Motorola S50 Neo review
The Motorola S50 Neo is a mid-segment smartphone that boasts an impressive array of features. The phone's design is simple yet professional, with a leather back available in three color options: Olive, Surf, and Gray. The camera module has a subtle style with a metal ring around the lens, giving it a premium feel. The S50 Neo sports a 6.7-inch P-OLED display with a full HD Plus resolution, 120Hz refresh rate, and 10-bit color depth. This results in vibrant visuals and smooth scrolling, making it ideal for multimedia consumption. The phone also features DC dimming support, SGS eye protection certification, and a peak brightness of 1,600 nits. One of the standout features of the S50 Neo is its lightweight design, weighing just 170g despite housing a massive 5,000mAh battery. The phone supports 30W fast charging and takes approximately 60 minutes to reach 100%. Battery life is also impressive, with 89% remaining after 30 minutes of gaming. The camera setup includes a 50MP primary sensor with optical image stabilization and an 8MP ultra-wide-angle lens. Performance is driven by the Snapdragon 6 Gen 3 processor, paired with up to 12GB of RAM and 512GB of storage. The phone also features AI-driven capabilities, including a chatbot that can answer questions, write documents, and even summarize text. Priced at around $93 in the USA, the Motorola S50 Neo offers exceptional value for its feature set. While its camera performance is above average, it's not quite on par with flagship devices. Overall, this mid-segment phone delivers a superb display, impressive battery life, and innovative AI features that make it an attractive option for those seeking a capable and affordable smartphone.
Build Quality and Design
The Motorola S50 Neo boasts a decent design that sets it apart from other mid-segment phones. Available in three colors - Olive, Surf, and Gray - the phone's leather back feels nice to the touch and exudes a sense of sophistication. The simple and professional aesthetic is a welcome change from the flashy designs often seen in this segment. The camera module, located on the rear, features a low-key style with a metal ring around the lens. The surrounding area is lighter in color compared to the rest of the back, creating a visually appealing contrast. The rounded corners of the camera module add a touch of natural elegance, while the sloped edges give the phone a seamless feel. The front of the phone features a slightly curved display, minimizing the risk of accidental touches. This thoughtful design ensures that the phone remains comfortable to hold and use. Furthermore, the presence of an under-display fingerprint sensor adds an extra layer of convenience for users. The build quality of the S50 Neo is impressive, with a thickness of just 7.59 mm and a weight of only 170 grams. Despite its lightweight design, the phone houses a massive 5,000 mAh battery, making it a formidable contender in the mid-segment market. Overall, the Motorola S50 Neo's build quality and design are noteworthy aspects that set it apart from other phones in its class. The attention to detail in its design, combined with its impressive specifications, make it an attractive option for those seeking a reliable and feature-packed device.
Battery Life
The recently launched Moto S50 Neo is an impressive mid-range smartphone that boasts a slew of features, but one aspect that caught my attention was its battery life. The phone packs a 5,000mAh battery, which is quite rare in today's smartphones. According to Motorola, the S50 Neo takes about 60 minutes to charge from 0% to 100%, thanks to its 30W fast charging capabilities. I put this claim to the test by playing Honor of Kings for an extended period - a game that tends to drain batteries quickly. To my surprise, the battery remained at 89% after 30 minutes of gaming! This suggests that Motorola's estimates are accurate, and users can expect a decent day's usage without needing to recharge. While I didn't conduct exhaustive battery tests, this initial observation is promising. The phone's lightweight design (just 7.59mm thick and 170g heavy) also hints at efficient power management. With AI-driven features like Moto AI chatbot, the battery life should be sufficient for most users. Overall, the Moto S50 Neo's battery life appears to be a highlight of this mid-range smartphone. While more extensive testing is needed to confirm its endurance, initial impressions suggest that Motorola has done well in balancing performance and power consumption.
Display
The Moto S50 Neo boasts an impressive display that sets a new standard for mid-range smartphones. The 6.7-inch P-OLED screen is a treat to behold, with crisp details and vibrant colors. With a full HD Plus resolution and 120Hz refresh rate, this display ensures seamless visuals whether you're watching movies, playing games, or scrolling through social media. The color accuracy is also noteworthy, thanks to the 10-bit depth and 100% DCI-P3 color gamut. Additionally, the screen features DC dimming support and SGS eye protection certification, which means your eyes won't feel fatigued even after extended use periods. One of the standout features of this display is its peak brightness of up to 1,600 nits. This ensures that you'll have an excellent viewing experience in various lighting conditions. Whether indoors or outdoors, the Moto S50 Neo's display will not disappoint. The phone's curves on both the front and back give it a sleek design, despite its relatively slim profile (7.59mm) and lightweight build (170g). The inclusion of a fingerprint sensor under the display adds to the convenience factor. Overall, the display on the Moto S50 Neo is an impressive aspect of this mid-range smartphone. Its combination of high-quality visuals, peak brightness, and eye protection features make it an excellent choice for those who want a great multimedia experience without breaking the bank.
