Motorola is back on it again in the mid-range smartphone market with a new and very compelling offering. The Motorola Edge 30 is here with updated specifications and a new look, but retains what we loved about its predecessor, the Edge 20, which was released less than a year ago. Unfortunately, the Edge 30 will not be available in the US either.
Priced at just € 449.99 and a new camera system, the Edge 30 has targeted the Galaxy A53, given how close the two devices are in terms of specifications. We praised the predecessor to the Edge 30 for its interesting design language and amazing value last year. Is that still the case? Well, let’s look at what this new mid-range Motorola brings to the table. While you wait for our full review of the Edge 30, be sure to read ours as well
which is already up.
Design and display
Finally, after a few years with mostly large mid-range phones, Motorola has decided to bring more diversity to its Edge series. The new Edge 30 is smaller than its predecessor, which is good news considering that last year’s device was quite large and that this year’s Edge 30 Pro is also quite large. The Motorola Edge 30 measures 159.38 x 74.263 x 6.79 mm and weighs only 155 g. Fans of more compact and lightweight phones should rejoice as this means that the Edge 30 is not only the thinnest 5G phone on the market at the moment , but also one of the easiest. By comparison, the iPhone 13, which is similar in size, weighs 174g, and the Galaxy A53 weighs 189g.
In terms of design, the phone is easy on the eyes. It has a glossy flat back, like its predecessor, with an updated camera system, which is now rounder just like on other new Motorola devices.
Due to how thin the Edge 30 is, it seems that the cameras stick out a lot from the body, but that is the price one has to pay to achieve this slim figure. Unlike the more expensive Pro model, the Edge 30 also has a fingerprint scanner on the screen. Our guess is that Motorola could not mount a scanner on the side of the phone as it was probably too thin.
There are also some very beautiful color options to choose from: Meteor Gray, Aurora Green and Supermoon Siver. We especially like the latter option as it looks very interesting and quite bright and happy.
The Edge 30 and Aurora Green
The phone’s rails are made of what Motorola describes as quality, premium-feeling plastic, which is probably the main reason why the phone is so light. Keep an eye on our review of this phone if you want to find out how this device feels in real life. With its glossy back and sides, the Edge 30 will probably be a pretty slick phone. This is fine though, as most markets will get the phone with a protective case as part of the package. In terms of display, the Motorola Edge 30 cuts a 6.5-inch 144Hz AMOLED screen with an FHD + resolution. The rings on the phone appear to be very small, which is welcome. The phone automatically adjusts the panel refresh rate between 60Hz, 90Hz, 120Hz and 144Hz, saving battery power by optimizing the user experience.
Camera and performance
As we mentioned earlier, the new Motorola Edge 30 also has a new triple camera system. It consists of a 50MP f / 1.8 main camera with Quad Pixel technology. Quad Pixel combines four pixels into one larger one for better results in challenging photo conditions, while saving memory.
The second camera is a 50MP f / 2.2 ultra-wide slider with Macro Vision. The third camera is a 2MP f / 2.4 depth sensor. The front-facing camera, on the other hand, is a 32MP f / 2.4 shooter that also has Quad Pixel technology.
Video-wise, the Edge 30 is capable of recording in 4K 30fps and 1080p 30 or 60fps. There is also an HD 960fps slow motion setting.
The Motorola Edge 30 is powered by the new Snapdragon 778G +. This processor is 5G enabled and is coupled with 8GB of RAM and 128GB or 256GB of non-expandable storage. The phone also supports Wi-Fi 6E.
Software and battery
Motorola’s new mid-range offering is running Android 12 out of the box with the brand’s software features and touches, such as double notch to turn on the flashlight.
This phone also has the Motorola ReadyFor platform. This platform lets you turn any monitor into a desktop-like computer just with your phone, but also lets you transfer files between a Windows 10 PC and your phone more easily.
We bet you’re wondering about the battery size of the Edge 30, especially considering that it’s smaller than its predecessor, but just as thin. We’re happy to tell you that the battery size has not dropped. The battery is at 4,020mAh, which according to Motorola should last you at least a day.
In terms of charging, the Edge 30 is also pretty good. It has 33W fast cable charging and the charger comes in the box. With this battery size, the Edge 30 should be charged from 0 to 100% in about an hour.
Price and availability
As we mentioned at the beginning, the starting price of the Motorola Edge 30 in Europe is € 449.99. The phone will also be available in Latin America, Asia, Australia, India and the Middle East in the coming weeks.
Motorola may have a middle-class winner