Motorola Moto E22i review
The Motorola Moto E22i is a budget phone that retails at $179 in Australia. While expectations may be low for such a price, the device surprisingly offers a premium look and feel with its flattened design, reminiscent of Motorola's Edge phones. The phone ships in Starlight white or Interstellar black and features a 6.5-inch LCD display, which is decent but not extraordinary. The camera setup includes a primary 16-megapixel sensor and a 2-megapixel depth sensor for focusing effects only. Photos taken during the day are acceptable, but images suffer when light conditions become challenging. The phone's processor, a MediaTek G37, is fairly simple with 2GB of RAM and 32GB of onboard storage. To balance these mediocre specs, Motorola has used Android 12 Go, an optimized version designed for low-power, low-cost devices. This results in a smoother experience, but limits processing power, leading to lag and longer load times when multitasking or quick app swapping. The phone's battery life is average, lasting a day on moderate usage but falling short if pushed to its limits. The Motorola Moto E22i is a decent buy at $179 for those seeking a low-cost phone with some compromises in mind.
Build Quality and Design
The Motorola Moto E22i's design is a highlight of the phone, particularly at its price point. Gone are the days of bland, plastic builds that were once standard in budget phones. The E22i features a flattened design reminiscent of Motorola's Edge series, giving it a premium look and feel that belies its affordable price. The phone ships in two colors: Starlight White and Interstellar Black. I reviewed the latter, which looks great despite some minor flaws. The power button and fingerprint reader are located on the right-hand side, while volume controls sit above them. I'm not a fan of the power/fingerprint combo, but it works. The design is where Motorola has clearly compromised to keep costs low, but still managed to produce something impressive. The build quality is solid, with no creaking or flexing in the plastic. It's clear that Motorola invested some effort into making the E22i feel like a more expensive phone. In terms of aesthetics, the E22i looks good for its price. The Starlight White model has a nice sheen to it, while the Interstellar Black is suitably dark and sleek. Minor issues aside – such as the offset headphone jack socket at the top – the design is a success. It's clear that Motorola was trying to make an impression with this phone's appearance. While some may find fault in minor details, overall the Moto E22i's build quality and design are its strongest features. It feels like a more expensive phone than it actually is, which is a testament to Motorola's efforts to create something special at an affordable price point.
Battery Life
In our review of the Motorola Moto E22i, we touched upon its battery life, which is an area where this budget phone falls slightly short. With a 4,020 milliamp hour battery, it's not surprising that the Moto E22i doesn't quite match up to the standards set by its more powerful counterparts. In our tests, we found that while the phone could last a day on moderate usage, pushing it beyond that threshold would result in significant drops in power. This is especially true when using the 90Hz display continuously, which adds an extra layer of strain on the battery. We'd be lying if we said the Moto E22i's battery life was exceptional - it's not. However, considering its price point and specs, it's not a major letdown either. Average usage will still yield decent results, but heavy users may find themselves needing to recharge mid-day. The bottom line is that while the Motorola Moto E22i's battery life isn't impressive, it's not entirely disappointing either. It's a compromise that you'll need to accept when buying a phone in this price range. If you're looking for a budget phone with a slightly better battery, there are options available - but if you value design and affordability above all else, the Moto E22i is still worth considering.
Display
The Motorola Moto E22i's display is a mixed bag. On the one hand, it's a 6.5-inch LCD screen with a resolution of 1600 x 720 pixels, which is more than enough for casual browsing and streaming. The 90Hz refresh rate is also a nice touch, as it provides smoother scrolling and gameplay experiences. In terms of its design, the display itself looks decent, with a flattened profile that gives the phone a slightly premium look. The screen is surrounded by a relatively thin bezel, which helps to keep the overall size of the phone manageable. However, the display's performance is somewhat inconsistent. Colors appear muted and not particularly vibrant, and contrast ratios are not exceptional. Viewing angles are also somewhat limited, with noticeable color shifts when tilting the screen. Despite these limitations, the Moto E22i's display still manages to deliver a decent viewing experience. The 90Hz refresh rate helps to mitigate any lag or stuttering that might be caused by the phone's relatively modest specs. In terms of the phone's brightness, it's adequate for indoor use, but may struggle in very bright environments. Overall, while the Moto E22i's display is not particularly impressive, it gets the job done and provides a suitable experience for casual users. With its price point starting at $179 outright, you can't expect too much more than that. In short, the Motorola Moto E22i's display is an average one, providing decent performance but with some notable limitations. While it won't win any awards for brightness or color accuracy, it still manages to deliver a smooth and enjoyable viewing experience.
