Motorola has spent years making dependable budget phones, but the Motorola Edge+ (2023) represented something more ambitious: a genuine attempt to elbow its way back into the premium Android conversation. Announced for North America on May 2, 2023, the handset combined a large battery, flagship Qualcomm processor, ultra-smooth display, versatile camera system, fast charging, and a considerably more polished design than its predecessor.
Although the requested headline calls it “new,” the model discussed here is specifically the 2023 Motorola Edge+, not a newly launched 2026 device. That distinction matters for shoppers comparing current prices, software support, and availability. Viewed in its original launch context, however, the Edge+ was one of Motorola’s most convincing flagship phones in yearsand its multi-day battery claim was not merely decorative marketing confetti.
The Motorola Edge+ 2023 Was Built to Compete
Previous Edge+ models often arrived with premium prices but puzzling omissions. One generation lacked proper flagship water resistance. Another skipped a dedicated telephoto camera. The 2023 edition corrected many of those mistakes while lowering the U.S. launch price to $799.99.
For that price, buyers received a Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 processor, 8GB of LPDDR5X RAM, 512GB of internal storage, a 6.7-inch pOLED display, three rear cameras, a 60-megapixel selfie camera, wireless charging, and IP68 dust and water resistance. In other words, Motorola finally brought most of the groceries instead of arriving at the flagship picnic with one bag of chips.
The unlocked phone became available in the United States on May 25, 2023, following preorders that began May 19. At launch, it was sold through Motorola, Amazon, Best Buy, and selected wireless providers. Its combination of 512GB of storage and an $800 price gave it a noteworthy value advantage over several comparable Samsung, Google, and Apple phones of the period.
A 5,100mAh Battery Is the Main Attraction
The headline feature of the Motorola Edge+ was its 5,100mAh battery. Motorola advertised up to two days of battery life under its mixed-use testing conditions. As always, “up to” performs plenty of heavy lifting: battery endurance changes according to screen brightness, signal strength, gaming time, camera use, navigation, refresh-rate settings, and whether someone spends lunch watching videos instead of eating lunch.
Even with those caveats, independent testing suggested that the phone’s endurance was genuinely excellent. In a continuous cellular web-browsing test, Tom’s Guide recorded 15 hours and 47 minutes with the screen set to its automatic refresh-rate mode. Locking the display at its maximum 165Hz still produced 13 hours and 18 minutes. HotHardware reported approximately 21 hours in a PCMark battery workload, further illustrating that different testing methods produce different numbers while pointing toward the same conclusion: this phone was difficult to drain.
Why the Battery Lasted So Long
Capacity was only part of the formula. Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 was considerably more efficient than the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 used in many earlier flagships. Motorola also allowed the display to adjust its refresh rate automatically rather than running at 165Hz every second of the day.
For a moderate user, the Edge+ could reasonably stretch into a second day. Heavy users could expect a comfortable full day with power remaining at bedtime. That may not sound as glamorous as a titanium frame or a camera capable of photographing a crater on the moon, but not hunting for an outlet at 4:30 p.m. is a luxury that ages beautifully.
Fast Wired Charging, Wireless Charging, and Power Sharing
The Motorola Edge+ supported 68W TurboPower wired charging, and Motorola included a compatible charger in the box. The company claimed that nine minutes of charging could provide up to 12 hours of battery life for a typical user when the battery was substantially depleted.
Real-world charging speeds varied. Some reviewers saw less dramatic results when measuring a completely drained phone, partly because a large 5,100mAh battery takes time to fill and charging rates slow as the battery approaches full capacity. Nevertheless, a brief top-up could add enough power to rescue an evening commute, dinner reservation, or travel delay.
The phone also supported 15W wireless charging and 5W reverse wireless power sharing. The latter allowed it to recharge compatible earbuds or another Qi-enabled accessory. It was not fast enough to become a pocket-sized power station, but it was handy when wireless earbuds began making the universal “I am about to die” noise.
The 165Hz pOLED Display Was Fast and Immersive
Motorola equipped the Edge+ with a 6.7-inch, 2400-by-1080 pOLED panel. It supported HDR10+, Dolby Vision, 10-bit color, a claimed peak brightness of 1,300 nits, and a refresh rate of up to 165Hz. That refresh rate exceeded the 120Hz panels commonly found on premium phones at the time.
Scrolling through websites, moving between menus, and playing compatible games looked exceptionally smooth. Users could select 60Hz, 120Hz, 165Hz, or an automatic mode. The automatic setting was the sensible everyday choice because it balanced fluid animation with battery conservation. Running at 165Hz continuously was great fun, but it was a little like leaving a sports car in track mode while driving to the supermarket.
The resolution was FHD+ rather than QHD+, which spec-sheet enthusiasts could reasonably criticize. In practical use, however, the screen still appeared sharp at normal viewing distances. The lower pixel count also reduced the workload placed on the processor and battery.
