Motorola Edge 20 Pro

The main interest in the Motorola Edge 20 Pro is the high refresh rate. It’s one of the highest in a smartphone at present, but what else does it bring to the table and are any compromises made to accommodate the screen worth it?

Design

There’s no denying the phone is big. The most mentioned gripe when it came to the phone was its odd shape and button placement. Reviewers said they found it near impossible to hold the phone in one hand and still reach the buttons.

This made using the fingerprint scanner frustrating for many reviewers as well. So if you have small hands or a restricted range of motion in your hands, the phone probably isn’t ideal.

The phone comes in a wide range of colours and materials, including Indigo Vegan Leather, Midnight Blue, and Iridescent Cloud.

Display

The 6.7-inch OLED display is incredibly smooth, thanks to its blazing 144Hz refresh rate. For those who like to watch media, the massive screen might be a mark in its favour. The high refresh rate makes gaming super smooth as well. Reviewers found it very nice to use.

Performance

The performance of the Motorola Edge 20 Pro impressed reviewers. They stated that every game they threw at it ran without hiccups or stutters. Even though the chipset is not the highest out there, it was a perfect choice here. There was no mention of overheating, as you find in some Snapdragon 888 equipped phones.

Software & Storage

The Motorola Edge 20 Pro offers 256GB of space, a solid amount for a mid-range phone. But it doesn’t offer microSD storage expansion, so mind your space usage or prepare to rely on cloud storage. The phone ships with Android 10 out of the box.

Cameras

Reviewers were very impressed with the camera array, which was remarked as odd for a Moto phone. Cameras are not an area of focus for them usually.

Most reviewer issues came from various modes and options for the cameras. Portrait mode didn’t always know where to put the background blur, and it could also wash out skin tones by over brightening.

They also were not happy that you could not toggle night mode on and off. This made it hard to take artistically-minded pictures or create dark or edgy photos on purpose.

Battery Life

While not a multi-day battery for constant use, the Motorola Edge 20 Pro battery is no slouch offering an entire day of service with ease. Reviewers were not thrilled, however, that there wasn’t a wireless charging option. Charging speeds, even when wired, were also slow. So while you won’t have to hunt down a charger often, prepare to wait a while to top off the phone.

Audio

The phone’s speaker disappointed many reviewers–especially compared to the excellent display and punchy performance. Reviewers said being mono was the first frustration, and the flat tinny sound on top of that made Bluetooth a better option by far.

Specs at a Glance

• Aluminum chassis
• 6.7-inch OLED display
• Qualcomm Snapdragon 870 processor
• 12GB of RAM
• Android 11
• 256GB of storage
• 108+MP camera
• 4500mAh battery

Bottom Line

Despite not looking very advanced on the spec sheets, the Motorola Edge 20 Pro offers a solid experience for anyone looking for a phone with a giant screen. The cameras won’t disappoint for quick point-and-shoot shots, either.

There are some negatives, though. The phone is bulky and nearly impossible to use with one hand. Finally, while it’s still plenty fast, it’s technically running a slower chipset than many competitors.

Android Authority says, “The Motorola Edge 20 Pro doesn’t have all the bells and whistles of its competitors, but it makes do with solid build quality, excellent software, and cameras that stand out for their reliability. However, the overall value package will vary wildly depending on your region.”

Tech Radar states, “The Motorola Edge 20 Pro has a worthy processor, good cameras and a fairly long-lasting battery, which on paper combine to make it a capable device. However, it’s bulky and doesn’t sit comfortably in the hand, and it doesn’t have anything truly unique to offer, making it hard to recommend amid the multitude of similar devices in the competitive mid-range market.”