OnePlus Nord 4 vs Motorola Edge 50 Pro: The Ultimate Mid-Range Showdown

When it comes to high-quality smartphones under Rs 30,000, the OnePlus Nord 4 and the Motorola Edge 50 Pro are two standout contenders. Both phones boast impressive features, but how do they stack up against each other? In this detailed review, we’ll dissect their designs, displays, performances, and more to help you decide which one deserves your hard-earned cash.

Key Takeaways

• Design & Build: OnePlus Nord 4 brings a sleek metal and glass design, while the Motorola Edge 50 Pro offers a curved, premium feel.
• Display: Both phones feature excellent OLED screens, but with slight differences in brightness and refresh rate.
• Performance: OnePlus Nord 4 leads with superior processing power, though the Motorola Edge 50 Pro holds its own.
• Battery Life: Nord 4’s larger battery provides longer usage time, but the Edge 50 Pro offers faster wireless charging.
• Camera: Motorola shines with its versatile camera setup, especially with its 3x optical zoom, but Nord 4 excels in video recording quality.

Design & Build

The OnePlus Nord 4 arrives with a striking metal and glass design. Its dual-tone finish is reminiscent of the Pixel 3’s aesthetic, offering a sophisticated look. The phone measures just 8 mm thick, making it thinner than the Motorola Edge 50 Pro, which sports a slightly bulkier feel.

Motorola’s Edge 50 Pro also has a premium design, but with a curved screen that gives it a sleek, futuristic look. It’s also lighter than the Nord 4, though its design is more rounded compared to Nord 4’s flat edges.

Practical Differences:

• OnePlus Nord 4: Includes an IR blaster and a tactile alert slider, enhancing functionality.
• Motorola Edge 50 Pro: Comes with IP68 water resistance, Gorilla Glass 5 protection, and USB 3.1 support, adding durability.

Display

Both phones feature excellent OLED displays but cater to different preferences:

• OnePlus Nord 4: Sports a flat AMOLED panel with a 120Hz refresh rate. Its peak brightness reaches 2,150 nits, making it excellent for outdoor use. The display is well-calibrated, though its brightness advantage over the Motorola is marginal.
• Motorola Edge 50 Pro: Features a curved plastic OLED display with a higher refresh rate of 144Hz. It also offers Pantone-validated color accuracy, providing vibrant and true-to-life colors. However, its brightness peaks at 2,000 nits.

In Practice:

• The Nord 4’s flat screen may appeal more if you prefer a traditional design.
• The Edge 50 Pro’s curved screen is great for immersive visuals, but the extra brightness and accuracy of the Nord 4’s display make it a solid contender.

Performance

When it comes to performance, the OnePlus Nord 4 clearly stands out. Equipped with the Snapdragon 7+ Gen 3 chipset and UFS 4.0 storage, it excels in benchmarks and real-world usage. It outperforms the Edge 50 Pro in terms of raw power and speed.

However, the Motorola Edge 50 Pro, with its Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 and UFS 2.2 storage, holds its own. It’s adequate for most tasks, but it does lag behind the Nord 4 in more intensive applications.

Performance Insights:

• OnePlus Nord 4: Better performance in benchmarks, though it may get warmer under stress.
• Motorola Edge 50 Pro: Slightly less powerful but still robust for daily use and gaming.

Battery Life

Battery life is a crucial factor for many users, and here, the Nord 4 has a clear advantage:

• OnePlus Nord 4: Packs a massive 5,500 mAh battery, which provided nearly 9 hours of screen-on time in our tests. It supports 100W fast charging, taking about 28 minutes for a full charge.
• Motorola Edge 50 Pro: Comes with a smaller 4,500 mAh battery. Despite supporting faster 125W charging, it takes less time to charge fully compared to the Nord 4 (about 19-20 minutes). However, it lacks wireless charging, which the Nord 4 does not support either.

In Summary:

• Nord 4’s larger battery offers longer usage times.
• Edge 50 Pro’s faster charging can be a plus if you need a quick top-up.

Camera Capabilities

Camera performance often makes or breaks a phone, and both of these models offer impressive setups:

• OnePlus Nord 4: Features a 50 MP main sensor (Sony IMX 766) and an 8 MP ultra-wide lens. It excels in video recording, with 4K 60 FPS capability, providing superior video quality and stabilization.
• Motorola Edge 50 Pro: Offers a 50 MP main sensor, 13 MP ultra-wide camera, and a 10 MP telephoto lens with 3x optical zoom. This setup makes it versatile, especially for photography enthusiasts who need different focal lengths.

Camera Comparison:

• Photos: The Nord 4 delivers natural-looking images with excellent detail. The Edge 50 Pro offers more versatility with better zoom capabilities and wider angles but struggles with color accuracy in some scenarios.
• Selfies: Motorola’s Edge 50 Pro excels with better detail and color accuracy in selfies.
• Videos: Nord 4 is superior, offering better quality and stabilization.

Software & Features

Both phones run on Android 14 but with different customizations:

• OnePlus Nord 4: Uses OxygenOS, known for its smooth animations and a clean interface. It includes features like AI audio and notes summaries, and promises 4 years of updates and 6 years of security patches.
• Motorola Edge 50 Pro: Runs on a cleaner version of Android with additional Moto features such as Moto gestures and Moto Connect. It provides a straightforward software experience with 3 years of updates.

Feature Summary:

• Nord 4: Better long-term software support and slicker animations.
• Edge 50 Pro: Additional features for customization and ease of use.

Conclusion

Both the OnePlus Nord 4 and the Motorola Edge 50 Pro are excellent phones within the Rs 30,000 price range. If you’re looking for top-notch performance, longer battery life, and superior video recording, the Nord 4 is a strong choice. On the other hand, if you value camera versatility, faster wireless charging, and a premium design with additional features, the Edge 50 Pro could be the better option for you.

Ultimately, your choice will depend on what aspects are most important to you. Whether it’s the Nord 4’s raw power or the Edge 50 Pro’s comprehensive feature set, either phone is a worthy investment.