06 Sep
Blog

Motorola Moto Edge 20 Pro Review: Very Good at Being Average

Moto Edge 20 Pro on a desk.

Motorola Moto Edge 20 Pro review: a phone that is very good on average

RRP $ 900.00

"The Motorola Moto Edge 20 Pro does not make the most of its specification, so it is clearly average, and without a flashy design, the reliable software and good battery life are simply not enough to get it past this point."

advantages

  • Easy to use, reliable software

  • Good battery life

  • High refresh rate screen

  • Periscope zoom on the camera

disadvantage

  • No wireless charging

  • Inconsistent camera

  • Mono speakers

I remember checking out the Moto Edge in mid-2020 and really liked the design and screen, which excited me to try out the new Moto Edge 20 Pro. However, it seems that Motorola has decided to move away from almost everything that made the previous model a winner and hit the average street instead. It then set the price for a good measure. In other words, there is a lot to be done to impress.

Before we get into too much detail, it's worth talking about Motorola's naming and marketing of the latest Moto Edge series. In the US, you can only buy the Moto Edge (2021), which is known everywhere else as the Moto Edge 20. The Moto Edge 20 Pro we are reviewing here is a higher-end version of this phone that is currently available in the UK

With that resolved, let's talk about the Moto Edge 20 Pro.

draft

The Motorola Moto Edge 20 Pro may be the highest spec model in the new Edge range, but don't think that it will automatically turn heads when it comes to design. It shares the same working-day, functional, but uninspired ethos seen on the company's affordable phones without you falling for the phone in any way. I feel nothing for the Moto Edge 20 Pro when I look at it, which won't be a problem for some, but for others it will push them into the waiting arms of OnePlus, Realme or Samsung.

Moto Edge 20 Pro hand-held, viewed from behind.Andy Boxall / Digital Trends

Its chassis is made of an aluminum alloy and Gorilla Glass 5 covers the screen and back so it has the correct references, but the flat panel display makes it look old and the platter sides make it uncomfortable to grip. Worse, they give the Moto Edge 20 Pro an impressive trick that feels thicker than the 8mm case suggests. It's also not nice to put a square camera lens over two round ones.

There are a couple of weird design choices too. The fast fingerprint sensor is housed in the power button rather than under the display, which will likely lower the overall cost, but it's placed quite high on the body and may not naturally fall under your thumb if you have small hands. On the opposite side, but at the very top of the case, is a Google Assistant button. That said, I didn't accidentally push it, but since I never pushed it on purpose either, I wonder why it's there in the first place.

Fingerprint sensor of the Moto Edge 20 Pro.Andy Boxall / Digital Trends

On the positive side, the Moto Edge 20 Pro is light at 185 grams, and in addition to the Midnight Blue version seen in our photos, a vegan leather model is available, which may give the phone more personality. Otherwise, there isn't much here that inspires me to grab the Moto Edge 20 Pro, especially when beauties like the OnePlus Nord 2 and the Samsung Galaxy A52 5G exist.

Screen and audio

Motorola has spared nothing when it comes to the specification of the screen. It's a 6.7-inch OLED panel with a resolution of 2400 x 1080 pixels, a refresh rate of 144 Hz and HDR10 + support. The 19.5: 9 aspect ratio makes it wider than the 20: 9 aspect ratio of the 6.7-inch OnePlus 9 Pro. It spends most of the time at maximum brightness, but I could still easily see it outside on bright days.

Moto Edge 20 Pro screen.Andy Boxall / Digital Trends

When watching videos on the phone, it turned out that the sound is too quiet for my personal taste. It's not as vivid or as full of life and color as the OnePlus Nord 2's screen, and observing the cloudy and wet weather conditions in Carfection's Ferrari Roma test highlights its slightly dull quality. There is no setting to change the performance of the screen other than a normal or saturated color mode.

Google Assistant button on Moto Edge 20 Pro.Andy Boxall / Digital Trends

It's certainly not bad, and the warmer tone benefits the skin, for example, but it's just not as flashy a performer as some of the competition. It will be more disappointed with a mono speaker that, while powerful, does not deliver the sound, bass, or enjoyment that a good stereo setup does, as is common with other similarly priced smartphones. The screen responsiveness is also a bit strange as the screen sometimes senses swiping up and down as a left to right swipe, which is annoying when using the phone with one hand. The 144 Hz refresh rate is very welcome, but I don't see any difference from a 120 Hz screen.

camera

All of the Motorola Moto Edge phones launched this year – the Edge (2021) / Edge 20, Edge 20 Lite, and Edge 20 Pro – have 108-megapixel main cameras, but here on the Pro it is supported by a 16- MP wide-angle camera and an 8MP periscope telephoto camera with a 5x optical zoom. This makes the Edge 20 Pro quite unusual, as periscope zoom cameras are rarely used outside of very high-end phones like the Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra.

The camera module of the Moto Edge 20 Pro.Andy Boxall / Digital Trends

The photos taken are inconsistent, and every few good photos will result in pretty bad photos, especially in low light. There is a significant difference in color balance and dynamic range between the main and wide-angle cameras. Pictures taken with 5x zoom use optical image stabilization, and the results are better than with 5x digital zoom in that it shows more details and better dynamic range, but it doesn't come close to the Galaxy S21 Ultra. Motorola is promoting a 50x super zoom mode, but it really shouldn't have because there is no stabilization at all and the image in the viewfinder is constantly moving. When you take a photo, you get a nice, pixelated approach to the subject.

Low light is surprisingly bad, as even in early morning shady conditions the 108MP camera with an aperture of f / 1.9 caused blurring that most other cameras would have no problem with. There's a fixed focus macro mode that can make it difficult to take a decent photo, 8K video recording at 24 frames per second, and a dual capture mode that uses both the front and rear cameras to capture video at the same time . The 32-megapixel selfie camera takes pleasant photos with natural skin tones even when the beauty mode is switched on.

The camera of the Moto Edge 20 Pro is typically Motorola. It has many features and some desirable technologies, but the execution isn't good enough to get the most out of them.

Software and performance

The Moto Edge 20 Pro uses the Qualcomm Snapdragon 870 processor, which is a warmed-up version of the older Snapdragon 865 processor and is more efficient. The Snapdragon 870 might not be the best Snapdragon 888, but you probably won't notice a huge difference from day to day. I've played Asphalt 9: Legends with no issues, it's very fluid and fast, and I've multitasked as always, which undoubtedly helped by the 12GB of RAM inside.

Asphalt 9: Legends played on the Moto Edge 20 Pro.Andy Boxall / Digital Trends

Android 11 is installed and like most of their phones, Motorola doesn't add too much, which means that it is similar to Android on a Google Pixel phone. There are some gesture controls like shaking the phone to activate the flashlight. Peek Display replaces the usual and preferred always-on screen with a tap-to-wake system. I like the way you can see more details from notifications by tapping and holding icons, but I would prefer that the basic information be shown all the time. Apps worked without errors, notifications are delivered as expected, and the phone has worked normally for all of my time.

Motorola is also pushing its desktop mode, which it calls Ready For, on the Moto Edge 20 Pro to include the required USB Type-C to HDMI cable to use it in the box. It's a nice touch. Ready For also works wirelessly if you have a compatible screen. It works similarly to Samsung DeX in that it displays a Windows-like start screen that is designed to increase productivity. Also, like DeX, it may not work with all smart TVs (it didn't connect to my Sony Android TV, for example) and to take full advantage you will need a bluetooth keyboard and mouse, as well as a controller if you want to play games to play.

The standby mode of the Moto Edge 20 Pro.

Andy Boxall / Digital Trends

Moto app options of the Moto Edge 20 Pro.

Andy Boxall / Digital Trends

Browser displayed on Moto Edge 20 Pro.

Andy Boxall / Digital Trends

Apps screen on the Moto Edge 20 Pro.

Andy Boxall / Digital Trends

Calls on the Moto Edge 20 Pro are decent, but I didn't find the speaker very good. The voices weren't as clear as I expected, and background noise on the caller's side seemed more disturbing than normal. This is a 5G phone if you have coverage near you, with two 5G SIM slots plus Wi-Fi 6 on board and NFC for Google Pay. Small things aside, the Moto Edge 20 Pro gives you everything you could want in a high-end phone – cleanly designed, reliable software, and lots of power – with features like Ready For that may be helpful to some.

battery

The 4,500 mAh battery is a bit smaller than we've come to expect from smartphones lately, but if you don't squeeze the phone very hard, it just gulps power. On a few days with very little use, it stretched to three days for me, which very few other phones do. Play games and watch videos and this becomes two days of usage that are still good.

Charging port on the Moto Edge 20 Pro.Andy Boxall / Digital Trends

Motorola's 30W TurboPower charger is included, and while a 10-minute zack apparently provides nine hours of operation, according to Motorola, it doesn't get 100% as fast as the quick chargers that came with the OnePlus Nord 2 or that Realme GT. The Moto Edge 20 Pro doesn't have wireless charging, which is unfortunate.

Price and availability

The Motorola Moto Edge 20 Pro is priced at £ 650, or around $ 900. It is available now in the UK through Motorola's online store. You'd have to import one to own it in the US and there doesn't seem to be any immediate plans for Motorola to officially launch it.

Our opinion

There's nothing wrong with being clearly average, which is a good thing because that's what sets the Moto Edge 20 Pro apart. It has a design that won't hurt your eyes or arouse your senses, a decent camera that takes photos that you'll never say wow, and a pretty screen that just can't quite keep up with the competition. Good battery life and reliable software aren't enough to go beyond that.

I haven't had any major issues with the phone at all, but the little annoyances add up without much to make worth the effort. Why Motorola abandoned the cool design and cascading screen of the Moto Edge (2020) is a mystery. This may be Motorola's top smartphone released so far this year, but it hasn't really been covered on the red carpet, and this is an issue as Motorola hasn't price-tagged it in the average range. Phones that don't seem average at all are yours for a little less than it costs to pick up the Moto Edge 20 Pro. At a time when competition is incredibly fierce in all areas of the phone world, the average is quickly forgotten.

Is there a better alternative?

Yes, and for less money. If you're in the UK, the OnePlus Nord costs £ 2,400, or around $ 550, has a visually nicer screen, more attractive design, powerful camera and quick charge. You're missing out on the periscope zoom, but it's not worth the significant extra cost you pay for it. The Samsung Galaxy A52 5G is priced at $ 500 and is officially available in the US and the UK and is similarly excellent.

Alternatively, the Realme GT is worth a look at £ 450 or around $ 620 and has a Snapdragon 888 chip, fast charging, and a decent screen and camera. The $ 450 Google Pixel 5a has its perks too, with a good camera, IP67 rating, and great software. It misses the high refresh rate screen but is much cheaper.

The OnePlus 9 Pro costs a little more, $ 969 or £ 829, and if you can afford it, it's a better buy. The Hasselblad camera has received software updates since its inception which have greatly improved it, it has the latest Qualcomm processor, great software with extended support and a well-engineered design.

How long it will take?

Motorola intends to provide two major Android software updates and bimonthly security updates for the Moto Edge 20 Pro for two years. The phone has a splash rating of IP52, which means it's fine in the rain, but not so much if you drop it in the bathtub. It comes with a basic translucent TPU case in the box for extra drop protection. You can safely buy the Moto Edge 20 Pro and expect it to last two years.

Should you buy one?

No. It can't quite deliver on the promise of its specification, and there are better alternatives for less money.

Editor's recommendations



24 Jan
Blog

Motorola One 5G Ace Review: Battery Life, Specs, Cameras

motorola one 5g ace review 1

“You get good performance, great battery life, and a nice big display. But below-average cameras and a short software life have harmed the One 5G Ace. "

  • Modern design

  • Excellent battery life

  • Solid display

  • Good performance

  • Below average camera for the money

  • Only one software update guaranteed

Motorola recently unveiled the Moto G-Series 2021, which is solid value for money for those looking to spend no more than $ 250. In addition to the Moto G, the company has also launched a new model in its high-end One line: the Motorola One 5G Ace.

At first glance, the Motorola One 5G Ace is a bit confusing (and an awkward name), but it's important not to think of it as a replacement for last year's Motorola One 5G. This device has a lower-priced processor, a poorer display, and other cutbacks – but it costs $ 400 or $ 150 less than the standard Motorola One 5G.

However, there is no lack of competition in this price range. Does the Motorola One 5G Ace compete with the Pixel 4a and iPhone SE among its competitors? We put it to the test to find out.

Design and display

Motorola has done well at offering relatively modern looking phones for the price, and the One 5G Ace is no exception to that rule. It's a large phone with a large 6.7-inch display with an aspect ratio of 20: 9 that is great for scrolling through Twitter, seeing all of your email at a glance, and seeing more anytime. Of course, there's a tradeoff: don't expect to be able to reach the top of the display without the help of a second hand.

While the original One 5G had a double front camera, the Ace has a single centered cutout for the selfie camera. And there's a tiny chin at the bottom of the display, although it's not too intrusive and you probably won't notice it at all in everyday use.

At first glance, the back of the phone looks metallic, but you won't be fooled for long. It feels like plastic. Well, that's not a big deal for the price – it doesn't feel as high-end as a glass or metal device, and its weight helps make it feel solid. Plastic makes the phone more durable against typical bumps and scratches, which is usually a solid selling point for those buying a device on a budget. On the back there is also a fingerprint sensor, which works relatively quickly and accurately, and a camera module with three sensors.

In addition to the standard power switch, volume rocker, and USB-C port on the edges, you also get a headphone jack. It's nice that Motorola has stuck to the headphone jack on its budget phones for so long.

Thanks to its higher resolution of 1080p, the display is a clear step forward over the Moto G series. Unfortunately, you don't get the 90Hz refresh rate that you get with the standard Motorola One 5G, but it still has decently vivid colors and gets relatively bright. It's a good looking display for a phone in this price range.

Power and battery

Under the hood, the Motorola One 5G Ace is a clear step up from any Moto G device thanks to its Qualcomm Snapdragon 750G processor, 4 GB or 6 GB of RAM and 64 GB or 128 GB of storage. It's a solid setup, and the Qualcomm 7 series has proven to be a great way to get good performance over the past year without buying a flagship phone.

The phone is more than capable in everyday use. There were seldom problems even when used for heavy-duty multitasking, mobile gaming, and more. I have the 6GB RAM model and have never had issues with apps closing in the background before I was done with them. It even handled some Call of Duty: Mobile and Asphalt 9: Legends with ease. Sure, load times can be a little longer than the Snapdragon 765G-equipped Motorola One 5G, and it may slow down sooner, but in normal use they feel almost identical at this point.

