Motorola Edge 50 Pro Review: Classy Customer

At a look

Professional’s Ranking

Professionals

Glorious display qualitySleek, tactile designSuper quick wired and wi-fi chargingUser-friendly software program expertise

Cons

Curved display false inputsMiddling secondary camerasLonger software program assist accessible elsewhere

Our Verdict

Whether or not it deserves the Professional designation or not (it in all probability doesn’t), the Motorola Edge 50 Professional is among the most aesthetically pleasing mid-range telephones available on the market, whereas its show, software program, and charging provisions are among the many finest. You will get higher cameras, efficiency, and battery life for the cash if these are essential to you.

Value When Reviewed

Not accessible in US

For the longest time, Motorola was finest recognized for its low-cost and cheerful Moto G telephones, however the Lenovo-owned model has been quietly making a reputation for itself a bit additional up the pricing scale of late.

The Motorola Edge 50 Professional is one other instance of a cultured mid-ranger with a few flagship-level options. Even so, it won’t be fairly what you’re anticipating.

Motorola has had a little bit of a rethink concerning the positioning of its three smartphone choices in 2024. The Motorola Edge 50 Professional isn’t really a direct follow-on from the flagship Motorola Edge 40 Professional from 2023, however reasonably is way nearer in worth and spec to the mid-range Motorola Edge 40.

For £599 you’re getting a handsome telephone with a fantastic show, fast charging, crisp software program, and a correct triple digital camera set-up. In fact, this isn’t the one ‘premium mid-range’ smartphone available on the market… however is it the very best?

Motorola is now firmly within the enterprise of constructing elegant telephones accessible at cheap mid-market costs

Check out the handsets the Edge 50 Professional should compete with in our greatest mid-range telephone chart.

Design & Construct

Vegan leather-based again

Slim and light-weight

IP68 rated

As has change into a signature function of the Edge sequence, the Motorola Edge 50 Professional seems to be and feels pleasant.

It has that just-so really feel within the hand, partly right down to a thickness of 8.19mm and a weight of 186g. It’s in that Goldilocks zone the place it feels substantial however not unwieldy.

One other issue within the telephone’s nice really feel is its vegan leather-based again. Its pronounced texture lends grip, resists greasy marks (not less than on my Luxe Lavendar mannequin), and feels heat and welcoming. It’s also possible to choose the telephone up in Black Magnificence and Moonlight Pearl, the latter of which switches the rear materials to a extra conventional type of plastic.

as water and mud resistant as many a £1,000-plus flagship

Jon Mundy / Foundry

No matter end you go for, the digital camera module steadily melts into the physique reasonably than standing out like Desk Mountain – much like the Samsung Galaxy A53 – which is an strategy I can get behind. You additionally get a sandblasted aluminium body, which is suitably premium.

The sense of high quality continues with an IP68 score, which makes the Motorola Edge 50 Professional as water and mud resistant as many a £1,000-plus flagship.

One other distinguished design function is the telephone’s dual-curved show. I’ll talk about the sensible repercussions of this within the subsequent part, nevertheless it undoubtedly seems to be the half not less than.

Jon Mundy / Foundry

Display screen & Audio system

Sharp ‘1.5K’ 144Hz pOLED

6.7-inch

Clear stereo audio system

Motorola has been going the additional mile with its Edge shows for some time now, and the Motorola Edge 50 Professional continues the nice work. It’s a big, vibrant 6.7in LTPS pOLED panel with a variable refresh fee.

You’ll be able to depart it to routinely regulate the refresh fee by default, or else manually select between 60-, 120-, and 144Hz. I cranked it proper as much as the max for the check interval, as is the Tech Advisor means, however as at all times Motorola has in all probability gone a bit OTT with that 144Hz determine – 120Hz is loads. Players will profit from a 360Hz most contact fee, which ought to guarantee responsive efficiency in fast-paced video games.

Motorola has improved the Edge 50 Professional display in two predominant areas. For one factor, it packs a sharper 2712 x 1220 decision, which many would name ‘1.5K’. This affords a pleasant steadiness between FHD+ and QHD+ (aka 2K), leading to good crisp textual content and well-defined picture previews.

The opposite enchancment pertains to color accuracy

Jon Mundy / Foundry

The opposite enchancment pertains to color accuracy. Motorola is making an enormous deal out of its ‘Pantone Validated color’, which feels like a gimmick, and it’d effectively be. All I can attest to are the details and figures, which embrace an sRGB gamut protection of 99.5% and a median Delta E of 0.64. That’s distinctive.

True, you’ll want to change away from the default Vivid color scheme and choose the Pure different with the intention to hit these extra correct figures, however that’s the case with just about each Android telephone I’ve ever examined.

Brightness is stable too, with a claimed peak brightness of 2000 nits in HDR eventualities (there’s assist for HDR10+). With autobrightness turned off, I recorded a most brightness of round 472 nits, which is respectable.

