Motorola edge 50 pro smartphone review

In a general sense, modern smartphones, even from different manufacturers, are quite similar to each other. And this is normal, because any industry has its own standards formed by time and experience. However, this does not mean that no one experiments with the design or other features of their products. Motorola has been experimenting with design and materials as it has in the past. And this interesting trend continues even now, albeit with a different brand owner. So today we’ll see what else motorola edge 50 pro, an almost top-of-the-line model, has to offer, along with its interesting appearance.

Specifications of motorola edge 50 pro

Package contents

Unlike the flagships of other brands, the approach to bundling a smartphone is more serious. With edge 50 pro, you will find a powerful power supply with a separate cable, a protective case, and a SIM card access pin in the box. Moreover, the manufacturer has not abandoned its recent packaging “upgrade” and continues to add some perfume to the box.

Actually, the only thing that can be added is display protection. The manufacturer provided everything else right away. There is, of course, a small issue with the case, but we’ll come back to it. Also, the already standard set of other accessories (induction stations, TWS headphones, smartwatches, etc.) remains at the user’s discretion.

Design and usability

Motorola puts a lot of emphasis on the design of its flagship line. And this is indeed one of the strongest features of the new models. Yes, the edge 50 pro, like the others, does not have anything fundamentally new in the global sense. However, based on the combination of design elements, we can say that the device turned out to be surprisingly successful, and the color option that came to us for review is definitely much more noticeable than most competitors.

The front panel has a significant rounding of the side edges, which in turn reduces the bezels. But a much more noticeable accent is made on the back side, which in our case, Moonlight Pearl, has a “pearlescent” pattern. And even though the panel is made of plastic (which the manufacturer called “pearl polymer”), it won’t spoil the overall impression. And for those buyers who are more interested in Luxe Lavender or Black Beauty colors, the designers have prepared a cover made of artificial (“vegan”) leather. But in all cases, the case has an aluminum frame.

Additionally, the rounded side edges visually reduce the dimensions of the case, which are not that small: 161.23 × 72.4 × 8.19 mm, weight – 186 grams. The bundled case does not cover the entire case, leaving significant cutouts on the sides. Thus, there is almost no protection against side impacts, but it will still be more convenient to use the device with such display bends and a similar case.

At the same time, the case will traditionally help to level out the protrusion of the camera block a little, and thus the smartphone will be less unbalanced on a flat surface when tapping on the screen. They also tried to make the block itself visually smaller, with a smooth “transition” to the entire panel. This solution is not new either, but, in my opinion, it’s a good one. The lid looks neater than with two (or even more) “steps”, and the cameras do not resemble the shape of a pedestal.

As for the working elements, the manufacturer has not prepared any surprises. The buttons, speakers, charging port, and so on are standard for many Android smartphones. There are no unnecessary questions or doubts about the build quality either. Moreover, the smartphone provides protection against water and dust according to the IP68 standard (although, again, the small text on the product page will remind you that the device is not completely waterproof, and all cases beyond the scope of the warranty will not be covered).

For those users who didn’t like smartphones with rounded displays before, the motorola edge 50 pro won’t quite work for them either. But for everyone else, it should still be comfortable. The “pearlescent” design of the back panel will add originality, and the faux leather options are no less interesting and pleasant. The more expensive version of the edge 50 ultra will offer an option with a wooden back, which personally reminded me of the Moto X Style, which was made using bamboo. So yes, motorola is returning to old experiments, which, in my opinion, brings interesting results and adds variety.

Display

You can treat the side curves of the screen in different ways, but this is objectively not the most convenient solution. And it will be more difficult to find the right protective coating for it, and you will also have to adapt to its use as little as possible, because under certain conditions, accidental triggering may occur. Nevertheless, a device with such a display looks really nice, and neat users will like this option. Also, the rounded edges can additionally highlight notifications.

At the same time, the matrix will not disappoint. With a diagonal of 6.7 inches, the screen has a resolution of 2712×1220 pixels (446 PPI) and an aspect ratio of 20:9. Moreover, the refresh rate is 144 Hz, and the sensor is polled at 360 Hz. Not every one of these features will be necessary for all users, but they will not worsen the user experience in any way, and even vice versa.