The phone has a 5,000 mAh battery (yes, just like a Galaxy S21 Ultra) which is more than enough for a full day of heavy use. Although it doesn't last quite as long as the Moto G Power, most people can still work with it for two days due to the higher resolution display, as Motorola announced. If you can charge your phone well every day, no need to worry here. Unfortunately there is no wireless charging, which is a bit disappointing. It's still tolerable that a $ 400 phone doesn't offer it, but it won't be long – and it would have been nice if the One 5G Ace had been ahead of the curve.

Cameras

As mentioned earlier, the Motorola One 5G Ace has a triple camera system with a 48-megapixel main sensor with a f / 1.7 aperture lens, an 8-megapixel ultrawide camera with a f / 2.2 aperture and a 2 megapixel macro camera. I still don't think people really use macro lenses (more than just to check them out), but Motorola disagrees, arguing that in the era of COVID-19, more people than ever are taking photos of things up close At home. I would have preferred a telephoto to a macro.

The One 5G Ace's camera is fine, but not much better than fine. In good lighting conditions, a solid shot can be obtained even though the colors are not very vivid and the details are not as sharp as they could be.

The pictures are far worse in poor lighting conditions. There's little detail and a lot of noise – when you can actually lock the focus and even get a blurry picture. Highlights are often overblown, which is often the case with low-end phones in poor lighting conditions. So while you can tell what you photograph most of the time, don't expect much more.

The same is more or less true of the front of the phone. The 16-megapixel front camera can take fine selfies, but nothing will fake someone like you have a high-end phone.

The Motorola One 5G Ace's main problem in the camera department has more to do with competition than anything else. The fact is that great phone cameras are getting cheaper and cheaper and this fee is charged by Google. The Pixel 4a costs $ 50 less, but it offers a camera that is an order of magnitude better than that of the One 5G Ace. When you're ready to make the move to iOS, the iPhone SE has a better camera too – although it's not as good as the Pixel 4a. After all, the OnePlus Nord may not have the best camera, but it's still better than the One 5G Ace's.

Software and functions

Motorola has been offering near-production software for its phones for years, and the Motorola One 5G Ace is no exception to that rule. The software is pared down, easy to navigate, and well designed.

Motorola's My UX also offers a number of additional features and gestures that can be turned on or off at will that can help make using the device more natural. Things like pressing three fingers down to take a screenshot, rotating your wrist to jump to the camera, and a lot more are useful.

There are also mobile game settings that can be customized. My favorite thing with all of these features is that they are all included in the Moto app and not distributed via Android like other manufacturers do. That said, if you don't want to use or see it, you can hide the Moto app and essentially use the phone as your standard Android device.

Motorola's commitment to software updates is incredibly weak.

Well, almost a standard Android device. While other standard Android phones like the Pixel series update quickly for at least a few years, the Motorola One 5G Ace does not. It ships with the already dated Android 10 (Android 11 has been out of stock for months), and although Motorola has announced it will bring Android 11 to the Ace, it hasn't specified exactly when. And that will likely be it for the phone. Motorola has promised "at least one" OS update, but I wouldn't expect more than one – the track record in this department is poor. Fortunately, you will receive security updates for two years.

It's really disappointing to see old software paired with missing updates. With a $ 150 Moto G game this is more acceptable, but at $ 400 it's hard to deal with and we really hope that Motorola will improve their game in the near future.

Price and availability

As mentioned earlier, the Motorola One 5G Ace is priced at $ 400 available now from Amazon. In the US, 6 GB of RAM and 128 GB of storage are provided.

Our opinion

The Motorola One 5G Ace is a solid phone. It works well, has a nice display, and great battery life. But in 2021, phones under $ 500 have to go a step further – and it just doesn't. The advantages of the Pixel 4a are years of software updates and a camera in flagship quality. The iPhone SE offers flagship performance and even longer updates. The Motorola One 5G Ace, on the other hand, is “good” in just about everything, but “great” in almost nothing – expect a battery.

Of course, we didn't really mention the "5G" aspect of this phone, but there's not much to talk about there. I would warn against buying this phone because of its 5G support. Get the Pixel 4a instead, fix the lack of 5G, and when you're ready for your next phone, getting something that is 5G capable is more important. Alternatively, you can get the Pixel 4a 5G, which has an even better camera and improved performance for $ 60 more.

Is there a better alternative?

Yes. If $ 400 is a hard limit on your budget, then you can save $ 50 and get the best Google Pixel 4a. If you can just stretch a little and are interested in 5G and prefer a large display, then go for this Google Pixel 4a 5G instead.

How long it will take?

The Motorola One 5G Ace has a plastic back, so it should withstand most drops. However, it's not waterproof, so you'll want to stay away from the wet. Given the lack of software updates after Android 11, the features may be out of date within a few years – but this hardly prevents them from actually working.

Should you buy it?

No, go for that either Google Pixel 4a or the Pixel 4a 5G instead.

Editor's recommendations




18 Sep
Blog

Motorola One 5G Review: Best Bought With a Carrier Discount

Motorola One 5G

"The Motorola One 5G offers a huge display, helpful software and excellent battery life."

  • Huge 90Hz display

  • Exceptional battery life

  • Excellent software with nice features

  • Strong specs aside from 4 GB of RAM

  • Good main and macro cameras

  • Just a guaranteed software update

  • Sub-par ultra-wide front and rear cameras

  • Shiny plastic body that is prone to fingerprints

As high-end phones keep getting more expensive, well above $ 1,000, we've thankfully seen new value phones in the $ 400-700 range that offer an exceptional experience at a reasonable price. Motorola has always offered this type of offering with its Moto G line, albeit at a lower price, and has now begun moving up to this mid-range price with the Motorola One line.

The Motorola One 5G is the latest offering and a solid package for under $ 500 from AT&T and Verizon. Here's why you should consider this for your next phone.

Hardware, design and display

Motorola knows that big screens and big batteries sell phones if you're trying to get value for money. The One 5G is huge and has a 6.7-inch display. But it's interesting because it's incredibly large, with an aspect ratio of 21: 9, and not wide. Even with noticeably large bezels, it's narrower than the largest phones out there, like the Galaxy Note 20 Ultra – though it's actually taller than the Note.

Motorola One 5G

The extra high aspect ratio is great for seeing more of your Twitter feed, email inbox, or Instagram page, but it makes it really difficult to reach the top of the screen for the many apps that have buttons and Surface elements are still at the top. That's hook 22. The phone isn't big enough to carry a load in your pocket, but it can be awkward to get up with one hand. And I say that as a big person with big hands. My friend found the size of the phone absolutely weird.

The side-mounted fingerprint sensor built into the power button is also so high that you can't comfortably rest your thumb on it with the corner of the phone in the palm of your hand. This is a strange decision. And the volume rocker is even higher. These are definitely usability hurdles.

A big screen is great to look at, but difficult to work with – even if you have big hands.

The display itself is great for the money. It is very bright and colorful, completely usable in sunlight and has a refresh rate of 90 Hz, which makes movement pleasantly fluid. Colors get a little washed out at maximum brightness and darker off-axis, but those are minor issues with a phone under $ 500. If you are not used to the highest quality Samsung, Apple or OnePlus phone displays, you don't know what you are missing.

Motorola One 5G

For less than $ 500, don't expect a next-level design or material. And you don't get them in the Motorola One 5G. This is a shiny plastic phone. It looks pretty good, especially when the light hits the shimmering dot pattern and throws off rainbow reflections. But it feels as slippery as it looks, and it will never be fingerprint-free. The plastic feels thick and sturdy and I'm sure it will withstand drops and bumps for years. But it is prone to small scratches. It only took a few days for them to be strewn on my back.

Software, performance and battery life

Motorola has a good reputation as a software. It's great because it's 95% typical Android, no different from what Google has on their own phones, but with a little Motorola flair that makes the software more helpful and useful without adding weight or getting in the way. Motorola gestures are a treat. Make a chopping motion and the flashlight will come on. Flip the phone twice to launch the camera, turn the phone face down so as not to disturb it, and pick up the phone while it is ringing to silence it. It all works in a delightful way.

Motorola One 5G

The side-mounted fingerprint sensor also serves as a key combination. Gently double-tap it to open a context menu where you can open apps or tasks of your choice. These can be regular apps or certain functions in apps, e.g. For example, you can navigate directly home on Google Maps, write a tweet on Twitter, or create a reminder in Google Calendar.

The problem with the software is not what it is today, but what it will be in the future. Motorola only commits to one major software update which is Android 11 due to the unfortunate launch timing, not the Android 12 version from 2021. That means you will get a software update very soon and only in the future still sporadic small security updates. If you are interested in developing new features, this is not the phone for you.

Motorola One 5G

Since this is an AT&T branded phone, I need to take a moment to relieve the network operator of reloading this phone with an amount of bloatware that is offensive to the customer. In addition to the usual branded apps like AT&T Cloud and AT&T Smart Wi-Fi, you get numerous subpoenas like 1-800-Flowers, AMC-Theater, Bubble Island 2, DC Universe, NBA, Pet Rescue Saga, etc. A total of 25 additional apps are installed. Each one is rubbish and shouldn't be pre-installed on any phone. And I disabled every possible prompt during (and after!) Setup to install more. Stop it, AT&T.

The data sheet selects all the boxes except for the weak 4 GB RAM.

Luckily, you can work with 128GB of storage which I only used 35GB of after installing all of my usual apps and downloading loads of media. Motorola has a pretty tight suite of software (outside of that AT&T bloat) so there's plenty of room for your own data.

Elsewhere on the spec sheet, the Snapdragon 765 processor is a good price at this price point considering it can power devices up to $ 1,000 in some cases. This "midrange" chip is more than capable of handling anything you throw at it and has plenty of headroom that you can use for a few years. I can't say the same about the phone's 4GB of RAM, which feels stingy in 2020. I haven't come across excessive cases of apps killing in the background, but I know that 4GB is the bare minimum for running modern mobile games. Who knows how well this will do over time, even though the processor is more than capable.

Motorola One 5G

Motorola continues to focus on battery life and even says the One 5G can be charged for two days. I wouldn't go as far as everyone uses their phone differently, but this is a great battery for sure. After all, 5,000 mAh is a ton of capacity, and with these simple specs and software features, it can easily cope with even the toughest days and there's a lot left over. You might only plug it in at night like everyone does with every phone.

Cameras

The Motorola One has a familiar setup with a 48-megapixel main camera that uses 4-to-1-pixel binning to output 12-megapixel photos for greater light sensitivity. There is also 8MP to spice it up. Ultra-wide-angle camera with a 118-degree field of view as well as a dedicated 5-megapixel macro camera and a 2-megapixel camera for collecting depth information. It's busy and it's quite a sight on the back of the phone.

The main camera is good and easily produces photos worth sharing on social media with no changes. There's a simple color profile, and with HDR enabled it doesn't go overboard. Most of the time there is plenty of clarity and sharpness, but if you shoot towards the sky or hard light you can get soft edges and blown out highlights. The situation is different in poor lighting conditions: without OIS, this camera has no chance. The "Night" mode gives a basic impression of Google Night Sight, making the entire scene bright in daylight and dramatically improving sharpness and colors. But it's still not great. The camera works well in auto mode in mixed lighting or indoors.

However, the ultra-wide camera completely misses the mark. Yes, you get that great wide angle perspective, but every photo is incredibly soft, washed out, and generally just not easy on the eye. It's fine for a shot here and there, but there's such a big drop off from the main camera that it's a disappointment.

I expected the macro camera to be bad and was seriously surprised. This thing is good and super fun to take pictures with. In addition, 5MP offers sufficient resolution and actually has autofocus. You get a lot of details and the minimum focal length is extremely short. The ring light is over the top most of the time, but luckily the camera doesn't need it to get crisp and clear shots. I'm not sure how often people get interested in taking macro photos and maybe the money would have been better spent on a good ultra-wide camera, but I'm glad it's good as it's included.

motorola one 5g review img 20200916 111956507

motorola one 5g review img 20200916 111952371 hdr

The dual selfie cameras follow the same script as the rear cameras: the main camera with 16 MP is good, the one with 8 MP ultra-wide is not. If you can stretch your arm far enough to stay beyond the set focal length, the main camera will give you a balanced and relatively sharp photo. Par for the course. But the ultra-wide footage, which is supposed to keep you from going this far to get more landscapes or people into the frame, instead frustrates you by being washed out and soft all over – not great. Hold on to the main camera.

Our opinion

Motorola's take on the affordable midrange 5G phone segment is good, and the company continues to prove that you don't have to spend a lot of money to get a solid smartphone with many of the latest features and great software. For less than $ 500, you can get a good software experience with well-designed additions, although this is easily dented by AT & T's exceptional bloatware (and Verizon won't be much better).

The performance is great and everything looks fine on this large 90Hz display. The quality of the main camera is okay for the segment, and the additional macro shooter is fun. Plus, you can do everything without worrying about running out of battery before the end of the day.

The only real downside is the hardware, both in size and quality. The Motorola One 5G is just too big for a lot of people to be comfortably one-handed use, even though it's well suited to showing you more content in apps without scrolling. And the hardware just feels cheap from top to bottom. But of course there must be shortcomings and compromises at this price.

Is there a better alternative?

The Motorola One 5G is competitively priced, but at the same time is only available from AT&T and Verizon, which slightly limits its market. If you're looking for a phone to use on T-Mobile or prefer to buy it unlocked, there are good options.

The biggest competitor has yet to be officially announced, but it will soon be: Google's Pixel 4a 5G will be released on September 30th. All indications are that this larger version of the Pixel 4a with 5G connectivity will also be under $ 500. At this price point, I'd recommend the Pixel 4a 5G over the Motorola One 5G as it has a dramatically better camera and Google software that includes three years of guaranteed updates. If you aren't into 5G or have a big phone, the $ 350 base Pixel 4a is an incredible value.

In terms of phones that you can buy right now, Motorola actually has a competitor: the Motorola Edge. It's regularly reduced to $ 500, has 5G, and is much better overall in terms of specs and hardware as the MSRP is actually $ 700.

How long it will take?

There is no doubt that Motorola phones are rugged. With this thick plastic case, I'm not worried that the Motorola One 5G will last a few years from a hardware standpoint. The only question is the software.

Motorola guarantees an important software update, in this case Android 11, which unfortunately was released at the same time as this phone. This means that in the future you will only receive a few security-relevant software updates that Motorola cannot handle particularly well. The Motorola One 5G's software may leave you feeling left behind long before the hardware fails.

