The latest addition to nubia’s smartphone lineup — the Neo 3 series — has officially arrived on Philippine shelves. Newsbytes.PH recently had the opportunity to test the Neo 3 5G model, which is tailored for mobile gaming enthusiasts.
Straight out of the box, the Neo 3 5G impresses with its distinctive mecha-eye design on the back, emphasizing the device’s gaming focus. While the design certainly stands out, it may not appeal to everyone, as some users might prefer a more subtle, single-color look.
Equipped with a 6.8-inch display, the Neo 3 5G boasts a peak brightness of up to 1,000 nits, ensuring visibility even in bright outdoor conditions and reducing eye strain in dim lighting.
Photography is handled by a 50MP main camera, a 2MP depth sensor, and a 16MP front camera. However, the camera performance is dependent on good lighting for quality photos, and the zoom capabilities leave something to be desired.
Additionally, while audio recording is decent, users seeking enhanced clarity may benefit from an external microphone.
Gamers will appreciate the dual gaming triggers situated on the sides of the device, simulating the feel of a console controller for easier access.
The “AI Game Space 3.0” overlay further enriches the gaming experience by optimizing CPU usage, monitoring phone status, enabling screen recording, and refining power and memory management.
With long gaming sessions in mind, nubia has equipped the Neo 3 5G with a 6,000mAh battery that supports 33W fast charging.
The phone also features an efficient heat dissipation system, managing to keep it at around 40°C after four hours of graphics-intensive gaming.
The device’s Unisoc T8300 processor, achieved scores of 883 and 2,013 on Geekbench 6 for single and multiple-core CPU benchmarks respectively, trailing behind the Qualcomm Snapdragon 860 processor. The integrated Mali-G57 GPU scored 1,552, placing it just below the Snapdragon 778G.
When testing popular graphics-intensive titles such as Genshin Impact, the game recommends low graphic settings upon installation. Nevertheless, the device managed to run the game smoothly even when overclocked to higher settings, but with a drop in frames per second (FPS).
Other graphic-demanding games like Diablo Immortal and Real Racing 3 also performed admirably, showcasing fluid movement and responsive gameplay, though the phone’s display resolution necessitated lower graphic quality, resulting in some pixelation.
The Neo 3 5G specifications, available colors, and pricing details are as follows:
- Display: 6.8″ 120Hz Display
- Resolution: 1080 x 2392 pixels
- Processor: UNISOC T8300 Octa-Core, 6nm, 8GB
- OS: MyOS 15
- Camera: 50MP main camera, 2MP depth camera, and 16MP selfie camera
- IP Rating: IP54 dust and water resistance
- Miscellaneous Features: Mecha-designed back panel, RGB lighting, dual gaming shoulder triggers, DTS:X Ultra stereo speakers
- Connectivity: 5G
- Available Colors: Cyber Silver, Shadow Black, Titanium Gold
- RAM: 8GB, expandable to 20GB
- Storage Capacity: 256GB
- Price: P9,999
Overall, the Neo 3 5G lives up to its promise as an affordable gaming phone, retailing at just P9,999. It caters well to younger audiences seeking extended gaming capabilities alongside basic smartphone functions.
However, photography and media content creation are not its strong points, and users should mindful with the phone, due to its IP54 dust and water resistance rating.
The nubia Neo 3 5G is available for purchase through affiliated stores and online platforms, including Lazada, Shopee, and TikTok Shop, with a retail price of P9,999.
