One step away from being a BEST BUY – Motorola Moto Edge 30 Neo
A compact smartphone, with excellent performance in every area of use and a beauty in terms of design thanks to the colors in collaboration with Pantone. Many advantages and few defects for the Motorola Edge 30 Neo which, combined with the price at which you can find it, make it a BET BUY (I rarely use this name for the smartphones I test). Let's find out together in this complete review.
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On offer on Amazon
unboxing
First of all, I appreciate the fact that the brand uses recycled cardboard for its packaging, free from any form of plastic, in fact even the "film" that wraps the smartphone is made of paper. Furthermore, the contents of the package allow us to use the device immediately without spending additional euros, as in addition to the smartphone and manuals, we are also provided with the pin for removing the SIM tray, a powerful 68W TurboPower battery charger, connection cable USB-C/USB-C power supply and data transfer, well-finished protective cover. There is no pre-applied screen protection film and no earphones.
CONSTRUCTION AND MATERIALS
Available in 4 different colors, one more beautiful than the other (Ice Palace, Very Peri, Black Onix and Aqua Foam), the Motorola Edge 30 Neo stands out for being thin, light and elegant with dimensions of 152,9 x 71,2 .7,75 x 155 mm and a weight of only 52 grams, as well as counting on IPXNUMX water and dust resistance certification. We do not find noble materials and therefore both the body and the profiles are made of polycarbonate, but with high resistance and workmanship in addition to the fact that the satin finish of the body does not retain dirt and fingerprints.
Very comfortable to handle, we also find a rarity these days, namely a notification LED, in the form of a light strip that runs around the rear camera block, but we can also count on the Always On Display, complete as it also offers the possibility of answering and read notifications directly from the AOD screen.
The upper profile offers the second microphone to reduce hiss during calls while the lower profile houses the main microphone. the Type-C charging input with OTG support (no video output), tray for 2 nano-format SIMs but without the possibility of memory expansion and the system speaker which, supported by the one inserted in the ear capsule, offers stereo sound. The left profile is clean while on the right we find the volume rocker and the power button.
DISPLAY
The Motorola Moto Edge 30 Neo features a 6,28" pOLED panel with FullHD+ resolution (2400x1080 pixels), 419 ppi, in a 20:9 format with a screen-to-body ratio of 95,6%. This means that we have really small frames and then the type of display, flat, makes it easier to use and touch. We can push the refresh rate up to 120 Hz, managed automatically or forcedly at 60 or 120 Hz, while the touch response speed is 240 Hz. Wide vision interrupted only by the central punch hole which houses the selfie camera, from possibly use to unlock the phone with your face, but for greater security you can count on the biometric unlock positioned below the display, which always recognizes your fingerprint with quick and precise unlocking.
We find Widevine L1 support for viewing streaming content in high definition, with excellent visibility even in direct sunlight, counting on a peak brightness of 1300 nits and a 3-bit DCI-P10 color profile. Unfortunately we do not have support for HDR content but in any case watching films, TV series, photos and much more on this display is truly satisfying, as the colors are well calibrated, but if necessary via software we can adjust contrast and color temperature, for greater customization.
CONNECTIVITY
Motorola Edge 30 Neo does not miss anything in terms of connectivity, except the possibility of expanding the integrated memory via micro SD card but also the absence of e-SIM. For the rest we can count on 5G on both SIM slots with browsing speeds above expectations. We also have excellent Bluetooth 5.1, NFC for mobile payments or for pairing NFC TAGs, complete GPS with Galileo satellite locking, Dual WiFi 2.4+5.0 GHz with hotspot function, WiFi Direct and WiFi Display.
Android Auto is fully supported, while the Bluetooth chip used offers support for the apt-X HD audio codec, ideal for listening to music with TWS earphones. Speaking of sound, the double stereo speaker supports Dolby ATMOS technology, providing perfectly balanced and nuanced audio, even in hands-free mode. There is no 3,5mm jack so if you prefer wired earphones, you will have to use a pair with a Type-C connection. Finally, applause for the work carried out by the proximity and ambient light sensors which work perfectly. In terms of calls, no problems with reception and audio quality in addition to the fact that the dialer also allows you to record calls.