Should you buy it?

Yes. If you work at AT&T or Verizon and want a big 5G phone under $ 500, the Motorola One 5G is an excellent choice. Especially since airlines are expected to offer big incentives, with discounts on financing plans that could bring the price below $ 400 or even $ 300 in some cases. At this price point, this phone really stands out. However, if you're ready to buy (and put on sale) with the Motorola Edge or wait a few weeks with the Pixel 4a 5G, other options are yours.

Editor's recommendations




18 Jun
Blog

Motorola Moto E (2020) Review: As Good As It Gets For $150

motorola moto e 2020 review 5

Motorola Moto E (2020) review: Great value at $ 150

"The Motorola Moto E isn't perfect, but it's the best option for $ 150."

  • Relatively modern design

  • Good value for the price

  • Clean software experience

  • Camera could be better

  • Ad is not great

Motorola has long been a point of contact for inexpensive phones. The Moto E was first launched in 2014 and quickly became a fan favorite for those looking for a decent phone for around $ 150. Six years later, the company continues the tradition with a new Moto E model that features a relatively modern design, mid-range specifications, and more.

While the Moto E has remained a great option over the years, a lot of competition has emerged. Is the new Moto E still competing with the best phones under $ 200?

Design and display

Edge-to-edge displays have found their way to some of the cheapest phones – and the Moto E jumps on that train. The device has a small chin at the bottom and a drop notch at the top, but still looks good for a phone in this price range.

The display is 6.2 inches and the bezels are relatively narrow. This is good news – it means the phone looks modern despite its price range.

The back of the phone also looks good. The phone is mostly made of plastic, and while it doesn't feel as high-quality as more expensive devices, it doesn't feel too cheap either. There is a fingerprint sensor under the Motorola logo and a vertically aligned camera array on the back of the phone.

On the edges of the phone you'll get a fairly normal setup, including a volume rocker and a power button on the right, and a SIM / MicroSD card slot on the right. There is also a headphone jack at the top. This is good news for those who still use wired headphones.

You can find a micro USB port below, which is a little frustrating. The Moto E is a budget phone, but it is 2020, and USB-C should be the standard for all phones by now.

The Moto E's display is roughly what you'd expect from a $ 150 phone in 2020. It has a resolution of 720p and an LCD display. So don't expect much. It also seems to be a little different than the display of the new Moto G Fast, as it can't get quite as bright. If you are outdoors and in direct sunlight, you may have trouble seeing the display clearly.

Performance and battery life

Under the hood, the Moto E offers a Qualcomm Snapdragon 632 processor with 2 GB RAM. I have found that although it is not necessarily suitable for heavy multitasking or intensive mobile gaming, it definitely does the job for everyday use and clearly outperforms the competition in this price range.

In general, most users are more than satisfied with the performance of this device. If you switch between multiple apps at the same time, you may have to deal with slowdowns and jumps in the software. However, these usually resolved themselves quickly, and the device was still more than usable. The same applies to Chrome tabs. Simply surfing the web is perfectly fine, but anything that is heavier and you should consider a more powerful phone.

Basic mobile games are also possible on this phone, but don't expect much more than the basics. Call of Duty: Mobile was playable, although it wasn't the smoothest experience. The Moto G Fast or if possible the Moto G Power offers better performance.

If you are serious about mobile games, you want a phone with at least a Snapdragon 7xx series SoC or an iPhone. Budget phones are surpassed. This is not necessarily a problem that only occurs with the Moto E, but a compromise that all inexpensive phones make to get a lower price.

Benchmarks confirm decent performance for the price. The phone scored 118,004 points at AnTuTu, which is not a bad thing. For comparison: the Moto G7 Play scored 98,111 points last year, while the more powerful Google Pixel 3a scored 157,902 points. The Moto G Fast, which is $ 50 more expensive, reached 161,672.

The phone's battery capacity is 3,550 mAh, and we've found that it works just fine in everyday use. The battery should get you through a day of normal use, but heavy users may need to charge the device before the end of the day. Don't expect the next day to go too far. The phone does not offer wireless charging or fast charging. So you need to familiarize yourself with nightly charging or when you work at a desk while you are working.

camera

The 2020 Moto E offers a dual sensor camera, although one of these sensors is a 2 megapixel lens that is only used to capture depth information. The other sensor is a 13 megapixel lens with an aperture of 1: 2.0 and is generally fine. But only good.

In well-lit environments, the Moto E can take decent photos with monochrome rendering and depth of field. While photos weren't incredibly detailed, for most uses this won't be a big deal.

Of course, you are not always in a well-lit environment. If you are not, you are more or less unlucky. While more expensive phones take better and better photos in low light conditions, there is no significant night mode on this phone. As a result, poorly lit photos either look noisy or you cannot see the subject at all.

There is a 5 megapixel selfie camera on the front that does the job if need be. Like the rear-facing camera, it doesn't work in low light and is definitely prone to unnaturally bright colors in some situations. Nevertheless, it can be used for most social media posts.

The Moto E is a budget phone and has a budget camera. It works in most situations, but don't expect incredible photos and don't expect to be able to use it in low light.

software

The software experience on modern Motorola phones is great. With the Moto G Fast and Moto E, the company has renamed its Android skin to My UX. Other than a name change, nothing else is different – you still get the best experience with just a few small changes that frankly make the experience better.

Perhaps the best thing about My UX compared to standard Android are the moto actions, which allow you to control certain aspects of the phone software with gestures. For example, you can take a screenshot with three fingers or turn on the flashlight with a hacking motion. It's a nice touch.

My UX is based on Android 10, and Motorola was pretty good at providing software updates. Given that it's a budget phone, updates may not be updated as quickly as you want. The Moto G7, for example, only got Android 10 in May 2020.

Price, guarantee and availability

The Moto E is available directly on the Motorola website for $ 150. This is a great price for this phone. If you can stretch your budget a bit, it's worth considering the Moto G Fast, or if you can stretch the Moto G Power even more.

The Moto E comes with a one-year limited warranty that only covers manufacturer's defects. It is worth buying a protective case to protect the device

Our opinion

The Motorola Moto E is far from perfect, but the best option for $ 150. It offers a relatively modern design, solid performance, and more. When shopping on a budget, performance is one of the most important things to consider.

Is there a better alternative?

If you are willing to spend more money, there are definitely better options. The $ 200 Moto G Fast is a solid phone with better performance and much better battery life. If you can double your budget to $ 300, you should consider the Samsung Galaxy A51 or the Google Pixel 3a. The Google Pixel 3a in particular is an excellent phone with an incredible camera.

How long it will take?

When used easily, the Moto E should last about two years. The performance of the phone will deteriorate over time. Therefore, do not expect smooth experience for the entire two-year period. In addition, the phone is not waterproof. Therefore, do not take it near the bath or pool.

Should you buy one?

Yes, if you need a phone for $ 150 or less. If you can stretch your budget a little, it is worth spending the extra money.

Editor's recommendations




16 Jun
Blog

Motorola Moto G Fast Review: A Great Phone For $200

motorola moto g quick evaluation 2

Motorola Moto G Quick evaluation: Fast, but not expensive

"If your budget is a maximum of $ 200, the Moto G Fast is the best choice."

  • Modern design

  • Feels durable

  • Great performance for the price

  • Good battery life

  • Camera is just fine

  • Ad is not great

The Moto G Seires have weathered ups and downs. The device has long been considered one of the best budget options, but competition from Samsung companies has intensified in recent years. However, as so often, Motorola has launched a number of new Moto G models, including the extremely affordable Moto G Fast.

The Moto G Fast hopes to bring premium features and a thoroughly modern look at a price of $ 200. There are other phones in this price range, but not many – especially from well-known brands such as Motorola, Samsung and LG.

Is the Moto G Almost the Best Cell Phone Under $ 200?

Design and display

Two or three years ago, it would be difficult for you to find a phone with a modern, borderless display design in the price range below $ 250. Now they are becoming more and more common – and we are happy to see that.

On the front of the Moto G Fast is a nice large 6.4-inch display from edge to edge, which has a hole cutout in the upper left corner of the device. The neckline is slightly larger than some other devices, like the Galaxy A51 or the OnePlus 8 series, but it's still pretty remote, though you'll get used to it quickly.

The bezel is relatively narrow around the display, except at the bottom where there is a chin. It's not a big deal, and such design decisions are still expected in this price range. Here, too, you will get used to it.

The buttons and connectors on the edges of the phone are pretty standard. On the right side there is an on / off switch and a volume rocker, on the left a SIM and MicroSD card slot and below a USB-C port. There is also a headphone jack at the top, which is very nice in a world where higher-quality wired consumer audio disappears.

The back of the phone is also pretty sleek and stylish. At the top left you get a vertically aligned triple lens camera and at the top a fingerprint sensor. I have relatively large hands, but the sensor felt comfortable to me and appeared to be well positioned to naturally unlock the device.

The back of the device is mostly plastic, but generally felt solid. It definitely doesn't feel as premium as much more expensive phones like the iPhone 11 Pro or OnePlus 8, but this is also expected for a price-range phone, and the phone is still in my hand. The device is currently only available in one color – pear white. It doesn't look bad, but more color options would have been nice.

The display on the phone does the job, but isn't great. The 6.4-inch display is an LCD display with a resolution of 720p, and you can definitely see slightly jagged edges on fonts and surface elements when you search for them. The slightly more expensive Moto G Power has a 1,080p display, which makes the 720p panel of the G Fast a bit rough – but again, it does the job as long as you don't expect much. It can get bright enough for most purposes and is brighter than the $ 150 Moto E.

Performance and battery life

The Moto G Fast is equipped with a Qualcomm Snapdragon 665 processor, 3 GB RAM and 32 GB memory. Fortunately, a microSD card slot is also integrated in the phone, so you can expand this memory if you wish. The fact that it has the same processor as the Moto G Power is good news – and it helps the device outperform its weight.

The performance of the phone is great in everyday use. The phone can easily multitask easily without slowing down too much, and it can also handle basic games. It certainly won't charge as fast as more expensive phones, but Call of Duty: Mobile and Asphalt 9 worked pretty well.

Here is a brief overview of some of the benchmark results we have achieved:

  • AnTuTu: 161,627
  • GeekBench 5 single core: 312
  • GeekBench 5 multi-core: 1,391

Generally, these are good results for a phone in this price range. In fact, these values ​​correspond to the Samsung Galaxy A51, which is twice the price of the Moto G Fast.

The Moto G Fast offers a 4,000 mAh battery and is solid. I was easily able to survive a whole day of normal use, and at the end of the day I had 43% left. If you use your phone conservatively, you may be able to use it for two days.

camera

The Moto G Fast is equipped with a triple lens rear view camera that has a 16 megapixel main sensor, an 8 megapixel ultra-wide sensor and a 2 megapixel macro sensor. There is an 8 megapixel camera on the front.

The rear-facing camera can take decent photos in well-lit environments with relatively bright colors and solid details. The ultra-wide camera isn't the best on the market, but it definitely offers more versatility for the phone's camera and is a feature you don't normally get on phones in this price range.

However, without good lighting you are a bit unlucky. The phone can take better photos than the new Moto E, but that's not a high bar – and if you don't have enough light, you don't expect quality.

The phone also has a 2 megapixel macro lens and is pretty lackluster. There seems to be a trend these days to include macro lenses in phones of all price ranges. The problem, however, is that the macro lenses are of poor quality most of the time. This is especially true here. If you take a close-up of a small object, which I almost never do, you will likely get something of relatively poor quality.

The phone's front-facing camera is fine, but the colors aren't as deep as they could be, and the details aren't great. It will do the work for standard selfies, but don't expect much more.

In general, this is not a phone that you should buy for the camera. However, the camera is not bad for a phone in this price range – and it is much better than what you would have gotten just a few years ago.

software

The Motorola Moto G Fast comes with Motorola’s new Android skin, My UX. Fortunately, My UX is based on Android 10 and is very close to Android, with just a few minor changes to allow for some adjustments and gestures.

For example, you get Moto promotions with which you can easily access certain functions. These are pretty handy. You can take a screenshot by tapping the screen with three fingers, or you can lift the handset to turn off the ringtone. Some of these actions are enabled by default, while others must be enabled, and it's worth taking a look at.

While My UX is based on standard Android, it is possible that Motorola will deviate somewhat more over time – and it is currently unclear whether and when the device will get Android 11. Motorola has been doing Android updates well in the past, so we'll do it. I have to wait and see if it stays that way now, as the mix includes a new skin label.

Price, guarantee and availability

The Moto G Fast costs $ 200. This is an excellent price for a phone with these features. Sure, it doesn't compare to more expensive devices, but if you have a budget of $ 200, the Moto G Fast is the way to go. If you can stretch a little, the Moto G Power with its better display and bigger battery might be worth considering. However, if you are not interested in these features or do not have the money, you will be satisfied with the Moto G Fast.

The one-year warranty from Motorola, which covers practically only manufacturer defects, applies to the phone. You should make sure that you take care of this phone.

The Moto G Fast is available directly from the Motorola website.

Our opinion

The Motorola Moto G Fast isn't perfect, but in my opinion it's the best thing you'll get in this price range. It has a modern design and great performance in this price range, as well as a solid battery – and the latter two are extremely important when you buy an inexpensive phone.

Is there a better alternative?

There are better options if you can spend more money, but if your budget is a maximum of $ 200, the Moto G Fast is your best bet. If you can add another $ 200 to your budget, consider the iPhone SE, which is the most powerful phone for $ 400 or less. If you're more of an Android fan, consider the Google Pixel 3a or the Samsung Galaxy A51, which you might find for $ 300 if you're looking for it. Alternatively, you can wait for Google Pixel 4a, which may be released soon.

How long it will take?

The Moto G Fast is made of plastic, which means that it is likely to survive falls better than a glass device. That means it is not waterproof. So keep it away from the bath or pool.

Motorola has a decent track record of software updates, but given the price range here, no one can guess how many updates you will receive or when you will receive them. With normal use, you should be able to get two years out of the phone.

Should you buy one?

Yes, but only if your budget is $ 200 or less. If you can afford to spend a little more, it is worth doing so.

Editor's recommendations




11 Jun
Blog

Motorola Edge review: Stunning Display At A Reasonable Price

Motorola Edge Review screen angle

"The significant daily benefits of the Motorola Edge, from battery life to performance, outweigh the few frustrating disadvantages."

