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Motorola Moto G42 smartphone review: OLED lightweight with 700 nits at a bargain price

Affordable and good. The Motorola Moto G42 is impossible to beat, at least from the perspective of its mid-range rivals. With its bright OLED panel, a 5,000 mAh battery, and a 50 MP camera, the 6.4-inch smartphone offers a lot of features, but it's available for just under 200 Euros (~$205).
Motorola Moto G42

There are a lot of devices in the smartphone mid-range that impress with their good price-performance ratio. This is exactly what makes the Motorola Moto G42 stand out. Despite its MSRP of 250 Euros (~$255), the 6.4-inch Android device has a surprisingly extensive feature set. The variant with a smaller storage capacity of 64 GB instead of 128 GB only costs a bit over 200 Euros (~$204).

The Moto G42, like its Moto G41 predecessor, has a bright AMOLED display, which isn't necessarily a given in the mid-range. The Snapdragon 680 4G works under the hood, accompanied by up to 6 GB of RAM and a maximum of 128 GB of storage. A 50 MP camera and a 5,000 mAh battery are also on board.

Motorola Moto G42 (Moto G Series)
Processor
Qualcomm Snapdragon 680 4G 8 x 1.8 - 2.4 GHz, Kryo 265 Gold (Cortex-A73) / Silver (Cortex-A53)
Graphics adapter
Memory
4 GB 
, LPDDR4X
Display
6.43 inch 20:9, 2400 x 1080 pixel 409 PPI, capacitive, AMOLED, FHD , glossy: yes, HDR, 60 Hz
Storage
64 GB UFS 2.2 Flash, 64 GB 
, 48 GB free
Connections
1 USB 2.0, USB-C Power Delivery (PD), Audio Connections: USB-C, Card Reader: microSD up to 1 TB, 1 Fingerprint Reader, NFC, Brightness Sensor, Sensors: proximity, accelerometer, gyroscope, magnetometer (compass), DRM Widevine L1, Camera2 API Level 3
Networking
802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/ax (a/b/g/n = Wi-Fi 4/ac = Wi-Fi 5/ax = Wi-Fi 6/), Bluetooth 5.0, 2G (Band 2/3/5/8), 3G (Band 1/2/5/8), 4G (Band 1/2/3/5/7/8/20/28/38/40/41), LTE Cat. 13 DL/Cat. 5 UL, head SAR 0.58 W/kg, body SAR 1.12 W/kg, Dual SIM, LTE, GPS
Size
height x width x depth (in mm): 8.3 x 160.6 x 73.5 ( = 0.33 x 6.32 x 2.89 in)
Battery
5000 mAh Lithium-Ion, 18-watt charging
Charging
fast charging / Quickcharge
Operating System
Android 12
Camera
Primary Camera: 50 MPix Triple: 50 MP main camera (f/1.8, 0.64 µm, PDAF); 8 MP ultra-wide angle camera (f/2.2, 1.12 µm); 2 MP macro camera (f/2.4), videos up to 1080p@30fps
Secondary Camera: 16 MPix f/2.2, 1.0 µm, videos up to 1080p@30fps
Additional features
Speakers: stereo, Keyboard: virtual, 20-watt charger, USB Type-C cable, guides, SIM tool, protective case, 24 Months Warranty, IP52 rating, Dolby Atmos, fanless
Weight
175 g ( = 6.17 oz / 0.39 pounds) ( = 0 oz / 0 pounds)
Price
250 Euro
Note: The manufacturer may use components from different suppliers including display panels, drives or memory sticks with similar specifications.

 

Possible contenders in comparison

Rating
Date
Model
Weight
Drive
Size
Resolution
Best Price
80.8 %
07/2022
Motorola Moto G42
SD 680, Adreno 610
175 g64 GB UFS 2.2 Flash6.43"2400x1080
80.6 %
04/2022
Motorola Moto G41
Helio G85, Mali-G52 MP2
178 g128 GB eMMC Flash6.40"2400x1080
77.7 %
06/2022
Oppo A76
SD 680, Adreno 610
189 g128 GB UFS 2.2 Flash6.56"1612x720
77.6 %
05/2022
Realme C35
T616, Mali-G57 MP1
189 g64 GB UFS 2.2 Flash6.60"2408x1080
74.9 %
12/2021
Samsung Galaxy A12 Exynos SM-A127F
Exynos 850, Mali-G52 MP1
205 g64 GB eMMC Flash6.50"1600x720
80 %
05/2022
Xiaomi Redmi Note 11
SD 680, Adreno 610
179 g64 GB UFS 2.2 Flash6.43"2400x1080

Case - Light and stylish plastic chassis

The Moto G42, which is available in the color variants "Metallic Rosé" and "Atlantic Green", is appealing due to its good build quality and subtly glossy plastic surfaces. These don't only look sleek, but they also offer a slight resistance to the fingers, which makes it possible to hold the smartphone relatively securely in the hand without using the included protective case. Furthermore, the back cover isn't too susceptible to fingerprints. The IP52 certification ensures that the Moto G42 is protected against dust and splashing water.

The plastic chassis makes the Moto G42 pleasantly light. The 6.4-inch phone only weighs 175 grams. The triple camera protrudes a few millimeters further from the chassis compared to the Moto G41, which makes the smartphone wobble more easily on flat surfaces. The Moto G42 no longer has the Google Assistant button of the Moto G41. The fingerprint scanner is located in the power button.

While the Moto G41's display only occupies 83% of the front, the Moto G42's display takes up almost 86%, which is due to the display diagonal having been minimally increased from 6.4 to 6.43 inches. The screen's bezels are therefore a bit narrower, but you only really notice the difference when you put both smartphones directly next to each other. The most striking thing, however, is something else: While the punch-hole selfie camera is surrounded by a silver ring in the Moto G41, this isn't the case in the Moto G42. The manufacturer hasn't provided any information on the display's protection type.

Motorola Moto G42
Motorola Moto G42
Motorola Moto G42
Motorola Moto G42
Motorola Moto G42
Motorola Moto G42
Motorola Moto G42
Motorola Moto G42
Motorola Moto G42
Motorola Moto G42

Size comparison

164 mm / 6.46 inch 75.8 mm / 2.98 inch 8.9 mm / 0.3504 inch 205 g0.4519 lbs164.4 mm / 6.47 inch 75.7 mm / 2.98 inch 8.4 mm / 0.3307 inch 189 g0.4167 lbs164.4 mm / 6.47 inch 75.6 mm / 2.98 inch 8.1 mm / 0.3189 inch 189 g0.4167 lbs161.9 mm / 6.37 inch 73.9 mm / 2.91 inch 8.3 mm / 0.3268 inch 178 g0.3924 lbs160.6 mm / 6.32 inch 73.5 mm / 2.89 inch 8.3 mm / 0.3268 inch 175 g0.3858 lbs159.87 mm / 6.29 inch 73.87 mm / 2.91 inch 8.09 mm / 0.3185 inch 179 g0.3946 lbs148 mm / 5.83 inch 105 mm / 4.13 inch 1 mm / 0.03937 inch 1.5 g0.00331 lbs

Connectivity - Up to 6 GB of RAM and 128 GB of storage in the Moto G42

In Central Europe, Motorola only offers the Moto G42 in one storage configuration: With 4 GB of LPDDR4X RAM and 128 GB of UFS 2.2 storage, it costs around 250 Euros (MSRP). In other regions, it's also offered with 6 GB of RAM. The Moto G42 is also available in a scaled-down version with 4/64 GB of storage in local online stores - just like our review sample. At the time of our review, the latter was available for around 200 Euros (~$204). The internal storage can be expanded via a microSD card that can have a capacity of up to 1 TB. There's also room for two SIM cards in the card slot.

A 3.5 mm audio jack and FM radio are part of the Moto G42's features, as well as stereo speakers, NFC, and Bluetooth 5.0. The USB-C port only works at USB 2.0 speeds, but it supports USB OTG and can therefore be used to connect peripherals and storage devices. Since DRM Widevine L1 is supported too, the smartphone can also streams content in HD quality.

Left: Dual SIM + microSD
Left: Dual SIM + microSD
Right: Volume rocker, power button
Right: Volume rocker, power button
Top: 3.5 mm audio jack, microphone
Top: 3.5 mm audio jack, microphone
Bottom: Speaker, USB-C 2.0, microphone
Bottom: Speaker, USB-C 2.0, microphone

microSD card reader

The Moto G42's card reader achieves good sequential read and write rates in the test with our Angelbird AV Pro V60 microSD reference card. The data throughput is also respectable in the copy test, although the Samsung Galaxy A12 is almost twice as fast here.

SD Card Reader - average JPG Copy Test (av. of 3 runs)
Samsung Galaxy A12 Exynos SM-A127F
Mali-G52 MP1, Exynos 850, 64 GB eMMC Flash (Angelbird V60)
47.8 MB/s +70%
Motorola Moto G42
Adreno 610, SD 680, 64 GB UFS 2.2 Flash (Angelbird V60)
28.2 MB/s
Oppo A76
Adreno 610, SD 680, 128 GB UFS 2.2 Flash (Angelbird V60)
25.6 MB/s -9%
Xiaomi Redmi Note 11
Adreno 610, SD 680, 64 GB UFS 2.2 Flash (Angelbird AV Pro V60)
24.74 MB/s -12%
Motorola Moto G41
Mali-G52 MP2, Helio G85, 128 GB eMMC Flash (Angelbird V60)
24.3 MB/s -14%
Realme C35
Mali-G57 MP1, T616, 64 GB UFS 2.2 Flash (Angelbird V60)
20.5 MB/s -27%

Cross Platform Disk Test (CPDT)

0510152025303540455055606570758085Tooltip
Motorola Moto G42; SDCard Sequential Write 0.5 GB; Angelbird V60: Ø32.1 (23.8-43.1)
Motorola Moto G42; SDCard Sequential Read 0.5 GB; Angelbird V60: Ø76.4 (30-87.4)

Software - Three years of security updates and one OS upgrade guaranteed

The Moto G42 largely runs stock Android 12, which Motorola has enhanced with its Moto app. This allows users to choose from different designs, fonts, and icon shapes, as well as configure gesture controls and enable the preview display function that we know from other Motorola phones. There's no Always-On function despite the AMOLED display.

