ok so the DJI Neo has been out for a bit now and i keep going back and forth on it. on paper it seems like a fun little thing but every time i watch footage from it i feel like its just... fine? like nothing that makes me think wow i need that

i already have a mini 3 which does everything i need for travel and hiking stuff. the Neo seems more like a selfie drone almost? the palm landing and gesture controls are cool for like social content but i feel like the image quality takes a step back compared to even the mini 3. am i reading that right or am i missing something about what its actually for

genuinely asking because my partner is interested in getting into drones and wondering if this is a good starter or if id just be setting them up with something theyll outgrow in 3 months

you're reading it right honestly. the Neo is really a different product category than the mini 3, its not really trying to compete on image quality its going for portabilty and ease of use above everything else. no controller required thing is genuinely impressive for getting non-drone people interested but yeah the footage is noticeably softer and the wind resistance is kind of a joke in anything above light breeze

for your partner as a first drone i'd actually still say mini 3 or even a refurbished mini 2 se over the Neo, because when they want to do more they wont have to completley start over. the Neo might frustrate someone who actually wants to learn to fly rather than just point it at themselves

i got one for my sister for christmas and she loves it, but she also has zero interest in learning to actually pilot anything, she just wants clips for instagram. so i think it depends entirely on what your partner wants to do with it. if theyre curious about drone flying as a skill or hobby then yeah theyll outgrow it fast. if they just want something that follows them around on hikes and doesnt require reading a manual, its actually pretty solid for that specific thing