DT Next Tech | Life in the fast lane: the Motorola Edge 70 Max is a speed champ

CHENNAI: Motorola’s Edge 70 Series has carved a niche in the sub Rs 50,000 smartphone segment at a time when consumers are seeking flagship alternatives that don’t compromise on style and performance. The Motorola Edge 70 Max is the newest device to join Moto’s growing Edge 70 portfolio, but it’s not cut from the same cloth; the Edge 70 Max chooses performance as its calling card.

Moto’s high-performance intent plays out in the design language of the Edge 70 Max. The flat frame is a clear contrast to the curves we love on the Edge 70 series. It’s heavier (221 gm) and thicker than devices like the Edge 70 Pro+ and yet doesn’t feel clunky. Most smartphone brands have perfected weight distribution; Moto is no exception. The colour palette is more understated than the bolder colours we’ve seen on previous Edge 70 series smartphones. The elegant matte finish adds to its premium appeal and ensures that the device is less slippery and doesn’t attract fingerprints easily.

The Edge Max focuses on three key areas that matter for heavy-duty users; it’s the display that impressed us the most. The 6.8-inch Extreme AMOLED display (1440 x 3168 pixels / 510 PPI) hits a peak brightness (the High Brightness Mode figure is 2100 nits) of 7000 nits. Colours are punchy and the 144Hz refresh rate makes it ultra-smooth for gaming. The display offers excellent visibility even under harsh sunlight.

This immersive display is backed by a massive 7100 mAh battery that justifies the extra heft of this device versus its slinkier cousins like the Edge 70 Pro+. We’ll put this down as a two-day battery for most average users based on our tests. Moto sweetens the deal with a 90W in-box TurboPower charger that powers this device in quick time. You also get 25W wireless charging that gives it an edge in this segment.

The Edge 70 Max walks the talk on the performance front. At its heart is a Snapdragon 8 Gen 5 chipset; the device comes in a choice of 8GB/256GB and 12GB/256GB storage options. The device aced our gaming and benchmark tests with scores around 9000 in the Geekbench (multi-core) test. If camera performance is your primary purchase driver, we’d recommend the Edge 70 Pro+. This device does a good job across most scenarios with a dual rear cam (50MP primary lens with an 8MP ultra-wide lens). If there’s a minor weak link, it’s the ultra-wide cam, particularly in low light.

The Motorola Edge 70 Max scores on the features that matter for power users with excellent performance, a gorgeous display and a robust battery, making it one of the better buys in the sub Rs 55K price segment.

(Rs 54,999 onwards)

(Ashwin Rajagopalan is a lifestyle writer and consumer technology expert. Catch the latest digital and tech updates in this weekly column.)