DJI has had a fantastic year so far, and we haven't reached the end yet. It started with the DJI Flip launching in January, and it is (almost) ending with the DJI Neo 2, which landed on shelves in November. The Neo 2 succeeds the Neo, and it has dethroned its predecessor as the best drone for people on a budget — easily, too.
The first drone I ever reviewed here at Tom's Guide was the Neo, so it holds a special place in my heart... which it now has to share with the Neo 2, simply because the second-gen drone is incredible. I've spent the last couple of weeks putting the Neo 2 through a battery of tests, and comparing it to its predecessor — and there's a clear winner.
DJI Neo 2 vs DJI Neo: Specs compared
Specs | DJI Neo 2 | DJI Neo |
|---|---|---|
Price | ||
Flight time | 19 minutes | 18 minutes |
FAA/CAA registration | Not required | Not required |
Cameras | One | One |
Image sensor | 12MP 1/2-inch CMOS | 12MP 1/2-inch CMOS |
ISO range | 100-12,800 | 100-6400 |
Shutter speed | 1/8000-1/10s (Stills) | 1/8,000s-1/30s (Video) | 1/8000-1/10s (Stills) | 1/8000-1/30s (Video) |
Aperture | f/2.2 | f/2.8 |
Focus | 0.7m to ∞ | 0.6m to ∞ |
Max video resolution | 4K/60fps, 4K/100fps, 2.7K/60fps, FHD/100fps | 4K/30fps |
Stabilization | Two-axis mechanical gimbal | One-axis mechanical gimbal |
Indoor use | Yes | Yes |
Propellers | Four with propeller guards | Four with propeller guards |
Max takeoff altitude | 2000m | 2000m |
Max flight distance | 4.34 miles (7km) | 4.34 miles (7km) |
Wind resistance | 10.7 m/s (23.9mph) | 8 m/s (17.9mph) |
Navigation system | GPS, Galileo, BeiDou | GLONASS, GPS, Galileo, BeiDou |
Collision avoidance | Omnidirectional with forward-facing LiDAR | No |
Smartphone control | Yes | Yes |
Internal storage | Yes, 49GB | Yes, 22GB |
microSD card slot | No | Yes, V30 or higher |
Size | 6.73 x 6.57 x 2.12 inches (with propeller guards and Digital Transceiver) | 6.73 x 5.78 x 1.61 inches (without Digital Transceiver) | 6.18 x 5.11 x 1.9 inches |
Weight | 5.64oz (160g) with Digital Transceiver | 5.32oz (151g) without Digital Transceiver | 4.76oz (135g) |
DJI Neo 2 vs DJI Neo: Price & availability
The DJI Neo came out in September 2024, and today, it retails for $199 / £169 at Amazon, and you can find it on sale quite often. A year later, the DJI Neo 2 was announced on 13 November 2025, and it is available for $319 / £209. If you choose to buy the former, it's available in a light gray matte finish while the latter is dressed in a dark gray one (similar to the DJI Mini 5 Pro and the DJI Mavic 4 Pro).
The Neo 2 is a little more expensive than its predecessor and I feel like that's a justified price increase, simply because it packs more tech and better features, such as 4K/60fps, omnidirectional obstacle avoidance, Gesture Control, bigger storage, better battery life, and more. I'll discuss all of these features in detail in this face-off.
However, for those of you based in the U.S., it is important to note that the Neo 2 isn't officially available through DJI, and you'll have to do business with third-party retailers, such as Amazon, Walmart and Adorama, instead. This isn't anything new, and it's something we've seen with the Mini 5 Pro and the Mavic 4 Pro as well, as the DJI ban in the U.S. gets closer to becoming a reality soon.
This also means that you can't buy a DJI Care Refresh support package for the Neo 2 if you're in the U.S. so if your drone gets damaged, DJI may not be able to help you. The good news, though, is the the original Neo is still officially available through DJI. That means you can get Care Refresh for it, making it the better choice if you don't necessarily want the latest hot tech (and it's still a very, very capable drone).
DJI Neo 2 vs DJI Neo: Design
As I mentioned earlier, the DJI Neo 2 comes in a dark gray shade — a design choice DJI has opted for all of its recent drone releases — while the DJI Neo comes in a light one. The Neo 2 looks more premium, in my opinion, but I wouldn't write off the Neo so quickly. Both drones are built extremely well, and even though they're lightweight, they don't sound or feel hollow.
Both the Neo 2 and the Neo are highly compact, and they're DJI's lightest drones. The Neo 2 weighs 5.32oz (151g) without the Digital Transceiver (more on this soon) or 5.64oz (160g) with the new device. The Neo, on the other hand, is a little lighter at 4.76oz. Because of the compact form factor, neither drone needs to be registered with the F.A.A. in the U.S. or the C.A.A. in the U.K., and other airspace governing bodies.
In terms of their size, the Neo 2 measures 6.73 x 5.78 x 1.61 inches (without Digital Transceiver) or 6.73 x 6.57 x 2.12 inches (with Digital Transceiver), while the Neo is smaller at 6.18 x 5.11 x 1.9 inches. Both drones are highly compact and easy to travel with.
So, what does the Digital Transceiver on the Neo 2 do? It comes pre-installed on certain versions of the drone, and it basically lets you connect the Neo 2 to different DJI accessories, such as the DJI RC controllers and the DJI Goggles N3 FPV headset. You don't necessarily need the Digital Transceiver, though, as without it, the Neo 2 can be flown via a smartphone or the buttons on its body.