Motorola will provide the Moto G42 with Android security updates for three years. One OS update and consequently the update to Android 13 is also guaranteed. At the time of testing (mid-July), the Android security patches were at the level of May 1 and therefore no longer quite up to date.

Motorola Moto G42
Motorola Moto G42
Motorola Moto G42
Motorola Moto G42
Motorola Moto G42
Motorola Moto G42
Motorola Moto G42
Motorola Moto G42

Communication and GNSS - No 5G, but solid Wi-Fi and GPS performance

In contrast to many other modern smartphones, the Moto G42 isn't equipped with 5G connectivity. Nevertheless, buyers get a solid communication package because the Moto G42 is unlikely to have reception problems in Europe thanks to its 11 LTE frequencies.

The Motorola smartphone operates with Wi-Fi 5 speeds in local networks. Connected to our Asus ROG Rapture GT-AXE11000 reference router, the Moto G42 achieves decent transmission rates, which are also quite stable for both sending and receiving data. However, it can't beat the Moto G41, since the latter is still a bit faster.

Networking
iperf3 receive AXE11000
Average of class Smartphone
  (34.8 - 1875, n=206, last 2 years)
646 MBit/s +176%
Motorola Moto G41
Mali-G52 MP2, Helio G85, 128 GB eMMC Flash
332 (302min - 340max) MBit/s +42%
Xiaomi Redmi Note 11
Adreno 610, SD 680, 64 GB UFS 2.2 Flash
298 (198min - 345max) MBit/s +27%
Oppo A76
Adreno 610, SD 680, 128 GB UFS 2.2 Flash
282 (186min - 332max) MBit/s +21%
Realme C35
Mali-G57 MP1, T616, 64 GB UFS 2.2 Flash
244 (179min - 255max) MBit/s +4%
Motorola Moto G42
Adreno 610, SD 680, 64 GB UFS 2.2 Flash
234 (203min - 256max) MBit/s
iperf3 transmit AXE11000
Average of class Smartphone
  (40.5 - 1810, n=207, last 2 years)
681 MBit/s +123%
Motorola Moto G41
Mali-G52 MP2, Helio G85, 128 GB eMMC Flash
367 (350min - 381max) MBit/s +20%
Realme C35
Mali-G57 MP1, T616, 64 GB UFS 2.2 Flash
347 (309min - 366max) MBit/s +14%
Xiaomi Redmi Note 11
Adreno 610, SD 680, 64 GB UFS 2.2 Flash
322 (162min - 386max) MBit/s +6%
Oppo A76
Adreno 610, SD 680, 128 GB UFS 2.2 Flash
311 (181min - 368max) MBit/s +2%
Motorola Moto G42
Adreno 610, SD 680, 64 GB UFS 2.2 Flash
305 (269min - 336max) MBit/s
iperf3 transmit AX12
Samsung Galaxy A12 Exynos SM-A127F
Mali-G52 MP1, Exynos 850, 64 GB eMMC Flash
42.9 (21min - 65max) MBit/s
iperf3 receive AX12
Average of class Smartphone
  (last 2 years)
376 MBit/s
Samsung Galaxy A12 Exynos SM-A127F
Mali-G52 MP1, Exynos 850, 64 GB eMMC Flash
50.4 (41min - 57max) MBit/s
020406080100120140160180200220240260280300320Tooltip
Motorola Moto G42; iperf3 receive AXE11000; iperf 3.1.3: Ø233 (203-256)
Motorola Moto G42; iperf3 transmit AXE11000; iperf 3.1.3: Ø305 (269-336)
GPS reception outdoors
GPS reception outdoors
GPS bands
GPS bands

The Moto G42 uses the GPS, GLONASS, and Galileo satellite navigation services to determine its position. It's able to determine its location with an accuracy of up to 4 meters indoors, and this increases to 3 meters outdoors.

Our field test shows that the smartphone lacks a bit of precision at times. On a bike ride, where the Garmin Venu2 was taken along for direct comparison, the Moto G42 was frequently off track, especially in urban areas. However, the positioning is almost as accurate as with the reference device in areas that are less densely populated. However, the GPS accuracy is sufficient for everyday use.

Motorola Moto G42: Overview
Motorola Moto G42: Overview
Motorola Moto G42: Bridge
Motorola Moto G42: Bridge
Motorola Moto G42: Turning point
Motorola Moto G42: Turning point
Garmin Venu 2: Overview
Garmin Venu 2: Overview
Garmin Venu 2: Bridge
Garmin Venu 2: Bridge
Garmin Venu 2: Turning point
Garmin Venu 2: Turning point

Telephone and call quality - Real dual SIM

The Moto G42 delivers a good call quality during phone calls. Clarity remains high when the speaker and hands-free mode are used. However, our voice occasionally sounded a bit muffled to the person on the other end of the line in the test.

Unlike the Moto G41, the Moto G42 offers true dual-SIM functionality because two SIM cards can be inserted into the card slot in addition to a microSD card. VoWiFi and VoLTE are also supported. Motorola makes the radiation values of its smartphone accessible via the phone app when you enter *#07# into the number field. You can then see that the Moto G42 is among the smartphones that have rather low radiation levels with a head SAR of 0.58 W/kg and a body SAR of 1.12 W/kg.

Cameras - 50 MP triple-camera setup

Photo taken with the selfie camera
Photo taken with the selfie camera

The Moto G42's selfie camera has a resolution of 16 MP, and it can record videos in Full HD at 30 frames per second. You shouldn't expect too much from the picture quality. However, the camera manages decent selfies, and it blurs the background reliably in Portrait mode. However, it's quickly overcome by low-light conditions.

The back cover of the Moto G42 features a 50 MP main camera (f/1.8) with autofocus, an 8 MP ultra wide-angle camera (f/2.2), and a 2 MP macro camera. The latter is more of a nice addition than something actually useful, but it's not at all bad at its job given its limited capabilities. The ultra wide-angle camera even offers an above-average image quality for this price range, which can capture a surprisingly large amount of details. Although picture edges quickly become noisy and blurry, the overall result is definitely respectable.

Photos taken with the 50 MP main camera in daylight are also compelling. Colors look realistic, the dynamic range is good, and the image sharpness is appropriate as well. Low-light pictures aren't the main camera's strength, but it's possible to extract even more details from the subjects with the optional Night Mode.

Both the main and ultra wide-angle cameras as well as the selfie camera can record videos in Full HD at a maximum of 30 frames per second. Switching between the lenses isn't possible while filming.

Photo taken with the main camera
Photo taken with the main camera
Photo taken with the main camera
Photo taken with the main camera
Photo taken with the ultra wide-angle camera
Photo taken with the ultra wide-angle camera
Photo taken with the main camera
Photo taken with the main camera
Photo taken with the main camera
Photo taken with the main camera

Image Comparison

Choose a scene and navigate within the first image. One click changes the position on touchscreens. One click on the zoomed-in image opens the original in a new window. The first image shows the scaled photograph of the test device.

Daylight photo 1Daylight photo 2Ultra-wide angleLow-light photo
click to load images

We found out in the test lab that the main camera can capture colors quite accurately in optimal lighting conditions, but it deviates more significantly from the ideal line when it comes to darker shades of green and blue. Even under 1 lux of residual light, you can still identify the test chart almost completely, but only in a very blurry way.

ColorChecker
18 ∆E
15 ∆E
19.9 ∆E
16.7 ∆E
18.9 ∆E
12.6 ∆E
15.4 ∆E
22.6 ∆E
16.1 ∆E
12 ∆E
12.7 ∆E
11.8 ∆E
16.6 ∆E
11.8 ∆E
14.9 ∆E
5 ∆E
17.1 ∆E
17 ∆E
2.6 ∆E
6.6 ∆E
11.9 ∆E
11.9 ∆E
5.3 ∆E
2.8 ∆E
ColorChecker Motorola Moto G42: 13.13 ∆E min: 2.6 - max: 22.58 ∆E
ColorChecker
28.4 ∆E
48.1 ∆E
36.5 ∆E
35.2 ∆E
40.3 ∆E
57.1 ∆E
48.3 ∆E
30.4 ∆E
35.3 ∆E
25.1 ∆E
58.4 ∆E
58.3 ∆E
27.3 ∆E
46 ∆E
31.5 ∆E
67.7 ∆E
36.3 ∆E
41.6 ∆E
66.5 ∆E
64.6 ∆E
48 ∆E
35.7 ∆E
23.6 ∆E
13 ∆E
ColorChecker Motorola Moto G42: 41.8 ∆E min: 12.99 - max: 67.74 ∆E

Accessories and warranty - Charging with a 20-watt power adapter

The Motorola Moto G42 is delivered with a 20-watt power adapter, a USB cable (Type-A to C), a SIM tool, a transparent protective case, a quick-start guide, and a booklet with safety instructions. You can get accessories like headphones, Bluetooth speakers, and screen protectors in Motorola's online store.

The Motorola Moto G42 is backed by a 24-month warranty in the EU region. In addition, the warranty can be extended to three years with the optional Moto Care insurance.

