Motorola Edge 50 Pro review

Introduction

Motorola is all about sensorial experiences this year and shifting the attention from specs to lifestyle - or at least that's the idea they're trying to sell us on with the Edge 50 Pro. Colors, materials, experiences, and AI are where the marketing focus is, but we'll try to remain pragmatic and not get too tangled in the esoteric.

You can't miss the Pantone collaboration on the outside - as with previous models from the company, the Edge 50 Pro comes in at least one unusual hue that's been okayed by the color matching specialists; it's Luxe Lavender in this case. But that's been done before, and there's more Pantone now - the display and camera are Pantone-validated too, both of which are firsts in the industry (for whatever that's worth).

More to our liking are numbers in general and the 6.7-inch OLED is both sharp (1220p) and fast (144Hz), not to mention bright (2000nits, Motorola says). There are specs to be appreciated in the camera field too - first and foremost, the f/1.4 aperture on the main camera. It's also nice to see a proper three-camera setup, telephoto included, and the fact that the ultrawide has autofocus deserves praise right from the outset.

We're less enthusiastic about the heart of the Edge 50 Pro, the Snapdragon 7 Gen 3. Perhaps you recall that the Edge 40 Pro had the flagship Snapdragon last year, but this year's Pro is different - a restructuring of the lineup in 2024 means there's an Ultra at the top, like there was one generation prior, and that one gets the top-level chipset. The Pro, meanwhile, steps down to more of an upper-midrange status - we'll see where it stands on the value meter as we go along.

The charging capability is about as flagship-grade as they come, though - at 125W and 18 minutes from empty to full, the specs are more than promising - albeit with some caveats. The 50W wireless charging rating is also a welcome improvement over the 15W of the previous generation, even if the 4,500mAh capacity isn't overly generous. We do like the relatively compact size and pocket-friendly weight, and the IP68 rating is most welcome too (also, befitting the 'Pro' moniker).

Motorola Edge 50 Pro specs at a glance:

• Body: 161.2x72.4x8.2mm, 186g; Glass front, silicone polymer (eco leather) or acetate back, aluminum frame; IP68 dust/water resistant (up to 1.5m for 30 min).
• Display: 6.7" P-OLED, 1B colors, 144Hz, HDR10+, 2000 nits (peak), 1220x2712px resolution, 20:9 aspect ratio, 446ppi.
• Chipset: Qualcomm Snapdragon 7 Gen 3 (4 nm): Octa-core (1x2.63 GHz Cortex-A715 & 4x2.4 GHz Cortex-A715 & 3x1.8 GHz Cortex-A510); Adreno 720.
• Memory: 128GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 12GB RAM, 512GB 12GB RAM; UFS 2.2.
• OS/Software: Android 14, Hello UI.
• Rear camera: Wide (main): 50 MP, f/1.4, 25mm, 1/1.55", 1.0µm, multi-directional PDAF, Laser AF, OIS; Telephoto: 10 MP, f/2.0, 67mm, 1.0µm, PDAF, OIS, 3x optical zoom; Ultra wide angle: 13 MP, f/2.2, 120˚, 16mm, 1.12µm, AF.
• Front camera: 50 MP, f/1.9, 21mm, 0.64µm, AF.
• Video capture: Rear camera: 4K@30fps, 1080p@30/60/120/240fps, 10-bit HDR10+, gyro-EIS; Front camera: 4K@30fps, 1080p@30/60fps.
• Battery: 4500mAh; 125W wired, 100% in 18 min (advertised), 50W wireless, 10W reverse wireless.
• Connectivity: 5G; Dual SIM; Wi-Fi 6e; BT 5.4; NFC.
• Misc: Fingerprint reader (under display, optical); stereo speakers; Ready For 6 support.

Motorola Edge 50 Pro unboxing

Motorola unboxings have become somewhat of a treat in recent years, thanks to the company's practice of using fragrance on the inside of the box - that sure is 'a unique sensorial experience' that you won't be getting from other brands. We'll be quick to admit that there's little practical benefit to this, but that doesn't mean we like it any less. That's in addition to the packaging being plastic-free and made of 80% recycled materials, which is always nice.

Inside, in addition to the phone, you'll be getting a TurboPower adapter. Its maximum output will vary depending on region and/or version of the phone. Our 12GB/512GB Euro spec includes the 125W charger, and that's what the 12GB/256GB option will also be getting, but the 8GB/128GB and 8GB/256GB variants will be bundled with a 68W unit (at least as best as we can tell - it's worth double checking with your vendor). A USB-C cable is included too.

Also part of the package is a snap-on back cover with a semi-transparent frosted effect. The color of this accessory will be matched to the phone's colorway and for our Luxe Lavender review unit the hue is called Blue Heron (in Pantone speak again).