The color reproduction of the pOLED matrix is also quite good. There are three color profiles – Natural, Radiant and Vivid. The color gamut corresponds to the names, and only the last one has a colder temperature than normal. At the same time, all of them allow you to adjust it depending on the user’s preferences. And in all cases, the image is very good.

Measurements of the Natural profile:

Measurements of the Radiant profile:

Measurements of the Vivid profile:

And to further improve the user experience, the sensor is capable of increasing the backlight to a maximum value of 2,000 cd/m², which was only available in much more expensive models not long ago. But such a bright image is only used in bright sunlight or when playing HDR content, and indoors the colorimeter showed a range between 2.6 and 528 cd/m². There were no problems with automatic brightness adjustment.

What’s a bit surprising is that this model doesn’t have the Always-On Display feature. A tap on the locked screen or lifting the smartphone from the ground turns it on. But it’s still a bit off. And if we were talking about a cheaper model, this would not be surprising, but in the flagship line, I would still like to get this functionality.

Security

Like most other Android smartphones, the motorola edge 50 pro can be quickly unlocked in two ways. The first is face scanning. This is done only by the front-facing camera, which needs sufficient lighting and no interference such as large glasses to work correctly. Under such conditions, it is able to recognize the owner of the smartphone well.

The fingerprint sensor is more reliable. Predictably, this smartphone has an optical sensor. It’s conveniently located near the bottom edge of the display, and the memory can hold up to five fingerprints. There were no problems with triggering during testing.

Again, by combining both unlocking methods, you can do without entering passwords (except for the occasional requirement of the system and individual applications).

Sound

Smartphones of this level should already provide stereo sound. Motorola edge 50 pro has this feature. But the main speaker is noticeably more powerful than the earpiece speaker, so there is still more sound on one side (which can be additionally “corrected” with your palms). However, you can watch a video or play games in a quiet room with comfort. The sound quality does not reach the level of leaders, but at the same time it is not the worst on the market. That is, the sound of the speakers is quite consistent with the price.

On the other hand, even with the small opening and moderate volume, the earpiece speaker is suitable for making phone calls on the street. Sometimes I would like to add more volume, but in general, you can hear everything. The noise reduction system works almost perfectly, but the microphones transmit the voice slightly distorted (the user can be recognized, but the voice quality is not up to par).

To use headphones, you will need wireless options, or options with an adapter or USB-C. Considering the number of wireless headphones models, the absence of a classic port will not be a problem. And this is in case the buyer still hasn’t managed to update the headphones.

Performance and software

The edge 50 smartphones have different processors. The mid-range model has a 4-nanometer Qualcomm Snapdragon 7 of the third generation with an Adreno 720 video accelerator. That is, there is no flagship performance, but no serious drawbacks are expected. Moreover, with such a chip, it is easier for a smartphone to save more battery power. So, in the absence of very demanding tasks, the user will not have any questions about battery life.

The manufacturer provides memory configurations from 8/128 to 12/512 GB. The RAM is LPDDR4X, and the drive is UFS 2.2C. In case you need to increase the RAM capacity, there is a RAM boost function that will allow you to allocate some storage space for operational tasks. And there are options from 4 to 12 additional GB. There is no possibility to add permanent memory, but owners of “older” models are unlikely to need it.

At the same time, the smartphone supports 5G networks (two slots for physical cards and eSIM), Wi-Fi 6E, NFC, Bluetooth 5.4, and has support for several navigation systems. All in all, the device has everything you need for today.

And the performance is really good. Normal everyday tasks, such as browsing, working with social media applications, navigation, etc., are absolutely no problem. Even games are fine. Perhaps not everything happens instantly, for example, photo post-processing has a slight delay of a second or two, but there is no discomfort at all. Of course, Motorola edge 50 pro will not be the fastest smartphone, and even in this price category you can still find more powerful processors. However, its capabilities will definitely be enough for the vast majority of buyers.

In addition, it is worth adding high stability of operation. Synthetic tests did show that there is a certain loss of performance and heating over time. However, in practice, the user will not feel this. Therefore, the user will hardly feel any problems with stability, even during games or other demanding tasks.

Another nice bonus is the almost pure Android 14. There are also some proprietary additions, and in the settings you can find additional side illumination for notifications, standard motorola gestures, and more. But at the same time, the new system is not cluttered with a lot of unnecessary applications, and most importantly, it works quickly and correctly.

