Motorola Edge 50 Neo review
The Motorola Edge 50 Neo is a compact mid-range phone that stands out from its predecessor with its smaller size and improved protection. This budget-friendly option boasts a high-resolution OLED display, wireless charging, great battery life, and a new telephoto camera. While it shines in several areas, its camera experience is marred by inconsistent auto-processing and a sluggish interface. Despite this, the Edge 50 Neo remains an attractive choice for those seeking a compact phone with advanced features at an affordable price.
Build Quality and Design
The Motorola Edge 50 Neo boasts a compact design that sets it apart from its predecessor. Measuring in at 171g and featuring a 6.4-inch display, this phone is smaller than last year's model, making it a great option for those who prefer a more portable device. The vegan leather backing lends the phone some style points, while also providing a nice grip. The Edge 50 Neo's build quality is commendable, with a plastic frame that feels sturdy and well-made. The Pantone-approved orange colorway is particularly snazzy, giving the phone a unique look that sets it apart from other mid-range devices. Motorola has also prioritized durability in this design, with an IP68 rating against water and dust, as well as military-grade protection against extreme temperatures and conditions. One of the most notable aspects of the Edge 50 Neo's design is its attention to detail. The phone's compact size belies a surprising amount of style and sophistication, making it a great option for those who want a stylish device without sacrificing functionality. The addition of wireless charging and a 68W power delivery charger only adds to the appeal. In terms of design choices, Motorola has wisely opted for a more understated approach with the Edge 50 Neo, focusing on a clean and minimalist aesthetic that's both practical and visually appealing. While some may miss the slightly larger display of last year's model, the improved protection and sleeker design of this new device make up for it in many ways. Overall, the Motorola Edge 50 Neo's build quality and design are definite strengths, making it a compelling option for those in the market for a compact mid-range phone. With its sturdy construction, stylish looks, and attention to detail, this device is sure to turn heads.
Battery Life
One of the standout features of the Motorola Edge 50 Neo is its impressive battery life. Despite being smaller than its predecessor, this compact phone manages to deliver a respectable active use score of 13 hours and 29 minutes in our tests. The reduced size of the device was offset by the efficient hardware and software combination, which results in significantly better battery performance compared to last year's model. The battery capacity has been decreased from 5,000mAh to 4,310mAh, but the phone makes up for it with optimized power consumption. One of the key factors contributing to this improved battery life is the use of LTP (Low-Temperature Polysilicon) technology, which enables the display to dial down its refresh rate from 120Hz to 1Hz when idling. This means that even when not in use, the phone's power consumption is minimized. The 68W fast charger provided with the Edge 50 Neo is also a welcome addition, allowing users to quickly top up their battery. In our tests, we were able to charge the phone from 0 to 80% in just half an hour and complete a full charge within 40 minutes. Overall, the Motorola Edge 50 Neo's battery life is a notable improvement over its predecessor and provides confidence for users who want a reliable device that can keep up with their daily needs.
Display
The Motorola Edge 50 Neo boasts a 6.4-inch display, a welcome reduction from the 6.55-inch screen found in its predecessor. While this change may seem minor, it makes a noticeable difference in terms of overall size and portability. The new display is also an OLED panel, which provides improved contrast and color accuracy compared to traditional LCD screens. One of the standout features of the Edge 50 Neo's display is its support for HDR10+ video playback and 10-bit color. This means that users can enjoy a wider range of colors and more vivid details in their favorite movies and TV shows. Additionally, the display has a high resolution of 1,080 x 2,520 pixels, which translates to a pixel density of 474 PPI. In terms of performance, the Edge 50 Neo's display is smooth and responsive, making it ideal for gaming and general use. The phone can dial down its refresh rate from 120Hz to 1Hz when idling to conserve energy, but in our testing, we didn't notice any significant lag or stutters. The display also features a maximum brightness of up to 570 nits with the manual slider, which is sufficient for indoor use. However, it's worth noting that the phone can boost its brightness up to over 1,400 nits in auto mode, making it suitable for use outdoors in bright sunlight. Overall, the Motorola Edge 50 Neo's display is a significant improvement over its predecessor, offering a more compact form factor, improved color accuracy, and enhanced performance. While it may not be the most feature-packed display on the market, it provides a solid all-around experience that's perfect for general use and multimedia consumption.
