At $699 AUD, the Motorola Edge 60 Fusion sits in a tricky spot: not quite budget, not quite premium. For context, the excellent Google Pixel 9a is $849 and the astounding CMF Phone 2 Pro is $449. But somehow, Motorola threads the needle with a phone that looks far more expensive than it is and performs like it should cost more. The catch? You’ll need to live with some familiar midrange trade-offs, especially when it comes to software longevity and the camera system.
It’s easy to like this phone, but also harder to recommend without caveats. Here’s why.
Design and Hardware: Luxe Aesthetic, Plastic Core
Motorola gets a lot right with the Edge 60 Fusion’s design. The vegan leather back in Pantone Amazonite (a teal-green tone) is not only gorgeous to look at, but also a joy to hold—grippy, soft, and largely fingerprint-resistant at first. It’s one of three colours available, and this one, in particular, stands out for its elegance and uniqueness. That said, over time, faint oil and dirt smudges begin to settle into the surface, raising concerns about long-term cleanliness and wear.
Where the phone truly surprises is in how featherlight it feels. At just 175g and 7.9mm thin, it almost disappears in your pocket—refreshingly different from the heavy, bulky slabs most flagships have become. I love holding this phone. It’s the kind of device you pick up and immediately appreciate for its balance and comfort, even if the materials don’t scream “premium.”
That said, the midframe is plastic, not aluminium, and there’s no Gorilla Glass Victus here. The phone is IP68 rated, though, giving it a durability edge over options like the Samsung Galaxy A55. Still, compared to the Google Pixel 9a’s utilitarian but solid build, the Edge 60 Fusion feels more stylish but slightly less robust—especially around the curved glass display.
On the back is what appears to be a four lens camera array embedded in a slight bump and the motorola logo in the center back. The rails are polished to match the back plate too giving the whole phone a premium vibe that belies its price
Display: High Refresh Rate, High Style
The 6.7-inch pOLED curved display is arguably the standout feature. It’s a 120Hz panel and it looks and feels fantastic. Colours are vibrant, blacks are deep, and the panel gets plenty bright even under harsh daylight. Motorola boasts Pantone-validated colours and a Super HD resolution (1220p), and I have to admit, it’s gorgeous. The brightness is impressive—4500 nits peak means visibility is excellent even in direct sunlight.
Is it overkill? Maybe. But it gives Android animations a fluidity that’s genuinely satisfying. Compared to the Pixel 9a’s 120Hz screen, Motorola’s feels smoother in everyday use, even if both are technically capped at 1080p resolution.
The quad-curved edges are a divisive design choice. While they add visual flair, they’re more frustrating than functional. Palm rejection is unreliable—typing often leads to accidental touches or missed inputs. Tapping UI elements near the edge can feel imprecise, and there’s a constant concern that one drop could crack that vulnerable glass. Making things worse, it’s tough to find a quality case that accommodates the curve without interfering with gestures or the fit. It’s sleek, sure—but also impractical.
Performance and Software: Mostly Snappy, But with a Clock Ticking
Running on MediaTek’s Dimensity 7300 with 12GB of RAM and 256GB of storage, the Edge 60 Fusion isn’t a benchmark beast—but it doesn’t need to be. Apps open quickly, UI navigation is smooth, and even games like Asphalt 9 and Genshin Impact run reliably on medium settings. This is definitely no gaming phone so temper your expectations.
Where it shines is in day-to-day performance. But when it comes to software, the experience is a mix of clean and cluttered. Motorola’s Android 14 build looks close to stock, with helpful extras like Theming, Moto Gestures and Peek Display. But it’s not entirely bloat-free. There are redundant AI apps(I counted Perplexity, Copilot, Gemini as well as Moto AI) and even a few odd pre-installed games that feel out of place. It’s more streamlined than many Android skins, but less polished than Google’s Pixel 9a or Samsung’s One UI 7.
The real letdown is software support. Motorola only promises two years of OS updates and three years of security patches. That’s a huge contrast to Google’s Pixel 9a, which offers seven years of updates. In 2025, that’s a major consideration for anyone planning to keep their phone for more than a couple of years.
