Motorola Edge 40 review

The Motorola Edge 40 is a mid-range smartphone that builds upon last year's Moto Edge 30, offering a sleek and curved design, similar to the Edge 30 Fusion. The phone features a textured Eco leather backing or glass-backed variant, with IP68 waterproofing on both models. It's relatively light in hand, easy to wield, but may collect grime and dirt due to its rubber-like texture. The display is a curved 6.55-inch OLED with a 1080p resolution and 144Hz refresh rate, making swiping and scrolling smooth. The screen is bright enough for comfortable use in the sun, and color accuracy can be good depending on settings. HDR10+ video support is available, although Dolby Vision is missing. The phone's performance is driven by Mediatek Dimensity 8000 20, a flagship-grade chipset that provides good results in benchmarks. The battery capacity is 4400mAh, with fast charging at up to 68W, and wireless charging also supported. Camera specs include a 50MP main camera, a 13MP ultrawide cam, and a 32MP front-facing camera. Camera performance is solid, with the main camera producing good photos with plenty of detail, natural colors, and great dynamic range. The portrait mode creates a blurred background, but may struggle with subjects in focus. Low-light shots are improved by automatic night vision processing. Video recording capabilities include up to 4K at 30fps with electronic stabilization on the main cam. Overall, the Edge 40 offers a smooth display, competitive chipset, and solid camera performance, making it a compelling mid-range option. While not cheap, its price is likely to settle down to more reasonable levels soon, putting it as a premium mid-range contender.

Build Quality and Design

The Motorola Edge 40's build quality and design are noteworthy improvements over its predecessor. Gone is the flat, iPhone-like design of the Edge 30, replaced by sleek and curved panels that taper down into a thin aluminum frame. This new design language echoes the Moto Edge 30 Fusion, showcasing a refined aesthetic. In hand, the Edge 40 feels remarkably light and easy to wield. The textured Eco leather backing adds a touch of sophistication, making it grippy and comfortable to hold. However, this particular material choice has its downsides – it tends to collect grime and dirt, and can be challenging to clean. On the other hand, the glass-backed variant offers a more premium feel. Moto's decision to step up the ingress protection to IP68 on both the Edge 40 and the H40 Pro is also a welcome change. This level of water- and dust-resistance provides peace of mind, especially for users who plan to take their phone outdoors. The curved design of the Edge 40 is not just visually pleasing; it also allows for a more immersive experience when watching videos or gaming. The aluminum frame feels sturdy, and the overall build quality exudes a sense of refinement and attention to detail. While some might prefer a more aggressive design language, the Motorola Edge 40's subtle curves and premium materials make it a compelling choice for those seeking a solid mid-range device. As with any phone, the overall package is more than just its design; but in this case, the Edge 40's build quality and aesthetic are significant strengths that set it apart from other mid-range options. Ultimately, the Edge 40's design might not be revolutionary, but it's a well-executed evolution of Motorola's previous efforts. The phone's combination of sleek curves, premium materials, and robust build quality make it a solid choice for anyone looking for a reliable, feature-packed smartphone experience.

Battery Life

The Motorola Edge 40 is a mid-range smartphone that builds upon the success of its predecessor. One aspect where it shines is battery life. The device packs a 4400mAh battery, identical to its predecessor, the Edge 30 Fusion. In on-screen tests, the battery life is excellent, with a rating of up to 98 hours. However, the high standby power draw brings down the overall rating. Despite this, the Edge 40's battery performance is still impressive, allowing for extended use without needing to top-up during the day. Fast charging is also available, with the charger included in the box capable of topping up from 0-92% in just half an hour. One notable omission on the Edge 40 is wireless charging, a feature that's available on some other high-end devices. While not essential for everyone, it's still something to consider for those who value convenience and flexibility. In terms of battery life, the Edge 40 holds its own against other mid-range smartphones. With its efficient chipset and power-hungry display, it manages to deliver a respectable runtime without excessive throttling or overheating. Overall, the Motorola Edge 40's battery performance is a major plus, making it a compelling option for those seeking an affordable mid-ranger with decent battery life.

Display

The display of the Motorola Edge 40 is a notable improvement over its predecessor. It's a curved 6.55-inch OLED with a 1080p resolution and an extra-fast 144Hz refresh rate. This means that scrolling and swiping through content will feel silky smooth, even for demanding users. While it may not match the 165Hz refresh rate of some other flagships, 144Hz is still plenty fast enough to make a significant difference in everyday use. What's more, this display also features HDR10+ video support, which adds an extra layer of color and detail to supported content. One minor quibble is that the 144Hz mode doesn't dial down when idling to save energy, although you can achieve similar power savings through the auto mode, which caps the refresh rate at 120Hz. This might not be a major issue for most users, but it's worth noting nonetheless. In terms of brightness, the display is more than capable of handling use in sunny conditions. Our measurements put it at over 500 nits with the manual slider, and it can boost to an impressive over 1,000 nits in auto mode - even higher than some other high-end flagships. The OLED tech used here also delivers excellent contrast, making blacks look deep and rich, while colors are well-saturated and accurate. However, it's worth noting that the color accuracy may vary depending on your chosen settings. Overall, the display of the Motorola Edge 40 is a significant improvement over its predecessor and provides a great viewing experience for most users. While it may not be perfect, it's still one of the best mid-range displays you can get, and it makes a strong case for this phone as a solid choice in its class.

