Motorola Edge 50 Neo Review (Helloooo Moto!)
Summary: THe Motorola Edge 50 Neo is a mid-range heavy hitter!
4.6
Heavy hitter
The Apple iPhone 16 Pro currently retails at $2847AUD (November 2024) with the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6 retailing at $2749AUD (November) … both are crazily expensive, especially with the rising cost of living. This is one reason why mid-range phones $500 to $1000 have become so popular in Australia and Motorola have just released their impressive Motorola Edge 50 Neo which retails for $699AUD (November 2024).
More importantly, it comes with a wealth of features and performance boosts to successfully incorporate this smartphone into your daily life. Some of these features are generally found on smartphones in excess of $1000, so kudos to Motorola. It is also available in three chic Pantone colours that include Poinciana (Red), Latté (milk coffee) and Grisaille (grey) with a vegan leather back that makes the Neo look quite stylish.
The phone is powered by the MediaTek Dimensity 7300 (4 x 2.5GHz & 4 x 2.0GHz) processor that with the 12GB of RAM makes the Motorola Edge 50 Neo a fast and responsive device. It also comes with a whopping 256GB of storage with a very clear 6.4” SuperHD (1220p or 2670 x 1220) pOLED display that produces sharp images, clear text and vibrant colours. It has a 4310mAh battery that should get you through the whole day with heavy usage plus it supports 68W TurboPower charging (aka fast-charge) plus wireless charging (15W).
Photography? It boasts a decent camera system thanks to the Sony LYTIA sensor and 3 x telephone lens that comprises three rear cameras (50MP+13MP+10MP) and a 32MP front camera (aka selfie). Lastly it comes with Wi-Fi 6E (802.11 ax) and Bluetooth v5.3 for all your wireless connectivity needs. So as you can see, it packs a punch without breaking the bank.
Unboxing
The Setup
Setting up the Neo is via the setup wizard that also includes setting up face or fingerprint unlock or traditional codes if that is what you prefer. You also receive five Android OS upgrades and security updates that take you right through to 2029. What’s happening in 2029? According to some scientists there is a 1 in a billion chance that the “God of Chaos” asteroid Apophis could hit Earth, so this is the only smartphone you need for the next 5 years! So why pay $3000 for a smartphone when this phone will get you to the next apocalypse… I’m kidding, I’m kidding! :)
The phone currently uses Android 14 and it will get the Android 15 upgrade eventually, however there is a Hello UX “skin” as part of this phone which gives you access to some Moto apps (if you wish) and thankfully these are not integrated fully into the operating system like some of Motorola’s competitors. Nicely played by Motorola.
Box contents
- Handset
- USB Type-C to USB Type-C cable
- TurboPower™ 68W charger
- Protective Case
- Guides
- IM tool
The minimalistic design of the Motorola Edge 50 Neo is great. It not only feels good in your hands (154.1 x 71.2 x 8.1 mm at 171 grams) but it even comes with a protective case because yes, everyone does drop their smartphone eventually. There is a metallic border around the phone, including Vegan leather on the rear that adds to the overall “grip-ability” and comfort factor. I also like that the Neo is a much more compact phone than most because sometimes smartphone manufacturers go a little too far with the sizing – most of us want a phone, not a “fablet”. It also has an IP rating of 68 that will protect it from spills or potentially 30 minutes at 1.5metres in freshwater.
The phone also comes with that unmistakable “Motorola Scent” that is the perfume-like smell coming from the box and does make the unboxing experience a little nicer. There are three buttons on the right side of the phone (volume up/down and power), including accessing the Google smart assistant.
There is a USB-C connection on the bottom of the phone with a three camera system on the back, including a flash. All in all a very well-designed phone. The USB-C 2.0 connection that when combined with the 68W Motorola TurboPower 68W Charger provides you with 12 hours of battery with just an 11-minute charge which is very impressive.
The screen of the Neo is brilliant.
As mentioned, it is super clear and comes with a very high nits rating of 3000 that makes it very usable on a bright day outside. Colours are of the rainbow multiverse thanks to the 10-bit (1.07 billion-colour) screen. Additionally the screen is adaptive with its refresh rate (Auto 24/30/60/90/120Hz) that makes it perfect for gaming and videos which is also protected by Gorilla Glass 3. It’s probably one of the best screens that I’ve seen for a while.
Benchmarks
Test 1 – Geekbench
Test – PCMark
Test 3 – 3DMARK
As expected with the MediaTek Dimensity 7300 and 12GB RAM, the benchmark apps (Geekbench, PCMark, 3DMark) place this phone in the midrange category that makes it perfect for everyday use, taking photos, social media, surfing the net, light to mid-range gaming (with some tweaks). In relation to connectivity, no issues with the mobile phone network, Wi-Fi 6E AXE 2.4/5/6GHz or Bluetooth 5.3.
The phone supports Dolby Atmos and although no 3.5mm input, it does support FSA4480 Digital to Analogue USB DAC, however my Bose earbuds sounded great via the Neo. The inbuilt speakers are serviceable but like all smartphones, wireless earbuds, headphones or Bluetooth speakers are a must.
Gaming
I tested a handful of games on the Neo and the games played well – some of the more powerful games needed to have the detail reduced but given the size of the screen, this was a really moot point. So titles such as Call of Duty: Mobile, Diablo, Asphalt 9, Zenless Zone Zero and Disney Speedstorm worked well on the Neo with some adjustments of course.
Photography
The Motorola Edge 50 Neo does take some impressive photos in well-lit environments with clear images and vibrant colours. You can really see the Sony sensor come into play with the photos I took below. The 3 x telescope lens is good for some additional zoom and I love the digital zoom as it keeps the image very stable as well. If you need macro, again Neo kicks goals in this area and check out the images below. However the cameras does struggle at times in low light but overall a good mid-range camera system that really cannot be faulted.
Final Thoughts?
The Motorola Edge 50 Neo Review is fantastic value for money and best of all, it is futureproofed until 2029. It’s fast, has an exceptional amount of storage, decent camera system and is perfect for those on a budget or those looking for a smaller sized smartphone at just $699AUD (November) that makes it our Editor’s Choice of November 2024!
The phone is available at all good retailers, including online and comes with a 24-month warranty.
Highly Recommended!
About the Author
Andrew Bistak When he's not trying to save the world, Andrew enjoys travel (although loathes turbulence), going to the movies, reading and being a dad to his two dogs (and now twins) with his wife.
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