Motorola Edge 20 Lite review: Low-priced 5G smartphone with 108 MP camera & 90 Hz OLED
The Motorola Edge 20 Lite is a relatively inexpensive 5G smartphone (RRP: 370 Euros/~$429) that is equipped with a MediaTek chipset and 8 GB of working memory. Furthermore, the mid-range phone supports the in-house Ready For platform and can be recharged quite quickly thanks to 30-watt TurboPower technology.
At first glance, the Edge 20 Lite is thus a slightly reduced version of the larger model brothers Edge 20 and Edge 20 Pro. The Lite version of the Edge 20 series has the same 108 MP main camera and the 32 MP front-facing camera is also identical on the spec sheet. The resolution and dimensions of the 6.7-inch OLED screen are also the same as those of the Edge 20 Pro. However, our review reveals some significant differences between the Edge models, even where you would not expect it.
Possible competitors in comparison
Rating | Date | Model | Weight | Drive | Size | Resolution | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 81.5 % v7 (old) | 11 / 2021 | Motorola Edge 20 Lite Dimensity 720, Mali-G57 MP3 | 185 g | 128 GB UFS 2.1 Flash | 6.70" | 2400x1080 | |
| 85.9 % v7 (old) | 05 / 2021 | Xiaomi Mi 11 Lite 5G SD 780G 5G, Adreno 642 | 159 g | 128 GB UFS 2.2 Flash | 6.55" | 2400x1080 | |
| 82.8 % v7 (old) | 05 / 2021 | Samsung Galaxy A52 SD 720G, Adreno 618 | 189 g | 256 GB UFS 2.1 Flash | 6.50" | 2400x1080 | |
| 86 % v7 (old) | 05 / 2021 | Xiaomi Poco F3 SD 870, Adreno 650 | 196 g | 128 GB UFS 3.1 Flash | 6.67" | 2400x1080 | |
| 85.1 % v7 (old) | 08 / 2021 | OnePlus Nord 2 5G Dimensity 1200, Mali-G77 MP9 | 189 g | 256 GB UFS 3.1 Flash | 6.43" | 2400x1080 | |
| 84 % v7 (old) | 09 / 2021 | Realme GT Master Edition SD 778G 5G, Adreno 642L | 180 g | 256 GB UFS 2.2 Flash | 6.43" | 2400x1080 |
Case - Edge 20 Lite with Punch-Hole
The Edge 20 Lite's casing made of glass and plastic convinces with a good build quality and an appealing feel. Representatives of the mid-range with glass backs, like the Xiaomi Mi 11 Lite 5G feel even more satisfying. Nevertheless, we do not find the PMMA material used in Motorola's phone, a transparent thermoplastic material, cheap.
The physical buttons of the Edge 20 Lite are a bit more ergonomically arranged than on the Pro model Pro model, nevertheless, the on/off button including the fingerprint sensor could have been placed a bit lower.
Despite the relatively high battery capacity of 5000 mAh, the mid-range smartphone is only 8.25 mm (~0.33 in) thin and 185 g (~6.5 oz) light. It has a 2.5D glass with an anti-fingerprint coating on the front. Motorola does not provide more detailed information here. The flat OLED panel is bordered by relatively wide edges. The size ratio between the display and the front of the device is thus only a solid 83 percent. For comparison, the display area ratio of the Redmi Note 10 Pro is more efficient at 86 percent.
The Edge 20 Lite has an official IP certification according to IP52. The water-repellent coating protects the casing from rain and sweat from the inside and outside. However, the construction is not waterproof.
Features - Motorola phone with 3.5 mm jack
The internal storage has a capacity of 128 GB, but the user only has 104 GB available in the state of delivery. Various data (photos, music, ...) can be stored on the external medium via an inserted microSDXC card, and the UFS storage can be expanded by up to 1 TB.
The Edge 20 Lite's other technical features include an FM radio and a 3.5 mm jack. In addition, peripherals like USB sticks can be connected via the USB-C port, which supports the 2.0 standard, using an OTG adapter. The wireless transmission of display content via Miracast to external monitors works smoothly in the test.
