- Cameras aren't great
- Only two years of software updates
- Expensive for what it is
Outdated already
The Motorola Edge 2023 might have been introduced in October 2023, but with only one more software update left after upgrading to Android 14, it’s outdated already. There’s no viable reason to opt for this phone over the Motorola Edge 2024, and arguably over others in the same price point either.
For
- Sleek look
- Fast charging
Against
- Slower processor
- Cameras aren't great
- Only two years of software updates
- Expensive for what it is
The choice between the Motorola Edge 2024 vs. Edge 2023 is an interesting debate. The former was just introduced in June 2024, while the Edge 2023 was introduced in October 2023, which was not that long ago. Is it worth upgrading already, or should you opt for the newer of the two for any specific reason? We’ll walk you through everything you need to know about both phones to help you decide.
Motorola Edge 2024 vs. Edge 2023: The look of the phones
If you were to just glance at these two phones, they might look to be one in the same in many respects. But they are different from one another in subtle ways when it comes to the look.
The Motorola Edge 2024 comes in one finish, Midnight Blue. It has a 6.55-inch curved, edge-to-edge 2,400 x 1,080 FHD+ pOLED with 144Hz refresh rate and 1,300 nits peak brightness. Android Central’s Nicholas Sutrich says in his Motorola Edge 2024 review that it’s plenty bright when using the phone under direct sunlight.
A customizable side Quick Button can be used to access frequently used functions through Motorola Smart Connect, and Sutrich says this feature helped him streamline his usual routines.
The back is covered in the vegan leather Motorola loves so much for its devices. The vegan leather back offers a nice grip. Sutrich says the phone’s design shines through every square inch, from the high-quality metal frame to the slip-resistant vegan leather back, and it’s also surprisingly thin.
Thanks to an IP68 water and dust resistance rating and a Corning Gorilla Glass 3 screen, the phone is pretty durable, too. With 256GB of built-in storage, it has a 5,000mAh battery that Motorola says affords up to 36 hours (that’s three days!) of battery life per charge. It also charges super-quickly at 68W TurboPower (with an optional charger) and supports 15W wireless charging. Sutrich found it lasts all day and then some and charges rapidly.
There’s also an on-screen fingerprint button that uses optical sensing to read your fingerprint through the display. You won’t get a headphone jack with this phone, and it has USB-C along with 5G connectivity, Bluetooth 5.2, NFC, and Wi-Fi.
Available in Eclipse Black, the previous-generation Motorola Edge 2023 also has curved edges that wrap around its slightly larger 6.6-inch pOLED screen. It has the same resolution at 2,400 x 1,080 along with the same 144Hz refresh rate, but brightness taps out at 1,200 nits.
With the same vegan leather back and 256GB storage, the Motorola Edge 2023 is slightly slimmer and more lightweight. It also has a smaller 4,400mAh battery though it still supports 68W TurboPower charging (with a separately purchased charger) as well as 15W wireless charging. So, it is rated to last for just over a day per charge.
This phone is also IP68-rated for water and dust resistance. The screen is made of curved 3D glass with an anti-fingerprint coating, so it may not be quite as durable as the newer model. It, too, has an on-screen fingerprint button. With USB-C, 5G, NFC, Wi-Fi, and Bluetooth 5.2 in the Motorola Edge 2023, there’s nothing strikingly different when it comes to the basics between these two phones.
Motorola Edge 2024 vs. Edge 2023: The specs
Let’s break things down by looking at a side-by-side comparison of the core specs of these two phones.
There are some key differences here between these two phones, but a lot of similarities, too.
Motorola Edge 2024 vs. Edge 2023: The key features
Now that we have covered the basics let’s look at how these two phones compare on a performance level.
The Motorola Edge 2024 is powered by the Snapdragon 7s Gen 2 processor, making it a more powerful phone. Sutrich says it’s efficient and doesn’t get very hot, even when playing games like Call of Duty Warzone for up to an hour at a time. But you won’t see as much detail and resolution in the picture, and the framerate isn’t as good as you’d enjoy with the best Android phones. Nonetheless, he says gaming was a “surprisingly great experience.”
