1. Specifications Comparison
Design
| Feature | Motorola Moto G Power (2021) | Motorola Edge 50 Ultra | Practical Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dimensions | 165.3 × 75.9 × 9.5 mm | 161.1 × 72.4 × 8.6 mm | The Edge 50 Ultra is more compact and thinner, making it easier to handle and pocket. The Moto G Power is bulkier. |
| Weight | 206.5g | 197g | The Edge 50 Ultra is slightly lighter, making it more comfortable for extended use. |
Display
| Feature | Motorola Moto G Power (2021) | Motorola Edge 50 Ultra | Practical Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Size | 6.6" | 6.7" | The Edge 50 Ultra has a slightly larger screen, offering a more immersive viewing experience. |
| Resolution | 720x1600 | 1220x2712 | The Edge 50 Ultra has significantly sharper visuals due to the higher pixel density, resulting in clearer text and images. |
| PPI | 266 | 446 | The Edge 50 Ultra's higher pixel density leads to a much sharper display, noticeable especially when reading text and viewing detailed images. |
| Technology | IPS LCD | P-OLED | P-OLED offers better contrast, deeper blacks, and more vibrant colors compared to IPS LCD. |
| Refresh Rate | 60Hz | 144Hz | The Edge 50 Ultra's 144Hz refresh rate provides much smoother scrolling and animations, enhancing the overall user experience, especially in fast-paced games. |
| Brightness | 0 nits | 2500 nits | The Edge 50 Ultra's display is significantly brighter, providing much better visibility in bright sunlight and outdoor conditions. |
Performance
| Feature | Motorola Moto G Power (2021) | Motorola Edge 50 Ultra | Practical Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chipset | Qualcomm SM6115 Snapdragon 662 (11 nm) | Qualcomm SM8635 Snapdragon 8s Gen 3 (4 nm) | The Edge 50 Ultra has a vastly more powerful chipset, resulting in significantly faster app loading, smoother multitasking, and better gaming performance. |
| AnTuTu Score | 178,220 | 1,523,879 | The Edge 50 Ultra offers significantly higher overall performance in daily use and resource-intensive tasks such as video editing and gaming. |
| GPU | Adreno 610 | Adreno 735 | The Edge 50 Ultra's GPU is far more capable, allowing for better graphics performance in gaming and demanding apps. |
Camera
| Feature | Motorola Moto G Power (2021) | Motorola Edge 50 Ultra | Practical Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Standard Camera | 48MP, f/1.7, 0.80µm | 50MP, f/1.6, 1/1.3", 2.00µm (Omnivision OV50H) | The Edge 50 Ultra's main camera has a larger sensor and pixels, capturing more light and detail, leading to better image quality, especially in low light. |
| Selfie Camera | 8MP, f/2.0, 1.12µm | 50MP, f/1.9, 1/2.76", 0.64µm (Samsung S5KJN1) | The Edge 50 Ultra's selfie camera offers significantly higher resolution, resulting in much more detailed and sharper selfies. |
| Telephoto Lens | None | 64MP, f/2.4, 1/2", 0.70µm (Omnivision OV64B) | The Edge 50 Ultra offers dedicated optical zoom capabilities, allowing for detailed photos at a distance, while the Moto G Power lacks this. |
| Wide Angle Lens | None | 50MP, f/2.0, 1/2.76", 0.64µm (Samsung S5KJN1) | The Edge 50 Ultra can capture a broader scene, ideal for group shots and landscape photography, a feature missing on the Moto G Power. |
| Portrait Mode (Depth) | 2MP, f/2.4, 1.75µm | None | The Moto G Power has a dedicated depth sensor for portrait mode, the Edge 50 Ultra uses processing to achieve this. |
| Macro Lens | 2MP, f/2.4, 1.75µm | None | The Moto G Power has a dedicated macro lens for close-up photos, a feature missing on the Edge 50 Ultra. |
| Video | 1080p@30/60fps (EIS) | 4K@30/60fps (HDR, EIS), 1080p@30/60/120/240/960fps (HDR, EIS) | The Edge 50 Ultra offers much higher resolution and frame rate video recording capabilities, along with additional features. |
| DxOMark Score | Not Available | Mobile: 146 (Photo: 150, Video: 134) | The Edge 50 Ultra has a professional-level camera score, demonstrating its capabilities. |
| Features | Digital Zoom, Triple Camera, EIS, Autofocus, PDAF, LAF, Continuous shooting, Geotagging, Panorama, HDR, Face detection, etc | Time-Lapse, 4K Video, Optical Zoom, Triple Camera, OIS, Autofocus, PDAF, Continuous autofocus, Manual Focus, etc | The Edge 50 Ultra offers more advanced features, including optical zoom and stabilization. |
Battery
| Feature | Motorola Moto G Power (2021) | Motorola Edge 50 Ultra | Practical Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Capacity | 5000mAh | 4500mAh | The Moto G Power has a larger battery, potentially offering better battery life, especially when not using power intensive tasks. |
| Charging | 15W Fast Charging | 125W Fast Charging, 50W Wireless, 10W Reverse Wireless | The Edge 50 Ultra charges significantly faster, providing a full charge in much less time and also has wireless charging capabilities. |
| Features | Non-removable, 10W Charger in-box | Non-removable, Reverse Charging, 50W Wireless, 10W Reverse Wireless | The Edge 50 Ultra has additional charging features and can also charge other devices. |
2. Key Differences Analysis
Motorola Moto G Power (2021) Advantages:
- Larger Battery: The 5000mAh battery provides potentially longer battery life than the Edge 50 Ultra for basic tasks.