A real always-on function for notification inputs has to be waived despite the OLED technology. However, Motorola equips its mid-range smartphone with the well-known preview display feature, where messages are displayed when the smartphone is lifted. However, the manufacturer does not allow the user to leave the display permanently on.
microSD card reader
The Edge 20 Lite cannot come close to using the maximum speed of our reference card Angelbird V60 (280 MB/s; 160 MB/s); we measure a data transfer rate of just 15 MB/s. Furthermore, we check the SD card slot with the CPD test. Here, Motorola's phone reveals decent read and write speeds on par with the mid-range competition.
| SD Card Reader - average JPG Copy Test (av. of 3 runs) | |
| Samsung Galaxy A52s 5G (Angelbird V60) | |
| Samsung Galaxy A52 (Toshiba Exceria Pro M501) | |
| Xiaomi Mi 11 Lite 5G (Toshiba Exceria Pro M501) | |
| Motorola Edge 20 Lite (Angelbird V60) | |
Cross Platform Disk Test (CPDT)
Software - Motorola smartphone with Android 11
Motorola offers a clean and well-optimized system interface with MyUX. Only Facebook is preinstalled by third-party providers besides Google applications. Our sample runs the Android version 11 with the security patches from September 2021 during the test
Like the flagship Edge 20 Pro, Motorola's mid-range supports the Ready For platform. With the help of the Ready For PC functionality, the Edge 20 Lite can use smartphone apps, but also PC files on a large screen - but this requires special software that has to be installed once on the PC beforehand. The Edge 20 Lite is then connected with a USB-C cable. The Edge 20 Lite does not support a wireless connection with a Miracast-enabled screen like the Pro model. Wired output to external monitors also only works with the Edge 20 Pro thanks to the Display Port 1.4 standard.
Beyond the ready-for functionality, the MyUX UI offers Motorola's hardware and software security features called ThinkShield for Mobile. This is a platform based on Lenovo's ThinkShield brand, which is supposed to offer special protection against malware, phishing and network attacks.
The Edge 20 Lite's Camera2 API is available with "FULL" and streaming content can be viewed in HD quality thanks to DRM Widevine L1.
Communication and GNSS - Edge 20 Lite with 5G
The transmission rates in the home network are very inconsistent with the inexpensive Edge 20 phone. The Edge 20 Lite's WLAN module, which supports the IEEE 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac standards, uses both the 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz frequency bands, but the speed we measured is below average. The transfer rates in our WLAN test are very fluctuating with our reference router Netgear Nighthawk AX12. The transfer rates sometimes drop to about 2 MBit/s, which is very unusual for a modern smartphone.
Besides the slow Wi-Fi, the manufacturer relies on dual-SIM and Bluetooth version 5.0 for the communication modules. An NFC chip for near field communication and contactless payment is also on board.
Thanks to the Dimensity 720 SoC the Motorola phone has an integrated 5G modem (sub-6 GHz). Access to the LTE network including many supported 4G frequencies is also guaranteed, which is rather exceptional in the price range of the inexpensive Edge smartphone. A total of 24 LTE bands, including all frequencies relevant for local use, are covered. Users of the Edge 20 Lite are even well prepared for a stay abroad, such as a trip to the USA or India.
We check the tracking accuracy in practice on a short test route that is recorded with a Garmin Edge 520 for comparison purposes. There is a distance of about 60 meters (~66 yards) between the smartphone's GPS module and the navigation device at the end of the almost 4-kilometer (~2.5 mi) bike ride.
The deviations from the route are not too big, but the Edge 20 Lite does have some minor weaknesses. If you look at the details of the GPS recording, the Motorola phone is still well suited for car navigation due to the exact positioning accuracy.
The Edge 20 Lite uses the main satellite systems GPS (L1), GLONASS and Galileo (E1) as well as SBAS with an accuracy of up to one meter (~1.1 yards) for positioning. The positioning is quite accurate even indoors, but it is considerably slower.
