Latest news with #smartphonecomparison
Phone Arena
5 days ago
- Phone Arena
Pixel 10 Pro XL vs Pixel 8 Pro: Similar but different
The Google Pixel 10 series is coming fast and this year we'll get another iteration of the XL model, namely the Pixel 10 Pro XL. This oversized Pixel Pro is competing with other big-screen rivals on the market, but it is also pretty close to the good old Pixel 8 Pro. How close? Today we're going to find out! Should you upgrade if you already have the Pixel 8 Pro ? Is the new Pixel 10 Pro XL better in every way? Is there a case to be made for getting the Pixel 8 Pro ? We're going to answer these questions in the next paragraphs. Google Pixel 10 Pro XL vs Google Pixel 8 Pro expected differences: *rumored Table of Contents: Design Display Performance Camera Battery Specs Summary The Pixel 8 series marks the last generation of curved Pixels with the Camera Bar design on the back. The Pixel 8 Pro in particular was the big boy in the family before Google decided to shrink the regular Pro and give us an XL model in the following year. Well, now we're two generations into this new design, and the Pixel 10 Pro XL is flat and boxy, with a camera housing that doesn't span side-to-side, unlike the one on the Pixel 8 Pro . It's a different beast, and design-wise things are pretty subjective, so we won't be passing a judgement on that. In terms of size and weight, these two phones are pretty close. We're talking about fractions of a millimeter here and there and a couple of grams of weight difference. In the hand, though, the Pixel 8 Pro feels more comfortable thanks to its slightly curved back. *rumored The building blocks of a modern smartphone have been largely the same in the past couple of years, and these two Pixels are no exception. We have the same glass and metal sandwich, consisting of an aluminum frame and tempered glass on the front and back. *rumored According to the latest info, the protection on the Pixel 10 Pro XL will be the same as the one found on the 8 Pro: Gorilla Glass Victus 2 and an IP68 water and dust rating. In terms of colors, Google is offering some new shades with the Pixel 10 Pro XL, but the usual Black and White color options are also there, albeit under different names. Display Differences Bigger, brighter After companies stopped trying to cram more and more pixels into smartphone screens, now we have another arms race—brightness. The Pixel 8 Pro and Pixel phones in general have always been at the top of the brightness charts, but there's a generational gap here. The Pixel 8 Pro offers 2400 nits of peak brightness on paper (we measured 1449 at 100% APL), while the successor promises to be much brighter. The screen size on the Pixel 8 Pro lands at 6.7 inches, and the resolution is 1344 x 2992, resulting in 489 PPI pixel density. *rumored The Pixel 10 Pro XL, on the other hand, is expected to get a slightly bigger, 6.8-inch OLED. Along with the size difference, there's a potential difference in peak brightness. The cited brightness for the new Pixel 10 Pro XL is 3200 nits, but we have to test this in our lab to give you some hard, real-life numbers. A big hardware shift is coming with the Pixel 10 series. The next-generation in-house developed Tensor G5 chip will be manufactured by TSMC. Google has decided to switch the maker and the architecture, hoping for significant gains in performance and efficiency. The Pixel 8 Pro , on the other hand, relies on the Tensor G3, a chip made in Samsung's foundries and based on the Exynos architecture. It's not the fastest out there, nor the most energy efficient (1720 and 4268 points in Geekbench 6's single- and multi-core tests, respectively), so the Pixel 10 Pro XL should have an advantage here. In terms of RAM, the Pixel 10 Pro XL is expected to get 16GB of LPDDR5 and start at 256GB of onboard storage. The Pixel 8 Pro , on the other hand, comes with 12GB of RAM, and the base storage option is 128GB. No microSD card slot on either of those two. We know that AI and other post-processing algorithms do most of the heavy lifting in modern smartphone photography, and that's why we're not concerned about the camera situation of the Pixel 10 Pro XL. On paper, the hardware looks identical to the one used two generations back, but first, we still don't know the exact specs, such as the sensor size, pixel size, aperture, etc. And second, Google is making big gains with the said AI features, especially in photography. *rumored So, even though the hardware might look the same, we expect a significant difference in photo and video quality in favor of the Pixel 10 Pro XL. Of course, we will include side-by-side comparison samples here, once we lay our hands on the new Pixel devices. Even though the size and weight are very similar on both phones, we expect an upgrade in battery capacity