CNET's key takeaways
The Motorola Edge goes for $550, which is one of the lowest prices out there for a phone with such a bright screen and an impressive 3x telephoto camera
The Edge's light weight and curved screen make it very pocketable
It comes with only two years of software support and three years of security updates, which is very low for a phone that's over $500
When I tested the $550 Motorola Edge, I was surprised that it includes a telephoto camera at that price, and that it's largely quite adept in all kinds of lighting situations.
Though the Edge certainly won't reach the overall image-quality levels of an $800 Samsung Galaxy S25, for a phone that costs $250 less, it's notable that the Edge features a similar 10-megapixel telephoto camera with a 3x optical zoom. Most other phones in this price range either don't include one or they have a 2x optical zoom.
Of course to keep the price low, Motorola had to make compromises. Some are smart, like including a big battery that easily lasts all day, especially when paired up with a less-powerful processor in comparison to similarly priced phones. Others make my head spin, like offering software support for only two years and security updates for three years. But when I slip the Edge out of my pocket to take a photo -- when sitting in the nosebleeds at a Mets game, or strolling the waterfront at sunset -- I'm reminded of why I like this phone, especially when I need to zoom in to get a shot.
My experience with the Motorola Edge (2025)
... continue reading