With the rise of mobile gaming, it has now presented a market trend that was once dominated by old-school consoles. And with that uptick in demand comes the need for performance and tech upgrades, which usually come at a premium price. But what if I told you there was a new smartphone with premium specs catered to the mobile gamer at a budget-friendly price?
Enter the nubia Neo 5 5G, a smartphone packed with flagship-level tech for the modern gamer.
So how does the nubia Neo 5 5G fare when it comes to being a gamer’s smartphone? Let’s find out.
Design and build
When it comes to the design and build, the nubia Neo 5 5G comes in a 166.1 x 78.8 x 8.48mm dimensions, typical of next-gen smartphones. It is a bit on the heavier side, coming in at 210g, being packed with flagship gaming tech and all, but I actually didn’t notice it during my time with it.
It comes with your standard power button on the right side, along with dual shoulder trigger buttons on the edges. On the left, it has up and down volume rockers along with a dual-SIM tray. At the bottom, it has a Type-C charging port, an auxiliary headphone jack, and your standard speakers. At the back, there is a unique Light Strip gaming function/setting which syncs to whatever game or music you’re playing.
The color options that are available are Shadow Black, Cyber Silver, and Titanium Gold. The color I got in for testing is the Titanium Gold, which features a unique eagle-eye design aesthetic at the back that gives off a futuristic gamer vibe. The package comes with a plastic case cover with ribbed textures that make handling and holding a breeze. And lastly, it comes with a Type-C charger and charging cord.
Display
When talking about the display, the nubia Neo 5 5G definitely packs a punch with a 6.8-inch FHD+ LCD display, with a 1940 x 900 resolution and up to 120Hz refresh rate. It also features 1000 nits of peak brightness, which I found was more powerful than other mobile phones I’ve tested. I was able to experience in full immersion, whether I was watching my Netflix horror flicks or playing games like The Walking Dead or Final Fantasy VII.
Camera
The camera features of the nubia Neo 5 5G are also no slouches either. It comes equipped with a 50 MP AF main camera + 2MP secondary camera, along with a 16MP front fixed focus selfie camera. I was able to capture in high definition the beauty of the fauna and nature that live in my front and backyard.
Performance
When it comes to performance, this is where the nubia Neo 5 5G truly shines. It features a Unisoc T9300 oct-core processor up to 2.4GHz, MyOS 16 based on Android, and a Live Island UI. Furthermore, it has 256GB ROM + 20(8+12)GB RAM. For the dedicated gamers, it has the aforementioned Dual shoulder trigger buttons, Z-axis linear motor for immersive gaming feedback, and an AI Game Space 5.0 with AI Demi Copilot. It has a hybrid cooling system, featuring an upgraded passive cooling system, 20,000mm² total cooling area, and a VC graphene cooling technology. Overall, if you’re a gamer, there’s much to like about the nubia Neo 5 5G.
I had no qualms with the nubia Neo 5 5G whether I was playing for hours, and the AI Game Space 5.0 feature in particular was useful in conserving and enhancing the experience. This feature also enables you to prevent accidental touches so you can stay locked-in while playing. There was also another feature I found useful that detects if you’re looking at the screen so it doesn’t automatically shut off. When playing RPGs like Final Fantasy VII, where long boss battles are common as well as long FMV scenes, this was a pleasant surprise.
Another standout feature for me was the audio quality and fidelity. It has a DTS:X Ultra audio support, something I’ve experienced before with nubia smartphones. This allows you to choose the surround sound setting/mode you’re currently listening to, whether it be music, gaming, or movies. When testing it out on my favorite tunes on Spotify, I was able to hear every instrument, voice and backing track in 3D Spatial audio form.
Battery and Charging
Lastly, the battery and charging features of the nubia Neo 5 5G are also impressive. It has a 6050mAh battery with 45W fast charging, with smart power-saving technology, so you never miss a beat. I found during my time with it that even after a long session of streaming and gaming, the battery never gave out on me, and that it lasted longer than most smartphones I’ve tested. And when the battery finally became low, all it took was a quick charge for it to be back in business again.
Verdict
So coming in at an SRP of ₱11,999, the nubia Neo 5 5G is definitely worth it if you’re a dedicated gamer or gaming enthusiast. It has all the tech you would want out of a gaming smartphone without breaking the bank. The nubia Neo 5 Series is also set to debut more premium offerings like the nubia Neo 5 Pro 5G at ₱14,999, and the nubia Neo 5 GT 5G at ₱17,999.
