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Motorola Edge 40 With MTK Dim 8020 launched in india: Should You Buy?
midrange is a tough place to be – while Motorola looks all fit.
By Akash Sarkar
30th May, 2023
After much anticipation and speculation, Motorola finally unveiled its premium mid-range smartphone, the Motorola Edge 40, in India on Tuesday, May 23rd. This launch occurred nearly two weeks after its official global debut. The device boasts the MediaTek Dimensity 8020 SoC coupled with the Mali-G77 MC9 GPU.
Available in four striking color options—Eclipse Black, Nebula Green, Viva Magenta, and Lunar Blue—the Motorola Edge 40 offers a single storage variant: 8GB RAM with 256GB internal storage, which unfortunately cannot be expanded. As of the time of writing this post, the phone is priced at Rs. 29,999/-. Now, let’s take one step at a time and get crazy with the techy things gradually and explore what this device has to offer.
I. The Processor of Motorola Edge 40
The Motorola Edge 40 comes equipped with the impressive 6nm class MediaTek Dimensity 8020 SoC, paired with the Mali-G77 MC9 GPU. This powerful combination ensures a seamless and captivating gaming experience for all the gamers out there. With a CPU speed that can reach up to 2.6GHz, this phone effortlessly handles top-end games, providing immersive and intensive gameplay.
But that’s not all! The 6nm class processor offers more than just gaming prowess. It delivers fast displays, and reliable connectivity, and supports stunning panoramas and 4K HDR video capture with AI enhancements. Thanks to features like AI Super Panorama, AI Multi-Person Bokeh Video, and AI Noise Reduction, your videos, and photos will be enhanced with incredible clarity and vibrant colors.
Furthermore, the MediaTek MiraVision technology integrated into the processor elevates your HDR video playback, and the hardware-accelerated AV1 video decoding ensures smooth streaming. With AI SDR-to-HDR technology, even standard video streams are upgraded to vibrant HDR in real-time.
Additionally, the Motorola Edge 40 incorporates MediaTek HyperEngine technology, which not only boosts gaming performance but also enhances power efficiency. You’ll experience faster 5G carrier aggregation and the convenience of dual 5G SIM support.
Overall, the Motorola Edge 40 impresses with its powerful processor, delivering exceptional gaming capabilities, stunning visuals, and enhanced video playback. Whether you’re a gaming enthusiast or simply seeking a device that combines performance and innovation, the Motorola Edge 40 is certainly worth considering for your smartphone needs. It’s feature-rich design and advanced technologies make it a reliable and exciting option in the mid-range segment.
Here, read more about the Pros & Cons of the Processor of Edge 40,
Pros
- It is a 6nm chipset that offers good performance and power efficiency.
- It supports 5G connectivity with dual SIM dual standby (DSDS) and carrier aggregation (CA) for faster and more reliable data speeds.
- It has a powerful octa-core CPU with four Cortex-A78 cores clocked at 2.6GHz and four Cortex-A55 cores clocked at 2GHz, which can handle demanding tasks and games.
- It has a Mali-G77 MC9 GPU that can deliver smooth graphics performance and support high refresh rate displays up to 144Hz.
- It has a MediaTek APU 570 that can handle AI tasks such as face detection, speech recognition, machine learning, and camera enhancements.
Cons
- It is not as powerful as some of its competitors, such as the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 or the Dimensity 1300, which have newer CPU and GPU architectures and higher clock speeds.
- It does not support LPDDR5 memory or UFS 3.1 storage, which are faster and more efficient than the LPDDR4X memory and UFS 2.2 storage that it supports.
- It does not have any advanced features such as Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth 5.2, or HDR10+ video playback, which are available on some other chipsets .
II. Display & Audio
The 6.55” FHD+ pOLED display of Motorola Edge 40 comes with a borderless curved screen with 2400 x 1080 pixels of resolution and a 20:9 aspect ratio that has a peak brightness of 1200nits. Well, if the processor was not enough, Motorola is trying to overwhelm their users with the display for sure. As the OLED panel uses a Plastic substrate(thus pOLED), it is naturally more resistant to shattering than those made of glass, making its display more durable and shockproof.
pOLED displays are generally more energy efficient as it doesn’t need backlighting like other OLED displays(AMOLED, Super AMOLED) which reduces power consumption and heat generation, allowing the users to use the device for a longer period. Well glass or plastic an OLED is still an OLED which means the display is capable of turning off individual pixels to produce natural blacks and infinite contrast.