  • Great screen

  • 5G at a reasonable price

  • Outstanding battery life

  • Strong suitability for everyday use

  • Pretty, easy-to-use design

  • Fingerprint sensor is unreliable

  • Software can get frustrating

  • Camera needs to be improved

The Motorola Edge is so correct that I almost forget the annoyances. It's the best looking Motorola phone in ages, and yes, I'm counting the Moto Razr in that statement. The screen is a killer. I also liked to use it, especially because it's light, compact, and disappears in my pocket or bag. It's ideal for everyday use if you're not looking for a game-oriented powerhouse with the best camera.

However, there are some irritations in terms of build quality, security and software, which are very frustrating and are not entirely offset by the significant benefits. I've been using the phone for almost two weeks now and here are the good and bad details in more detail.

design

The Motorola Edge has been my favorite design for Motorola phones for some time. A main reason for this is the 19.5: 9 aspect ratio screen, which makes the body slim, much like Sony did with the 21: 9 aspect ratio Xperia 10 Plus. The advantage is that the phone doesn't need that much stretch, even though the screen is 6.7 inches and you can still reach the screen buttons with your fingers. It even fits in your pocket.

The screen falls over both sides of the phone in the same way as the Motorola Edge Plus and Huawei Mate 30 Pro, and helps you forget the large and slim aspect ratio by removing the side bezels. I think it looks great and although the functionality is shaky, more on that later, it gives the Edge a striking, modern look that is rarely seen on widely used devices.

Andy Boxall / Digital Trends

It's light at 188 grams, but fairly thick at 9.3 mm, and the body is very slippery. For this reason, a case for long-term use is required. The back of the phone is made of plastic, although it really feels like glass, but it has already noticed some uncomfortable scratches on the back even though it has spent most of its time indoors. This is unfortunate because I love the way the back of the edge looks.

Motorola’s decision not to make the phone very thin means that the camera module doesn’t protrude half a mile and instead is almost flush with the back of the phone. The Motorola logo is etched under the highly reflective black housing, which then takes on a rainbow effect in the right light. It is reminiscent of Samsung's aura glow color on the Galaxy Note 10 Plus.

Andy Boxall / Digital Trends

So all right? No not really. My Motorola Edge review has a striking seam where the glass of the screen meets the body, and it's not consistent around the phone. Run your finger along the bottom left and it's very pronounced, almost as if the screen glass was misaligned, while being perfectly smooth and fitting in the upper right corner. You also don't have to struggle to find this, as you notice every time you hold the phone.

This is a problem with waterfall displays because my Huawei Mate 30 Pro test model has the exact same problem. It distracts and feels like poor build quality, whether it is real or not. The Motorola Edge scores some important design points and can then lose as many.

Screen and security

The 6.7-inch OLED touchscreen offers a resolution of 2340 x 1080 pixels, a refresh rate of 90 Hz and HDR10 support. The aspect ratio of 19.5: 9 is very cinematic and gives the Edge a screen-to-body ratio of 95.9%, which is only interrupted by a small selfie camera with a punch that is barely noticeable. The waterfall display makes the background image look great. If the phone is covered, a white notification light runs along the side, which attracts your attention.

Andy Boxall / Digital Trends

If you watch the ever stunning carfection channel on YouTube in 1080p and set the color profile of the screen to Saturated, it becomes clear that the Edge screen emphasizes the colors strongly, but never oversaturated. Instead, you get a wonderful balance between black and shadow with light blue and red, resulting in an engaging and enjoyable visual experience. Compare it to the iPhone 11 Pro, which has the natural color profile active, and there are times when the Edge looks just as good, and that's a huge praise indeed.

HDR10 videos can be played back easily, and some of the breathtaking films look even better when zoomed in, so that they fill the entire screen, which also brings the cascade edge into play. The audio is also good, with a single speaker at the bottom of the phone, as well as audio from the speaker used for voice calls at the top of the screen. There is a lot of volume and a decent amount of bass, but also a certain amount of vibration through the body of the phone. Overall, the Edge is an excellent media smartphone.

Motorola Edge fingerprint sensorAndy Boxall / Digital Trends

There is a fingerprint sensor on the screen that is slow, unreliable and frustrating. It often takes several attempts to recognize your finger, and then about a second to unlock the device, or worse, a second or two to actually activate the sensor. This means that you tap the screen and press the power button in the hope that it will wake up to make the situation worse when the software gets into trouble. Using Face Unlock as an alternative compromises security and isn't much faster either. Security on the edge is a disappointment.

software

My review Motorola Edge installed Android 10 with the security update from May 2020 and exaggerated the very easy adjustment from Motorola. Visually, it's very similar to the look of Android on a Google Pixel 4, with the app taskbar up and the notification shadow down unaffected and all gesture controls and notifications untouched. This is a good thing since Android 10 is easy to use, attractive and fast.

Andy Boxall / Digital Trends

However, Motorola has added a selection of tools and features, some of which have been successful. I like the peek display, where notifications are sent on the lock screen and more information is shown by touching the icon. The edge light effect, where the sides of the screen light up to alert you to a new notification, caught my attention.

How about the edge of the screen in general? Edge Touch lets you open the app bar and notification shadow from the side of the screen, interact with some app shortcuts, and generally use the phone with one hand. It's not very successful and has often misunderstood my touch. I switched it off. Even then, the accidental interactions don't stop. I often accidentally open Google Assistant and often find that I've moved apps around on the screen. Also, tapping buttons on the edges of the screen is frustrating because they often don't work.

Motorola Edge App Drawer "class =" m-Karussell - picture dt-lazy-no "src =" https://icdn2.digitaltrends.com/image/digitaltrends/motorola-edge-apps-640x640.jpg "srcset =" https : //www.digitaltrends.com/data: image / gif; base64, https: //www.digitaltrends.com/R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP//yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7App drawer from Motorola Edge Andy Boxall / Digital Trends

Motorola Edge Moto action menu "class =" m-carousel - image dt-lazy-no "src =" https://icdn3.digitaltrends.com/image/digitaltrends/motorola-edge-moto-actions-640x640.jpg "srcset = "https://www.digitaltrends.com/data:image/gif;base64,https://www.digitaltrends.com/R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7The Motorola Edge Moto Actions menu Andy Boxall / Digital Trends

Motorola Edge screen customization menu "class =" m-carousel - image dt-lazy-no "src =" https://icdn4.digitaltrends.com/image/digitaltrends/motorola-edge-select-640x640.jpg "srcset =" https : //www.digitaltrends.com/data: image / gif; base64, https: //www.digitaltrends.com/R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP//yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7Motorola Edge's screen customization menu Andy Boxall / Digital Trends

An excellent function is hidden. Since some apps don't work well with the waterfall screen, especially if the text wraps around the edge and makes reading difficult, you can switch any app from an edgeless to a standard full screen view. It is in the helicopter view of open apps and by tapping the app icon. Very practical and a great way to avoid at least some of the interference caused by this type of display.

Most apps ran smoothly, but not the standard camera app. It doesn't want to be in a hurry at all, and when you try it, it crashes often, sometimes to the point where the phone needs a restart to work again. This most often happens when you open the camera from the lock screen, either after unlocking it or when you use the quick gesture to rotate your wrist. Motorola forces you to do this instead of adding a swipe icon. I missed various photographic moments while the camera app fell over for this reason.

camera

The camera app can be painful, but what about the camera itself? On paper, it's a solid performance with a 64-megapixel main camera with an aperture of 1: 1.8, an ultrawide camera with 16 megapixels and 1: 2.2, and an 8-megapixel telephoto lens for 2x optical Zoom shots. There is also a time-of-flight sensor that helps with portrait and bokeh shots. On the front there is a 25 megapixel wide-angle selfie camera with an aperture of 1: 2.0.

Andy Boxall / Digital Trends

The results are good, but not quite as good as I expected, and it looks like Motorola still needs some tweaking. The differences in exposure and dynamic range between standard, wide-angle, and 2x zoom shots are significant, and wide-angle has problems, especially in difficult lighting. The colors are muted and the exposure is too low. Although this can be fixed with some edits, the shots can only be shared if you optimize them. This is not acceptable.

Shoot with the standard camera and the photos are generally much better, but exposure remains problematic. You can't always tell when this will happen, which makes it difficult to predict whether a photo will come out well.

I like macro mode, which can take some very detailed close-ups, and portrait mode is good too. Macro mode, however, requires a very steady hand, while edges when taking portraits can falsely become blurred. The night mode brightens pictures a little and without much influence on details. However, it's not a drastic change like you find on phones like the Huawei P40 Pro.

The Motorola camera app, if it has no problems opening it, is one thing apart. Motorola has placed the Google lens button right next to the shutter button, and not only is it too easy to accidentally press, it's also easily confused with the button used to switch between the rear and front cameras, which is annoying right on the page is placed. You also cannot edit the primary function switch. You must therefore go to a separate menu to activate night or portrait mode. Selfies in good light are great, with bold colors and lots of details, but in low light, it's not that good even in night mode, and edge detection in portrait mode is random.

Motorola Edge Review Standard "class =" m-Karussell - picture dt-lazy-no "src =" https://icdn4.digitaltrends.com/image/digitaltrends/motorola-edge-standard-640x640.jpg "srcset =" https : //www.digitaltrends.com/data: image / gif; base64, https: //www.digitaltrends.com/R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP//yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7Motorola Edge standard lens Andy Boxall / Digital Trends

motorola edge review wide "class =" m-Karussell - picture dt-lazy-no "src =" https://icdn5.digitaltrends.com/image/digitaltrends/motorola-edge-wide-640x640.jpg "srcset =" https : //www.digitaltrends.com/data: image / gif; base64, https: //www.digitaltrends.com/R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP//yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7Motorola Edge wide angle lens Andy Boxall / Digital Trends

motorola edge review 2x "class =" m-carousel - image dt-lazy-no "src =" https://icdn6.digitaltrends.com/image/digitaltrends/motorola-edge-2x-640x640.jpg "srcset =" https : //www.digitaltrends.com/data: image / gif; base64, https: //www.digitaltrends.com/R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP//yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7Motorola Edge 2x zoom Andy Boxall / Digital Trends

The Motorola Edge's camera is just not very consistent, although the hardware is good and it can take some great photos under the right conditions. It's probably all software-related, which means future updates can bring improvements, but the Edge's camera isn't currently inspiring you to use it.

Power and battery

The Motorola Edge does not use Qualcomm's flagship Snapdragon 865 chipset, but the Snapdragon 765G chipset. This will make many think that this is a “middle range”, but real-world performance is anything but. Ordinary, everyday tasks like taking photos, using email, making calls, and checking social media apps are as fluid and fast as you want them to be.

Geekbench 5: 1785 Multi Core / 573 Single Core

3DMark Sling Shot Extreme: 2800 (volcano)

The situation is different with the benchmark results. The closest competitor to the Motorola Edge is the OnePlus 8, which houses the Snapdragon 865 chipset, and which exceeds these numbers. Even the aging Asus Zenfone 6 with last year's Snapdragon 855 processor leaves the Motorola in the dust. However, it beats the Samsung Galaxy A51.

Andy Boxall / Digital Trends

However, the poor benchmark numbers do not lead to slowness. Asphalt 9 Legends is solid if you don't crank up the graphics properly, and DariusBurst is great too. No, the Motorola Edge isn't really for hardcore gamers, but it's okay for casual gaming. Motorola has added a game mode that minimizes distractions, as well as an option for virtual shoulder buttons that are easily programmable for individual games.

Motorola did the right thing with the Edge battery. It has a capacity of 4,500 mAh and it is absolutely no problem to take two full days, sometimes saving energy. However, if you add a few video calls, you will need to charge them sometime in the evening of the second day. Although my phone is currently mostly connected to Wi-Fi, the Edge typically ended a normal day with more than 60% remaining power, even when connected to a smartwatch and using voice calls, photos, and app usage. This is an excellent achievement.

It is quickly charged with the supplied charger with 18 W. Charging from zero to full takes almost an hour and 40 minutes and only reaches 26% after 20 minutes. There are faster charging systems, and unfortunately the Edge doesn't have wireless charging. Since my area is not a 5G coverage area, I was unable to test the Edge's 5G connectivity. However, I had no problems with regular calls and 4G LTE reception, but Wi-Fi sometimes failed when I was further away from my router. Many will also like to look at the bottom of the phone and see a 3.5mm headphone jack.

Price, guarantee and availability

The Motorola Edge costs £ 549 or about $ 695 and can currently be pre-ordered in the UK on Motorola's own website through the O2 network, as well as from retailers such as Amazon and Argos. A publication in the United States has been cited, but there are no details at the time of writing.

Our opinion

The Motorola Edge has strong advantages and disadvantages. The size, performance, and screen are excellent, and long battery life is a serious advantage, the camera is decent, and the price is reasonable because the phone has 5G for the future. These benefits pay off every day and make it very easy to live with. Elsewhere, it's not as good as it should be due to software and security vulnerabilities, but some aspects could be improved in the future by software updates.

Is there a better alternative?

The major challenger to the Motorola Edge is the OnePlus 8. In the UK, it costs £ 599, or $ 699 in the US. While not the most exciting phone you can buy today, it is very reliable and extremely powerful. It has 5G, ready for the future and more power than the Edge. This is the better buy unless you can upgrade to the OnePlus 8 Pro at £ 799 (or $ 899). Spend a little more again and the Samsung Galaxy S20 for $ 999 (or £ 799) is a great phone. If you haven't opted for Android, the Apple iPhone 11 is also an excellent buy for $ 699 or £ 729 with great camera, design, software, and battery life.

How long it will take?

While 5G is not an advantage at the moment, it will become more desirable in the near future and the Motorola Edge ensures that you are ready for the day without spending a fortune. It's moderately durable with Gorilla Glass 5 on the front and plastic on the back, but as I have already noticed, it can be scratched fairly quickly. According to Motorola, the phone is water-repellent, but does not offer an IP protection class. This means it's okay when it rains, but not if you drop it in the bathtub.

According to Motorola, the Edge is guaranteed to get Android 11, but according to the company, it is not certain whether one will arrive afterwards. Based on that, you should only expect one big Android update after purchase, and that's not great.

Should you buy one?

Yes, despite the inconvenience, the everyday life of the Motorola Edge is excellent overall, so it is still worth buying if you are interested in the screen and design.

Editor's recommendations




30 Apr
Blog

Motorola Moto Edge Plus Review: Yet Another Android Flagship

Moto Edge Plus

Moto Edge Plus review: overshadowed by giants

"The Moto Edge Plus looks like the future."

