Motorola Edge 50 Ultra review
The Motorola Edge 50 Ultra is a premium flagship that boasts a unique and luxurious design. Equipped with advanced cameras, a more powerful chipset, and IP68 dust and water resistance, this phone checks all the right boxes. The Edge 50 Ultra features a stunning 6.7-inch OLED display, stereo speakers, and an under-display fingerprint scanner, making it a formidable competitor in the flagship market. With its near-stock Android software experience and super-fast charging capabilities, this phone is definitely worth considering for those seeking a high-end device with impressive specs. Let's dive into the details of this exceptional smartphone.
Build Quality and Design
The Motorola Edge 50 Ultra is a premium flagship that boasts an impressive build quality and design. The device's exterior features a wooden backing option, which adds a touch of luxury to its overall aesthetic. This vegan leather alternative is not only visually appealing but also feels authentic and soft to the touch. The phone's glass back panel provides a seamless transition from the wood to the camera housing, creating a cohesive look that's both elegant and modern. The aluminum frame is thin and matte, offering an excellent grip in hand. The Edge 50 Ultra's build quality is sturdy and well-crafted, exuding a sense of premiumness that's hard to ignore. In terms of design, the device's overall shape and proportions are well-balanced, making it comfortable to hold and use. The phone's dimensions are manageable, allowing for easy one-handed operation. The edges are smooth and rounded, providing a pleasant tactile experience. The Motorola Edge 50 Ultra's build quality and design make it stand out from other flagships in its class. While some may find the wooden backing option a bit unconventional, it adds a unique touch to the device's overall aesthetic. Overall, the phone's build quality and design are top-notch, making it a solid choice for anyone looking for a premium smartphone experience. In short, the Motorola Edge 50 Ultra is a well-designed and well-built device that looks and feels premium. Its wooden backing option adds a touch of luxury to its overall aesthetic, while the glass back panel provides a seamless transition from wood to camera housing. The phone's aluminum frame is sturdy and well-crafted, making it a joy to hold and use.
Battery Life
In my experience with the Motorola Edge 50 Ultra, I was pleased to find that battery life is a significant strength of this device. The phone packs a 4500mAh battery, which is substantial and allows for extended usage without needing to recharge. During my testing period, the phone consistently delivered an active use score of over 12 hours, making it suitable for heavy users who rely on their smartphone throughout the day. I also put the phone through various call and streaming tests, where it performed admirably, lasting for several days with moderate usage. One of the key features that contributes to the Edge 50 Ultra's impressive battery life is its power-efficient hardware and software combination. The phone's Qualcomm Snapdragon processor and near-stock Android operating system ensure that power consumption remains relatively low, while still providing a smooth user experience. Additionally, Motorola has included various power-saving features, such as adaptive brightness and an integrated power manager app, which can help extend battery life even further. Overall, I was impressed with the Edge 50 Ultra's battery performance, making it a great choice for those who rely heavily on their smartphone throughout the day.
Display
The Motorola Edge 50 Ultra boasts an impressive display that sets the standard for flagships in its class. The 6.7-inch OLED screen features a 1220p resolution and a 144Hz refresh rate, making it ideal for gaming and multimedia consumption. The panel is covered by Gorilla Glass Victus, which adds a layer of protection against scratches and drops. One notable feature of the display is its brightness. We measured a maximum of around 500 nits, making it suitable for use in bright environments. However, it's worth noting that some users may find it not as bright as other flagships in low-light conditions. The color accuracy on the Edge 50 Ultra is also noteworthy. The screen reproduces colors with great precision, and we found the contrast to be excellent, resulting in deep blacks and vibrant colors. Watching videos or gaming on this display is a treat for the eyes, making it one of the standout features of the phone. One area where the Edge 50 Ultra falls short is in its viewing angles. While the screen remains visible when viewed from the side, some users may experience a slight color shift. However, this is a minor quibble and won't detract from the overall user experience. In conclusion, the Motorola Edge 50 Ultra's display is an excellent addition to an already impressive phone. Its high refresh rate, vibrant colors, and decent brightness make it perfect for gaming and multimedia consumption. While there are some areas where it falls short, such as viewing angles, the display is undoubtedly one of the highlights of this device.