Input devices and handling - Fingerprint scanner integrated into power button

The Moto G42 implements inputs on the 60 Hz 6.4-inch display very quickly and precisely. Although the Snapdragon 680 4G doesn't make a racehorse out of the Moto G42, it delivers enough power for everyday tasks and the odd occasional game. During use, however, it becomes apparent that the smartphone doesn't have that many performance resources. For example, there can be short lags when switching between several opened apps or right after startup.

The power button on the right side of the case also houses the fingerprint sensor, which unlocks the smartphone quickly and reliably. The second, less secure biometric authentication method is 2D Face Unlock. Provided there's enough ambient light and/or a sufficiently bright display, facial recognition achieves a speed and accuracy that are comparable with the fingerprint sensor.

Keyboard in portrait mode
Keyboard in portrait mode
Keyboard in landscape mode
Keyboard in landscape mode

Display - Brighter AMOLED display with 700 cd/m²

Subpixel grid
Subpixel grid

The Motorola Moto G42 is equipped with an AMOLED panel with 2,400x1,080 pixels (Full HD+). In relation to the display diagonal of 6.43 inches, this corresponds to a pixel density of 409 PPI, which guarantees a sharp image. Unlike mid-range rivals like the Xiaomi Redmi Note 11, which has a 90 Hz OLED display, the Moto G42 is limited to a refresh rate of 60 Hz.

On a pure white background, the Moto G42's AMOLED panel emits an average of 699 cd/m². If the measurement is repeated on a smaller area of the screen (APL18), the brightness increases up to 745 cd/m², which is a very good result for a mid-range smartphone. Another positive aspect is the display's very uniform brightness distribution.

In the lowest brightness setting, the AMOLED panel flickers at a frequency of around 240 Hz, which might bother sensitive users. However, at higher display brightness settings starting at about 25%, the flickering is already almost gone. Therefore, the fact that there's no DC dimming option in the display settings isn't a problem.

691
cd/m²
694
cd/m²
703
cd/m²
693
cd/m²
691
cd/m²
697
cd/m²
697
cd/m²
699
cd/m²
727
cd/m²
Distribution of brightness
tested with X-Rite i1Pro 2
Maximum: 727 cd/m² (Nits) Average: 699.1 cd/m² Minimum: 3.76 cd/m²
Brightness Distribution: 95 %
Center on Battery: 691 cd/m²
Contrast: ∞:1 (Black: 0 cd/m²)
ΔE Color 1.02 | 0.5-29.43 Ø5
ΔE Greyscale 1 | 0.57-98 Ø5.3
98.6% sRGB (Calman 2D)
Gamma: 2.205
Motorola Moto G42
AMOLED, 2400x1080, 6.43
Motorola Moto G41
AMOLED, 2400x1080, 6.40
Oppo A76
IPS, 1612x720, 6.56
Realme C35
IPS, 2408x1080, 6.60
Samsung Galaxy A12 Exynos SM-A127F
IPS LCD, 1600x720, 6.50
Xiaomi Redmi Note 11
OLED, 2400x1080, 6.43
Screen
-53%
-55%
-212%
-214%
-11%
Brightness middle
691
713
3%
569
-18%
585
-15%
446
-35%
702
2%
Brightness
699
712
2%
562
-20%
558
-20%
423
-39%
701
0%
Brightness Distribution
95
91
-4%
90
-5%
89
-6%
88
-7%
98
3%
Black Level *
0.5
0.6
0.29
Colorchecker dE 2000 *
1.02
1.1
-8%
2.16
-112%
4.4
-331%
4.94
-384%
1
2%
Colorchecker dE 2000 max. *
1.73
2.39
-38%
3.37
-95%
8.77
-407%
8.81
-409%
2.3
-33%
Greyscale dE 2000 *
1
3.7
-270%
1.8
-80%
5.9
-490%
5.1
-410%
1.4
-40%
Gamma
2.205 100%
2.264 97%
2.177 101%
2.228 99%
2.145 103%
2.2 100%
CCT
6621 98%
7373 88%
6784 96%
8001 81%
7890 82%
6520 100%
Contrast
1138
975
1538

* ... smaller is better

Screen Flickering / PWM (Pulse-Width Modulation)

To dim the screen, some notebooks will simply cycle the backlight on and off in rapid succession - a method called Pulse Width Modulation (PWM) . This cycling frequency should ideally be undetectable to the human eye. If said frequency is too low, users with sensitive eyes may experience strain or headaches or even notice the flickering altogether.
Screen flickering / PWM detected 239.7 Hz

The display backlight flickers at 239.7 Hz (worst case, e.g., utilizing PWM) .

The frequency of 239.7 Hz is relatively low, so sensitive users will likely notice flickering and experience eyestrain at the stated brightness setting and below.

In comparison: 53 % of all tested devices do not use PWM to dim the display. If PWM was detected, an average of 18071 (minimum: 5 - maximum: 3846000) Hz was measured.

0%
0%
50%
50%
75%
75%
100%
100%

Series of measurements taken with a fixed zoom level and different brightness settings

In addition to the "Saturated" preset mode, the "Natural" picture mode can be selected in the display settings. Its name is also the objective, because this mode makes the display's color and grayscale reproduction absolutely ideal with DeltaE values of around 1 in each case. Parameters like gamma, color temperature, and RGB balance are also exemplary. The AMOLED panel can cover 98.6% of the sRGB color space, as well as 73.9% and 73.6% of the larger AdobeRGB and DCI-P3 color spaces, respectively.

Color accuracy (Natural display mode)
Color accuracy (Natural display mode)
Grayscale (Natural display mode)
Grayscale (Natural display mode)
Color saturation (Natural display mode)
Color saturation (Natural display mode)
Color space (Natural display mode, sRGB target color space)
Color space (Natural display mode, sRGB target color space)
Color space (Natural display mode, AdobeRGB target color space)
Color space (Natural display mode, AdobeRGB target color space)
Color space (Natural display mode, DCI-P3 target color space)
Color space (Natural display mode, DCI-P3 target color space)

Display Response Times

Display response times show how fast the screen is able to change from one color to the next. Slow response times can lead to afterimages and can cause moving objects to appear blurry (ghosting). Gamers of fast-paced 3D titles should pay special attention to fast response times.
       Response Time Black to White
2.6 ms ... rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined↗ 1.3 ms rise
↘ 1.3 ms fall
The screen shows very fast response rates in our tests and should be very well suited for fast-paced gaming.
In comparison, all tested devices range from 0.1 (minimum) to 240 (maximum) ms. » 8 % of all devices are better.
This means that the measured response time is better than the average of all tested devices (21.6 ms).
       Response Time 50% Grey to 80% Grey
3.7 ms ... rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined↗ 2.1 ms rise
↘ 1.6 ms fall
The screen shows very fast response rates in our tests and should be very well suited for fast-paced gaming.
In comparison, all tested devices range from 0.2 (minimum) to 636 (maximum) ms. » 9 % of all devices are better.
This means that the measured response time is better than the average of all tested devices (33.9 ms).

The Moto G42 is well equipped for outdoor use. Content can be read without problems even from flat viewing angles if direct sunlight is avoided.

Outdoor use (direct sunlight)
Outdoor use (direct sunlight)
Outdoor use (in the shade)
Outdoor use (in the shade)
Viewing angles
Viewing angles

Performance - Moto G42 with the Snapdragon 680 4G

The Moto G42 is powered by the mid-range Snapdragon 680 4G SoC, which is supported by 4 GB of RAM. The Adreno 610 is used as the graphics unit. This hardware foundation helps the smartphone achieve a solid system performance. There are minor delays during use at times, but they aren't actually annoying overall.

The Moto G42 holds its ground well against the competition in the benchmarks, and it ranks in the midfield overall. However, it can hardly set itself apart from its predecessor, the Moto G41, and its MediaTek Helio G85 SoC.

