Motorola Edge 50 Neo Review
So, is the Motorola Edge 50 Neo worth ₹23,999? If you prioritise a stellar display and a well-rounded camera system, the Edge 50 Neo offers fantastic value. Its performance won’t impress power users though, especially those looking for a gaming phone. The battery life is another area of concern, particularly when compared to competitors. However, if you’re willing to overlook those shortcomings, the Motorola Edge 50 Neo offers premium features at a reasonable price.
Motorola has been on a relentless spree of phone launches in 2024, introducing a slew of devices across various price ranges. The latest addition, the Motorola Edge 50 Neo, finds itself positioned close to the Edge 50 Fusion in terms of price. Retailing at ₹23,999, it enters a competitive market, challenging popular mid-range contenders such as the OnePlus Nord CE4 (review) and Nothing Phone (2a) (review). However, it hopes to stand out with several tricks up its sleeve such as an IP68 rating, 15 W wireless charging, a high-resolution LTPO p-OLED display, and more. The big question remains: Is the Edge 50 Neo worth its price? Let’s dive deep into its features and performance to find out!
The Motorola Edge 50 Neo brings a fresh design approach compared to its 2024 siblings, opting for a flat display over the curved edges typically seen on Motorola’s devices. While this design choice may feel unfamiliar to users accustomed to Motorola’s sleek, curved designs, some may appreciate the flat boxy build, particularly for gaming as it reduces accidental touches.
The device feels well-constructed for its price range. The soft vegan leather on the back panel offers a premium tactile experience and enhances grip. The phone is also IP68-rated, making it resistant to dust and water, which adds peace of mind for those who are rougher with their phones. The Gorilla Glass 3 front provides decent protection against minor drops and scratches, though the buttons feel slightly mushy, detracting from the overall build quality.
The Edge 50 Neo also includes an in-display fingerprint sensor that works efficiently, offering quick and accurate unlocking. The dual stereo speakers with Dolby Atmos support deliver good sound quality, making media consumption more immersive, though it’s not the loudest in this price range.
The 6.4-inch display on the Motorola Edge 50 Neo stands out as one of its strongest features. With a sharp 1.5K resolution and vibrant colour reproduction, the display makes content consumption enjoyable. Its slim bezels further enhance the visual appeal, offering an impressive 471 pixels per inch (PPI) — one of the best in its category.
This LTPO panel can dynamically adjust its refresh rate between 1 Hz and 120 Hz depending on the content displayed, helping conserve battery when needed. There’s also an Always-On Display option that you can unlock in the settings, which is brilliant.
The display supports HDR10+, but unfortunately, Netflix doesn’t take full advantage of this feature, leaving you to experience it mainly on YouTube and Prime Video. Despite this limitation, the Motorola Edge 50 Neo’s display still outshines the OnePlus Nord CE4 and Nothing Phone (2a), making it a perfect choice for media lovers who prioritise sharp visuals and an immersive viewing experience.
Under the hood, the Motorola Edge 50 Neo is powered by the MediaTek Dimensity 7300 SoC. While it delivers decent performance for everyday tasks, it does lag behind competitors like the OnePlus Nord CE4 and Nothing Phone (2a) in benchmarks. In tests such as AnTuTu and GeekBench Single Core, the Edge 50 Neo trails its competitors, though it fares better in GeekBench Multi-Core scores.
In real-world use, this performance gap isn’t always noticeable for basic apps and day-to-day functions. However, the phone struggles in more demanding scenarios, particularly when gaming or using the camera app. Heavy games run fine on low settings but become noticeably sluggish when set to medium or high graphics after extended periods of gameplay. Additionally, the camera app feels laggy, with slow transitions between lenses.
Motorola’s software offering, Hello UI, continues to impress with its clean, bloatware-free interface. Tinkerers will enjoy features such as Moto Gestures, Smart Connect, and Family Space. Moreover, Motorola has committed to five years of software and security updates for the Edge 50 Neo, which is a huge bonus for long-term users.
In terms of AI features, Motorola has a few like Magic Canvas for wallpaper generation and Magic Editor in Google Photos. While these features are basic compared to more advanced AI tools on the market, they add an extra layer of personalisation.
In our Digit AI-Q score, which combines results from tests like AiTuTu, UL Procyon and AI Benchmark, the Motorola Edge 50 Neo scored 68/100 — a decent but not standout result. Overall, the software experience is smooth, though the phone’s performance isn’t built for power users.
The camera setup on the Motorola Edge 50 Neo is undoubtedly one of its major highlights, delivering a strong performance at this price point. The device features a 50 MP primary camera with Optical Image Stabilisation (OIS), a 13 MP ultrawide lens with Auto Focus that doubles as a macro shooter, and a 10 MP telephoto lens with 3x optical zoom. On the front, there’s a 32 MP selfie camera capable of 4K video recording.
In good lighting, the primary camera captures detailed and vivid photos with decent dynamic range, though the colours tend to be slightly oversaturated. Portrait mode does well in maintaining accurate edge detection, though skin tones can occasionally appear too saturated.
The ultrawide camera performs admirably, but chromatic aberrations are present in some images, reducing overall sharpness. Macro shots benefit from the autofocus capability, delivering crisp images with impressive details.
The telephoto lens performs well, especially when zoomed in at 3x, retaining sharpness up to 10x before images start to deteriorate. Night mode enhances low-light photography, reducing noise and adding clarity, though it still doesn’t match the capabilities of higher-end devices.
For selfies, the 32 MP front camera is more than capable, producing clear and well-balanced images in various lighting conditions. The video recording is decent across the board, with good detail retention in 4K, although the dynamic range could be improved.
One of the more disappointing aspects of the Motorola Edge 50 Neo is its battery life. The 4,310 mAh battery, while decent, falls short compared to competitors like the OnePlus Nord CE4, particularly given the phone’s power-hungry display. In our tests, the Edge 50 Neo managed 4-5 hours of screen-on time with moderate to heavy usage, which includes social media browsing, video playback, and occasional gaming.
The phone lasted 13 hours and 23 minutes in our 4K video loop test, which is mediocre at best. However, the 68 W fast charger included in the box is a redeeming factor, charging the phone from 0-100% in just 39 minutes. The device also supports 15 W wireless charging, a feature that is rare in this price segment and adds significant convenience for users.
So, is the Motorola Edge 50 Neo worth ₹23,999? If you prioritise a stellar display and a well-rounded camera system, the Edge 50 Neo offers fantastic value. Its performance won’t impress power users though, especially those looking for a gaming phone. The battery life is another area of concern, particularly when compared to competitors. However, if you’re willing to overlook those shortcomings, the Motorola Edge 50 Neo offers premium features at a reasonable price.
For those on the search for a more powerful phone, the OnePlus Nord CE4 and Nothing Phone (2a) are good alternatives. But for those seeking a sharp display, solid cameras, and a clean software experience with 5 years of updates, the Motorola Edge 50 Neo makes a strong case in the crowded mid-range market.
