Motorola Edge 50 Neo battery review: better than its sub-Rs 25,000 rivals?

Pros

  • Power efficient while gaming
  • Wireless charging support
  • Fast charging

Cons

  • Average battery optimization for video consumption
  • Falls short in synthetic benchmark (PCMark)

The Motorola Edge 50 Neo offers a respectable battery performance in the sub-Rs 25,000 segment, if not the best. With moderate usage and settings, it is capable of lasting for nearly half a day on a single charge. However, rivals like the OnePlus Nord CE4 (review) and Realme P2 Pro (review) provide more reliable performance, making them a better choice if long battery backup is a priority for you.


Motorola Edge 50 Neo battery review at a glance:

TestResult
PCMark battery testIn PCMark’s battery test, the Nord CE4 with the biggest battery proved to be the most reliable. Edge 50 Neo failed to run the test.
YouTube video testThe Nord CE4 continued to show its superiority. The Edge 50 Neo battery performance wasn’t fully optimised for YouTube playback.
GamingDespite carrying a smaller battery, the Edge 50 Neo managed the batter drop most efficiently.
ChargingThe Nord CE4 was the winner but the Edge 50 Neo wasn’t far behind.

Introduction and process

The Motorola Edge 50 Neo is the fourth smartphone in the Edge 50 series. However, unlike its siblings, it features the most compact build. Naturally, the compact build has also resulted in a smaller battery onboard.

In our battery review, we compared the performance of the Motorola Edge 50 Neo against the Nord CE4 and Realme P2 Pro. Additionally, we included the Edge 50 Fusion (review), which features a larger battery unit, in our comparison. The evaluation comprised both stress tests and real-life usage scenarios to provide a comprehensive assessment of battery performance across these devices. These include running a benchmark apps and checking battery drop in real-life cases.

PCMark

Winner: OnePlus Nord CE4

PCMark’s battery benchmark test provides a good indicator of the smartphone’s screen-on time if used continuously. We ran the test on the phones with similar audio and brightness levels. At the start of the test, we ensured all four devices had 100 percent battery. The test automatically ends when the battery hits 20 percent.

The PCMark app ran smoothly on the Edge 50 Fusion, though it only lasted nearly 10 hours. The Nord CE4 with the 5,500mAh battery stood tall over its rivals with 16 hours of backup. The Realme P2 Pro ran the PCMark battery test for 10 hours and 25 minutes before its battery dropped to 20 per cent. The Motorola Edge 50 Neo failed to run the test, despite trying twice.

Real-world context: Based on the test, Nord CE4 showed superiority over its rivals. However, these are only synthetic benchmarks conducted in a controlled environment, and real-life conditions vary significantly. As mentioned, the Edge 50 Neo failed to run the PCMark battery test, but for perspective, I got nearly six hours of screen on time with moderate usage (high refresh rate enabled).

YouTube video test

Winner: OnePlus Nord CE4

The next test involved playing a high-res YouTube video on the Motorola Edge 50 Neo, Edge 50 Fusion, Realme P2 Pro, and Nord CE4 for 30 minutes. For a fair contest, we again ensured similar audio and brightness levels on all smartphones. We also played the videos in their highest possible resolution.

After 30 minutes:

SmartphoneBattery drain percentage
Motorola Edge 50 Neo5 percent (215.5mAh)
Realme P2 Pro4 percent (208mAh)
Motorola Edge 50 Fusion4 percent (200mAh)
OnePlus Nord CE43 percent (165mAh)

The Motorola Edge 50 Neo consumed the maximum battery at 5 percent as well as the highest absolute value as each smartphone houses different-sized batteries.

The Edge 50 Neo consumed 215.5mAh battery, while its sibling, the Edge 50 Fusion, consumed 200mAh battery. The Realme P2 Pro consumed 208mAh battery after running 30 minutes of high-res YouTube video. Lastly, the Nord CE4’s absolute value stood at 165mAh battery.

Real-world context: The Motorola Edge 50 Neo not only carries the smallest battery among the lot, but also consumes most battery while streaming videos online. If you enjoy watching videos on your smartphone for a lengthy period, the Nord CE4 would be the ideal choice based on our test. During my review, the Edge 50 Neo offered the best colours on screen, but the Nord CE4’s large display may appeal to many users, myself included.

Gaming

Winner: Motorola Edge 50 Neo

In our dedicated Motorola Edge 50 Neo performance review, the Realme P2 Pro offered the best performance. To test the battery management of the four smartphones, we will continue playing three titles, including Call of Duty, Real Racing 3, and Battlegrounds Mobile India (BGMI), for 30 minutes each. We will consider the average battery drop after playing all three titles.