  • Beautiful "Endless Edge" display

  • Sleek, futuristic design

  • Sharp 108MP camera

  • Good performance

  • Massive battery

  • Fat and heavy

  • The aspect ratio of 21: 9 is cumbersome

  • Mediocre front and telephoto

Motorola's new flagship, the Moto Edge Plus, looks like something from the HBO Westworld series. The show shows handheld devices as edgeless displays, which, apart from a sharp, bright screen, largely lack any recognition features. Actually, they are not smartphones – just intelligent devices, a mixture of tablet, phone and PC.

The Moto Edge Plus feels like a big step towards Westworld's fiction. It's almost the entire screen, and thanks to a fast Qualcomm processor, 5G support, lots of RAM, and a smooth 90 Hz display, it responds to your touch with unnatural speed. There is a subtle Motorola logo on the back. Otherwise it is elegant and without branding.

Despite its futuristic design, Motorola also tries to undercut the competition. The Moto Edge Plus costs "only" $ 1,000. This is a lot, but also less than first-class flagships from Apple and Samsung. This is a daring, bold phone.

display

Motorola's Moto Edge Plus has an obvious, massive headline feature that you stare at every time you pick up the phone. This is the 6.7-inch "Endless Edge" display.

Phones with slim, curved-edge displays aren't brand new (believe it or not, the Samsung Galaxy Note Edge is five years old), but the Moto Edge Plus is part of a new generation that takes it to the extreme. The edges wrap a full 90 degrees around the sides, with the side panels being practically eliminated when looking directly at the phone.

Moto Edge PlusMatthew S. Smith / Digital Trends

Phones like the Huawei Mate 30 Pro adopted this design concept last year, but the Moto Edge Plus is all-in. Perhaps more importantly, it's widespread in the U.S., while Huawei and Oppo phones are hard to find and use in North America. This is practically a first for an average US smartphone buyer.

The Endless Edge display is a beautiful OLED touchscreen with a long list of features, including FHD + resolution, 90 Hz refresh rate, 10-bit color support, and HDR10 + certification. The unusual and dramatic aspect ratio of 21: 9 results in a phone that feels large and narrow. This is an advantage when writing SMS, surfing the Internet or reading, because it increases the content that you can see without increasing the width of the phone.

Moto Edge PlusMatthew S. Smith / Digital Trends

However, it can be a problem when streaming videos or games, since most are produced with an aspect ratio of 16: 9. A 21: 9 display shows black bars on the sides when 16: 9 content is displayed, effectively reducing the usable screen area. For most videos and some games, you can enlarge the content to take up the entire display. However, this cuts off part of the image.

The touchscreen can also be difficult to use. It looks seductive and futuristic, but it makes it difficult to handle the phone without activating touch when it is not intended to. This was not a problem for me while surfing the Internet, but it did become a problem when playing. I never found a handle in Minecraft that was comfortable and avoided accidental touches.

Moto Edge PlusMatthew S. Smith / Digital Trends

The display has two more quirks. First, when viewing a website or document, text is often displayed on both sides of the phone. Although it remains legible, it looks strange. The extreme curve also distorts color and brightness at the edges due to the odd viewing angle. This is obvious when you see a uniform color streak on the display, e.g. B. the pure white background of many websites. I got used to it, but I would certainly call it a mistake.

Your appetite for the Moto Edge Plus mainly depends on whether you fall in love with this screen. It's insane and futuristic, but not flawless. Phone freaks like to adapt to the quirks of the display and enjoy the striking look. However, if you're more interested in function than shape, consider a more traditional large-screen phone like the Galaxy S20 Plus.

design

The Moto Edge Plus is a phone that was developed around the display. Its large, narrow, blocky body is tailored to the high, narrow aspect ratio of 21: 9.

But wow, it's an eye catcher.

Would you like to know what the phone feels like? Get a Hershey chocolate bar. I admit that I didn't have a candy bar to do a side-by-side comparison, but my mind immediately jumped to that comparison.

Despite the rounded edges, the phone feels chunky compared to an Apple iPhone 11 Pro Max or Samsung Galaxy S20 Plus. According to official information, the size of the phone is bulky 0.37 inches. The iPhone 11 Pro Max is 0.32 inches thick, the Samsung Galaxy S20 Plus is 0.31 inches and the OnePlus 8 Pro is 0.33 inches. This makes it more difficult to hold the phone than its slim profile suggests.

Moto Edge PlusMatthew S. Smith / Digital Trends

It's weirdly slippery. Even the slightest incline lets the phone slip slowly. It spontaneously threw itself from the edge of my desk, couch, and several chairs. It always feels ready to get out of your grip.

The phone also feels top-heavy because it is large and you naturally hold the phone near its bottom. My test device weighed 7.2 ounces on my kitchen scale. This is more than a Galaxy S20 Plus, but less than Apple's iPhone 11 Pro Max. This is a large phone that, like its competition, can be uncomfortable to hold in bed or while lying on a sofa.

But wow, it's an eye catcher. The entire Moto 2020 product line is clearly designed to offer luxury design at lower prices, and the Edge Plus is successful. The noble blue finish of my test device in combination with the slim appearance of the phone results in an elegant, professional device. The Moto Edge Plus seems to belong in a boardroom or private jet.

Optical fingerprint reader

The Moto Edge Plus uses an optical fingerprint reader for secure login. It appears in the lower quarter of the phone and is easy to use.

However, it does not avoid the shortcomings that have caused this technology. While fingerprint recognition usually worked, it often took a moment to recognize my fingerprint. This is sluggish compared to the almost instant login that traditional systems can offer. The system also has major problems with water, lint, or dirt on your hands.

5G, WiFi and ports

The Moto Edge Plus supports both mmWave and Sub-6 Hz 5G networks and, according to Motorola, can reach network speeds of 4 Gbit / s under ideal conditions. I couldn't test this myself because 5G wasn't deployed in my region. Still, it's good to see support for both 5G networks as this should improve connectivity and unlock access to the fastest speeds possible. New Android flagships will offer this feature in 2020, while the iPhone doesn't yet offer 5G support.

The phone is exclusive to Verizon. You must be a Verizon subscriber to use this phone or be ready to switch to the Verizon network.

You will also find support for Wi-Fi 6 and Bluetooth 5.1. I would expect to see the latest wireless connectivity standards in a new flagship phone, but it's good to see that Motorola didn't skip any features to keep the $ 1,000 price tag going.

The wired connectivity includes USB 3.0 Type C and a 3.5 mm audio jack, both of which are located on the bottom lip of the phone.

Camera quality

Moto Edge PlusMatthew S. Smith / Digital Trends

The camera is the other heading feature of Motos Edge Plus. The triple lens system features a 108-megapixel main shooter, a 16-megapixel ultrawide lens and an 8-megapixel telephoto lens. It also includes optical image stabilization, video stabilization and laser auto focus with a time-of-flight sensor.

Yes, 108MP. As with the Endless Edge display, the phone's 108-megapixel camera isn't a unique feature, but it is up-to-date and somewhat unexpected on a $ 1,000 phone. If you're in the U.S., the Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra is just a generally available phone with this feature. And it costs $ 1,400.

That's a lot of megapixels. But translated into an excellent camera?

Main camera quality

Although it has a 108MP sensor, pixel binning is enabled by default on the Moto Edge Plus. This technique, called Moto Quad Pixel Technology, combines the light of four pixels into one. This reduces the output to 27 MP, but increases the brightness, contrast and color of the image – at least in theory.

At first glance, the Moto Edge Plus makes a strong impression. When shooting outdoors, the camera vibrates with a lively, saturated appearance, as is common with flagship cell phones. These shots will surely draw your attention and look great on a variety of screens.

However, I feel that the Moto Edge Plus has color problems. My close-up of a flower makes it look almost fluorescent while it was lukewarm in real life. Colors can become so extreme that they destroy details and remove subtle patterns or flaws that would otherwise be visible. It's not bad for Instagram, but sometimes far from reality.

The color was distorted in the opposite direction when I took indoor pictures with moderate to dim lighting. While the pictures looked sharp and bright, the colors appeared. The camera seemed particularly confused by the yellow wall of my kitchen and often leaned towards a faint, dark pastel that is not accurate at all.

Portrait mode solidly improves the appearance of portrait photos and works quite well even in moderate lighting, although it is more grainy than photos taken with a Samsung Galaxy S20 Plus or Apple's iPhone 11 Pro Max. My curly hair is, as always, a mode stress test, and Motorola’s camera is sure to have problems with broken curls, but the slight halo that dances around the edges of my frizz is not uncommon. Every portrait mode I've ever tried had problems coping with my locks.

The Moto Edge Plus is best suited for taking photos at a moderate distance with moderate to bright lighting. Breathtaking pictures can be taken in these conditions, but the main camera is not as versatile as I hoped.

108MP Ultra-Res / Tele quality

While the 108MP sensor uses pixel binning by default, you can disable this mode and take full 108MP photos. However, if you do this, you will encounter some problems. Using the 108MP Ultra-Res mode significantly extends photo processing time. The photos themselves are huge and take up a lot more space than the standard photos with 27 MP.

You will be disappointed if you expect an obvious improvement in clarity. The 27MP photos are output with a resolution of 6,016 x 4,512 – already well above 4K. The 108MP photos are output with a resolution of 12.032 x 9.024. This is much higher, but you need a display with a resolution well above 4K to see the difference.

Motorola does not know this problem and quickly points out the additional versatility of a high-resolution photo. A high-resolution image can improve the digital zoom because, first of all, more details have to be edited. However, the Moto Edge Plus also has an 8 megapixel telephoto camera with 3x optical zoom.

I decided to compare them side by side by taking photos of text from a distance and then cropping them to see which ones showed the most detailed.

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The results are fascinating.

The telephoto lens clearly delivers superior sharpness. This is not an insult to Ultra Res mode because the detail here is impressive. These narrow crops contain less than 1 percent of the over 108,576,768 pixels in the 108MP photo. Nevertheless, the crop of the telephoto lens is easier to read.

However, you will notice a clear difference in the appearance of each shot. Photos from Ultra Res mode are significantly more colorful than those from the 8MP camera. This makes sense since the 108MP main camera has an aperture of 1: 1.8, while the telephoto camera has an aperture of 1: 2.4 and therefore captures less light.

Overall, these results lead to the assumption that experienced smartphone photographers will find a lot to discover. The ultra-res mode and the telephoto lens are each suitable for different situations. On the other hand, less experienced photographers (like me) are likely to ignore Ultra Res mode and use the telephoto lens when zoom is required.

Ultrawide and macro quality

A 16 megapixel ultrawide camera offers a field of view of 117 degrees for more expansive shots and works well. The dramatic photos you're likely to take with an Ultrawide lens go well with the Moto Edge Plus' tendency to oversaturate colors.

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Are the results realistic? No – but that's not what an ultra-wide smartphone camera is about. It's a fun, versatile option that gives a sense of scale and size that is normally not possible on a smartphone. I enjoyed it and the photos I took are easily some of the best I could take during my review.

The phone's macro mode has a job to do, but this job is probably more specific than expected. It can deliver solid quality if it comes very, very close to a subject. I speak at most a few inches away. Otherwise, I found that the main camera could take sharper, more colorful photos.

Front camera

The Moto Edge Plus has a 25-megapixel front camera that, like the main camera, has quad-pixel technology. 6.2MP images are output as standard.

My quarantine haircut doesn't make me the best subject, but I think the camera is solid. Photos of it are vivid, clear and crisp. The photo shows the overly saturated appearance of other cameras, but I think this is less of a problem for selfies. My skin tone certainly doesn't "glow", but here is a hint of warmth.

However, you need adequate lighting to get the most out of the camera. Even if pixel binning is activated, the front-facing camera cannot avoid a grainy appearance even with poor interior lighting, not to mention a really dark environment. There is no night mode or the like to improve quality with limited lighting.

Summary of camera quality

The Moto Edge Plus camera offers owners many options in the hope that some will stay. Some do it. Outdoor shots look great on the main camera, which does its best in good lighting with colorful landscapes. It's Instagram-friendly and sacrifices balance and realism for a lively, saturated look that stands out on every display.

I like the 108MP camera. This is not often used by most owners, but it increases the versatility of the phone. You can take pictures in 108MP Ultra-Res mode and crop them later for best results.

It's a great camera system, but it's not noticeable. All modern flagship phones offer excellent picture quality. The Moto Edge Plus can take spectacular photos, but it didn't blow me away.

Video quality

The Moto Edge Plus brings the warmth to the video specs. It can record videos with a resolution of up to 6K or 1080p videos with up to 60 frames per second (frames per second). Other features include optical image stabilization, video portrait mode, and a video snapshot function that can be used to retrieve 20 megapixel still images from the video while filming.

I have little experience with video recording on smartphones, so I cannot seriously test the video quality. Still, I found the video quality strong, with sharp details and vivid colors.

The phone continued to perform well when recording 6K video. I did not notice any significant delay or processing time before or after recording with 6K.

There is also a slow motion mode that captures up to 120 fps at FHD resolution or 240 fps at HD resolution.

Audio

Stereo speakers tuned by Waves, a Grammy award-winning audio technology company, give the Moto Edge Plus its voice. And, boy, does it really scream?

At full volume, the phone delivers a strong, balanced sound that can handle a wide range of content, from bass-heavy tracks to the most hectic action films. The phone doesn't deliver most of the bass, but it does offer a clear, distortion-resistant experience. Dialogues or vocals can also be distinguished from the roar of a jet engine or a constant, deep bass beat.

performance

A Qualcomm 865 processor supplies the Moto Edge Plus with power. This is the latest and best offer from Qualcomm, which serves eight cores. This is paired with 12 GB of RAM and 256 GB of storage connected via the UFS 3.0 storage standard. Motorola does not offer models with more storage space, and SD card expansion is not an option.

Since most Android phones are based on Qualcomm processors, the Moto Edge Plus has no particular advantage over the competition. Still, this is a fast processor. Only Apple's excellent A13 Bionic will defeat him.

  • Geekbench 5 single core: 910
  • Geekbench 5 multi-core: 3,297
  • 3DMark Sling Shot: 9,415

I noticed in previous reviews that smartphone performance has reached the point where most phones are "good enough". Still, you will feel the difference between a flagship like the Moto Edge Plus and any phone with a mid-range Qualcomm 600 processor.

The Moto Edge Plus flies through content and rarely hesitates even when you scroll through large lists of high-resolution images or videos. It's not flawless, but it's close. Combine this with the 90 Hz screen, which is more responsive than the 60 Hz screens that used to dominate flagship phones, for a pleasant experience.

The Moto Edge Plus flies through content.