on the Pixel 10 Pro XL. The two-generation old Pixel 8 Pro features a 5,000 mAh battery, and it managed to score 7h 3m in our battery test, ranking 66th among phones tested in the past 2 years. The Pixel 10 Pro XL is expected to get a 5,200 mAh cell, which, coupled with the new efficient Tensor G5, should result in better battery life compared to the Pixel 8 Pro . The same goes for the charging—the Pixel 10 Pro XL might offer faster wired and wireless charging; the rumors point toward 39W wired charging, 23W wireless with the proprietary Pixel Stand, and support for the Qi2 wireless standard, which tops out at 15W of power. The Pixel 8 Pro relies on 30W wired charging, and the wireless can do 23W with the Pixel Stand, but there's no Qi2 support. The difference isn't huge, and given the bigger battery expected on the Pixel 10 Pro XL, charging times should be close. We have to test both of these to give you a detailed breakdown, so stay tuned for that. Also read: *rumored specs Things look quite clear even at this early stage. The Pixel 10 Pro XL is shaping up to be a pretty decent upgrade, especially compared to the two-generation-old Pixel 8 Pro . The upcoming flagship will get a bigger and brighter screen, more RAM, a better chipset, and also a bigger battery with faster charging. There's a case to be made for keeping the Pixel 8 Pro if you already own one. The differences, albeit there, aren't that huge, and with Google supporting the Pixel 8 Pro for seven long years, there's a lot of life left in this model. Stay tuned for benchmarks, tests, and camera samples, as well as our final verdict, once we finish the review of the Pixel 10 Pro XL.
Yahoo
04-08-2025
- Yahoo
I tested Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7 vs. iPhone 16 Pro Max in a 200-photo shootout — which camera phone wins?
When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission. Comparing the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7 against the iPhone 16 Pro Max puts Samsung's most expensive phone versus Apple's most expensive iPhone. And there is a huge quantity of differences. Although the iPhone 16 Pro Max is deservedly thought of as one of the best phones around, the Galaxy Z Fold 7, with its folding design and even higher price tag, is on a different level. But users expect these phones to still cover the essentials, including taking great photos. To see how these two phones compare, I took them both out for a long snapping session. And below you can see my results, which will demonstrate that the major differences between these phones doesn't stop at just their shape or software. Main We begin with this parish boundary marker as the subject for our phones' main cameras. The Galaxy Z Fold 7's take on the scene has more color, while the iPhone's shot has more natural tones, in line with how I saw the scene on the day. Ultrawide A short distance away, looking up at a church through the phones' ultrawide cameras, we can see the iPhone's image is way brighter than the Samsung's, aside from the clouds, which are similarly bright and colored. This makes sense considering the size and resolution of the iPhone's 48MP ultrawide camera, while the Galaxy Z Fold 7 uses a smaller 12MP one. Macro The Galaxy Z Fold 7's weaker ultrawide camera also impacts its macro photography abilities. Its image of a yellow flower is much darker than the iPhone's, even if it's still detailed. Perhaps the lower light level will be preferable to some users, but it's not to my liking at least. 3x Zoom Moving now to the telephoto cameras, we begin with the optical zoom level of the Galaxy Z Fold 7's telephoto camera. To hit this zoom, the iPhone 16 Pro Max has to use a cropped main camera image. You can tell from the softness of the iPhone image that it's not using a proper zoom lens, along with its weirdly dull coloration of this sign. The Samsung shot isn't particularly interesting, but it's definitely the better-looking one of the two with more contrast. 5x zoom Upping the magnification puts us into the native territory of the iPhone's telephoto camera. And its increased sharpness over the Z Fold's image is plain to see. The Galaxy Z Fold 7's flatter colors make for an interesting visual difference, too. Selfie Using the front-facing cameras on these two phones (the outer one in the Z Fold 7's case), we can see how the phones depicts a person and applies a portrait effect. The iPhone has given me exaggerated highlights in my hair and the brightest parts of my skin, and a warmer overall tone compared to the Z Fold 7, which has gone for a more natural coloration. The portrait effect in both photos is well applied, but interestingly the Samsung's blur is noticeably gentler. Low light A Lego minifigure keyring posed on a dark shelf shows us how these phones deal with night mode/low