Motorola’s storied past may not reflect in its current smartphone market share, but you have to credit the brand for relentlessly persisting with its design-first approach and focus on nailing the essentials. Case in point — the latest Edge 50 Pro, a mid-range phone that punches far above its price point to earn an easy recommendation in the sub35,000 segment.
It starts with the lavender vegan leather rear panel, which curves into the colour-matched aluminum frame to give the phone a premium yet delightfully textural feel in the hand. Combined with the curved edges on the 6.7-inch display, the phone feels quite a bit slimmer than it is and is easier to handle, and I like the way the rear camera module sits seamlessly flush with the rear panel despite the small bump. Interestingly, Motorola has added a fragrance to the device, something I haven’t quite seen before and have no clue how long this effect will last… more useful is the IP68 rating for water and dust resistance
Turn it around, and the Motorola’s pushed the envelope for what one can expect on a smartphone display in this price range, with a higherthan-usual 1.5K resolution, HDR10+ support and 2,000 nits of peak brightness, and an impressive and buttery smooth 144 Hz refresh rate. All of these come together to yield a sharp, detailed, and reasonably bright display. In a world first, the display on the Moto Edge 50 Pro comes Pantone-verified for colour accuracy, and Motorola claims the Pantone validation extends to the camera system as well.
Turn it around, and the Motorola’s pushed the envelope for what one can expect on a smartphone display in this price range, with a higherthan-usual 1.5K resolution, HDR10+ support and 2,000 nits of peak brightness, and an impressive and buttery smooth 144 Hz refresh rate. All of these come together to yield a sharp, detailed, and reasonably bright display. In a world first, the display on the Moto Edge 50 Pro comes Pantone-verified for colour accuracy, and Motorola claims the Pantone validation extends to the camera system as well.
Speaking of, the cameras have a lot on offer, with a 50MP primary with image stabilisation, a 13MP ultrawide with macro capabilities, a 50MP selfie shooter and a 10MP 3x telephoto. Now, while I’m not convinced about the effect of the Pantone validation, the images, particularly on the primary shooter, are rich in detail and do well to rein in noise in low-light shots. The ultrawide and telephoto are good additions, but detail levels pale when compared to the main camera.
The only concern is the 4500mAh battery, which lasts a full day of regular use, but only just about… though the 125 wired charging (with a bundled adapter on the 12GB variant) and 50W wireless charging does well to reduce range anxiety. In all, it’s hard not to be impressed by the Edge 50 Pro, and this is the new allrounder to beat in its segment.
Rating: 9/10
Price: INR 30,999 (8/256GB) ; INR 34,999 (12/256GB)