Motorola New Budget Device Moto G 3rd Gen
DESIGN
The design of the Moto G 2015 is almost identical to previous generations, but this year’s model does have a couple of tweaked elements. The addition of mid-plate detail delivers a more premium design, while the metallic accent around the camera (which can be customized) adds a bit of contrast. Of course, it wouldn’t be a Moto device without the all-too familiar dimple beneath the camera.
Moving around the sides, the power/standby button sits above the volume rocker on the right side of the device, while the top features a center-mounted 3.5mm headphone jack – a design element we’ve come to expect from Motorola devices. The left side of the device doesn’t sport any buttons whatsoever, and the bottom houses the Micro-USB port. Both the power and volume hardware buttons provide particularly poor tactile feedback; this is where the “budget” aspect of this device really shines through.
we have a 5.0-inch LCD display with a single loudspeaker beneath it. Last year’s model featured two front facing speakers so the switch to a single speaker is a disappointment and while it’s not amazing, it certainly gets the job done.
handset is a textured finish on the device’s back plate, which is great as it provides more grip when using the Moto G in your hand. The curved design of the rear helps ergonomically, but the rear cover causes an issue with a key feature on the handset: IPX7
IPX7 certification means it is somewhat resistant to water but the snap-on back cover design has the same issue faced by other waterproof handsets with removable covers (here’s looking at you, Samsung Galaxy S5). If you don’t secure the back cover on properly, you’ll find that water can get in underneath the device, and if it does cause water damage, you may find that this isn’t covered under your warranty.
Motorola also decided to introduce the Moto G line to the Moto Makerprogram this time around, allowing users to fully customize their handsets online. You can customize the device’s front, back, accent color, storage/RAM configuration
Overall, the design and build aren’t as premium as we’ve seen on other low-cost handsets, but after all, it’s not all about design. To make up for it, Motorola has provided a way for consumers to make their handsets truly unique, and given that these customization features come at no extra cost, it’s definitely something we’d recommend doing.
DISPLAY
5.0-inch IPS LCD display on this year’s handset that it did with last year’s, and unfortunately, it shows. While the bump up to a 5.0-inch display size will satisfy some, the decision to go with a 720p resolution is a disappointment. Obviously Motorola had to do this to keep the cost down, so just keep that in mind if you’re looking for a device with a Full HD resolution or higher.
294 pixels per inch, the relatively low pixel density is very noticeable when viewing basically any type of media, and we question whether Motorola would have been better served offering a Full HD panel (while keeping the price tag affordable). The display also sports Gorilla Glass 3.
HARDWARE
What the new Moto G lacks in the display, it more than makes up for in its hardware and optimization. Under the hood, the biggest changes include a newer, better chipset and additional RAM.
That’s right – Motorola has followed in the footsteps of other companies and offers different specs for different versions of the handset. The lower 8GB version comes with just 1GB RAM but the more premium edition offers double the storage and RAM at a slightly higher cost. Given you get around 11GB storage available on the 16GB version out of the box, we definitely recommend the extra storage and if you need, you can expand the storage on both versions using a microSD card.
Motorola has included a removable back cover, the 2470mAh battery is non-removable. In case you’re worried about running out of juice, you’ll be happy to know that the Moto G 2015 delivers impressive battery life. The battery is a 400mAh upgrade over last year’s model and this definitely shows, with battery life around 16 to 18 hours with 5 hours of screen on time and two to three days of standby time. If you do run out of charge, however, the lack of quick charging means it takes over two hours to charge from full, so you’ll want to plan your charging accordingly.
PERFORMANCE
Moto G’s software is essentially a few additions away from a pure Android experience, and this shows when it comes to performance. From general multitasking to heavy gaming, this handset is more than capable of handling whatever you ask of it, despite the mid-range processor. Unlike other Android Lollipop-powered devices, we’ve not experienced any RAM management issues with the handset, and during the past week, we’ve noticed that even adding several apps and filling the storage doesn’t impact the responsiveness very much at all.
performance on the Moto G is certainly impressive, especially when considering the mid to low-end specs. For those lamenting over the lack of a cheap Nexus, the Moto G definitely delivers in this part.
CAMERA
Despite the entry-level price tag, Motorola has included a large camera on the back of the device, and it’s the same Sony IMX214 sensor found in Google’s flagship Nexus 6. That gives you 13MP resolution, f/2.0 aperture and a dual-tone LED flash while an IR filter helps to reduce glare. There’s no optical image stabilization, however, meaning photos and videos can come out shaky if you don’t hold perfectly still.
In particular, HDR mode makes a big difference to images and while some other phones do very little in HDR mode, the Moto G does a really good job in lighting up shadows. The addition of a manual exposure slider is also really useful when capturing scenes with hot zones and lets you view the changes in the viewfinder as you change the setting. Daylight performance is definitely impressive, but sadly, as the sun drops so does the camera performance. Daylight images have very little noise but a lack of light results in focal problems and digital noise. And this camera captures SO. MUCH. NOISE.
SOFTWARE
Unsurprisingly, the new Moto G features a near-pure Android experience, meaning you’ll have access to the Google Now launcher, with just a couple Motorola-specific apps thrown into the mix. The first of those, by the way, is Moto Display, which shows you waiting notifications or the time automatically when you pick the handset up or pull it out of your pocket. Moto Display is very useful when you consider how many people don’t carry a watch and check the time on their phone and it definitely helps improve the battery if you are one of them.
Motorola’s suite of apps also includes Moto Assist, which lets you set custom behaviors for specific locations. As an example, if the phone detects you’re at the movies, it can automatically silence the ringer. Or if it detects you’re driving, it can automatically speak your messages to you and let you reply using your voice.
The Moto G’s software experience, overall, is great. It’s responsive, easy to pick up for the first time, and allows the phone to runs as fast as ever. While none of the Moto-specific features are actually new this year, we’re very happy with the additions Motorola brought to the G line.
Specifications
| Display | 5.0-inch IPS LCD display 720 x 1280 resolution Gorilla Glass 3 |
| Processor | 1.4GHz quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 410 |
| GPU | Adreno 306 |
| Storage | 8/16GB expandable up to 32GB |
| RAM | 1/2GB |
| Connectivity | Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n Bluetooth 4.0 GPS GSM/CDMA/HSPA/LTE |
| Software | Android 5.1.1 Lollipop |
| Camera | 13MP rear-facing camera 5MP front-facing camera |
| Battery | non-removable 2470mAh |
| Colors | Black, White customizable via Moto Maker |
| Dimensions | 142.1 x 72.4 x 11.6mm, 155g |
| IPX7 certification | Yes |
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