- Chelsea Tang
An OP Budget Phone for Gamers Under S$300 - ZTE Nubia Neo 5G Review
Updated: Oct 5, 2023
A 'gaming phone' that costs only S$299. Let's start with some of the most impressive things about the ZTE Nubia Neo 5G smartphone. The Nubia Neo 5G offers a mid-range performance at an affordable price point. Powered by a a fairly uncommon processor brand, this device is capable of running some of the most demanding games smoothly. It also features a 120Hz refresh rate display for an ultra-smooth viewing experience.
Design
In terms of design, the Nubia Neo sports a unique transforming robot-inspired look. The body is made from durable plastic materials and is available in either Phantom Black or War-Damaged Yellow color variants. It sports a 6.6 inch screen with slim bezels and a waterdrop notch.
Specifications
The Nubia Neo is equipped with the Unisoc T820 octa-core CPU clocked at 2.7GHz along with the Mali-G57 GPU. It comes with 8GB of RAM which can be expanded up to 18GB using virtual RAM technology. Internal storage is generous at 256GB. The power button is located on the phone's side and also serves as the fingerprint reader sensor.
It comes with an USB-C charging port, 3.5mm audio jack and a dual SIM card slots.
In terms of connectivity, the Nubia Neo supports 5G networks. It also has Wi-Fi 802.11 (WiFi 5), Bluetooth 5.2 and other common wireless modules. The phone measures 163.7 x 75 x 8mm and weighs 192g.
For the display, the Nubia Neo 5G sports a 6.6 inch Full HD+ IPS LCD with a resolution of 2408 x 1080, and supports a high 120Hz refresh rate.
Performance + 'Game Space'
The 'Game Space' feature lets you customise the game's user interface. For example, you can choose from a variety of crosshair patterns and also magnification of the targets. You can also toggle between different gaming modes like "eco," "balance," and "rise."
Now let's talk about how well games like Asphalt, Call of Duty Mobile, and Genshin Impact performed on the Nubia Neo 5G. Most of the games perform considerably fluid thanks to the screen's 120hz refresh rate, and we didn't experience overheating during extended gaming sessions. Call of Duty ran flawlessly on the highest settings, and Asphalt runs decently well, but Genshin Impact was a bit laggy.
Benchmarks
Geekbench6
Single-core score | 883 |
|---|---|
Multi-core score | 2419 |
3DMark
Wild life | 1998 |
Wile life extreme | 562 |
Audio
A single mono speaker is used to handle the audio. The speakers are positioned at the left-bottom corner of the device, and during intense gaming, my fingers would occasionally accidentally press on them and muffled the audio. Changing my fingers placement helps but it becomes uncomfortable after awhile.
Camera
The Nubia Neo packs a quad camera setup with a 50MP main camera, 2MP depth sensor and an 8MP front facing camera. Video recording is limited to 1080p 30fps. A decent camera for this price point.
Shot on ZTE Nubia Neo 5G:
Battery life
Battery capacity is 4500mAh with support for 22.5W fast charging. This provides sufficient power for a full day usage.
Conclusion
The Nubia Neo 5G is definitely worth its price. If you’re looking for a mobile gaming buddy without breaking the bank, this could be the most suitable option for you.