Geekbench 5.5
Single-Core
Average of class Smartphone
  (119 - 2138, n=214, last 2 years)
900 Points +139%
Xiaomi Redmi Note 11
Qualcomm Snapdragon 680 4G, Adreno 610, 4096
384 Points +2%
Oppo A76
Qualcomm Snapdragon 680 4G, Adreno 610, 4096
384 Points +2%
Motorola Moto G42
Qualcomm Snapdragon 680 4G, Adreno 610, 4096
376 Points
Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 680 4G
  (323 - 384, n=14)
373 Points -1%
Motorola Moto G41
Mediatek Helio G85, Mali-G52 MP2, 6144
352 Points -6%
Realme C35
UNISOC T616, Mali-G57 MP1, 4096
298 Points -21%
Samsung Galaxy A12 Exynos SM-A127F
Samsung Exynos 850, Mali-G52 MP1, 4096
178 Points -53%
Multi-Core
Average of class Smartphone
  (473 - 6681, n=214, last 2 years)
2947 Points +86%
Xiaomi Redmi Note 11
Qualcomm Snapdragon 680 4G, Adreno 610, 4096
1738 Points +10%
Oppo A76
Qualcomm Snapdragon 680 4G, Adreno 610, 4096
1675 Points +6%
Motorola Moto G42
Qualcomm Snapdragon 680 4G, Adreno 610, 4096
1583 Points
Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 680 4G
  (1287 - 1738, n=14)
1580 Points 0%
Motorola Moto G41
Mediatek Helio G85, Mali-G52 MP2, 6144
1282 Points -19%
Realme C35
UNISOC T616, Mali-G57 MP1, 4096
1184 Points -25%
Samsung Galaxy A12 Exynos SM-A127F
Samsung Exynos 850, Mali-G52 MP1, 4096
1087 Points -31%
Antutu v9 - Total Score
Average of class Smartphone
  (102602 - 1650926, n=151, last 2 years)
738649 Points +210%
Xiaomi Redmi Note 11
Qualcomm Snapdragon 680 4G, Adreno 610, 4096
252044 Points +6%
Motorola Moto G42
Qualcomm Snapdragon 680 4G, Adreno 610, 4096
238371 Points
Motorola Moto G41
Mediatek Helio G85, Mali-G52 MP2, 6144
231224 Points -3%
Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 680 4G
  (201810 - 274001, n=6)
229317 Points -4%
PCMark for Android - Work 3.0
Average of class Smartphone
  (4761 - 21385, n=209, last 2 years)
11643 Points +89%
Realme C35
UNISOC T616, Mali-G57 MP1, 4096
8066 Points +31%
Xiaomi Redmi Note 11
Qualcomm Snapdragon 680 4G, Adreno 610, 4096
7694 Points +25%
Motorola Moto G41
Mediatek Helio G85, Mali-G52 MP2, 6144
6749 Points +9%
Oppo A76
Qualcomm Snapdragon 680 4G, Adreno 610, 4096
6679 Points +8%
Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 680 4G
  (4535 - 8730, n=14)
6497 Points +5%
Motorola Moto G42
Qualcomm Snapdragon 680 4G, Adreno 610, 4096
6176 Points
Samsung Galaxy A12 Exynos SM-A127F
Samsung Exynos 850, Mali-G52 MP1, 4096
5739 Points -7%
CrossMark - Overall
Average of class Smartphone
  (200 - 1474, n=160, last 2 years)
830 Points +155%
Xiaomi Redmi Note 11
Qualcomm Snapdragon 680 4G, Adreno 610, 4096
388 Points +19%
Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 680 4G
  (325 - 413, n=7)
371 Points +14%
Motorola Moto G41
Mediatek Helio G85, Mali-G52 MP2, 6144
325 Points 0%
Motorola Moto G42
Qualcomm Snapdragon 680 4G, Adreno 610, 4096
325 Points
BaseMark OS II
Overall
Average of class Smartphone
  (411 - 11438, n=162, last 2 years)
5686 Points +122%
Xiaomi Redmi Note 11
Qualcomm Snapdragon 680 4G, Adreno 610, 4096
2738 Points +7%
Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 680 4G
  (2551 - 2738, n=7)
2600 Points +1%
Motorola Moto G42
Qualcomm Snapdragon 680 4G, Adreno 610, 4096
2564 Points
Motorola Moto G41
Mediatek Helio G85, Mali-G52 MP2, 6144
2138 Points -17%
Samsung Galaxy A12 Exynos SM-A127F
Samsung Exynos 850, Mali-G52 MP1, 4096
1637 Points -36%
System
Average of class Smartphone
  (2376 - 16475, n=162, last 2 years)
9595 Points +64%
Motorola Moto G42
Qualcomm Snapdragon 680 4G, Adreno 610, 4096
5852 Points
Xiaomi Redmi Note 11
Qualcomm Snapdragon 680 4G, Adreno 610, 4096
5794 Points -1%
Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 680 4G
  (5580 - 5852, n=7)
5744 Points -2%
Motorola Moto G41
Mediatek Helio G85, Mali-G52 MP2, 6144
4353 Points -26%
Samsung Galaxy A12 Exynos SM-A127F
Samsung Exynos 850, Mali-G52 MP1, 4096
3345 Points -43%
Memory
Average of class Smartphone
  (670 - 12306, n=162, last 2 years)
6206 Points +69%
Xiaomi Redmi Note 11
Qualcomm Snapdragon 680 4G, Adreno 610, 4096
3824 Points +4%
Motorola Moto G42
Qualcomm Snapdragon 680 4G, Adreno 610, 4096
3669 Points
Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 680 4G
  (3120 - 3824, n=7)
3466 Points -6%
Motorola Moto G41
Mediatek Helio G85, Mali-G52 MP2, 6144
2834 Points -23%
Samsung Galaxy A12 Exynos SM-A127F
Samsung Exynos 850, Mali-G52 MP1, 4096
1836 Points -50%
Graphics
Average of class Smartphone
  (697 - 58651, n=162, last 2 years)
13856 Points +535%
Xiaomi Redmi Note 11
Qualcomm Snapdragon 680 4G, Adreno 610, 4096
2183 Points 0%
Motorola Moto G42
Qualcomm Snapdragon 680 4G, Adreno 610, 4096
2181 Points
Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 680 4G
  (1994 - 2183, n=7)
2134 Points -2%
Motorola Moto G41
Mediatek Helio G85, Mali-G52 MP2, 6144
1811 Points -17%
Samsung Galaxy A12 Exynos SM-A127F
Samsung Exynos 850, Mali-G52 MP1, 4096
1263 Points -42%
Web
Average of class Smartphone
  (10 - 2145, n=162, last 2 years)
1487 Points +61%
Xiaomi Redmi Note 11
Qualcomm Snapdragon 680 4G, Adreno 610, 4096
1199 Points +30%
Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 680 4G
  (917 - 1199, n=7)
1073 Points +16%
Motorola Moto G41
Mediatek Helio G85, Mali-G52 MP2, 6144
1028 Points +11%
Samsung Galaxy A12 Exynos SM-A127F
Samsung Exynos 850, Mali-G52 MP1, 4096
947 Points +3%
Motorola Moto G42
Qualcomm Snapdragon 680 4G, Adreno 610, 4096
923 Points
AImark - Score v2.x
Average of class Smartphone
  (1043 - 139804, n=54, last 2 years)
20600 Points +377%
Motorola Moto G41
Mediatek Helio G85, Mali-G52 MP2, 6144
6049 Points +40%
Xiaomi Redmi Note 11
Qualcomm Snapdragon 680 4G, Adreno 610, 4096
4995 Points +16%
Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 680 4G
  (4320 - 4995, n=5)
4747 Points +10%
Realme C35
UNISOC T616, Mali-G57 MP1, 4096
4725 Points +9%
Samsung Galaxy A12 Exynos SM-A127F
Samsung Exynos 850, Mali-G52 MP1, 4096
4453 Points +3%
Motorola Moto G42
Qualcomm Snapdragon 680 4G, Adreno 610, 4096
4320 Points
3DMark
Wild Life Extreme
Motorola Moto G41
Mali-G52 MP2, Helio G85, 128 GB eMMC Flash
182 Points +46%
Realme C35
Mali-G57 MP1, T616, 64 GB UFS 2.2 Flash
129 Points +3%
Xiaomi Redmi Note 11
Adreno 610, SD 680, 64 GB UFS 2.2 Flash
127 Points +2%
Motorola Moto G42
Adreno 610, SD 680, 64 GB UFS 2.2 Flash
125 Points
Samsung Galaxy A12 Exynos SM-A127F
Mali-G52 MP1, Exynos 850, 64 GB eMMC Flash
116 Points -7%
Oppo A76
Adreno 610, SD 680, 128 GB UFS 2.2 Flash
22 Points -82%
Wild Life Unlimited Score
Motorola Moto G41
Mali-G52 MP2, Helio G85, 128 GB eMMC Flash
732 Points +65%
Realme C35
Mali-G57 MP1, T616, 64 GB UFS 2.2 Flash
464 Points +5%
Motorola Moto G42
Adreno 610, SD 680, 64 GB UFS 2.2 Flash
443 Points
Oppo A76
Adreno 610, SD 680, 128 GB UFS 2.2 Flash
439 Points -1%
Xiaomi Redmi Note 11
Adreno 610, SD 680, 64 GB UFS 2.2 Flash
435 Points -2%
Samsung Galaxy A12 Exynos SM-A127F
Mali-G52 MP1, Exynos 850, 64 GB eMMC Flash
426 Points -4%
Wild Life Score
Motorola Moto G41
Mali-G52 MP2, Helio G85, 128 GB eMMC Flash
736 Points +65%
Realme C35
Mali-G57 MP1, T616, 64 GB UFS 2.2 Flash
463 Points +4%
Xiaomi Redmi Note 11
Adreno 610, SD 680, 64 GB UFS 2.2 Flash
447 Points 0%
Oppo A76
Adreno 610, SD 680, 128 GB UFS 2.2 Flash
446 Points 0%
Motorola Moto G42
Adreno 610, SD 680, 64 GB UFS 2.2 Flash
445 Points
Samsung Galaxy A12 Exynos SM-A127F
Mali-G52 MP1, Exynos 850, 64 GB eMMC Flash
428 Points -4%
2560x1440 Sling Shot Extreme (Vulkan) Unlimited Physics
Realme C35
Mali-G57 MP1, T616, 64 GB UFS 2.2 Flash
2628 Points +6%
Oppo A76
Adreno 610, SD 680, 128 GB UFS 2.2 Flash
2576 Points +4%
Motorola Moto G42
Adreno 610, SD 680, 64 GB UFS 2.2 Flash
2476 Points
Xiaomi Redmi Note 11
Adreno 610, SD 680, 64 GB UFS 2.2 Flash
2375 Points -4%
Samsung Galaxy A12 Exynos SM-A127F
Mali-G52 MP1, Exynos 850, 64 GB eMMC Flash
2098 Points -15%
Motorola Moto G41
Mali-G52 MP2, Helio G85, 128 GB eMMC Flash
1567 Points -37%
2560x1440 Sling Shot Extreme (Vulkan) Unlimited Graphics
Motorola Moto G41
Mali-G52 MP2, Helio G85, 128 GB eMMC Flash
1273 Points +14%
Xiaomi Redmi Note 11
Adreno 610, SD 680, 64 GB UFS 2.2 Flash
1155 Points +3%
Oppo A76
Adreno 610, SD 680, 128 GB UFS 2.2 Flash
1145 Points +2%
Motorola Moto G42
Adreno 610, SD 680, 64 GB UFS 2.2 Flash
1121 Points
Realme C35
Mali-G57 MP1, T616, 64 GB UFS 2.2 Flash
919 Points -18%
Samsung Galaxy A12 Exynos SM-A127F
Mali-G52 MP1, Exynos 850, 64 GB eMMC Flash
839 Points -25%
2560x1440 Sling Shot Extreme (Vulkan) Unlimited
Motorola Moto G41
Mali-G52 MP2, Helio G85, 128 GB eMMC Flash
1426 Points +12%
Oppo A76
Adreno 610, SD 680, 128 GB UFS 2.2 Flash
1306 Points +2%
Motorola Moto G42
Adreno 610, SD 680, 64 GB UFS 2.2 Flash
1276 Points
Xiaomi Redmi Note 11
Adreno 610, SD 680, 64 GB UFS 2.2 Flash
1253 Points -2%
Realme C35
Mali-G57 MP1, T616, 64 GB UFS 2.2 Flash
1074 Points -16%
Samsung Galaxy A12 Exynos SM-A127F
Mali-G52 MP1, Exynos 850, 64 GB eMMC Flash
954 Points -25%
2560x1440 Sling Shot Extreme (ES 3.1) Unlimited Physics
Realme C35
Mali-G57 MP1, T616, 64 GB UFS 2.2 Flash
3036 Points +8%
Motorola Moto G42
Adreno 610, SD 680, 64 GB UFS 2.2 Flash
2814 Points
Oppo A76
Adreno 610, SD 680, 128 GB UFS 2.2 Flash
2683 Points -5%
Motorola Moto G41
Mali-G52 MP2, Helio G85, 128 GB eMMC Flash
2662 Points -5%
Xiaomi Redmi Note 11
Adreno 610, SD 680, 64 GB UFS 2.2 Flash
2573 Points -9%
Samsung Galaxy A12 Exynos SM-A127F
Mali-G52 MP1, Exynos 850, 64 GB eMMC Flash
2109 Points -25%
2560x1440 Sling Shot Extreme (ES 3.1) Unlimited Graphics
Motorola Moto G41
Mali-G52 MP2, Helio G85, 128 GB eMMC Flash
1269 Points +7%
Xiaomi Redmi Note 11
Adreno 610, SD 680, 64 GB UFS 2.2 Flash
1199 Points +1%
Motorola Moto G42
Adreno 610, SD 680, 64 GB UFS 2.2 Flash
1191 Points
Oppo A76
Adreno 610, SD 680, 128 GB UFS 2.2 Flash
1184 Points -1%
Realme C35
Mali-G57 MP1, T616, 64 GB UFS 2.2 Flash