SmartphonesBattery drop after 30 minutes of gaming
Call of DutyReal Racing 3BGMI
Motorola Edge 50 Neo7 percent7 percent6 percent
Realme P2 Pro6 percent6 percent8 percent
Motorola Edge 50 Fusion9 percent8 percent9 percent
OnePlus Nord CE45 percent5 percent7 percent


At the end of the gaming round, the average battery drop was noticed at:

  • Motorola Edge 50 Neo – 6.6 percent
  • Realme P2 Pro – 6.6 percent
  • Motorola Edge 50 Fusion- 8 percent
  • OnePlus Nord CE4 – 5.6 percent

The Motorola Edge 50 Neo and Realme P2 Pro were tied at 6.6 percent, but their absolute values differ due to different-sized batteries. The duo consumed 284.46mAh battery and 343.2mAh battery, respectively. The average battery drop on the Edge 50 Fusion was 8.8 percent, which translates to a 400mAh battery loss. Lastly, the Nord CE4 had an absolute battery drop of 308mAh.

Real-world context: The gaming experience on the Edge 50 Neo was decent, though I prefer playing on a taller screen. Therefore, unlike YouTube video test result, the Edge 50 Neo appears to be better optimised for gaming, at least when it comes to battery management.

Charging

Winner: Tie

All four smartphones offer fast wired charging with the charger included in the box. The Edge 50 Neo is also the rarest smartphone in the segment to support wireless charging. However, due to its compact build, it house a relatively smaller battery unit. A bigger battery would also lead to added thickness and increased weight, which Motorola has clearly avoided.

In our charging test:

SmartphoneCharging time (20 to 100 percent)
Motorola Edge 50 Neo37 minutes
Realme P2 Pro36 minutes
Motorola Edge 50 Fusion36 minutes
OnePlus Nord CE435 minutes


The Edge 50 Neo only took 37 minutes to go from 20 to 100 percent with the bundled charger. The low charging time is also likely due to its small 4,310mAh battery.

The Realme P2 Pro, on the other hand, took only 36 minutes, despite carrying a much bigger 5,200mAh battery.

The OnePlus Nord CE4 took less time (35 minutes) than the Edge 50 Neo to go from 20 to 100 percent with the bundled 100W charger. Mind you, the smartphone carries a much bigger 5,500mAh battery.

Lastly, the Edge 50 Fusion, which carries the standard 5,000mAh battery, took 36 minutes to fully charge with the bundled 68W charger. As you can see, all four devices charge in roughly the same amount of time, thus ending this test in a draw.

Final verdict

Based on our synthetic benchmarks and real-life charging tests, the OnePlus Nord CE4 provides the best battery backup while its charging speed is at par with the rivals. The Edge 50 Neo led in the gaming test, though the difference with the Nord CE4 wasn’t substantial. Therefore, the Nord CE4 is one of the best buys in its segment for overall battery performance.

However, if there are other areas equally important to you, such as performance and clean OS, both Motorola smartphones offer minimal third-party apps and a near-stock Android experience. Their display experience is as sharp as the Nord CE4 or Realme P2 Pro. You can check our comparisons page for a detailed camera review of the Motorola Edge 50 Neo.

Key Specs

Motorola Edge 50 Neo
MediaTek Dimensity 7300 | 8 GBProcessor
6.4 inches (16.26 cm) Display
50 MP + 13 MP + 10 MPRear camera
32 MPSelfie camera
4310 mAh Battery
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Motorola Edge 50 Neo Price
Rs. 23,947
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Key Specs

realme P2 Pro
Qualcomm Snapdragon 7s Gen 2 | 8 GBProcessor
6.7 inches (17.02 cm) Display
50 MP + 8 MPRear camera
32 MPSelfie camera
5200 mAh Battery
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realme P2 Pro Price
Rs. 20,999
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Key Specs

Motorola Edge 50 Fusion
Qualcomm Snapdragon 7s Gen 2 | 8 GBProcessor
6.67 inches (16.94 cm) Display
50 MP + 13 MPRear camera
32 MPSelfie camera
5000 mAh Battery
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Motorola Edge 50 Fusion Price
Rs. 24,900
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Key Specs

OnePlus Nord CE 4 5G
Qualcomm Snapdragon 7 Gen 3 | 8 GBProcessor
6.7 inches (17.02 cm) Display
50 MP + 8 MPRear camera
16 MPSelfie camera
5500 mAh Battery
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OnePlus Nord CE 4 5G Price
Rs. 22,999
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