Camera
The camera on the Motorola Moto E22i is one of its most underwhelming features. With a primary 16-megapixel sensor paired with a 2-megapixel depth sensor for focusing effects, it's clear that compromise was made to keep costs low. In reality, you'll only ever shoot with the primary sensor, and it's limited in its capabilities. There's no ultra-wide option, and zoom is restricted to four times digital. This means you're likely better off taking a shot and cropping it in a different application rather than relying on the phone's camera app for zooming. Daytime photos are acceptable, but that's about as far as it goes. Any kind of fast motion or low-light photography will quickly reveal the limitations of this camera. The 5-megapixel selfie camera is similarly unimpressive, producing average results at best. In an era where even budget phones can produce decent images, the Moto E22i's camera feels like a step back. It's not terrible, but it's certainly not great either. While it may be sufficient for casual use, anyone looking to take better-quality photos will need to look elsewhere. It's worth noting that Motorola has opted for a more basic approach with its camera setup, likely as a cost-saving measure. However, this decision means that the phone's camera capabilities are somewhat restrictive and limiting. In summary, the camera on the Motorola Moto E22i is a mixed bag at best. While it may be suitable for casual use, anyone looking to take better-quality photos will need to look elsewhere.
Price and Value
The Motorola Moto E22i is one of the company's more affordable offerings, priced at $179 outright in Australia (local pricing may vary). At this price point, it's natural to have low expectations, but I was pleasantly surprised by what this phone has to offer. While it's not a powerhouse device, the Moto E22i makes up for its limitations with a thoughtful design that elevates it above other budget phones. The flattened design and premium-looking aesthetic are a welcome change from the typical bland, plastic builds you'd expect in this price range. As expected, there are some compromises to be made at this price point. The screen is a 6.5-inch LCD display with a resolution of 1600 x 720 pixels, which is nothing extraordinary, but it's fine for casual use. The 90Hz refresh rate is a nice touch, though, and helps smooth out scrolling and gaming experiences. The cameras are where you'll find some of the biggest compromises. A primary 16-megapixel sensor and a 2-megapixel depth sensor for focusing effects only aren't going to win any awards, but they're good enough for casual snaps. So, is the Moto E22i worth $179? Absolutely! While it may not be a top-of-the-line device, its value proposition is solid. You get a phone that looks and feels more expensive than it actually is, with a decent screen and an acceptable camera setup. If you're after a low-cost phone for basic use, the Moto E22i should definitely be on your radar. In conclusion, the Motorola Moto E22i is a budget phone that delivers more than I expected at its price point. While there are some compromises to be made, it's a solid choice for those looking for an affordable option without sacrificing too much in terms of design and functionality.
Performance
The Motorola Moto E22i is one of the company's cheaper efforts, retailing at $179 outright in Australia. While expectations for a budget phone like this were not high, I was pleasantly surprised by its performance. Under the hood, the Moto E22i packs a Mediatek G37 processor, 2GB of RAM, and 32GB of onboard storage. This is exactly how it keeps the price so low. However, Motorola balances these fairly mediocre specs with Android 12 Go, which is designed for low-power, low-cost, and low-spec phones. The Go version of Android uses optimized versions of key Google apps that consume less processing power, leading to a smoother phone experience in theory. In practice, this worked mostly well, but I encountered some lag and longer-than-usual load times when using the phone. Multitasking is not recommended, as quick app swapping doesn't happen often on this device. This is a basic phone, and its performance reflects that. While it's possible to get through a day with moderate usage, pushing the phone will result in battery drain, especially if you keep the 90Hz display enabled. While I wouldn't describe the Moto E22i's performance as exceptional, I think it's adequate for a budget phone. If you understand its limitations and don't expect too much, this device can still deliver a decent experience. However, if you're coming from a more powerful phone, you may find the Moto E22i's performance to be underwhelming. Overall, the Moto E22i's performance is one of its weaker aspects, but it's not a deal-breaker considering the price point and other strengths of this device.
Pros
1. The design is very nice and visually appealing, feeling solid like a more expensive phone.
2. The screen is great for its price, perfect for late night YouTube binges or social media scrolling.
3. The phone ships with Android 12 Go, which provides a smoother experience on low-power devices.
4. The Motorola Moto E22i is available at an affordable price of $179 outright.
Cons
1. The processor is not powerful and may cause lag or long load times when multitasking.
2. The cameras are limited, with no ultra-wide lens and only 4x digital zoom, resulting in poor performance in low-light conditions.
3. The battery life is average, especially when using the 90Hz display feature.