Motorola ThinkPhone review
The Motorola ThinkPhone is a high-end smartphone inspired by Lenovo's ThinkPad laptops. It features a durable design with a Kevlar-reinforced back, an aluminum frame, and IP68 water resistance. The phone boasts a 6.6-inch P-OLED display with a 1080p resolution and a fast 144Hz refresh rate. Under the hood, the ThinkPhone is powered by last year's top Qualcomm silicon, the Snapdragon 8 Plus Gen 1 chipset. While it doesn't provide the latest benefits, it still delivers smooth multitasking and heavy gaming performance. The phone has a large 5,000mAh battery with good endurance, and charging speed is also quite speedy. The camera setup includes a 50MP main cam, a 13MP ultra-wide-angle camera, and a depth sensor. While daytime photos from the main cam are detailed and true to life, nighttime performance is subpar, and low-light shots often lack detail and have noise. The ultra-wide cam takes decent macro close-ups with good focus. Videos can be recorded in up to 8K resolution at 30fps, but quality is poor. 4K videos from the main camera are preferable, offering better detail, although colors may appear muted. Electronic stabilization works well across all cameras. Overall, the Motorola ThinkPhone offers a premium smartphone experience with business-oriented features and a clean software experience. However, its subpar main camera performance makes it hard to recommend at flagship prices.
Build Quality and Design
The Motorola ThinkPhone boasts a sturdy build quality that's reminiscent of Lenovo's iconic ThinkPad laptops. The back of the phone is made from aramid fiber, essentially Kevlar, with a textured pattern that's unmistakably ThinkPad-inspired. This rugged design is not just for show - it's also certified to withstand drops onto concrete. The phone's aluminum frame is flat, but the overall design is more elegant than your typical rugged phone. A red accent on the dedicated hardware key adds a pop of color, while the embossed ThinkPhone logo with a red dotted eye is a nice touch. The phone's durability is further reinforced by its IP68 rating against water and dust. The ThinkPhone also features Gorilla Glass Victus protecting the screen, which provides added peace of mind when it comes to scratches and drops. Overall, the build quality and design of the Motorola ThinkPhone are top-notch, making it a great option for those who value durability and a business-like aesthetic. While some may find the ThinkPad-inspired design to be too boxy or utilitarian, fans of the brand will likely appreciate the nod to their favorite laptops. The ThinkPhone's build quality is undoubtedly premium, with attention to detail that's hard to ignore. Whether you're a corporate user or simply someone who values a rugged phone, the Motorola ThinkPhone's build quality and design are sure to impress. In short, the ThinkPhone's build quality and design make it a standout in its class, with a perfect blend of durability and style. If you're looking for a phone that can withstand the rigors of daily use while still looking sharp, the ThinkPhone is definitely worth considering.
Battery Life
The Motorola ThinkPhone is a high-end smartphone that promises a premium experience for business users. While it excels in various aspects, its battery life is truly remarkable. With a large 5,000mAh battery, this phone can last a long time on a single charge. In our tests, the ThinkPhone earned an endurance rating of 168 hours, which is impressive to say the least. The phone's ability to sustain a stable performance throughout the day, even with heavy usage, is a testament to its efficient power management. Charging the phone is also quick and effortless. With the bundled 68W charger, we were able to charge the ThinkPhone from 0 to 86% in just half an hour. This feature is particularly useful for users who need to top up their phone on-the-go. While battery life is not a unique selling point for smartphones these days, the Motorola ThinkPhone's performance in this area is certainly noteworthy. It's a reliable companion that will keep you connected and productive throughout the day without requiring frequent recharges.
Display
The Motorola ThinkPhone's display is one of its standout features. The 6.6-inch P LED screen boasts a 1080p resolution and an extra-fast 144Hz refresh rate. In settings, you can find the option to use this high refresh rate, which makes swiping and scrolling feel incredibly smooth. However, if you opt for automatic switching mode, which adjusts the refresh rate based on your activity to save energy, it will max out at 120Hz. The display itself is plenty sharp and quite contrasty, supporting 10-bit color and HDR10+. The color accuracy is also very good, with a maximum brightness of around 510 nits in manual mode. This increases to an impressive 1,070 nits when the phone automatically adjusts for outdoor use. A manual brightness slider is available, which is always a welcome feature. One notable aspect of the ThinkPhone's display is its support for Dolby Atmos audio through a pair of stereo speakers. The loudness is excellent, and the sound quality is good, with nice vocals and some bass. However, it's worth noting that this review focused primarily on the display. In terms of design, the ThinkPhone has a distinctive black boxy look, reminiscent of Lenovo's ThinkPad laptops. A textured pattern adorns the back, made from aramid fiber (basically Kevlar), which adds to the phone's premium feel and durability. The aluminum frame is flat but not boxy, giving the phone an elegant appearance. The display is protected by Gorilla Glass Victus, providing reliable protection against drops and scratches. The phone also boasts IP68-rated protection against water and dust. Overall, the Motorola ThinkPhone's display is a significant strength of this high-end device. Its fast refresh rate, excellent brightness, and good color accuracy make it a joy to use for gaming, watching videos, or simply browsing the web.