Jon Mundy / Foundry

My one criticism of the Motorola Edge 50 Professional display is a well-known one. The selection to make use of a dual-curved show might have produced a good-looking telephone, however I encountered loads of false enter points throughout my couple of weeks with it. There have been loads of events the place a display press merely wasn’t registering, just for me to grasp it was as a result of a portion of my holding hand was already making contact with the sting of the show.

Motorola has additionally included a pair of Dolby Atmos-tuned stereo audio system, which yield impressively loud and spacious audio. I used to be notably impressed by the readability of vocals in film content material. There’s no 3.5mm headphone jack, for no matter that’s price to you.

Specs & Efficiency

Snapdragon 7 Gen 3

12GB LPDDR4X RAM

512GB storage

Motorola has turned to Qualcomm’s newest mid-range chip, the Snapdragon 7 Gen 3, to energy the Edge 50 Professional.

It’s a succesful processor, although benchmark checks counsel that efficiency has really taken one thing of a backwards step even from final yr’s vanilla Motorola Edge 40 and its punchy MediaTek Dimensity 8200, by no means thoughts the Motorola Edge 40 Professional with its Snapdragon 8 Gen 2.

Even in superior video games the Motorola Edge 50 Professional proved as much as the duty

It additionally falls effectively behind the equally priced Nothing Cellphone (2) with its Snapdragon 8 Plus Gen 1 processor. In fact, in every of those circumstances, the Motorola Edge 50 Professional is working a sharper show, which goes to take a bit out of GPU efficiency. Even so, with that Professional moniker, you might need anticipated extra spectacular efficiency.

What actually issues is how the Motorola Edge 50 Professional handles these additional pixels, particularly at elevated refresh charges of as much as 144Hz, and the reply is effectively sufficient. At no level throughout my time with the telephone did I discover it lagging or dropping frames of animation when skimming by the UI.

Jon Mundy / Foundry

The supply of 12GB of LPDDR4X RAM (not less than right here within the UK) little question helps with that, as does Motorola’s delightfully light-weight UI.

Even in superior video games the Motorola Edge 50 Professional proved as much as the duty. Operating each Wreckfest and Genshin Affect on ‘Excessive’ settings, the telephone didn’t break a sweat, and largely hit its 60fps goal.

There’s ample storage for such hefty apps too, with the only real UK mannequin coming with a formidable 512GB of inside storage. That’s a greater inventory provision than most flagship telephones.

Cameras

Essential 50Mp f/1.4 sensor

13Mp ultra-wide

10Mp 3x telephoto

50Mp selfie cam

For the Edge 50 Professional’s digital camera set-up, Motorola seems to have basically replicated the Motorola Edge 40’s predominant and ultra-wide, added a devoted telephoto, and upgraded the selfie digital camera. Possibly that’s a little bit of an oversimplification – there’s additionally a brand new ToF (time-of-flight) sensor for superior autofocus – however the primary sensor definitely performs equally.

As soon as once more, that unusually quick f/1.4 aperture is sweet for scooping up gentle, along side a fairly large 1/1.55-inch sensor. I used to be impressed by the separation and pure bokeh captured when taking pictures human topics, even with out using the Portrait mode. Nevertheless, it may additionally imply that parts of close-up photographs stray out of focus.

The 10Mp telephoto is the newcomer right here and is a uncommon discover for a telephone on this worth bracket

Jon Mundy / Foundry

In sturdy daylight, the Edge 50 Professional’s predominant sensor takes good photographs, whereas that mixture of parts additionally ends in some fairly good ends in indoor lighting. The devoted Evening mode isn’t the strongest I’ve encountered on the worth, although I admire that Motorola resists pulling a budget over-brightening trick that may make every little thing look unnatural in cheaper telephones.

The 10Mp telephoto is the newcomer right here and is a uncommon discover for a telephone on this worth bracket, however you gained’t encounter it till you zoom in to 3x. At 2x, the Edge 50 professional merely crops in on the bigger predominant sensor. This ends in 2x photographs which can be much better uncovered and simply plain simpler on the attention than their 3x brothers, which are usually dimmer and flatter. Nonetheless, it’s a welcome inclusion in a telephone of this worth.

The 13Mp ultrawide is equally murky, missing the colourful pop of that predominant sensor. It will possibly do a job on landscapes, however the 50Mp predominant sensor actually is the star attraction right here. Certainly, you would possibly want to make use of the ultrawide’s autofocus capabilities within the service of comparatively sharp macro photographs.

Motorola’s 50Mp selfie digital camera can produce good photographs with pure display tones and respectable topic sharpness, full with autofocus – one thing of a uncommon inclusion on a extra inexpensive telephone – and it may additionally change between a better view and a wider one.

I did choose up on the occasional bodged selfie the place the publicity was means too darkish, however fortunately this was a uncommon fumble.

Video seize tops out on the regular 4K at 30fps, although most individuals will doubtless nonetheless with 1080p at both 30- or 60fps. Motorola additionally helps HDR10 recording, although solely at 30fps.

