Motorola Edge 50 Neo

The Motorola Edge 50 Neo is for the people who keep asking where all the small phones went. At $549, down from a $749 recommended retail price (RRP), it is one of very few genuinely compact phones left, and it pairs that rare size with a lovely screen and seriously fast charging.

It has a compact 6.36-inch Organic LED (OLED) display at 120Hz, a capable mid-range processor, 256GB of storage, an IP68 rating for dust and water, and 68-watt fast charging that refills it in a fraction of the time most rivals need. Android is near-stock and clean, and Motorola promises five years of updates.

What the RefDat test lab found

The size is the selling point and it delivers, comfortable one-handed in a market full of slabs, without feeling cramped thanks to the bright, vivid OLED screen. The 68-watt charging is the other genuine highlight: a near-flat phone is back to usable in minutes, which partly offsets the smaller battery. The near-stock Android is fast and free of clutter. The 50-megapixel camera is good in daylight and average in low light, in line with the price. The trade-off is the 4310mAh battery, which is smaller than rivals, so heavy users will reach for that fast charger by evening.

What owners actually report

Owners on Whirlpool and OzBargain love the compact size and the clean software, and the fast charging gets regular praise. The recurring watch-outs are the smaller battery, which means heavy days need a top-up, and Motorola's update and support track record in Australia, which owners trust less than Samsung's or Google's. A few note the camera trails the Pixel 8a. For a small-phone fan, most see those as fair trades.

Who should skip it? If you want the biggest battery or the best camera and update record, the Pixel 8a or a Samsung is the safer pick. If you specifically want a compact phone that charges in a flash, almost nothing else competes.

You will find it unlocked at JB Hi-Fi and Officeworks, with plans through Telstra, Optus and Vodafone. OzBargain regularly stacks carrier and sale discounts on top.

Australian Consumer Law (ACL): a phone at $549 should reasonably last 3 to 4 years, with the consumer guarantees realistically covering 2 to 3, beyond the standard 1-year warranty. If the battery degrades abnormally, the charging port fails or the screen faults without abuse in that window, you have a claim. Lodge it with your retailer or carrier.

Bottom line: a rare compact phone with a great screen and standout fast charging. Highly recommended if you want something that fits the hand. Choose a Pixel or Samsung if battery and camera matter more. RefDat score 4.3 out of 5.