I mentioned that Apple's A13 Bionic is faster, which you can see from benchmarks. For example, the iPhone SE from Apple scored 1,324 points for Geekbench single-core and 3,192 points for Geekbench multi-core. This means that the $ 400 Apple phone is significantly faster than the Moto Edge Plus in terms of per-core processor performance. The iPhone SE is also competitive in the multi-core area. But do you see this speed in practice?

I only noticed it when using the camera. For example, if you take a lot of pictures in succession, I noticed that current-generation iPhones can take multiple photos quickly and feel a little more responsive. I also notice a more responsive feeling in multitasking applications (despite the RAM memory in the Moto Edge Plus).

Nevertheless, "good enough" remains in force. Does a modern iPhone feel more responsive? Yes. Is it really important with 99% of usage? No, it doesn't.

Qualcomm's 865 has a built-in Adreno 650 GPU and can handle any game Android can give you. After all, this is Qualcomm's current top tier component. There is no superior chip for an Android game developer. Games fly, run with high frame rates and excellent quality settings.

I don't have an iPhone 11 Pro Max for direct comparison, but 3DMark's benchmark results make me believe that the iPhone 11 Pro Max and Moto Edge Plus offer an approximately equivalent experience. And since many other Android flagships have the same Qualcomm 865 part with the same Adreno GPU, you probably won't notice a big difference between them either.

As I said earlier, I have some complaints about how the design of the phone can make playing games more difficult when I rely on touchscreen controls, but I can not degrade performance in any way.

Battery life

A massive 5000 mAh battery powers the Moto Edge Plus. Batteries of this size are not uncommon in 2020, but this still gives the Edge Plus a capacity advantage over most of its competitors. The OnePlus 8 Pro has a 4,510 mAh battery, the Samsung Galaxy S20 Plus has a 4,500 mAh battery and the Apple iPhone 11 Pro Max has a 3,969 mAh battery.

I assume that most people will end the day with 30 to 50 percent of the remaining battery.

Motorola gives the battery life after two days, and in my experience, that was the case. You can extend it to three days if you make little calls, or use it in a single day if you do everything you can to play games. I assume that most people will end the day with 30 to 50 percent of the remaining battery.

The phone supports an included 18-watt quick charger or 15-watt wireless charging. It also supports wireless power distribution up to 5 watts. These numbers aren't impressive for a flagship phone because the Samsung Galaxy S20 Plus can charge up to 25 watts and the OnePlus 8 Pro supports 30 watts. However, given the long battery life, I don't think mediocre charging is worth worrying about.

software

Motorola ships the Moto Edge Plus with a relatively flawless version of Android 10. Much of the bloatware on my device came from Verizon, not Motorola, but even this mess was minimal. Apps like My Verizon can be largely ignored if you don't want to watch them.

The Moto Edge Plus has Moto promotions, a special bonus that can be found in all Motorola phones. These gesture-based shortcuts provide quick access to some common functions. For example, a quick double-chop process opens the flashlight, or you can quickly twist your wrist twice to open the camera.

Moto Edge PlusMatthew S. Smith / Digital Trends

I've been a Moto fan for many years after jumping on board the Moto G3 for the first time, and Moto promotions are a major reason for my preference. I love her. They are simple, reliable and affect functions that you use every day.

The camera app is my biggest complaint. The rudimentary look is not uncommon on Android phones, but it looks unaffected. It's not as attractive as the iOS camera app or the one you find on Google's pixel phones, and the tendency to rely on small icons and option lists can be anything but intuitive. It's usable, but not as user-friendly as some of its competitors.

Motorola informed me that the Endless Edge display is being used for notifications during my briefing over the phone, and I noticed that it was lighting up. However, I have not gained any value from the light show. I was hardly surprised. Any phone that offers a curved edge display has in some way claimed to provide helpful notifications, and it has never shown me a real utility.

Our opinion

Motorola's Moto Edge Plus is solid, but struggles to stand out from a crowded field. Apple, Samsung, LG, OnePlus, Oppo and Huawei offer their own flagships. In most cases, these companies offer several. They all have huge screens and lots of functions. You can opt for the Moto Edge because of the 108-megapixel camera or the extreme display, but these features aren't a must for most buyers.

Is there a better alternative?

Yes. That is the problem with the Moto Edge Plus.

It's a nice phone, but there's a lot to choose from. Most buyers in this price range will likely opt for the Samsung Galaxy S20 Plus, a reliable choice with a stunning yet functional design. There is also the OnePlus 8 Pro, which loses some ground in the camera specifications, but makes up for it with a larger 120 Hz screen.

If you want a flagship experience on a budget, Google Pixel 4 XL is a great choice. You can also wait for the Moto Edge to come later this year. It's a stripped-down version of the Moto Edge Plus that retains the screen, but is downgraded to a 64-megapixel camera, among other things. However, Motorola has not announced its price.

The iPhone Pro Max from Apple is another top choice. Here, too, the iPhone offers a design that better combines form and function. It outperforms the Edge Plus and, in my opinion, offers superior camera quality overall. However, since it is an iPhone, Android users need to consider changing the operating system in their decision.

Do you want more options? Check out our favorite 2020 smartphones.

How long it will take?

The Moto Edge Plus is a fast, full-featured phone that runs the latest version of Android. Therefore, it should perform well in the coming years. Support for new Android operating system versions will stop working after a few years, a problem that is common with Android smartphones.

Should you buy it

No. The Moto Edge Plus is a good phone that doesn't stand out in the impressive lineup of Android flagships from 2020.

Editor's recommendations




25 Apr
Blog

Motorola Tech3 Review: Hybrid Earbuds For The Plug-in Crowd

Motorola Tech3 True Wireless Earbuds

Motorola Tech3 Test: Wireless earphones without range anxiety

"A clever hybrid design takes you from wired to really wireless in seconds if you agree with average sound."

  • Clever hybrid design

  • Well-designed cable management

  • Clear and precise sound

  • Good battery life

  • IPX5 water resistance

  • Not enough bass

  • No volume control

  • Poor call quality when it is loud

  • Massive charging case

Surprisingly, real wireless earphones and electric cars have a lot in common. Both offer unprecedented freedom: electric cars free us from our addiction to oil, and real wireless earphones free us from our addiction to cables. However, both inventions also have inherent limitations: electric cars have a maximum range determined by their battery capacity, and the same applies to the length of time that real wireless earphones can deliver music without interruption.

In both cases, fear of a lack of juice can be described as range anxiety, provided you are willing to equate kilometers driven with hours of playback. It is this range fear that makes the real Motorola Tech3 wireless earphones so interesting for $ 100. With a literal plug-in hybrid design that lets you turn them into wired earbuds, they're the perfect antidote to fear of range.

But do the advantages of Tech3's 3-in-1 design outweigh the disadvantages? Let’s take a closer look.

Wrap your head around this design

Motorola Tech3 True Wireless EarbudsSimon Cohen / Digital Trends

You may find that once you keep an eye on the charging case, the Tech3 is not like other real wireless earbuds. It looks like a really big black yo-yo. This is due in part to the squat, cylindrical shape, but the comparison becomes almost inevitable due to the two sets of braided cords that wrap around the middle section.

The braided cords do not stretch or deform at all and snap into their slots in the same way each time. It just works.

Open the compact makeup style lid and you'll find that the earbuds are neatly tucked away in their own charging corners. If you fold up a second smaller lid in the main compartment, the ends of one of these braided cords become visible. This is the one with which you physically connect the earphones in their "sport loop" configuration.

The second cable – the cable that is magnetically attached to the sports loop for wired use – is accessible from the bottom of the case. The arrangement reminds me of decades of trying to keep wired earbuds neat by wrapping them around all kinds of objects. It was almost always a total mess, but the Tech3 manages to bring order to chaos thanks to one important difference: the braided cords do not stretch or deform at all, which means that they wrap around their housing and snap into their respective slots every time the same way. It just works.

The only problem with this design is its size. Unlike most of today's real wireless earbuds, the Tech3 case cannot be comfortably plugged in. Some people may also be annoyed by the micro USB charging port, a format that has almost disappeared on newer phones (ironically, the latest Motorola models as well). There is a charge indicator on the front, but it is tiny and very difficult to see.

Comfortable buds

Motorola Tech3 True Wireless EarbudsSimon Cohen / Digital Trends

When I first saw the Tech3 press images, I was concerned that being able to connect the sports loop cable would mean big, bulky earphones. Amazingly, the buds aren't bigger or heavier than non-hybrid models, and they're actually smaller than some others – Amazon's Echo Buds are chunkier.

The plastic plugs at the ends of the cable form a barrier to how deep you can insert the earphones into your ears.

They are also very convenient. I'm very lucky with the standard medium-sized earplugs on most earbuds, and the Tech3 was no exception. I could nestle them firmly and comfortably in my ear and they stayed comfortable for several hours.

Despite the fact that you can connect the sports loop without losing size or comfort, there is a pretty big flaw in the design. The hard plastic plugs on the ends of the cable form a physical barrier to how deep you can insert the earphones into your ears. For me, this meant that the natural resistance that the string exerted over time tended to loosen the buds.

There is a reason why practically all ear loop-based earphones use some kind of ear hook or ear fin – you need to stabilize the earphones against this pulling. Unfortunately, the Tech3 is not equipped with built-in or optional ear plugs, which you can find on some models. This appears to be a strange oversight for earphones that are supposed to be tied up and used during intense physical activity. On a positive note, with IPX5 water resistance, they are able to deal with the type of sweat that normally occurs during vigorous exercises.

Decent sound

At $ 100, the Motorola Tech3 is at the top end of the affordable side of the real wireless earphone market. Given the fancy hybrid design, one can expect some sacrifices to be made in the audio department, and this is true: they don't deliver the same audio quality as the 1More Stylish at a similar price.

Nevertheless, they deliver very good clarity and precision with a surprisingly neutral EQ. In this price range, earphones tend to overcompensate for the bass, or they don't provide a satisfactorily full midrange. The Tech3 don't suffer from these drawbacks, making it a better choice for those who like their music with a minimum of tonal changes. Vocals are particularly well represented, and although bass heads want more low-end pomp, most genres actually benefit from the Tech3's sound signature.

Light on functions

Motorola Tech3 True Wireless EarbudsSimon Cohen / Digital Trends

Another area where the Tech3 cuts off some corners is its features. You get the standard controls: play / pause, skip tracks forward / backward and answer / end call. You can also access your phone's personal assistant or speak to Alexa by installing Hubble's free Verve Life app. With this app you can also track the last known location of the earphones in case you lose them.

However, there is no volume control, no listening mode (sometimes called transparency mode) to let outside noise in, and no ear sensor. So if you remove one or both buds, the music will continue to play instead of automatically stopping. And considering that there is a companion app, it's a shame that you don't get an equalizer function either. The controls themselves react very quickly to typing. However, as we've seen with other touch-sensitive earbuds, you may accidentally type (and stop playback) or type twice and the bud may not register the second typing.

Not built for noise

Motorola Tech3 True Wireless EarbudsSimon Cohen / Digital Trends

The call quality with the Tech3 is a hit or miss. The overall voice quality is very good, but your callers will not appreciate it if you are in a busy environment. There is practically no noise cancellation. A light breeze sounded like a wind storm, and a dog that barked more than 50 feet away sounded like it was right next to me. It's a subtle reminder that the Tech3 is part of a portfolio of Motorola-branded products, but not manufactured by Motorola Solutions (the original Motorola company) or the Lenovo subsidiary that controls the mobile phone business. Instead, these earphones are manufactured by Binatone, a Hong Kong-based electronics manufacturer, under license from Lenovo.

Good battery life

Designed for seven hours between charges, you may never need to use this patch cord.

Yes, the Tech3 has been designed to offer unlimited playtime through its hybrid design. However, this does not mean that the battery life is not adequate. Rated seven hours between charges, I actually got more than 7.5 hours out of my right earphone, while the left gave up after almost seven hours.

Even the quick charge function is better than expected with three hours of play after 15 minutes. With only about 1.5 charges in the case (18 hours in total), you may never need to use this connector cable.

Plug-in hybrid

Motorola Tech3 True Wireless EarbudsSimon Cohen / Digital Trends

Using the two cables to switch from completely wireless to fully wired takes only a few seconds. The hardest part is aligning the three-pronged gold contacts on the ends of the sports loop with the corresponding connectors on each earphone. There are a number of white markings that help, but it requires some precision, not to mention good eyesight.

An obvious problem with this arrangement is that these contacts can come loose over time, much like headphone jacks do. It's certainly a risk, but I can tell you that the fit is tight and very secure, at least when new. No gentle pull can move them.

When the earphones are connected via the magnetic headphone cable, they are automatically switched off and sound just as good, if not better, than in wireless mode.

Our opinion

The Motorola Tech3 concept offers a unique solution to a problem that we are not convinced that many people have: how to use your real wireless earphones with a headphone jack. At $ 100, this isn't an expensive solution, but you have to give up a lot to take advantage of its flexibility.

Is there a better alternative?

If great sound is important to you and your budget can stretch a bit, you can actually get a very similar solution with the Shure Aonic 215. They're not as elegantly packaged as the Tech3 and have their own drawbacks, but they're much more flexible.

If great sound is important to you, but $ 100 is your limit, check out our list of the best cheap real wireless earbuds. None of them have the Tech3's clever hybrid trick, but many offer more features and better sound. If battery life is your biggest concern, you can't go wrong for an additional $ 29 with Samsung's amazing 11-hour Galaxy Buds + for $ 129.

How long it will take?

The construction of the Tech3 earphones and their charging case is good, but not great. You will probably survive for several years if you don't abuse them. The two cables are very well made, but it is impossible to say how many times you can connect them to the earphones before this connection fails.

Should you buy it

If you don't necessarily need to be able to connect your real wireless earbuds to a phone or computer, or if you're constantly worried that your battery will run out, skip the Tech3. However, if you appreciate its main function, it is not a real set of real wireless earbuds.

Editor's recommendations




16 Apr
Blog

Motorola Moto G Stylus review: An A-OK Stylus On A Budget

Moto G stylus

Motorola Moto G Stylus Review: Play on a stylus

"The Moto G Stylus has a niche function and cannot make a profit from it."

  • Attractive 6.4-inch display

  • Solid battery life

  • Rounded performance

  • Long lasting, expensive feeling

  • Heavy and thick

  • Action camera is a miss

  • The pen is not often useful

The smartphone arena has become a cruel battlefield. Buyers have chosen a set of preferences that don't offer much room for differentiation. Budget phones that are plagued by low prices find it particularly difficult to stand out. Motorola's two new phones, the Moto G Stylus and Moto G Power, solve this problem by going to the extreme.

