Motorola Edge 50 Ultra Review: Sleek Flagship Phone

At a look

Skilled’s Ranking

Execs

Interesting designStrong digicam systemRapid chargingClean software program

Cons

Common battery lifeBloatware beginning to encroachPerformance could possibly be higher

Our Verdict

Motorola has produced a aggressive flagship cellphone with a stellar design, sturdy digicam, speedy charging, and fantastically clear software program. There are some slight drawbacks with efficiency and battery life, and it’s technically dearer than its predecessor, however that is in any other case a powerful different to the same old flagship crowd.

Brick by stylishly curved brick, Motorola has rebuilt its repute for making prime quality and fascinating flagship telephones.

2023’s Motorola Edge 40 Professional may not have been one of many absolute best telephones in its class, nevertheless it nonetheless made an impression with its interesting design, speedy show, and powerful efficiency.

This 12 months brings the Motorola Edge 50 Extremely, which faces raised expectations due to a extra formidable identify (Extremely > Professional, proper?) and a £50 value bump within the UK. Motorola hopes to justify this escalation with a sharper show, a extra superior digicam, and an excellent sleeker design.

With this kind of spec and price ticket, it’s taking up some formidable opposition. Maybe probably the most direct rival is the OnePlus 12, however you might additionally throw the iPhone 15 Plus into the combo. That’s some stiff opposition.

Design & Construct

Vegan leather-based or wood end

Gorilla Glass Victus

IP68 rated

In a considerably staid smartphone area, Motorola no less than appears to be prepared to attempt one thing completely different. Whereas its curvaceous design language is nothing significantly new, the supply of an precise wood end choice (known as Nordic Wooden) is one thing you don’t see every single day.

Sadly this wasn’t the mannequin I obtained to check, so I can’t touch upon the way it seems or feels. The mannequin I did obtain has its personal stealthy appeal, with a Forest Gray vegan leather-based end that lends texture and grip. The brighter Peach Fuzz choice additionally comes on this identical materials.

Jon Mundy / Foundry

Mixed with a sandblasted aluminium body and Corning Gorilla Glass Victus on the entrance, it additionally signifies that the Edge 50 Extremely is a deceptively powerful cellphone. An unintentional drop from about 1.5 metres onto a wood ground didn’t a lot as depart a dint on the machine.

This robustness comes despite the truth that the Extremely nonetheless packs a dual-curved show, which is inherently extra uncovered and weak. IP68 certification means it’s as waterproof as they arrive, too.

The Edge 50 Extremely is a deceptively powerful cellphone

At 8.6mm, the Extremely isn’t as skinny because the Edge 50 Professional, and it’s additionally heavier at 197g. Even so, it stays the precise facet of cumbersome, and I discovered it completely nice to wield everyday.

Jon Mundy / Foundry

Show

Sharp ‘1.5K’ 144Hz pOLED

6.7-inch

Clear stereo audio system

The Motorola Edge 50 Extremely’s show packs broadly related specs to the Edge 50 Professional, in that it’s a 6.7in LTPS pOLED with a refresh price that goes as much as 144Hz.

It’s the latter that makes it stand out from its rivals on paper, which are likely to prime out at 120Hz, nevertheless it really falls slightly in need of the Edge 40 Professional‘s 165Hz show. Not that it actually issues – 120Hz is a lot, and any uptick past that’s difficult to select up on.

Jon Mundy / Foundry

Just like the Edge 50 Professional, you get an enhanced 2712 x 1220 or 1.5K decision, which is slightly sharper than your typical FHD+ panels with out scaling the heights of the OnePlus 12‘s QHD+. For me, the show is the candy spot for me between decision, color accuracy and refresh price, however others will understandably really feel that the sharper the higher.

The important thing distinction between the Professional and Extremely fashions is one in all brightness, with the Edge 50 Extremely attending to 2500 nits (vs 2000 nits) in peak circumstances. That could be so, however turning auto-brightness off yielded a measurement of simply 332 nits, which is means dimmer than the Professional mannequin, and most different flagship telephones for that matter. With auto-brightness energetic, nonetheless, I noticed a prime brightness of round 1250 nits when positioned underneath vibrant lights.

