Three new Motorola smartphones. Report from the premiere in Milan

The European premiere of three new Motorola smartphones from the flagship Edge 30 series took place in Milan today. One of them is the Edge 30 Ultra model, which was the first on the market to be equipped with a camera with a 200-megapixel sensor. However, this is not the end of surprises. See what else Motorola will tempt us with in the second half of 2022

Three models at different prices

So far, the Edge line has included flagship and high-end models. However, it seems that the marketing philosophy of the brand has changed significantly. Under the banner of the Edge 30 series, there were: the definite flagship model Edge 30 Ultra (Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 chipset, camera with the main 200 MP module, price USD 1000), the powerful Edge 30 Fusion smartphone (Snapdragon 888+ chipset, price USD 676) and, surprisingly, a popular class model called Edge 30 Neo (Snapdragon 695), which was priced at USD 428.

A certain surprise for me is also the naming of the new models used by Motorola. The Edge 30 line has been with us since May 2022. It includes the Edge 30 Pro model (Snapdragon 8 Gen 1, price USD 856) and Edge 30 (Snapdragon 778G+, price USD 450), which is similar in many respects to the ultra model almost the same as Edge 30 Neo, and it has many parameters much better. So now, a light smartphone mess will be created in the Edge 30 series.

Motorola Edge 30 Ultra, or the manufacturer’s show of strength

The Edge 30 Ultra’s role was to take the brunt of the market fight against the competition’s flagships, went to the Edge 30 Ultra smartphone. It is equipped with the best Qualcomm chipset on the market – Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1, 12 GB of RAM, 256 GB of data memory, OLED screen, FHD +, 144 Hz with bent sides, and a diagonal of 6.67 “, with an under-screen fingerprint reader, WiFi 6E, Bluetooth 5.2, NFC, USB 3.1, stereo speakers and a 4610 mAh battery with 125 W fast charging function (50 W wireless charging).

The phone housing is made of Gorilla Glass 5 (front and matte back) and aluminum (frame, camera section) and is resistant to accidental splashes ( IP52 certificate ). Here I feel a bit disappointed because I was finally counting on real waterproofness in Motorola (IP65 or IP68)

An important distinguishing feature of the new smartphone may be its main camera. The standard module received a matrix with the currently highest resolution on the market, 200 MP (f/1.9, PDAF, OIS, 1/1.22 “matrix). In addition, it is supported by 50 MP wide-angle modules (f/2.2, AF, macro function) and a 2x 12 telephoto module MP (f/1.6, PDAF). The front camera is a single wide-angle module with a resolution of 60 MP (f/2.2, FF).

The phone’s dimensions are 161.8 x 73.5 x 8.4 mm, and its weight is 199 grams. Motorola priced the Edge 30 Ultra at USD 1014.

Three new Motorola smartphones. Report from the premiere in Milan

Motorola Edge 30 Fusion – cheaper, still efficient, and imitation leather backs

The second novelty, priced at USD 675, is the Motorola Edge 30 Fusion. This smartphone uses the power of the Snapdragon 888+ chipset and has 8 GB of RAM and 128 GB of memory for data. It also received a 120 Hz OLED screen with a diagonal of 6.55 ” and FHD + class resolution, a WiFi 6E card, Bluetooth 5.2, and an NFC module.

The built-in battery has a capacity of 4400 mAh, and we charge it with a capacity of 68 W. Surprisingly, however, the Edge 30 Fusion does not support wireless charging. Why? Because the cheapest Motorola Edge 30 Neo has it.

The smartphone’s housing is made of Gorilla Glass 5 and aluminum, and, like the Edge 30 Ultra, it has only received a splash resistance certificate – IP52. In stores, there will also be a navy blue edition of the Edge 30 Fusion model, the back of which is covered with an interesting looking and ensures a firm grip imitation leather.

The smartphone’s main camera has a standard module with a resolution of 50 MP, a wide-angle module of 13 MP, and a module for analyzing the scene’s depth. The front camera, in turn, has a resolution of 32 MP and an AF system.

The dimensions of the Motorola Edge 30 Fusion are 158.5 x 72 x 7.5 mm, and the weight of the device is 175 grams.

Motorola Edge 30 Neo – the Edge series ceases to be elite

The last novelty today is the Motorola Edge 30 Neo. This phone is quite surprising because it costs USD 428, and it is equipped only with the popular Snapdragon 695 class chipset. It is accompanied by 8 GB of RAM and 128 GB of data memory.

Neo is a slim, lightweight, and compact phone (152.9 x 71.2 x 7.8 mm, 155 grams). It also enjoys the presence of a 6.28-inch 120 Hz OLED screen with FHD+ resolution.

The advantage of the smartphone is also the function of wireless battery charging – even if it is only the basic performance of 5 W. The more expensive Edge 30 Fusion did not have it. Case? Or maybe it’s just slight chaos and inconsistency prevailing in the European department of Motorola? After all, in Asian markets, Motorola Edge 30 Ultra is present under the name Moto X30 Pro and Edge 30 Fusion – Moto S30 Pro. So they belong to two completely different lines there. However, this does not change the fact that the Edge 30 Neo is currently the cheapest phone with inductive charging on our market.

We can also quickly charge the smartphone battery ( 4020 mAh ) wired – with a capacity of 68 W. At this point, Motorola has finally caught up with the competition in terms of power section parameters. What’s more, we will still find appropriate main chargers.

This time, due to the lower price, the Edge 30 Neo camera is much less technically exciting than more expensive models. However, we still get a promising standard module with a resolution of 64 MP (f / 1.8, AF, OIS). It is accompanied by a wide-angle module with a resolution of 13 MP. On the front, we find a 32 MP digital camera, but without the AF system.

The Neo line is distinguished (at least by the manufacturer) by the fact that the colors of the individual editions of the smartphone are based on the Pantone palette, which has recently been a very popular procedure in the markets related to design and fashion (maybe for this reason Milan became the place of the premiere). We will see the Edge 30 Neo in the following colors: Veri Pery (purple), Black Onyx (black), Ice Palace (white), and Aqua Foam (green).

Will the new smartphones with the Motorola logo become market hits? This is primarily decided by you, i.e., their buyers and users. On our part, we will, of course, prepare editorial tests for you. I hope that they will shed a little more light on whether Motorola, in the new school year 2022/2023, has done its smartphone homework and has actually developed equipment worthy of our trust. We’ll see.