Motorola Edge 30 Fusion review

The Motorola Edge 30 Fusion is an upper mid-range smartphone that packs a high-end chipset and display, along with some nice features. The design is unique, with a faux leather back that's soft to the touch and a two-tone camera bump giving it a business-minded look. The phone has a curved 6.55-inch P-OLED display with a 1080p resolution, Gorilla Glass 5 protection, and an extra-fast 144Hz refresh rate. The display is impressive, with a maximum brightness of up to 950 nits and support for HDR10+, 10-bit color, and good color accuracy. In terms of performance, the Edge 30 Fusion has a Snapdragon 888+ chipset that provides enough power to handle demanding tasks and games. However, it does throttle its performance to prevent overheating in stress tests. The phone also features a Dolby Atmos branded stereo speaker setup with a tight frequency response and clear sounding voices. The under-display fingerprint reader is fast and reliable, and the phone has 128GB of storage that's not expandable via microSD. The camera system includes a 50MP main cam, a 13MP ultra-wide cam, and a depth sensor. Photos from the main cam are good overall, with plenty of detail and contrast, although fine details can be soft when pixel-peeping. The ultra-wide cam takes decent photos with nice color rendition, but has visible noise and distortion around the edges. Overall, the Motorola Edge 30 Fusion is a well-rounded upper mid-range phone that deserves recommendation, despite some nitpicks such as the lack of an official IP rating and no telephoto camera.

Build Quality and Design

The Motorola Edge 30 Fusion boasts an impressive design that sets it apart from its competitors. The back is clad in faux leather, which is soft to the touch and adds a luxurious feel to the device. Paired with the two-tone camera bump, the overall look is distinctly business-like and classy. The curved front and back panels merge seamlessly into the thin metal frame, making for a comfortable hold. One of the standout features of the Edge 30 Fusion's design is its attention to detail. The phone's curves and contours are carefully crafted to fit snugly in the hand, making it a joy to hold and use. The faux leather backing adds texture and depth to an otherwise sleek and modern device. While some may lament the lack of official IP rating for dust and splash resistance, the Edge 30 Fusion's build quality is still impressive. The phone feels sturdy and well-constructed, with a solid metal frame that provides a reassuring sense of durability. In terms of aesthetics, the Motorola Edge 30 Fusion is a stunner. Its unique design language sets it apart from other mid-range devices on the market, making it a compelling choice for those looking to make a statement. Whether you're a fan of faux leather or simply appreciate attention to detail, the Edge 30 Fusion's design is sure to impress. Ultimately, the Motorola Edge 30 Fusion's build quality and design are major strengths that elevate this device above its peers. While some minor quibbles may exist, the overall package is undeniably impressive. If you're in the market for a well-designed mid-range phone, the Edge 30 Fusion is certainly worth considering.

Battery Life

In our testing, the Motorola Edge 30 Fusion's battery life proved to be decent, considering its 4400mAh capacity. We measured an endurance rating of 101 hours in our proprietary tests, which is a respectable score. What's more impressive is the phone's ability to charge quickly. With the included 68W power delivery charger, we were able to charge from zero to 82% in just half an hour. This means you can get back to using your phone without too much downtime, even on days when you're pushing its capabilities. While not exceptional by today's standards, the Edge 30 Fusion's battery life is still quite good, making it suitable for daily use with moderate to heavy usage. We didn't experience any significant battery drain or power management issues during our testing period. Overall, the Motorola Edge 30 Fusion's battery life is a solid aspect of its design, allowing you to enjoy its features without worrying about running out of juice too quickly. If you're in the market for an upper-midrange phone with decent battery life and fast charging capabilities, the Edge 30 Fusion should be on your shortlist.

Display

The Motorola Edge 30 Fusion boasts an impressive curved 6.55-inch pOLED display with a 1080p resolution and Gorilla Glass 5 protection. This screen is truly one of the standout features of this device, offering vibrant colors, great contrast, and sharpness that's sure to please even the most discerning eyes. One notable feature of the Edge 30 Fusion's display is its support for HDR10+ and 10-bit color, ensuring a wide range of cinematic colors. Additionally, the screen can reach an impressive maximum brightness of almost 950 nits using the manual brightness slider or up to 900 nits in auto mode. This makes it easily visible even in direct sunlight. Furthermore, the Edge 30 Fusion's display is equipped with an extra-fast 144Hz refresh rate, which can be used for gaming purposes. When enabled, this feature provides high frame rates in games that support it, ensuring a seamless and immersive experience. In adaptive mode, movement remains smoothed out, but the refresh rate can dial down when idling to conserve energy. In terms of overall display quality, the Edge 30 Fusion's screen is well-balanced, offering great color accuracy and good contrast. The screen's ability to produce deep blacks and highlight colors accurately makes it suitable for both everyday use and gaming. While some may find the 1080p resolution slightly lacking compared to higher-resolution displays found on more premium devices, the Edge 30 Fusion's display is undoubtedly one of its strong suits. Its combination of vibrant colors, impressive brightness, and snappy refresh rate make it an excellent choice for anyone looking for a well-rounded upper mid-range device.

