Succeeding the 30 series, the new Motorola Edge 40 gets a slimmer look, a new processor and upgraded dust and water protection with an IP68 rating. The phone also boasts increased battery capacity and faster charging while maintaining a compact, pocketable design.
Design
With its slim design and lightweight, the Motorola Edge 40 catches attention straightaway after being taken out of the box. The curved display design with the faux leather back adds up to the elegance of the new Edge 40 and offers a better grip. We got the Nebula Green variant which looks very appealing. Identifying the primary and the secondary camera on the phone is very easy as the sensors’ circular cutouts are different in size. On the right lies the power button and the volume rockers, while the left is left blank. The bottom of the phone sports a SIM tray, USB Type-C port and speaker outlet.
On the front lies the punch-hole on the top of the display. The fingerprint sensor is incorporated into the screen, which is very quick. Since we are talking about the ports and the placements, we would have liked a 3.5mm headphone jack to give the phone an edge in the competition.
Display
The new Motorola Edge 40 impresses with a 144Hz OLED panel, offering a higher refresh rate than many of its competitors. The power of 144Hz is felt while you scroll the screen, especially when playing games. The display measures 6.55 inches diagonally with a resolution of 1080x2400 and an aspect ratio of 20:9. The Edge 40 supports HDR10+ but lacks Dolby Vision certification. The phone does have Widevine L1 certification for FullHD playback. HDR streams were accessible on Prime Video. In terms of brightness, the Edge 40 performs exceptionally well.
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OS
The Edge 40 runs on Android 13, with Motorola’s signature software approach closely resembling a nearly stock Android experience. The UI is clean, with only the necessary apps installed.
Processor
The new Motorola Edge 40 features the MediaTek Dimensity 8020 chipset. With octa-core CPU configurations and a Mali-G77 MC9 GPU, the SoC offers high-end performance in its range. The phone is available in two memory configurations: 128GB and 256GB, both equipped with 8GB of RAM.
Our review variant came with 256GB storage. For a mid-range phone, the new Edge 40 carries the power required to seamlessly carry any task. We did not come across any lag or slowing down of the phone. The gaming experience is very smooth as the GPU allows easy game running at their peak settings. We played the recently made available BGMI in the country. It ran very smoothly, and the fluid screen further assisted in quick response.
Camera
The Motorola Edge 40 features a dual-camera setup on the back, comprising a 50MP primary wide lens and a 13MP ultrawide lens. There are no additional sensors, simplifying the camera system. On the front, there is a 32MP selfie camera, completing the camera setup.
The primary camera uses the OmniVision OV50A sensor, which has a large optical format and 4-cell design, resulting in 12.5MP images with 2.0µm pixels. Its standout feature is the bright f/1.4 aperture, providing better low-light performance and subject separation. The ultrawide camera, sourced from the Edge 30 Fusion, has a 13MP sensor with autofocus capabilities. For selfies, the Edge 40 utilizes the OmniVision OV32B sensor, which is slightly smaller but still employs a 4-cell design. Unlike its predecessor, the selfie camera lacks autofocus.
In daylight, the main camera captures photos with minimal noise and good detail. We liked the natural replication capability of the camera lens. The phone performs well in terms of dynamic range, even in overcast conditions, with generally accurate colour reproduction. Close-up shots are good as well, and they allow for subject isolation and background blurring. The images taken at night are very impressive, and with the use of Night Mode, the images turn out to be very crisp. The low-light images capture the shadows and maintain the darkness without overfilling with too much light.
Selfies default to 8MP resolution but offer the option for 32MP, delivering high-quality results with fine detail, natural skin tones, and a wide dynamic range.
Battery
The new Motorola Edge 40 comes with a 4,400mAh battery. With average usage, the phone lasts a day easily, but in case of heavy indulgence, you need to charge it. The phone ships with a USB Power Delivery adapter rated at 68W, which aligns with Motorola’s promise of a 0-100% charge time of 39 minutes. In testing, it took 40-45 minutes to fully charge the battery, making the advertised claim quite accurate. A notable addition to recent Motorola phones is the Overcharge protection toggle in the Battery menu. It prevents overcharging by cutting off charging once the phone remains plugged in for three consecutive days.
Verdict
Overall, the Motorola Edge 40 presents a compelling package with notable improvements in key areas. Its combination of dust and water resistance, increased battery capacity, faster charging, compact design, and lightweight form factor makes it an attractive option in its price range. The device’s display, performance, and camera capabilities further enhance its appeal, offering a well-rounded smartphone experience.
Motorola Edge 40 sells at ₹29,999.
