Motorola Edge 30 Pro Full Review

Who would have guessed that Motorola would be the brand to overcome the Chinese smartphone giants at their own game? Following up on last year’s unexpected Edge 20 Pro, Motorola is back in 2022 with the Edge 30 Pro, a high-end Android phone with the right specs at the right moment and the right price! On paper, the Motorola Edge 30 Pro is an incredible deal at Rs. 49,999. Xiaomi may now be hesitant to use “honest pricing” on its phones because the value is so fantastic!

Motorola’s user experience is unrivalled in its class, and its competitors will have to sit up and take note, if not duplicate, of Motorola’s homework. And it’s not just that the Edge 30 Pro is good on paper! After a few days with it, this qualifies as the greatest Android flagship killer you can purchase in 2022, assuming the pricing stays the same (we all know how Motorola bumps prices secretly).

Is the Motorola Edge 30 Pro so fantastic that you should get it right away? Could you wait a minute and read our review first?

Edge 30 Pro Design by Motorola:

Motorola has been playing it safe with its smartphone designs this year, with the Moto G and the Moto Edge series preserving a low, basic appearance. The Edge 30 Pro may not be as beautiful as an Oppo Reno 7 Pro. Still, it has an engaging charm thanks to its brilliant combination of curves, an oval-shaped camera hump that elegantly integrates into the body, and a fancy colour gradient. The matte texture of the Gorilla Glass 5 rear has resisted scratches and smudges, but it loves to collect dust. The front glass is the older Gorilla Glass 3, which has remained scratch-free despite being exposed to the harsh Indian environment.

However, there is a problem, and it has nothing to do with the plastic frame. It’s all about the volume and power buttons. Both keys are too far away from the fingers’ reach, whether you have tall or shorthand. Although Motorola claims that this improves ergonomics, the peculiar arrangement of the keys has been a source of annoyance regularly, mainly because the fingerprint sensor is located on the lock key.

Aside from that, the Edge 30 Pro is one of the more comfortable phones I’ve recently used.

Display Motorola Edge 30 Pro:

Motorola has kept the Edge 20 Pro’s headline-grabbing 144Hz OLED display intact. As a result, the viewing experience on this phone is comparable to that of the previous generation. The 6.7-inch display, which has a 20:9 aspect ratio, is big enough for regular social media sessions, YouTube binges, and occasional OTT app web show sessions. I didn’t notice any tinting concerns, and the screen is easily viewable in direct sunshine. I wish Motorola had chosen an LTPO display because the Auto-refresh rate option prefers to stay on 60Hz, and going full 144Hz all of the time hurts battery life.

Performance of the Motorola Edge 30 Pro:

Here’s where the Edge 30 Pro shines! The Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 is the star chip of the year, and it leaves no stone untouched when it comes to raw performance. Games that need a lot of effort? You ask, and the Edge 30 Pro takes care of it! Call of Duty: Mobile and Shadow Fight 4: Arena, for example, can run at high graphical settings without overheating like a skillet on the stove. Note that this could be due to the cold winter weather in Delhi, and it will be interesting to observe how this chip performs during the scorching summer. I mention this because the phone became extremely hot during 30-minute video calls.

When you’re not undertaking such strenuous duties, the Edge 30 Pro is a breeze to use, thanks to its fantastic Android experience. Motorola’s Android 12 overlay, named MyUX 3.0, appears to be a carbon copy of Google Pixel’s Material You theme. The same cartoonishly big notification toggles, fancy aesthetics, attractive icons, and fancy widgets are present. Custom colour accents, new typefaces, icon shapes, and other options are available to customize the UI. The only thing lacking is the option for the phone to match icon colours to wallpaper colours, which it already does for system icon accents.

It’s not just about appearances. The user experience is fantastic, and the phone is a delight to use regularly. There are no jarring lags or stuttering animations, and the spirits are lovely. The UI is free of bloatware and adware, unlike its competitors. Facebook, Google, and a few Motorola apps are among the pre-loaded apps. In comparison, Samsung’s One UI is crowded!