Camera
The camera experience on the Motorola Edge 50 Neo is a mixed bag. The main camera delivers sharp and detailed photos with vibrant colors during the day, but its image processing can be inconsistent, producing sometimes over-contrasty images with deep shadows and a gritty look. This inconsistency is also noticeable when taking multiple photos in succession, as some of them lack HDR enhancements. In low-light conditions, the camera triggers the night mode automatically, resulting in shots from the main camera that have good sharpness and detail, along with minimal noise and a wide dynamic range. However, the focus can be unreliable at night, with many out-of-focus photos taken by all three cameras. The 10-megapixel telephoto camera takes photos with a similar rendition to the main camera in good lighting conditions, but when indoors or in shadows, the photos come out softer with more noise. Nighttime zoom shots are also less detailed than those from the main camera. The ultrawide camera does a decent job during the day, with an okay amount of detail and quality comparable to competitors' ultrawide cameras. However, nighttime ultrawide photos are soft, with clipped highlights, but still look nice on the phone screen. Selfies taken by the 32-megapixel front-facing camera are generally good, with lively exposure and wide dynamic range, as well as plenty of detail. However, skin tones can come out a bit reddish due to HDR applied by the camera. In terms of video recording, the Edge 50 Neo can record 4K footage using all three cameras. The quality from the main camera is good, with sharpness, detail, and dynamic range. The telephoto cam's footage is also decent overall. However, low-light footage taken with the main camera has only average sharpness and dynamic range. The Motorola Edge 50 Neo's camera experience is not without its issues, but it does offer a three-time zoom camera in a compact form factor, which is rare at this price segment. If you're looking for a phone with similar features, the Edge 50 Neo might be worth considering, despite its inconsistent camera performance.
Price and Value
In a market dominated by larger smartphones, the Moto Edge 50 Neo stands out as a compact mid-range phone that's actually smaller than its predecessor. Priced at an affordable range, this device is one of the few compact phones available in its segment, making it an attractive option for those seeking a smaller form factor. The Edge 50 Neo boasts a sleek design with a vegan leather backing and a lightweight plastic frame. Its Pantone-approved orange colorway adds a touch of style to an otherwise utilitarian phone. The device's small size is also complemented by its excellent ingress protection, with IP68 rating against water and dust, as well as military-grade protection against extreme temperatures. While the display has shrunk from 6.55 inches to 6.4 inches, it still offers a high-resolution OLED panel with HDR10+ support and 474 PPI pixel density. The camera setup features a 50MP main sensor, a 13MP ultrawide camera, and a new 10MP telephoto lens. The phone also comes with stereo speakers and an under-display fingerprint reader. The Edge 50 Neo offers great value for its price, especially considering the longer software support promised by Motorola, including 5 OS updates and 5 years of security patches. This is a significant advantage over other mid-range devices that often receive outdated software. Overall, the Moto Edge 50 Neo presents an impressive package at an affordable price point. Its compact size, excellent protection features, and feature-rich specs make it an attractive option for those seeking a budget-friendly powerhouse.
Performance
The Motorola Edge 50 Neo boasts an impressive Mediatek Dimensity 7300 chipset, which is an upgrade over its predecessor's Dimensity 7030. This mid-tier silicon delivers a smooth overall user experience, allowing for some light gaming and everyday tasks without any significant hiccups. However, our tests revealed that the camera app did experience some lag, which was an unexpected issue. Nonetheless, the chipset sustained performance is quite good, with the phone displaying minimal throttle during prolonged stress tests. In terms of raw power, the Edge 50 Neo's Dimensity 7300 outperforms its predecessor, but it still lags behind more powerful mid-range competitors. This means that while it's capable of handling everyday tasks and some gaming, it may not be the best choice for those who demand top-tier performance. One notable aspect of the Edge 50 Neo's performance is its efficient power management, which results in respectable battery life. The phone achieved a score of 13 hours and 29 minutes during our active use tests, making it a great option for those who want a long-lasting device without excessive bulk. The Dimensity 7300 also enables support for fast charging, with the included 68W charger capable of delivering rapid top-ups. Wireless charging is also supported, although at a slower rate of 15W. Overall, while the Edge 50 Neo's performance may not be the most impressive in its class, it still offers a reliable and efficient user experience that should satisfy most users' needs. However, those who demand more raw power or advanced features may want to consider alternative options.
Pros
1. The Moto ed50 Neo is one of the few phones that's actually smaller than its predecessor, making it a great option for those who prefer a compact phone.
2. The phone has IP68 rating against water and dust, as well as military-grade protection against extreme temperatures and conditions.
3. The display has gotten smaller from 6.55 in to 6.4, but it's still an OLED with high resolution and supports HDR 10 plus video and 10 bit color.
4. The phone has a stereo speaker setup with very good loudness, making it great for audio
5. The under-display fingerprint reader is quick and responsive
6. The phone comes with Moto's new hello UI interface running on top of Android 14, providing a near stock Android experience with some extra motor roller features.
7. The phone will get longer software support than previous Moto phones, including 5 OS updates and five years of security patches.
8. The battery life is much better than last year's model, earning a respectable active use score of 13 hours and 29 minutes in our tests.
Cons
1. The camera interface wasn't that snappy and the automatic photo processing can be inconsistent, ranging from natural to the occasional gritty and over-contrast.
2. The camera has some reliability issues at night with all cameras, particularly the telephoto camera which often takes out of focus photos.
3. The ultrawide camera's nighttime photos are okay but soft, with highlights that often get clipped.
4. Skin tones in selfies can come out a bit reddish depending on the amount of HDR the camera needs to apply
5. Low light footage taken with the main camera is only just okay in terms of sharpness and dynamic range
6. The phone's form factor may not appeal to everyone, especially those who prefer larger screens.
7. The phone does not have a telephoto camera zoom as good as other competitors, particularly at night
8. The ultrawide camera can take close-up macro shots but the nighttime Ultra-wide photos are okay and often soft