Everything else about the display is just all the things you would expect from an OLED display and considering the price range, with the bonus of HDR10+, 144Hz refresh rate, and 360Hz touch sampling rate, making it ideal for smooth gaming and scrolling. The display is protected by Corning Gorilla Glass 6 and has an in-display fingerprint sensor.
The display has a punch-hole cutout on the top left corner for the 32MP selfie camera.
Now, let’s discuss the audio capabilities. The device features Dolby Atmos stereo speakers that deliver immersive sound, perfect for watching videos without needing earphones. However, it’s worth noting that the Motorola Edge 40 does not come with a 3.5mm headphone jack. If you prefer using wired earphones like myself, you’ll need to purchase an external USB-C adapter. On the bright side, wireless headphone users will appreciate the device’s support for wireless audio via Bluetooth 5.2.
Lastly, if you’re interested in expanding your viewing experience, the phone allows you to connect to an external monitor or TV using a USB-C cable or a wireless dock. You can even utilize the device’s speakers as a soundbar, adding an extra layer of fun to your multimedia adventures.
In summary, the Motorola Edge 40’s display is truly impressive. From its durable pOLED construction to the vibrant visuals and smooth gaming experience, it offers a lot to admire. While the lack of a headphone jack may inconvenience some, the device compensates with wireless audio support.
So, whether you’re a fan of stunning visuals, immersive sound, or expanding your entertainment setup, the Motorola Edge 40 is sure to please. You can learn more about the Ready For feature from Motorola themselves.
Pros and Cons of the display are,
Pros
- It has a 6.55-inch pOLED curved display that offers a premium look and feel.
- It supports HDR10+ for enhanced contrast and colors when playing compatible content.
- It has a 144Hz refresh rate that makes the animations and scrolling smooth and responsive.
- It has a 1200 nits peak brightness that makes it easy to see in bright sunlight.
Cons
- It has a punch-hole cutout on the top center of the screen that may be distracting for some users.
- It has a FHD+ resolution that is lower than some of its competitors that offer QHD+ resolution.
- It does not support Dolby Vision like the Edge 40 Pro does, which is a more advanced HDR format.
- It may not support Netflix HDR playback yet, as it may need to be whitelisted by the streaming service.
III. Camera of Motorola Edge 40
Right ladies and gentlemen, now we’re in the interest of almost everyone, regardless of who you are and what your other interests in buying a new smartphone are, camera matter to everyone. I’ll explain the rear camera first then we will move on to the front, so first there is a.
a. Dual Rear Camera(50MP primary+13MP Ultrawide):
The 50MP primary camera uses a large 1/1.55″ OmniVision OV50A sensor with multi-directional PDAF and OIS which. Now the size 1/1.5” is relatively large for smartphone cameras, which means that the sensor is capable of capturing more light and producing less noise, you see its good for using the camera in low light conditions.
Its 50MP resolution allows for more detail and clarity in the images, as well as enabling 2x digital crop zoom with 12.5MP resolution and a fast mode switch. The sensor can switch between low-noise, high conversion gain mode, and low conversion gain mode to optimize the dynamic range and low-light performance.
And for those of you who don’t know PDAF stands for phase detection autofocus. The sensor has 2×2 on-chip lenses and all-pixel phase detection autofocus, which enables 100% coverage of the image area for faster and more accurate focusing, especially in low-light and complex scenes.
PDAF can quickly and accurately focus on moving objects or subjects at different distances, as it does not need to move the lens back and forth to find the best focus point. It also works well in low-light conditions.
And OIS, stands for Optical Image Stabilization which compensates for shaking hands and camera movements while capturing photos or videos, resulting in sharper images and smoother videos. It has a bright f/1.4 aperture lens that can capture more light and create shallow depth of field effects. It can record 4K videos at 30fps, 1080p videos at up to 120fps, and 720p videos at up to 960fps.
The 13MP Ultrawide camera features an SK Hynix HI1336 sensor with 1.12µm individual pixels and a 1/3″ optical format, the same CMOS sensor used in Motorola Edge 30 Fusion, and ThinkPhone. It has autofocus capabilities and can record 4k videos at 30fps.
b. 32MP Selfie Camera:
The front camera comes with a relatively smaller (1/2.8″) OmniVision OV32B sensor with a 0.7µm pixel size. You can record 4k at 30fps or 1080p at 120fps, it is an f/2.4 aperture lens that should allow you to have a wide viewing angle but there is no autofocus, yeah right, what a letdown! Well, if blogging isn’t your thing that should not cause you much trouble, the camera is fair for its price in my opinion.
Still, if you want to learn more about the camera and see what it’s exactly capable of, I highly suggest you read the review by Gsmaren. I’ve personally learned a lot from their reviews.