Motorola offers two years of Android OS upgrades, which is adequate but not exceptional. The prominent feature Motorola touts is “Ready For,” but it’s still confined to Miracast-enabled devices. You also get to see Motorola’s classic gestures and its more innovative version of the Always On Display. I attempted to use the Read For PC capability but could not obtain the requisite Windows file.

The audio quality of the Edge 30 Pro is likewise impressive. A set of stereo speakers is included, which, while not as vibrant as the Xiaomi 11T Pro’s speakers, are loud enough to get the job done. The Dolby Atmos output tuning enhances music listening pleasure. The sound quality of Bluetooth speakers and earphones is far superior to the iQOO 9 Pro, which is a more expensive phone.

Taking calls on the Edge 30 Pro is also a pleasant experience, thanks to Motorola’s trademark sidetone feature, which allows you to speak and listen simultaneously. On my Jio 4G connection and my home Wi-Fi network, I had no issues with connectivity. The network’s performance has been flawless.

Cameras Motorola Edge 30 Pro:

The Edge 30 Pro has a minor disadvantage. Motorola’s camera calibration is similar to Oppo’s, with oversaturated colours and stronger contrasts. The camera loves to boost the saturation to the degree that it feels a little artificial, whether day or night. The shot of the Chicken Noodle Bowl, for example, appears to be more orange than the restaurant’s natural “brown” colours. The same is true for images taken in natural light when the colours are continually enhanced. The Edge 30 Pro’s still photos, on the other hand, are nicely exposed, and if you like brightened-up images, you’ll enjoy them.

Although the 50MP primary and 50MP ultra-wide camera colour profiles differ significantly, the results are acceptable enough for your social media demands. The macro mode is adequate, and you may acquire some details in the Ultra-Res 50MP mode at the expense of more excellent shadows in the daytime. The 60MP selfie camera captures facial information well, but the colour tones are colder, and the focal plane is shallow, making it unsuitable for group selfies. The “un-flagship-like” fact blurring on the rear cameras and the front camera may irritate pixel-peeping peeps (get the pun?).

By Android’s standards, video recording is excellent but not spectacular. The 4K and 1080p videos have the same contrasty and saturated look. There’s also an 8K video recording, which looks good in daylight only.

Battery for Motorola Edge 30 Pro:

The 4800mAh battery is unaffected by a 144Hz display and a fast Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 processor. On the other hand, I was impressed to see the Edge 30 Pro go through an entire day of torture and still have 30% battery left on most days. This torment includes 2 hours of talk time, 2 hours of social media surfing, and various other phone activities – except games. You might need to charge the phone by evening if you add an hour of gaming.

Fortunately, Motorola has changed its charging method to a modern-day acceptable 68W solution, and a full charge from less than 10% battery takes roughly 40 minutes. This 68W charger is included in the box. There are also 15W wireless charging capabilities and 5W revere wireless charging support. At this pricing, only a few phones offer such charging flexibility.

Verdict:

The Motorola Edge 30 Pro is easily the greatest 2022 flagship killer you can get right now if you have Rs. 50,000 to spend on a smartphone. Its Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 chip outperforms every other phone in its price range, and the user interface is unrivalled if you appreciate a simple, clean Android experience. The battery life has been excellent, and Netflix fans will like the 144Hz display. Another plus is the 68W rapid charging, which works with wireless charging.

The Edge 30 Pro, on the other hand, has its own set of flaws, which is why we refer to it as a flagship killer rather than a true flagship. The camera performance is comparable to more affordable mid-range phones, indicating that this is a hardware limitation. Motorola has been too cautious with the design compared to what Oppo, Vivo, OnePlus, and iQOO are doing with their phones.

If cameras are essential to you at this price point, the cheaper Oppo Reno 7 Pro and Vivo X70 Pro may be good choices. At this price, the Samsung Galaxy S21 FE is another well-rounded product with excellent cameras, a stunning display, and a robust user experience. If you desire faster-charging speeds, the Xiaomi 11T Pro and iQOO 9 are two options to consider.

The Motorola Edge 30 Pro, on the other hand, catches our eye with its overall performance and user experience, earning it the distinction of our top pick at/under Rs. 50,000.