Motorola pairs the Edge 70 Max’s massive 7,100mAh battery with fast wired charging and native Qi2.2 wireless support — all while keeping the price firmly in mid-range territory.
Motorola may have just claimed 2026’s biggest win: a battery and charging setup that no other phone can currently match.
The new Edge 70 Max launches today in the UK and Europe (unfortunately, the US misses out), boasting genuinely impressive battery specs. Better still, it stays just affordable enough to count as a mid-range phone, with a launch price of £700.
Here’s why it could be the most impressive phone of the year so far.
A battery capacity to (not) die for
Chief among them is a massive 7,100mAh silicon-carbon (Si-C) battery, dwarfing similarly priced rivals like the Galaxy S26 (4,300mAh) and Pixel 10 (4,970mAh). And with nothing suggesting the upcoming Pixel 11 series will close the gap, Motorola’s lead looks safe for now.
Motorola hasn’t made specific battery life claims, but going by the Oppo Find X9 Ultra’s similar 7,050mAh Si-C cell, most users should expect multi-day battery life. In short, battery anxiety may finally be a thing of the past.
Super-fast charging
Just as crucially, Motorola has matched that huge battery with rapid 90W charging. The company claims just six minutes on charge is enough for a full day’s “power” — though it’s unclear exactly what percentage that translates to.
the Edge 70 Max has the most complete battery and charging setup of any phone launched this year
There’s a catch, though: that estimate applies specifically to Motorola’s 90W ‘TurboPower’ charger, sold separately. It’s not currently available in the UK either, but the compatible 125W version will cost you £49.99 at the time of writing.
That said, even without hitting peak speeds, any genuine USB-C fast charger should still keep top-up times well short of hours, despite the battery’s size.
Built-in Qi2 – finally!
Yet the huge battery and rapid charging aren’t even the standout feature. Motorola has joined a small group of Android manufacturers building Qi2 magnets directly into the phone’s back — Qi2.2, specifically. This not only enables wireless charging at up to 25W, but also opens up compatibility with a broad range of magnetic accessories, including those built for Pixelsnap on the Pixel 10 series and MagSafe on iPhones.
Having the magnets built in is a major advantage over most 2026 flagships — including the entire Galaxy S26 lineup — which still rely on cases to get Qi2 support.
That makes the Edge 70 Max the most complete battery-and-charging package of any phone launched this year. And the good news doesn’t end there.
Impressive specs elsewhere
In an era of rising prices and underwhelming upgrades, how has Motorola packed in these standout battery specs while keeping the price mid-range? Largely through smart compromises, at least on paper.
Instead of the flagship Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5, the Edge 70 Max uses the standard Snapdragon 8 Gen 5. It’s still a highly capable chipset — our OnePlus 15R review specifically praised its strong performance.
The generous 6.82-inch AMOLED display outresolves both the Galaxy S26 and Pixel 10, and it keeps a glass back too — though that pushes the weight up to a substantial 221g.
Durability is also a strength, with a combined IP68 and IP69 rating for water and dust resistance, alongside military-grade MIL-STD-810H compliance.
Cameras look to be the obvious trade-off, with a 50Mp main rear lens joined by just an 8Mp ultrawide, meaning no telephoto. If you’re looking for images that compare to the best camera phones on the market, this probably isn’t for you.
Also, while the Edge 70 Max runs Motorola’s slick and mostly bloat-free software, it’ll only get three major Android OS upgrades and five years of security patches. With the device running Android 16 out of the box rather than Android 17, that means Android 19 will be its last.
The best phone of 2026?
Despite its mid-range price point, the Edge 70 Max could be the most impressive handset of the year so far. It addresses an incredibly common pain point of modern phones – sub-par battery life – combining it with superb charging speeds and the flexibility of Qi2.
Crucially, there don’t appear to be any dealbreakers elsewhere, with a very capable chipset, high-spec display and class-leading durability.
If you’re looking for images that compare to the best camera phones on the market, this probably isn’t for you
If you’re willing to compromise on top-tier photography and long-term Android feature updates, the Edge 70 Max looks like it ticks every box. Emphasis on “looks like,” though — as always, the real verdict awaits full testing.
The Edge 70 Max is available now via the Motorola UK website, priced at £700. A current launch offer throws in a pair of Moto Buds Loop earbuds and a 65W charger — though the latter falls short of what’s needed to unlock the full 90W charging speed.
