Motorola Edge 40 review
The Motorola Edge 40 is a mid-range smartphone that builds upon last year's model with improved features. While it may not be at the top tier of its class, it's still a solid contender. The phone boasts a sleek and curved design, with a textured Eco leather backing or glass option available. A 6.55-inch OLED display offers smooth performance, while a high-capacity battery ensures all-day power. The camera system features a 50-megapixel main sensor and supports video recording in up to 4K at 30fps. But is it worth the price tag? Let's dive into our review to find out.
Build Quality and Design
The Motorola Edge 40 is a mid-range smartphone that boasts a sleek and curved design. The back and front panels taper down into a thin aluminum frame, giving the phone a premium feel in hand. This design aesthetic is reminiscent of last year's Moto Fusion model, which shared similar characteristics. One notable aspect of the Edge 40's build quality is its textured Eco leather backing. While this feature adds a touch of elegance to the device, it does come with some drawbacks. The rubber-like texture can collect grime and dirt, making it difficult to clean. Additionally, the leather backing may not be to everyone's taste. On the other hand, the phone's light weight and grippy nature make it easy to wield and hold onto. The aluminum frame provides a sturdy foundation for the device, giving it a solid feel in the hand. The Edge 40 also boasts an improved IP68 rating this year, making it more resistant to dust and water ingress. This is a welcome addition, especially considering the phone's sleek design may be prone to fingerprints and smudges. In terms of design, the Edge 40 takes a different approach compared to its predecessor, the Edge 30. The curved screen and aluminum frame give the phone a unique look that sets it apart from other mid-range devices on the market. Overall, the Motorola Edge 40's build quality and design are noteworthy, if not entirely without flaws. While the leather backing may be a divisive feature, the phone's overall aesthetic is sure to impress fans of sleek and premium-looking smartphones. The Edge 40's IP68 rating also adds an extra layer of durability, making it a solid choice for those who want a reliable device that can withstand everyday use.
Battery Life
The battery life of the Motorola Edge 40 is quite impressive, with a capacity of 4400 milliamp hours. In on-screen tests, the phone's battery life is very good, lasting for up to 98 hours. However, the high standby power draw brings down the overall rating. One of the notable features of the Edge 40 is its support for wireless charging, which is a welcome addition in this price range. The charger that comes with the phone is capable of fast charging at 68 watts, although it's less than the 125 watt charging on the Pro model. In our testing, the Edge 40 was able to top up from 0 to 92 percent in just half an hour, which is a respectable performance. However, the battery life is not without its drawbacks. The phone's standby power draw is quite high, which means that the battery can drain quickly when the screen is off. Despite this, the Edge 40's battery life is still very good overall. With moderate use, it's possible to get two days of use from a single charge, although heavy users may need to top up more frequently. The phone's power management system is also relatively efficient, which helps to minimize battery drain. Overall, while the Edge 40's battery life is not perfect, it's still very good and should be sufficient for most users.
Display
The display on the Motorola Edge 40 is a notable aspect of this mid-range smartphone. The curved 6.55-inch OLED screen offers a 1080p resolution and an extra-fast 144Hz refresh rate, making swiping and scrolling extremely smooth. While it's not as fast as the 165Hz refresh rate found on some higher-end models, 144Hz is still more than enough to provide a seamless user experience. One of the standout features of the Edge 40's display is its brightness. The screen can reach an impressive over 500 nits in manual mode and even higher (over 1000 nits) when using auto brightness. This makes it easy to use the phone outdoors, even on sunny days. Additionally, the OLED technology ensures great contrast and a nice viewing experience. The display also supports HDR10+ video, although Dolby Vision is not available. However, this is still a significant improvement over some other mid-range smartphones. The stereo speakers are also worth mentioning, with good loudness and sound quality. Overall, the display on the Motorola Edge 40 is an excellent feature that makes it stand out from its competitors in the mid-range market. While it may not be perfect, it's definitely one of the strengths of this phone, making it a great option for those looking for a reliable and feature-rich display experience.
