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Rating: 8/10
Verdict: Despite growing competition, Motorola has developed one of the best budget devices you can get.
WHEN IT COMES to low price Android devices, Motorola is seen as top dog but the competition is heating up.
Within a year, the likes of OnePlus, Xiaomi, Huawei and many others are making a serious dent in the market, forcing others to both up their game and reduce costs to stay competitive.
Last month, Motorola announced three new phones, the Moto G (3rd Gen), the Moto X, and the Moto X Play. It’s the Moto G that arrived first, but is there enough for it to stand out in a crowded field?
Look and feel
Going for a mostly plastic design and removable rubber cover as standard, the Moto G is a little bland but comfortable. The curved back, plastic rim, and 155g weight is enough to make it feel comfortable in your hand, and while plastic can make a phone feel cheap, it not as apparent here.
The screen size and quality – 5-inches and 720 x 1280 resolution respectively – is the exact same as the 2nd gen Moto G which might disappoint some.
It just means that everything on screen is blown up slightly, but most people won’t care.
While it has a removable back cover, this is only for inserting your SIM card and Micro SD card as there’s no removable battery.
There are a large range of covers, using different colours and materials, to use, allowing owners to customise it if they so wish, although there’s nothing particularly eye-catching about the standard cover, save the Motorola logo at the back.
One change from the 2nd Gen version is it’s now water-resistant, surviving up to a metre of water or being submerged for 30 seconds. That means it will survive a clumsy drop in water but you’ll still have to act fast
The Software
Considering Motorola was owned by Google until 2013, it’s no surprise that it the one manufacturer that closely followed Android true form.
With the exception of some minor additions, this is Android Lollipop as it was designed. That brings both its good and bad parts but the minor additions from Motorola smooth things over.
Those small additions include ‘Sleep Mode’ which makes up for Lollipop’s ‘Do Not Disturb’ mode while the other is motion gestures.
There are only two to activate: karate chopping twice activates the torch while twisting your wrist twice activates the camera.
The issue is it isn’t exactly consistent. There are times where you’d spend time trying to turn on the camera in vain, yet a random flick will turn the camera on. You will get it right more times (there were only two instances where the torch didn’t activate) and provided you do it quickly, it will activate.
The final Motorola-exclusive addition is the lock screen. Acting on top of the standard Lollipop lock screen, moving your phone while on standby brings up a quick glance screen.
It’s a minimalist black screen allowing you to swipe to unlock or open up specific notifications, a simple inclusion that just works.
Hardware
Using a Snapdragon 410 chipset and a Quad-core 1.4GHz CPU, the Moto G isn’t exactly a high powered device, but it packs enough speed and efficiency that makes it more than the sum of its parts. It zips through Google Now and web browsing and unless you really push it, it can feel like you’re using a mid-range device.
It manages to play most games well without much trouble. When playing Lara Croft Go, for example, we did notice a tiny bit of slowdown at times, but it would barely register with you.
The Moto G comes in two versions, the standard is an 8GB device with 1GB RAM while an upgraded version has 16GB with 2GB of RAM. The 8GB is the standard and it fills up very quickly, meaning you will have to be more considerate of the type of apps you download.
As you realistically have 4.5GB to work with, close to half of that will likely be taken up by Google and Motorola apps. Since that is the only one available here (unless you order outside of the country) there isn’t much you can do except shell out for a Micro-SD card or rely on Google Drive/Photos.
Battery life is pretty decent, the 2470 mAh battery is a 400 mAh increase compared to its predecessor. There’s nothing standout about it, it’s still enough to squeeze a day out of it, and that is all you’ll really want it to do.
Camera
As far as budget phones go, the Moto G is pretty good, if a little basic. It foregoes convention to bring its own twists to the camera, and some work better than others.
The interface is simple to understand. Two buttons to change camera or video, swipe left to right to bring up quick options, tapping the screen takes a photo and holding down takes burst shots.
Habit alone will see you taking photos accidentally instead of focusing the camera – you have to hold down on the crosshair to do that – but it ties into the theme of simplicity and doesn’t take long to get used to.
The only two areas that aren’t exactly up to par is the flash, an issue with nearly all smartphones, and the brightness adjuster. The latter is done on screen, but the resulting photo usually ends up looking washed out or too dark.
The 13MP camera is the exact same as the Nexus 6 and to be honest, there is very little difference between the two. It’s great for the price you pay for it and the front-facing 5MP camera offers similar quality.