Phone features and voice quality - Motorola phone with VoLTE
The Edge 20 Lite has a decent voice quality, but the speech is somewhat quiet and muffled. Video calls via the installed front-facing camera also work smoothly in the test. The good call quality via the speaker, thanks to the two installed microphones, enables good communication with the Skype app.
The mid-range phone supports dual-SIM with two physical SIM cards. Call features like WLAN calling and VoLTE are also supported.
Cameras - Edge 20 Lite with 108 MP
The camera setup of the Edge 20 Lite consists of an electronically stabilized 108 MP main camera and an 8 MP ultra-wide-angle lens as well as a 2 MP depth camera. In terms of zoom qualities, the Lite model without a dedicated tele lens, has to compromise.
The pictures taken with the standard 9:1 pixel binning are sometimes nice to look at, but most photos look much too brightened and yellowish. The mid-range phone also has some problems with exposing bright image areas. The Edge 20 Lite uses the same Samsung ISOCELL HM2 image sensor as the Pro model, but the results are visibly worse. However, there is still some potential here with adjustments in the camera software.
However, Motorola's smartphone amazes with a very appealing sharpness, especially in very low light. Thanks to the f/1.9 aperture and the large 1/1.52-inch sensor, the illumination and also the light sensitivity are very good for this price range. Qualitative parallels to the Pro model are clearly visible here.
The ultra-wide-angle lens, on the other hand, is rather average and a big loss in quality compared to the 108 MP optics in terms of sharpness and details. However, the color tones fit the photographed subject much better with the 8 MP lens.
The same cannot truly be said of the 32 MP front-facing camera in the display hole. The camera setup, which is exactly the same on paper as in the Pro model, does not convince us much in the Lite version - not at all, actually. Photos with the Edge 20 Lite look very unnatural and lack the good image sharpness of the big brother. Skin tones also look artificial and distorted.
The front-facing camera only records videos in FHD resolution at up to 30 frames per second, although the Pro model had a 4K resolution option. 8K video recording is not possible with the 108 MP cam of the Edge 20 Lite, as the MediaTek SoC is does not supported it. However, the quality of moving pictures in UHD is satisfactory with the main camera, even though 60 fps is only available in the FHD option. The lack of a lens swap option during active recording is probably a bit annoying for some users.
Image Comparison
Choose a scene and navigate within the first image. One click changes the position on touchscreens. One click on the zoomed-in image opens the original in a new window. The first image shows the scaled photograph of the test device.
Main cameraMain cameraLow LightWide angle
Under controlled lighting conditions, the Edge 20 Lite reveals relatively high deviations with strongly brightened colors - we analyze the color representation with the ColorChecker Passport in comparison to the actual reference colors. The display performance is measured once in full studio lighting and once at 1 lux light intensity.
The test chart also looks a bit overlit and low in contrast, but the sharpness under defined artificial light is appealing.
Accessories and warranty - Edge 20 Lite with 30W power adapter
The Edge 20 Lite's scope of delivery includes a modular 30-watt power adapter, a USB cable (Type-C to Type-C) and a quick start guide. A protective cover was not included in our review sample, but according to the manufacturer, it will be delivered as standard.
The warranty is 24 months. Optional Motocare packages can be purchased, which include an extended warranty of 12 months (35 Euros/~$41) or accident protection for up to two years (95 Euros/~$110).
Input devices & operation - Motorola phone with FaceUnlock
Inputs on the 6.7-inch OLED panel are implemented smoothly thanks to 90 Hz. The fingerprint sensor is integrated in the power button of the Lite, just like in the other Edge 20 models. It responds reliably, but sometimes takes a bit longer until the finger is recognized. The sensor's recognition rate is good, though.
The screen can also be unlocked via biometric identification using the face. The face unlock function works satisfactorily, but this option is quite insecure due to the use of the front-facing camera.
Display - Motorola smartphone with OLED
For the entertainment experience, the Motorola Edge 20 Lite uses the same display as its siblings. At least that is how Motorola advertises its low-priced Edge smartphone in the corresponding press release. However, the OLED panel of the Edge 20 Lite only has one thing in common with the screen of the large Pro model namely the size of 6.7 inches with a resolution of 1080p.