For me, the show is the candy spot for me between decision, color accuracy and refresh price

HDR10+ is supported, and that is additionally described because the world’s first smartphone with a ‘Pantone Validated’ show. This manifests itself in strong color accuracy, with an sRGB gamut protection of 97.5% and a median Delta E of 1.29 when converted to the Pure color mode. Considerably awkwardly, that is really inferior to the outcomes I obtained with the Edge 50 Professional, and it falls in need of the easiest available on the market. It’s nonetheless sturdy on this regard, nonetheless.

Jon Mundy / Foundry

I’m happy to notice that I didn’t expertise the identical false press points with the Extremely’s curved show as I did with the Professional, doubtless due to that barely thicker body. It meant that my holding hand didn’t contact the edges of the display a lot whereas working the cellphone one-handed.

Basically phrases, the Motorola Edge 50 Extremely display is sweet, nevertheless it falls in need of the OnePlus 12 display in measurement, brightness, sharpness, and color accuracy.

With regards to audio, Motorola has equipped a pair of Dolby Atmos-tuned stereo audio system that may produce pleasingly clear and nuanced stereo sound.

Specs & Efficiency

Snapdragon 8s Gen 3

15GB LPDDR5X RAM

1TB storage

Motorola has made an attention-grabbing alternative with the Edge 50 Extremely’s processor. Whereas it has moved to the most recent technology of Qualcomm’s chip household, it has opted for the Snapdragon 8s Gen 3 reasonably than the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3.

This chip affords a broadly related degree of efficiency, nevertheless it’s undoubtedly a step down, with a barely decrease clock velocity for its quick core and an inferior configuration for the remainder of its cores.

Much more notable is the truth that the Snapdragon 8s Gen 3’s GPU is a slight step down from final 12 months’s Snapdragon 8 Gen 2, not to mention the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3. Because of this the Motorola Edge 50 Extremely is technically inferior to the Motorola Edge 40 Professional relating to graphical efficiency.

Jon Mundy / Foundry

Positive sufficient, the Edge 50 Extremely pulls up in need of the Edge 40 Professional in our GPU benchmark exams – although it needs to be famous that the Extremely is working a sharper and thus extra resource-intensive show. Certainly, it broadly ties with the OnePlus 12 in a number of of our GPU benchmarks, which is a rival cellphone that has its Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 offset by an excellent sharper QHD+ display.

Comparisons apart, the precise sensible expertise of utilizing the Motorola Edge 50 Extremely is great. I didn’t decide up on any trace of lag or stutter while multitasking, the digicam app boots up rapidly, and 3D video games run fluidly on maxed out settings. I did discover that cellphone heated up reasonably rapidly when enjoying such superior video games, nonetheless.

The cellphone’s efficiency is aided by a vastly beneficiant 16GB of speedy LPDDR5X RAM, which is a reasonably notable inclusion even in an £850 cellphone. Speaking of unusually capacious reminiscence, Motorola has laid on 1TB of inside storage as customary.,

Cameras

Principal 50Mp f/1.6 sensor

50Mp ultra-wide

64Mp 3x telephoto

50Mp selfie cam

Motorola seems to have place a number of sources into enhancing its digicam system – the triple rear cameras on the Edge 50 Extremely genuinely impressed me. The primary sensor is a big 1/1.3″ OmniVision OV50H, which is identical sensor that wowed us within the Honor Magic 6 Professional.

Right here, aided by speedy multi-directional PDAF and OIS, it’s able to capturing wealthy photographs with ample readability and depth. Its f/1.6 aperture may not be as massive because the Honor’s f/1.4, nevertheless it nonetheless lets loads of mild in and creates a pleasant pure depth of area impact on close-up topics.

Like the remainder of the Edge 50 household, there are two predominant taking pictures modes straight out of the gate. The default mode is Pure, which shoots in a daily vogue, whereas Auto-enhance (AE) applies Google-like picture processing.