Camera

Motorola Edge 40's camera capabilities are a notable aspect of its feature set. The device boasts a 50-megapixel primary sensor with an f/1.4 aperture and a 13-megapixel ultrawide camera, which is equipped with autofocus. Images captured by the main camera exhibit excellent detail, although fine textures can appear slightly unnatural at times. Colors are generally accurate, but there's some extra vibrancy in green tones. The wide f/1.4 aperture contributes to outstanding dynamic range and a shallow depth of field, making it challenging to achieve sharp focus on all subjects. The phone's software-driven portrait mode produces a pleasing bokeh effect, while the night vision processing feature delivers impressive results in low-light conditions. Photos taken with this feature display great detail, minimal noise, and well-saturated colors. The Edge 40 can record video at up to 4K resolution at 30fps using all its cameras. The footage from the primary sensor is crisp and detailed, boasting excellent dynamic range and mostly pleasant colors, although green tones might appear slightly exaggerated. Electronic stabilization on the device is serviceable but may struggle with focus hunting during walking shots. Low-light video recording with the main camera is commendable for a mid-range device, featuring sharpness, detail, and effective noise reduction. However, results from the 13-megapixel ultrawide camera are somewhat disappointing, as they often lack brightness despite solid detail and colors. Macro close-ups taken using the ultrawide camera's autofocus capabilities yield decent results, with good detail and vivid colors in low-light scenarios. Automatic night vision processing helps maintain these results' quality. Selfies captured by the 32-megapixel front-facing camera are excellent, boasting great detail, lifelike skin tones, and wide dynamic range. Unfortunately, the lack of autofocus limits its capabilities compared to the Edge 30 Fusion's equivalent feature.

Price and Value

The Motorola Edge 40 is a mid-range smartphone that offers a compelling package at an affordable price point. While it may not be in the highest tier of mid-ranges available, it's definitely worth considering. Priced close to its predecessor, the Edge 30 Fusion, the Edge 40 seems like a no-brainer upgrade for those looking for a newer model with improved features. The addition of IP68 waterproofing and wireless charging, along with 256GB of base storage in most markets, make it a more premium offering. The question remains whether the Edge 40 justifies its price tag. While it's true that some competitors offer similar specs at lower prices, the Edge 40's display, chipset, and cameras are all solid performers. The display is smooth and bright, the Mediatek Dimensity 8000 20 chipset provides good performance in benchmarks, and the camera setup delivers decent results. Given its improved features and competitive pricing, the Motorola Edge 40 is a pretty compelling package overall. It's definitely worth considering for those in the market for a mid-range smartphone with a premium feel. While it may not be the cheapest option on the market, the Edge 40's price tag will eventually settle down to more reasonable levels. At that point, it'll be a top-notch mid-range device that's hard to ignore. Until then, its value proposition is still solid, making it a great choice for those who want a reliable and feature-packed smartphone without breaking the bank.

Performance

The Motorola Edge 40 is a mid-range smartphone that builds upon the success of its predecessor. While it may not be at the top tier of mid-ranges available in the market, it is certainly up there. The question remains: is the Edge 40 worth the price tag? One aspect where the Edge 40 excels is performance. Powered by a Mediatek Dimensity 8000 chip, which is considered flagship-grade silicon, this phone delivers impressive results in benchmarks. It outperforms most of its mid-range competition and handles multitasking and gaming with ease. The thermal management of the Edge 40 is also noteworthy, although it does show some gradual throttling during prolonged stress tests. However, this doesn't seem to impact everyday use significantly. The battery life of the Edge 40 is also very good, with a capacity of 4400mAh and a high standby power draw that slightly drags down the overall rating. The charging speed of the Edge 40 is another plus point, with support for up to 68W fast charging, which can top up from 0 to 92 percent in half an hour. Wireless charging is also supported, making it convenient to keep your phone charged on the go. In terms of performance, the Edge 40 feels like a premium mid-range device that's capable of handling demanding tasks with ease. While it may not be as powerful as some of its flagship counterparts, it holds its own against most other mid-ranges in the market. Overall, the Motorola Edge 40 offers impressive performance and features at an affordable price point. If you're looking for a reliable and feature-packed smartphone without breaking the bank, the Edge 40 is definitely worth considering.

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