Poll results from earlier this year showed that the first three models in Motorola’s Edge 50 series are promising, but expensive. Since then the company has added a few new models, including a relatively compact Neo model.
Motorola Edge 50 Neo
The Motorola Edge 50 Neo isn’t tiny, but with a 6.4″ display, it’s smaller than most Androids. Compared to the Pixel 9 Pro, it’s 1.3mm taller, but 0.8mm narrower and 0.4mm thinner, not to mention 28g lighter. All this while offering a little more screen real estate. The Galaxy S24 and iPhone 15 Pro are both smaller than the Neo, but they’re almost the only mainstream flagships that are smaller.
Not that the Edge 50 Neo is a flagship — the Dimensity 7300 chipset is the same one used in the €200 CMF Phone 1. However, the Neo stands apart with a number of premium features. For one, that 6.4-inch display is an LTPO OLED with a higher resolution than FHD+ (the pixel density is higher than the iPhone 15 Pro). And it’s a flat display, which is different from most Edge 50 models.
Gorilla Glass 3 is definitely outdated (why not the 7i?), but the vegan leather and suede backs look fancy. And it’s a pretty rugged phone with an IP68 rating and MIL-STD-810H compliance.
However, what caught our attention was the triple camera – there’s 3x 10MP telephoto modules (73mm lenses) on the back, in addition to a 50MP main (1/1.5”) and a 13MP ultra wide. The Asus Zenfone 10 and Sony Xperia 5 V don’t have telephoto lenses (or the 2024 sequel, for that matter).
15W wireless charging is often missed on these smaller phones, but not here. The 4,310mAh battery capacity falls between the S24 (4,000mAh) and Pixel 9 Pro (4,700mAh) batteries, but the 68W wired charging is faster than both.
We spent some time with the Motorola Edge 50 Neo and we’re also working on a full review, so expect more details soon. For now, there’s only one thing left to mention – the price.
At €500 for the 8/256GB model (UFS storage, but no expansion), the Neo isn’t a cheap phone, but we wouldn’t expect it to be, given the premium elements of its hardware. Still, we’ll have to check out some of the competitors.
The Pixel 8a will have to hold the fort until the 9a arrives. It retails for a little over €500 for an 8/256GB device and lacks a dedicated tele lens, but overall camera quality is pretty good. However, the 6.1” FHD+ 120Hz display is not a 10-bit LTPO panel like the Neo. The 4,492mAh battery capacity is comparable, but the inefficient Tensor G3 chipset delivers average battery life and the 18W wired, 7.5W wireless charging is pretty slow.
The Motorola Edge 50 Fusion costs €400 for the 12/256GB unit and feels cheap too. The 144Hz 6.7” OLED display might look fancy with its curved edges, but it has a low FHD+ resolution and is not an LTPO panel (the GG5 glass is also outdated). The Snapdragon 7s Gen 2 is only slightly faster than the Dimensity 7300. Also, the 50+13MP camera doesn’t have a tele lens. Finally, the 5,000mAh battery only does 68W wired and no wireless charging.
Google Pixel 8a • Motorola Edge 50 Fusion • OnePlus 12R • Realme GT 6
The OnePlus 12R can be bought for €550 in a 16/256GB configuration. It has a proper flagship chipset, the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2, and a high resolution LTPO display – a large 6.78” panel. However, it doesn’t have a tele camera (it has a 50+8+2MP setup). Also, while the 5,500mAh battery could be bigger and charge faster over USB-C (100W), there is no wireless charging. Even the water resistance rating is only IP64.
The Realme GT 6 is another big phone with a 6.78” high resolution LTPO display. For €550 you can buy a 12/256GB phone with Snapdragon 8s Gen 3 and a great tele camera – the short focal length of 47mm is compensated by a high resolution 50MP sensor. Water resistance is still not at the level (IP65) and the 5,500mAh battery only supports wired charging (120W).
Motorola Edge 50 Neo Colourways
Maybe the Pixel 9a will change things. Maybe the Xperia 5 VI will do the same, but it will cost twice as much as the Neo. It will compete with the Xiaomi 15 at least in terms of price. Asus may or may not launch the smaller Zenfone 11.
This puts the Motorola Edge 50 Neo in a unique position – no phone offers the same hardware package at a comparable price. Does the Neo climb to the top of “my next phone” lists or do you see flaws in it?