Camera

The camera department is an essential aspect of any smartphone, and the Motorola Edge 30 Fusion delivers in this regard. The device features a triple-camera setup, consisting of a 50-megapixel primary sensor, a 13-megapixel ultra-wide lens, and a depth sensor. The main camera produces excellent results, capturing plenty of detail and contrast in well-lit conditions. Colors are accurate and true to life, making it perfect for everyday photography. However, when pixel-peeping, the fine details can be slightly soft. Portraits taken with the primary camera look great, with good subject separation and background blur. Facial features could be a bit sharper, but overall, they're satisfactory. The ultra-wide lens also produces decent results, with a respectable amount of detail and accurate color rendition. Unfortunately, daylight shots exhibit noticeable noise and distortion around the edges. One notable improvement over past Motorola models is the ultra-wide camera's ability to take close-up macro shots, aided by autofocus. The quality is good, with nice detail and colors in low-light conditions. The main camera also holds up well, especially since it has an auto night enhancement feature. While there's some visible noise, details are preserved, and light sources are handled reasonably well. The dedicated night mode doesn't have a significant impact on image quality, but regular night shots are already quite good. A slight restoration of clipped highlights and additional sharpening can be observed in some photos. However, this feature might not be essential for all users. In low-light conditions, the ultra-wide camera performs decently, thanks to auto night enhancement. Unfortunately, there's no dedicated night mode support on this camera. The 32-megapixel front-facing camera is excellent, capturing selfies with plenty of fine detail and accurate skin tones. Video recording capabilities are also impressive, with the main camera capable of capturing footage in up to 8k resolution at 30fps. Overall, the Motorola Edge 30 Fusion's camera department delivers a solid performance, particularly in well-lit conditions. While there are some minor imperfections, it's an improvement over past Motorola models and suitable for everyday photography needs.

Price and Value

The Motorola Edge 30 Fusion is an upper mid-range smartphone that promises some nice features at an affordable price. Priced around [$X], the phone offers a high-end chipset, display, and camera setup, making it a great value for those looking for a capable device without breaking the bank. One of the standout features of the Edge 30 Fusion is its design. The faux leather back cover gives the phone a business-minded and classy look, while the curved edges and thin metal frame make it comfortable to hold. The phone's dimensions are also relatively compact, making it easy to slip into a pocket or purse. The display on the Edge 30 Fusion is another highlight. With a 6.55-inch POLED screen and a 1080p resolution, images look sharp and vibrant. The addition of Gorilla Glass 5 protection and an extra-fast 144Hz refresh rate makes for smooth performance in games and general use. Brightness levels are also impressive, with a respectable maximum reading of almost 950 nits. In terms of value, the Edge 30 Fusion is hard to beat. With its powerful Snapdragon 888+ chipset, 128GB of storage (non-expandable), and Dolby Atmos stereo speakers, this phone packs a punch without breaking the bank. The addition of a 50MP main camera, 13MP ultra-wide-angle camera, and depth sensor makes for impressive photography capabilities. While some may wish for an IP rating or telephoto lens, these are minor quibbles in what is otherwise a well-rounded upper mid-range phone. Overall, the Motorola Edge 30 Fusion offers excellent value for its price, making it a great option for those looking for a capable smartphone without spending top dollar.

Performance

The Motorola Edge 30 Fusion is an upper mid-range phone that boasts a high-end chipset and display, making it a formidable contender in its class. Under the hood lies the Snapdragon 888 Plus processor, last year's top Android chipset. While it may not be able to keep pace with this year's flagships running on the newer Snapdragon 8 Gen 1, it still has more than enough power to handle demanding tasks and games. In benchmarks, the Edge 30 Fusion sits just behind its more expensive counterparts, but in real-world usage, it remains snappy and responsive. Even when pushed to its limits, the phone's performance remains solid, with no sudden dips in performance. However, our stress tests revealed that the phone throttles its performance to around 60% after an hour to prevent overheating. The Edge 30 Fusion's performance is further complemented by its impressive battery life. With a 4400mAh capacity, it managed an endurance rating of 101 hours in our proprietary tests. The phone also charges quickly, reaching 82% from zero to full in just half an hour with the included 68W power delivery charger. Overall, the Motorola Edge 30 Fusion's performance is more than adequate for its price point and offers a solid foundation for everyday use. While it may not be the most powerful device on the market, it remains a reliable and capable upper mid-range phone that should meet the needs of most users.

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