While the Moto G Power is in a massive battery, the Moto G stylus that is the subject of this review adds something that you won't find anywhere else. Obviously a pen.

A pen is of course not the new sharpness. The Galaxy Note line has long positioned itself as a brand for stylus super fans. However, the Moto G stylus combines the stylus with an unusual feature – a low price. The phone costs $ 300. This gives you 4 GB of RAM and 128 GB of internal memory (MicroSD cards with up to 512 GB can further upgrade the memory). This is the only version available.

Does the Moto G Stylus make sense or does it feel more like a gimmick? Here is the ball.

Design and display

Motorola attached great importance to its unusual design sensibility, which included the option to customize the appearance and color ex works for certain cell phones. However, you will find no evidence of this. The Moto G Stylus wants passers-by to think it's a more expensive device. It is sleek and elegant, with a glossy plastic back that gives an appropriate impression of glass.

The G stylus weighs 6.77 ounces and is 0.36 inches thick. This makes it heavier and thicker than some of its competitors. The Moto G7 Play is 0.31 inches thick and weighs only 5.3 ounces. The Samsung Galaxy A50 is only 0.3 inches thick and weighs about 5.9 ounces (its replacement, the Galaxy A51, is similar). The G Stylus is slightly lighter and thinner than the G Power, and the difference is noticeable, but the G Stylus is still a powerful device.

This adds a feeling of quality and durability that is not often found on inexpensive phones. However, weight can be a problem. I noticed it most when I lay down on my sofa or read articles in bed. After a short time, my arm began to tire and the phone felt ready to slide onto my chin as soon as I loosened my grip.

Moto G Power / Stylus displayMoto G Power (from left) and G Stylus Matthew Smith / Digital Trends

The weight and volume of the phone are shared between the pen and the battery. The pen is not massive, but slides into the phone when not in use and takes up valuable space. The battery is contained in a 4,000 mAh device. This is rather large and can add weight to the phone. However, some alternatives have a battery that is at least as large or larger.

A fingerprint reader for secure login is included. It is fast and rarely cannot read a fingerprint like I am used to from similar readers on other devices. NFC is not here. That means the phone is not compatible with Google Pay.

On the front of the Moto G stylus is a 6.4-inch IPS LCD touchscreen with a resolution of 2,300 x 1,080. It is an attractive, sharp display with vivid colors. The backlight is bright enough to use the phone on a sunny day. It's better than most budget phones, but Samsung's OLED displays, available in budget options like the Samsung Galaxy A series, offer better contrast.

The screen is surrounded by relatively thin bezels. Flagship phones have sleeker frames, but frankly, I'm not convinced that the difference matters. I think most buyers will be impressed with the Moto G stylus display. It's a massive upgrade from what a budget phone could offer a few years ago and very close to what you would see on a flagship phone.

Use the pen

Motorola's 2020 lineup clearly hopes to define itself as more than a low price. With the G Stylus, the heading function is exactly in the name. The phone comes with a stylus that snaps into the body of the device.

This is a fascinating choice because very few phones offer a pen. The LG Stylo series is the only real alternative, but let's face it: have you ever heard of the LG Stylo? The LG Stylo 5, a 2019 phone that also sells for $ 300, is inferior in almost every way.

The pen suffers because it is unique. Most Android phones don't have a pen, so the Android ecosystem isn't really designed for using pens. It is rare to find an app that has really been improved by the pen.

Moto G stylus with penMatthew Smith / Digital Trends

Microsoft OneNote, which I use a lot, supports it. But an app is not a killer feature. As with the Samsung Note series, Motorola tries to compensate for this with some built-in apps, but I didn't find them convincing. Why should I use Motorola’s Notes app instead of OneNote?

This is just another smartphone stylus. The pen is useful for writing a short note, but too small to be comfortable for more than a few minutes. Its awkward, thin design makes it difficult to hold and it dug into my palm.

I think the pen is a failure. After trying to incorporate it into my daily use for a few days, I gave it up, snapped it back on the phone, and mostly forgot about it. Die-hard stylus fans may not agree, but I think most people will feel the same way.

performance

The Moto G stylus has a Qualcomm Snapdragon 665 octa-core processor with a Qualcomm Adreno 610 GPU. It is a new chip that will be the first choice for phones that will sell between $ 200 and $ 350 in 2020.

The performance is solid. Applications are usually started in a few moments and run smoothly while they are active. The phone's 4GB RAM doesn't look particularly good on paper, but multitasking felt relatively quick. I think 4 GB of RAM go well with the processor's performance.

Here are some benchmarks:

  • Geekbench 5: 311 single-core, 1,392 multi-core
  • 3DMark Sling Shot Extreme (volcano): 1,046

The limits of the phone become apparent when you quickly scroll through long lists of content such as news feeds or podcasts or visit websites with intrusive elements such as pop-up video players or extensive animations. Occasional jerks and problems were obvious, but even the best phones can have problems here. I think the Moto G stylus feels less fluid than a Google Pixel 4 and roughly corresponds to last year's budget cell phones like the Samsung A50 or the Moto G7.

In truth, it's stupid to be obsessed with the performance of this phone. Modern phones that sell over $ 200 are fast enough for most people most of the time. I had no problem using the G Stylus regularly. Is a Google Pixel 4 or iPhone 11 faster? Absolutely. With the G Stylus, however, you can easily cope.

In truth, it's stupid to be obsessed with the performance of this phone.

Gaming is a mixed bag. Mobile games are often designed for a variety of hardware and most won't push the Moto G stylus hard. Call of Duty: Mobile and SimCity BuiltIt ran without problems. The most demanding games like Injustice 2 or Asphalt 9 push the phone to its limits. These games were playable, but stuttered and delivered poor frame rates. Serious mobile gamers need a more powerful device.

Battery life

As already mentioned, the Moto G Stylus has a 4,000 mAh battery. This is a large battery that goes beyond mid-range phones like the iPhone 11 and Google Pixel 4. On the other hand, many phones offer a battery that is larger or larger. An obvious example is the Moto G Power, which drops the stylus for a larger 5,000 mAh battery.

Moto G stylus cameraMatthew Smith / Digital Trends

Still, the G Stylus is no problem when it comes to endurance. I never ended a day with less than 30 percent, and the phone was usually used for two days before it needed to be charged. That is more than enough for most people.

However, the loading process is somewhat slow. The phone's USB-C port is the only way to charge and does not support fast charging.

Audio quality

Stereo speakers tuned by Dolby flank the phone when held horizontally. One is above the display while the other is on the bottom lip of the phone. This asymmetrical design makes audio stronger on one side than the other. It stands out, but I didn't find it too distracting.

Audio is loud and clear, although the bass is missing. The maximum volume is significantly lower than that of flagship phones, but it's enough to keep you entertained when the phone doesn't have to compete with significant ambient noise. Audiophiles should bring earphones, headphones, or a Bluetooth speaker.

Camera and video quality

Motorola made some strange choices for the G Stylus cameras.

A 48-megapixel camera (with 12-megapixel output) is coupled with a 2-megapixel macro camera and a 16-megapixel action camera (4-megapixel output) with a field of view of 117 degrees.

The 48-megapixel main camera has quad-pixel technology, in which four pixels are combined into one. For this reason, photos are output at 12 MP, exactly a quarter of the 48 MP sensors. This is said to result in better performance in low light conditions, and I think there is evidence of this here. I was surprised at how vivid and sharp photos looked with poor indoor lighting.

However, don't expect the Moto G stylus to blow your mind. The main shooter is great for an inexpensive phone and can deliver attractive results in many situations. However, photos are often lacking in the vivid color and breathtaking contrast found in the best smartphone cameras. This was obvious when I took the G Stylus outside. Photos often look flat, and the phone's automatic white balance is difficult in bright light.

The 2MP macro camera detests anything that resembles poor lighting and therefore often does not provide an image that is sharper than the standard camera. In my tests, I almost always found the main camera to be more user-friendly than the 2MP macro camera. Macro mode works very, very close to tiny objects, but how often do you take such photos? I'm not sure I will ever do that.

Moto G Stylus no macro "class =" m carousel - picture dt-lazy-no "src =" https://icdn2.digitaltrends.com/image/digitaltrends/moto_g_stylus_no_macro_1-640x640.jpg "srcset =" https: / / www.digitaltrends.com/data:image/gif;base64,https://www.digitaltrends.com/R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7Macro one

Moto G stylus macro "class =" m-Karussell - picture dt-lazy-no "src =" https://icdn3.digitaltrends.com/image/digitaltrends/moto_g_stylus_macro_1-640x640.jpg "srcset =" https: // www.digitaltrends.com/data:image/gif;base64,https://www.digitaltrends.com/R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7Macro off

Moto G stylus macro "class =" m-Karussell - picture dt-lazy-no "src =" https://icdn4.digitaltrends.com/image/digitaltrends/moto_g_stylus_macro_2-640x640.jpg "srcset =" https: // www.digitaltrends.com/data:image/gif;base64,https://www.digitaltrends.com/R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7Macro one

Moto G stylus no macro "class =" m carousel - picture dt-lazy-no "src =" https://icdn5.digitaltrends.com/image/digitaltrends/moto_g_stylus_no_macro_2-3-640x640.jpg "srcset =" https: //www.digitaltrends.com/data: image / gif; base64, https: //www.digitaltrends.com/R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7Macro off

Then there is the action camera. In a startling decision, Motorola decided to make the Ultrawide camera available only for videos. This differs from the Moto G Power, which offers the opposite. Aside from an extremely wide perspective, the action camera is designed to take horizontal videos while holding the phone vertically.

I will be dull. Motorola made the wrong call here. This is pointless since mobile video platforms are based on vertical videos. You can shoot vertical videos with the action camera, but you must keep the phone horizontal and the ultrawide effect is largely lost. Better use the standard video camera.

The Moto G Stylus can record 1080p videos at up to 60 frames per second or 4K videos at up to 30 frames per second. It can also process slow motion videos at 120 frames per second and a resolution of 1080p and slow motion at 240 frames per second and 720p. The video quality is acceptable, but not remarkable. It shares the main camera's problems with auto white balance, and while 4K recording is supported, the image quality is often not sharp enough to really appreciate what 4K can deliver.

There is another 16 megapixel camera with quad-pixel technology on the front. It's solid for a budget phone that takes sharp photos in good lighting and usable photos in moderate to poor lighting.

software

Motorola delivers a fair-skinned version of Android 10. It's not as easy as some previous Motorola phones, but the additions and tweaks are largely unremarkable, and the overall look and feel of the phone's user interface resembles that of an Android 10 phone.

A pop-up widget provides quick access to Moto Note when the stylus is removed from the phone. The widget is easy to use, but Moto Note is extremely simple. Don't worry – the widget can be customized so you can add the notes app you want. I found it more useful after adding OneNote. Screenshots can also be taken with the widget.

A pop-up widget provides quick access to Moto Note when the stylus is removed from the phone.

The camera app is Motorola’s only misfire. It has a minimal, monochrome surface with tiny control icons at the top of the app and a record button that looks like a camera shutter. Bad camera apps are generally hardly new on budget smartphones or Android phones. Placed next to a Google Pixel 3a, the difference is day and night and not at all in favor of Motorola.

Like previous Motorola phones, the Moto G Stylus offers Moto promotions. These gesture-based shortcuts provide quick access to some common functions. Two quick chops turn the flashlight on and two quick turns of your wrist turn the camera on. I like these shortcuts. They are fun and faster than playing on the touchscreen.

Our opinion

The Moto G Stylus makes a game of chance that doesn't pay off in full. The pen is not a killer feature and appears to increase the size of the phone. Most people want a thinner, lighter device.

Is there a better alternative?

Most buyers will want to consider the Samsung Galaxy A51 or maybe even a Moto G7 device. These phones are widely available, have a slim frame, and are sold at similar prices (or less). However, the Moto G7 is an older device and does not currently have Android 10 in the U.S.

Here is my professional tip. Just wait. April is early in the release schedule for smartphones. The release of Google Pixel 4a and iPhone SE 2020 is planned for soon. It's unclear whether they're offered at competitive prices with the Moto G stylus, but they could lower prices for other devices, including the still desirable Google Pixel 3a and 3a XL.

How long it will take?

The G Stylus is not waterproof, but is made of plastic and should therefore do a little better in the event of a fall than a glass phone. However, it is by no means a "hard" phone.

Budget Android phones have a short lifespan because they don't get the latest Android updates quickly or at all. It is promised that the Moto G stylus will be received with an operating system upgrade and frequent security updates. Better support would be excellent, but this is typical of an Android phone in this price range.

Should you buy one?

No. The Moto G Stylus is ideal for stylus fans, but too heavy and thick to recommend to most people.

Editor's recommendations




16 Apr
Blog

Motorola Moto G Power Review: Big Battery, Big Phone

Moto G Power Display

Motorola Moto G Power Review: Heavy battery life

"The durable Moto G Power offers long battery life, but is too heavy for most buyers."

  • Two to three days of battery life

  • Nice display for budget phone

  • Feels solid and durable

  • Using an Ultrawide camera is fun

  • Heavy and thick

  • No NFC for Google Pay

  • Main camera is just OK

Do you want a cheap Android phone? Motorola is probably your first stop. The experienced smartphone manufacturer has two new releases, the Moto G Stylus and the Moto G Power, each aimed at very specific users.

They do what they say. The G-pen has a pen and the G Power tested here has electricity. Battery power. I know your child may be looking over your shoulder. Let's just call it a metric fudge ton – 5,000 mAh, to be exact.

That is much! The iPhone 11 has a 3,110 mAh battery and the Google Pixel 4 XL has a 3,700 mAh battery. Some phones, like the Asus ZenFone 6, are the same size as the G Power battery, but most are not.

What makes the G Power so exceptional is the price you pay for this battery. Motorola is selling this unlocked phone for $ 250. This brings you the huge battery, 4 GB RAM and 64 GB internal storage (MicroSD cards with up to 1 TB can improve this number). This is the only version available.

Is this durable budget phone worth finding a place in your pocket? Let's have a look.

Design and display

If you've ever hit a battery case on a phone, you know that the extra endurance comes with the price of extra weight and a thicker profile. The Motorola Moto G Power bundles the battery inside, but is not excluded from this problem.

The Moto G Power is 0.38 inches thick and weighs over 7 ounces when touched. The older Moto G7 Play is 0.31 inches thick and weighs only 5.3 ounces. The Samsung Galaxy A50 is only 0.3 inches thick and weighs about 5.9 ounces.

