Motorola recently unveiled its highly anticipated Motorola Edge 50 Pro, boasting an impressive array of features at an unbelievable price point. With standout specifications like 125W wired fast charging, 50W wireless charging, a 13 MP ultra-wide lens with AF, 3X telephoto, and the rare inclusion of an IP68 rating in its price segment, the Edge 50 Pro appears to offer exceptional value.
Starting at Rs 31,999, the Motorola Edge 50 Pro undoubtedly looks like a steal on paper. However, as with any tech product, there may be hidden drawbacks beneath the surface. In this article, we delve into five reasons why you should be skeptical about the Motorola Edge 50 Pro.
Motorola Edge 50 Pro Specifications and Price
Before we get started, let’s quickly recap the specifications and the price of the Motorola Edge 50 Pro.
Motorola Edge 50 Pro Key Specifications
- Display – 6.7-inch 1.5K Curved pOLED, 2000 nits, 144Hz
- Processor – Snapdragon 7 Gen 3
- Rear Cameras – 50 MP + 13 MP Ultra-wide AF + 10 MP 3X Telephoto
- Front Camera – 50 MP selfie with AF
- Battery & Charging- 4500mAh, 125W or 68W wired & 50W wireless charging, 10W reverse wireless
- Durability – IP68 rating
- Operating System – Android 14 with Hello UI
- Connectivity – USB Type-C 3.1, Bluetooth 5.4, Wi-Fi 6E, NFC
- Updates – 3 years of OS updates + 4 years of security updates
Motorola Edge 50 Pro Price
The Motorola Edge 50 Pro is priced at Rs 31,999 for the 8GB RAM + 256GB Storage variant, which comes with a 68W charger. The 12GB RAM + 256GB Storage variant is priced at Rs 35,999 and includes a 125W charger.
Buyers can avail of an Rs 2,000 introductory offer. Additionally, Motorola is also offering an Rs 2,500 HDFC bank discount or a ₹2,000 exchange bonus.
- 8GB RAM + 256GB Storage – ₹31,999 (with 68W charger)
- 12GB RAM + 256GB Storage – ₹35,999 (with 125W charger)
5 Motorola Edge 50 Pro Cons You Should Know Before Buying
Here are five key aspects that might give you pause before hitting the ‘buy’ button.
1. Slow Software Updates?
Motorola is infamous for its slow software updates. Take Android 14, for example. The Motorola Edge 40 Pro, launched last year, received Android 14 only a few weeks before the launch of the Edge 50 Pro.
Other phones, such as the Motorola Edge 40 and Edge 40 Neo, are still running Android 14 Beta. For perspective, phones from other brands like Samsung, OnePlus, and Nothing have almost completed their Android 14 roll-out for all their devices by now.
The company has promised three major OS updates and four years of security updates, which is a standard in this price segment. The software on the Edge 50 Pro is excellent; Hello UI, based on Android 14, offers a clean and stock-like experience.
So, will the Motorola Edge 50 Pro have slow software updates? If we go by the previous track record, the Edge 50 Pro’s software update situation doesn’t seem promising. However, Motorola has assured us that they will be working on this and deliver faster software updates.
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2. Small Battery
The Motorola Edge 50 Pro packs in a 4500 mAh battery inside. Although the initial reviews suggest that the phone has good battery life, delivering a screen-on time of about 7 hours on regular usage, a 4500 mAh might cause problems in the long run.
In Motorola’s defense, it’s not possible to have a thin phone with 125W wired charging, 50W wireless, and 10W reverse wireless charging, as well as a 5000 mAh battery without compromising on other aspects such as design and weight.
One thing to note is that while the Motorola Edge 50 Pro supports 50W proprietary wireless charging, there is no wireless charger that you can buy in India to achieve those charging speeds. It is quite puzzling to me as to how the brand advertises 50W wireless charging but doesn’t even sell a compatible charger.
Per Motorola’s claims, the Edge 50 Pro only Max out version supports 125W charging which can charge to 100% in just 18 minutes. However, we believe that sacrificing a bit of battery capacity for an extra millimeter of thickness could have been a more reasonable trade-off.
Plus, it’s important to note that the phone uses a Lithium Polymer battery, which is not known for its longevity. If you are planning on using a phone for the next two years or more, the Edge 50 Pro’s battery will not age well.
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3. Cameras
The Motorola Edge 50 Pro offers a comprehensive camera system with notable strengths and some drawbacks. However, some of these drawbacks can be a deal-breaker for many camera enthusiasts.
Here are the detailed camera specifications for those who are interested:
- 50 MP main, f/1.4, multi-directional PDAF, Laser AF, OIS
- 10 MP 3X telephoto, f/2.0, 73mm, PDAF, OIS
- 13 MP ultra-wide, f/2.2, 120˚ FOV, 13mm, AF
- 50 MP selfie, f/1.9, AF
Let’s talk about the strengths first. The Motorola Edge 50 Pro delivers decent low-light and zoom performance, has reliable autofocus in ultra-wide and selfie cameras, captures good selfies in various lighting conditions, and, more importantly, has 4K video recording at 30 FPS on four lenses.
As for the cons, the most significant drawbacks of the Motorola Edge 50 Pro’s camera system include over-sharpening in images, subpar HDR performance, and a slow shutter speed and processing time.
The slow shutter is a major bummer if you are someone who takes photos of moving subjects. Additionally, there are issues with inconsistent color science, particularly noticeable in the 3x zoom lens, which can lead to less detailed images.
Another bummer is that Motorola, for some reason, does not allow users to capture portraits at 3x or the 73mm focal length. Instead, users are limited to portrait modes at 24mm, 35mm, 50mm, and 85mm focal lengths, three of which are digital crops.
So, is the Motorola Edge 50 Pro a camera powerhouse? Well, the answer is neither a yes nor a no. Although some of the aspects are really good, the Edge 50 Pro doesn’t get the most essential thing right—the shutter speed.
We hope that Motorola can resolve the issue with some software updates. Still, again, we are talking about software updates, which Motorola is not known for being the best at.
4. Heats up while gaming
A big reason why gaming enthusiasts should be skeptical about the Motorola Edge 50 Pro is heating issues. The company had to cut costs somewhere. The Moto Edge 50 Pro is powered by the Snapdragon 7 Gen 3, which is a mid-range chipset that scores around 850K in AnTuTu benchmarks.
The Moto Edge 50 Pro gets warm if you do gaming for more than 10 minutes. You will also encounter frame drops if you do gaming for long.
Leaving that argument aside, the Motorola Edge 50 Pro is fine for someone who uses their smartphone for basic tasks. However, if you are a gamer or a heavy user, you would want something more powerful with better thermal efficiency, like the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 on the iQOO Neo 9 Pro.
5. Slow Storage [UFS 2.2]
Despite being a smartphone that’s priced above 30K, the Motorola Edge 50 Pro settles for UFS 2.2, which is a huge downgrade from the UFS 4.0 on the Edge 40 Pro. UFS 2.2 is significantly slower than UFS 3.1 in terms of both read and write speeds.
The UFS 2.2 on the Motorola Edge 50 Pro delivers a sequential read and write speed of 1000 MB/s, while a UFS 3.1 phone would score 1700 MB/s sequential read and write speeds or more.
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Who Should Get the Motorola Edge 50 Pro?
Users who can compromise on aspects like software updates, performance, and a few camera limitations for some exceptional features may find the Motorola Edge 50 Pro to be a suitable choice.
However, those who prioritize a performance-oriented phone with reliable camera performance, faster software updates, and better after-sales service should consider other options in the market. It ultimately depends on individual preferences and priorities.
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