Which Motorola smartphone to choose in 2022? Editor’s selection

Losing momentum, Motorola still has some interesting smartphones. A brief overview of what the inventor of the mobile phone offers.

The best Motorola smartphones

Motorola has been an indisputable player in the mobile phone market for years. The company was also the first to market a mobile phone (some would say transportable) in 1973! Originally American and independent, the group’s telephony branch has changed hands a lot in recent years. It entered the fold of Google in 2011, then was sold to Lenovo in 2014.

Despite interesting experiments such as Moto Mods, the brand has not had the same success as Huawei or Xiaomi with its smartphones, especially in the mid-range. The brand has recently shown more ambition and is expanding its Edge series with three new models in its Edge line.

For a wider selection of smartphones, head over to our guide to the best smartphones to buy in 2022.

Also find our various Android smartphone recommendation guides by brand:

Motorola Edge 30 Pro The high-end Motorola

Available around 800 euros, the Edge 30 Pro is a new attempt by the brand in the high-end smartphone segment, after a lackluster Edge 20 Pro. Once again, Motorola is satisfied with an efficient smartphone, but without much brilliance.

So what are the strengths of this brand new Motorola Edge 30 Pro? Clearly its beautiful 6.7-inch OLED screen in Full HD + enjoying excellent maximum brightness, as well as its performance, thanks to the processor, the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1, which is still just as efficient. The latter is supported by 12 GB re RAM. Note also the effectiveness of the fingerprint sensor. The design meanwhile, if it remains very classic, is at least discreet. The use of a frosted glass on the back is clever to avoid fingerprints.

On the photo part, if the main sensor is doing quite well, unfortunately we cannot say the same for the ultra wide-angle which is struggling. Autonomy, in the average of a day of use, is supported by a very efficient 68W fast charge.

Moreover balanced and pleasant to use, this Edge 30 Pro clearly suffers from its price positioning. It seems difficult to stand out when the Google Pixel 6 Pro or the Samsung Galaxy S22 are sold for only 50 euros more and are excellent. However, we can hope that its price drops quickly or that it benefits from big promotions.

Motorola Edge A good balance

After years of focusing on affordable phones, Motorola is back here with a more ambitious and more expensive smartphone model. First observation on this smartphone, the design is neat while remaining in the current canons with curved edges and a punched screen. The brand made an unusual choice by using plastic on the back of the device. It’s a little less flattering, but on the other hand the device is more solid and above all relatively light despite its 6.7-inch screen.

The latter adopts a refresh rate of 90 Hz and uses OLED technology. We are therefore entitled to infinite blacks and a very correct brightness. Note that the fingerprint sensor hidden under the slab lacks efficiency.

Motorola has opted here for a Snapdragon 765. If the performances are generally solid for all uses, we are however a notch below the Snapdragon 865 found on most competitors. However, we appreciate the 5G compatibility and the very correct autonomy. Too bad, however, that the charge is fast only in name, it takes almost 3 hours to refuel…

On the photo side, the performance is correct, even if the low light poses some problems for the Edge. It will absolutely be necessary to go through the night mode for a good result.

If it does not come to revolutionize the market, the Motorola Edge is a solid device, but suffering from annoying little flaws. To go into the details, you can read our complete test of the Motorola smartphone.

Motorola Moto G100 Power and that’s it

After an interesting Edge, but which struggled to stand out, Motorola continues on the path of ambitious mid-range smartphones with the G100. First observation: we are in the presence of a beautiful baby, with 9.69 mm thick and 207 grams on the scale. A weight that surprises all the more since the back is made of plastic, a material that is lighter than the glass traditionally used by the competition.

The LCD screen is a disappointment, its brightness is average and the adjustment of its colorimetry frankly missed. We are entitled to a refresh rate of 90 Hz, but this is no longer really impressive in 2022. The Snapdragon 870, on the other hand, is much more convincing. This version of the Snapdragon 865 ensures flawless fluidity in the system and does very well in games.

Battery life is solid, with around two days of use on one charge. Fast charging, on the other hand, is very far from experts in the field since it takes almost two hours to fill the 5000 mAh battery. As for the photo, the record is rather poor, with a passable main sensor and anecdotal secondary sensors.

If we have to salute its power, the G100 struggles to stand out on other points, especially against competition in much better shape. For more details, head to our Moto G100 test.

The American manufacturer also unveiled a new version of its range. The Moto G200 offers a refreshed spec sheet with better specs. In this case is a super-powered Snapdragon 888+ processor offering plenty of internal horsepower for mobile gaming. The smartphone still suffers from a few flaws that are too disabling on the telephony market in 2022, in particular a dim LCD screen. Want to learn more? Read our full Moto G200 review.

Motorola Moto G 5G 5G without breaking the bank

Sold below 250 euros, this model aims to make 5G affordable. With its centimeter thickness, its 212 grams and its diagonal of 6.7 inches, the Moto G 5G is undeniably a beautiful baby. We appreciate the presence of a shell in the box. It is certainly basic, but it is always taken.

The IPS panel ensures the union minimum, with good contrast and high brightness. For its part, the Snapdragon 750G proves to be satisfactory, offering enough power to comfortably play low-power titles. The phone provides autonomy, the 5000 mAh battery easily ensuring two days of use. On the other hand, the fast charge is not really there: it takes two hours to refuel.

Unfortunately, the software part disappoints: not only do we find an Android 10 which is starting to date, but the interface lacks fluidity. Difficult to justify given the quite honorable potential of the processor. For the photo, the main sensor does a good job, but the same cannot be said for the ultra wide-angle and the macro which see completely blurred.

This Moto G 5G smartphone will therefore not mark the annals, but it is a possible option if 5G and good autonomy are important criteria for you. You can find the details in our Moto 5 G test.

Understand everything about Motorola smartphones

Who is Motorola?

Motorola is an American company founded in 1928, historically specialized in telecommunications. It originally marketed car radios and walkie-talkies. The company has even collaborated for a very long time with NASA for the development of telecommunications technologies for the Apollo missions. In the 1980s, the brand marketed the first cell phone, the DynaTAC.

In the late 90s and early 2000s, Motorola had a lot of success with its mobile phones, especially flip phones. At the end of the 2000s, however, the company encountered major difficulties and lost momentum. It was finally split into two separate entities in 2011: Motorola Solutions (professional equipment) and Motorola Mobility (mobile telephony).

Motorola Mobility was then bought by Google, which quickly sold it to the Chinese Lenovo in 2014. Since then, Motorola has been trying to climb the slope by marketing new smartphones, placing itself as much on the entry level as on the high end.

How is the range of Motorola smartphones organized?

Motorola offers its smartphones in three main ranges: edgethe Moto G and the Moto E. Alongside this, two models evolve on their own: the Motorola Razr and the Motorola Defy. The first is the brand’s foldable smartphone, the second is a tough smartphone designed for extreme situations.

Regarding the rest of the range: the Edge are the top of the basket, the Moto G the mid-range, and the Moto E the entry level. If there is one thing that can be attributed to the American brand, it is the clarity of the organization and positioning of its products.

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