Sometimes things don't turn out the way we thought. This happened with Motorola - because some saw the once mighty American brand slide down the smartphone hierarchy, although the Razr relaunch did allow the American brand to showcase its stake for the first time under Lenovo's umbrella.
Now, the Motorola Edge series intends to build on that momentum, showing that Motorola is still capable of building regular smartphones that can compete with flagship models from other manufacturers such as the OnePlus 8 or Huawei P40.
Rating
pros
- Excellent 90Hz display
- Long battery life
- Loud stereo speakers with good performance
- Very close to the standard Android interface
Cons
- Fast charging technology 18W
- Night shots
- Displaying curved edges adds no value
Motorola Edge release date and price
It looks like Motorola has returned to the flagship smartphone arena with the release of the Motorola Edge +. This high-end model has everything it takes to keep up with the likes of the Samsung Galaxy S20 Plus, Huawei P40 Pro, OnePlus 8 Pro and similar flagship phones. With the Motorola Edge, you get an attractively priced 5G smartphone that has the same chassis and display as its big brother the Edge +.
The Edge, which is currently only available from Motorola through their online store, is pretty attractive at € 599 ($ 656) and it's pretty much a full-fledged phone with decent specs under the hood.
Motorola Edge design and build quality
A glance at the Motorola Edge reveals the extremely elongated form factor. The Motorola Edge, which has a 19,5: 9 aspect ratio, can be considered the "nail" in the smartphone circle. Only Sony Xperia smartphones like the Xperia 5 have an even narrower 21: 9 aspect ratio.
In fact, narrow smartphones are more suitable for one-handed use simply because you don't have to reach that much. Unfortunately, the unusual display of the Motorola Edge smartphone negates this theoretical advantage. The Motorola Edge uses a display that runs very far along the edges of the smartphone. In the smartphone market, this display is often sold as the Waterfall Display. Apart from the Motorola Edge, the Huawei Mate 30 Pro is the only other phone that has a display that is similarly wide.
Such a display forces manufacturers to move the side buttons, which are usually for volume control, as well as the on / off switch. It is simply impossible to position it in the center of the frame, since this is where the edge display passes. The volume buttons and the on / off switch would have to be moved to the back of the smartphone to bring back memories of the LG G2 and LG G3. It will take a while to get used to the remapped buttons, although it will make it much more difficult to find protective covers for Motorola Edge.
The back of the Motorola Edge also has an interesting design that seems to go against the current trend. Despite the lack of a revolutionary design or layout change, let alone an outstanding color gamut, the cameras behind the Motorola Edge do not bulge or unbalance the device in an obvious way, unlike many other models on the market. Although there is a ring island around the lenses, it does not stick out like a sore thumb.
Motorola Edge display
When looking at the specifications of the Motorola Edge display, the most striking thing is that the OLED panel isn't all that special. The Huawei Mate 30 Pro is well known for its waterfall display. We've already seen 90Hz refresh rates appear on the OnePlus 7, Google Pixel 4 and others since last year. 2020 will see smartphones with 120Hz displays like the OnePlus 8 Pro or even the Samsung Galaxy S20 series.
However, the 6,7-inch OLED display with 1080 x 2340 pixels does not disappoint when it comes to brightness and features. However, to achieve maximum brightness, you must make sure that adaptive dimming is enabled.
Unfortunately, in everyday life, sometimes you have to deal with the accidental triggering of the sides of the waterfall. This means that from time to time an accidental trigger is triggered, and this usually happens when you reach the edge and your palm touches the edges. Motorola is aware of this issue and thankfully has offered the option to disable edges for compatible apps in the settings options.
The waterfall display really comes in handy when it comes to games like PUBG or Fortnite. Under these conditions, the two most commonly used on-screen controls can be mapped to the top edge of the display as shoulder buttons. This will ensure that you get more viewed properties that are not covered by your thumbs.
Motorola Edge Software
When it comes to software, Motorola Edge offers almost standard Android. Motorola Edge runs on its own Android skin with the addition of Moto Actions, which is a multitude of interactions with the phone through movement. These include karate to switch the flashlight, the swivel motion launches the camera app, while you can, among other things, take a screenshot with a three-finger gesture.
With sports personalization options, you can choose and customize colors and accent styles similar to OnePlus' Oxygen OS. You can also use the edges of Edge to personalize the look of Edge, where you can view incoming calls or alarms, notifications, and remaining battery level.
Since Motorola has decided to stick with the Qualcomm Snapdragon 765G chipset for the Motorola Edge (the G stands for Gaming), it's no surprise Gametime is part of the software. In Gametime, you can control various game settings and configuration options, such as assigning virtual shoulder buttons on the Motorola Edge.
While not entirely a surprise innovation, it is still a welcome addition for the Motorola Edge owner looking for a more complete mobile gaming experience.
Motorola Edge performance
For the first time, Motorola will include the Qualcomm 7-series chipset in one of its smartphones. Until now, this SoC has been mostly only available on phones from Chinese manufacturers like OPPO, Xiaomi, etc. However, in recent months, other smartphone makers like Nokia with Nokia 8.3 and LG with the recently launched Velvet seem to have liked the best midrange model. class from Qualcomm.
One reason may be the simple fact that this processor from Qualcomm's current lineup is the only one to have a built-in 5G modem. The bigger and more expensive sibling, the Snapdragon 865, comes with a ready-to-go radio with an additional modem chip at a much higher price point.