939 Points -21%
Samsung Galaxy A12 Exynos SM-A127F
Mali-G52 MP1, Exynos 850, 64 GB eMMC Flash
736 Points -38%
2560x1440 Sling Shot Extreme (ES 3.1) Unlimited
Motorola Moto G41
Mali-G52 MP2, Helio G85, 128 GB eMMC Flash
1434 Points +5%
Xiaomi Redmi Note 11
Adreno 610, SD 680, 64 GB UFS 2.2 Flash
1372 Points 0%
Motorola Moto G42
Adreno 610, SD 680, 64 GB UFS 2.2 Flash
1366 Points
Oppo A76
Adreno 610, SD 680, 128 GB UFS 2.2 Flash
1352 Points -1%
Realme C35
Mali-G57 MP1, T616, 64 GB UFS 2.2 Flash
1109 Points -19%
Samsung Galaxy A12 Exynos SM-A127F
Mali-G52 MP1, Exynos 850, 64 GB eMMC Flash
867 Points -37%
2560x1440 Sling Shot OpenGL ES 3.0 Physics
Realme C35
Mali-G57 MP1, T616, 64 GB UFS 2.2 Flash
2957 Points +10%
Motorola Moto G42
Adreno 610, SD 680, 64 GB UFS 2.2 Flash
2692 Points
Xiaomi Redmi Note 11
Adreno 610, SD 680, 64 GB UFS 2.2 Flash
2654 Points -1%
Motorola Moto G41
Mali-G52 MP2, Helio G85, 128 GB eMMC Flash
2647 Points -2%
Samsung Galaxy A12 Exynos SM-A127F
Mali-G52 MP1, Exynos 850, 64 GB eMMC Flash
2048 Points -24%
2560x1440 Sling Shot OpenGL ES 3.0 Graphics
Xiaomi Redmi Note 11
Adreno 610, SD 680, 64 GB UFS 2.2 Flash
1995 Points 0%
Motorola Moto G42
Adreno 610, SD 680, 64 GB UFS 2.2 Flash
1989 Points
Motorola Moto G41
Mali-G52 MP2, Helio G85, 128 GB eMMC Flash
1627 Points -18%
Realme C35
Mali-G57 MP1, T616, 64 GB UFS 2.2 Flash
1471 Points -26%
Samsung Galaxy A12 Exynos SM-A127F
Mali-G52 MP1, Exynos 850, 64 GB eMMC Flash
1126 Points -43%
2560x1440 Sling Shot OpenGL ES 3.0
Xiaomi Redmi Note 11
Adreno 610, SD 680, 64 GB UFS 2.2 Flash
2113 Points 0%
Motorola Moto G42
Adreno 610, SD 680, 64 GB UFS 2.2 Flash
2112 Points
Motorola Moto G41
Mali-G52 MP2, Helio G85, 128 GB eMMC Flash
1827 Points -13%
Realme C35
Mali-G57 MP1, T616, 64 GB UFS 2.2 Flash
1656 Points -22%
Samsung Galaxy A12 Exynos SM-A127F
Mali-G52 MP1, Exynos 850, 64 GB eMMC Flash
1283 Points -39%
2560x1440 Sling Shot Extreme (ES 3.1)
Motorola Moto G41
Mali-G52 MP2, Helio G85, 128 GB eMMC Flash
1411 Points +5%
Xiaomi Redmi Note 11
Adreno 610, SD 680, 64 GB UFS 2.2 Flash
1365 Points +2%
Oppo A76
Adreno 610, SD 680, 128 GB UFS 2.2 Flash
1357 Points +1%
Motorola Moto G42
Adreno 610, SD 680, 64 GB UFS 2.2 Flash
1339 Points
Realme C35
Mali-G57 MP1, T616, 64 GB UFS 2.2 Flash
1103 Points -18%
Samsung Galaxy A12 Exynos SM-A127F
Mali-G52 MP1, Exynos 850, 64 GB eMMC Flash
863 Points -36%
2560x1440 Sling Shot Extreme (ES 3.1) Graphics
Motorola Moto G41
Mali-G52 MP2, Helio G85, 128 GB eMMC Flash
1238 Points +6%
Xiaomi Redmi Note 11
Adreno 610, SD 680, 64 GB UFS 2.2 Flash
1188 Points +2%
Oppo A76
Adreno 610, SD 680, 128 GB UFS 2.2 Flash
1177 Points +1%
Motorola Moto G42
Adreno 610, SD 680, 64 GB UFS 2.2 Flash
1170 Points
Realme C35
Mali-G57 MP1, T616, 64 GB UFS 2.2 Flash
935 Points -20%
Samsung Galaxy A12 Exynos SM-A127F
Mali-G52 MP1, Exynos 850, 64 GB eMMC Flash
738 Points -37%
2560x1440 Sling Shot Extreme (ES 3.1) Physics
Realme C35
Mali-G57 MP1, T616, 64 GB UFS 2.2 Flash
2959 Points +9%
Oppo A76
Adreno 610, SD 680, 128 GB UFS 2.2 Flash
2930 Points +8%
Motorola Moto G42
Adreno 610, SD 680, 64 GB UFS 2.2 Flash
2707 Points
Xiaomi Redmi Note 11
Adreno 610, SD 680, 64 GB UFS 2.2 Flash
2683 Points -1%
Motorola Moto G41
Mali-G52 MP2, Helio G85, 128 GB eMMC Flash
2558 Points -6%
Samsung Galaxy A12 Exynos SM-A127F
Mali-G52 MP1, Exynos 850, 64 GB eMMC Flash
2031 Points -25%
2560x1440 Sling Shot OpenGL ES 3.0 Unlimited
Motorola Moto G42
Adreno 610, SD 680, 64 GB UFS 2.2 Flash
2186 Points
Xiaomi Redmi Note 11
Adreno 610, SD 680, 64 GB UFS 2.2 Flash
2085 Points -5%
Motorola Moto G41
Mali-G52 MP2, Helio G85, 128 GB eMMC Flash
1729 Points -21%
Realme C35
Mali-G57 MP1, T616, 64 GB UFS 2.2 Flash
1710 Points -22%
Samsung Galaxy A12 Exynos SM-A127F
Mali-G52 MP1, Exynos 850, 64 GB eMMC Flash
1273 Points -42%
2560x1440 Sling Shot OpenGL ES 3.0 Unlimited Graphics
Motorola Moto G42
Adreno 610, SD 680, 64 GB UFS 2.2 Flash
2053 Points
Xiaomi Redmi Note 11
Adreno 610, SD 680, 64 GB UFS 2.2 Flash
1931 Points -6%
Motorola Moto G41
Mali-G52 MP2, Helio G85, 128 GB eMMC Flash
1684 Points -18%
Realme C35
Mali-G57 MP1, T616, 64 GB UFS 2.2 Flash
1518 Points -26%
Samsung Galaxy A12 Exynos SM-A127F
Mali-G52 MP1, Exynos 850, 64 GB eMMC Flash
1142 Points -44%
2560x1440 Sling Shot OpenGL ES 3.0 Unlimited Physics
Realme C35
Mali-G57 MP1, T616, 64 GB UFS 2.2 Flash
3063 Points +8%
Motorola Moto G42
Adreno 610, SD 680, 64 GB UFS 2.2 Flash
2826 Points
Motorola Moto G41
Mali-G52 MP2, Helio G85, 128 GB eMMC Flash
2673 Points -5%
Xiaomi Redmi Note 11
Adreno 610, SD 680, 64 GB UFS 2.2 Flash
2589 Points -8%
Samsung Galaxy A12 Exynos SM-A127F
Mali-G52 MP1, Exynos 850, 64 GB eMMC Flash
2032 Points -28%
GFXBench (DX / GLBenchmark) 2.7
T-Rex Onscreen
Motorola Moto G41
Mali-G52 MP2, Helio G85, 128 GB eMMC Flash
40 fps +14%
Xiaomi Redmi Note 11
Adreno 610, SD 680, 64 GB UFS 2.2 Flash
37 fps +6%
Motorola Moto G42
Adreno 610, SD 680, 64 GB UFS 2.2 Flash
35 fps
Samsung Galaxy A12 Exynos SM-A127F
Mali-G52 MP1, Exynos 850, 64 GB eMMC Flash
33 fps -6%
Realme C35
Mali-G57 MP1, T616, 64 GB UFS 2.2 Flash
23 fps -34%
1920x1080 T-Rex Offscreen
Motorola Moto G41
Mali-G52 MP2, Helio G85, 128 GB eMMC Flash
46 fps +12%
Xiaomi Redmi Note 11
Adreno 610, SD 680, 64 GB UFS 2.2 Flash
42 fps +2%
Motorola Moto G42
Adreno 610, SD 680, 64 GB UFS 2.2 Flash
41 fps
Realme C35
Mali-G57 MP1, T616, 64 GB UFS 2.2 Flash
26 fps -37%
Samsung Galaxy A12 Exynos SM-A127F
Mali-G52 MP1, Exynos 850, 64 GB eMMC Flash
24 fps -41%
GFXBench 3.0
on screen Manhattan Onscreen OGL
Samsung Galaxy A12 Exynos SM-A127F
Mali-G52 MP1, Exynos 850, 64 GB eMMC Flash
28 fps +40%
Motorola Moto G41
Mali-G52 MP2, Helio G85, 128 GB eMMC Flash
22 fps +10%
Motorola Moto G42
Adreno 610, SD 680, 64 GB UFS 2.2 Flash
20 fps
Xiaomi Redmi Note 11
Adreno 610, SD 680, 64 GB UFS 2.2 Flash
17 fps -15%
Realme C35
Mali-G57 MP1, T616, 64 GB UFS 2.2 Flash
14 fps -30%
1920x1080 1080p Manhattan Offscreen
Motorola Moto G41
Mali-G52 MP2, Helio G85, 128 GB eMMC Flash
25 fps +14%
Motorola Moto G42
Adreno 610, SD 680, 64 GB UFS 2.2 Flash
22 fps
Xiaomi Redmi Note 11
Adreno 610, SD 680, 64 GB UFS 2.2 Flash
20 fps -9%
Samsung Galaxy A12 Exynos SM-A127F
Mali-G52 MP1, Exynos 850, 64 GB eMMC Flash
16 fps -27%
Realme C35
Mali-G57 MP1, T616, 64 GB UFS 2.2 Flash
16 fps -27%
GFXBench 3.1
on screen Manhattan ES 3.1 Onscreen
Samsung Galaxy A12 Exynos SM-A127F
Mali-G52 MP1, Exynos 850, 64 GB eMMC Flash
19 fps +36%
Motorola Moto G42
Adreno 610, SD 680, 64 GB UFS 2.2 Flash
14 fps
Xiaomi Redmi Note 11
Adreno 610, SD 680, 64 GB UFS 2.2 Flash
13 fps -7%
Motorola Moto G41
Mali-G52 MP2, Helio G85, 128 GB eMMC Flash
8.7 fps -38%
Realme C35
Mali-G57 MP1, T616, 64 GB UFS 2.2 Flash
8.7 fps -38%
1920x1080 Manhattan ES 3.1 Offscreen
Xiaomi Redmi Note 11
Adreno 610, SD 680, 64 GB UFS 2.2 Flash
16 fps +7%
Motorola Moto G42
Adreno 610, SD 680, 64 GB UFS 2.2 Flash
15 fps
Motorola Moto G41
Mali-G52 MP2, Helio G85, 128 GB eMMC Flash
14 fps -7%
Realme C35
Mali-G57 MP1, T616, 64 GB UFS 2.2 Flash
9.9 fps -34%
Samsung Galaxy A12 Exynos SM-A127F
Mali-G52 MP1, Exynos 850, 64 GB eMMC Flash
9.4 fps -37%
GFXBench
on screen Car Chase Onscreen
Samsung Galaxy A12 Exynos SM-A127F
Mali-G52 MP1, Exynos 850, 64 GB eMMC Flash
11 fps +49%
Motorola Moto G41
Mali-G52 MP2, Helio G85, 128 GB eMMC Flash
8.2 fps +11%
Motorola Moto G42
Adreno 610, SD 680, 64 GB UFS 2.2 Flash
7.4 fps
Xiaomi Redmi Note 11
Adreno 610, SD 680, 64 GB UFS 2.2 Flash
7.3 fps -1%
Realme C35
Mali-G57 MP1, T616, 64 GB UFS 2.2 Flash
5 fps -32%
1920x1080 Car Chase Offscreen
Motorola Moto G41
Mali-G52 MP2, Helio G85, 128 GB eMMC Flash
9.4 fps +13%
Xiaomi Redmi Note 11
Adreno 610, SD 680, 64 GB UFS 2.2 Flash
8.6 fps +4%
Motorola Moto G42
Adreno 610, SD 680, 64 GB UFS 2.2 Flash
8.3 fps
Samsung Galaxy A12 Exynos SM-A127F
Mali-G52 MP1, Exynos 850, 64 GB eMMC Flash
6 fps -28%
Realme C35
Mali-G57 MP1, T616, 64 GB UFS 2.2 Flash
5.9 fps -29%
on screen Aztec Ruins High Tier Onscreen
Oppo A76
Adreno 610, SD 680, 128 GB UFS 2.2 Flash
11 fps +120%
Samsung Galaxy A12 Exynos SM-A127F
Mali-G52 MP1, Exynos 850, 64 GB eMMC Flash
7 fps +40%
Motorola Moto G41
Mali-G52 MP2, Helio G85, 128 GB eMMC Flash
5.4 fps +8%
Xiaomi Redmi Note 11
Adreno 610, SD 680, 64 GB UFS 2.2 Flash
5 fps 0%
Motorola Moto G42
Adreno 610, SD 680, 64 GB UFS 2.2 Flash
5 fps
Realme C35
Mali-G57 MP1, T616, 64 GB UFS 2.2 Flash
3.4 fps -32%
2560x1440 Aztec Ruins High Tier Offscreen
Motorola Moto G41
Mali-G52 MP2, Helio G85, 128 GB eMMC Flash
3.4 fps +6%
Oppo A76
Adreno 610, SD 680, 128 GB UFS 2.2 Flash
3.3 fps +3%
Xiaomi Redmi Note 11
Adreno 610, SD 680, 64 GB UFS 2.2 Flash
3.2 fps 0%
Motorola Moto G42
Adreno 610, SD 680, 64 GB UFS 2.2 Flash
3.2 fps
Samsung Galaxy A12 Exynos SM-A127F
Mali-G52 MP1, Exynos 850, 64 GB eMMC Flash
2.2 fps -31%
Realme C35
Mali-G57 MP1, T616, 64 GB UFS 2.2 Flash
2.2 fps -31%
on screen Aztec Ruins Normal Tier Onscreen
Oppo A76
Adreno 610, SD 680, 128 GB UFS 2.2 Flash
17 fps +100%
Samsung Galaxy A12 Exynos SM-A127F
Mali-G52 MP1, Exynos 850, 64 GB eMMC Flash
11 fps +29%
Xiaomi Redmi Note 11
Adreno 610, SD 680, 64 GB UFS 2.2 Flash
8.8 fps +4%
Motorola Moto G41
Mali-G52 MP2, Helio G85, 128 GB eMMC Flash
8.5 fps 0%
Motorola Moto G42
Adreno 610, SD 680, 64 GB UFS 2.2 Flash
8.5 fps
Realme C35
Mali-G57 MP1, T616, 64 GB UFS 2.2 Flash
5.4 fps -36%
1920x1080 Aztec Ruins Normal Tier Offscreen
Xiaomi Redmi Note 11
Adreno 610, SD 680, 64 GB UFS 2.2 Flash
9.8 fps +1%
Motorola Moto G42
Adreno 610, SD 680, 64 GB UFS 2.2 Flash
9.7 fps
Motorola Moto G41
Mali-G52 MP2, Helio G85, 128 GB eMMC Flash
9.6 fps -1%
Oppo A76
Adreno 610, SD 680, 128 GB UFS 2.2 Flash
9.6 fps -1%
Samsung Galaxy A12 Exynos SM-A127F
Mali-G52 MP1, Exynos 850, 64 GB eMMC Flash
6.2 fps -36%
Realme C35
Mali-G57 MP1, T616, 64 GB UFS 2.2 Flash
6.1 fps -37%