Here are the key pros and cons of the Edge 40 display,
Pros
- It has a 50MP primary camera with a large 1/1.5-inch sensor and a bright f/1.4 lens that can capture detailed and well-exposed photos in various lighting conditions.
- It has optical image stabilization (OIS) on the main camera that can reduce blur and shake in photos and videos.
- It has a 13MP ultrawide camera that can also double as a macro camera with autofocus, allowing you to capture wide-angle shots and close-up details.
- It has a 32MP selfie camera that can capture sharp and natural-looking selfies with good dynamic range and colors.
Cons
- It does not have a telephoto camera that can offer optical zoom or portrait mode with natural bokeh.
- It does not have autofocus on the selfie camera, which may affect the focus and sharpness of the selfies.
- It does not support 4K video recording at 60fps or higher, which is available on some of its competitors.
- It may not have the best low-light performance compared to other phones with larger pixels or better software processing.
IV. Bttery and charging of Motorola Edge 40
Edge 40 features a 4,400mAh Li-Po battery which is kind of small, mainly to fit into the ‘Slimest’ & lightweight criteria. Though the battery life varies vastly in different use cases the device should be able to provide you with around 16h(s) of backup on moderate to slightly heavy usage.
Also, it comes with a 68w fast charging adapter claiming to charge from 0 to 100% in 30min. 15w of wireless charging support and by placing other devices on the back of it you’ll be getting 5w of reverse wireless charging, it’s a slow but convenient feature.
pros and cons of the Battery and charging of Motorola Edge 40,
Pros
- It has a 4,400mAh battery that can provide decent battery life for a day of moderate usage.
- It supports 68W wired fast charging that can charge the battery from 0 to 100% in about 30 minutes, which is faster than most of its competitors.
- It supports 15W wireless charging that can charge the battery without a cable, which is convenient and versatile.
- It supports 5W reverse wireless charging that can charge other devices by placing them on the back of the phone, which is useful in emergencies or when sharing power.
Cons
- It does not have a removable battery, which means you cannot replace it easily if it gets damaged or degraded.
- It may not have the best battery endurance compared to other phones with larger batteries or more power-efficient chipsets.
V. Design and Built of Edge 40
When you lift the phone it is sure to give you a premium feel with its sandblasted aluminium framing & with small front camera cutout, slightly curved screen on the sides(I’m glad they brought the ‘Edge’ back), slim bezels on top and bottom you’re getting a minimal looking front.
And for the back panel, as we have said earlier, you are having four colour options Eclipse Black and Nebula Green which comes with a vegan leather finish, Viva Magenta with a Pantone Colour of the Year 2023 finish, and Lunar Blue with a PMMA (acrylic glass) finish.
thickness of 7.49mm for the vegan leather variants and 7.58mm for the acrylic variant, making it one of the slimmest 5G phones in the world.
weight of 171g for the vegan leather variants and 167g for the acrylic variant, making it lighter than most of its competitors.
The device also comes with IP68 rating for water and dust resistance, “Your phone is built to withstand exposure to dust, dirt, and sand along with submersion in up to 1.5 metres of fresh water for up to 30min”.
Here are the key pros and cons of Edge 40 display,
Pros
- It has a 6.55-inch pOLED curved display that offers a premium look and feel.
- It has a sandblasted aluminum frame that gives it a durable and elegant feel.
- It has an IP68 rating for water and dust resistance, which is better than some of its competitors.
- It has an option for vegan leather finishes in two colors (Eclipse Black and Nebula Green), which are soft, grippy, and fingerprint-resistant.
Cons
- It has a punch-hole cutout on the top center of the screen that may be distracting for some users.
- It does not have a microSD card slot, which means you cannot expand the storage capacity beyond the built-in 256GB.
- It is not as slim or light as some of its competitors, such as the Xperia 10 V or the Xiaomi 13 Lite.
- The vegan leather finish may be prone to accumulating dust and grime, especially on the black variant, and may require frequent cleaning.
VI. How Motorola Edge 40 fairs with the alternatives?
Now before we conclude and make a decision, we must take a look at other options we have in this price range. Below, I have attached the 3 most value-for-money smartphones under Rs. 30,000/-. Let’s see how Motorola Edge 40 fairs with them.
iQoo Neo7 5G
- Processor: MediaTek Dimensity 8200.
- Storage: 8GB LPDDR5 RAM, 128GB internal memory.
- Display: 6.78” 120Hz AMOLED Display with HDR 10+ Certification, Netflix HDR Support & 1300 Nits Peak Brightness.