Curved Edges: Beautiful but Occasionally Fussy
The display curved over the sides of the aluminum frame, creating Motorola’s so-called Endless Edge design. Combined with narrow bezels, the shape gave the device an elegant and expensive appearance. The front and rear were protected by Gorilla Glass Victus, while the matte, anti-glare back resisted fingerprints better than glossy glass.
Curved screens are not universally beloved. Reviewers noted occasional accidental touches, particularly while gaming or reaching for controls near the sides. The design could also make the phone feel more delicate than a flat-screen handset. Fortunately, the IP68 rating delivered proper protection against dust and temporary immersion in fresh water under controlled conditionsa major improvement over the limited splash resistance of the previous Edge+.
Flagship Performance Without the Four-Figure Price
The Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 processor placed the Motorola Edge+ among the fastest Android phones of 2023. Everyday tasks such as launching apps, editing photos, switching between messaging services, streaming video, and navigating with GPS felt immediate. Its 8GB of RAM was not unusually generous, but it was sufficient for typical multitasking.
The 512GB of internal storage was a more impressive inclusion. It provided room for high-resolution video, large games, downloaded movies, offline music, and years of photographs. There was no microSD card slot, but most users were unlikely to exhaust half a terabyte quickly unless they treated 8K video recording as a competitive sport.
Gaming performance was another strength. The powerful GPU, 165Hz display, stereo speakers, Dolby Atmos tuning, and responsive touch sampling made the Edge+ suitable for graphically demanding titles. Reviewers generally reported smooth gameplay, although the curved sides could occasionally register unwanted touches.
Connectivity included 5G, Wi-Fi 6E, Wi-Fi 7 readiness, Bluetooth 5.3, NFC, eSIM support in compatible regions, and USB-C with DisplayPort output. Motorola’s Ready For platform could connect the phone to a monitor or compatible Windows PC, allowing it to function as a desktop-style workspace, webcam, entertainment device, or gaming system.
A Versatile Camera System With a Few Rough Edges
The Motorola Edge+ included a 50-megapixel main camera with optical image stabilization, a 50-megapixel ultrawide camera that doubled as a macro shooter, and a 12-megapixel portrait camera with 2x optical zoom. A 60-megapixel front-facing camera handled selfies and video calls.
The main camera could produce sharp, colorful photographs in good light, while the ultrawide sensor captured a useful 114-degree field of view without sacrificing as much detail as lower-resolution ultrawide cameras. Macro Vision added flexibility for photographing flowers, food, textures, coins, electronics, or anything else that suddenly becomes fascinating when viewed from two inches away.
The 2x Portrait Camera Was Useful, Not Revolutionary
The 12-megapixel telephoto camera was optimized for portraits and offered 2x optical magnification. It filled an important gap left by the previous Edge+, but it could not match the longer 3x, 5x, or 10x zoom systems found on more expensive competitors. It was best used for people, pets, food, and nearby details rather than distant wildlife or concert performers.
Camera consistency remained the phone’s most frequently reported weakness. Outdoor images could look excellent, yet indoor scenes, portraits, skin tones, and challenging lighting sometimes produced less predictable results than contemporary Samsung or Google phones. The hardware was capable, but Motorola’s image processing did not always make the best decision.
Serious Video Features
The main camera supported 8K recording at 30 frames per second and 4K recording at up to 60 frames per second. Additional features included autofocus tracking, low-light Night Vision video, portrait video, HDR10+ capture, and Horizon Lock stabilization.
Horizon Lock was especially interesting because it could keep video level even when the phone rotated dramatically. It was designed for action footage such as mountain biking, skiing, running, or filming a child whose movement pattern resembles a caffeinated pinball.
Clean Android Software With Familiar Motorola Gestures
The Edge+ shipped with Android 13 and Motorola’s My UX interface. Rather than heavily redesigning Android, Motorola kept the software relatively close to Google’s standard layout and added practical customization options.
Longtime Motorola users could twist the phone twice to open the camera or perform a chopping motion to activate the flashlight. These gestures sound like party tricks until someone needs a flashlight while carrying groceries in the dark. Then they become tiny examples of excellent interface design.
Moto Secure gathered privacy and security controls in one location, while Family Space allowed parents to create restricted environments for children. Ready For expanded the phone’s usefulness beyond its display by enabling connections to larger screens and computers.
Motorola promised three Android operating-system upgrades and four years of bimonthly security updates from the original launch period. That commitment was an improvement over some of the company’s older policies, although it still trailed the longer support periods offered by certain competing brands. Anyone considering the device as a used or refurbished purchase today should check its remaining security-support window rather than assuming it has the same lifespan as a newly released phone.
Where the Motorola Edge+ Fell Short
No smartphone is perfect, particularly one trying to undercut established flagships. The Edge+ had several drawbacks worth understanding.
- Camera processing could be inconsistent: The phone was capable of attractive images, but portraits, indoor colors, and skin tones were not always as dependable as results from leading Pixel or Galaxy devices.
