Moto G 5G (2024) Review

Moto G 5G (2024) Intro

Moto G 5G is here again this year and it looks better than ever. It’s only available in one color (sage green), but with a beautiful vegan leather back, it’s clear that Motorola is back this year and ready to take on the big players in the budget smartphone category.

Starting March 21, Moto G 5G (2024) is available via T-Mobile and Metro. T-mobile, AT&T, Verizon, Visible, and soon after, Boost Mobile, Cricket Wireless, and many other MVNOs. Also starting May 2nd, he will be available for purchase unlocked on Amazon, Best Buy, and Motorola’s websites for an MSRP of $200.

In addition to the Moto G 5G (2024), Motorola will also launch a more sophisticated and powerful “Power” Moto G edition. Read our review of Moto G Power 5G (2024) here.

table of contents:

Moto G 5G (2024) specs

See budget specifications at a glance

Below is a summary of the Moto G 5G (2024) specifications.

specification	Moto G 5G (2024)
size and weight	164.39×74.96×8.23mm 194 grams
screen	6.6 inch LCD display 120Hz HD+ (1612 x 720) resolution Maximum brightness 430 nits
processor	Snapdragon 4 1st generation
software	android 14
camera	50MP main, f/1.8 aperture 2MP macro, f/2.4 aperture 8MP front
battery size	5,000mAh
charging speed	18W wired charging
price	4/128GB $199

Moto G 5G (2024) design and display

Beautiful designs at reasonable prices

Motorola has made dramatic improvements to its Moto G Power 5G lineup every year, and once again they delivered something better than the year before. This phone has come down in price compared to last year and has improved significantly in terms of specs. Considering the device’s launch price of $199, it’s a steal in terms of value for money.

Granted, it uses an older mid-range processor, which is to be expected for a phone in this tier. However, when we tested the device, we found it to provide an enjoyable and reliable smartphone experience.

The Moto G 5G’s design is modern and sleek, making it ideal for those looking for an affordable smartphone with a premium look and feel. It’s rare to find a budget cell phone with such attention to detail. The fingerprint-repellent vegan leather back, for example, hasn’t been something we’ve seen on Motorola’s budget handsets in the past, but this year they’re really going strong in terms of design and materials. Also, although it’s not waterproof, Motorola claims the phone is designed to be water-repellent. It is not IP rated, so it cannot be submerged in water, but it is reasonably protected against light exposure to water, such as accidental spills, splashes, sweat, and light rain.

Inside the box is a USB Type C charging cable and a SIM removal tool. that’s all. Like most phones these days, it doesn’t include a charging brick, which I’m still trying to get used to.

LCD displays with a maximum brightness of 430 nits are a challenge in outdoor conditions where direct sunlight can wash out the screen. Indoors, the HD+ (1612 x 720) display works fine. The colors are vibrant for an LCD screen, but devices like the Samsung Galaxy A15 5G offer even more impressive OLED screens for the same price. The 720p resolution is another drawback as you can see that the text is a bit jagged. On the plus side, it has a 120Hz refresh rate, which makes swiping feel very smooth.

Similar to the Moto G Power, the bezels on this device are what you would expect from a phone in this category, with smaller bezels on the top and sides, but larger bezels on the bottom. The buttons on the device are also very standard. Separate up and down volume buttons are on the right side of the device, above the power button that also doubles as a fingerprint reader, while the combined SIM and microSD card slot is on the left. The device also includes face unlock as an alternative biometric security method.

Moto G 5G (2024) Camera

its biggest weakness

The Moto G 5G (2024) has the same 50MP main camera as the G Power, and like the G Power, there is still room for improvement in photo quality. Lacking optical image stabilization (OIS) and without an ultra-wide-angle lens, the Moto G 5G’s camera performance is decent.

Bright environments will improve the quality of your photos, while dark environments will reduce the quality of your photos. Using the main camera to zoom in on your subject is also not recommended as it will significantly reduce quality. Motorola says this device uses Quad Pixel technology, which takes photos taken with its 50MP sensor and combines four pixels into one to create a 12.5MP photo. Masu. However, even with this trick, the image still lacks sharpness and detail. I had a similar experience with his 8MP selfie camera, which produced grainy and low-quality photos.

video quality

Both rear cameras capture video at 30fps, but only the main camera can capture in 1080p quality. There’s no 4K support, but that’s not surprising at this price. Video quality is what you would expect considering the photo quality issues mentioned above. It works well in bright environments, but breaks down in low light or when zooming.