Should you buy it?
This is not a phone that will wow you with clever ideas or great hardware. In fact, the improvements made here compared to previous versions are quite modest so you can’t expect a major jump in quality.
Yet despite that and the growing competition in the market, it’s still one of the best budget smartphones on the market at a very competitive price, one that is better than it has any right to be.
The competition is only going to heat up further and there will be a day that another company will steal the crown from Motorola. But for now, it’s still very much ‘Hello Moto’ when looking for a great budget phone.
Pros
- Great hardware and software for the price.
- Moto-specific additions help make it easy to use.
- Camera quality is high.
- General use is quick and efficient.
Cons
- Display isn’t the best.
- Camera interface can be a little basic.
- 8GB will fill up really quickly.
The Moto G (3rd Gen) costs €179 on PAYG (free on Bill Pay) and is available in Three, Meteor and Tesco Mobile.
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I spent more time playing with the big yellow teapot than my sister did
On christmas day years ago..Santa got me a Scalextrix track – It was set up under the tree the night before all working perfectly. my brother woke up before me and started playing with my present. by the time i woke up he had broke it the bollox!
If you got your OWN new underpants and socks you were made up! Till they went into the communal sock/underpants box in the hot press. Then it was over
Evel Knievel stunt cycle
Try saying that after a few pints.
My God Evel Knievel was the ultimate, got it one Christmas from Santa… Blew. My. Mind!
Action man and his various outfits is another glaring omission, and what about the compendium set with Ludo, Snakes and Ladders etc etc?
My brother got the Evel Knievel one Xmas with the wind up mechanism. He’d only ever go a foot or so and fall over, but hours of fun were had.
Yeah but William, no one ever asked Santa for a games compendium, they just kept appearing year after year.
Yeah true enough Dermot it wasn’t exactly top of the list but I loved it. my grandmother never let me down.
Crossbows and catapults. Even playing against yourself could be immense craic.
Still waiting on my Raliegh Vektor!!
It was the business back in the day. I had a Raleigh Marauder and loved it but a bike with a computer was mind blowing.
Raleigh activator!!!!!! Still waiting for that to!
What was the one with Stuart Pearce in the ad? *Googles*
Raleigh Dirtcross!!
Jaysus imagine the poor Raleigh marketing team in 1997.. “Can we get McManaman, no? Redknapp? The Beckham lad? Giggs? Who then? Ahhh lads, Stuart Pearce! FFS…”
Crushing ice with Mr Frosty was not as easy to crush as it looked on the add. After making one you would need it to cool down from making it. A vicious circle.
Wouldn’t know Patrick – still waiting on mine and Im not bitter, no, not at all, not one little bit
Maybe just a little bit bitter ?
Oh God Patrick I remember Mr frosty well, the damn thing buckled as I was helping my youngest grind the ice, tears from me and screaming from him. Cursed Santa from a height that year.
Worst most wanted present ever. Remember my husband going by motorbike out to Ennis from Limerick to get one for our eldest on Christmas Eve. Piece of shit never worked!
You can buy an actual manual stainless steel ice shaver for around the same price as Mr Frosty…
Asked for rock star Barbie 2 years in a row but didnt get her. My cousin let me have the silver fishnets off hers but it wasn’t the same.
Tramp in the making?
Goth actually. But if u want to air your sexual insecurity here, by all means knock yourself out
Snooze, boring answer! Rtripe
I would still be happy if I got Sylvanian Families for Christmas.
Me too Bevin I’d love the whole collection .
Ill never forget getting the C64 for xmas. 4 hours later of loading a tape and i was finally playing Rambo
And what a heap of shite mr frosty was!!
By the power of Grayskull! How could you forget Castle Grayskull, He-man, Skeletor and Battlecat!
I still have he-man and she-ra on video. Loved it when I was a kid
Game of Life was great. The 6′ x 4′ snooker table. It really bewildered me thinking how the hell did Santa get that into the sitting room.
Fisher price record player…, tried to get one for my kid being that i still remember it.
I forgot about the big red fun bus! Now I want it all over again!
Sylvanian Families are still going strong. The granddaughter is getting one for Christmas
Always wanted a teddy ruxpin for Christmas it never came I remember I asked several times. I got one from Santa two years ago probably 20 years after the original request.
Got one for my daughter and now my granddaughter plays (listens) to him. Lovely voice.