While the upper-class phones of the Edge 20 series rely on a refresh rate of 144 Hz, the small Lite model has to make do with 90 Hz. The refresh rate is also not adaptive, which means that either 90 Hz or "normal" 60 Hz is available.
The Edge 20 Lite is also not on par with the Pro model in our measurements. The luminance of about 430 cd/m² that we measured cannot keep up with the comparison devices we chose. Especially the Xiaomi phones Mi 11 Lite 5G or Poco F3 shine almost twice as bright. This fact is not changed by another measurement with an evenly distributed proportion of dark to bright areas (APL50). Here, we can confirm a brightness of 447 cd/m².
To control the luminance, the Edge 20 Lite uses pulse width modulation (PWM) at a high frequency of 345 Hz.
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||
Brightness Distribution: 89 %
Center on Battery: 420 cd/m²
Contrast: ∞:1 (Black: 0 cd/m²)
ΔE Color 3.15 | 0.5-29.43 Ø4.87
ΔE Greyscale 4 | 0.5-98 Ø5.1
143.9% sRGB (Calman 2D)
Gamma: 2.233
| Motorola Edge 20 Lite AMOLED, 2400x1080, 6.7" | Xiaomi Mi 11 Lite 5G AMOLED, 2400x1080, 6.6" | Samsung Galaxy A52 Super AMOLED, 2400x1080, 6.5" | Xiaomi Poco F3 AMOLED, 2400x1080, 6.7" | OnePlus Nord 2 5G AMOLED, 2400x1080, 6.4" | Realme GT Master Edition AMOLED, 2400x1080, 6.4" | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Screen | 40% | 40% | 74% | 19% | 10% | |
| Brightness middle | 420 | 863 105% | 694 65% | 889 112% | 594 41% | 587 40% |
| Brightness | 428 | 860 101% | 696 63% | 902 111% | 594 39% | 584 36% |
| Brightness Distribution | 89 | 93 4% | 98 10% | 95 7% | 99 11% | 97 9% |
| Black Level * | ||||||
| Colorchecker dE 2000 * | 3.15 | 3.2 -2% | 2 37% | 0.9 71% | 2.74 13% | 4.06 -29% |
| Colorchecker dE 2000 max. * | 7.1 | 5.2 27% | 6.7 6% | 1.9 73% | 6 15% | 6.28 12% |
| Greyscale dE 2000 * | 4 | 3.9 2% | 1.7 57% | 1.3 67% | 4.2 -5% | 4.3 -8% |
| Gamma | 2.233 99% | 2.33 94% | 2.1 105% | 2.26 97% | 2.278 97% | 2.322 95% |
| CCT | 7413 88% | 7299 89% | 6440 101% | 6614 98% | 7322 89% | 7270 89% |
* ... smaller is better
Screen Flickering / PWM (Pulse-Width Modulation)
| Screen flickering / PWM detected | 344.8 Hz |  | |
The display backlight flickers at 344.8 Hz (worst case, e.g., utilizing PWM) . The frequency of 344.8 Hz is relatively high, so most users sensitive to PWM should not notice any flickering. However, there are reports that some users are still sensitive to PWM at 500 Hz and above, so be aware. In comparison: 53 % of all tested devices do not use PWM to dim the display. If PWM was detected, an average of 8512 (minimum: 5 - maximum: 343500) Hz was measured. | |||
In contrast to the Moto series, Motorola installs an AMOLED screen in the Edge mid-range, where individual pixels can be completely disabled, resulting in an "absolute" black. Thus, the contrast is much more pronounced than, for example, in a Moto G100.
In our tests with the CalMAN software and a spectrophotometer, the Edge 20 Lite's display is calibrated satisfactorily. However, the panel only delivers quite low color deviations in the "Natural" profile. However, the Delta E values are outside the ideal range (~3) and are significantly higher than in the Pro model. The same applies to the color temperature in the profile "Saturated", which is clearly too cool with about 7500K, so the grayscale shows a minimal blue tint.
