New Moto G 5G Lineup Serves Up Big Batteries And Big Displays Without The Big Price
Motorola is adding two new budget-friendly Android phones to its portfolio for the U.S. market, both of which offer a few surprising perks married to a palatable asking price. The more intriguing option of the duo is the 2024 Moto G 5G, which costs merely $199, yet offers a 6.6-inch display with a peak refresh rate of 120Hz. For reference, the iPhone 15 Plus starts at $899 but stays loyal to a 60Hz panel. The display on Motorola's latest phone is still an LCD panel with a modest HD+ 1612 x 720 resolution.
The new phone relies on the power of Qualcomm's Snapdragon 4 Gen 1 SoC, paired with 4 GB of RAM and 128 GB of onboard storage. Notably, it supports storage expansion via a microSD, a trait that is increasingly rare in the smartphone world. Plus, the physical slot supports cards of up to 1TB capability, while Android 14 in a near-vanilla form handles things on the software side.
The rear imaging hardware once again impresses, thanks to a 50-megapixel main camera with RAW capture support (which is one of the more hidden camera features on many phones), assisted by a token 2-megapixel sensor for macro photography. Video calling and selfie duties have been handed over to an 8-megapixel camera sensor. Audio output is deputed to stereo speakers, and there's a 3.5mm headphone on the phone, as well. This 5G-ready budget warrior packs a large 5,000mAh battery that supports 18W fast charging — and, depending on the carrier, Motorola will generously bundle a 10W brick in the retail package.
Value-first 5G Android vehicles
A bit higher up the price hierarchy is the 2024 Moto G Power 5G, which costs $299.99 and goes on sale starting March 22 via Cricket, and later through Metro, T-Mobile, Verizon, and U.S. Cellular. This one bumps up the 6.7-inch screen's resolution to Full HD+ (2400 x 1080 pixels). The peak refresh rate is 120Hz, but the screen is still not an OLED type. Armed with a water-repellant build, just like its budget sibling, this one draws power from MediaTek's Dimensity 7020 silicon with double the RAM capacity at 8 GB and 128 GB of internal storage. These cover many of the key features you should research when buying a new Android phone.
Motorola
It inherits a handful of other goodies from its entry-level compatriot, such as a 3.5mm headphone jack, MicroSD storage slot, stereo speakers, and a charging brick in the box. At the back is an optically-stabilized 50-megapixel main camera doing its imaging job alongside an 8-megapixel ultra wide-angle snapper. The front camera relies on a 16-megapixel sensor. Offered in Midnight Blue and a lovely Pale Lilac color, the refreshed Moto G Power 5G's 5,00mAh battery allows 30W wired fast charging and also throws wireless charging (15W) capability into the mix.