It has 8GB RAM with RAM Boost you can use as needed for more intense activities, like gaming. Loaded with Android 14, the Motorola Edge 2024 comes with features like Moto Unplugged that lets you disable certain features and apps for downtime. It also has a Family Space so you can set limits if the phone is being used by a child.
Sutrich notes that the haptic quality of this phone is not great compared to others, making it seem cheaper than even phones from other brands in the same price class, like the Google Pixel 8a or OnePlus 12R. The processor is also slower by “quite a wide margin,” he says. According to GeekBench 6.3 tests, the Google Pixel 8a is 140% faster, and the OnePlus 12R is almost twice as fast. This is a huge factor to consider if you’re a power user of any kind.
With ThinkShield security, dual stereo speakers with Dolby Atmos, and Snapdragon Sound, the Motorola Edge 2024 is a fairly basic, mid-range device. There’s nothing particularly notable about the phone, nor features that will blow you away.
Powered by a less powerful MediaTek Dimensity 7030 processor, the Motorola Edge 2023 also has features like ThinkShield Security and a Moto Secure secret folder to house sensitive information. It, too, has dual stereo speakers with Dolby Atmos and has one extra mic at three versus just two with the Motorola Edge 2024, an odd downgrade with the newer phone.
This phone runs the older Android 13 OS, but it supports two OS updates and three years of bi-monthly security updates. That’s not a lot compared to other phone brands. Counting Android 14, you’ll only get one more OS update. The Motorola Edge 2024 offers the same OS upgrade and security update path, but you’ll at least be safe up to Android 16 with that phone.
Motorola Edge 2024 vs. Edge 2023: The cameras
When it comes to photography, the cameras appear to be on par with one another in both phones. They both have a 50MP main camera along with a 13MP ultra-wide camera and 32MP front camera. Both also incorporate AI camera features. These include being able to keep shots steady while moving, instant all-pixel focus, adjustable focal length, and background blur.
It isn’t so much picture quality that Sutrich had issues with when testing the Motorola Edge 2024 cameras, but rather the speed. The camera is slow to launch and feels clunky. Photo capture is slow as well, with a lot of odd shutter lag. You won’t be able to get those quick and candid moments as you would with other phones.
The camera in the Motorola Edge 2024 doesn’t handle motion capture very well either, Sutrich found, though he’s noticed the same limitation with other phones in this class, too.
The bottom line is that the cameras are nothing to write home about. You’ll get decent shots for sharing via social media, but they don’t rival other phones in their class in terms of photography prowess.
Motorola Edge 2024 vs. Edge 2023: Which should you buy?
Between the Motorola Edge 2024 vs. Edge 2023, you should buy the newer Motorola Edge 2024. But considering Sutrich’s experiences, you might be better off to steer clear of both these phones and opt for something more feature-rich and powerful in the same price class.
If you’re not set on Motorola, the Google Pixel 8a is a better option that sells for about the same price and offers plenty more features along with better cameras, a better processor than both, and lots of Google Gemini Pixel features. (You can see our Motorola Edge 2024 vs. Google Pixel 8a guide for a more detailed breakdown.) Another option to consider is the OnePlus 12R, which is cheaper, has a more powerful processor, a better display, faster charging, and more.
It should be noted that both those alternative phones also offer software and security updates for a much longer timeframe, Google with an impressive seven years for both and OnePlus with four.
If neither of those phones tickles your fancy, you’ll find many options on the list of the best affordable Android phones, including ones that may cost less and others that fall into the same price point.
Both the Motorola Edge 2024 and Motorola Edge 2023 are decent devices that will meet the needs of casual users. But given the high price points, you can get something much better for the same, or even less, than either of these phones.
There are better options
The Motorola Edge 2024 is a valiant effort in the mid-range phone category for the company, but it doesn’t quite live up to other phones in the same price range in terms of cameras, processing power, and slick features. You would be better off going for a phone like the Google Pixel 8a or OnePlus 12R that sells for about the same (or less) and offers better bang for your buck.
Don’t even consider it
Don’t bother looking at the Motorola Edge 2023. It’s already outdated and won’t last you more than another year. Unless you find it for dirt cheap, there’s no viable reason to opt for this model over the Motorola Edge 2024 if your decision is strictly between these two phones. If you already own it and you’re looking to upgrade, check out alternatives that will offer greater value.