light photography. The iPhone has turned in the brighter image, which isn't surprising given it took a seven-second exposure to the Galaxy's three-second one. But as a result, lighter parts of the shot look over sharpened with exaggerated highlights. As a result, I think I like the Z Fold 7's photo in this particular example. Colors Looking across a park, we have a variety of colors for the two phones to depict. The brighter iPhone image brings elements like the purple flowers, the green lawn and the blue shopfronts in the distance to the fore, while the Z Fold 7 is using a flatter color tuning. It's especially noticeable in the sky, which comes across as a plain grey from the Galaxy Z Fold 7 but a more lively blue on the iPhone. The iPhone's pic is a brighter but a bit overexposed, while the Z Fold 7's shot is darker and a bit more evenly exposed. So it comes down to your preference. HDR Putting the color difference aside, this coffee cup gives us a good demo of the two phones' ability to handle extreme light and dark in the same shot. The Galaxy Z Fold 7 gives us a shot that is not that different from the iPhone in terms of highlights, but there is a little more to see in the darker areas of the iPhone image, like the texture of the ceramics, or the chocolate powder spilling over the edge of the cup. Max resolution Lastly, I took a shot with the phones' main cameras again, but set to their maximum resolutions - 48MP in the iPhone's case, and 200MP for the Galaxy. The iPhone image of this street scene is brighter, which helps make the dark-colored elements like the road, the trees or the buildings pop out more. But the Samsung, thanks to having over four times the pixels, gives you more detail when you zoom in, such as the clock near the center of the image. It's hard to make out in the small previous window above, but having more pixels to play with can be helpful for editing or reframing a shot after you've taken it. Verdict Personally, I think the iPhone 16 Pro Max comes out on top in this comparison. But much of what determines the winner of this comparison for anyone examining these images is going to be personal taste, due to the different ways these phones process images. Apple's focus on brightness and more intense colors is often a smart route to take, but Samsung's generally less exaggerated take on scenes can be the better one a lot of the time. There's not a huge amount splitting these phones apart in terms of image quality really. The iPhone is therefore the better value of the two, if you can call a $1,200 phone a "value" device. The Z Fold 7 still capturees excellent photos a lot of the time though, which some buyers may find tempts them to go for a foldable rather than a regular flagship. More from Tom's Guide I tested this MagSafe wallet for a month and now I can't live without it — especially at 44% off right now Google Pixel 10 Pro Fold — what we know so far How to speed up your iPhone by clearing its cache
Phone Arena
16-07-2025
- Phone Arena
Galaxy S25 FE vs Pixel 9a: The bona-fide affordable flagship battle
The Galaxy S25 FE is the next iteration of Samsung's "barebones flagship" idea. The phone is aimed to give you that flagship experience and feel at a lower price, cutting a corner or two in the process. This last model is expected to bring some upgrades to the battery capacity and charging and also feature a different chipset than its predecessor, so we're thrilled to see what the end package will look the other side of this comparison lies the Pixel 9a—a pretty successful contender employing the same idea of an "affordable flagship," offering a ton of features for just $499. At this price, the Pixel 9a is almost unbeatable in this segment. Today we're going to explore that "almost" and pit it against the upcoming Galaxy S25 FE. Galaxy S25 FE vs Galaxy S25 Plus differences: *rumored Table of Contents: In a world where most smartphone models look very similar, the Galaxy S25 FE and the Pixel 9a somehow manage to look different. Samsung continues to polish the design it started with the Galaxy S21, and according to the latest info, the Galaxy S25 FE feels and looks very similar to the Galaxy S25 features the same flat sides, slightly curved corners, and separate vertical cutouts for the cameras on the back as previous generations of the S series, and that's not a bad thing. It looks stylish, and the bezel around the display is minimal. Now, when it comes to the Pixel 9a , Google made a radical turn in the design of the Pixel 9 series to bring it into the modern flat and angular smartphone world. The Pixel 9a was subsequently affected, getting many of the features of that new design. There are differences, however, when we put both phones side-by-side. The camera system of the Pixel 9a is housed in a horizontal, pill-shaped cutout