Motorola Moto E13 review
The Motorola Moto E13 is yet another low-cost phone from the brand, which has dominated the budget market in Australia for a long time. While it's not bad value, the phone fails to impress with its compromises and design choices. The 6.5-inch 720p display is decent but not high-end, given the price point of $149. The minimalist design is straightforward, but lacking some features such as biometric unlocking or a fingerprint reader. Instead, you get face unlocking, which is insecure and not recommended for secure data handling. One surprising feature is the phone's IP52 rating, making it resistant to rain splashes and basic water exposure. However, the cameras are unimpressive, with slow performance and poor quality selfies. The 13MP rear camera takes a long time to capture images, and selfie shots are nothing special. The processor, Unisoc T606, paired with 2GB of RAM, is sluggish and struggles to run demanding apps or games. Battery life is fair but not great, lasting around an hour on YouTube playback at 720p and sapping the battery by about six percent. Charging is also a concern, as the phone has capped charging at 10 watts without a charger included. While the Moto E13 is not a bad phone for its price, it's hard to recommend when there are other options available that offer better value and performance. The Nokia e22i, despite being slightly more expensive and older, is technically a nicer phone than this one. Overall, the Motorola Moto E13 feels like another entry in a crowded market with limited appeal.
Build Quality and Design
The Motorola Moto E13 is yet another low-cost phone from the company's extensive lineup in Australia. While it's not entirely surprising, given their dominance of this market for a very long time, I couldn't help but feel that reviewing another low-cost phone from Motorola feels redundant. From a design perspective, however, there's nothing particularly wrong with the Moto E13. The 6.5-inch 720p display is functional, even if it's not high-end. Controls are minimalist, with just volume and power buttons on the sides, which I appreciate. It also features a proper 3.5mm headphone jack, always a welcome sight. What I do find surprising, though, is the lack of any form of biometric unlocking. No in-display fingerprint reader, no fingerprint reader in the power button, not even one on the Motorola logo on the back - nothing. Instead, you're stuck with standard flat photo face unlocking, which is insecure and not recommended if you value your data's security. The phone also features an IP52 rating, which means it's resistant to rain splashes and should be fine in basic rainfall situations, but don't immerse it in water. It's nice to see Motorola has actually done the proper testing for this feature. Overall, while the design isn't particularly exciting, it gets the job done without any major issues. The real question is whether the compromises made to keep costs low are balanced in a way that makes the Moto E13 feel like a worthwhile purchase.
Battery Life
Motorola's Moto E13 is another low-cost phone from the company, but its battery life left me underwhelmed. Packing a 5,000mAh battery, I was expecting this phone to do fairly well in terms of battery endurance. Unfortunately, my tests revealed that it didn't quite live up to expectations. An hour's worth of YouTube playback at 720p sapped the battery by about six percent, which is a relatively average performance compared to other phones. What's more concerning is that this phone's processor, the Unisoc T606 with just 2GB of RAM, doesn't seem to be doing much in terms of battery optimization. The phone's slow charging capabilities, capped at 10W, didn't help matters either. Considering its low spec display and moderate usage patterns, I expected the Moto E13 to do better in terms of battery life. However, it ultimately feels like a decent but not great performance. For a budget phone, this is somewhat disappointing. With a larger battery size and a lower spec processor, I would have expected more from Motorola's latest offering. The fact that the company sent me a review unit with no charger included only adds to my concerns about the overall value proposition of the Moto E13. Ultimately, while not bad for the money, the phone's battery life is just fair, and not as impressive as it could be given its specs. If you're in the market for a budget phone with decent battery endurance, I would recommend looking elsewhere, such as the slightly more expensive Nokia offerings or even Motorola's own E22i.
Display
The display on the Motorola Moto E13 is a 6.5-inch 720p screen, which is expected at its price point of $149. While it's not high-end, it works reasonably well and gets the job done. However, I'm hoping that we're seeing the tail end of 720p screens in phones generally in 2023. The display is minimalist, with just volume and power buttons on the sides. I appreciate that you get a proper 3.5mm headphone jack at the top, but it's surprising to see that there's no biometric unlocking feature. No fingerprint reader can be found on the device, nor is there any on the Motorola logo on the back. Instead, the phone relies on face unlocking, which I would not recommend due to its lack of security. In terms of performance, the display responds adequately to touch inputs, but it's not particularly bright or vibrant. It gets the job done for watching videos and browsing the web, but don't expect high-quality visuals. The display is one of the more tolerable aspects of the Moto E13, but it's not a standout feature by any means. In conclusion, while the display on the Motorola Moto E13 is serviceable at its price point, it's not particularly impressive or exciting. It's a basic, no-frills screen that gets the job done, but doesn't offer much in terms of visual quality or features.
