Motorola has released its flagship smartphone, the Edge 50 Ultra, in the Indian market after a two-year hiatus. It succeeds the Edge 30 Ultra, which was launched in 2022. The latest entrant comes with all the powerful bells and whistles, like the Snapdragon 8s Gen 3 SoC, 100x AI SuperZoom, and more.
Motorola Edge 50 Ultra
Rs 54,999
What Is Good?
- Unique wood-like finish
- 144Hz refresh rate, pOLED display
- Impressive audio experience
- Powerful performance
- Good battery life
- Clean software experience
What Is Bad?
- Shorter software support
- Intense competition
- Price might deter some buyers
However, these enhancements do come with a premium price tag of Rs 54,999, putting the device in direct competition with the recently launched Honor 200 Pro and other prominent players like the OnePlus 12 and iQOO 12. So, the question is, is the Edge 50 Ultra worth its price? Should you buy it? Let’s find out in our review.
Motorola Edge 50 Ultra Review: Price and Availability in India
The Edge 50 Ultra comes in a single 12GB RAM and 512GB storage option and costs Rs 54,999. It is available on Flipkart, Motorola’s official website, and leading retail stores.
Motorola Edge 50 Ultra Review: Design and Build
The Edge 50 Ultra features a wood-like finish reminiscent of the iconic Moto X. It also comes in Peach Fuzz and Forest Grey with a vegan leather back, but the Nordic Wood that we have for review is our favourite. The light Nordic Wood finish looks stylish and provides a comfortable grip.
| Design | Specifications |
| Weight | 197 grams |
| Thickness | 8.59 mm (0.34 inches) |
| IP rating | IP68 |
| Port and button placements | Bottom: USB Type-C port, speaker grille, microphone Right side: Power button, volume rocker, SIM card tray |
It’s a great conversation starter, standing apart from the usual glass slabs. Additionally, it has an IP68 rating, making it water- and dust-resistant. The aluminium frame gives the phone a sturdy, well-built feel.
Weighing about 197 grams, the phone doesn’t feel heavy in hand, and the weight distribution is quite balanced. There’s a slight bump for the camera island, but it blends seamlessly with the rest of the panel, curving slightly. Don’t worry; you won’t experience any major wobble when using it on a desk.
Motorola Edge 50 Ultra Review: Display and Audio
The Edge 50 Ultra flaunts a 6.7-inch curved pOLED display, which I am not a big fan of, but it surely gives the device a premium feel. Motorola remains one of the few phone makers that provides a 144Hz refresh rate, making scrolling an absolute joy on the Edge 50 Ultra.
It also comes with a 10-bit colour depth and HDR10+ support. The screen produces vibrant colours without being overly saturated and delivers deep blacks, ensuring a rich visual experience. The display’s colour accuracy is impressive, too. Additionally, the screen supports a peak brightness of 2500 nits, making it highly visible even in bright sunlight.
| Display | Specifications |
| Size | 6.7 inches |
| Type | pOLED |
| Resolution | 1220 x 2712 pixels |
| Refresh rate | 144 Hz |
| Peak brightness | 2500 nits |
| Display protection | Corning Gorilla Glass Victus |
| Other features | HDR10+, Always-on display, DCI-P3, DC dimming |
When it comes to the audio department, the Edge 50 Ultra delivers an impressive experience. Thanks to its stereo speakers tuned by Dolby Atmos, it provides rich, immersive sound, making it perfect for enjoying music, movies, and games. The audio quality is well-balanced, with clear highs, punchy mids, and deep bass.
The volume levels are more than adequate, allowing you to crank up your favourite tunes without any distortion. The Dolby Atmos integration further enhances the audio experience by creating a virtual surround sound effect, adding depth and dimension to the sound.
Overall, the Edge 50 Ultra’s audio performance is a standout feature that elevates the multimedia experience.
Motorola Edge 50 Ultra Review: Performance and Software
The Edge 50 Ultra draws power from the Snapdragon 8s Gen 3. It has been a popular choice for smartphone brands this year. We have already seen it on several devices, such as the recently launched Honor 200 Pro and some more affordable ones, such as the Poco F6, Realme GT 6, and the Xiaomi 14 Civi. However, at this price point, the latest from Motorola will also competes against more powerful rivals like the OnePlus 12 and iQOO 12.
In the synthetic benchmark scores, the Edge 50 Ultra clearly beats its rivals with the same SoC, but it falls short of competing with its more powerful competitors. Managing day-to-day chores is a piece of cake for the Edge 50 Ultra. It comes in a single 12GB LPDDR5X RAM and 512GB UFS 4.0 variant, which ensures that multitasking or switching between apps stays smooth.
| Hardware | Specifications |
| Processor | Qualcomm Snapdragon 8s Gen 3 |
| RAM | 12GB LPDDR5X RAM |
| Storage | 512GB UFS 4.0 |
| CPU Throttling Test | 81 per cent of its maximum performance |
| Geekbench 6 | Single-core: 1945, Multi-core: 5056 |
| Software version | Android 14 |
| Connectivity details | Dual 5G standby, Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 5.4 USB 3.1 Type-C, NFC, GPS |
However, we all know that day-to-day tasks and switching between apps don’t testify to the Snapdragon 8s Gen 3’s capabilities. So, I started playing some heavy titles like BGMI and Call of Duty: Mobile and the experience was amazing. During my time with the device, I was able to get a maximum of 42fps. I also didn’t encounter any major lag or stutter at any point.