Hence, it makes more financial sense to settle for the Snapdragon 765G. While you won't be able to find the Motorola Edge on par with Snapdragon 865 phones in performance tests, the Motorola Edge will still perform well in day to day tasks, powered by the Snapdragon 765G chipset, 6GB LPDDR4X RAM, 128GB UFS 2.1 memory (expandable via microSD slot ).
Motorola Edge benchmark comparison
| Motorola edge | Realme X50 Pro 5G | Samsung Galaxy S20 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3D Mark Sling Shot Extreme ES 3.1 | 3023 | 7133 | 6187 |
| 3D Mark Sling Shot Volcano | 2801 | 6553 | 5285 |
| 3D Mark Sling Shot ES 3.0 | 4313 | 8806 | 7462 |
| Geekbench 5 (single / multi) | 754/1849 | 909/3378 | 896/2737 |
| PassMark Memory | 20770 | 26380 | 22045 |
| PassMark Disc | 66899 | 98991 | 36311 |
Motorola Edge Sound
If you're looking for a small portable ghetto blaster, you should definitely check out the Motorola Edge. Better yet, listen. From the outside, this small and thin multimedia box hardly looks impressive. Personally, I have not heard such loud speakers in a smartphone for a long time.
It's also great that Motorola has provided the Edge with a good old 3,5mm headphone jack that lets you listen to your favorite tunes from a carefully curated playlist on wired headphones without causing sound pollution nearby.
Motorola Edge Camera
As part of "performance" for its return to the premium smartphone segment, Motorola decided to pack the setup with four rear cameras and a ToF 3D camera. On the front is a 25MP Quad Pixel camera for high-resolution photography. Our photo and video expert took a close look at the Motorola Edge cameras and conducted his analysis from an expert's point of view:
Edge makes a big difference to Motorola. I was interested in the 64 megapixel camera, which Motorola had never included before. And the 1 / 1,72-inch Samsung Isocell Bright GW1 should also set all size records for this Lenovo product.
However, after the first few photos, disappointment crept in: even daytime shots seem a little dull and have low contrast. Although the latest software update (build number QPD30.70-28) added options such as HDR mode, it hasn't helped in any way.
Even with a high-resolution 64MP sensor, it doesn't see the Motorola Edge shine. On the contrary, it seemed that the opposite had happened. When viewed at maximum magnification, 16 megapixel images show slightly more detail. Hence, you are better off turning off the maximum pixel setting when taking photos.
However, this is not all gloomy. Photos from the three sensors appear to be fairly uniform in performance, with no significant differences in color reproduction. While the wide-angle module and main sensor deliver decently detailed reproduction, the telephoto lens unfortunately suffers from a significant drop in performance.
By the way, Motorola has decided to dispense with the special macro sensor found in the latest Moto G devices on the Edge. This is not a loss at all, as the ultra wide-angle module offers an extremely low close-up limit and actually provides very detailed macro photos.
The telephoto lens also has a secondary function: it is for taking portraits. This is a bit of a shame, however, because detail reproduction is not perfect even under optimal lighting conditions. Small details such as hair appear tangled when viewed at high magnification. However, there is also a positive aspect to this, as the background is neatly separated in addition to the successful bokeh effect.
Finally, the Motorola Edge handles well in low light conditions. Although image noise increases and detail decreases, quality remains adequate. A special night mode prolongs the exposure and processing times and gives a slight improvement to the final product. However, one should not expect such a qualitative leap as Huawei's long exposure.
Finally, on paper, the selfie camera looks promising. In theory, the quality is good. Background cropping is within acceptable standards and exposure is always optimized for the face as well. Avoid zooming in too much for selfies, as the shots you take are more suitable for Instagram and other social media rather than wide-format prints.
Overall, we can say that the Motorola Edge camera setup performed well on its report card. Motorola still has time to improve the quality with software updates. Even in ten days of our review, Motorola released a major firmware update and also updated the camera app once.
Motorola Edge Battery
Under the hood of the Motorola Edge is a 4500mAh battery. However, as we have often pointed out, battery capacity on paper is not entirely a decisive factor when it comes to the overall battery life of a smartphone. There are other factors to consider, including the types of components used, software optimization, and user behavior, which play an important role in overall battery life.
Human factors aside and let PCMark speak when it comes to the battery life test, the Motorola Edge achieves an incredible 17 hours and 11 minutes of continuous operation at 90Hz. The total battery life is increased to 19 hours 38 minutes at a refresh rate of 60 Hz.
In everyday life, and with the human factor in mind, which in this case is your honesty, Motorola Edge handles a busy day with ease. In the end, I can still see the battery life remaining at 35 percent despite using it at a 90Hz refresh rate.
If the battery is completely discharged, you should take some patience because the 18W TurboCharger takes 2 hours 33 minutes to charge the 4500mAh battery to full charge. This is where Motorola is lagging behind its competitors and there is still a lot of work to do.
Verdict
Sometimes it helps to get some rest. In Motorola's case, it seems like the rest of the premium and flagship smartphone market has brought a whole world of good to the company. Sure, there's nothing about the Motorola Edge that hasn't been found in other smartphones in its class before, but it's a solid foundation on which Motorola can evolve and grow from strength to strength.
Motorola Edge is aimed at users who primarily need a smartphone with good performance and long battery life. The fact that the camera is of average quality is something you can live with and hope that Motorola will try to improve its quality over time with subsequent software updates.