Cameras

Recently, more and more mid-range smartphones are starting to get telephoto cameras rather than macro or separate sensors for measuring the depth of portrait photos. And this is not something new for motorola smartphones either. But these sensors are being worked on, so their capabilities are improving every year. Among the available sensors, motorola edge 50 pro has:

• main wide-angle with 50 MP, 25 mm, ƒ/1,4, OIS, PDAF;
• ultra-wide-angle – 13 MP, 16 mm, ƒ/2,2, 120°;
• telephoto – 10 MP, 67 mm, ƒ/2.0, OIS with 3x optical zoom.

What’s more, the ultra-wide-angle sensor is also capable of focusing almost close to the subject, which also adds macro capability without the need for a separate sensor for that functionality. But we’ll come back to that later, and let’s start with the features one by one.

Predictably, the main camera produces 12-megapixel images out of its 50 megapixel capacity, and post-processing takes care of the rest. During the day, the camera manages to take good pictures with enough light and neatly defined shadows. But it adds saturation, which is less than in the real world. This is not a problem, but rather a feature.

Video recording has a 4K resolution option, but downgrading to Full HD will still improve stabilization. This still won’t be the camera’s strong point, because OIS is noticeable in the recording, and the image is overexposed.

In some night scenes with Night Vision mode, the picture may look unnatural, where the system maximizes the lack of lighting and also over-colors the scene. In such cases, you will have to experiment with the normal mode, or later correct the finished image yourself. But this does not always happen, and in the opposite cases, the photos are pleasant.

Photos taken with the ultra-wide-angle camera during the day are only worse at drawing shadows. And even with a much lower resolution, they still retain good detail. In addition, good lens correction is gentle with the edges of photos. 

Video recording with this sensor is similar to the main sensor. The stabilization work remains noticeable, and the light parts of the image are overexposed. So the camera is still more sensitive to recording conditions than we would like.

The Night Vision mode of this sensor is not yet working well. It’s hard to explain why most of the smartphone photos failed, but it’s most likely the software. Moreover, photos look better on a smartphone screen than on larger monitors. But those photos that were spared the dominance of artifacts are still relatively good. So if this is really a software flaw that will be fixed with updates, you can count on this sensor in the evening.

And as a bonus, the ultra-wide-angle camera has been given macro functionality. This is probably not the most necessary thing, but the sensor focuses at a shorter distance than many competitors. It also takes photos quite well, although it may take a couple of attempts to get the best focus.

The third camera proved to be a great asset. Optical zoom paired with processing algorithms will help you get the right shot during the day. Yes, the grass is also greener than it should be, but many users prefer these features to more natural color reproduction.

At night, this camera operates instead of passing the buck to the main sensor. And in general, it does a good job. In some conditions, it is worth correcting the white balance a little, but this is often the case with smartphone cameras at night.

The front-facing camera has a hefty 50 megapixel resolution and also combines the two to enhance photos. With an aperture of ƒ/1.9, different lighting conditions shouldn’t be a problem. At the same time, the camera will provide a wide angle for group shots and a good portrait mode.

The camera app is also fine. The interface is simple and straightforward, everything works quickly, all the necessary modes are at hand… Delays occur only with the night mode, but this is a common feature of many smartphones.

Battery life

The Motorola edge 50 pro did not get an extra-large battery (4,500 mAh). However, given the non-flagship processor and the lack of Always-On Display, the battery savings seem to be greater than it might seem. In the PCMark battery test, the device lasted almost 10 and a half hours (remember that it discharges the smartphone up to 20%, so the potential is greater). And in everyday use, without any restrictions on my work, I always had a good charge reserve, which only once dropped below 40% after a day of various activities. In addition, the device loses much less power in standby mode than other guests of our editorial office.

Since the trend of minimizing the equipment has not affected the Motorola edge 50 pro, the smartphone comes with a powerful power supply – TurboPower. Really powerful – 125 watts. With it, you can fully charge the battery in just half an hour. For convenience, induction charging is also supported, and it is also fast, with a power of 50 watts. And if you need to share the battery with another device, there is support for 10-watt reverse charging.