Up until now, an optical zoom camera has been one of the features of the top of the range cell phone. At Apple, a smartphone with a 2x telephoto costs at least 1149 (iPhone 12 Pro), at Samsung the Galaxy S21 Ultra with 10x optical zoom costs 1249 euros, Xiaomi’s Mi 11 Ultra (5x zoom) costs 1199 euros and even that OnePlus 9 Pro with 3.3x zoom costs at least 899 euros.
Motorola is now bringing the new Edge 20 Pro with an optical 5x zoom – for 699 euros. BILD tried it out.
What is the camera good for?
In our practical check, the camera delivered impressive results. The autofocus should sometimes like to focus a little faster and a few details are missing at high zoom. In general, however, the camera system delivers top-class quality all round.
The camera only weakens in low light. However, this is probably due to the 108 megapixel main sensor, which has already shown difficulties in the dark in the smartphones from Samsung and Xiaomi.
The display is high-contrast, sharp and bright, and the 32-megapixel selfie camera is located in the top center. The screen is a bit too high, however, and takes up so much space in your pocket without providing any useful width. Annoying side effect: the fingerprint sensor is inserted in the side of the case. Due to the long display, it sits a little too high up
The results are similar for the ultra wide angle: The Edge 20 Pro can keep up with practically all other devices, only fails in comparison with the best wide angles such as those from OnePlus or Oppo.
Basically, the 16-megapixel lens with a 118 degree field of view delivers very good photos.
And the rest?
Technically, you can hardly tell from the Edge 20 Pro that it is significantly cheaper than other upper-class smartphones. The 6.7-inch OLED display is sharp (1080×2400 pixels) and high-contrast, with up to 144 Hertz, completely jerk-free. The memory equipment is generous with 256 gigabytes and 12 GB of RAM, with 5G and WiFi 6 all important wireless standards are on board.
The only eight millimeters slim case of the Edge 20 Pro is flawlessly processed and looks classy with its metal frame and matt glass back.
The back of the device is made of frosted glass. That looks nice, but unfortunately doesn’t make the phone any more handy. It feels kind of slippery when you hold it
Another strength of the Edge 20 Pro: Motorola’s ready-for-platform makes the mobile phone, together with a screen, a PC replacement. Thanks to the MiraCast standard, this even works wirelessly on many televisions and monitors.
In ready-for mode, the mobile phone display becomes a trackpad and control device. The Edge 20 Pro can also be connected to a mouse, keyboard or game controller via Bluetooth or a cable.
Only the chipset was saved. Instead of the Snapdragon 888, which is otherwise common in the upper class, only an 870 calculates in the Edge. In practice, however, the difference should only be felt by gamers who use complex 3D games.
The difference in the battery life is a bit more tangible: The Snapdragon 870 empties the energy storage (4500 mAh) faster than the more expensive 888. The Edge 20 Pro can barely get through the day with intensive use. Thanks to a charging capacity of 30 watts, the battery is quickly refilled using the included power supply unit.
With an external display, the Edge almost delivers a PC feeling, and is particularly impressive for games or complex documents. In this mode, the mobile phone becomes a touchpad, but if you want, you can also connect a mouse, keyboard or game controller
Strong appearance
Motorola’s Edge 20 Pro has a few minor weaknesses. Overall, however, it delivers almost upper-class performance for 699 euros. A strong presence for a brand that has tried in recent years to score points in the entry-level and middle class.
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