At €449.99, the Moto Edge 30 manages to combine solid performance with an attractive price. Is Motorola’s new smartphone a winning combo for the manufacturer?
Not everyone wants to put $800 into a new smartphone. Consumers, however, often find it difficult to accept compromises with entry-level smartphones. It is on this trend in particular that certain manufacturers such as OnePlus, Xiaomi or Motorola have been surfing for several years, offering what are called “flagship killers”, smartphones with the performance of high-end models, offered at very low prices. attractive. Count around 500 once morest 800 to 1000€ for a top of the range.
The American brand Motorola, a subsidiary of Lenovo, has become one of the specialists in the field. With its Moto 30 (€449.99), it adopts a very aggressive pricing policy. So aggressive that his device is actually difficult to classify since we are literally between entry and mid-range. The difference is actually only slightly marked with a OnePlus Nord 2T for example, sold for €399 in stores.
In this segment, the Moto Edge 30 competes with devices like the Oppo Find X5 Lite (499€) and the Galaxy A53 5G (449€) – which have very similar technical data sheets, as can be seen in the table below.
Comparateur: Motorola Edge 30 / Samsung Galaxy A53 5G / Oppo Find X5 Lite
 |
 |
 |
|
|---|---|---|---|
| Motorola Edge 30 | Samsung Galaxy A53 5G | Oppo Find X5 Lite | |
|
Screen: |
6,5″ 2400×1080 pixels 144Hz OLED |
6.5″ 2400×1080 pixels 120Hz Super AMOLED |
6,43″ 2400×1080 pixels 90Hz AMOLED |
|
Camera: |
50MP f1.8 main sensor Capteur ultra grand-angle 50MP f2.2 2MP f2.4 depth of field sensor 4K 30FPS stabilized video |
64MP f1.8 main sensor Capteur ultra grand-angle 12MP f2.2 5MP f2.4 depth sensor Objectif macro 5MP f2.4 4K 30FPS stabilized video |
64MP f1.7 main sensor Capteur ultra grand-angle 8MP f2.25 Objectif macro 8MP f2.4 4K 30 FPS stabilized video |
|
Processor: |
Qualcomm Snapdragon 778G+ 8-core CPU 8Go RAM |
Exynos 1280 8-core CPU 6Go RAM |
MediaTek Dimensity 900 8-core CPU 8Go RAM |
|
Storage: |
128Go | 128Go Expandable with microSD up to 1TB |
256Go |
|
Battery: |
4.020mAh | 5.000mAh | 4.500mAh |
|
Charge: |
USB-C Charge rapide 33W |
USB-C Charge rapide 25W |
USB-C Charge rapide 65W |
|
Connectivity: |
5G WiFi 6E Bluetooth 5.2 NFC |
5G WiFi 5 Bluetooth 5.1 NFC |
5G WiFi 6 Bluetooth 5.2 NFC |
|
Operating system: |
Android 12 | Android 12 | ColorOS 12 |
|
Front camera: |
32MP f2.25 4K 30FPS stabilized video |
32MP f2.2 | 32MP f2.4 FHD 30FPS stabilized video |
The differences between these products are minor. All of them have processors with relatively identical performance, screens of the same size too, with an OLED display for all, updated connectivity and identical photo sensor combinations. The Motorola Edge 30, however, manages to do well in two areas in particular.
On the multimedia side first, Motorola has gone all out with a very powerful 6.5″ OLED and FHD+ screen. It’s literally one of the best screens in this price range. The screen is clocked at 144 Hz and offers good readability even in bright light. The sound part is also neat with multidimensional Dolby Atmos sound. Sound comes from both sides of the screen, which is great if you regularly watch movies on your smartphone screen or play games.
The Edge 30 has another advantage over its competitors: its design. Unlike its rivals, it adopts a resolutely premium look. The Edge 30 is one of the thinnest 5G smartphones on the market. Its thickness does not exceed 6.79mm. It is not only light but also pleasant to hold. Its matte finish also gives it a very chic look that its rivals can only envy.
Two strong arguments. Conversely, the photo part is hard to convince. This in itself is not a surprise: Motorola has always been a step behind its competitors at this level. Despite a combination of high-performance sensors, on paper, the device struggles to take pretty photos, whether with its 32-megapixel front camera or its trio of back sensors (50 + 2 + 50) which uses ultra- pixel by combining multiple pixels for supposedly brighter images. Against the light, the result is disastrous. Pink tones – even outright red – appear on the faces. In poorly lit environments, the device also has the unfortunate tendency to smooth the images. In optimal light conditions, on the other hand, the result is very correct. We feel it, however, the algorithms have trouble managing the brightness. Motorola still has a lot of work to do at this level to catch up with its competitors.
Level charging also, the Edge 30 is a bit behind with a 33W charger, once morest 65W at Oppo. It is technically still a fast charger, but given the price at which the device is sold, we would still have expected more modern technology.
Despite these small flaws, the Edge 30 remains a very good smartphone and certainly a choice to consider in the mid-range. The Galaxy A53 5G does a little better than it in terms of photos, the Oppo Find X5 Lite impresses more in terms of charging, but the Edge 30 has other advantages to highlight, such as its very elegant design and its pretty screen. At €450, it is also €50 cheaper than its rival from Oppo.
The +:
- A modern and premium design
- A very nice OLED screen at 144Hz
- Ideal for consuming multimedia content
- A good price-performance ratio
- The promise of regular updates
The – :
- The 33W sensor, a bit slow compared to the competition
- The photo part, which disappoints
So, do we crack?
Motorola’s Edge 30 is an interesting mid-range smartphone for those who don’t necessarily want to spend €800 on a smartphone. At €450, the device offers an experience almost identical to what you are entitled to with a high-end model. However, it will be necessary to make some compromises with a slightly slower processor, some small technological discounts (in particular, on the charging side) and – big black point – a photo part really set back from the competition. The Edge 30, however, has some nice assets to show off: a premium design that has nothing to envy to €800 devices and a very nice OLED screen, ideal for consuming multimedia content. The quality / price ratio tips the balance in its favor in the mid-range. It’s up to you to see if you’re ready to compromise on the photo part…
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