I was quite impressed with the device’s performance. To quantify that, I ran the CPU throttling test on it. The Edge 50 Ultra achieved 81 per cent of its maximum performance, which is acceptable for a device like this.
The Edge 50 Ultra runs on the Android 14-based Hello UI out of the box. The software experience on the device is seamless, as expected. There were no pre-installed apps or spammy notifications. Interestingly, Motorola has added some cool new features to its Moto experience, like an AI wallpaper generator, smart connect, family space, and more, along with the usual Moto gesture, which is a good addition.
Regarding software updates, Motorola is promising three years of OS updates and four years of quarterly security patches. This seems on the lower side, especially at this price point, where other brands like Samsung and Google have started offering seven years of software support.
Motorola Edge 50 Ultra Review: Cameras
The Edge 50 Ultra has a triple camera setup on the back. Moreover, just like its Edge 50 Pro sibling, the Edge 50 Ultra also comes with the Pantone colour-validated. It is complemented by a Time of Flight (ToF) sensor, an LED flash, and autofocus. But how does all this translate into real-world experience?
| Camera | Specifications |
| Primary camera | 50-megapixel, f/1.6 aperture, Omni-directional PDAF, OIS |
| Secondary camera | 50-megapixel Ultrawide angle (122° FOV), Macro vision, f/2.0 aperture |
| Tertiary camera | 64-megapixel Telephoto, 3x Optical zoom, f/2.4 aperture, OIS |
| Selfie camera | 50 megapixel, f/1.9 aperture |
| Video recording capabilities | Night vision, Timelapse (w/ Hyperlapse), Super slow motion, Portrait, Dual capture (w/ Vlog mode), Macro, 4K at up to 60fps |
| Other camera features | Digital zoom: 20x, Smart stabilisation, Horizon lock, Autofocus tracking, Video snapshot, HDR, Audio HDR, Audio zoom, Selfie stick support, External microphone support |
The Edge 50 Ultra’s wide-angle sensor excels in daylight, capturing images with exceptional brightness. However, this brightness occasionally deviates from real-life conditions. Its dynamic range is impressive, but the increased light sensitivity might lead to motion blur, resulting in a slightly softer image at times. Nighttime shots tend to be oversaturated, with a typical dynamic range.
Moving on to the 1x camera in daylight, the brightness level of these photos is a bit lower compared to the wide-angle shots. The colours are close to natural, although the contrast can be a bit excessive at times. The dynamic range is excellent. At night, the colours are almost accurate, with enough detail. Even when subjects in the background move slightly, they aren’t as blurred as with the wide-angle.
Photos taken from the 3x camera are more contrasty than the other two sensors, affecting colour accuracy. However, it captures great detail and has a decent dynamic range, though not as good as the other two sensors. It also takes some good portrait shots without activating portrait mode.
Taking selfies with the Edge 50 Ultra in daylight was a joy. It captured great shots in the sunlight with a good dynamic range, almost natural skin tones, and accurate colours. However, against the sun, the colours got a bit washed out. In low light, it wasn’t as impressive. The problem was that even a slight hand movement could cause blurry images.
Motorola Edge 50 Ultra Review: Battery Life and Charging
The Edge 50 Ultra has a 4500mAh battery, which might not sound impressive, but it easily lasts a day on a single charge. In our PCMark battery test, it lasted 14 hours and 14 minutes. That’s not bad. To give you some context we also ran the same test on the recently launched Honor 200 Pro which was able to last only 10 hours and 2 minutes. Whereas the iQOO 12 which was launched in December last year was able to last almost 18 hours.
| Battery capacity | 4500mah |
| Charging support | 125W wired charging
Up to 50W wireless charging |
| PCMark test | 14 hours and 14 minutes |
So, if you’re a casual user who mainly uses the phone to chat on WhatsApp, make calls, watch YouTube videos, or scroll through Instagram reels, you won’t need to find a charger for at least a day.
Motorola Edge 50 Ultra Review: Verdict
The Motorola Edge 50 Ultra is a strong contender in the premium smartphone segment, offering a compelling blend of design, performance, and features. Its standout attributes include a unique wood-like finish, a vibrant and smooth display, powerful performance, impressive audio quality, and amazing battery life.
However, potential buyers should carefully weigh its strengths against competitors’ offerings before making a decision.
The competition in this price segment is intense. Rivals like the iQOO 12 offer superior performance and camera capabilities, while the OnePlus 12 delivers a true premium flagship experience at a slightly higher price. For photography enthusiasts, the Honor 200 Pro is a compelling option with exceptional portrait mode. If long-term software support is a priority, the Pixel 8 provides an attractive seven-year commitment at a comparable cost, but it also comes with its fair share of problems.
But, the Edge 50 Ultra is a solid choice for those seeking a distinctive flagship device with a strong emphasis on design and overall user experience.