The latter ends in bolder, brighter photographs, and there’s little discernible lag by means of a commerce off both. It may possibly turn out to be useful while you’re taking pictures in significantly difficult eventualities, resembling in low-lit indoors environments with vibrant daylight within the background, by which case AE will increase the lighting of your topic on the expense of a barely overexposed background.

The triple rear cameras on the Edge 50 Extremely genuinely impressed me

Nonetheless, AE photographs undoubtedly tackle a barely synthetic look in comparison with the default Pure mode, with notably boosted colors. It’s largely a matter of choice, although I did respect the increase it gave to the marginally extra restricted ultra-wide and selfie cameras. AE is energetic within the left-hand selfie beneath.

There’s good and unhealthy information relating to night time photographs. Taking pictures facet by facet with the iPhone 15 Professional and the Pixel 8, it broadly held its personal with the Pixel and wasn’t disgraced by the iPhone. In reality, in a single explicit shot, it was the one one of many three to correctly seize the ‘Texaco’ signal on a storage.

One factor that lets the Motorola’s low mild prowess down, nonetheless, is its tendency to seize a distracting quantity of sunshine flare from brighter components. I used to be typically capable of reframe barely to compensate, however that’s not one thing you’re at all times going to be prepared or capable of do.

The opposite cameras don’t let the facet down right here, with the 64Mp 3x particularly capturing first rate zoomed photographs. Even at 6x, I used to be left impressed with the extent of element and dynamic vary, and the color tone was broadly in step with the primary sensor.

A 50Mp ultra-wide completes the rear set-up, and it’s the weakest of the three, however nonetheless manages to keep up a constant color tone.

Motorola seems to be utilizing the identical sensor for the selfie digicam, which produces sturdy, detailed photographs in a large or barely zoomed in capability – the latter by way of cropping. Autofocus is a welcome provision right here, locking onto the topic and serving to them/you to pop towards the background.

Jon Mundy / Foundry

Battery Life & Charging

4500mAh battery slightly small

Tremendous-fast 125W charger included

50W wi-fi charging

The Motorola Edge 50 Extremely has a considerably undersized 4500mAh battery working the present. That’s the identical measurement because the Edge 50 Professional, however slightly smaller than its predecessor.

With a PCMark Work 3.0 battery check rating of 10 hours 5 minutes, the Motorola Edge 50 Extremely lasted round half an hour longer than the Edge 50 Professional, however falls about 50 minutes in need of final 12 months’s Edge 40 Professional. When it comes to modern flagships, it’s positively in direction of the underside of the pack, albeit nonetheless forward of the Pixel 8 Professional by round half-hour.

Basically phrases, I discovered that I used to be capable of get by way of a 16 hour day of average utilization, with the show ramped as much as both a set 144Hz or 120Hz, and be left with round 40 to 45%. On a few extra intensive days with a few hour of Slay the Spire being performed, that will drop to 30 to 35%.

Jon Mundy / Foundry

That’s a strong consequence reasonably than a spectacular one, as the very best full-sized flagships are typically good for 50% or extra on the finish of a daily day.

Whereas battery life is nothing to write down house about right here, Motorola’s charging provision most definitely is. It bundles in a 125W charger which – with quick charging switched on within the Settings menu – acquired me from empty to 91% in simply quarter-hour. A full cost took me simply 18 minutes.

Whereas battery life is nothing to write down house about right here, Motorola’s charging provision most definitely is

You additionally get assist for 50W wi-fi charging, supplied you might have the suitable accent, in addition to 10W reverse wi-fi charging – although given the cellphone’s unspectacular stamina, I wouldn’t suggest doing rather more than a fast prime up of some earphones.

Software program

Clear Android 14 UI

Intelligent Motorola enhancements

3 OS updates, 4 years safety updates

Motorola doesn’t mess with Android 14 an excessive amount of, which is why it’s among the finest variations within the enterprise. The menus, icons, and notification screens are all very a lot as Google supposed them to be.

The place Motorola goes off script, it does so with sound judgement. Most of its enhancements are neatly rounded up within the Moto app, which affords common ideas and entry to customized wallpapers.

