Moto G 5G Review: Does Cheaper Price Tag Save The Day?

Moto G 5G: Design And Display

The Moto G 5G is a decent looking device. The back panel comes with a smooth shimmering surface with a plastic/ carbon fiber build. The rear panel makes room for three cameras and an LED flash (placed inside a square-shaped module) and a circular fingerprint scanner with the signature 'M' logo inscribed. The panel isn't smudge/fingerprint-proof and is a bit slippery. The retail box ships with a soft transparent TPU case which will protect the device from both smudges and accidental drops.

Unlike the Moto G9 Power which is bulky to hold, the Moto G 5G offers a slim profile and is comfortable to hold. The device does feel sturdy to hold which is another positive aspect of the design. The fingerprint scanner has an ideal positioning and it is accurate in unlocking.

The display on the handset measures 6.67-inch. It is an LCD panel that comes with HDR 10 and WideVine L1 certification, allowing users stream 1080p videos on OTT platforms. While an AMOLED panel would have solidified the deal here, the IPS LCD panel isn't a bummer anyhow. The display has a balanced color output and good viewing angles. You will enjoy binging on shows and movies on the Moto G 5G.

Sadly, the panel comes with a standard 60HZ refresh rate. Other mid-range smartphones retail below the Rs. 20,000 price mark and have a 90/120Hz refresh rate. The Poco X3 is one such example. The device features a punch-hole design and the in-display camera cutout is positioned at the center-top. The bezels are narrow; except for the chin and top.

Moto G 5G: Hardware And Battery Performance

The Moto G 5G makes use of the Qualcomm Snapdragon 750G processor. This is a mid-range octa-core processor gaming that is based on an 8nm process and backed with 5G network support. The chipset has support for 11 Global 5G Network Bands and is compatible with most Sub 6 bands available globally. The 4X4 MIMO & Carrier Aggregation support allows for faster speeds.

The processor is paired up with Adreno 619 GPU, 6GB RAM, and 128GB storage. The processor is powerful to handle gaming. There weren't any lags as such in the gaming with the highest graphics on. Multitasking is also a smooth experience. There were no lags and stutters with multiple apps running in the background. The battery powering the smartphone is a 5,000 mAh unit. This big setup is complemented by 20W TurboPower 20W fast charging support.

The unit has enough fuel to last an entire day on a single charge. This is with the device being used moderately throughout the day which includes occasional media playback and gaming. The handset gets recharged within an hour.

Moto G 5G: Camera Performance

The Moto G 5G uses a triple-rear camera setup for imaging. The primary sensor is a 48MP lens which has an f/1.7 aperture. The main lens is accompanied by an 8MP sensor which has an f/2.2 aperture and 118-degree ultra-wide-angle sensor and a 2MP AF-enabled macro sensor. The camera clicks 12MP pixel-binned shots by default. The output is decent with good lighting.

However, the colors aren't that lively with indoor shoots. The noise levels are low and the colors don't seem oversaturated outdoors. The edge-detection is also on point. The device is capable of recording 4K UHD videos @30fps and FHD videos @60/30 fps. It does a decent job in recording scenarios and the stabilization is also good.

Average Low Light Output

The camera is equipped with a dedicated Night mode. But the low-light performance seems better sans this mode. The images appear less grainy when clicked with default shooting mode in the night. The portrait effect is also decent. The background blur doesn't appear artificial. The wide-angle shots aren't super great and the output could have been better.

The rear camera performance is average overall. The smartphone features a 16MP camera with an f/2.2 aperture for selfies and video calling. The output is good here for social media uploads. The self-portraits are also good and you will find a balanced output in all shots.

Moto G 5G: Software And UI

The Moto G 5G ships with Android 10 OS out-of-the-box. As highlighted, the device comes with a stock Android UI. Thanks to this, you get a bloatware-free UI. There aren't any third party-apps pre-installed which makes the UI cluttered. But considering this device arrived in late 2020, the company could have pre-loaded the latest Android 11 OS.

This is one missing feature on the Moto G 5G. Nevertheless, you get all the useful Android 10 goodies which along with a smoother interface make it fun to use. The device has Digital Wellbeing and gesture-based navigations. I have been using the latter and would like to add that the functionality is swift. The gesture-based navigations are turned on by default. While you can go back to the older layout, getting a hang of the gestures wouldn't take long.

Moto G 5G: Verdict

The Moto G 5G undeniably takes the crown for the cheapest 5G smartphone available in the Indian market. The company has tried to live up to the expectation of the masses looking for a mid-range device which goes easy on the pockets. The smartphone performs well in every aspect which is why the company has raised the bar in the mid-range 5G smartphone segment.

One of its major rivals is the OnePlus Nord.
The only drawback which the Moto G 5G has over the OnePlus Nord is the camera performance. The latter gives a better imaging experience. Overall, the Moto G 5G is a good pick if you are considering a mid-range handset. The 5G network support at an asking price of Rs. 21,999 is a bonus here.