Jetstream 2 - Total Score
Average of class Smartphone (13.8 - 351, n=170, last 2 years)
103.9 Points +148%
Realme C35 (Chrome 101)
45.399 Points +8%
Xiaomi Redmi Note 11 (Chrome 101)
43.525 Points +4%
Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 680 4G (35.7 - 52.9, n=7)
43.4 Points +4%
Motorola Moto G42 (Chrome 103.0.5060.71)
41.845 Points
Motorola Moto G41 (Chrome 99)
31.3 Points -25%
Samsung Galaxy A12 Exynos SM-A127F (Chrome96)
21.24 Points -49%
Speedometer 2.0 - Result
Average of class Smartphone (14.9 - 445, n=154, last 2 years)
104.4 runs/min +176%
Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 680 4G (32.7 - 53.5, n=7)
40.2 runs/min +6%
Xiaomi Redmi Note 11 (Chrome 101)
39.64 runs/min +5%
Motorola Moto G42 (Chrome 103.0.5060.71)
37.8 runs/min
Realme C35
34.44 runs/min -9%
Motorola Moto G41 (Chrome 99)
27.8 runs/min -26%
Samsung Galaxy A12 Exynos SM-A127F (Chrome96)
16.3 runs/min -57%
WebXPRT 3 - Overall
Average of class Smartphone (37 - 304, n=119, last 2 years)
131 Points +122%
Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 680 4G (58 - 93, n=6)
67.8 Points +15%
Xiaomi Redmi Note 11 (Chrome 101)
67 Points +14%
Motorola Moto G42 (Chrome 103.0.5060.71)
59 Points
Motorola Moto G41 (Chrome 99)
46 Points -22%
Samsung Galaxy A12 Exynos SM-A127F (Chrome96)
38 Points -36%
Octane V2 - Total Score
Average of class Smartphone (4633 - 89112, n=205, last 2 years)
33314 Points +169%
Xiaomi Redmi Note 11 (Chrome 101)
13056 Points +6%
Motorola Moto G41 (Chrome 99)
12937 Points +5%
Motorola Moto G42 (Chrome 103.0.5060.71)
12364 Points
Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 680 4G (6358 - 14279, n=11)
11432 Points -8%
Samsung Galaxy A12 Exynos SM-A127F (Chrome96)
5849 Points -53%
Mozilla Kraken 1.1 - Total
Samsung Galaxy A12 Exynos SM-A127F (Chrome96)
8472 ms * -154%
Motorola Moto G41 (Chrome 99)
3464 ms * -4%
Motorola Moto G42 (Chrome 103.0.5060.71)
3341.4 ms *
Xiaomi Redmi Note 11 (Chrome 101)
3234.1 ms * +3%
Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 680 4G (2650 - 3461, n=6)
3124 ms * +7%
Average of class Smartphone (388 - 9999, n=168, last 2 years)
1658 ms * +50%