Moto AI: Gimmick or Game-Changer?
Moto AI is Motorola’s latest attempt to sprinkle intelligence across its devices—but whether it’s truly helpful or just marketing gloss is still up for debate. On the Edge 60 Fusion, AI shows up in subtle ways across the camera, battery, and UI, but the overall impact feels inconsistent.
The best implementation is in camera processing, where Moto AI helps the 50MP Sony LYTIA 700C sensor render sharper and more vibrant images. It’s not a breakthrough, but it improves daylight and moderate light shots. At night, however, it doesn’t do much to combat noise or boost detail.
Battery optimisation is another touted feature. Moto AI claims to learn your habits and reduce background activity. In real-world use, it’s hard to distinguish this from good power management. Still, battery life is strong, and fast charging is excellent.
Where Moto AI falls flat is in its gesture and voice features, which feel like warmed-over Moto tricks from years past. Combined with the preloaded AI apps that lack cohesion, the experience can feel more cluttered than clever.
One huge let down was the Moto AI Update me feature which is supposed to collate all your notifications, appointments and events and give you a rundown of what you’ve missed or what’s coming up. It never worked for me at all. The implementation is far worse that Samsung S25 Ultra’s Now Brief. Overall, compared to Google’s Gemini or Samsung’s Galaxy AI, Motorola’s take on AI is surface-level at best.
Camera System: Better Than Expected, Worse Than Pixel
The camera setup looks like a quad-lens system, but don’t be fooled—only two of them are actual cameras. You’re working with a 50MP main sensor with OIS and a 13MP ultrawide. The rest? A light sensor and LED flash, included purely for symmetry. It’s weird, I know but there you go.
That said, the main camera performs surprisingly well in good light. Shots are sharp, vibrant, and warm—a social media-friendly aesthetic. I actually enjoyed shooting photos and the built-in photographic styles are particularly fun to use in capturing a certain vibe. The “Tokyo Editorial” being a personal favorite but unfortunately, these are only accessible when taking photos and not after the fact unlike Photographic styles on my iPhone 16 Pro Max.
Low-light results are hit and miss and not something I found reliable as such. Night mode helps, but detail quickly falls off and dynamic range is limited. The ultrawide is serviceable but soft, and the 32MP selfie camera is solid in most scenarios.
Still, it’s no match for the Pixel 9a. Google’s computational photography is in another league, offering more consistent, detailed, and balanced images in all conditions. Motorola’s effort is impressive for the price and perfectly serviceable for social media and message sharing—but still behind the curve.
Battery and Charging: Fast to Fill, Fine to Last
The 4400mAh battery is modest on paper but performs well. I consistently got two full days of moderate use with about 5.5 to 6 hours of screen-on time. That includes a daily 40-minute video call with my wife over lunch breaks.
Charging is where the Edge 60 Fusion really shines. The included 68W wired charger takes it from 0 to 80% in under 30 minutes. There’s no wireless charging, which is understandable at this price—but worth noting, especially since the Pixel 9a includes it.
Verdict
The Motorola Edge 60 Fusion is a phone that dazzles at first glance—with its featherlight build, striking design, and super-slick 144Hz display. It delivers a fluid, enjoyable experience in day-to-day use and looks far pricier than its $699 AUD price tag. It’s a fun phone to live with—until you start running into its compromises.
Its biggest strengths lie in aesthetics and usability: it’s a pleasure to hold, the display is phenomenal for the price, and performance is more than enough for everyday tasks. But the cracks show in its curved glass, which brings frustrating palm rejection and durability concerns. The software is decent but lacks polish, and Moto AI feels more like a gimmick than a genuine feature set.
For students, casual users, or anyone drawn to design and speed over longevity and camera quality, this is a great option—arguably one of the most enjoyable phones under $700. But if you want long-term support or a better camera, the Pixel 9a remains the smarter pick. And if you don’t have more than $500 to spend, then take a look at the excellent CMF Phone 2 Pro.
The Edge 60 Fusion is flashy, fun, and frustrating—just make sure your priorities line up before pulling the trigger.
Motorola Australia kindly loaned the Edge 60 Fusion to PowerUp for the purpose of writing this review