AUTONOMY
Considering the small size of the Motorola Moto Edge 30 Neo, we might think that there would be some penalty in terms of battery life but instead the device also amazes in this area. We find a 4020 mAh battery capable of guaranteeing you a full day of work, always arriving in the evening with at least a good 15-20% of residual charge.
In any case, you can count on ultra-fast 68W charging which guarantees you 12% energy in just 50 minutes. You can also count on 5W wireless charging, not powerful but still ideal for charging the device on a desk while you are working. Excellent thing: the phone never heats up also because at the software level we find the optimized charging function.
HARDWARE AND PERFORMANCE
Under the hood we find the Qualcomm Snapdragon 695 5G processor which is supported by 4 GB LPDDR8X RAM and 128/256 GB UFS 2.2 integrated memory. Be careful because the 256 GB variant is difficult to find, but at the moment you can find it on Amazon at the same price as the 128 GB version.
Having said that, the hardware used is not top of the range but the performance can broadly be compared to higher-end devices. No hesitation in opening apps, no overheating even after intense sessions of use, even in the gaming sector, being able to play latest generation titles at maximum graphic details without a drop in frame rate, taking advantage of the excellent game mode present at the software level.
SOFTWARE
But the gem is all in the software. First of all, the Motorola Moto Edge 30 Neo was born with Android 12, as it is a device launched in March last year, but to date the device has Android 12 and the September 2023 patch (received around mid-September), thus maintaining faith in the promise made by the brand, namely 3 major updates and 4 years of bimonthly patches.
The interface is streamlined and typically stock, but we find some exclusive Motorola functions such as the various gestures and shortcuts with multi-finger touches, but above all we also find the Ready For software, the desktop mode by Motorola which allows us to transform everyone the effects our smartphone in a portable mini PC, or rather we can use all the phone's apps on a monitor, also being able to interact with a keyboard and mouse.
PHOTO AND VIDEO
Let me start by saying that the Motorola Edge 30 Neo is not and does not want to be a camera phone, but it still has a main camera with an optically stabilized 64 MP sensor, a rarity in this price range and f/1.8. There is also an accompanying 13 MP lens which acts as an ultrawide with a viewing angle of 120°, f/2.2 and macro function, while the selfie camera is a 32 MP unit, f/2.4.
Few optics that offer more than excellent results for the price range but without professional quality. Sometimes the sensors struggle with the highlights while at night the special mode does not offer particular miracles, but overall we cannot complain about how much this smartphone is able to capture, but if you are particularly attentive to the smallest details on the net you can find versions of Compatible GCams, allowing you to increase satisfaction in the photo field.
The videos, both for the rear and front cameras, can be shot at a maximum of 1080p 30fps, no 4K but if you are not a professional content creator, this resolution is more than valid and above all compatible with every platform. The focus is fast and precise and the colors are quite faithful to reality as well as the presence of a rather complete software, offering functions such as automatic HDR, time-lapse video, Slow Motion, double shot, sample color which allows you to select a only color to be maintained in photos and videos making everything else black and white etc..
Unfortunately, the optical stabilization is not effective and in some conditions you can see a small vibration in the shot. The shots in portrait mode, on the other hand, are excellent, rather natural and without artificial effects.
On offer on Amazon
CONCLUSIONS AND PRICE
Let's start from the price which for this Motorola Edge 30 Neo has now dropped, compared to launch, to 249 euros for the 128 GB variant, but as mentioned before the 256 GB variant is also currently at the same price, so take advantage of the occasion. A decidedly attractive price that allows you to get a compact, lightweight but above all efficient smartphone in every area of use without any particular compromises.
Unique goodies such as the possibility of using the desktop interface make this smartphone even more interesting, which boasts constant updates and support from the brand. In short, a device that I recommend to everyone and that I guarantee will not disappoint you... I am using it as my main smartphone and I am fully satisfied with it.
