Motorola Edge 50 Neo Review | Elevated smartphone experience without stretching budget

Priced at ₹23,999, the Motorola Edge 50 Neo is positioned between the Edge 50 Fusion and Edge 50 Pro

Edging further, Motorola has introduced the fifth model of its 50 Edge series - the new Motorola Edge 50 Neo. Priced at ₹23,999, it seems like the company is giving competition to its own Edge 50 series. The new Edge 50 Neo is positioned between the Edge 50 Fusion and the Edge 50 and Edge 50 Pro. With this new addition, it is going to be interesting for users to select an Edge 50 series phone.

Design

The new Motorola Edge 50 Neo follows the same design and looks that we saw in the previous Edge series phones. But there is a twist, the latest Edge 50 Neo is more compact than its siblings. The in-hand feel of the phone is very good and the light body weight adds further to the convenience. You get to see the vegan leather rear side too, and the phone is available in the Pantone Nautical Blue, Poinciana, Latte and Grisaille shades. The company has complemented the phone with an IP68 certification and military-grade durability standards. The ports and buttons follow the usual placement that we have seen in all the Edge 50 series phones.

Display

The latest Motorola Edge 50 Neo comes with a 6.4-inch pOLED display with Super HD resolution of 2712 x 1220 (1.5K) and a pixel density of 460 ppi. The slim bezels further enhance the immersive viewing experience, making content look vibrant and seamless. The display is powered by AMOLED technology and features LTPO for improved power efficiency and smooth transitions. It also supports HDR10+ and 100% DCI-P3 colour space, showcasing over a billion shades of colour with its 10-bit capability. With a peak brightness of 2,800 nits, a 120 Hz refresh rate, and a 360Hz touch sampling rate, the Edge 50 Neo ensures a responsive and visually stunning experience, whether you’re streaming content or gaming. The 20:9 aspect ratio adds to the device’s appeal, making it ideal for media consumption and everyday use.

OS

The Motorola Edge 50 Neo runs on Android 14 with Motorola’s Hello UI skin, providing the latest features and optimisations right out of the box. In a first for the company, Motorola is promising 5 OS upgrades and 5 years of security maintenance releases (SMRs), ensuring long-term software support. We also like the clean and near-stock Android experience that Motorola UI offers, delivering a smooth and bloat-free interface for users.

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Processor

The Motorola Edge 50 Neo is powered by the MediaTek Dimensity 7300, which features CPU configuration of 4x Arm Cortex-A78 cores clocked up to 2.5GHz, paired with 4x Arm Cortex-A55 cores. Accompanied by the Arm Mali-G615 MC2 GPU, this setup is designed to provide a smooth and efficient performance for a wide range of tasks. The phone is available in a single configuration that includes 8 GB of LPDDR4X RAM and 256 GB of storage.

In our testing, the Edge 50 Neo performed very well in every task that we gave, be it browsing, multitasking or gaming. We played BGMI and were pleased to find that it ran smoothly, offering an immersive gameplay experience without any noticeable lag or stuttering.

The Geekbench 6 test results showed comparatively better figures than the Motorola Edge 50 Fusion. The phone recorded a single-core score of 1052 and a multi-core score of 3029. The GPU result was good and also good within the price segment, which was 2603.

Camera

The Motorola Edge 50 Neo comes with a triple camera setup, featuring a 50 MP Sony Lyt 700 main camera with an f/1.8 aperture, a 13 MP ultrawide + macro lens with a 120° field of view and f/2.2 aperture, and a 10 MP 3x telephoto lens. For selfies, it includes a 32 MP front camera with autofocus and an f/2.4 aperture, ensuring clarity and detail for every shot.

In daylight conditions, the main camera delivers vibrant colours and sharp details, making it well-suited for capturing landscapes and everyday scenes. The ultrawide lens offers a broader perspective without significant distortion, allowing for impressive group shots or expansive scenery. Portraits taken with the main sensor exhibit a pleasing bokeh effect, effectively blurring the background while keeping the subject in sharp focus. The telephoto lens also performs admirably, providing clear zoomed-in shots without excessive loss of detail.

As for low-light performance, the Edge 50 Neo holds its own, producing images that retain a good level of detail and colour accuracy, although some noise may be present in very dim conditions. Night mode enhances the overall quality. The 32 MP front camera excels in well-lit environments, delivering sharp and vibrant selfies that are sure to impress.

Battery

The Motorola Edge 50 Neo is powered by a 4,310 mAh battery, which, while not its strongest suit, provides sufficient energy to last through a typical day of use — thanks in part to the phone’s compact and lightweight design. The battery is supported by a 68 W TurboPower charging capability, allowing for rapid recharging when needed, along with 15 W wireless charging for added convenience.

Verdict

The new Motorola Edge 50 Neo comes across as a strong contender in the mid-range segment, offering a well-rounded package that includes an impressive display, a capable processor, and a versatile camera system. With its commitment to long-term software support and a clean user interface, it provides great value for users seeking a reliable device. Positioned between the Edge 50 Fusion and its higher-end siblings, the Edge 50 Neo stands out with features like the 68 W charger and a compelling design. This thoughtful blend of performance and aesthetics ensures that the Edge 50 Neo is a solid choice for anyone looking to elevate their smartphone experience without stretching their budget too far.

Published - September 28, 2024 07:00 am IST