Display Response Times
| ↔ Response Time Black to White | ||
|---|---|---|
| 6 ms ... rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined | ↗ 3 ms rise |  |
| ↘ 3 ms fall | ||
| The screen shows very fast response rates in our tests and should be very well suited for fast-paced gaming. In comparison, all tested devices range from 0.1 (minimum) to 240 (maximum) ms. » 16 % of all devices are better. This means that the measured response time is better than the average of all tested devices (20.8 ms). | ||
| ↔ Response Time 50% Grey to 80% Grey | ||
| 10 ms ... rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined | ↗ 5 ms rise |  |
| ↘ 5 ms fall | ||
| The screen shows good response rates in our tests, but may be too slow for competitive gamers. In comparison, all tested devices range from 0.165 (minimum) to 636 (maximum) ms. » 20 % of all devices are better. This means that the measured response time is better than the average of all tested devices (32.5 ms). | ||
Daylight does not pose any problems for Motorola's phone under cloudy skies. However, the readability is severely limited in direct sunlight and the associated reflections on the glass surface.
The viewing angles are on a good level thanks to the installed OLED technology. Even at very flat viewing angles, the display content is quite color-accurate and vivid.
Performance - Edge 20 Lite with MediaTek SoC
The Dimensity 720 used in the Edge 20 Lite is a Mediatek processor manufactured in a 7nm process. The CPU part integrates four fast Cortex-A76 cores (2 GHz) and four Cortex-A55 power-saving cores (2 GHz). The Dimensity 720 also integrates a Mali-G57 with three cores as a graphics card.
The system usually runs smoothly in simple applications in everyday use. However, small delays occur as soon as processes are executed in the background, for example app updates. The loading times are also a bit slow, but that could also be due to the WLAN data drops and less to the storage connection or the SoC.
In the benchmarks, the Edge 20 Lite is the weakest performing phone in our comparison. In the CPU tests, as well as the graphics-heavy benchmarks, the results of the Dimensity 720 are on the level of a Qualcomm Snapdragon 720G. The Motorola phone's UFS storage connection cannot keep up with a Poco F3 or OnePlus North 2 either.
| Jetstream 2 - 2.0 Total Score | |
| Average of class Smartphone (13.8 - 387, n=170, last 2 years) | |
| Xiaomi Mi 11 Lite 5G (Chrome90) | |
| Xiaomi Poco F3 (Chrome 90) | |
| Realme GT Master Edition (Chrome 92) | |
| Samsung Galaxy A52 (Chrome 90) | |
| OnePlus Nord 2 5G (Chrome 92) | |
| Average MediaTek Dimensity 720 (34 - 64.6, n=4) | |
| Motorola Edge 20 Lite (Chrome 94) | |
| JetStream 1.1 - Total Score | |
| Xiaomi Mi 11 Lite 5G (Chrome90) | |
| Realme GT Master Edition (Chrome 92) | |
| OnePlus Nord 2 5G (Chrome 92) | |
| Xiaomi Poco F3 (Chrome 90) | |
| Samsung Galaxy A52 (Chrome 90) | |
| Motorola Edge 20 Lite (Chrome 94) | |
| Average MediaTek Dimensity 720 (67.3 - 75.3, n=3) | |
| Speedometer 2.0 - Result | |
| Average of class Smartphone (15.2 - 569, n=150, last 2 years) | |
| Xiaomi Poco F3 (Chrome 90) | |
| Xiaomi Mi 11 Lite 5G (Chrome90) | |
| Realme GT Master Edition (Chome 92) | |
| OnePlus Nord 2 5G (Chome 92) | |
| Average MediaTek Dimensity 720 (35.3 - 54, n=3) | |