that's flush with the back of the phone. The bezels around the screen are also substantially bigger than the ones we find on the S25 FE. *rumored In terms of size and weight, even though the Pixel 9a has a smaller footprint, thanks to its 6.3-inch screen, the device weighs almost the same as the Galaxy S25 FE. The Pixel 9a feels good in the hand, not as good as the curved Pixel 8a but still the Galaxy S25 FE is substantially larger, we expect the ergonomics to be a tad worse compared to the Pixel 9a . But not by much. We have to wait until we lay our hands on the Galaxy S25 FE to give you some insight on that one. As far as materials go, we expect similar Gorilla Glass and an aluminum frame on the Galaxy S25 FE as we've been seeing on all Galaxy S-series devices of late. The Pixel 9a also comes with an aluminum frame, but the back is made out of recycled plastic, which might be a downside to some people. In all fairness, it doesn't feel all that cheap; it's sturdy and won't shatter to pieces if you drop the phone. *rumored We don't know much about the colors of the upcoming Galaxy S25 FE, but we suspect they will mimic the hues of the previous generation to some extent. The Pixel 9a features some of the trademarked hues Google has been using on Pixel phones for the past couple of generations. Display Differences Size versus resolution? The display of the Galaxy S25 FE is expected to be a 6.7-inch Super AMOLED panel with a 1080 x 2340 pixel resolution, resulting in around 385 PPI pixel density. According to the latest rumors the display will have a 120 Hz refresh rate and a peak brightness of 2600 Pixel 9a , on the other hand, features a smaller 6.3-inch pOLED screen that has a resolution of 1080 x 2424 pixels. While the difference in resolution is not that big as a number, the smaller size of the Pixel 9a 's display means more pixels per inch, around 422 of them, to be precise. *rumored Pixel phones occupy the top of our brightness table, with the Pixel 9a managing 2561 nits at 20% APL, one of the highest results of all the phones we've tested. The Galaxy S25 FE is rated at 2600 nits, so we expect similar results, but we need to wait to run all the tests in our lab to give you an objective comparison. Samsung seems to be keen on keeping the Exynos brand alive, and the Galaxy S25 FE is poised to receive one new addition to that silicon family - the Exynos 2400 chipset. It features quite an interesting design - one 3.2 GHz ARM Cortex-X4 core, 2 x 2.9 GHz ARM Cortex-A720 cores, 3 x 2.6 GHz ARM Cortex-A720 cores, and finally 4 x 2.0 GHz ARM Cortex-A520 ones. That's a total of 10 cores! Some early benchmarks of the chip place the performance somewhere between the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 and 8 Gen 3. Geekbench 6 scores are around 2000 points in single-core tests and 6500 points in multi-core, but we don't know how the silicon will perform inside the Galaxy S25 FE. The Pixel 9a is the last Pixel that uses Samsung design and manufacturing process for its Tensor G4 chipset, next generation will switch to TSMC for the Tensor G5. The numbers Pixel 9a was able to score in the aforementioned tests were around 1700 and 4000 in single- and multi-core performance respectively, so it looks like a win for the Galaxy S25 FE at this point. *rumored In terms of RAM, the Pixel 9a features 8 GB of it, which in 2025 starts to seem low on an Android phone. The Galaxy S25 FE is expected to come with 12GB on board in all storage configurations. Now, when it comes to software, there's no difference between these two support-wise, but the Pixel 9a launched with Android 15 out of the box, while the Galaxy S25 FE is expected to run Android 16 when it launches, which can lead to a one-generation software difference at the end of the seven-year support cycle both phones feature. The camera specs of the Galaxy S25 FE are still under wraps, but according to the rumors, we will most likely get the same camera system as the predecessor. This includes a 50MP main camera, a 12MP ultrawide, and an 8MP telephoto with 3x optical zoom. The Pixel 9a is a known entity with its dual camera system. The phone comes equipped with a 48MP main camera with a 1/1.2" sensor and a 13MP ultrawide one. There's no dedicated telephoto, and you only get 2x crops from the main sensor as an optical-like alternative. *rumored The Pixel 9a managed 134 points in our camera benchmark test, which, considering the lack of a dedicated telephoto, is a pretty decent result. We don't know how the Galaxy S25 FE will fare, but the previous generation FE managed 150 points in the same test, so the new one might have an intrinsic advantage always, camera specs don't paint the whole picture, and we will snap some side-by-side comparison images once we get the Galaxy S25 FE. One of the upgrades that