NEW MOTOROLA EDGE

Big Wrap-Around Display & Loud Speakers, Well Worth Considering

Last month Motorola stepped back into the premium smartphone market in Australia after a long absence with an all new 5G Motorola Edge. So where does this device sit, and is it worth an investment?

The Motorola Edge is manufactured by a reputable brand that has a remarkable track record in the smartphone market, and while this device has a lot of premium technology including big battery, unique audio output from some impressive stereo speakers, 64MP camera and 5G, its sub-$1,000 price tag means that you get real value but not the top-end features of a premium Apple or Samsung offering.

For example, you get Qualcomm second best 765 processor and for some it's hard to pick the difference between the premium 875 and the 765 Qualcomm processor because the Edge delivers impressive processing with apps performing well and little if any lag.

In a sub-$1,000 smartphone, a number of things have to really stand out and design is one of them. The Edge looks impressive though it is only available in one colour, Solar Black.

The aluminium body and the “Endless Edge display” with the left and right edges curving around at such an extreme means that there isn't really any side bezel.

This design has allowed Motorola to introduce additional features, such as a virtual trigger buttons for gaming and Moto Edge Touch for app shortcuts.

The screen itself is a 6.7-inch OLED panel, which might sound huge, but as the aspect ratio is 19.5:9 it's actually taller.

That makes reaching across the panel really easy with a thumb. It's nicely proportioned. For me I really liked the feel in the hand factor with the Edge feeling fractionally smaller width wise but taller and more comfortable than an Apple iPhone in the hand.

The Edge display panel is capable of a 90Hz refresh rate, which is very much flavour of flagship devices today. You also get fingerprint access via the display.

The Edge is not a flashy bells and whistles device like an Oppo or Realme smartphone. It's a lot more mature, with a camera array running down the top left of the back of the device. Because it's black it's hardly noticeable, though it is slightly raised.

The better design would have been to make the lenses and sensors flush with the back, similar to what TCL has done with the Pro 10 device.

On the inside is a 64MP main sensor that is configured to use software and quad-pixel binning to produce lower-resolution images with better colour and less image noise.

The default shooting mode is 16MP though it can shoot at the full 64MP depending on the quality that you want.

There is a 16-megapixel ultrawide-angle / macro camera and a front-facing camera.

After shooting several difficult pictures such as straight into a rising sun I came away impressed at the quality achievable with this device even when compared to the Samsung S20+ camera.

While questions have been raised in the past about Motorola cameras in the sub-$500 models, this camera is up there with some of the iPhones that are more expensive than the Edge.

What I was impressed with was the 4,500mAh battery, which lasted me two days despite constant use.

One benefit is that this device is built around the performance of the Qualcomm 765 processor, which appears to draw less power. This couples with the adaptive battery technology, which automatically closes down apps that are not being used, thus saving power.

In my 5G tests I saw speeds of around 195bps down and 165Mbps up on the Telstra network where 5G was available.

SOUND

What is a standout with the Edge is its 24bit audio, which has to be via the loudest, most powerful stereo speakers in a smartphone ever.

The speaker technology coupled with the software from the GRAMMY Award-winning Waves, who got their GRAMMY for audio excellence in recording studios and by delivering advanced audio software for sound engineers, music, film and TV producers and broadcasters.

These speakers are a big reason for buying this device, as music and video content has never sounded better.

VERDICT

This is a flagship premium smartphone which at sub-$999 delivers where it's supposed to deliver. It looks good feels good and performs well compared to some other devices in its class.

What Motorola has to come to grips with is that when one aspires to get back into a brutally competitive market, you need bells and whistles, and simple features such as wireless charging and premium waterproofing should have been standard in this device.

It also has processing power ample for most functions as well as good storage and above all, great communication capabilities.

Well worth an investment.

Price: $999

Rating 8