The Motorola Edge 30 Neo is one of three new devices added to the brand’s collection, joining the mid-range Edge 30 Fusion and the high-end Edge 30 Ultra. The Neo is not a cheap phone, despite being the entry-level model in the Edge 30 series; it shares some respectable features with its more costly siblings.
Review of the Motorola Edge 30 Neo: All You Need To Know
Let’s first take a thorough look at the Neo itself before moving on to its competitors. The Neo only has one variant, which has 8GB of RAM and 128GB of storage, unlike the Edge 30 Fusion and Ultra. A Qualcomm Snapdragon 695 5G processor powers the device, and a 120Hz pOLED display sits on the front. A 64MP main lens serves as the focal point of the dual camera array on the back.
You won’t be burdened by garish layouts and heavy bloatware because the Neo comes pre-installed with a very clean version of Android 12. The Neo will only receive two years of software upgrades and three years of security updates from Motorola, compared to the other Edge 30 family members who will receive three years of OS updates and four years of security. This is the most cutting edge of the two-edged sword.
Review of the Motorola Edge 30 Neo, including cost and rivals
The Motorola Edge 30 Neo is priced at £350, putting it at the fiercely competitive lower end of the mid-range market. The OnePlus Nord CE 2 5G, which costs £299 less and has a larger 6.43-inch display (albeit one that refreshes at a slower rate of 90Hz), is currently our favorite at this price.
The Xiaomi Redmi Note 11 Pro 5G (now £309), which like the OnePlus has a larger screen and battery as well as a substantial 108MP main camera, is also less expensive than the Edge 30 Neo.
The Xiaomi Poco F4, which retails for £379, is at the other end of the spectrum. You get a more potent Snapdragon 870 processor, excellent gaming performance, and 4K video capture at 60 frames per second in exchange for the few more pounds.
Design and major features of the Motorola Edge 30 Neo
The Edge 30 Neo is offered in four colors: Titanium Black, Aqua Foam Green, Silver Ice Palace, and Extremely Peri purple (reviewed here). The latter is presently unavailable on Motorola’s website, although Currys still has some in stock if you’re interested.
With a frosted plastic rear that doesn’t feel nearly as opulent as glass but at least manages to deter grease fingerprints, the Neo is appropriately appealing in any color you pick. The dual camera module isn’t unduly bulky, and the two-tone design complements the rear panel well, especially in the purple and green colors.
The Pantone color swatch near the bottom, which emphasizes that these colours were created in collaboration with the company, is less cohesive. It isn’t overly obnoxious and would be covered by a case, but some people might find this tacky.
The camera module’s rim lights to signal incoming messages, phone calls, alarms, and more, replacing the full edge-light notification system found in other Edge 30 devices. Although this is more intriguing than a straightforward LED, it is only really practical if you frequently place your phone face down.
The custom shortcut feature, which is exclusive to the Neo, enables you to access select apps or play/pause audio by just double-tapping the phone’s back. Even with the lightweight plastic case Motorola includes with the phone, this performed admirably in my tests.
The front of the Edge 30 doesn’t have the same rounded edges as the other members of the family; instead, there are narrow bezels around the 6.28-inch screen that meet the sides at relatively abrupt angles. This might appear too hefty on a thicker phone, but the Neo is thin enough to get away with it at 7.8mm. It is also incredibly simple to use one-handedly and weighs only 155g. Although there is no microSD card slot or 3.5mm headphone jack, the fingerprint scanner and selfie camera are both conveniently located below the display.
Review of the Motorola Edge 30 Neo: Display
As is typically the case with phones in this price range, the Moto Edge 30 Neo’s display is unquestionably one of its best features. The pOLED display refreshes at a fluid 120Hz and offers a resolution of 2,400 x 1,080 (FHD+). As is to be expected with OLEDs, contrast is nearly perfect here, and the peak brightness of 470cd/m2 I measured is also on the higher end of the scale.
Purists will wish to switch to the Natural option, which created more true colors, even though the default Saturated profile gives a nice first impression with its bright and colorful colors. For a phone that costs this little, the sRGB gamut I recorded was 94%, the volume was 94.3%, and the average Delta E was 1.42.
Review of the Motorola Edge 30 Neo: Cameras
The Motorola Edge 30 Neo has just two cameras, which is uncommon for phones in this price range. The secondary ultrawide lens can also be used for macro photography. The 64MP (f/1.8) main camera performs admirably, at least under moderate lighting situations. Images that have been exposed to the sun have enough color and detail, and some contrast adds a little depth.
An efficient HDR mode facilitates this, as seen in the image below, which increases contrast in the branches and hedgerows without overexposing the cloudy sky. But, it does mean that the finer details of the leaves lack sharpness, and the colors muddle together a bit.
While outcomes from direct light are respectable, things change when it becomes dark. While the final image isn’t particularly poor, it’s not the best you can get for the money because both the color representation and the level of detail drastically decrease.
The 13MP ultrawide camera still doesn’t seem like much of an important addition. The frame is sufficiently enlarged, but the detail in things like brickwork and a lot of the color are entirely smoothed out.
As expected, the lack of a specialized macro lens doesn’t feel like much of a loss. Although you get the same lack of color and softening of contrast that you see in the ultrawide shots, the resulting image isn’t any poorer than those from other macro cameras I’ve tested in this price range.
Review of the Motorola Edge 30 Neo: Findings
While the Neo excels in a few important areas, a great display and a respectable battery life aren’t nearly enough to keep Moto’s head above water in this competitive market niche.
The Neo’s lackluster performance, average camera capabilities, and restricted upgrade prospects make it tough to recommend it over competing phones in this price range.
Although having a marginally lower battery life, the Xiaomi Poco F4 is a better all-around device if you can stretch your cash a little further. Instead, save some money and choose the more affordable OnePlus Nord CE 2 5G, which is superior to the Neo in almost every way.