| Samsung Galaxy A52 (Chrome 90) | |
| Motorola Edge 20 Lite (Chrome 94) | |
| WebXPRT 3 - Overall | |
| Average of class Smartphone (38 - 347, n=76, last 2 years) | |
| Xiaomi Poco F3 (Chrome 90) | |
| Xiaomi Mi 11 Lite 5G (Chrome90) | |
| Realme GT Master Edition (Chrome 92) | |
| Samsung Galaxy A52 (Chrome 90) | |
| OnePlus Nord 2 5G (Chrome 92) | |
| Motorola Edge 20 Lite (Chrome 94) | |
| Average MediaTek Dimensity 720 (49 - 57, n=3) | |
| Octane V2 - Total Score | |
| Average of class Smartphone (2228 - 100368, n=210, last 2 years) | |
| Realme GT Master Edition (Chrome 92) | |
| Xiaomi Mi 11 Lite 5G (Chrome90) | |
| Xiaomi Poco F3 (Chrome 90) | |
| OnePlus Nord 2 5G (Chrome 92) | |
| Samsung Galaxy A52 (Chrome 90) | |
| Motorola Edge 20 Lite (Chrome 94) | |
| Average MediaTek Dimensity 720 (14156 - 19201, n=4) | |
| Mozilla Kraken 1.1 - Total | |
| Average MediaTek Dimensity 720 (2346 - 4059, n=4) | |
| Samsung Galaxy A52 (Chrome 90) | |
| Motorola Edge 20 Lite (Chrome 94) | |
| OnePlus Nord 2 5G (Chrome 92) | |
| Xiaomi Mi 11 Lite 5G (Chrome90) | |
| Xiaomi Poco F3 (Chrome 90) | |
| Average of class Smartphone (277 - 28190, n=170, last 2 years) | |
| Realme GT Master Edition (Chrome 92) | |
* ... smaller is better
| Motorola Edge 20 Lite | Xiaomi Mi 11 Lite 5G | Samsung Galaxy A52 | Xiaomi Poco F3 | OnePlus Nord 2 5G | Realme GT Master Edition | Average 128 GB UFS 2.1 Flash | Average of class Smartphone | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AndroBench 3-5 | 31% | -29% | 35% | 90% | 44% | -17% | 140% | |
| Sequential Read 256KB | 954 | 949 -1% | 511 -46% | 1378 44% | 1827 92% | 1002 5% | 760 ? -20% | 2037 ? 114% |
| Sequential Write 256KB | 478.3 | 710 48% | 267.1 -44% | 684 43% | 1256 163% | 798 67% | 297 ? -38% | 1653 ? 246% |
| Random Read 4KB | 141.4 | 207.9 47% | 135.5 -4% | 208 47% | 223.7 58% | 213.1 51% | 152.9 ? 8% | 283 ? 100% |
| Random Write 4KB | 161.9 | 206.9 28% | 127.3 -21% | 170.6 5% | 239 48% | 247.7 53% | 131.6 ? -19% | 326 ? 101% |
Games - Motorola phone with gaming weaknesses
We take a closer look at the gaming performance of the Edge 20 Lite with our partner GameBench using game titles from the Play Store. The shooter PUBG mobile, where the HD setting is the maximum, is rendered relatively smoothly at low details with about 40 fps.
Surprisingly, Armajet does not exceed the 30 fps limit. Our measurements do not show any visible frame rate drops. However, at least 60 fps, if not even the full 90 Hz of the OLED panel should be available here, because in the Oppo A73 the Dimensity 720 manages to constantly render a frame rate of 60 fps.
Emissions - Edge 20 Lite does not always stay cool
Temperature
The moderate waste heat of the MediaTek SoC is well handled by the cooling system of the Edge 20 Lite. The casing gets warm under longer load phases, but not hot. We measured a maximum value of just over 42 °C (107.6 °F) here.
The mid-range phone from Motorola also finished the battery test of GFXBench consistently and without problems in the demanding Manhattan test (OpenGL ES 3.1). The 3DMark stress tests also run without throttling the system.
(±) The maximum temperature on the upper side is 40.9 °C / 106 F, compared to the average of 35.1 °C / 95 F, ranging from 21.9 to 63.7 °C for the class Smartphone.