the Galaxy S25 FE is expected to bring concerns the battery capacity. According to the latest information, the phone will sport a 4,900 mAh battery, which is 200 mAh more than the previous model, but still far from the silicon-carbon "monsters" we've been seeing lately from China, featuring capacities north of 6,000 mAh. The Pixel 9a has a decent 5,100 mAh battery on board, and it managed 8h 11m in our battery test, placing itself 19th among phones tested in the past 2 years. Not a bad result at all. Stay tuned for our battery benchmarks, which will show how these 200 mAh have or have not improved the battery life of the FE and if it can be a match for the Pixel 9a . *rumored Where the upcoming Galaxy S25 FE could excel, though, is fast charging. According to the rumors, the phone will bump up the charging speed to 45W wired. The Pixel 9a , on the other hand, comes with rather slow 23W wired charging support. *rumored So, which one is better, then? It's too early to tell at this point, as the Galaxy S25 FE is still under wraps. But judging from all the information we have, the old saying "you get what you pay for" seems to apply here as well. The Pixel 9a is $499, and some corners have been cut to achieve this price tag. There's no telephoto camera, the back is made out of plastic, and the Tensor G4 chipset inside is not the most powerful out there. The Galaxy S25 FE is expected to cost more (around $700), but these $200 on top will get you a bigger screen, one additional telephoto camera, potentially faster chipset and charging, and better build materials. We'll update this comparison once we finish the review of the Galaxy S25 FE.
Phone Arena
14-07-2025
- Phone Arena
Galaxy S25 FE vs Galaxy A36 5G: Expected differences
The Galaxy A36 5G is Samsung's top mid-range phone in the U.S. right now, priced at $399 and offering a respectable mix of display quality, software support, and battery life. But with the Galaxy S25 FE expected to arrive later this year, many might be wondering — should you spend more and go for Samsung's Fan Edition instead?With the S25 FE expected to deliver a flagship-grade chipset, wireless charging, more RAM, and a much more capable camera system, this shapes up to be a classic value vs performance comparison. The A36 is already a well-rounded budget phone, but it comes with compromises in camera quality, speed, and design. The S25 FE, on the other hand, aims to be a premium-tier device at a more approachable price than the Galaxy S25 .Let's dive in and explore the expected differences across performance, display, software, and camera quality to help you decide which of these phones fits your needs and budget better. $150 off (38%) The Galaxy A36 is finally here! You can buy this affordable model with a brilliant Super AMOLED display and a 50 MP main camera at the official store. You can save up to $150 with a trade-in. Alternatively, you can save $50 with Samsung Instant Savings. Buy at Samsung Galaxy S25 FE vs Galaxy A36 expected differences: *rumored/expected Table of Contents: Design Display Performance Camera Battery Specs Summary Read more: Galaxy S25 FE vs Galaxy S25 Plus Galaxy S25 FE vs Galaxy S24 FE The Galaxy A36 5G sticks to a functional design with a plastic frame and a 'Key Island' camera bump that sets it apart visually from other Samsung phones. While it's certainly distinctive, it feels a generation behind in terms of design. The Galaxy S25 FE, by contrast, is expected to maintain the flagship-grade build of its predecessor, with Gorilla Glass Victus+ on the front and back and a sleek, flat-sided aluminum frame. It will also be noticeably thinner and slightly lighter than the A36, making it feel more premium in the hand. *rumored/expected The S25 FE will likely have an IP68 water and dust-resistance certification, while the A36 is a tiny bit limited at with an IP67 certification (not a great difference, though). Color options on the A36 include Black, White, Lavender, and Lime. The S25 FE's colorways are still unknown, but we expect similarly bold options. Display Differences Both phones use 6.7-inch AMOLED panels with 120Hz refresh rates, but the S25 FE is expected to offer much higher brightness at 2600 nits peak vs 1748 nits on the A36 (based on our 20% APL test). That could make a major difference in direct sunlight or high-dynamic range content. *rumored/expected While both will likely share vibrant colors and good sharpness, the A36's panel doesn't match the flagship-tier polish of Samsung's S-series phones. Color accuracy was decent in our tests, but not use under-display fingerprint scanners and offer face unlock, though only the fingerprint sensor is secure enough for authentication. The Galaxy A36 5G is powered by the Snapdragon 6 Gen 3, a 5nm chip that performs similarly to last year's Exynos 1380. It's