Motorola Edge 50 Fusion Overview: An Reasonably priced Edge 50?

Motorola has diversified its Edge 50 sequence fairly a bit this 12 months in comparison with final 12 months’s Edge 40 sequence. The corporate first launched its Edge 50 Professional (from Rs. 29,999), which was then adopted by the launch of the Edge 50 Fusion (Rs. 22,999). Just lately, it launched its Edge 50, which, at Rs. 27,999, appears to supply good worth as effectively. Out of the three, the Edge 50 Professional is a straightforward high-end mid-range advice, supplied you’ve gotten the price range to spare. Sitting on the very backside of the Edge 50 sequence is the Edge 50 Fusion. It isn’t as feature-packed as the opposite two, so is it nonetheless related after the launch of the Edge 50? And is it decide for these trying to purchase their first mid-range smartphone?

Motorola Edge 50 Fusion Overview Design: A lot to select from

• Dimensions – 162mm x 73.1mm x 7.9mm
• Weight – 175g
• Sturdiness – IP68 (mud and water)

The Motorola Edge 50 Fusion is the second telephone to be launched in India as a part of its mid-range Edge 50 sequence. The mid-range smartphone was launched alongside the premium Edge 50 Extremely. If there’s one factor that is frequent amongst all smartphones on this sequence, it is their designs. Whereas Motorola appears to have taken immense care in giving every telephone sufficient particular person consideration (by going with totally different supplies and textures), all of them seem very comparable when lined up.

Our Marshmallow Blue’s unit’s vegan leather-based again affords loads of grip

The Motorola Edge 50 Fusion will get the identical design remedy because the Edge 50 Professional and the newer Edge 50. There are rounded corners and curved edges with a 3D curved-edge show as effectively. At 175 grams, it’s lighter than the opposite two because it doesn’t have the wi-fi charging coil and functionality.

Nevertheless, as talked about earlier than, it is accessible in its personal set of finishes. One in every of these, referred to as Forest Blue, has a fundamental polycarbonate rear panel. The Sizzling Pink and Marshmallow Blue finishes include vegan suede and vegan leather-based rear panels, respectively.

Whether or not you place the telephone on a desk or maintain it in your hand whereas searching, the vegan leather-based materials (bonded to the rear panel) all the time ensures a strong grip. I additionally like how the cameras sit almost flush with the remainder of the rear panel. Motorola additionally features a colour-matched, environmentally-friendly translucent case within the field, which may be hooked up for added safety.

The Motorola Edge 50 Fusion’s cameras do not protrude as a lot as on different smartphones, making for a slim general look

One of many finer factors concerning the Edge 50 Fusion’s design is its sturdiness. The telephone is IP68-rated for mud and water resistance, so you will not want to fret about it when taking it to the seaside or poolside, as it may possibly stand up to submersion in sand and contemporary water. What it misses out on is the rugged MIL-STD-810H certification which the Edge 50 will get.

Whereas water injury just isn’t often coated underneath guarantee, Motorola will present some protection supplied the telephone has not exceeded its IP68 claims (talked about in its authorized warnings), which is proscribed to immersion in as much as 1.5 metres of contemporary water for as much as half-hour.

Motorola Edge 50 Fusion Overview Show: Might have been higher

• Show – 6.67-inch, 1080 x 2400 pixels, 144Hz
• Show kind – 3D curved, pOLED
• Show Safety – Corning Gorilla Glass 5

The Motorola Edge 50 Fusion has a 3D curved edge show, which is especially there for beauty causes because the software program doesn’t make the most of it. It has a slim border all-round that seems barely thicker on the high and backside. It will get the job completed effectively in broad daylight with its 1,200 nits of brightness and likewise comes with Motorola’s Aqua Contact function that works simply fantastic when used with moist palms. PWM/DC dimming is offered regardless that it is simply 720Hz.

The Motorola Edge 50 Fusion’s curved-edge show will get vibrant sufficient to deal with direct daylight

The show doesn’t have an HDR certification. However it exhibits quite a lot of color banding (or gradients), particularly when viewing dimly lit scenes. The telephone helps Widevine L1 and, so you’ll be able to stream films and exhibits in full-HD high quality.

Its excessive refresh fee appears a bit pointless retaining in thoughts that its {hardware} will hardly ever enable demanding 3D video games anyplace close to its peak efficiency (144Hz) and is so primarily used when searching via the telephone’s software program interface.

Motorola Edge 50 Fusion Overview Software program: Nothing new to see

• Software program – Howdy UI
• Model – Android 14
• Newest safety patch – 1 Might, 2024

Howdy UI continues so as to add extra bloatware (native apps) to what nonetheless seems to be a really clear and customisable working system. It is based mostly on Android 14, however this isn’t the near-stock working system we all know and cherished half a decade in the past. You do get two preinstalled apps – Fb and Netflix and these may be uninstalled if not wanted. The native climate app exhibits quite a lot of advertisements, which is a primary for a mid-range smartphone.

Motorola appears to be including fairly a little bit of bloatware on its telephones these days

The telephone just isn’t as massive on AI-enabled options because the Motorola Razr 50 Extremely we reviewed earlier. And most of those ”AI options” like Magic Eraser, Unblur and Greatest Take come courtesy of Google’s apps and are usually not unique to Motorola.

