Recently, Motorola launched the edge 30 Pro in the Philippines, the brand’s latest flagship device.
Motorola is one of the iconic names in mobile phone history, thanks in large part to its legendary RAZR line. While Motorola (under Lenovo) revived the RAZR line, the brand also continues to release more standard smartphones, from budget all the way to this newly released flagship. And while the edge 30 Pro has a flagship processor and display, the pricing of it is more affordable than competing top-of-the-line models from other brands as it is priced below PHP 40k (while other flagships have SRPs of over PHP 50k).
Of course, to get the price down, Motorola did cut back on some features of the edge 30 Pro, the biggest of which is the lack of a telephoto shooter. On the flip side, the phone’s main and ultrawide shooters are both 50MP cameras. Plus, the phone still promises to provide a true flagship experience when it comes to performance.
So, does the edge 30 Pro make for a compelling buy given its more affordable flagship pricing? Find out here in our review!
Geek-sthetic
First, let’s take a look at the design. The edge 30 Pro is an interesting-looking phone, especially in its Cosmos Blue colorway. In photos and in certain angles, the edge 30 Pro looks shiny, but when you grip it, you’ll find out that the back isn’t actually glossy, and it’s more like a matte finish (though not exactly matte). Thanks to this, the phone’s back is not a fingerprint magnet. Though if you do need a better grip and more protection, the phone comes with a clear case inside the box.
One thing we noticed from the back of the edge 30 Pro is that its camera array looks rather plain, especially when compared to other flagship phones with creatively laid out shooters. This might be worth noting for users who prefer a smartphone that looks unique as the edge 30 Pro’s design might make it look more like a premium mid-ranger at first glance instead of a flagship. Personally though, this isn’t an issue at all as I prefer subtler-looking phones.
Another thing to note is that the edge 30 Pro has a water-repellent design, but it is not IP68 water resistant. So, you shouldn’t bring this with you when you shower or during a beach trip.
Moving to the front, we have the phone’s 6.7-inch FHD+ OLED display. Thanks to the slim bezels and the tiny holepunch notch at the top, the edge 30 Pro looks decidedly premium from the front.
Binge Watching Factor
Speaking of the display, the edge 30 Pro’s screen might not have a higher than 1080p resolution (which other flagships have), but it still looks plenty sharp. It also helps that the screen is OLED, meaning you get vibrant colors and deep blacks. Though you may want to turn the brightness up when watching as the display isn’t that bright in the lower settings, even when indoors.
As for sound, the edge 30 Pro features dual speakers that provide good quality audio with enough volume that you can enjoy watching videos on it. Though of course, you’ll want to use headphones/external speakers for the best binge-watching experience. For external audio, you’ll need a wireless device or a dongle as the phone lacks a headphone jack.
Gaming Prowess
Powering the edge 30 Pro is a top-of-the-line Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 processor that’s paired with 12GB of RAM. On paper, these specs are impressive, and they don’t disappoint for actual gaming.
As expected, the edge 30 Pro is an excellent gaming smartphone as it can run today’s popular games with ease, whether its Wild Rift or Call of Duty Mobile. The phone even has enough power to run the most demanding mobile games such as Genshin Impact at High settings.
What’s also great about the edge 30 Pro for gaming is its 144Hz refresh rate screen. Most other flagships have either 90 or 120Hz refresh rate screens, and in my time with the edge 30 Pro, the 144Hz display felt noticeably faster and smoother. This is great for games that support high refresh rate screens and can run at higher framerates.
Meanwhile, here are the synthetic benchmark scores of the phone:
Geek Photoshoot Capabilities
The Motorola edge 30 Pro features a triple rear camera setup consisting of a 50MP main, a 50MP ultrawide, and a 2MP depth sensor. At the front meanwhile is a 60MP front camera. While the phone does lack a telephoto camera, it does come with a lower price tag compared to other flagships.
Thankfully, the main camera does not disappoint for daytime outdoor and indoor photos. Images taken with the main camera are of great quality and with good colors.
Low light photos are also great with the main shooter thanks to the dedicated Night Mode, with images turning out bright and detailed, with minimal noise. You can activate the Night Mode manually, or you can select it when the camera app detects that you’re taking a low light shot.
The 50MP ultrawide is also quite impressive, especially in daytime as it almost matches the main camera in terms of quality. Nighttime performance does see a dip in quality, but images are still great overall in low light with the Night Mode.
While the phone may lack a dedicated macro camera, the ultrawide shooter doubles for one, making for good macro photos. Plus, the 60MP selfie shooter does not disappoint as it captures good quality selfies. Though you may want to adjust some settings or add a filter if you want a more vibrant selfie.
Everyday Reliability
For everyday use, the edge 30 Pro is an excellent device as it was fast and snappy throughout our time with it. The fast 144Hz refresh rate was also great in making it feel responsive to use. Plus, the powerful processor also means that you have more than enough power, even for some on-the-go content creation.
As for its battery, the phone’s 4,800mAh does enable it to last for a full day on a single charge. You can even push to a day-and-a-half if you’re not using it much. Though if you do need to charge, topping up is fast as the 68W fast charging allows you to charge the phone to 100% in just a bit over 30 minutes.
Another thing to note about the edge 30 Pro when it comes to everyday use is its OS. Motorola is one of the few remaining smartphone brands to use a near-stock Android OS, and it is refreshing to use it as the clean look and well-designed interface is great in terms of usability.
Final Geek Lifestyle Verdict
The Motorola edge 30 Pro is a smartphone with powerful performance, good cameras, and a nice display. On top of these, the phone’s battery life is nothing to scoff at, not to mention that the stock Android that it runs on offers a great user experience.
In the Philippines, the edge 30 Pro is priced at PHP 34,995 – that’s noticeably more affordable than other flagship phones. Though you do get less features as the edge 30 PRo lacks IP68 water resistance and a dedicated telephoto camera.
If you don’t mind not having a telephoto shooter (and some other premium features) and prioritize having a smartphone with flagship-level performance, the edge 30 Pro might just be the phone for you.
Motorola edge 30 Pro specs:
- 6.7-inch FHD+ OLED display, 144Hz refresh rate, Corning Gorilla Glass 3
- Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 processor
- 12GB RAM
- 256GB storage
- Rear cameras: 50MP wide + 50MP ultra-wide + 2MP depth sensor
- Front camera: 60MP
- 5G, LTE
- Side-mounted Fingerprint scanner, USB Type-C port
- 4,800mAh battery with 68W Fast charging + Fast Wireless charging 15W + wireless reverse charging 5W
- Android 12
- Price: PHP 34,995