This $200 Motorola phone has no business being this good for the price

ZDNET’s key takeaways

• Motorola’s Moto G is available now for $199.
• The smartphone boasts a long-lasting battery, booming speakers, and a solid camera array.
• However, I wouldn’t call it a “pocket-sized theater” due to its underwhelming display.

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In a world where flagship smartphones can cost $1,000 or more, key brands have carved a niche for themselves by developing midrange alternatives. These manufacturers equip their devices with a wide assortment of features so buyers never crave a high-end model — or at least they try. 

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Motorola comes close to delivering that gold standard with its 2025 Moto G.

Made for media

One of the Moto G’s major selling points is its role as a “pocket-sized movie theater.” It has a 6.7-inch HD+ display runs at a refresh rate of 120Hz, backed up by speakers fine-tuned by Dolby Atmos. The sound system is nothing short of fantastic. Audio output is rich and strong, filling an entire room with music. It can get pretty loud, too. I scared my cat a couple of times when watching test videos at full volume.

I am, however, lukewarm about the screen. According to the official specs sheet, it outputs images in HD+, which is only 1,604 x 720 pixels. A resolution like this is serviceable but nothing impressive. Some mobile games I played, such as “Honkai: Star Rail”, looked fuzzy. The gameplay didn’t look sharp. Compared to my personal phone, the OnePlus Nord N30, the colors on the Moto G looked overly saturated. This is all personal preference, and we’re talking about a $200 phone here.

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In fact, the screen’s peak brightness of 1,000 nits allows it to maintain decent visibility under direct sunlight, and the 120Hz refresh rate ensures fluid on-screen animations.

Motorola made several great decisions when designing the Moto G. It is a slim, lightweight smartphone sporting rounded corners with a back covered in vegan leather, giving the model a unique texture. Together, they create a mobile device that fits comfortably in your hand.

Camera is “good enough” 

Jutting out from the back is a two-camera array with the words “50MP Quad Pixel” etched into the faux leather, referring to the main lens. That fourth “lens” below the flash bulb is actually an ambient light sensor to help with photography.  

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The Moto G has a solid camera system. It captures the finer details in pictures and performs well even under low-light conditions. Below is a photograph I took in Little Tokyo in downtown Los Angeles. I was worried the cloudy day would hamper the lenses. Fortunately, the image came out great, and I’m happy with how it turned out.

Cesar Cadenas/ZDNET

I noticed the phone would saturate the colors in some of my photos. Neon signs, for example, looked more vibrant in pictures than at Little Tokyo. This is the only major criticism of the cameras, and even then, it’s more of a personal preference. I prefer cameras with nuanced color balance, but if you prefer saturated imagery, the Moto G delivers in spades.

Impressive battery

Battery is another area where the Moto G shines. I performed two tests. In the first, I casually used the phone to see how long it would last. It ran for nearly four days straight. For the second trial, I played a YouTube livestream in 720p non-stop until the battery gave out. In this instance, the device lasted a little under 24 hours before tapping out.

Cesar Cadenas/ZDNET

Granted, these are not super scientific tests, but they offer a good understanding of the smartphone’s longevity. I also want to highlight its fast recharge times because the quick turnaround made using and traveling with the Moto G all the better. A quick 30-minute recharge brought the battery up to 50%.

Don’t buy this for gaming

While the Moto G’s longevity is impressive, I can’t say the same about its chipset. It runs on a MediaTek Dimensity 6300 SoC (system on a chip). For most applications, it’s perfectly fine. Jumping between web pages while browsing the internet felt seamless, and streaming shows on Netflix was as smooth as can be.

Cesar Cadenas/ZDNET

Problems arose when I played mobile games. The MediaTek chip had some difficulty rendering graphically intense titles, like Honkai: Star Rail. There were a few instances of stuttering and momentary freezing.

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The phone comes with RAM Boost, a feature that converts empty storage space into virtual RAM to enhance performance. The tool functions automatically, and it does help, although it isn’t perfect. To be honest, I wasn’t expecting much from the chipset since it is a low-cost smartphone. I was more disappointed by the display.

ZDNET’s buying advice

The Moto G is available now for $199 at Amazon. It’s a steal at that price, especially if you’re not a hardcore gamer who demands the best graphical performance. This is a great budget phone with solid hardware, and I recommend it to anyone hunting for a bargain.

If you’re open to alternatives, consider the new Moto G Power. It has many of the same features but supports 15W wireless charging and boasts a more durable design. If you love exploring the outdoors, the Moto G Power will be a better partner.

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