- Dedicated Macro and Depth Sensors: Offers a dedicated macro lens and depth sensor for close-up photography and portrait shots, which are not available on the Edge 50 Ultra
- Lower price: The Moto G Power will be significantly cheaper than the Edge 50 Ultra
Practical Implications: The Moto G Power is suited for users who prioritize long battery life and affordability over high performance and advanced features.
Motorola Edge 50 Ultra Advantages:
- Superior Display: P-OLED with higher resolution, refresh rate, and brightness offers a significantly better visual experience.
- Much Higher Performance: The Snapdragon 8s Gen 3 chipset provides a substantial performance boost for demanding apps and gaming.
- Advanced Camera System: Superior sensors, telephoto and wide-angle lenses, and advanced features result in significantly better photo and video quality.
- Fast Charging and Wireless Charging: The 125W fast charging and wireless capabilities offer much more convenient charging.
- Modern Connectivity: Supports Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 5.4, and more satellite navigation systems.
- More Storage and RAM: Offers more storage and RAM for seamless multitasking and app usage.
- Better Build Quality: The screen is protected by Corning Gorilla Glass Victus
Practical Implications: The Edge 50 Ultra is ideal for users who need top-tier performance, excellent camera capabilities, and a premium visual experience.
Significant Trade-offs:
- The Moto G Power sacrifices performance, display quality, and camera capabilities for battery life and affordability.
- The Edge 50 Ultra sacrifices a slightly larger battery for performance, premium features, and charging capabilities
3. User Profiles & Recommendations
Motorola Moto G Power (2021) Ideal User:
- Budget-conscious users who primarily need a reliable phone for basic tasks like calling, texting, and browsing.
- Users who prioritize long battery life over high performance and cutting-edge features.
- Individuals who do not engage in intensive gaming or media consumption.
Use Cases:
- Everyday communication and basic app usage.
- Ideal for users who need a secondary phone with long battery life.
- Good for users who prefer a physical macro and depth sensor over processing-based solutions.
Motorola Edge 50 Ultra Ideal User:
- Users who demand high performance for gaming, video editing, and intensive applications.
- Photography enthusiasts who need top-tier camera capabilities.
- Users who value a premium visual experience with a high-quality display and smooth animations.
- Individuals who need a future-proof device with the latest connectivity features and fast charging.
Use Cases:
- Mobile gaming, video editing, and other performance-intensive tasks.
- High-quality photography and videography.
- Immersive media consumption and entertainment.
- Professional use cases that require consistent performance.
Price-to-Value Ratio:
- The Moto G Power offers good value for basic functionality at a budget-friendly price, but lacks advanced features.
- The Edge 50 Ultra provides high performance, premium features, and advanced camera capabilities, making it a better value if those features are required.
4. Decision Framework
Key Questions for Buyers:
- Budget: How much are you willing to spend? The Moto G Power is significantly more affordable than the Edge 50 Ultra.
- Performance Needs: Do you need a high-performance phone for gaming, video editing, and heavy multitasking, or will basic performance for everyday tasks suffice?
- Camera Requirements: Do you require advanced camera features and high-quality image and video capture, or are basic camera capabilities sufficient?
Scenario-Based Recommendations:
- Scenario 1: Budget-Conscious Basic User If your budget is limited, you only need basic smartphone functions, and long battery life is essential, the Motorola Moto G Power (2021) is the better choice.
- Scenario 2: Performance Enthusiast: If you prioritize high performance, excellent camera quality, a premium display, and advanced features, the Motorola Edge 50 Ultra is the superior choice, assuming your budget can accommodate it.
- Scenario 3: Balanced User: If you want a balance of decent performance and features, and the price of the Edge 50 Ultra is too much of a stretch, it is not possible to make a good recommendation as there is no clear middle-ground phone compared here.
My Choice
If I were choosing between these two phones, I would pick the Motorola Edge 50 Ultra. Although it will be more expensive, the differences between the two are too significant. The Motorola Edge 50 Ultra's superior display, significantly faster performance, advanced camera system with telephoto and wide-angle lenses, significantly faster charging, modern connectivity, and better build quality makes it worth the extra investment.
I personally value having a phone that can handle resource-intensive tasks without any lag or slowdown. Furthermore, as I regularly take photos and videos, the substantially improved camera quality of the Edge 50 Ultra is a key deciding factor. The much brighter display is also a significant plus for outdoor use, and the fast charging is very convenient. While the Moto G Power offers a larger battery and dedicated macro lens, these are not enough to outweigh the many advantages of the Edge 50 Ultra for my specific needs.
