The Moto Edge 50 positions itself as a mid-range device in Motorola’s diverse lineup of Edge series smartphones. With a mix of premium design touches and functional features, it sits above the Edge 50 Fusion and Neo but below the Pro and Ultra models in terms of specifications and pricing. In this detailed review, we’ll explore what the Edge 50 offers, where it shines, and the areas where it struggles to compete.
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Design and Build: Premium Look and Feel
The Moto Edge 50 exudes a sense of refinement, especially in its Koala Gray vegan leather finish, which Motorola markets as “suede.” This soft, fuzzy texture extends across the rear and even over the camera bump, allowing only the camera lenses to peek through. It’s a unique touch that elevates the device’s tactile appeal.
The phone’s slim profile, curved edges, and lightweight aluminum frame contribute to its sleek aesthetics and make it comfortable to hold. Moreover, the Edge 50 isn’t just about looks—it’s highly durable. It boasts IP68 certification for water and dust resistance and meets military-grade standards for extreme conditions, including temperature fluctuations and drops from up to 1.5 meters.
Display: A Curved Visual Delight
The Moto Edge 50 is equipped with a 6.7-inch OLED display, offering a resolution of 1220p and Gorilla Glass 5 protection. Its 120 Hz refresh rate ensures smooth scrolling and animations. While not as advanced as LTPO displays, which can dial the refresh rate down to 1 Hz, the adaptive refresh rate here operates within a 60–120 Hz range, balancing performance and power efficiency.
With a peak brightness of over 1,400 nits in auto mode, the display performs admirably under bright sunlight. The screen supports HDR10+ content, making it a solid choice for media consumption. While it lacks Always-On Display (AOD) support, the Edge 50’s display provides a visually engaging experience for most users.
Performance: Adequate but Not Class-Leading
Under the hood, the Moto Edge 50 features the Snapdragon 7 Gen 1 Accelerated Edition (AE). This chipset is a slightly enhanced version of the standard Snapdragon 7 Gen 1, with a higher clock speed on its primary core.
In benchmarks, the performance is acceptable for a mid-range device but falls short compared to similarly priced competitors with more powerful processors. Day-to-day tasks like app switching, browsing, and light gaming run smoothly, but demanding applications and graphically intensive games reveal its limitations.
Motorola’s near-stock Hello UI, layered over Android 14, enhances the overall user experience. The interface is clean and intuitive, offering minimal bloatware and a few proprietary features like Smart Connect, which allows the phone to connect to TVs or monitors for a desktop-like experience.
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Cameras: Reliable and Versatile
The Moto Edge 50 is equipped with a triple-camera setup:
- 50 MP main camera with a Sony sensor and night mode support
- 10 MP telephoto lens with 3x optical zoom
- 13 MP ultra-wide camera with autofocus for macro photography
Main Camera Performance
In daylight, the primary camera delivers sharp, detailed images with vibrant colors and wide dynamic range. Low-light performance is solid, thanks to the built-in night mode, which produces clean images with good detail and minimal noise. Shadows appear natural, and highlights are well-controlled.
Telephoto Lens
The 10 MP telephoto lens offers decent optical zoom capabilities, delivering balanced exposure and good color consistency during the day. While not as sharp as the main sensor, it holds its own in low-light scenarios, producing clean and usable images.
Ultra-Wide Lens
The ultra-wide lens, while less sharp than its counterparts, captures a broader field of view with acceptable image quality for this price range. It supports macro photography, allowing users to take detailed close-up shots, rivaling the results of the main sensor.
Selfies and Video
The 32 MP front-facing camera captures detailed selfies with wide dynamic range and natural skin tones. However, the color reproduction could be livelier. The Edge 50 can record 4K videos at 30 fps across all cameras, including the front-facing one. While video quality is decent, the lack of sharpness in some clips is noticeable. The always-on electronic stabilization ensures smooth footage.
Battery Life and Charging: Room for Improvement
The Moto Edge 50 houses a 5,000 mAh battery, a step up in capacity from the Edge 50 Neo. However, its battery life is underwhelming, achieving just under 10 hours of active use in tests.
Charging speeds are respectable with 68W wired charging, which takes the phone from 0 to 77% in 30 minutes and fully charges it in 45 minutes. However, Motorola no longer includes a charger in the box, a decision that might frustrate some buyers. Wireless charging support adds convenience, but overall, battery performance lags behind some competitors.
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Audio: Loud and Clear, but Lacks Depth
The Edge 50 features stereo speakers with good loudness and clarity. Vocals and highs are well-represented, but the bass response is limited, making the audio profile less dynamic than some rival devices.
Software and Updates: Promising Future
Running Android 14 with Motorola’s Hello UI, the Edge 50 provides a near-stock experience with some customization options through the Moto app. Motorola has committed to five OS updates and more timely security patches, a step in the right direction for software longevity.
Build and Storage Options
The Moto Edge 50 offers two storage variants: 256 GB and 512 GB, both without microSD card support. The lack of expandable storage may disappoint users who need extra space for apps, media, or large files.
Conclusion: A Mixed Bag
The Moto Edge 50 is a mid-range smartphone with a premium design, a vibrant display, and dependable cameras. However, its performance and battery life leave something to be desired, especially considering the competition in its price range.
Pros:
- Sleek and durable design with vegan leather finish
- Solid display with HDR10+ support
- Versatile camera system
- Clean software experience with long-term updates
Cons:
- Mediocre battery life
- Lackluster performance compared to rivals
- No charger included in the box
Ultimately, the Moto Edge 50 is a decent choice for users prioritizing design and camera quality over raw performance. However, if gaming or long-lasting battery life is a priority, there are better options available.
