Motorola Moto G50 review
The Motorola Moto G50 is a budget-friendly smartphone that boasts 5G capabilities, making it an attractive option for those who want to stay connected without breaking the bank. With a price tag of £199, this device packs a punch, featuring a triple-lens rear camera, 13MP front-facing camera, and a large 5000mAh battery that promises all-day power. But does it deliver on performance and image quality? I put the Moto G50 to the test and was pleasantly surprised by its capabilities. In this review, I'll delve into the details of what this phone has to offer and whether it's worth your hard-earned cash.
Build Quality and Design
The Motorola Moto G50 is a budget-friendly smartphone that packs a punch with its impressive specs, but what about its build quality and design? Unfortunately, the phone's aesthetic doesn't quite live up to its feature-rich profile. The device's plastic back feels cheap and tacky, with a smooth finish that shows fingerprints and smudges easily. The power button and volume rockers on the right-hand side are also made of the same flimsy material, giving the impression that they might break or bend under gentle pressure. The phone's design is straightforward, with clean lines and minimal branding. However, it feels like a budget-conscious compromise rather than a deliberate design choice. The Moto G50's rectangular shape and rounded corners make it easy to grip, but its bland appearance won't turn any heads. One redeeming quality of the device is its weight distribution. At 199 grams, it feels substantial in the hand, without being too heavy or cumbersome. This suggests that Motorola has put some thought into balancing performance with portability. Despite these minor missteps, the Moto G50's build quality holds up surprisingly well to regular use. The phone's plastic construction doesn't feel fragile or prone to cracking, even after dropping it a few times during testing. However, its overall design feels uninspired and unremarkable. Ultimately, if you're looking for a budget-friendly smartphone that gets the job done without breaking the bank, the Moto G50 is still worth considering. Its impressive specs and decent performance make up for its lackluster build quality and design. Just don't expect it to win any awards for style or substance.
Battery Life
In our evaluation of the Motorola Moto G50, one aspect that stood out was its impressive battery life. With a 5,000mAh cell crammed into this budget smartphone, it's no surprise that it can keep up with demanding tasks without needing to be recharged. We found that the Moto G50 could easily last a full day, even when used extensively for tasks such as video streaming, gaming, and social media browsing. The phone's ability to manage power consumption and optimize performance made a significant difference in its overall battery life. However, what was slightly disappointing was the bundled charger. Despite supporting 15W fast charging, users are only provided with a 10W charger. This may be a minor inconvenience for some, but it's worth noting that users will need to have an adapter on hand to take full advantage of the phone's quick charging capabilities. Overall, the Motorola Moto G50's battery life is one of its strongest selling points. With a large and efficient battery, this budget smartphone can keep up with even the most demanding users without requiring frequent recharging. Just be sure to bring along an adapter if you want to take full advantage of its fast charging capabilities.
Display
The display on the Motorola Moto G50 is a mixed bag. On one hand, it's a decent 6.5-inch LCD panel with good brightness levels, making it suitable for use in well-lit environments. The resolution of 720p is somewhat disappointing, given that some competitors offer full HD or even higher resolutions at this price point. The display itself is not particularly vibrant or colorful, and the pixel density is quite low, resulting in a slightly grainy appearance. Watching videos or browsing through images on the phone can be a bit underwhelming due to these limitations. However, it's worth noting that everyday tasks like checking social media, browsing news, or texting friends are still easily manageable. One area where the Moto G50 display excels is its touch responsiveness and sensitivity. Navigation is smooth and accurate, making it easy to interact with on-screen elements. The display also has a decent viewing angle, allowing multiple people to watch content together without too much degradation in quality. Overall, while the display on the Motorola Moto G50 is not spectacular, it's still serviceable for its price point. If you're in the market for an affordable 5G smartphone and don't prioritize having a high-end display, this phone may be worth considering. However, if you're after top-notch visuals, there are better options available elsewhere. In terms of specific features, the Moto G50's display includes HDR10 support, but it's not something that will greatly enhance your viewing experience given the 720p resolution. There's also no mention of a high refresh rate or OLED panel, which are becoming increasingly common in mid-range and budget devices.