You'll also notice that the Neo 2 now has a screen next to the gimbal, and this is a fantastic addition. The screen displays all the settings you’ve adjusted and the QuickShot Intelligent Flight mode, displayed in bright black and white colors. It's easy to read and I much prefer this over the Neo's voice assistant and LED lamps indicating the active settings.
DJI Neo 2 vs DJI Neo: Features
A big difference between the DJI Neo 2 and the DJI Neo lies in their ability to avoid obstacles. The first-gen Neo didn't feature any form of obstacle avoidance, but the Neo 2 does. It is now equipped with LiDAR and a downward infrared sensing system, both of which power its omnidirectional obstacle avoidance. This means that the Neo 2 can either bypass or brake in front of objects, reassuring all pilots — beginners as well as veterans.
The lack of obstacle avoidance is one of the Neo's biggest weaknesses, but the Neo 2 has rectified it, and I'd recommend the Neo 2 over the Neo any day based on this one feature alone. Safety while flying is paramount.
Another big selling point of the Neo 2 is that you can fly it entirely hands-free, thanks to Gesture Control. This has to be enabled via the DJI Fly app before you can use it. Once that's done, you can use your palm(s) to move the drone up and down, side to side, and even increase or decrease its distance to you. It works very well, as you can see in the video above.
Internal storage has also received a massive bump with the Neo 2 boasting 49GB (versus 22GB on the Neo), but the downside is that the Neo 2 doesn't have a microSD card slot for storage expansion — which the original Neo does. This can become a problem fairly quickly, especially if you're shooting in 4K all the time. While you can use the DJI Fly app to offload footage on the go, it can take time depending on the size of your files, so the Neo 2 concedes a point to the Neo here.
Additionally, wind resistance has been bumped up from 8 m/s (17.9mph) on the Neo to 10/7 m/s (23.94mph) on the Neo 2. It's important to note, though, that both drone are still susceptible to gusts of wind, due to their light weight, so be wary when you're flying. But because the Neo 2 features a two-axis mechanical gimbal (versus one-axis on the Neo) and DJI's RockSteady technology, the footage is much more stable in very windy conditions.
DJI Neo 2 vs DJI Neo: Photo & video quality
Both the DJI Neo 2 and the DJI Neo utilize a single camera to capture great 12MP photos. Their 1/2-inch CMOS sensors aren't very different from each other, but the Neo 2 has a wider f/2.2 aperture lens (versus f/2.8 on the Neo). This will result in better low-light performance as the camera can use the aperture to let more light in, allowing it to keep to lower ISO values. The Neo 2's ISO range has been bumped up to 100-12,800 too (versus 100-6,400 on the Neo).
Neither the Neo 2 nor the Neo can shoot RAW photos or videos in D-Log (which pricier DJI drones can), so these aren't exactly "serious" photography quadcopters — which is acceptable, because they're very cheap and are intended more for casual flying and selfies.
The biggest difference between the two drones' imaging capabilities lies in their frame rates. While the Neo can shoot 4K/30fps video, the Neo 2 can shoot smoother 4K/60fps. The video above was shot on the Neo 2, and you can see how lovely it looks, in terms of both color and movement.
Both the Neo and Neo 2 are great selfie drones, perfect for capturing memories, as I did when I was testing the OG Neo. My partner and I took the drone by the river and had a lot of fun with the drone's QuickShot Intelligent Flight modes (the drone records short-form videos before returning to its takeoff point).
There are several QuickShot modes on both drones, such as Circle, Rocket, Follow, Spotlight, etc., and the Neo 2 adds Cycling Follow, Skiing Follow, and SelfieShot to the array. Have a look at all the stunning (and fun!) footage I shot on both drones in my full DJI Neo 2 review and DJI Neo review.
DJI Neo 2 vs DJI Neo: Battery life
There isn't a huge difference between the DJI Neo 2's and the DJI Neo's flight times, with the former being able to fly just one minute longer between charges. The Neo 2 is rated at 19 minutes while the Neo is rated at 18 minutes... which, in my opinion, doesn't feel like a deciding factor when you're purchasing either drone.
The short battery lives come down to the Neo 2's and the Neo's light weight and compact body: there's not much else you can fit in there if you want to maintain the drones' diminutive statures. If it's any consolation, the pricier HoverAir X1 ($349) and the HoverAir X1 Pro ($499) — also selfie drones — can fly for just 11.5 minutes and 16 minutes respectively. You are, then, getting a great deal with either the Neo or the Neo 2.
DJI Neo 2 vs DJI Neo: Outlook
Overall winner: DJI Neo 2
If you want a drone that's easy to fly and can be flown hands-free, sports a premium design, omnidirectional obstacle avoidance, bigger internal storage, and records smooth, stable 4K/60fps video, it's a no-brainer that you should get the DJI Neo 2. If you're on a tighter budget, though, and you aren't that bothered about having 60fps and 22GB of internal storage, or you want a microSD card slot, the DJI Neo is a better shout.
Both the Neo 2 and the Neo are extremely capable and spectacular drones. I gave both of them 4.5-stars in my reviews. Even though the Neo 2 improves on its predecessor and is the best budget drone today, the Neo is awesome too, and I'm sure you'd be satisfied with either.
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