Motorola’s new $200 Android phone looks like a great deal

By Bryan M. Wolfe Published June 25, 2024

Another day, another $200 smartphone is making its debut in China. Yesterday, we told you about the Honor Play 60 Plus. Today, say hello to the Moto S50 Neo. The new offering features a 6.7-inch pOLED display (FHD+ and 120Hz) with a Snapdragon 6s Gen 3 chipset inside. According to GSMArena, the phone also includes a 5,000mAh battery with 30W charging. The phone runs on Android 14.

The Moto S50 Neo is a beautifully designed smartphone that ships in Gray, Olivine, and Surf. The Olivine and Surf models feature a textile-like nanotexture back that is considered “skin-friendly” and wear-resistant, adding “a touch of style.” Pantone developed those two unique colors.

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For capturing precious moments, the Moto S50 Neo boasts a 50-megapixel primary camera with a Sony IMX882 sensor, an F/1.79 aperture, and an 8MP ultrawide lens with a 118-degree field of view. It’s also equipped with a 32MP front camera for selfies. Not bad at all.

The Qualcomm Snapdragon 6s Gen 3, a midrange mobile processor released in 2023, is available with either 8GB or 12GB of RAM and 256GB or 512GB of storage. The microSD card slot allows you to increase storage.

Motorola S50 Neo.

The Moto S50 Neo is only available in China, although it will ship elsewhere later this year as the Moto G85. However, the phone isn’t likely to be released in the U.S. The entry-level option is $220, while the other is $261.

For those who can’t buy a Moto S50 Neo (most of us), several budget-friendly smartphones are available worldwide, such as the OnePlus Nord N300 5G and Samsung Galaxy A14 5G. The recently released Moto G Stylus 5G (2024) should also be considered, especially for those who want to stick with Motorola.

Former Mobile and A/V Freelancer

Bryan M. Wolfe has over a decade of experience as a technology writer. He writes about mobile.

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