Motorola Edge 50 Neo review

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Introduction and specs

Motorola has found a successful formula with some of its Edge devices for the last couple of years, and we believe that the Neos stand out even more as delivering great value. Strangely enough, only a few brands offer compact mid-range solutions, so the Edge 50 Neo finds a very tight but comfortable niche for itself.

This year's Edge 50 Neo is even better. Motorola has significantly reduced its size compared to its predecessor and has added some premium features and hardware.

The Neo's display is now a 6.4-inch LTPO OLED, gains MIL-STD-810H military standard, runs on a more powerful chipset, supports wireless charging and adds a 3x telephoto camera. Not to mention, the default storage variant stands at 256GB now.

Motorola Edge 50 Neo specs at a glance:

• Body: 154.1x71.2x8.1mm, 171g; Glass front (Gorilla Glass 3), plastic frame, plastic back or silicone polymer (eco leather) back; IP68 dust/water resistant (up to 1.5m for 30 min), MIL-STD-810H compliant*, * does not guarantee ruggedness or use in extreme conditions.
• Display: 6.40" LTPO P-OLED, 1B colors, 120Hz, HDR10+, 3000 nits (peak), 1200x2670px resolution, 19.78:9 aspect ratio, 474ppi.
• Chipset: Mediatek Dimensity 7300 (4 nm): Octa-core (4x2.5 GHz Cortex-A78 & 4x2.0 GHz Cortex-A55); Mali-G615 MC2.
• Memory: 256GB 8GB RAM, 512GB 12GB RAM; UFS.
• OS/Software: Android 14, up to 5 major Android upgrades.
• Rear camera: Wide (main): 50 MP, f/1.8, 1/1.5", 1.0µm, multi-directional PDAF, OIS; Telephoto: 10 MP, f/2.0, 73mm, 1.0µm, PDAF, OIS, 3x optical zoom; Ultra wide angle: 13 MP, f/2.2, 13mm, 120˚, 1.12µm, PDAF.
• Front camera: 32 MP, f/2.4, (wide), 0.7µm.
• Video capture: Rear camera: 4K@30fps, 1080p@30/60/120/240fps, gyro-EIS; Front camera: 4K@30fps, 1080p@30/60/120fps.
• Battery: 4310mAh; 68W wired, 15W wireless.
• Connectivity: 5G; eSIM; Dual SIM; Wi-Fi 6e; BT 5.3; NFC.
• Misc: Fingerprint reader (under display, optical); stereo speakers; Smart Connect (Ready For) support.

It all sounds great on paper, but it comes at a price and we mean that in a literal sense. In Europe, Motorola bumped the price by €100 but kept it steady in India. Still, even with the small price hike, the Edge 50 Neo remains very competitive in both markets.

The Edge 50 Neo shapes up to be a very lucrative option in the mid-range class, but let'let's if it can stand against its fierce competition.

Unboxing the Motorola Edge 50 Neo

The handset arrives in a slim retail box, which smells of a color-specific fragrance on the inside, like the other phones in the Edge lineup. The smell lingers on when you handle the phone for the next few hours after the unboxing, leaving an extra premium impression. It's a small thing but you don't get anything similar with other brands.

Unfortunately, except for the plastic, plant-based, color-matched case and the USB-C cable, there's nothing else of substance inside the box. The charger is left out, so you will have to provide one by yourself. Any USB PowerDelivery should work to charge the Edge 50 Neo, but if you want the fastest charging speed possible, you should get a 68W-rated charger.

Motorola will happily sell you a 68W charger from its TurboPower lineup, which does the job just fine. (Amazon.com | Amazon.de | Amazon.co.uk | Amazon.nl)