Motorola Edge 50 Pro review: Style and substance, almost

The Motorola Edge 50 Pro is a phone that wants to be noticed, and honey, it succeeds. From its sleek vegan leather back (that even smells kinda nice) to the eye-catching curved display, this phone screams "look at me!" But beyond the superficial allure, does it have the substance to back it up?

A Feast for the Eyes (and Hands)

The Edge 50 Pro is a looker, no doubt. The curved display is a beauty – vibrant, sharp, and oh-so-smooth thanks to that 144Hz refresh rate. Whether I was scrolling through Twitter or binging Squid Game (again), the experience was buttery smooth. The in-hand feel is equally premium, although those curved edges did lead to a few accidental touches.

Camera Powerhouse (Mostly)

The camera setup is where the Edge 50 Pro flexes its muscles. The main 50MP sensor captures stunningly detailed shots, especially in good lighting. The ultrawide lens impresses too, and I was pleasantly surprised by the macro capabilities. However, the selfie camera felt like a letdown – a tad overexposed for my liking.

Performance: Good, Not Great

The Snapdragon 7 Gen 3 chipset handles everyday tasks with ease. Apps launched quickly, scrolling was fluid, and I didn't encounter any lag. Gaming was mostly a smooth experience, although things did heat up a bit during extended sessions. Honestly, power users might want to look at phones with a bit more oomph.

Software That Plays Nice

Motorola's shift to the near-stock Android experience with its Hello UI is a welcome change. It's clean, bloatware-free, and feels snappy. The Smart Connect Hero features are a nice touch, especially the option to mirror my phone to my PC.

Battery Life: A Minor Hiccup

The battery life is probably the Edge 50 Pro's biggest weakness. Don't get me wrong; I managed to get through a day of moderate use. But that 4,500mAh battery just doesn’t quite cut it compared to some of the competition.

Fast Charging to the Rescue

Thankfully, the 125W wired charging is insanely fast. We're talking a full charge in under 30 minutes! And the 50W wireless charging is a nice bonus.

The Bottom Line

The Motorola Edge 50 Pro is a stylish, feature-packed phone that comes tantalisingly close to being great. If you can live with the average battery life and aren’t a hardcore mobile gamer, this phone offers an impressive package for the price.