Battery Life & Charging

Barely pokey 4500mAh battery

Ridiculously speedy 125W charger included

50W wi-fi charging

Battery life is one thing of a blended bag within the Edge 50 Professional.

On the constructive aspect, the telephone is good and environment friendly typically utilization, and I used to be capable of get by a day of reasonable use (4 hours half-hour of display on time) with round 50 to 60% left to play with.

However, the PCMark Work 3.0 battery check – which simulates a sustained blended workload – produced a reasonably poor results of 9 hours 34 minutes. That’s higher than the Edge 40, however greater than an hour in need of the Pixel 8 (now accessible for the same worth), and virtually 5 hours in need of the Nothing Cellphone (2).

In fact, none of these different telephones run a 144Hz show. Peg that setting again to Auto, and even 120Hz, and also you’ll get a a lot better rating, although nonetheless not among the many highest.

Motorola bundles in a ridiculously speedy 125W TurboPower charger

Jon Mundy / Foundry

The takeaway appears clear right here: the Motorola Edge 50 Professional’s smaller-than-average 4500mAh battery is greater than as much as the duty of lasting by a day of lighter on a regular basis duties, however struggles a bit when the going will get robust.

Fortunately, it additionally options among the finest charging provisions of any telephone of this worth – or any worth, for that matter. Motorola bundles in a ridiculously speedy 125W TurboPower charger, which might get the telephone from empty to full in lower than 20 minutes.

You additionally get 50W wi-fi charging assist, which is one other provision you don’t count on to see at this finish of the market. All in all, it makes Samsung’s and Google’s modest charging provisions look a bit foolish. Certainly one of its solely rivals on this space is the 120W Xiaomi Redmi Be aware 13 Professional+ which doesn’t have wi-fi charging.

Software program & Apps

Customary clear tackle Android 14

Considerate Motorola gildings

3 OS updates, 4 years safety updates

Motorola’s strategy to Android is one in all my favourites. It largely sticks to the Google script, providing a devoted tackle Android 14 with broadly the identical menu format.

The place it adorns, it typically does so with good style and sound pondering. The Moto app is on the coronary heart of this, providing a slick one-stop portal to Motorola’s enhancements.

It’s by this app that you could activate customized gestures, such because the helpful double-chop to activate the torch, or the double twist to activate the digital camera. They’ve been round a very long time however nonetheless show so helpful.

Jon Mundy / Foundry

It’s also possible to use this Moto app to run customized display features, just like the Edge lights system the flashes out visible notifications from the edges whereas the telephone is face down. Curiously, although, there’s no always-on display provision. Maybe Motorola was aware of that small battery and power-hogging show, nevertheless it’s a little bit of an omission nonetheless.

Motorola’s UI isn’t completely bloatware free, both. It preinstalls the Opera internet browser, which at all times appears pointless when Chrome comes as commonplace, whereas TikTok and LinkedIn are additionally included whether or not you prefer it or not.

Again to the positives, and Motorola has elevated software program assist by a yr in comparison with Edge 40 vary. Meaning three main OS upgrades are assured, and 4 years of safety patches. That’s not up there with Samsung or Google, nevertheless it’s nonetheless not dangerous.

Jon Mundy / Foundry

Value & Availability

The Motorola Edge 50 Professional prices £599.99 direct from the Motorola UK web site right here within the UK.

Alternatively, you should buy the telephone from the standard mainstream UK retailers, together with John Lewis and Amazon. On the time of writing, the latter was knocking £15 off the worth of the telephone.

Wherever you supply it from, the Edge 50 Professional’s RRP positions it proper up in opposition to the Nothing Cellphone (2) and the Samsung Galaxy S23 FE. Whereas this worth is £100 greater than the brand new Pixel 8a, in the meantime, we’ve seen the Pixel 8 discounted to the same worth of late.

Within the US, there’s no signal of the Edge 50 vary but although the agency is “excited to share its dedication to increasing the sting household in North America this yr” based on its weblog submit. It’s imprecise however offers us some hope, even when they flip up with completely different names as is frequent.

Discover extra choices in our greatest mid-range telephone chart.

Do you have to purchase the Motorola Edge 50 Professional?

The Motorola Edge 50 Professional seals it – Motorola is now firmly within the enterprise of constructing elegant telephones accessible at cheap mid-market costs. Its title may be downright deceptive – that is no ‘Professional’ telephone – however there’s no denying this can be a pretty piece of package to make use of.

It seems to be and feels nice, sports activities among the finest shows in its class, and advantages from a critically spectacular charging provision. We proceed to admire Motorola’s restrained software program, and the efficiency and digital camera are aggressive inside their subject, if removed from excellent.

You’re not taking a look at an ideal providing. The selection to stay with a curved show continues to trigger sensible issues even because it seems to be nice, whereas the telephone’s secondary cameras aren’t particularly nice. Battery life, too, isn’t up there with the perfect, particularly throughout intensive use.

Nevertheless, for a mid-range telephone that provides you a style of the excessive life, you’ll wrestle to do a lot better than the Motorola Edge 50 Professional.