Australians are finally able to get their hands on the new Motorola Edge 30. Despite being a step down in performance from the previously released Edge 30 Pro, the new phone boasts many of the same specs, with a couple of small downgrades that cut $300 off the price tag.
The Pro model was a fantastic device that was able to stand up to phones much more expensive than it and that theme has continued with the standard Edge 30. Using the new phone, it does really make you wonder if spending more is really worth it.
First Glance
Motorola do well in offering their customers a great deal straight out of the box. The Edge 30 came with a 33W USB-C charger and cable, a set of USB-C wired earphones and a case. The case is an important inclusion, as it is with many Motorola phones, as finding cases is rather difficult in Australia. Unfortunately, however, the included case is extremely flimsy and is only going to protect from scratches.
Build and Feel
Like almost the entire Motorola range, the Edge 30 is a stunning device to look at, making use of a shiny matte finish that screams premium. Although you would never guess it, as it looks like metal, the body is made of plastic.
Motorola have also made some changes to the layout, moving the fingerprint sensor from the button on the side to in the screen itself. The sensor on the side was one of my biggest issues with the Pro model, as I found I was always accidentally unlocking my phone. Moving it to the screen is more intuitive and fixes this small but annoying issue.
The only issue is that as the camera module sticks out, the phone doesn’t sit flat on its back and likes to rock back and forth.
Credit: Motorola
Display
The Motorola Edge 30 features a 6.5” AMOLED display with a 144Hz refresh rate, a resolution of 1080×2400, HDR10+ and over 1 billion colours. The result is a display that is nothing short of stunning to look at and use.
The display is slightly smaller than the Pro model, as to be expected, but it doesn’t feel small or underwhelming. Without sitting them side by side, you wouldn’t notice, and I had no issues as a result. In fact, the handset and resulting screen size (~86.2% screen-to-body ratio) was perfect for my small chunky hands.
The display is protected by Corning Gorilla Glass 3 and seeing as the included case is about as effective as a ziplock bag, this is quite a good thing.
Processor
Motorola have fitted the Edge 30 with the Qualcomm SM7325-AE Snapdragon 778+ 5G, which is quite a step down from the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 found in the Edge 30 Pro. However, this is a more than capable chipset, and one of the main reasons that the Edge 30 is $300 cheaper than the Pro.
Whilst using the Edge 30, not once did I find performance to be an issue. Navigation and controlling the device was super responsive and fluid, I experienced no stutters whilst gaming and load times were non-existent. The only reason I could see a more powerful processor being necessary is for high-end video processing but for the most part, there really is no need. 5G is a great feature in a handset at this price tag too.
Battery
Despite the battery being quite a lot smaller than the 4,800mAh one found in the Edge 30 Pro, the 4,020mAh fitted to the Edge 30 provided plenty of juice. On days where I was using my phone heavily, watching Netflix or gaming, the battery would suffer a tad, but would still get me through the day. Once plugged into the 33W charger, it doesn’t take long to get it going again.
Camera
One of the main buying features of the Motorola Edge 30 and Edge 30 Pro is the camera. Boasting a 50MP + 50MP + 2MP main camera, pictures came out crystal clear. The only downgrade from the Pro model is that the selfie camera is 32MP rather than 60MP, and even then, pictures didn’t look tremendously different.
Standard
Wide
Macro
Standard, wide and macro shots all came out with crystal clear detail. A phone at this price point has no business taking photos this good, especially as phones much more expensive aren’t significantly better.
Options and Pricing
Just like with the Edge 30 Pro, Aussies aren’t exactly spoilt for choice when it comes to specs. The handset available comes with 8GB of RAM and 128GB of storage, and only comes in Meteor Grey. However, one choice means one low price tag – $699.
Verdict
After reviewing the Motorola Edge 30 Pro, I had high hopes for its younger brother. Motorola have made some small sacrifices in power, battery and camera for a massive $300 price drop, and it has absolutely paid off. As much as I love the Edge 30 Pro, I honestly think that the standard Edge 30 is just as good a purchase, if not better.
| Pros | Cons |
| · Great Performance
· Awesome Price · Quality Build · Stunning Display · Excellent Camera · Fast Charger · Responsive Touch Unlock |
· Doesn’t sit flat
· Cases hard to find (included case is useless) |
RATING: 9/10