Overall, considering the price, it’s a good option for casual photos and videos as long as you don’t overdo it.

Moto G 5G (2024) performance and benchmarks

amazing performance

This smartphone comes in only one configuration, 4 GB of RAM, which is the one weak point of this device. Motorola claims this can be expanded to 8GB of “virtual RAM” by borrowing from storage, but I’m not sure if this compares to more native RAM.

The performance was very stable while running some tasks, which was shocking to see. Honestly, this little device packs a lot of power for its size and price. I bought it thinking it would perform just as well as other budget smartphones based on the specs on paper, but I was pleasantly surprised. This is despite the budget-friendly Snapdragon 4 Gen 1 chip.

Performance benchmark:

As you can see in the benchmarks above, the Moto G 5G doesn’t have the best benchmarks, but it still performed very well in real-world usage. The phone’s smooth performance and reliable connectivity make it perfect for everyday use.

The device also includes a microSD card slot that allows you to expand the 128GB internal storage up to 1TB. This can be an attractive option for those looking to save on cloud storage, and an advantage if your device needs to utilize internal storage to boost RAM.

Moto G 5G (2024) Software

Where this phone really shines is in the software experience. Running Motorola’s skin, My UX, on Android was a very similar experience to running the native Pixel launcher. The Moto G 5G ships with Android 14 out of the box and will immediately prompt you for a software update. At the time of writing this review, the review department has been updated up to his February 2024 Android security patch.

However, Motorola adds more to the standard Android experience with its own gestures and Moto actions. These give you quick and easy access to commonly used features, including my favorites, the “three-finger screenshot” and the “chop-chop” motion to turn on the flashlight. This level of customization is a key selling point for many Moto users.

Additionally, Motorola confirmed that the Moto G Power will receive one operating system upgrade and three years of bi-monthly security updates. This means that this device will actually receive Android 15.

Moto G 5G (2024) battery

Battery that lasts all day with average usage

The Moto G 5G’s 5000mAh battery is expected to provide up to a day’s worth of power on a single charge. When I tested this, I was pleasantly surprised at how long the battery lasted despite heavy use. The only disappointment here is the charging speed, which is limited to 18W with a suitable charger, and there’s no wireless charging capability either. When we tested this device, we found that the battery performance was very good. Depending on usage, I was able to get between 8 and 24 hours of battery life on a single charge. Of course, streaming YouTube videos or playing the occasional game will use more power, but doing simple tasks like checking email or social media will only use a fraction of the battery.

Moto G 5G (2024) audio quality and haptics

The Moto G 5G is a powerful entertainment device with dual bottom-edge speakers, 3.5mm headphone connectivity, and Dolby Atmos support. The speakers are impressively loud, but as you would expect from a smartphone speaker, there’s not a lot of bass. Still, audio quality is good enough for casual listening.

The haptic feedback of the device is average. While certainly timely and responsive, it lacks the depth and intensity you’d expect from more expensive devices.

Moto G 5G (2024) overview and final verdict

The Moto G 5G is an affordable device for those looking for a reliable device without breaking the bank. With an MSRP of his $199 USD, it’s hard to argue with its value proposition. However, if you’re not interested in Motorola, there are other options in the same price range that may interest you, such as the Samsung Galaxy 15 5G and the Google Pixel 6a.

My experience with this device when testing it for this review was very positive. In fact, I was surprised at how much more fun I had using this device than any flagship I’ve ever used. It might have something to do with the luxurious feel it feels in the hand or the ease of handling due to its small size (disclaimer: my hands are small). Either way, I found myself reaching for this device more often than my usual device.

We highly recommend the Moto G 5G to anyone looking for a reliable, budget-friendly smartphone option with great performance. Excellent battery life and his 5G capabilities make it a solid choice for anyone who needs a reliable device for everyday use.

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