- Camera: 64MP OIS + 2MP (Bokeh) +2MP (Macro), 16MP front camera.
- Battery: 5000mAh non-removable with 120W fast charging.
- Build: Motion Control powered by Gyroscope & Acceleration Sensors to give 6 additional Phone movement-based control options while Gaming.
- Price: Rs. 27,999/-(as of the upload date)
Samsung S20 FE 5G
- Processor: Qualcomm Snapdragon 865.
- Storage: 8GB RAM, 128GB internal memory expandable up to 1TB.
- Display: 6.5″ Infinity-O Super AMOLED Display with 120Hz Refresh rate, 1080 x 2400 (FHD+) Resolution.
- Camera: Triple Rear Camera Setup – 12MP (Dual Pixel) OIS F1.8 Wide Rear Camera + 8MP OIS Tele Camera + 12MP Ultra Wide | 30X Space Zoom, Single Take & Night Mode | 32MP F2.2 Front Punch Hole Camera
- Battery: 4500mAh battery with Super Fast Charging, Fast Wireless Charging.
- Build: IP68 Rated, MicroSD Card Slot, Dual Nano Sim, Hybrid Sim Slot, 5G+5G Dual stand.
- Price: Rs. 27,900/-(as of the upload date)
One Plus Nord 2T 5G
- Processor: Mediatek Dimensity 1300.
- Storage: 8GB RAM, 128GB internal memory.
- Display: 6.43 Inches; 90 Hz AMOLED Display with Corning Gorilla Glass 5; Resolution: 2400 X 1080 pixels; HDR 10+ Certified.
- Camera:50MP Main Camera with Sony IMX766 and OIS, 8MP Ultrawide Camera with 120 degree FOV and 2MP mono lens with Dual LED Flash; 32MP Front (Selfie) Camera with Sony IMX615
- Battery: 4500 mAh with 80W SuperVOOC.
- Build: Corning Gorilla Glass 5 on the front and back. Polycarbonateframes on the sides..
- Price: Rs. 28,999/-(as of the upload date)
- Processor: Qualcomm Snapdragon 865.
- Storage: 8GB RAM, 128GB internal memory expandable up to 1TB.
- Display: 6.5″ Infinity-O Super AMOLED Display with 120Hz Refresh rate, 1080 x 2400 (FHD+) Resolution.
- Camera: Triple Rear Camera Setup – 12MP (Dual Pixel) OIS F1.8 Wide Rear Camera + 8MP OIS Tele Camera + 12MP Ultra Wide | 30X Space Zoom, Single Take & Night Mode | 32MP F2.2 Front Punch Hole Camera
- Battery: 4500mAh battery with Super Fast Charging, Fast Wireless Charging.
- Build: IP68 Rated, MicroSD Card Slot, Dual Nano Sim, Hybrid Sim Slot, 5G+5G Dual stand.
- Price: Rs. 27,900/-(as of the upload date)
- Processor: Mediatek Dimensity 1300.
- Storage: 8GB RAM, 128GB internal memory.
- Display: 6.43 Inches; 90 Hz AMOLED Display with Corning Gorilla Glass 5; Resolution: 2400 X 1080 pixels; HDR 10+ Certified.
- Camera:50MP Main Camera with Sony IMX766 and OIS, 8MP Ultrawide Camera with 120 degree FOV and 2MP mono lens with Dual LED Flash; 32MP Front (Selfie) Camera with Sony IMX615
- Battery: 4500 mAh with 80W SuperVOOC.
- Build: Corning Gorilla Glass 5 on the front and back. Polycarbonate frames on the sides..
- Price: Rs. 28,999/-(as of the upload date)
- Processor: MediaTek Dimensity 8200.
- Storage: 8GB LPDDR5 RAM, 128GB internal memory.
- Display: 6.78” 120Hz AMOLED Display with HDR 10+ Certification, Netflix HDR Support & 1300 Nits Peak Brightness.
- Camera: 64MP OIS + 2MP (Bokeh) +2MP (Macro), 16MP front camera.
- Battery: 5000mAh non-removable with 120W fast charging.
- Build: Motion Control powered by Gyroscope & Acceleration Sensors to give 6 additional Phone movement-based control options while Gaming.
- Price: Rs. 27,999/-(as of the upload date)
Samsung S20 FE 5G
- Processor: Qualcomm Snapdragon 865.
- Storage: 8GB RAM, 128GB internal memory expandable up to 1TB.
- Display: 6.5″ Infinity-O Super AMOLED Display with 120Hz Refresh rate, 1080 x 2400 (FHD+) Resolution.