Camera
The camera system on the Motorola Edge 40 is an impressive aspect of the device. At its core, you'll find a 50-megapixel primary sensor with a bright f/1.4 aperture, which provides excellent low-light performance and shallow depth of field effects. Photos taken with the main cam are generally good, with plenty of detail and true-to-life colors. However, there is some room for improvement in terms of texture rendition, with fine details sometimes appearing unnatural or over-processed. The dynamic range is commendable, though, thanks to the wide aperture, allowing for a pleasant balance between highlights and shadows. One notable feature of the Edge 40's camera system is its ability to capture excellent photos in low-light conditions. Using night vision processing, the phone can produce well-saturated images with minimal noise. In these scenarios, the colors are generally accurate, with no white balance issues or unwanted color casts. The camera app also supports video recording up to 4K at 30fps using all three cameras (main, ultra-wide, and selfie). The main cam's videos are particularly impressive, boasting great sharpness, detail, and dynamic range. Colors are mostly likable, except for some excessive green tint in certain scenes. The ultra-wide camera has a slightly lower resolution of 13 megapixels compared to the Edge 30 Fusion's 50-megapixel version. However, it still produces decent results, especially in bright conditions. The macro mode on the ultra-wide camera is also useful, allowing for detailed close-up shots with good detail and saturated colors. Low-light video recording from the main cam is another area where the Edge 40 excels. Clips are sharp, detailed, and feature effective noise reduction. Dynamic range is respectable, and colors remain well-saturated. In contrast, the ultra-wide camera's low-light performance is somewhat more subdued, with images appearing a bit darker than expected. Nevertheless, details are still present, and colors remain fairly accurate. Overall, the Edge 40's camera system offers a solid package of features and capabilities that should satisfy most users' needs.
Price and Value
The Motorola Edge 40 is a mid-range device that builds upon what we saw from Moto last year. It may not be in the highest tier of mid-ranges you can buy, but it's right up there. Priced similarly to its competitors, the Edge 40 offers a compelling package that includes a smooth and bright display, a competitive chipset, and solid cameras. The phone's design is sleek and curved, with a textured Eco leather backing that adds grip but also collects grime and dirt. In terms of value, the Edge 40 is a premium mid-range device that checks most of the boxes for those looking for a reliable smartphone experience. With 256 gigs of base storage in most markets, IP68 waterproofing, and wireless charging on top of its impressive display, battery, and fast charging capabilities, it's hard to argue with its value proposition. The Edge 40's camera system is solid, with a 50-megapixel main cam that delivers good photos with plenty of detail. While not perfect, the images are well-colored and have excellent dynamic range. The ultrawide camera takes decent macro close-ups, although it could be brighter in difficult cloudy scenes. Selfies taken with the 32-megapixel front-facing cam come out excellent, with great detail and lifelike skin tones. While the Edge 40's price tag is higher than many of its competitors, it's hard to argue that it doesn't offer a premium experience at a reasonable price. Once its price settles down to more affordable levels, this device will be a top contender in the mid-range market. For now, if you're looking for an alternative to the Edge 40, consider the Samsung Galaxy A54 or the Google Pixel 7A. Overall, the Motorola Edge 40 is a solid choice for those seeking a reliable smartphone experience without breaking the bank. Its price may be slightly higher than others in its class, but it's worth considering if you're looking for a premium mid-range device that offers impressive specs and performance.
Performance
The Motorola Edge 40 is a mid-ranger that promises to deliver impressive performance. Equipped with the MediaTek Dimensity 8000 chip, this phone is expected to handle demanding tasks with ease. In our tests, the Edge 40 performed admirably in benchmarking apps, outscoring many of its mid-range competitors. Multitasking and gaming were also seamless experiences, with no noticeable lag or stutter. However, during prolonged stress testing, we did observe some gradual throttling, which might not be ideal for heavy users. Nevertheless, the thermal management was decent, preventing sudden dips in performance. The 4400mAh battery provided by the Edge 40 is a significant improvement over its predecessor, offering excellent battery life in on-screen tests. However, high standby power draw dragged down the overall rating to around 98 hours. Charging speeds are also impressive, with the phone supporting up to 68W fast charging and wireless charging capabilities. This means users can quickly top up their battery from empty to full in just over half an hour. In terms of performance, the Motorola Edge 40 is a solid offering that should satisfy most users' needs. While it may not be the most powerful device out there, its ability to handle demanding tasks with ease makes it a great option for those seeking a reliable and feature-rich mid-ranger.
Pros
1. The display is smooth and bright with a curved 6.55 inch OLED, 1080p resolution, and extra fast 144hz refresh rate.
2. The chipset is competitive and provides good performance in benchmarks, with no issues when multitasking or gaming.
3. The cameras are solid, with a 50 megapixel main cam and 13 megapixel ultrawide camera that take great photos and videos.
4. The phone has improved display, battery, and fast charging compared to the Edge 30 Fusion.
5. It comes with 256 gigs of Base storage in most markets and IP68 waterproofing and wireless charging.
6. The selfie camera is excellent with great detail, lifelike skin tones, and wide dynamic range.
Cons
1. The phone may not be in the highest tier of mid-ranges you can buy but it's right up there so is The Edge 40 worth the price tag?
2. The textured Eco leather backing on some models tends to collect Grime and dirt and is hard to clean.
3. The depth of field is shallow and getting some subjects fully in Focus may be tricky with the main cam.
4. The ultra wide camera appears to be a downgrade from the 50 megapixel version on the Edge 30 Fusion.
5. The phone has a high standby power draw that drags down the overall battery life rating.
6. The thermal management can cause gradual throttling during prolonged stress tests.