So, as Twitter could say, the G Power is THICC.

Moto G Power DesignMatthew Smith / Digital Trends

You will feel it. It is a powerful, extensive phone. On the plus side, this offers an aura of quality that is not often found in inexpensive phones. On the other hand, it is difficult. I noticed it most when I was holding the phone in bed or lying on my sofa. After a short while my arm felt tired.

Yes, I am a saggy wrist tech reviewer who couldn't put a big house cat on the bench. Still, the extra weight was annoying. I wouldn't buy the phone for that reason alone. This is not a problem I want to deal with in an everyday device.

As Twitter could say, the G Power is THICC.

The weight of the G Power does not only depend on its battery. It also includes a 6.4-inch display with an aspect ratio of 19.17: 9. It is a large display, although this is not uncommon for the category. The Samsung Galaxy A50 and Samsung M30 both have 6.4-inch displays.

It's an attractive screen that's vivid and bright enough to use on a sunny day. You will surely see a better contrast to the OLED panel, and here the cheapest devices from Samsung can achieve an undeniable victory. However, the Moto G Power's display is solid and I think most buyers will be impressed.

Turn it over and you will find the Moto G Power in the conservative new look from Motorola. Moto used to be synonymous with quirky design (I bought and loved a blue-and-orange Moto G3), but the company's newer phones are more elegant and frankly boring. Like many new phones, the G Power is shiny, subtle, and sophisticated. Moto hopes you will be mistaken for glass some distance away.

A fingerprint reader for secure login is included. It is quick and seldom possible to read a fingerprint like I am used to from similar readers on other devices.

Moto G Power camera

Ports? You will receive USB-C and a headphone jack. I have no complaints there. I wish Motorola made the phone waterproof. It is sold as "water repellent" but is not designed to be submerged for any length of time. Don't let it fall into the toilet.

The design of the Moto G Power is okay. The display even has somewhat slim bezels. It's a bit boring and a step back from Moto's more ambitious previous cell phones, but I understand. People want to buy cheap phones that look like expensive phones. From this point of view, the design of the Moto G Power is successful.

Battery life

The Moto G Power is all about battery life. It has 5,000 mAh of juice to be precise, and Motorola promises up to 72 hours of battery life.

That would have seemed a few years ago. Today it is still a lot, but not unusual. The Asus ZenFone 6, Samsung Galaxy M30 and Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra all have batteries of a similar size, although their endurance requirements are not that extreme.

It's an impressive battery for the price, to be sure. While the Galaxy M30 is available at low prices on Amazon, the ZenFone 6 costs $ 500 and the Galaxy S20 Ultra "How much do you have?" The large battery is an outstanding feature.

The battery lasted two full days and a few thirds.

I used the Moto G Power lightly in my first week on the phone when I turned my attention to the Moto G stylus. The battery lasted five days. After I switched mainly to the G Power, the battery lasted two full days and a few thirds. I admit that I am not the most demanding user. Nevertheless, this is an outstanding result.

In fact, it's over the top. I don't think charging a phone overnight is a problem. Therefore I think a battery is sufficient for a day with heavy use. Most modern phones can do this. The Moto G Power could take two, but I have to ask. What's the point Why should you put up with a heavier, thicker phone all day every day?

If your answer is "well, I need it because of …", then for sure. I understand that. The Moto G Power deserves recognition for bringing extreme endurance to a low price. But let's be real. This is a niche device. It was developed for people who want to talk a lot on the phone, but also don't want to spend a lot on it.

performance

The Moto G Power has a Qualcomm Snapdragon 665 octa-core processor and a Qualcomm Adreno 610 GPU. This is an option for a budget phone that will be sold in 2020.

Performance is usually not a problem. Most applications are started in no time and run well when active. While the phone's 4 GB of RAM on paper may be fine, there have never been any problems switching applications.

The Moto G Power has proven itself in benchmarks

  • Geekbench 5: 312 single-core, 1388 multi-core
  • 3DMark Sling Shot Extreme (volcano): 1.133

The Geekbench 5 score offers a modest improvement over last year's budget phones. A Moto G7 reaches 268 in single-core and 1,183 in multi-core. The result of Sling Shot Extreme is a huge upgrade over the older Moto G7, which only reached 543 when we tested it last year. Another one-year-old Samsung Galaxy A50 beats the Moto G Power with a score of 1,368 in the Sling Shot Extreme from 3DMark.

I only noticed the limits of the Moto G Power when scrolling quickly through long content lists such as news feeds or podcasts or when visiting websites that (frankly rather intrusive) elements such as pop-up video players or extensive animations put a lot of strain. In these situations there was an occasional jerk or a moment of pause. Even the fastest phones can have problems here, but I think the Motorola G Power feels a lot less fluid than, say, a Google Pixel 4 that shipped with a Snapdragon 855 late last year.

Still, it's a bit silly to be obsessed with the Moto G Power's performance. Modern smartphones, like laptops sold ten years ago, are fast enough for most people today. I had no problem using the Moto G Power every day. Is a Google Pixel 4 or iPhone 11 faster? Yes. With the G Power (or another phone with this SoC) you can get along easily.

Obsessed with being a bit silly about the performance of the Moto G Power.

Gaming is a mixed bag. Most cell phone games are designed to run on a variety of cell phones and not to press hard on a cell phone like the Moto G Power. Even Call of Duty: Mobile and SimCity Build went well enough that I didn't notice any hesitation. Demanding games like Injustice 2 and Asphalt 9 were a different story. These were playable on the Moto G Power, but occasionally stuttered and were rendered at a frame rate that was well below 30 frames per second.

It is important to know that G Power does not have an NFC. This means that Google Pay is not supported. This is almost certainly an unfortunate omission to keep the price down, but contactless payment is always helpful – and is even recommended in these days of social distancing – and is overlooked here.

Audio quality

Stereo speakers tuned by Dolby are on either side of the phone (when held horizontally). One speaker is above the display, the other on the bottom lip of the phone. This means that audio is stronger on one side than on the other. It stands out, but is not annoying.

The sound is loud and clear. There is not a lot of bass and the maximum volume is not what flagship phones can produce, but it is enough to keep you entertained in a room with little to no ambient noise. Audiophiles should bring headphones, earphones, or a Bluetooth speaker.

Camera quality

Despite its price, the Moto G Power does its best to emulate the camera functions of more expensive competitors. It comes with a 16MP main camera on the back, an 8MP Ultrawide with a 118 degree field of view and a 2MP macro camera. There is also a 16 megapixel front camera.

For me, the 8MP Ultrawide is the outstanding feature. This is unusual for low-cost phones and offers a lot of versatility. With this camera, you can take more convincing landscape shots or better capture a narrow space. The camera delivers subdued colors and extreme lighting issues, but a decent smartphone photographer could use it for some outstanding shots. It's also fun to play around with.

Moto G Power ultra wide field of view "class =" m-carousel - image dt-faul-no "src =" https://icdn2.digitaltrends.com/image/digitaltrends/motogpowe_ultrawide-640x640.jpg "srcset =" https: // www.digitaltrends.com/data: image / gif; base64, https: //www.digitaltrends.com/R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7Moto G Power ultra-wide field of view Matthew Smith / Digital Trends

Moto G Power Standard FOV "class =" m-Karussell - picture dt-lazy-no "src =" https://icdn3.digitaltrends.com/image/digitaltrends/motogpower_standard-640x640.jpg "srcset =" https: / / www.digitaltrends.com/data:image/gif;base64,https://www.digitaltrends.com/R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7Moto G Power Standard FOV Matthew Smith / Digital Trends

The 16 megapixel main camera is what I would expect from an affordable smartphone in 2020. It takes neutral, balanced shots that often lack the vibrancy and sharpness that you find in the best phone cameras. Quality is best with excellent lighting and noticeably drops in dark situations, but excellent lighting can also affect color balance, so you can fumble with the rather delicate manual controls.

Although the main camera didn't set my hair on fire, I should note that this is a massive step over the inexpensive phones sold a few years ago. The main camera of the Moto G Power can be used for great photos if you have some skill.

Moto G Power photo example "class =" m-carousel - image dt-lazy-no "src =" https://icdn4.digitaltrends.com/image/digitaltrends/motogpower_sample2-2-640x640.jpg "srcset =" https: / /www.digitaltrends.com/data: image / gif; base64, https: //www.digitaltrends.com/R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7Matthew Smith / Digital Trends

Moto G Power photo example "class =" m-carousel - image dt-lazy-no "src =" https://icdn5.digitaltrends.com/image/digitaltrends/motogpower_sample4-2-640x640.jpg "srcset =" https: / /www.digitaltrends.com/data: image / gif; base64, https: //www.digitaltrends.com/R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7Matthew Smith / Digital Trends

Moto G Power photo example "class =" m-carousel - image dt-lazy-no "src =" https://icdn6.digitaltrends.com/image/digitaltrends/motogpower_sample5-2-640x640.jpg "srcset =" https: / /www.digitaltrends.com/data: image / gif; base64, https: //www.digitaltrends.com/R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7Matthew Smith / Digital Trends

Moto G Power photo example "class =" m-carousel - image dt-lazy-no "src =" https://icdn7.digitaltrends.com/image/digitaltrends/motogpower_sample3-2-640x640.jpg "srcset =" https: / /www.digitaltrends.com/data: image / gif; base64, https: //www.digitaltrends.com/R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7Matthew Smith / Digital Trends

With this option, the 2MP macro has the same difficulties as other smartphones. The ability to enlarge a subject is offset by reduced sharpness, poor performance in low light, and color balance issues. To be honest, I'm not sure if most macro shots look better with the 2MP macro camera enabled. Macro mode works when very, very close to very small objects, but how often do you take such photos? I'm not sure I will ever do that.

Moto G Power Macro Off "class =" m-Karussell - picture dt-lazy-no "src =" https://icdn2.digitaltrends.com/image/digitaltrends/motogpower_macro_off-2-640x640.jpg "srcset =" https: //www.digitaltrends.com/data: image / gif; base64, https: //www.digitaltrends.com/R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7Moto G Power macro lens Matthew Smith / Digital Trends

Moto G Power "class =" m-Karussell - picture dt-lazy-no "src =" https://icdn3.digitaltrends.com/image/digitaltrends/motogpower_macro_on-640x640.jpg "srcset =" https: // https: // www. digitaltrends.com / data: image / gif; base64, https: //www.digitaltrends.com/R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7Moto G Power macro lens Matthew Smith / Digital Trends

What about the 4MP (Quad Pixel) selfie camera? It works well enough. The quality depends on the lighting. However, if you have the right angle, your shots can look great. However, I am annoyed about the relocated camera location. It's in the top left corner of the phone, not the center, making finding the best angle less intuitive.

Video quality

The main camera of the Moto G Power can record 4K videos at up to 30 frames per second (fps) or 1080p videos at up to 60 fps. Slow motion videos can record up to 120 frames per second at 1080p or 240 fps at 720p.

This is solid for a budget phone, though you shouldn't plan to use anything other than 1080p frequently. 4K video can look sharp in ideal lighting, but quickly fall apart in more demanding situations. The same applies to slow motion.

If you stick to 1080p, you can expect a sharp picture with a generally neutral color balance that, like photos taken with the main camera, will struggle with very dark or excessively bright situations. Taking the budget into account, I think the video of the Moto G Power is solid.

software

The Moto G Power has a slightly skinned version of Android 10. My unlocked test device was delivered without any noteworthy bloatware, unless you count the slim and mostly unnecessary Moto and Moto audio apps. As with previous Motorola smartphones, the G Power greets you with a happy “Hello Moto” when you switch it on.

Moto Actions are back. They allow you to activate certain functions with certain gestures. For example, you can activate the camera by turning your wrist twice or turning on the flashlight with two quick cutting movements. Moto promotions are convenient and fun.

The camera app is Motorola’s only misfire. It looks fussy, with tiny control icons at the top of the app and a record button that looks like a camera shutter. Placed next to a Google Pixel 3a, the difference is day and night and not at all in favor of G Power.

Price, guarantee and availability

The Motorola G Power costs $ 250 and will be released in April. You can order one directly from the Motorola website. It is also sold through Verizon, Republic Wireless, US Cellular and Google Fi. If you live in Europe, Motorola has confusingly launched the G8 Power instead of the G Power. It's almost identical to the G Power in every way, but with an additional 8-megapixel telephoto camera on board. It costs £ 220 or about $ 270.

Motorola grants a one-year warranty on its phones in the United States. Buyers can also purchase an additional MotoCare plan to cover water and accidental damage. Prices vary between $ 23 and $ 64 a year, depending on coverage.

Our opinion

The Moto G Power is a good phone that sells at an affordable price but is a niche by nature. I don't think the transition between "power users who need a multi-day battery life" and "budget phone buyers" is wide.

Is there a better alternative?

Yes, but you have to pay more. If your budget isn't incredibly tight, it's worth spending more on a phone because it can be used longer regardless of whether your usage changes. If you can reach up to $ 400, Google Pixel 3a has a great camera and guaranteed software updates for several years. Spend $ 500, and the Asus Zenfone 6 is an excellent buy with its near-flagship specs and a fun flip camera.

If you only want to spend less than $ 300, have a look around and try to purchase the Samsung Galaxy A51 for this price. The international version, which is compatible with GSM networks, is often offered on Amazon for less than $ 300. Samsung also announced the new Galaxy A21, which will sell for $ 250. We don't have it in our hands yet.

If you choose Motorola, you can check out the Moto G stylus, which is only slightly lighter.

Finally, here is my professional tip. Wait to see what Google does with the rumored Pixel 4a that is expected in the coming weeks. It is certainly desirable, and even if your budget is not exhausted, the still excellent Pixel 3a can lead to significant price reductions. In addition, Apple is expected to show the iPhone SE 2 / iPhone 9 soon, which can be affordable for around $ 400. It's also worth seeing how long it takes for the Nokia 5.3 from HMD Global to reach the US in April. At this point, it will be launched in Europe for $ 205

How long it will take?

The G Power has no water-repellent housing, but is made of plastic and should therefore be slightly better off in the event of a fall than one made of glass. However, it is not a "hard" phone.

Budget Android phones also have a short lifespan because they don't get the latest Android updates quickly or at all. Motorola’s Android update schedules are confusing. It is promised that the Moto G Power will get through an operating system upgrade and frequent security updates. Better support would be excellent, but this is typical of an Android phone in this price range.

Should you buy one?

No. The Moto G Power fits into a certain niche of power users who are short of money, but is too heavy and too thick for most people.

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