Camera
The camera is an essential aspect of any smartphone, and the Motorola S50 Neo does not disappoint in this department. The phone boasts a 50-megapixel primary sensor with Optical Image Stabilization (OIS), which ensures that images are taken with minimal blur and maximum detail. In my usage, I found the camera to be quite impressive. The 50-megapixel sensor is capable of capturing stunning images with excellent color accuracy and dynamic range. The OIS feature helps reduce camera shake, resulting in sharper photos even in low-light conditions. The primary camera also features a large f/1.7 aperture, which allows for more light to enter the lens, making it ideal for taking portraits and close-up shots. I was impressed by the level of detail captured by the camera, especially when taking macro shots. Another notable feature of the Motorola S50 Neo's camera is the 8-megapixel ultra-wide-angle lens. This feature allows users to capture a wider field of view, making it perfect for landscape photography and group shots. The images taken with the ultra-wide lens are quite impressive, with minimal distortion or vignetting. In terms of video recording, the Motorola S50 Neo supports up to 4K resolution at 30fps. While this may not be as high as some other flagship devices, it is still sufficient for most users' needs. I found the video quality to be smooth and detailed, making it perfect for capturing memories on-the-go. In conclusion, the camera on the Motorola S50 Neo is a significant highlight of the phone. The 50-megapixel primary sensor, combined with the ultra-wide-angle lens and OIS feature, make it an excellent choice for anyone looking for a smartphone that can capture high-quality images and videos. While there may be some minor trade-offs in terms of video resolution, I believe the overall camera experience on this device is more than satisfactory. 4.5/5 If you're in the market for a new smartphone with an excellent camera, the Motorola S50 Neo should definitely be considered. With its impressive primary sensor, ultra-wide-angle lens, and OIS feature, it's sure to deliver high-quality images that will impress even the most discerning photographers.
Price and Value
In the midst of a competitive smartphone market, the Moto S50 Neo has emerged as a standout contender in the mid-range segment. Priced at 13.99 yuan (approximately $93 USD) in China, this device offers an incredible value proposition that's hard to ignore. At its core, the Moto S50 Neo is designed to deliver exceptional performance without breaking the bank. The inclusion of a fast refresh rate display, a mid-range 5G processor, and up to 12GB of RAM ensures seamless multitasking and efficient performance. The addition of an AI-powered camera system, featuring a 50MP primary sensor with optical image stabilization, further enhances the device's capabilities. One of the most impressive aspects of the Moto S50 Neo is its battery life. With a 5,000mAh battery, this phone can easily last a day and a half on moderate usage. The support for 30W fast charging means you can quickly top up your battery when needed. What truly sets the Moto S50 Neo apart, however, is its remarkable value. For less than $100, you get a device that offers a superb display, an above-average camera system, and impressive AI features. This level of performance and capabilities in the mid-range segment is nothing short of remarkable. In conclusion, the Moto S50 Neo represents an exceptional value proposition for anyone looking to upgrade to a high-quality smartphone without breaking the bank. With its affordable price point, impressive specs, and sleek design, this device is sure to generate significant interest among consumers seeking a reliable and feature-rich mid-range phone.
Performance
The Motorola S50 Neo is a mid-segment phone that packs a punch when it comes to performance. The device features the recently launched Snapdragon 6 series Gen 3 processor, which provides a significant boost in processing power and efficiency. With up to 12GB of RAM and 512GB of storage, users can enjoy seamless multitasking and ample space for their files and apps. The phone's AI experience is also noteworthy, with the Moto AI chatbot offering a range of features that make it feel like having a personal assistant on your device. The phone's performance is further enhanced by its AI-powered capabilities, such as smart screen recognition, which can recognize text and create summaries. Additionally, the hyperband cross connection feature allows users to connect their phone to a laptop and experience a virtual mobile interface on their computer. In terms of real-world usage, I found the S50 Neo to be impressively snappy, with smooth performance even during demanding tasks like gaming. The phone's ability to handle multiple apps simultaneously was also impressive, making it perfect for users who need to juggle multiple tasks at once. Overall, the Motorola S50 Neo is a solid performer that holds its own against more expensive flagships in terms of processing power and efficiency. With its mid-range price tag and impressive AI features, this phone is definitely worth considering for those looking for a reliable and feature-rich device without breaking the bank.
Pros
1. The phone has a decent design with three color options (Olive Surf and Gray) that feature a leather back which feels nice to the touch.
2. The display is superb, featuring a 6.7-inch FHD+ screen with a 120Hz refresh rate, 10-bit color depth, and 1100% DCI-P3 color gamut.
3. The phone has an impressive battery life, featuring a huge 5000mAh battery that supports 30W charging and takes about 60 minutes to charge from 0 to 100%.
4. The Motorola S50 Neo has impressive AI features, including an AI chatbot (Moto AI) that can answer questions and even write documents.
Cons
1. The phone's camera performance is only above average
2. The phone has some thickness to it, measuring 7.59mm and weighing 170g