The OnePlus 9 has no clear advantages over the Motorola Edge (2021).
Key differences
Overall Camera Quality
5.2/10
7.0/10
The OnePlus 9 has good overall camera quality, while the Motorola Edge (2021) has poor overall camera quality.
The Motorola Edge (2021) received lower evaluations in areas such as photos software experience, dynamic range, low light performance, camera versatility, and selfie quality, compared to the OnePlus 9, leading to its poor camera performance. The OnePlus 9, on the other hand, shows a better balance across these aspects, resulting in a fair rating for its cameras.
Photo Quality
5.3/10
6.7/10
The OnePlus 9 takes only fair photos, while the Motorola Edge (2021) takes poor photos.
The Motorola Edge (2021) takes poor photos due to its overall subpar camera ratings in dynamic range, low light performance, and versatility, along with a specifically poor selfie quality. In contrast, the OnePlus 9 manages to take fair photos thanks to better ratings in the same categories and a good selfie score, despite sharing similar deficiencies in dynamic range and low light performance.
Video Quality
4.7/10
5.9/10
The OnePlus 9 and Motorola Edge (2021) both have poor videos, though the OnePlus 9 takes somewhat better videos.
The Motorola Edge (2021) has a lower rating in video resolution and framerate, stabilization, dynamic range, and low light performance compared to the OnePlus 9, which translates to poorer video quality overall. Additionally, both phones have relatively lower microphone quality, but these factors combined with the software experience make the video-taking capabilities of the OnePlus 9 fair, while the Motorola Edge (2021)'s are considered poor.
Battery
8.7 Hours
6.9 Hours
The Motorola Edge (2021) has 8.7 hours of battery life. The OnePlus 9 has 6.9 hours of battery life.
Cost
$165
$399
$100
$200
$300
$400
$500
$600
The Motorola Edge (2021) has a price of $165 and the OnePlus 9 costs $399.
"If you've overlooked Motorola's higher-end phones in the past, the Motorola Edge 5G UW does a very good job at trying to regain your attention. Improvements to the main camera impress. I'm also impressed by how quickly the phone recharges. It's the affordability that ultimately wins the day for the Motorola Edge. this phone offers enough premium features to put it at the forefront of midrange options."
"If you’re hunting for the best Android camera phone at this price, and one that doesn’t skimp on specs the OnePlus 9 is worth considering. Courtesy of a partnership with Hasselblad, the cameras offer better color correction, and both regular and ultra-wide photos look great. The OnePlus 9’s battery fully charges in under 30 minutes over a cable, and in 45 minutes using wireless charging. If you hate waiting for hours to charge your phone, you'll love the OnePlus 9."
Get a great deal on the Motorola Edge (2021) or the OnePlus 9
About Motorola
Motorola, a well-known name in the smartphone world, has a long-standing legacy in the industry, with a history dating back to the early days of mobile phones. The brand is mostly known for striking a balance between affordability and functionality, as well as providing a clean and straightforward interface with their software skin on top of Android. While they have traditionally been prominent in the budget and midrange categories, Motorola has also occasionally ventured into the high-end category for smartphones.
About OnePlus
OnePlus, established in 2013, is a smartphone brand that first became known for providing flagship-like devices, at a fraction of the cost compared to more expensive Android competitors. OnePlus focuses on creating smartphones with powerful hardware at reasonable prices. They also bring hardware features normally not seen in other Android phones sold in the US, such as their ultra-fast “Warp Charge” and the beloved “Alert Slider”.
This information was produced and vetted by the PerfectRec phones team. We are a product research and recommendation organization that meticulously reviews and evaluates the latest phone information and makes it digestible for you.
By the numbers
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Phones evaluated
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Proprietary Phones ratings developed
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About the phone team
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Joe is an entrepreneur and lifelong electronics enthusiast with a Ph.D in Economics from the University of Michigan.
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