Early versions of teddy ruxpin could play other tapes – I remember working in a toy department in Melbourne playing Rodney Rude comedy tapes on it. Ha ha ha fckuk ya he said …
Etch-A-Sketch
I can’t believe I’ve bought 18 of the 20 over the years for my kids. I always refused the chemistry set in case the little feckers blew up the house
Not one mention for a Nintendo gameboy or sega megadrive
Or the SNES
M.A.S.K.
Always wanted a Mr.Frosty! Never got one over “the mess” it would make *sniffle*
Best present ever was a vase mould yoke. It had the plaster cast stuff to set around the plastic shape you wanted to make. Made the various vases and then you got to paint them. Now all I can find the kids is the vase etc already made and they get to paint them.
You can get those moulds on aliexpress dot com. You gan get the plaster in a good stationers or craft shop.
Thundercats battlecat… It never arrived :(
Battlecat was from he-man.
Chemistry set was my ultimate present, i was great at making stink bombs with iron filings always getting in trouble for leaving everywhere in a mess, ruined the sideboard with some of the chemicals spilling
The oulde microscope as well… But where is the Lego?
A petite 990 typewriter or tiny tears doll
Used to ask for Jamie Redknapp for christmas because he was such a cuddly soft teddy bear on the pitch
Memory had completely disregarded the big red fun bus and the yellow teapot. Awesome ha
Crossfire.
Commodore 64 , great machine
I got none of these although my brother got a few of them. Santa obviously loved him more than me!!
I always wanted EVEL KNIEVEL TOYS Evel Knievel stuff. The ads they had for them was awesome. Sadly they didn’t live up to expectations. http://www.retrotvads.com/2009/08/evel-knievel-toys-3/
^^^^^Lots of spoiled brats on this board.
We were so poor all we’d get is a Christmas cracker between the 4 of us kids. 2 on each side of it like tug-of-war. Whoever won got to keep the plastic toy inside and share it with the other winner on alternate days.
@codology: Life must have been tough for you in St. Pat’s!
It was a better upbringing than you would have got from the Taliban you love so much.
Calm down there grandad no need to be so bitter towards the young ‘uns
Poor chap wasn’t even given a real name!
Zoids or Starcom
…and a surprise!
The old chemistry set, the fun I had with adding other chemicals to the mix… Brasso, windoleen and something else… Made me wonder if it was alive…
What did you get “for for” christmas, jebus. The journal need auto correct or maybe a primary school level editor.
Auto correct is for typos, you noob.
Way to spell Peregrine dude! :D
Castle Greyskull it’s got to be!
Loads more toy ads can be found here: http://www.retrotvads.com/category/toys/
Screwball scramble brings back so many good memories! I never had one though. Wonder if you can still buy it ?! Lol
Diego Maradona’s Puma Kings…. Class
Oh and how could they forget the finders keeper snail, savage gift
Still have my big yellow tea pot and my nieces and nephews play with it. Most durable Xmas toy EVER. Well done 80s Santa
Wheres manta force?
I got the microscope & chemistry set as well as a telescope and a bike, BEST year ever
For me, it had to be the toy Cable Car which my parents got me from Switzerland. A close second was the Thunder and Shogun Megazords which I got in the Christmases of 95 and 96 respectively. Back then, I was a major Power Rangers fan. Oh, I’m surprised that there was no mention of The Game of Life, View Master or Guess Who.
Christmas… “Christ’s Mass”… don’t forget and say your “Hail Mary’s” and “Our Father’s”
^^^ @Codology
where is the lego
Got a A-Team van one year,loved it to bits then one day the oul fella crashed his van so i bet my van with a poker until it kinda looked likw the oul fellas van,the mother went mental!!! Another year all i wanted was He-Man stuff but i didn’t get it so i decided to go out and pretend i was He-Man by sitting on the dogs back,he flipped out and attacked me so i spent x-mas day in A&E and the dog was sent away to a “farm” down the country.
“Tin Can Alley” by Ideal.
It cost a fortune, I begged my Granny for it, and she deliered the goods (via Santa).
Only thing was it was Complete Shite. I thought it fired real bullets, it didn’t. It fired a harmless beam of light.
I should have listened to Chuck Norris on the TV ad and saved poor Granny Mc 70 Punts..
Happy Crimbo..
I bought my husband subbuito for his 50th birthday he was delighted as it brought it back to his child hood
Buckaroo the sport of Kings .
No Power Rangers !
Where is MASK Boulder Hill??? And of course Heman Castle Grey Skull. But MASK!
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