fine for casual tasks, but our tests showed stutters, slow app loading, and lag under heavier use. It's strictly an entry-level performer by modern standards. The S25 FE is expected to come with the Exynos 2400 chip, a 10-core processor used in some versions of Samsung's flagship Galaxy S24. That alone puts it in a different performance class, and it's paired with 12 GB of RAM versus 8 GB on the A36. *rumored/expected In software, both phones will run Android 16 with One UI 7, but the S25 FE benefits from Samsung's promise of 7 years of updates vs 6 years for the A36. The A36 includes a lighter AI suite called Awesome Intelligence, while the S25 FE will support the full Galaxy AI experience with features like Live Translate, Generative Edit, and more. The Galaxy S25 FE is expected to feature a triple-camera system that mirrors its predecessor: a 50 MP main sensor, 12 MP ultrawide, and 8 MP 3x telephoto camera. In contrast, the Galaxy A36 uses a simpler setup with a 50 MP main camera, 8 MP ultrawide, and 5 MP macro shooter. *rumored/expected In our review, the A36's camera performance was mediocre. The main shooter tended to overprocess images, the ultrawide was soft, and video quality was below average — especially in difficult lighting. There's no true zoom camera on the A36, and the macro lens adds little value. The S25 FE, by contrast, is expected to offer flagship-grade stills and video with advanced computational photography and better dynamic range. If camera quality matters to you, it's not a close race. The Galaxy A36 5G has a 5000mAh battery and supports 45W fast charging, which is a huge win in this price range. It lacks wireless charging, however. Battery life in our tests was solid, especially for browsing, but video playback and gaming drained it faster than Galaxy S25 FE is expected to have a slightly smaller 4900mAh battery, but also supports 45W wired and 15W wireless charging — giving it more flexibility and flagship-like convenience. *rumored/expected If you value charging versatility, the S25 FE holds the edge, despite the slightly smaller battery. Here's a quick overview of the expected Galaxy S25 FE vs Galaxy 36 specs: *rumored/expected The Galaxy A36 is a solid mid-range phone that's on the more affordable side and gets the basics right — especially the display and battery life — but cuts back on performance and camera quality. If your needs are modest and your budget is tight, it offers a decent value at $399. The Galaxy S25 FE, on the other hand, is expected to deliver a flagship-grade experience for less than $700. With a much faster chip, a superior camera system, wireless charging, and more RAM, it's a major upgrade across the board. Not to mention that it comes with Samsung's full AI package of features. If your budget can stretch beyond $400, the Galaxy S25 FE should be worth the wait and the more premium price tag.
Phone Arena
19-06-2025
- Phone Arena
Motorola's Edge (2025) can't keep up: because it's not meant to
It's not easy to stand out in the world of $500–$600 phones. Every year, the competition gets tighter: Google's Pixel 'a' series keeps getting better, OnePlus pushes the boundaries of what a mid-ranger can do, and newcomers like Nothing double down on design and identity while offering a polished there's Motorola, and it's latest mid-range phone — the Edge (2025). It comes with the company's signature look, featuring a silicone back and a slim form factor with a curved display. But besides its looks, which can be a subjective topic, what else does the Motorola Edge (2025) have to offer to beat its scary-good competition? I took a closer look at how the Motorola Edge (2025) compared head-to-head with the Pixel 9a, OnePlus 13R, and Nothing Phone (3a) Pro in our tests, and came to a surprising conclusion. The Edge (2025) is the only phone in this group that received an 8/10 design score from us, which reflects not just its clean aesthetics, but also how it feels in the hand and its durability. The curved edges, aluminum frame, and lightweight 174g build make it surprisingly refined, more so than the plastic Pixel 9a or the bolder but chunkier designs of the OnePlus 13R and Nothing Phone (3a) to mention that I am a proud fan of the silicon/vegan leather back panels out there. I've said it before, and I'll say it again: this material is superior because it is: Less slippery Less prone to visible scratches More pleasant to the touch Does not attract fingerprints The Motorola Edge (2025) might catch your eye with its sleek curves, but its display doesn't quite keep up where it 6.7-inch screen sounds great on paper, but in real-world use, it's noticeably dimmer than the competition. It peaks at 1375 nits, which is enough for most indoor situations, but not ideal under bright sunlight. At night, it doesn't get as comfortably