Motorola’s Gestures system will also be discovered right here, which helps you to do issues like opening the digicam app with a double twist of the handset, or the torch with a double chop movement.

Jon Mundy / Foundry

You too can handle the Edge 50 Professional’s Edge lights system, which sees these curved display edges put to make use of with notifications should you’re a screen-down form of particular person. Media settings will also be discovered right here.

I’m undecided why Motorola hasn’t featured an All the time-on show choice right here, nevertheless it may need one thing to do with that smaller battery mixed with the elevated refresh price. As somebody who makes use of both a Pixel 8 or an iPhone 15 Professional – each of which have even smaller batteries than the Motorola Edge 50 Extremely – in between opinions, it’s a function that was sorely missed.

Motorola doesn’t mess with Android 14 an excessive amount of, which is why it’s among the finest variations within the enterprise

Sadly, the Edge 50 Extremely hasn’t been exempted from the bloatware that has began to encroach on the sequence. The Opera browser is pre-installed and prominently positioned, regardless of the presence of Chrome. TikTok, Fb, LinkedIn, and Reserving.com are 4 extra unwelcome third-party app inclusions.

Jon Mundy / Foundry

Did I ask for the Bingo Blitz, Block Blast, and Woodoku video games to be preinstalled? I can’t say I’d even heard of them earlier than booting up a Motorola Edge 50 cellphone, however right here they’re nonetheless.

Motorola has improved its software program assist promise from the Edge 40 vary, providing the assure of three main OS upgrades and 4 years of safety patches. That falls effectively in need of Samsung and Google’s seven-year flagship promise, nevertheless it’s about par for the course in 2024.

Worth & Availability

The Motorola Edge 50 Extremely prices £849.99 while you purchase it direct from the Motorola web site. The corporate is providing a free set of Moto Buds+ (value £129.99) on the time of writing.

Amazon isn’t providing up any free earphones with the Extremely, however it’s presently promoting the cellphone at a barely discounted £829.

The Edge 50 Extremely isn’t accessible on contract within the UK, so that you’ll have to purchase it outright and pair with a SIM-only deal. Use the widget beneath to search out an choice that fits you:

That RRP positions the Motorola Edge 50 Extremely straight towards some fairly sizzling opposition, together with the OnePlus 12 (£849) and the iPhone 15 Plus (£899).

These are the 2 apparent full-sized flagship rivals occupying an analogous space of the market. In any other case you’re taking a look at compact flagships just like the Samsung Galaxy S24 (from £859) and the Xiaomi 14 (£849).

Maybe extra problematic than any of these is the Google Pixel 8 Professional. Whereas it has a £999 RRP, it has been available on the market slightly longer than a number of the different telephones on this round-up, so can routinely be had for a whole bunch much less.

The Motorola Edge 50 Extremely doesn’t seem like heading for the US, the place the Motorola Edge 2024 appears to be nearer to the mid-range Motorola Edge 50 Professional. It’s a disgrace, as it might have been a welcome different to the same old Samsung, Apple, and Google crowd.

Do you have to purchase the Motorola Edge 50 Extremely?

The Motorola Edge 50 is one other completed flagship cellphone from the resurgent model, although it’s not an enormous improve over the Motorola Edge 40 Professional earlier than it, regardless of costing £50 extra.

Its design is smooth but strong, whereas its 1.5K 144Hz pOLED show is interesting, if not best-in-class. The selection to go along with a contemporary however barely lower than prime tier processor is an attention-grabbing one, providing a silky expertise however barely inferior graphical efficiency.

The selection of a smaller battery looks as if an even bigger mistake right here, and you may get higher stamina from rival handsets. With that stated, Motorola’s provision of a speedy 125W charger and 50W wi-fi charging is among the greatest round.

That is additionally the very best digicam system that Motorola has ever put collectively, with a triple set-up that may take nice photographs in all lighting circumstances – albeit with some troublesome mild flare in Evening mode. In the meantime, Motorola’s software program continues to be among the finest within the enterprise.