Motorola has positioned itself as a manufacturer of affordable phones. Sometimes a little too affordable maybe. Now they are doing something new. The Edge 30 Pro is actually the first phone we’ve tested with Qualcomm’s new Snapdragon 8 gen 1. This is a real «racer».
When this is topped off with a 12/256 GB configuration, it penetrates the area that is largely reserved for far more expensive models, such as Samsung’s new Galaxy S22 models that have just arrived in stores.
While Motorola sells its newcomer for 7990 kroner, at least a couple of thousand more for an S22.
Performance
Maybe it’s the performance that more than anything else puts the Edge 30 Pro in focus. They are simply the first to come out with Qualcomm’s new top processor, and at a price that is easy to swallow.
Especially 12 GB of RAM stands out in this price range and contributes to the experience of speed.
When we test, we see how much more effective it is, especially on games and graphics. Then we compare with Samsung’s new proprietary Exynos processor. Not least, the processor manages to calculate a record number of images per second, and it requires good performance.
Good screen
Edge 30 Pro is equipped with a very good OLED screen. When we measure the Lux power in the screen, it is actually almost 100 Lux above Samsung’s new super bright screen in the S22 +. It was a bit surprising, but when we took it out in direct sunlight, it became clear that Samsung was much more readable than the Motorola. Maybe it was just missing. This is a much more expensive phone. The screen has a refresh rate of 144 Hz.
Surprising: The 3D performance of the Motorola Edge 30 Pro is surprisingly high.Foto: Odd Richard Valmot
Challenging for Motorola
Edge 30 Pro does very well in all kinds of comparisons, not least in value for money. The challenge for the company that comes from the cheap side is perhaps to make people realize that in this phone they get several top model features at a significantly lower price.
A few points, it is still strange that Motorola has saved on. They have Gorilla Glass 5 on the screen and 3 on the back. It’s fine for scratch resistance, but it’s not top notch.
The interface that is on top of Android is called My UX. It is very good without being so special that not all Android users easily get used to it.
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Supplied
Samsung and Apple seem to have started a trend in the top class by not attaching a charger. One would think that this would start from the cheap side, but no. In most cases, it’s okay, because people already have chargers. Until the mobiles get higher charging speeds. Then customers have to buy a new one if they want to enjoy the shortened charging time. Fortunately, Motorola has not done the same. This phone can charge as much as 68 watts and it comes with a charger that does just that.
This means that it charges the 4.8 Ah battery very quickly. In addition, we find 15 watts wireless charging and 5 watts reverse charging. This means that it can charge smartwatches, earbuds and other phones that can be charged wirelessly.
Speaking of which: Motorola has put a simple transparent plastic cover in the box. Maybe not the most beautiful, but it at least protects the phone until you buy one you like better.
Samsung Galaxy S22 +: Great picture with the main camera, but not so sharp.Foto: Odd Richard Valmot Motorola Edge 30 Pro: As good quality as Samsung, but the pictures may be a bit sharpened.Foto: Odd Richard Valmot
Good cameras
There are three cameras in the back. The bottom is a depth camera that is used to provide information that can be used to create so-called book effects. That is, images with an unclear background. Both the wide-angle and ultra-wide-angle camera are 50 MP. The first is optically stabilized.
It is obvious to compare with Samsung’s new S22 +, which also has a 50 MP wide-angle camera. When we compare the pictures, we can see that they behave very similarly in daylight with the difference that the Edge 30 Pro sharpens the pictures more. Therefore, they may seem sharper. This is not because the camera is better, but because the algorithms think they should have more sharpness. Nevertheless, the end result is very good. We are impressed.
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Night
In the dark, all cats turn gray, it is said, but here it is the S22 + that impresses greatly. It brings with it colors and details in an impressive way. We have seen this in tests before and there is no doubt that Samsung is now the prince of darkness. It’s easy to see the range of night images in Photoshop. There is simply less information in the pictures the Motorola takes.
The Motorola is in line with what we have seen from the iPhone 13 Pro Max. Nevertheless, we notice that Motorola has reached a new level and most people will probably say you are happy with the night photos.
Motorola Edge 30 Pro: Here the phone has to bite the grass. It is far better than in previous models, but far behind the Galaxy S22 + in its ability to take photos at night.Foto: Odd Richard Valmot Samsung Galaxy S22 +: In the dark, Samsung cats are not gray. The camera picks up colors and further details better than other mobile camerasFoto: Odd Richard Valmot
No tele
When we first compare with Samsung, we must add that the S22 models have a telecamera that magnifies three times. Top mobiles often have a telecamera. You can enlarge with the Motorola too, but it’s digital. When we compare the result, there is naturally a big difference.
But by all means. For most of the photography that ordinary people do, the Edge 30 Pro is a great choice.
For some reason, Motorola has chosen to have a 60 MP front camera. A little “overkill” perhaps, but as on the back, pixel binding is done which limits the size. In any case, the images are excellent and sharp with warm colors.
For those who really want to use memory, the phone can record video in 8K.
Good sound
Camera rig: Both the wide-angle and ultra-wide-angle camera are 50 MP. It is not synonymous with good quality, but it has these two. The bottom camera is a depth camera.Foto: Odd Richard Valmot
Like all top phones, as it wants to be, it has stereo sound. It’s really good too, and like most others, the Motorola voice speaker is used as one of the two. It’s not perfect, but it saves space.
Instead of placing the fingerprint reader under the screen, Motorola has chosen to place it in the start button on the side. It is actually very convenient because it means one press and not two.
Motorola promises that the phone will be updated on security for three years and that it will have two new Android versions. That is, Android 13 and 14. Not long ago, it was exactly as expected in the market, but now Samsung has ruined this. When Samsung has started offering five years of security and four new versions (up to Android 16), this will be a bit small. Samsung is doing this more to catch up with Apple than to distance itself in the Android herd.
Conclusion
Of course, you do not get everything. This applies to all phones, but down Motorola Edge 30 Pro you get a lot at a relatively low price. Maybe someone would have wanted a metal design, but here it is plastic that looks like metal. We think it’s just fine.
When we can tick off for the fastest Android on the market at the moment, a very good screen, very good cameras, and an unbeatable price, we think that Motorola has succeeded.
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