While we've already gotten the Moto G Play and Moto G Power 5G in 2023, Motorola isn't done yet. I was able to go hands-on with the latest devices from the long-time cell phone maker at its headquarters in Chicago, and this year's portfolio of smartphones is a full one. We're getting a new flagship device for North America with the Motorola Edge+, along with a new Moto G 5G and Moto G Stylus.
Motorola is launching these smartphones for retail on May 25, with the Edge+ getting a preorder window starting on May 19. While we don't have these devices in hand now, we were able to get some time with them.
Motorola Edge+: A true flagship, at least on paper
While Motorola is continuing its naming scheme from last year's Edge+ 2022, we're getting a refreshed design on the back. Instead of the vertically aligned camera modules, it now has a square camera bump, with the three rear sensors surrounded by the textured back glass. It also only comes in one color this year: the Interstellar Black colorway.
All of this contributes to a great in-hand feel. The textured glass on the back and quad-curved glass all around make the phone very comfortable to hold. What stood out to me was the 6.7-inch, FHD+ pOLED display. The colors are bright, and the 165Hz refresh rate helped to make scrolling and viewing content ultra smooth. With a 20:9 aspect ratio, the phone is narrow and tall, but the slim bezels help in accessing most points of the screen without too much strain.
Running the show is the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 with 8GB of LPDDR5X RAM and either 256 or 512GB of UFS 4.0 storage. Motorola is launching the phone with Android 13, and it'll get three years of OS upgrades and four years of bi-monthly security updates. The phone is also compatible with the Ready For platform, so you'll get all the exciting features from the new ThinkPhone by Motorola.
As for the cameras, the primary camera is a 50MP sensor with the features you'd expect for a 2023 flagship device, like OIS and Quad Pixel technology, for faster focus and high-quality photos in more lighting situations. It's also getting a 50MP ultrawide lens that provides macro photography capabilities. Replacing the dedicated macro lens from last year is the 12MP telephoto camera that is also used to capture 2x telephoto portrait shots.
Motorola is saying that the phone is a two-day device thanks to the 5100mAh battery. When it is time to recharge, the 68W TurboPower charger that's shipped with the phone will get you a full day of power in nine minutes.
I just had 15 minute with it, but it has me really excited to see how it performs in real-world use. Unfortunately, even with an $800 price tag, it's going to have some pretty stiff competition from the rest of the best smartphones on the market, like the Pixel 7, Galaxy S23, and OnePlus 11, just to name a few.
Moto G and Moto G Stylus: Refreshing budget dominance
When you look at the best cheap Android phones, you're bound to find at least a couple of entries from Motorola. It's had a solid place in this market for years, but the space is starting to get much more competitive with options from OnePlus like the Nord N300 5G and the Samsung Galaxy A14. But Motorola isn't backing down. Instead, we're getting a new Moto G 5G and Moto G Stylus to provide more options and variety in the budget sector.
Starting with the Moto G 5G, we're getting a 6.5-inch HD+ LCD panel with a 120Hz refresh rate, which isn't too bad for a $250 smartphone. It has a Qualcomm Snapdragon 480+ with 4GB RAM and 54 or 128GB of expandable storage. Like the Edge+, Motorola is bringing two-day battery life to the party with a 5,000mAh battery. It won't get the same high-speed charging, though. Instead, it supports up to 15W wired charging with no wireless option available. There's no NFC for wireless payments, either.
In terms of design, the phone is more squared off than the Edge+, but it still feels nice to hold. It has a similar square camera module on the back, although instead of three sensors you get a 48MP primary sensor and a 2MP macro lens. Around the front of the phone is an 8MP selfie camera inside the hole punch display cutout.
In the short time I used it, I thought the phone was still solid. The Dolby Atmos-certified stereo speakers sounded nice, and navigating around the Android 13 OS was relatively fluid. However, Motorola is only promising one OS upgrade and three years of security updates. The phone will be available on May 25 for $250 in two colors: Harbor Gray or Ink Blue.
Now let's turn to the Moto G Stylus 2023, which follows the design language of the others in this release cycle with a square camera module on the back, although it comes in Midnight Blue and Glam Pink. For the cameras, we get a 2MP macro lens, and instead of the 48MP option on the Moto G, the Stylus gets a 50MP primary camera. Selfies are handled with the 8MP camera in the hole-punched 6.5-inch HD+ IPS display, which only has a 90Hz refresh rate.
The Stylus is less curved than the Edge+ but more than the Moto G. Holding the phone is comfortable and doesn't feel too heavy, even with the two-day capable 5,000mAh battery, which carries over the same charging capabilities as the Moto G at 15W wired with no wireless options. That battery is powering a MediaTek Helio G85 processor along with 4GB RAM and 64 or 128GB of expandable storage.
As for what gives the Moto G Stylus its namesake, the built-in stylus isn't anything special, with a slender form factor that slides nicely into the phone's base. It comes with a handful of apps that are optimized for it to allow for note-taking, doodling, and more. I'll need some more time with it to truly get a feel for how well it does or doesn't work. But at $200 and launching on May 5, it should be a good option for those on a budget who still want a dedicated writing tool.
Motorola is ready for 2023
All three of these smartphones will be heading to North America to fill out the Motorola portfolio of smartphones further. As we get review samples in-house, we'll be going more in-depth with each phone to help you make a decision. During the hands-on period, each device felt to be well-built and offered a good set of features to achieve the desired price point. How they perform over days and weeks of use is yet to be determined, so keep an eye on XDA for the reviews to be launched in the near future.