- The curved display invited accidental touches: Its dramatic design looked premium but was less practical for some users than a flat panel.
- Only one U.S. color was offered: Interstellar Black looked refined, but buyers hoping for bright Motorola colors were handed a very elegant bowl of plain oatmeal.
- The zoom range was modest: A 2x portrait lens was welcome, though it could not compete with long-range flagship telephoto systems.
- Software support was good rather than class-leading: Three operating-system upgrades were respectable in 2023, but rivals increasingly promised longer support.
These limitations did not erase the phone’s strengths. They simply explained why reviewers often described it as an excellent flagship alternative rather than the undisputed winner of the entire Android market.
Realistic Ownership Experience: Living With a Battery-First Flagship
The following experience is a practical scenario synthesized from specifications, battery tests, and reviewer observations rather than a claim of personal hands-on testing.
Starting the Day Without Battery Anxiety
Imagine unplugging the Edge+ at 7:00 a.m. and beginning the day with navigation, Bluetooth audio, email, social media, messaging, and a few photographs. On many phones, seeing 72% by lunchtime starts a quiet mental countdown. On the Edge+, the large battery and efficient processor made that anxiety far less likely.
During a normal workday, the phone could handle several hours of screen time while leaving a substantial reserve for the evening. A moderate user might finish the day with enough power to skip overnight charging entirely. The second morning would begin with less battery, of course, but not necessarily with an emergency search for a cable.
The Display Makes Ordinary Tasks Feel Faster
The 165Hz screen did not make an email more intelligent or a social-media discussion more peaceful, but it made movement feel exceptionally fluid. Web pages glided during scrolling, interface animations appeared immediate, and supported games felt more responsive.
Most owners would probably leave the display in automatic mode. That setting still delivered smooth motion while avoiding the battery cost of forcing 165Hz continuously. The difference between automatic mode and maximum refresh was more noticeable in fast games than in reading recipes, checking weather, or staring at a group chat that somehow produced 84 messages while everyone was supposedly working.
Photography Was Best When the Light Cooperated
On a weekend outing, the main camera could capture detailed landscapes, colorful food photographs, and sharp pictures of friends. The ultrawide camera was helpful for architecture and group shots, while its macro mode encouraged experimentation with flowers and small objects.
The camera experience became less certain indoors. A restaurant photograph might look cooler or flatter than expected, and portrait processing could occasionally produce imperfect skin tones or background blur. Someone who wanted consistently effortless photography might prefer a Pixel or Galaxy device. A user willing to take an extra shot, adjust exposure, or edit afterward could still achieve impressive results.
Fast Charging Changed the Routine
Suppose the phone reached 18% shortly before an evening event. Instead of leaving it connected for hours, a short session with the included 68W charger could restore a meaningful amount of power. The exact percentage gained would depend on temperature, battery level, and usage during charging, but the practical advantage was obvious: charging could fit around the day rather than controlling it.
Wireless charging was slower but convenient at a desk or nightstand. Reverse wireless charging was useful for topping up compatible earbuds, particularly while traveling. It was not the most efficient way to transfer power, but convenience occasionally wins arguments that efficiency started.
Travel Highlighted the Phone’s Best Qualities
The Edge+ made particular sense for travelers. Its battery could support navigation, boarding passes, translation tools, camera use, entertainment, and messaging without requiring constant visits to airport outlets. The 512GB storage capacity allowed users to download movies, playlists, maps, and documents before leaving home.
Its IP68 rating also provided reassurance around rain, pools, and accidental spills, although water resistance should never be interpreted as an invitation to film an underwater documentary. Resistance can decline with wear, and liquid damage may not be covered by warranty.
After several demanding days, the overall impression would likely be that battery lifenot the 165Hz display, 60-megapixel selfie camera, or 8K videowas the feature that changed daily behavior most. A phone becomes easier to enjoy when its owner stops constantly negotiating with the battery icon.
Was the Motorola Edge+ 2023 a Successful Flagship?
Yes, with qualifications. The Motorola Edge+ 2023 delivered fast performance, outstanding battery endurance, a smooth display, premium construction, generous storage, useful charging options, and clean Android software at a competitive launch price.
Its camera system was versatile but less consistent than the best alternatives, and the curved screen divided opinion. Motorola’s software-support promise was improved, though not industry-leading. Those weaknesses prevented it from becoming the automatic choice for every premium-phone buyer.
Still, the Edge+ proved that Motorola could produce more than affordable workhorses and nostalgic foldables. It was a credible high-end Android phone with a clear specialty: staying alive long after many competitors started flashing low-battery warnings.
For buyers evaluating one today, the most important questions are no longer its original launch specifications. They are battery health, physical condition, remaining software support, carrier compatibility, warranty coverage, and current price. Purchased at the right discount, it can remain a capable device. Purchased near the price of a newer flagship with longer support, its once-aggressive value becomes harder to defend.