Motorola Edge 50 Fusion Overview Efficiency: Meets expectations

• Processor – Qualcomm Snapdragon 7s Gen 2
• RAM – 8/12GB LPDDR4X
• Storage – 128/256GB UFS 2.2

The Motorola Edge 50 Fusion’s processor does job of maintaining with each day multi-tasking necessities. Apps additionally stay in reminiscence, so there are fewer app restarts. There’s just about no lag or stuttering when interacting with Howdy UI, which needs to be the case on condition that this can be a mid-range smartphone.

Uncooked efficiency is as anticipated and on par with the competitors. That is until you examine it with the Poco X6 Professional which has a high-end MediaTek Dimensity 8300 Extremely processor, aimed on the gaming crowd.

Audio high quality, due to Dolby Atmos, sounds loud, clear and immersive. This additionally works effectively whereas taking part in video games.

As for the gaming expertise, I discovered the processor to be able to operating titles like Name of Obligation: Cell (CODM) and Asphalt Legends Unite with no issues with default settings. The Motorola Edge 50 Fusion helps a most of Excessive graphics and a most body fee in CODM. Whereas taking part in CODM, the telephone does get sizzling after a short time as a result of it lacks a cooling mechanism (additionally why it is so slim and light-weight). It heats up much more when utilizing the digicam app. However this warmth is especially felt on the show somewhat than the rear panel. Nonetheless, performance-wise, the telephone is sort of steady with no noticeable drop even with sustained masses.

Motorola Edge 50 Fusion Overview Cameras: Wants quite a lot of work

• Principal digicam – 50-megapixel (OIS), f/1.9 aperture, AF
• Extremely-wide digicam – 13-megapixel, f/2.2 aperture, AF
• Selfie digicam – 32-megapixel, f/2.5 aperture, FF

I had massive expectations from the first digicam, on condition that it is backed by Sony’s newer LYTIA 700C sensor. However the outcomes had been removed from spectacular, on condition that this can be a mid-range gadget.

The Motorola Edge 50 Fusion has two rear-facing cameras

The first digicam manages first rate picture high quality with images that seem overprocessed within the HDR division. The backgrounds like clouds, seem exaggerated and completely do not resemble the precise scene. The foreground will both be underexposed or overexposed with super-saturated colors (greens and blues) that just about seem like an Instagram filter. Textures and particulars on objects and surfaces aren’t the perfect I’ve seen on this section. In low mild, the devoted Night time mode produced sharper photographs with better-looking textures.

Motorola Edge 50 Fusion daylight digicam samples. High to backside: Extremely-wide digicam, major digicam, 2X digital zoom (faucet photographs to develop)

The ultra-wide angle digicam is worse and has loads of purple fringing and clipped highlights. Regardless of packing autofocus, the photographs do not seem sharp however mushy basically. In low mild, images appeared a bit blurry and mushy and had been largely not usable.

Motorola Edge 50 Fusion selfie digicam pattern

Selfies captured in daylight seem sharp and pack loads of element however with reddish and oversaturated pores and skin tones. Edge detection is first rate as effectively. Low-light selfies are nearly satisfactory with or with out activating the auto-screen flash. I additionally got here throughout some random conditions when capturing in daylight the place the selfie digicam solely processed the intense background, leaving the topic at midnight (like a shadow).

Motorola Edge 50 Fusion low mild digicam samples. High: Extremely-wide digicam, backside: major digicam (faucet photographs to develop)

Video recordings at 1080p seem a bit too scaled down with low element and lack fundamental readability other than the clipped highlights. The 4K video, which may solely be captured at 30fps, appeared leagues higher (at the price of more room), however once more, with quite a lot of clipped highlights showcasing the shortage of first rate dynamic vary.

Motorola Edge 50 Fusion Overview Battery: A bit underwhelming

• Battery capability – 5,000mAh
• Charging fee – 68W
• Charger within the field – Sure

Whereas 5,000mAh batteries aren’t actually an issue, we’re starting to see larger batteries make it into competing smartphones on this section. Amongst these is the OnePlus CE 4, which did an outstanding job in our battery life take a look at, lasting a whopping 32 hours and 21 minutes. Motorola Edge 50 Fusion fares effectively, however simply not nearly as good, managing 24 hours and 24 minutes.

The Motorola Edge 50 Fusion has a 5,000mAh battery

In each day use, the telephone managed to final a day and a half with informal use however required to be plugged in on the finish of the day with heavy utilization. Charging the telephone was pretty fast. The packaged charger managed to completely cost the telephone in 46 minutes in regular mode and 36 minutes within the quicker Cost enhance mode.

Motorola Edge 50 Fusion Overview Verdict

Motorola could have discovered match of favor, sturdiness, {hardware} and software program, however it didn’t spend a lot time refining it. That is how now we have what seems to be an unfinished product which is evidently seen upon launching the digicam app or when watching video. Lacklustre digicam efficiency apart, battery life is not nearly as good as some rivals. The identical may be mentioned about its uncooked efficiency, which is why we cannot see this telephone being successful with the gaming crowd as effectively.

The Motorola Edge 50 (Rs. 27,999 onwards), however, goes the additional mile, providing even higher sturdiness, wi-fi charging and a telephoto digicam at a barely larger price ticket… on paper. In the meantime, the OnePlus Nord CE4 (Overview), whereas treading a skinny line, managed to cowl extra bases and blew us away with its battery life. When you’ve got gaming and uncooked efficiency in your thoughts, the Poco X6 Professional (Overview) is a significantly better selection on the similar worth level. If all you might be searching for is an IP68 score, then Redmi’s Be aware And this leaves the Motorola Edge 50 Fusion with few takers who worth sturdiness and elegance over substance.