- Camera: Triple Rear Camera Setup – 12MP (Dual Pixel) OIS F1.8 Wide Rear Camera + 8MP OIS Tele Camera + 12MP Ultra Wide | 30X Space Zoom, Single Take & Night Mode | 32MP F2.2 Front Punch Hole Camera
- Battery: 4500mAh battery with Super Fast Charging, Fast Wireless Charging.
- Build: IP68 Rated, MicroSD Card Slot, Dual Nano Sim, Hybrid Sim Slot, 5G+5G Dual stand.
- Price: Rs. 27,900/-(as of the upload date)
iQoo Neo7 5G
- Processor: MediaTek Dimensity 8200.
- Storage: 8GB LPDDR5 RAM, 128GB internal memory.
- Display: 6.78” 120Hz AMOLED Display with HDR 10+ Certification, Netflix HDR Support & 1300 Nits Peak Brightness.
- Camera: 64MP OIS + 2MP (Bokeh) +2MP (Macro), 16MP front camera.
- Battery: 5000mAh non-removable with 120W fast charging.
- Build: Motion Control powered by Gyroscope & Acceleration Sensors to give 6 additional Phone movement-based control options while Gaming.
- Price: Rs. 27,999/-(as of the upload date)
One Plus Nord 2T 5G
- Processor: Mediatek Dimensity 1300.
- Storage: 8GB RAM, 128GB internal memory.
- Display: 6.43 Inches; 90 Hz AMOLED Display with Corning Gorilla Glass 5; Resolution: 2400 X 1080 pixels; HDR 10+ Certified.
- Camera:50MP Main Camera with Sony IMX766 and OIS, 8MP Ultrawide Camera with 120 degree FOV and 2MP mono lens with Dual LED Flash; 32MP Front (Selfie) Camera with Sony IMX615
- Battery: 4500 mAh with 80W SuperVOOC.
- Build: Corning Gorilla Glass 5 on the front and back. Polycarbonateframes on the sides..
- Price: Rs. 28,999/-(as of the upload date)
Conclusion
With all my general curiosity about the world of smartphones and experience of window-shopping, I’ve seen that most crazy things happen under Rs. 30,000INR. The case is no different for this newly launched one. With around a 1-2k difference in the price, you’ll be getting almost the same specs for this price segment.
But for Motorola Edge 40, 144Hz refresh rate, pOLED display(which to some extent, gives more durability), comparatively large camera sensor, slick and slim premium look and feel, a powerful and stable processor with better enough GPU, it pretty much steals the show from its competitors. and of course, adding to its shortcomings, there is a non-expandable memory, no 3.5mm jack, and no zoom camera.
In the end, for what should concern the end user, Edge 40 provides balanced (probably more) specs in this price range. while most of the competitors have done several compromises to fit in the 30k category, Motorola has done its market research well enough to get to this sweet spot where almost nothing seems left out while giving their customers the feeling of a sensible purchase. ♣
FAQs
Still got questions, refer to the below Q&A’s to find your specific answer.
Yes, It supports 5G connectivity with Dual SIM Dual Standby (DSDS) and carrier aggregation (CA) for faster and more reliable data speeds.
Edge 40 features a 4,400mAh Li-Po battery which is kind of small and can provide decent backup throughout the day. Also Li-Po batteries do not loose their charging capacity as fast as Li-ion batteries.
It comes with a 50MP wide primary camera along with 13MP ultrawide secondary camera on the back and a 32MP front camera.
It sure has the on-display fingerprint scanner.
with a 6.55″ pOLED display it has a resolution of 1080*2400 pixels(FHD+) which is good and probably the best you can get at this price segment.
Yes, it supports 15W wireless charging, and if you want, it can charge other supporting phones(wirelessly) at 5W.
It comes with the latest Android v13.
With its MediaTek Dimensity 8020 SoC with Mali-G77 MC9 GPU and a 144Hz display, Motorola Edge 40 does stand out as a better gaming smartphone.
Yes, it is IP68 rated which makes it fairly capable of water and dust resistance.
Yes, you can use 2 sims. It supports 5G connectivity with Dual SIM Dual Standby (DSDS) and carrier aggregation (CA) for faster and more reliable data speeds
It comes with non-expandable 256GB internal storage.
Yes, they have a Ready For which will help you in connecting your phone with an external device through an USB-C or USB-C to HDMI cable and you can also connect it with Bluetooth as well.
It is said to get 2 Android updates which is up to android v15 and security updates till 2026. Not much, but it is what it is.
This is June 2, 2023, and the product is currently out of stock and priced at (still) Rs. 29,999/-