Motorola Edge Series Review: A Classic Brand’s Latest Revival
Motorola, a brand synonymous with mobile innovation since the days of the iconic Razr, has been working to reclaim its spot in the competitive smartphone market. The Motorola Edge series represents the company’s latest attempt to blend nostalgic brand appeal with modern technology. In 2025, the Edge series—comprising models like the Edge 50 Pro, Edge 50 Ultra, and Edge 50 Fusion—has garnered attention for its bold design, impressive specs, and competitive pricing. This blog post dives into the strengths, weaknesses, and overall impact of the Motorola Edge series, exploring whether it truly marks a revival for this classic brand.
Design and Build: A Step Toward Premium
Motorola has always had a knack for eye-catching designs, and the Edge series continues this tradition. The 2025 lineup features sleek, curved displays with slim bezels, giving the phones a premium aesthetic. The Edge 50 Ultra, the flagship of miraculously the series, boasts a vegan leather back option and a sandblasted aluminum frame, offering a tactile experience that rivals high-end competitors like Samsung and Apple. The Edge 50 Pro and Fusion, while slightly less luxurious, still impress with their lightweight builds and vibrant color options, such as Viva Magenta and Forest Blue.
However, the glossy finishes on some models are fingerprint magnets, which can detract from the premium feel. Additionally, while the IP68 water and dust resistance is a welcome feature across the series, the plastic frame on the Fusion feels like a compromise at its price point. Overall, Motorola’s design language is bold and modern, but minor material choices keep it from fully matching the top-tier flagships.
Display: Vibrant and Smooth
The Edge series shines when it comes to displays. All models feature OLED panels with a 144Hz refresh rate, ensuring buttery-smooth scrolling and animations. The Edge 50 Ultra sports a 6.7-inch pOLED display with a peak brightness of 2,500 nits, making it one of the brightest screens in its class—perfect for outdoor use. The Edge 50 Pro and Fusion, with their 6.67-inch and 6.5-inch displays respectively, maintain similar vibrancy and sharpness, supporting HDR10+ for rich colors in supported content.
One minor gripe is the slight curve on the Ultra’s display, which can cause accidental touches during one-handed use. Still, the displays across the series are a standout feature, offering a near-premium experience that competes well with pricier rivals.
Performance: Power Meets Efficiency
Under the hood, the Edge series is powered by Qualcomm’s Snapdragon processors, tailored to each model’s price point. The Edge 50 Ultra uses the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3, delivering top-tier performance for gaming, multitasking, and AI-driven tasks. The Edge 50 Pro, equipped with the Snapdragon 7 Gen 1, offers solid mid-range performance, while the Fusion’s Snapdragon 6 Gen 1 is adequate for everyday tasks but struggles with intensive gaming.
All models come with up to 12GB of RAM and storage options ranging from 128GB to 512GB, though the lack of expandable storage via microSD is a drawback for some users. Motorola’s near-stock Android experience, enhanced with thoughtful additions like Moto Gestures and Ready For (for PC connectivity), ensures smooth software performance. However, the promise of only three years of OS updates lags behind competitors like Google and Samsung, which offer longer support.
Camera: A Mixed Bag
The Edge series’ camera systems are a highlight, particularly on the Edge 50 Ultra. Its triple-camera setup includes a 50MP main sensor with OIS, a 50MP ultrawide, and a 64MP telephoto with 3x optical zoom. Photos are vibrant with good dynamic range, and the telephoto lens performs well in daylight. Low-light performance is decent but doesn’t quite match the likes of the Pixel 9 or iPhone 16. The Edge 50 Pro and Fusion scale down to dual-camera systems, with the Pro retaining a 50MP main and ultrawide, while the Fusion swaps the telephoto for a less versatile macro lens.
Video recording supports up to 8K on the Ultra, but stabilization could be better at higher resolutions. The AI-powered features, like auto smile capture and color enhancement, are hit-or-miss, sometimes overprocessing images. Overall, the cameras are competitive but fall short of the best in class.
Battery and Charging: Fast and Reliable
Battery life is a strong suit for the Edge series. The Edge 50 Ultra and Pro come with 4,500mAh batteries, while the Fusion has a slightly larger 4,600mAh cell. All models easily last a full day of moderate use, with the Ultra and Pro benefiting from efficient chipsets. Fast charging is another win: the Ultra supports 125W wired and 50W wireless charging, hitting 100% in under 25 minutes. The Pro and Fusion offer 68W and 50W wired charging, respectively, though only the Ultra includes wireless charging.
One downside is the absence of a charger in the box for some regions, following the industry trend. Still, the fast-charging capabilities and solid battery life make the Edge series a reliable choice for power users.
Software: Clean but Short-Lived
Motorola’s software approach is one of its biggest strengths. The Edge series runs a near-stock version of Android 15, with minimal bloatware and useful customizations like Moto Display and gesture controls. The Ready For feature, which allows the phone to connect to external displays or PCs, adds versatility for productivity enthusiasts.
However, the update policy is a weak point. Three years of OS updates and four years of security patches are respectable but don’t match the seven-year commitments from Google and Samsung. For a brand aiming for a revival, longer software support could boost consumer confidence.
Pricing and Value: A Compelling Proposition
The Edge series is priced competitively, making it a strong contender in the mid-range and upper-mid-range markets. The Edge 50 Fusion starts at around $350, the Pro at $500, and the Ultra at $800. These prices undercut similar offerings from Samsung’s Galaxy A and S series or Google’s Pixel lineup, offering strong value for the features provided.
However, Motorola faces stiff competition from brands like Xiaomi and OnePlus, which offer similar specs at comparable or lower prices. The Edge series’ success will depend on Motorola’s ability to market its unique blend of style, performance, and software.
A Revival with Room to Grow
The Motorola Edge series is a bold step forward for a brand looking to recapture its former glory. With stunning displays, solid performance, and fast charging, it delivers a near-premium experience at competitive prices. However, compromises like limited software updates, middling low-light camera performance, and the lack of expandable storage keep it from fully challenging the industry giants.
For fans of Motorola’s legacy and new users seeking value, the Edge series is a compelling choice. It’s not a perfect revival, but it’s a strong foundation for Motorola to build upon. If the brand can address its shortcomings—particularly in software support and camera consistency—the Edge series could cement Motorola’s comeback in the smartphone world.