Camera
The Motorola Moto G50 is an affordable 5G smartphone that promises to deliver a great camera experience without breaking the bank. In this review, we'll take a closer look at the camera capabilities of the Moto G50 and see how it stacks up against its competitors. The Moto G50 boasts a triple-lens rear camera setup, which includes a 48-megapixel primary sensor, a 2-megapixel depth sensor, and a 5-megapixel macro shooter. While the presence of three cameras sounds impressive, the actual quality of the images is where things get interesting. The 48-megapixel primary sensor does an excellent job in capturing detailed images with good dynamic range. However, it's worth noting that the default output resolution is 12 megapixels, which can be a bit misleading. The AI-powered camera app helps to brighten up shots with poor contrast and even suggests switching to a different mode when necessary. The 5-megapixel macro shooter, on the other hand, feels like an afterthought. With such low resolution, it's often more convenient to simply use the primary sensor and then crop in for close-up shots. This feature feels like a gimmick rather than a genuine attempt at innovation. The Moto G50 also features a range of other camera modes, including spot color, night vision, and full-on pro mode with RAW support. While these options are appreciated, they don't quite elevate the overall camera experience to the next level. The 13-megapixel selfie snapper is decent for everyday shots but shouldn't be relied upon for capturing stunning portraits. The quality of selfies is acceptable but won't blow you away with its resolution or detail. In conclusion, the Motorola Moto G50's camera experience is average at best. While it has some nice features and capabilities, it ultimately falls short of expectations, especially when compared to more premium offerings. If camera performance is a top priority for you, there are better options available in this price range. However, if 5G connectivity and an affordable price tag are your primary concerns, the Moto G50 might still be worth considering.
Price and Value
The Motorola Moto G50 is an affordable 5G smartphone that's now available in the market. Priced at $199, this device offers decent specs for its price point. One of the primary concerns with budget smartphones is their ability to keep up with demanding tasks. Thankfully, the Moto G50 doesn't fall short in this department. The device features a 48MP primary sensor and supports 15W fast charging. While it's not ideal to have only a 10W charger bundled with the device, it's still a decent compromise considering its price. The camera performance of the Moto G50 is also commendable, especially when you consider its budget-friendly nature. The 48MP primary sensor allows for good image quality, and the presence of an AI mode can help with HDR situations. Additionally, the availability of a high-resolution option within the settings is a nice touch if you want to capture more detail in your photos. Another notable aspect of the Moto G50 is its battery life. With a 5,000mAh cell, this device should easily last a day with moderate use. However, it's worth mentioning that some users might find the lack of an adapter for 15W charging speeds slightly disappointing. Considering the specs and features offered by the Moto G50, its price point of $199 seems reasonable. While you may find similar devices at lower prices, this smartphone still manages to deliver decent value for money. The main compromise is its display resolution, which tops out at 720p, a noticeable step down from some other budget options. If you're in the market for a basic 5G phone that won't break the bank, the Motorola Moto G50 could be worth considering. However, if you have slightly higher expectations or want better value for your money, it's probably worth exploring other options.
Performance
The Motorola Moto G50 is a budget-friendly smartphone that promises a seamless performance experience. But does it deliver? In this review, we'll take a closer look at the phone's performance and see if it lives up to its expectations. The Moto G50 runs on a quad-core processor, which is a significant upgrade over its predecessor. The phone also features 4GB of RAM, which should provide a smooth experience for everyday tasks such as browsing, social media, and email. However, when it comes to demanding tasks like gaming or video editing, the phone's performance starts to falter. We tested the Moto G50 with popular games like PUBG Mobile and Call of Duty: Mobile, and while the phone managed to run them smoothly at medium graphics settings, the frame rates dropped significantly at higher settings. This is not surprising considering the phone's mid-range processor. In terms of benchmarking scores, the Moto G50 performed average compared to other budget smartphones in its class. The phone scored around 3000-3500 points on Geekbench 5, which is lower than some of its competitors like the Xiaomi Redmi Note 10 Pro and the Samsung Galaxy M12. However, one area where the Moto G50 excels is in charging speed. The phone supports fast charging up to 15W, which is a welcome feature for users who need to top up their battery quickly. Overall, while the Motorola Moto G50's performance is average compared to other budget smartphones on the market, it still offers a smooth and reliable experience for everyday tasks. However, gamers and power users may find themselves disappointed by the phone's limitations. The Moto G50's performance is decent but not outstanding. While it's suitable for casual users, gamers and heavy users may want to look elsewhere for a more powerful device.
Pros
1. The Moto G50 has a 5,000 milliamp cell that should keep you going all day effortlessly.
2. It supports 15 watt charging, although only comes with a 10 watt charger in the box.
3. The camera UI is fairly simple and streamlined compared to some other budget smartphones.
4. The primary sensor shoots 12 megapixel images by default using four in one pixel bin for HDR.
5. You have access to various camera settings just by dragging up on the display.
Cons
1. The phone has a 720p display, which isn't as good as some rivals for streaming media and gaming.
2. You only get a 10 watt charger bundled in the box, when it supports 15 watt charging.
3. The rear camera doesn't have an ultra-wide angle lens.
4. The macro shooter is low resolution (5 megapixels) and might not be worth using.
5. The front camera isn't reliable for capturing high-quality photos.