Although Motorola is still not ranked among the world’s top ten smartphone vendors, devices like the Edge (2022) and Edge+ (2022) have certainly made waves over the last year or so with their bang for buck, substantially boosting brand awareness in key markets such as the US.
It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out how the company might follow those two inexpensive 5G-enabled Android powerhouses, but before the Edge (2023) and Edge+ (2023) can go on sale stateside, the Edge 40 and Edge 40 Pro need to be unveiled internationally.
This could happen literally at any moment right now, especially as far as the Edge 40 Pro flagship is concerned, which should look pretty much identical to the Moto X40 released in China at the end of 2022. We’ve had plenty of rumors and leaks on that note lately, but the newest one is by far the most revealing, leaving absolutely nothing to the imagination in terms of both Edge 40 Pro and Edge 40 specifications.
What’s special about the Motorola Edge 40 Pro?
If we compare this imminent contender to the title of best Android phone in 2023 with the existing China-exclusive X40, the answer to that question is… nothing.
Compared to the aforementioned Motorola Edge+ (2022), the handset expected to eventually reach countries like the US under the Edge+ (2023) name is apparently slightly shorter, narrower, and thinner but also 3 grams heavier for some reason… despite packing a smaller battery as well.
This is the Edge 40 Pro as recently leaked by Evan Blass.
On the bright side, charging speeds will go up (by a lot), although that may not be true for all markets. The rear-facing camera system is also in for an important upgrade, with the largely useless tertiary depth sensor making way for an undoubtedly handy telephoto lens, and that’s almost certainly coming worldwide.
All that being said, this is the Edge 40 Pro spec sheet in full, as leaked by the almost always reliable folks over at MySmartPrice:
6.67-inch “endless edge” OLED display with 165Hz refresh rate technology and 2400 x 1080 pixel resolution;
Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 processor;
256GB UFS 4.0 internal storage;
12GB LPDDR5X memory;
4,600mAh battery with 125W TurboPower and 15W wireless charging support;
50MP primary rear-facing shooter with f/1.8 aperture, OIS, and Quad Pixel technology;
50MP ultra-wide-angle secondary camera with f/2.2 aperture and Quad Pixel technology;
12MP telephoto lens with f/1.6 aperture and 2x optical zoom;
60MP front-facing camera with f/2.2 aperture and Quad Pixel technology;
Dual stereo speakers with Dolby Atmos tuning;
Quad-curved front glass with 3D Corning Gorilla Glass Victus protection;
Sandblasted aluminum frame;
Quad-curved rear glass with 3D Corning Gorilla Glass Victus protection;
IP68 water and dust resistance;
Quartz Black and Angel Falls colors;
Android 13;
Bluetooth 5.3, Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/ax, Wi-Fi 6E, Wi-Fi 7 ready;
161.16 x 74 x 8.59mm dimensions;
199 grams weight;
89.6 percent screen-to-body ratio.
What about the Motorola Edge 40?
In case you’re wondering why you haven’t heard much of this potential candidate for the best budget 5G phone trophy until today, the answer most likely lies in the launch timing of its predecessor. The Edge 30 came out several months after the Edge 30 Pro last year, and the same could definitely happen with the Edge 40 and Edge 40 Pro in 2023.
The non-Pro Motorola Edge 40 is even expected to pack an as-yet-unannounced MediaTek processor, which further supports the theory of a later launch compared to its bigger and badder (in a good way) brother.
This is last year’s Edge 30 Fusion with a “vegan leather” back.
What else is notable about the Edge 40 spec sheet listed below? Well, that “Vegan Leather” finish sure sounds original (if you’re not familiar with the Edge 30 Fusion, at least), and alas, the battery capacity is downgraded here too from what Motorola offered in 2022.
6.55-inch endless edge OLED display with 144Hz refresh rate technology and 2400 x 1080 pixel resolution;
MediaTek Dimensity 8020 processor;
128 and 256GB UFS 3.1 storage options;
8GB LPDDR4X memory;
4,400mAh battery with 68W TurboPower and 15W wireless charging capabilities;
On-screen fingerprint reader, Face Unlock, ThinkShield, Moto Secure;
50MP primary rear-facing camera with f/1.4 aperture, OIS, and Quad Pixel technology;
13MP secondary ultra-wide-angle shooter with f/2.2 aperture and Macro Vision;
32MP selfie camera with f/2.4 aperture and Quad Pixel technology;
Dual stereo speakers with Dolby Atmos tuning;
Curved 3D front glass with anti-fingerprint coating;
Sandblasted aluminum frame;
Curved vegan leather or matte acrylic rear;
IP68 water and dust resistance;
Nebula Green, Lunar Blue, Eclipse Black, and Viva Magenta colorways;
Android 13;
Bluetooth 5.2, Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/ax, Wi-Fi 6;
158.43 x 71.99 x 7.58mm dimensions (Vegan Leather), 158.43 x 71.99 x 7.49mm dimensions (Acrylic);
