Verdict
The Motorola Edge 40 impresses with its sleek design, IP68 rating, and wireless charging, making it a standout in the mid-range category. Despite minor drawbacks like occasional heating and average battery life, it’s a strong competitor for those looking for style, performance, and durability.
Design and Display
Motorola has refined its slim and narrow design philosophy with the Edge 40, offering a premium vegan leather back that feels great in hand. The phone’s aesthetic gives the impression of a much more expensive device, and the IP68 water and dust resistance adds to its durability. At just 7.6mm thick, it’s also one of Motorola’s thinnest phones with this level of protection. The Nebula Green variant is visually striking, and the phone is equipped with a Dolby Atmos-powered stereo speaker setup and a USB Type-C port. Overall, the Edge 40 scores high in design, combining elegance, durability, and a lightweight feel.
The display is equally impressive, featuring a 6.5-inch curved pOLED panel with FHD+ resolution and a smooth 144Hz refresh rate. The screen delivers vivid visuals and supports HDR10, providing an excellent viewing experience on streaming platforms like Netflix. With a brightness of 1,200 nits, outdoor visibility is no issue. The minimal bezels and unobtrusive punch-hole camera further enhance the immersive display.
Cameras
The Edge 40’s camera setup includes a 50MP OmniVision OV50A primary sensor and a 13MP ultra-wide shooter. The 32MP front-facing camera is also an OmniVision lens. The primary camera produces detailed images with a wide dynamic range, and its autofocus and shutter speeds are quick, making it ideal for capturing fast-moving objects. While color saturation is a bit high, overall tones remain neutral, with good control of highlights and shadows.
The 13MP ultra-wide lens captures a wide field of view with minimal distortion, and it doubles as a macro shooter for detailed close-ups. Portrait shots are decent, though the edge detection could be improved. Low-light performance is adequate, but it may take a few tries to get the perfect shot. The dedicated Night Mode helps reduce noise while maintaining detail.
Performance and Software
Powered by the MediaTek Dimensity 8020 SoC, the Edge 40 offers solid performance for everyday tasks, though it can experience some heating during extended use, particularly with demanding apps or games like BGMI at 60fps. Benchmark scores are competitive, and the phone handles multitasking smoothly, thanks to 8GB LPDDR4X RAM and 256GB UFS 3.1 storage. The in-display fingerprint sensor works well but can occasionally falter, with facial recognition offering a quicker, though less secure, alternative.
Motorola’s MyUX skin, based on Android 13, is clean and bloatware-free, allowing users to enjoy a near-stock Android experience. Gesture-based controls remain a hallmark of Motorola’s interface, adding convenience and customization options.
Battery
The 4,400mAh battery provides about 5-6 hours of screen-on time, which is acceptable but falls short compared to some competitors with larger batteries. However, the 68W fast charging compensates by fully charging the device in under an hour, and the 15W wireless charging adds convenience.
Final Verdict
The Motorola Edge 40 shines in terms of design, display, and software, offering features like an IP68 rating and wireless charging rarely found at this price point. Despite heating concerns and average battery life, its overall package makes it a compelling option in the mid-range segment. Priced under Rs 30,000 (~$400 USD), the Edge 40 is a stylish and well-rounded smartphone worth considering.
Conclusion
The Motorola Edge 40 is a well-rounded smartphone that excels in design, durability, and display quality. Its slim and premium build, combined with features like IP68 water resistance, wireless charging, and a vibrant pOLED display, make it a standout in the mid-range segment. While it faces minor issues like heating and a somewhat limited battery life compared to some competitors, these are offset by the phone’s strong performance, clean software experience, and fast charging capabilities. If you prioritize sleek aesthetics, a smooth display, and durability, the Motorola Edge 40 is a solid contender in its price range.