* ... smaller is better

When it comes to storage performance, the Moto G42 with its UFS 2.2 storage is clearly superior to the Moto G41 and its slow eMMC storage. Moreover, the smartphone delivers an absolutely satisfactory read and write performance for its price range.

Motorola Moto G42Motorola Moto G41Oppo A76Realme C35Samsung Galaxy A12 Exynos SM-A127FXiaomi Redmi Note 11Average 64 GB UFS 2.2 FlashAverage of class Smartphone
AndroBench 3-5
-55%
27%
-2%
-65%
14%
1%
91%
Sequential Read 256KB
843.09
298.5
-65%
980.7
16%
907.1
8%
302.3
-64%
895.34
6%
758 ?(485 - 940, n=17)
-10%
1471 ?(215 - 4512, n=213, last 2 years)
74%
Sequential Write 256KB
436.32
172.3
-61%
711.7
63%
271.1
-38%
74.5
-83%
519.23
19%
400 ?(120.6 - 519, n=17)
-8%
1084 ?(57.5 - 3678, n=213, last 2 years)
148%
Random Read 4KB
122.08
86.9
-29%
174.7
43%
137.8
13%
77.8
-36%
172.95
42%
154.9 ?(88.5 - 220, n=17)
27%
243 ?(22.2 - 543, n=213, last 2 years)
99%
Random Write 4KB
186.23
64.4
-65%
162.7
-13%
206.4
11%
47.21
-75%
163.29
-12%
176.3 ?(95.4 - 216, n=17)
-5%
267 ?(13 - 709, n=213, last 2 years)
43%

Games - Run smoothly with limitations

The Snapdragon 680 4G running in the Moto G42 and its Adreno 610 graphics unit only have limited performance reserves for future gaming generations.

However, modern games, including complex titles like PUBG Mobile, don't pose too much of a challenge for the smartphone as long as the graphics details aren't set too high. In PUBG Mobile, you can't select a higher graphics setting than "Balanced" anyway. Therefore, the shooter remains playable at an almost constant 25 FPS. The Moto G42 can almost make full use of its 60 Hz display in the graphically simpler Armajet, where it even achieves an average of 59 FPS.

We determine the gaming frame rates with our Gamebench test tool.

Armajet
Armajet
PUBG Mobile
PUBG Mobile
051015202530354045505560Tooltip
Motorola Moto G42; Armajet; 1.61.6: Ø58.7 (52-60)
Motorola Moto G42; PUBG Mobile; 2.0.0: Ø25 (23-27)

Emissions - Cool at all times during use

Temperature

The Moto G42 hardly heats up during use, so it never feels uncomfortably warm. We measure a maximum of 39.6 °C (~103 °F) on the surface.

The Moto G42 also has the internal SoC waste heat well in check. As the 3DMark stress tests show, it can almost always fully utilize its performance even under continuous load. If performance losses occur, they're so minimal that they aren't noticeable.

Max. Load
 39.6 °C
103 F
33.5 °C
92 F
31.5 °C
89 F
 
 38.6 °C
101 F
33.7 °C
93 F
32.2 °C
90 F
 
 37.4 °C
99 F
33 °C
91 F
31.9 °C
89 F
 
Maximum: 39.6 °C = 103 F
Average: 34.6 °C = 94 F
32 °C
90 F
33.5 °C
92 F
37.5 °C
100 F
32 °C
90 F
34.2 °C
94 F
39.7 °C
103 F
32 °C
90 F
34.6 °C
94 F
37.9 °C
100 F
Maximum: 39.7 °C = 103 F
Average: 34.8 °C = 95 F
Power Supply (max.)  39.9 °C = 104 F | Room Temperature 21.6 °C = 71 F | Fluke t3000FC (calibrated), Voltcraft IR-260
(±) The average temperature for the upper side under maximal load is 34.6 °C / 94 F, compared to the average of 32.7 °C / 91 F for the devices in the class Smartphone.
(+) The maximum temperature on the upper side is 39.6 °C / 103 F, compared to the average of 35 °C / 95 F, ranging from 21.9 to 56 °C for the class Smartphone.
(+) The bottom heats up to a maximum of 39.7 °C / 103 F, compared to the average of 33.8 °C / 93 F
(+) In idle usage, the average temperature for the upper side is 27.6 °C / 82 F, compared to the device average of 32.7 °C / 91 F.

3DMark Wild Life Stress Test

3DMark
Wild Life Stress Test Stability
Motorola Moto G42
Adreno 610, SD 680, 64 GB UFS 2.2 Flash
99.4 %
Samsung Galaxy A12 Exynos SM-A127F
Mali-G52 MP1, Exynos 850, 64 GB eMMC Flash
99.2 % 0%
Xiaomi Redmi Note 11
Adreno 610, SD 680, 64 GB UFS 2.2 Flash
99.1 % 0%
Motorola Moto G41
Mali-G52 MP2, Helio G85, 128 GB eMMC Flash
98.7 % -1%
Wild Life Extreme Stress Test
Motorola Moto G41
Mali-G52 MP2, Helio G85, 128 GB eMMC Flash
98.9 % +2%
Motorola Moto G42
Adreno 610, SD 680, 64 GB UFS 2.2 Flash
97.3 %
Samsung Galaxy A12 Exynos SM-A127F
Mali-G52 MP1, Exynos 850, 64 GB eMMC Flash
96.1 % -1%
00.20.40.70.91.11.31.51.722.22.42.62.833.33.53.73.94.1Tooltip
Motorola Moto G42 Adreno 610, SD 680, 64 GB UFS 2.2 Flash; Wild Life Extreme Stress Test; 1.0.9.1: Ø0.733 (0.725-0.746)
Motorola Moto G41 Mali-G52 MP2, Helio G85, 128 GB eMMC Flash; Wild Life Extreme Stress Test; 1.0.8.1: Ø1.093 (1.087-1.098)
Samsung Galaxy A12 Exynos SM-A127F Mali-G52 MP1, Exynos 850, 64 GB eMMC Flash; Wild Life Extreme Stress Test; 1.0.5.1: Ø0.708 (0.701-0.73)
Motorola Moto G42 Adreno 610, SD 680, 64 GB UFS 2.2 Flash; Wild Life Stress Test Stability; 0.0.0.0: Ø2.67 (2.66-2.68)
Motorola Moto G41 Mali-G52 MP2, Helio G85, 128 GB eMMC Flash; Wild Life Stress Test Stability; 0.0.0.0: Ø4.34 (4.29-4.35)
Samsung Galaxy A12 Exynos SM-A127F Mali-G52 MP1, Exynos 850, 64 GB eMMC Flash; Wild Life Stress Test Stability; 0.0.0.0: Ø2.59 (2.57-2.59)
Xiaomi Redmi Note 11 Adreno 610, SD 680, 64 GB UFS 2.2 Flash; Wild Life Stress Test Stability; 0.0.0.0: Ø2.68 (2.66-2.69)
Motorola Moto G42
Motorola Moto G42

Speakers

The Moto G42 is equipped with stereo speakers with Dolby Atmos support that reach a maximum volume of 81.1 dB(A), and they don't distort even when the volume is turned up to the maximum. Mids and highs are conveyed in a very balanced way by the dual-speaker system, while bass tones are absent.

