You know that one friend who shows up in a wooden jacket and still manages to steal the show? That’s exactly the energy Motorola brings with the Edge 50 Ultra. In a sea of glass and metal slabs, Motorola went full lumberjack with a Nordic Wood finish—and somehow, it works.
This flagship may not check every premium box, but it’s quirky, fast, and full of charm. Let’s look in.
Design
Touch wood—literally. The Edge 50 Ultra’s Nordic Wood variant is the most unexpected phone finish of 2024. It’s not real timber, but it sure feels close, and the texture is oddly satisfying.
Prefer a more classic look? The vegan leather options in Forest Grey and Peach Fuzz bring a premium feel without the rustic vibes.
The phone weighs 197g and is 8.6mm thick—not ultra-light, but very manageable. The curved aluminum frame, sloped camera bump, and IP68 water resistance add to the flagship feel. Gorilla Glass Victus on the front seals the deal.
It’s a phone that grabs attention but doesn’t shout. Just… whisper-woods.
Display
The 6.7-inch pOLED screen is a stunner. With a resolution of 1220 x 2712, 144Hz refresh rate, and 2,500 nits peak brightness, this panel is built for vivid media consumption.
Scrolling feels like slicing butter with a hot knife. Colors? Thanks to Pantone validation, they’re accurate and rich—especially skin tones.
But… no LTPO? That means the refresh rate can’t auto-adapt to content. You’re stuck between 60Hz or 144Hz, and that can hurt battery life. Worse still, there’s no always-on display. In 2024, that’s like forgetting to add Wi-Fi to a smart fridge.
Still, HDR10+ support makes Netflix and YouTube a treat, assuming you don’t mind the occasional ghost touch from those curved edges.
Performance
Under the hood, you get the Snapdragon 8s Gen 3—basically the flagship-lite chip from Qualcomm. It’s fast, snappy, and efficient, but not quite beast-mode like the Gen 3 Pro.
Paired with 16GB of RAM and a wild 1TB of storage, this phone is a digital hoarder’s dream. You could store entire seasons of shows, libraries of games, and still have room left.
Everyday performance is smooth. Gaming? Solid. But push it hard, and you’ll notice the Snapdragon 8s Gen 3 has its limits. It’s like buying a sports car and realizing it’s got a speed limiter.
Cameras
The Edge 50 Ultra doesn’t skimp on lenses. There’s a 50MP main sensor with OIS, a 50MP ultrawide/macro combo, and a 64MP periscope with 3x optical zoom.
In daylight, photos are crisp and natural-looking, with excellent detail and color balance. The telephoto lens is a highlight—it’s sharp at 3x and decent even at 6x or 10x digital zoom.
Low-light shots are acceptable, though the ultrawide struggles. The selfie cam? It’s a 50MP beast with autofocus—yes, your selfies just got an upgrade.
Video is capped at 4K/60fps with great stabilization. No 8K here, but honestly, who uses it?
Battery
At 4,500mAh, the battery isn’t massive—and it shows. You’ll get 5 to 6 hours of screen time, enough for a full day if you’re not pushing it.
But the charging speeds are where this thing becomes a rocket ship. The 125W wired charger gets you from 0 to 100% in just 21 minutes. That’s not fast—that’s ridiculous.
Need a top-up in a rush? 0-50% takes about 8 minutes. There’s 50W wireless charging and 10W reverse charging too.
Yes, it gets hot. But it also gets back to 100% while you brush your teeth.
Software
Running Android 14 with Motorola’s clean skin, the UI is smooth, bloat-free, and simple. Useful features like Moto Gestures and Ready For desktop mode round it out.
AI additions like Style Sync and Magic Canvas are fine, but not game-changing. What is disappointing? Motorola’s update promise: 3 years of Android, 4 years of security. In 2024, that’s outdated.
When competitors are offering 7 years of updates, Moto’s support feels more like a sprint than a marathon.
| Feature | Moto Edge 50 Ultra Highlights |
|---|---|
| Display | 6.7” pOLED, 144Hz, 2500 nits |
| Processor | Snapdragon 8s Gen 3 |
| RAM & Storage | 16GB RAM, 1TB Storage |
| Main Cameras | 50MP wide, 50MP ultra, 64MP tele |
| Front Camera | 50MP with autofocus |
| Battery | 4,500mAh, 125W wired, 50W wireless |
| Software | Android 14, 3 years OS updates |
| Build | IP68, wood or vegan leather back |
Motorola’s Edge 50 Ultra is bold, weird, and almost brilliant. The wooden back is a conversation piece, the screen and cameras are great, and the charging is freakishly fast.
But short battery life, lack of LTPO, and only three years of software updates keep it from true flagship status.
Catch it on sale, though, and you might just score the most interesting phone of the year.
FAQs
Does Moto Edge 50 Ultra support wireless charging?
Yes, it supports 50W wireless and 10W reverse charging.
Is the Moto Edge 50 Ultra good for gaming?
Yes, though it’s not the most powerful chip, it handles games well.
How long does the battery last?
Expect around 5–6 hours of screen time with regular use.
Does it really have 1TB of storage?
Yes, it comes with a massive 1TB of internal storage.
How many Android updates will it get?
It will receive 3 years of OS updates and 4 years of security patches.