Camera
As I delved into reviewing the Motorola Moto E13, I couldn't help but feel underwhelmed by its camera performance. In an era where smartphones are increasingly becoming an essential tool for capturing life's precious moments, a good camera is no longer a luxury, but a necessity. Unfortunately, the Moto E13's camera falls short of expectations. The 13-megapixel sensor at the rear and the 5-megapixel selfie camera, while adequate in terms of specs, fail to deliver when it comes to performance. The camera app is sluggish, taking an eternity to load up, focus, and capture a photo. In real-world usage, this translates to missing out on capturing precious moments. Whether it's your toddler's first steps or the perfect shot of your cat, the Moto E13's camera simply can't keep up. Even with still objects, the results are nothing spectacular, lacking in detail and vibrancy. Selfie shots fare no better, with the 5-megapixel sensor struggling to capture even the most basic details. Digital zoom only exacerbates the issue, producing grainy, pixelated images that are barely usable. While it's understandable to expect some compromises at this budget price point, a decent camera experience is still achievable without breaking the bank. Other smartphones in this segment have managed to deliver better camera performance, making the Moto E13's shortcomings all the more disappointing. In conclusion, while the Moto E13 may be an affordable option for those on a tight budget, its subpar camera performance is a major letdown. If you're looking for a phone that can help you capture life's precious moments with confidence, there are better options available in this price range.
Price and Value
Motorola's latest budget offering, the Moto E13, is a device that feels redundant in a crowded market dominated by the brand itself. Priced at $149, it's another low-cost phone from Motorola, but does it deliver value for money? Honestly, I'm not entirely sure that the E13 manages to balance its compromises well enough to be considered good value. The 6.5-inch 720p display is passable, but it's a feature you'd expect to see in budget phones at this price point. One of my biggest issues with the E13 is its slow performance. Powered by the Unisoc T606 processor and just 2GB of RAM, it struggles to deliver smooth performance. While Android Go is optimized for low-end devices, even that can't mask the phone's sluggishness. In terms of value, I think the Moto E13 falls short. For $149, you expect a certain level of performance, but the E13 just doesn't deliver. It feels like a device that's been compromised in various areas to meet its price point, rather than being designed with value in mind. The battery life is fair but not great, and while it's nice to see IP52 water resistance, it's not a feature that's particularly impressive at this price point. The lack of a charger in the box for retail units is also annoying. Overall, I'm not convinced that the Moto E13 offers good value for money. It's not a bad phone by any means, but it feels like a device that's been compromised to meet its price point, rather than being designed with value and performance in mind. If you're looking for a budget phone, there are probably better options available elsewhere.
Performance
The Motorola Moto E13 is another budget-friendly offering from the brand, but its performance is a letdown. Despite being priced at an affordable $149, this phone struggles to deliver smooth and efficient performance. The phone's processor, the Unisoc T606, is sluggish even for basic tasks. It can't run Geekbench or 3D Mark tests, making it unsuitable for gaming. Even the most demanding apps take a toll on its performance, resulting in lag and slow loading times. However, Motorola has optimized the Android Go operating system to make it work with the phone's limited specs. While it runs smoothly enough, it's clear that this is not a fast phone. The Moto E13 can handle basic tasks like browsing and social media, but anything more demanding will leave you waiting. One of my biggest gripes with the Moto E13 is its camera performance. The 13MP rear camera and 5MP front camera are just okay for the price, but it's not the slow loading times that irk me – it's the excruciating wait to take a photo. Even in ideal conditions, the camera takes an eternity to focus and snap a shot. While the phone does get the job done, its performance is a compromise that many users will find frustrating. If you're looking for a budget-friendly option that can handle basic tasks without too much stress, the Moto E13 might be worth considering. However, if you need more power or speed from your phone, there are better options available in this price range. Overall, the Motorola Moto E13's performance is a mixed bag – it's not terrible, but it's also not impressive.