dim as others either, which might bother you during bedtime good news is that colors looked good on the Edge (2025). Photos and video were color-accurate and vibrant. But the Pixel 9a , for example, much better brightness levels (2561 nits) and even better color accuracy. The OnePlus 13R offered similarly strong results as the 9a, with the added benefit of a slightly higher resolution (1264p). Even the Nothing Phone (3a) Pro beat the Edge in both brightness, with a similar display resolution as the Motorola. The Motorola Edge (2025) includes a substantially large 5,200mAh battery, and it charges extremely fast: 0 to 100% in just 53 minutes via 68W wired charging. That's slightly faster than the OnePlus 13R and Nothing Phone (3a) Pro, both of which finished around 56 minutes. Compared to the Pixel 9a 's sluggish 1h 42 min full charge, the Edge is in a different charging only gets you so far. The Edge (2025) has no good reason to get such comparatively low results considering its large battery and weaker chip performance, which points to less efficient software or thermals. This is where the Edge (2025) truly shows Motorola's lackluster efforts in the mid-range US market. The phone is powered by the MediaTek Dimensity 7400 — a new chip, but one that simply can't measure up in a world of Snapdragons, Tensors, and even OnePlus 13R and its Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 simply dominate, followed by the Pixel 9a 's Tensor G4. Even the Nothing Phone (3a) Pro, with its mid-tier Snapdragon 7s Gen 3, outpaces the Edge in both Geekbench and 3DMark scores, which showcase the performance capabilities of a chip's CPU and GPU, respectively. In our review score breakdown, the Edge earned a 6/10 for both light and heavy performance. The Nothing Phone (3a) Pro did only slightly better (6.1/4.3), but the Pixel 9a (6.8/5.9) and OnePlus 13R (7.5/7.0) pulled well ahead. So, benchmark performance is not great, and that holds up in real-world use. Apps take longer to open, and heavy multitasking leads to stutters and reloads. That's not to say that the phone is unusable, it just means that in 2025, you can get better performance at $550. The Motorola Edge (2025) camera system is not as good as it sounds. | Image credit — PhoneArena On paper, the Motorola Edge (2025) looks like a camera powerhouse: a 50 MP main shooter, 50 MP ultrawide, 10 MP 3X zoom and even a 50 MP selfie cam. But as we've learned time and again, great specs don't always mean great reality, the Edge struggles with how it processes images. Photos often look overly sharp and too processed. This makes textures like skin, hair, or trees look unnatural and too crisp, taking away from the realism the real scene or subject. It's frustrating, because the hardware is there, but Motorola just isn't letting it said, the telephoto lens does deserve some praise. It delivers surprisingly clear results at different zoom levels, which is rare for a phone at this price. Unfortunately, that one highlight doesn't lift the overall photo experience much beyond is where things dip even more. While the Edge scores on par with the Nothing Phone (3a) Pro in our tests, both trail behind the Pixel 9a and OnePlus 13R . Those two handle shaky footage and dim lighting better, making them much more usable for a family gathering or a concert. And when you try to zoom while recording on the Edge, the quality takes a nosedive — it scored the worst in our video zoom tests, which is weird considering how well it does with taking photos. Motorola's Edge (2025) may look sharp, but all eyes and effort seem to fall on the company's foldables instead. | Image credit — PhoneArena When you compare the Motorola Edge (2025) against its competitors, it becomes clear that it's not exactly a point of focus for the company. Despite its sleek design and a few standout features like wireless charging and a telephoto lens, the Edge (2025) doesn't quite match its rivals. So, it almost feels like Motorola is not even trying to compete. Instead, the company's real effort is going into its Razr foldables, but there's a good reason for that — Motorola is leading the pack in that segment right now. There is arguably no other flip phone that does a better job at utilizing the clamshell form factor than the Razr (2025) series. Even the base Motorola Razr (2025), which is $200 more expensive than the Edge, feels like a more competitive device. To me, it feels like the Edge (2025) was built to fill a price segment, not to beat everyone in it. It seems clear what Motorola's U.S. strategy is: foldables come first, and everything else comes second. And while the Edge line used to be a showcase for style and value, it now looks like an afterthought next to the company's more exciting Razr lineup. 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