Second, the 50-MP main camera has a bit of shutter lag, which can be frustrating when you’re trying to capture moving subjects (like my dog, who won’t sit still). The pics you can get out of it are solid, perfectly acceptable images during the day. The contrast is a little too strong sometimes, and it doesn’t handle high-contrast scenes all that great, but there’s good detail. In low light, you’ll encounter a few more blurry photos due to that shutter lag and shaky hands, but if the conditions are right, you can get some sharp, in-focus shots. This is where a phone like the Google Pixel 8A handily beats the Edge 2024.
Unfortunately, Motorola promises only two Android OS upgrades (up to Android 16) and three years of security updates to the Edge 2024. The Pixel 8A will get seven years of software support. This is one of Motorola’s biggest weaknesses, but this may not be as much of an issue at its frequent $300 sale price. If you’re wondering about a successor, the Motorola Edge launched in June 2024, so you can expect a follow-up this summer.
Best Moto G Phone
I would buy the Motorola Edge 2024 at its $300 sale price over the newer Moto G Power 2025 (7/10, WIRED Recommends), but that’s why you should wait for this phone to go on sale. A few months after the Moto G Power 2024 launched, it dipped as low as $250—if the same happens again here, that’d make the 2025 model a better proposition.
Last year’s Moto G Power was fantastic. It introduced wireless charging—a rarity on a sub-$300 phone—had good performance, and checked off many boxes. This year’s version retains much of that and adds even more: it’s now IP68/69 rated, meaning it will be fine in heavy rain and even submerged in water for some time. Motorola is also promising two Android OS upgrades for the first time on a Moto G, giving these budget phones a slightly longer shelf life.
Unfortunately, it took two steps forward and one step back: the performance took a slight hit. The MediaTek Dimensity 6300 chipset inside delivers decent speed, but the stutters are more noticeable. It’s not frustrating to operate, but I wish it was as fluid as the 2024 Moto G Power.
If you can deal with that, this is still a capable and attractive budget Android phone. I like the green color and the fake leather texture on the back, which gives this phone some character. The 6.8-inch LCD is sharp and bright, and you get a fingerprint scanner, a 3.5-mm headphone jack, and a microSD card slot. The 5,000-mAh battery can last a good while into a second day with average use, though heavy usage ended my days with around 30 percent left.
The camera system consists of a 50-megapixel main camera, an 8-MP ultrawide, and a 16-MP selfie camera. Photos from the primary shooter are adequate, even in low light, though skin tones and colors can be off. The ultrawide and selfie cameras are only worth using if it’s daytime or you have lots of light. Much of this is par for the course with phones in this price bracket.