Camera
The camera system on the Motorola Edge 50 Ultra is one of its most significant upgrades over last year's model. The phone boasts a more advanced setup, with three cameras working in tandem to deliver impressive results. In daylight conditions, the main camera captures images with great detail and natural-looking colors. Fine textures are rendered with precision, and skin tone reproduction is excellent. A notable feature is the ability to directly apply Google Photos' enhanced processing, which boosts saturation and contrast. However, it's worth noting that this also means you won't have a non-enhanced version of the photo available. Low-light photos from the main camera are equally impressive, with excellent dynamic range, detail, and controlled noise. The only drawback is that color rendition could be more enthusiastic in these conditions. The telephoto camera's three times zoomed stills offer respectable quality, with plenty of fine detail and minimal graininess. However, its implementation can be hit-or-miss, often switching to a crop from the main camera before reaching the actual minimum focusing distance. The six-time zoom toggle results are decently detailed but not razor-sharp. In contrast, the ultra-wide camera excels in daylight conditions, capturing images with great detail rendition and excellent color accuracy. Low-light performance is softer, but exposures are bright, and dynamic range remains wide. Nighttime 4K footage from the main camera is decent, with good detail, dynamic range, and adequately saturated colors. A night vision recording mode also helps to brighten up shadows without notable compromises. However, video recordings from the telephoto and ultra-wide cameras struggle with heavy sharpening and softness, respectively. Overall, the Motorola Edge 50 Ultra's camera performance is a significant strength, offering impressive results in various conditions. While there are some minor drawbacks, particularly with video recording, this flagship phone is well worth considering for its exceptional camera capabilities.
Price and Value
Motorola has outdone itself with the Moto Edge 50 Ultra, a flagship phone that checks all the right boxes in terms of design, performance, and features. But does it deliver value for its hefty price tag? Priced higher than last year's top-of-the-line model, the Edge 40 Pro, the Ultra is certainly not an affordable option. However, it brings more advanced cameras, a more powerful chipset, and a unique design that justifies its premium feel. The phone's design is where the Ultra truly shines. The luxurious materials and attention to detail make it stand out from other flagships on the market. While some might find the price point too high, others will appreciate the uniqueness of the design. In terms of performance, the Moto Edge 50 Ultra delivers. With its powerful chipset and ample storage options, this phone is perfect for those who need a reliable device for work or play. The software experience is also noteworthy, with near-stock Android that's easy to customize. While the price point might be a barrier for some, the value proposition of the Moto Edge 50 Ultra is undeniable. This phone offers a premium package that justifies its cost, especially when considering the luxurious design and top-notch performance. If you're in the market for a high-end device with a unique look, the Ultra is certainly worth considering. Ultimately, the question of whether or not the Moto Edge 50 Ultra delivers value comes down to individual priorities and budget. While it's certainly pricey, those who crave a premium phone experience will find it well worth the cost.
Performance
The Motorola Edge 50 Ultra is a powerhouse of a phone, boasting impressive performance credentials. Under the hood lies the new Snapdragon 8s Gen 3 chipset, built on a 4nm process, which delivers flagship-grade processing capabilities. While it's not the top-of-the-line Android chipset, it still manages to outperform last year's model, the Edge 40 Pro. In our benchmark tests, the Edge 50 Ultra posted significantly better numbers than its predecessor, with results that rival those of this year's top flagships. Multitasking and gaming performance are exceptional, making this phone a great choice for heavy users. However, it's worth noting that the Edge 50 Ultra doesn't quite match the speed and responsiveness of some other high-end Android devices. While it still delivers excellent performance, it may not be quite as snappy or zippy as some of its rivals. One area where the Edge 50 Ultra truly shines is in its charging capabilities. The phone supports super fast charging, with a charger provided in the box that can quickly top up the battery to impressive levels. This feature alone makes the Edge 50 Ultra a compelling choice for anyone looking for a quick and convenient charge on-the-go. In terms of overall performance, the Motorola Edge 50 Ultra is a solid choice for anyone seeking a reliable and capable flagship phone. While it may not be the absolute best performer in its class, it's still a top contender that delivers excellent results across the board.
Pros
1. The Moto Edge 50 Ultra has a unique and luxurious design with a premium feel.
2. It offers a near-stock Android software experience, which is great for users who want a clean interface.
3. The phone features super fast charging with a charger that comes in the box.
4. The main camera captures great-looking photos during the day, with lively colors and good detail.
5. The telephoto cam has respectable quality, especially at six times zoom, although it can be soft and grainy.
6. The ultra-wide camera produces decent low-light shots with bright exposures and wide dynamic range.
Cons
1. The video recording quality is unimpressive, particularly the main Cam's 4K footage which is heavily sharpened.
2. The telephoto cam implementation can be poor, often switching to a crop from the main camera before reaching the actual minimum focusing distance.
3. Nighttime 4K footage from the ultra-wide camera has notable color differences compared to the main camera.
4. The phone's selfie cam, while having good quality, doesn't have any standout features compared to other flagships.
5. The Edge 50 Ultra's design may be too luxurious for some users' tastes and budget.
6. While it offers a solid flagship experience, the phone's uniqueness might not appeal to everyone.