(±) The bottom heats up to a maximum of 42.4 °C / 108 F, compared to the average of 33.9 °C / 93 F
(±) In idle usage, the average temperature for the upper side is 32.3 °C / 90 F, compared to the device average of 32.8 °C / 91 F.
3DMark Wild Life Stress Test
| 3DMark | |
| Wild Life Stress Test Stability | |
| Xiaomi Mi 11 Lite 5G | |
| Samsung Galaxy A52 | |
| Motorola Edge 20 Lite | |
| Realme GT Master Edition | |
| Xiaomi Poco F3 | |
| OnePlus Nord 2 5G | |
| Wild Life Extreme Stress Test | |
| Realme GT Master Edition | |
| Samsung Galaxy A52 | |
| Motorola Edge 20 Lite | |
| Xiaomi Poco F3 | |
| Xiaomi Mi 11 Lite 5G | |
| OnePlus Nord 2 5G | |
Speaker
The mono speaker on the bottom achieves a decent maximum volume of just under 84 dB(A) in our test. However, the speaker is less powerful than the competition. Especially since even in the mid-range, like in the Xiaomi Mi 11 Lite 5G, stereo speakers are no longer a rarity.
The sound quality of the Edge 20 Lite is convincing. However, the sound falls off a bit especially in the higher mids. As expected, basses are not present in the sound.
The Edge phone does not have to do without an audio jack either, although the USB port enables audio output. Wireless headphones can be connected via Bluetooth 5.0. BT codecs that are supported are SBC, AAC, aptX, aptX HD, aptX adaptive and LDAC.
Motorola Edge 20 Lite audio analysis
(+) | speakers can play relatively loud (84 dB)
Bass 100 - 315 Hz
(-) | nearly no bass - on average 26.2% lower than median
(±) | linearity of bass is average (12.2% delta to prev. frequency)
Mids 400 - 2000 Hz
(+) | balanced mids - only 3.8% away from median
(+) | mids are linear (6.3% delta to prev. frequency)
Highs 2 - 16 kHz
(±) | higher highs - on average 5.9% higher than median
(±) | linearity of highs is average (7.8% delta to prev. frequency)
Overall 100 - 16.000 Hz
(±) | linearity of overall sound is average (20.4% difference to median)
Compared to same class
» 31% of all tested devices in this class were better, 10% similar, 59% worse
» The best had a delta of 12%, average was 36%, worst was 134%
Compared to all devices tested
» 51% of all tested devices were better, 8% similar, 41% worse
» The best had a delta of 4%, average was 24%, worst was 134%
Xiaomi Mi 11 Lite 5G audio analysis
(+) | speakers can play relatively loud (89.2 dB)
Bass 100 - 315 Hz
(-) | nearly no bass - on average 23.7% lower than median
(±) | linearity of bass is average (9.8% delta to prev. frequency)
Mids 400 - 2000 Hz
(±) | higher mids - on average 5.3% higher than median
(+) | mids are linear (4.1% delta to prev. frequency)
Highs 2 - 16 kHz
(±) | higher highs - on average 7.5% higher than median
(+) | highs are linear (4.4% delta to prev. frequency)
Overall 100 - 16.000 Hz
(±) | linearity of overall sound is average (19.8% difference to median)
Compared to same class
» 28% of all tested devices in this class were better, 8% similar, 64% worse
» The best had a delta of 12%, average was 36%, worst was 134%
Compared to all devices tested
» 48% of all tested devices were better, 7% similar, 45% worse
» The best had a delta of 4%, average was 24%, worst was 134%
Battery life - Motorola cell phone with 5,000 mAh battery
Energy consumption
The Edge smartphone does not support wireless charging, but at least fast charging with up to 30 watts is supported. Thus, the charging process takes about 90 minutes when the 5,000 mAh battery is completely empty.