Camera
The Motorola ThinkPhone is a high-end device that promises a premium smartphone experience. However, its camera performance falls short of expectations, particularly for a flagship price. The primary camera features a 50MP sensor, which captures decent daytime photos with good detail and true-to-life colors. However, the finer details can appear soft when examined closely, and some textures and foliage may look artificial. The camera also struggles with invisible noise and could benefit from a wider dynamic range. Portraits taken with the main camera are serviceable, but the subject separation and background blur can be inconsistent. Skin textures sometimes appear too smooth, which is not ideal for capturing realistic images. The ultra-wide camera, featuring a 13MP sensor, takes decent photos with good detail and dynamic range, but its autofocus capabilities can be limited. Low-light performance is where the ThinkPhone's camera really falters. Without night mode enabled, photos are blurry, soft, and dark, with details lost in shadows and light sources blown out. Even when night mode kicks in or is manually activated, the results are underwhelming, with excessive sharpening and a "saw off" appearance. The ultra-wide camera's low-light performance is slightly better, thanks to its increased use of night mode processing. However, vibrant colors and some detail in shadows are still not guaranteed. Selfies taken with the 32MP front-facing camera are decent, but lacking autofocus might be a drawback for some users. Video recording capabilities are similarly disappointing. The main camera can capture up to 8K resolution at 30fps, but these clips lack sharpness and exhibit muted colors. 4K video is preferable in terms of detail, but still not on par with flagship standards. Electronic stabilization across all three cameras does help smooth out footage in low light conditions. In conclusion, the Motorola ThinkPhone's camera performance is a significant letdown for a device that otherwise promises a premium smartphone experience. For a flagship price, buyers expect top-notch imaging capabilities, which this phone fails to deliver.
Price and Value
The Motorola ThinkPhone is a high-end smartphone that bears resemblance to Lenovo's ThinkPad laptops. While its design may appeal to business users, the question remains whether this phone is worth getting for everyone else. At first glance, the ThinkPhone appears to be a solid choice, boasting a durable aramid fiber back and a sleek aluminum frame. The 6.6-inch P-OLED display with 1080p resolution and 144Hz refresh rate is impressive, making it ideal for smooth multitasking and gaming. However, its performance in this regard is not unique among flagships. The ThinkPhone's price, though not explicitly mentioned, is likely to be a major factor in its overall value proposition. With flagship-grade features like the Snapdragon 8 Plus Gen 1 chipset and up to 5,000mAh battery life, it's hard to justify its cost without significant concessions on other fronts. While the phone offers excellent durability, water resistance, and Gorilla Glass Victus protection, its camera capabilities are somewhat disappointing. The main camera's performance in low light conditions is subpar, with automatic night mode often not kicking in. This issue significantly impacts the ThinkPhone's value proposition, making it difficult to recommend for consumers who expect a premium smartphone experience. Considering the ThinkPhone's design and features, one might expect it to be priced similarly to other high-end smartphones on the market. However, if the phone is indeed priced at a flagship level, its value equation becomes increasingly problematic. Ultimately, potential buyers must weigh the ThinkPhone's advantages against its limitations and pricing. For those who place a premium on durability and business-focused features, the ThinkPhone may be an attractive option. Nevertheless, for the average consumer seeking a comprehensive smartphone experience, there are more competitively priced alternatives available in the market.
Performance
The Motorola ThinkPhone is a premium smartphone that caters to the business crowd with its powerful chipset, extra security features, and durable design inspired by Lenovo's ThinkPad laptops. Under the hood, you'll find a flagship-grade Snapdragon 8 Plus Gen 1 chipset, which provides more than enough power for smooth multitasking and heavy gaming. However, in benchmarks, the ThinkPhone falls behind other new flagships, despite being last year's top Qualcomm silicon. The phone's thermal management does a decent job of throttling slowly and maintaining stable performance during stress tests. Still, it lags behind its competitors in terms of sheer processing power. Battery life is another strong point, with the ThinkPhone boasting a large 5,000 mAh battery that earned an endurance rating of 168 hours in our tests. Charging speed is also impressive, with the bundled 68W charger capable of charging the phone from 0 to 86% in half an hour. The performance of the ThinkPhone's cameras is another story, with mixed results. The main camera produces good daytime photos, but its low-light performance is disappointing, with blurry and soft images. The ultra-wide cam, on the other hand, performs well in low light conditions, producing decent shots with vibrant colors and some detail in the shadows. Overall, while the ThinkPhone's performance is solid, it doesn't quite live up to the expectations of a flagship device. The phone's processing power and camera capabilities are average, at best, which makes it hard to recommend as a top-tier smartphone.