The Moto G42 offers a 3.5 mm audio jack for wired headsets and speakers. Bluetooth 5.0 is used for wireless connectivity.

dB(A) 0102030405060708090Deep BassMiddle BassHigh BassLower RangeMidsHigher MidsLower HighsMid HighsUpper HighsSuper Highs2036.738.62535.736.43127.329.94033.333.55037.434.26325.225.88018.221.810020.523.412513.535.416017.343.220013.547.825013.550.231513.155.840012.959.750013.36763015.467.380014.167.8100012.973.712509.671.3160010.671.5200010.370.825001168.4315012.670.4400015.265.6500016.866.7630016.466.4800016.566.11000016.663.31250015.960.51600016.655.2SPL26.381.1N0.749.7median 13.5median 66.1Delta2.47.338.945.344.745.33436.736.836.742.640.637.333.826.225.928.327.622.422.218.933.41640.514.546.313.253.81359.116.565.119.566.219.66617.468.515.374.415.378.515.778.416.576.317.977.520.870.32267.220.974.121.772.722.870.32263.122.558.531.586.41.462.6median 18.9median 66.2310.7hearing rangehide median Pink NoiseMotorola Moto G42Samsung Galaxy A12 Exynos SM-A127F
Frequency diagram (checkboxes can be checked and unchecked to compare devices)
Motorola Moto G42 audio analysis

(±) | speaker loudness is average but good (81.1 dB)
Bass 100 - 315 Hz
(-) | nearly no bass - on average 23.4% lower than median
(±) | linearity of bass is average (10.8% delta to prev. frequency)
Mids 400 - 2000 Hz
(+) | balanced mids - only 4.1% away from median
(+) | mids are linear (5% delta to prev. frequency)
Highs 2 - 16 kHz
(+) | balanced highs - only 1.5% away from median
(+) | highs are linear (3.7% delta to prev. frequency)
Overall 100 - 16.000 Hz
(±) | linearity of overall sound is average (17.7% difference to median)
Compared to same class
» 9% of all tested devices in this class were better, 6% similar, 84% worse
» The best had a delta of 12%, average was 38%, worst was 134%
Compared to all devices tested
» 30% of all tested devices were better, 8% similar, 62% worse
» The best had a delta of 4%, average was 25%, worst was 134%

Samsung Galaxy A12 Exynos SM-A127F audio analysis

(+) | speakers can play relatively loud (86.4 dB)
Bass 100 - 315 Hz
(-) | nearly no bass - on average 28.9% lower than median
(±) | linearity of bass is average (13.6% delta to prev. frequency)
Mids 400 - 2000 Hz
(±) | higher mids - on average 5.4% higher than median
(+) | mids are linear (6.7% delta to prev. frequency)
Highs 2 - 16 kHz
(±) | higher highs - on average 6.4% higher than median
(±) | linearity of highs is average (7.4% delta to prev. frequency)
Overall 100 - 16.000 Hz
(±) | linearity of overall sound is average (25.1% difference to median)
Compared to same class
» 55% of all tested devices in this class were better, 7% similar, 37% worse
» The best had a delta of 12%, average was 38%, worst was 134%
Compared to all devices tested
» 73% of all tested devices were better, 6% similar, 21% worse
» The best had a delta of 4%, average was 25%, worst was 134%

Battery life - One of the highlights of the Moto G42

Energy consumption

The Moto G42's power consumption is very restrained with 1.5 watts in idle usage and an average of 2.6 watts under load. The included power adapter can also be described as restrained. It supplies 20 watts, but it can't provide it fully because the Moto G42 can only be charged with a maximum of 18 watts. It takes 2:03 hours to bring the empty battery back to 100% in the test. The smartphone doesn't support wireless charging.

Power Consumption
Off / Standbydarklight 0.1 / 0.2 Watt
Idledarkmidlight 1 / 1.5 / 2 Watt
Load midlight 2.6 / 4.5 Watt
 color bar
Key: min: dark, med: mid, max: light        Metrahit Energy
Currently we use the Metrahit Energy, a professional single phase power quality and energy measurement digital multimeter, for our measurements. Find out more about it here. All of our test methods can be found here.
Motorola Moto G42
5000 mAh
Motorola Moto G41
5000 mAh
Realme C35
5000 mAh
Samsung Galaxy A12 Exynos SM-A127F
5000 mAh
Xiaomi Redmi Note 11
5000 mAh
Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 680 4G
 
Average of class Smartphone
 
Power Consumption
-10%
9%
-28%
-6%
-42%
-32%
Idle Minimum *
1
0.9
10%
0.8
20%
1.4
-40%
1.06
-6%
1.015 ?(0.63 - 1.5, n=6)
-2%
0.897 ?(0.42 - 2.37, n=160, last 2 years)
10%
Idle Average *
1.5
1.1
27%
1.1
27%
1.9
-27%
1.93
-29%
2.1 ?(1.1 - 4.25, n=6)
-40%
1.447 ?(0.69 - 4.26, n=160, last 2 years)
4%
Idle Maximum *
2
1.6
20%
1.4
30%
2.1
-5%
1.96
2%
2.45 ?(1.5 - 4.34, n=6)
-23%
1.628 ?(0.79 - 4.45, n=160, last 2 years)
19%
Load Average *
2.6
4.3
-65%
3.1
-19%
3.8
-46%
2.87
-10%
4.92 ?(2.6 - 10.2, n=6)
-89%
5.5 ?(2.3 - 16.5, n=160, last 2 years)
-112%
Load Maximum *
4.5
6.5
-44%
5.1
-13%
5.6
-24%
3.85
14%
6.95 ?(3.85 - 10.7, n=6)
-54%
8.16 ?(4.32 - 20.8, n=160, last 2 years)
-81%

* ... smaller is better

Energy consumption: Geekbench (150 cd/m²)

0123456Tooltip
Motorola Moto G42 Qualcomm Snapdragon 680 4G: Ø2.72 (0.592-4.88)
Xiaomi Redmi Note 11 Qualcomm Snapdragon 680 4G: Ø3.03 (1.109-6.23)

Energy consumption: GFXBench (150 cd/m²)

012345Tooltip
Motorola Moto G42 Qualcomm Snapdragon 680 4G; 1920x1080 Aztec Ruins Normal Offscreen: Ø2.25 (2.08-3.61)
Xiaomi Redmi Note 11 Qualcomm Snapdragon 680 4G; 1920x1080 Aztec Ruins Normal Offscreen: Ø2.88 (2.54-5.23)
Motorola Moto G42 Qualcomm Snapdragon 680 4G; Idle 150cd/m2: Ø1.685 (1.636-1.81)
Xiaomi Redmi Note 11 Qualcomm Snapdragon 680 4G; Idle 150cd/m2: Ø1.302 (1.117-1.614)

Battery life

The Moto G42 trumps when it comes to battery life. The Snapdragon 680 4G isn't the fastest SoC, but it gives our review unit quite a bit of endurance due to its frugal operation.

The Moto G42's 5,000 mAh battery dies after almost 16 hours of simulated web browsing, and it even lasts almost 20 hours when playing a video. Looking at the competition, however, shows that such superb runtimes have almost become standard in the mid-range.

Battery Runtime
Idle (without WLAN, min brightness)
37h 03min
WiFi Websurfing
15h 49min
Big Buck Bunny H.264 1080p
19h 45min
Load (maximum brightness)
6h 46min
Motorola Moto G42
5000 mAh
Motorola Moto G41
5000 mAh
Oppo A76
5000 mAh
Realme C35
5000 mAh
Samsung Galaxy A12 Exynos SM-A127F
5000 mAh
Xiaomi Redmi Note 11
5000 mAh
Battery Runtime
-3%
5%
1%
-3%
-6%
Reader / Idle
2223
1849
-17%
2094
-6%
2098
-6%
H.264
1185
1298
10%
1078
-9%
1076
-9%
WiFi v1.3
949
905
-5%
993
5%
958
1%
879
-7%
842
-11%
Load
406
411
1%
455
12%
409
1%

Pros

+ low weight
+ bright OLED panel
+ 3.5 mm audio jack
+ dual-SIM plus microSD
+ stereo speakers
+ 20-watt power adapter included
+ long battery life

Cons

- performance
- no 5G
- refresh rate of only 60 Hz

Verdict on the Motorola Moto G42

In review: Motorola Moto G42. Test device provided by Motorola Germany.
In review: Motorola Moto G42. Test device provided by Motorola Germany.

The Motorola Moto G42 is a good mid-range smartphone that offers a lot of value for money. There are two features in particular that make it stand out: The long battery life, and the bright AMOLED display. Not only is the latter's brightness of around 700 cd/m² above average by mid-range standards, but it also impresses with good image quality and uniform illumination. However, there's no more than a 60 Hz refresh rate.

Budget-conscious buyers looking for an affordable and well-equipped smartphone should take a closer look at the Motorola Moto G42.

The Moto G42 isn't a performance overachiever due to its Snapdragon 680 4G, but it offers a satisfactory performance for everyday use. The Moto G42 also scores plus points with its 50 MP camera that takes good pictures in daylight. Stereo speakers, true dual-SIM functionality, a 3.5 mm audio jack, and guaranteed security patch updates for three years round out the good features.

An alternative to the Motorola Moto G42 is the Xiaomi Redmi Note 11, which offers an AMOLED display that is almost as bright, but with 90 Hz.

Price and availability

At the time of writing, you can find the Moto G42 in the 4/64GB configuration on Amazon for around $255.

Motorola Moto G42 - 08/30/2022 v7
Manuel Masiero

Chassis
84%
Keyboard
69 / 75 → 92%
Pointing Device
89%
Connectivity
48 / 70 → 69%
Weight
90%
Battery
91%
Display
90%
Games Performance
14 / 64 → 23%
Application Performance
68 / 86 → 79%
Temperature
91%
Noise
100%
Audio
80 / 90 → 89%
Camera
65%
Average
75%
81%
Smartphone - Weighted Average

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> Expert Reviews and News on Laptops, Smartphones and Tech Innovations > Reviews > Motorola Moto G42 smartphone review: OLED lightweight with 700 nits at a bargain price
Manuel Masiero, 2022-07-23 (Update: 2022-07-23)