The Edge 20 Lite's overall power consumption is modest. Especially under load, the MediaTek SoC requires comparatively little energy.
| Off / Standby |   0 / 0.1 Watt |
| Idle |  0.8 / 1.2 / 1.5 Watt |
| Load |
3.7 / 4.7 Watt |
    
| |
Key:
min: ,
med: ,
max: Metrahit Energy | |
| Motorola Edge 20 Lite 5000 mAh | Xiaomi Mi 11 Lite 5G 4250 mAh | Samsung Galaxy A52 4500 mAh | Xiaomi Poco F3 4520 mAh | OnePlus Nord 2 5G 4500 mAh | Average MediaTek Dimensity 720 | Average of class Smartphone | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Power Consumption | -36% | -12% | -23% | -39% | -38% | -49% | |
| Idle Minimum * | 0.8 | 0.83 -4% | 0.88 -10% | 0.76 5% | 0.8 -0% | 1.005 ? -26% | 0.872 ? -9% |
| Idle Average * | 1.2 | 1.92 -60% | 1.8 -50% | 1.29 -8% | 1.2 -0% | 1.878 ? -57% | 1.437 ? -20% |
| Idle Maximum * | 1.5 | 1.97 -31% | 1.84 -23% | 1.45 3% | 1.6 -7% | 2.04 ? -36% | 1.582 ? -5% |
| Load Average * | 3.7 | 3.84 -4% | 2.65 28% | 4.6 -24% | 5.7 -54% | 4.47 ? -21% | 7 ? -89% |
| Load Maximum * | 4.7 | 8.6 -83% | 4.86 -3% | 8.87 -89% | 10.9 -132% | 7.08 ? -51% | 10.4 ? -121% |
* ... smaller is better
Power consumption: Geekbench (150 cd/m²)
Power consumption: GFXBench (150 cd/m²)
Battery life
The installed Li-Ion battery ensures very long runtimes in our battery tests. With a refresh rate of 90 Hz, the Edge 20 Lite's screen only goes out after about 16 hours in our Wi-Fi test. Motorola's phone is also enduring under load with almost 5 hours.
| Motorola Edge 20 Lite 5000 mAh | Xiaomi Mi 11 Lite 5G 4250 mAh | Samsung Galaxy A52 4500 mAh | Xiaomi Poco F3 4520 mAh | OnePlus Nord 2 5G 4500 mAh | Realme GT Master Edition 4300 mAh | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Battery Runtime | -23% | -12% | -17% | -10% | -25% | |
| Reader / Idle | 2163 | 1509 -30% | 2093 -3% | 1562 -28% | 1926 -11% | |
| H.264 | 1443 | 1248 -14% | 1027 -29% | 918 -36% | 1126 -22% | |
| WiFi v1.3 | 972 | 734 -24% | 836 -14% | 805 -17% | 958 -1% | 728 -25% |
| Load | 294 | 223 -24% | 289 -2% | 329 12% | 272 -7% |
Pros
Cons
Conclusion of the Motorola Edge 20 Lite
The Motorola Edge 20 Lite offers an appealing basis for a mid-range phone with its slim user interface including Ready-For features, 5G, very good endurance including fast charging times, and the 90 Hz OLED screen. The broad LTE coverage is also not a matter of course in this price range.
Although the Edge 20 Lite hardly differs from the flagship of the Edge 20 series in terms of technical specifications at times, our test does reveal some differences. We actually like the OLED panel for a mid-range smartphone, but the brightness level is not very pronounced. The 108 MP main camera as well as the 32 MP front-facing camera of the Lite variant should basically deliver similar results as the two cameras of the more expensive Edge 20 models. However, apart from the spec sheet, the color reproduction and also the sharpness in selfies are anything but comparable with the Pro model.
In view of the strong mid-range competition, the Edge 20 Lite will probably not have an easy time winning the favor of the price-conscious buyers with its current street price of 320 Euros (~$371).
If you are looking for an inexpensive 5G smartphone, you will find interesting alternatives, with an OLED screen and high refresh rate, in the Xiaomi Mi 11 Lite 5G and Poco F3.
Price and availability
Motorola Edge 20 Lite
- 08/30/2022 v7 (old)
Marcus Herbrich
Price comparison
