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MagyarMotorola Moto G 5G review: Affordable 5G smartphone with IP rating and stamina
After having already taken a look at the Moto G 5G Plus, another relatively inexpensive 5G smartphone from Motorola is now going through our test course. Unlike the Plus model, the Moto G 5G is not based on a Qualcomm Snapdragon 765 but rather on the somewhat more powerful Snapdragon 750G.
The Moto phone, which costs about 300 Euros (~$365) (MSRP), is equipped with 64 GB of flash storage and 4 GB of RAM in Germany. A 20-watt fast-charging function, a quad-camera setup, and a 6.7-inch IPS panel are also on board.
Possible contenders in comparison
Rating | Date | Model | Weight | Drive | Size | Resolution | Best Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 81.3 % | 02/2021 | Motorola Moto G 5G SD 750G 5G, Adreno 619 | 212 g | 64 GB UFS 2.1 Flash | 6.70" | 2400x1080 | |
| 81.3 % | 12/2020 | OnePlus Nord N10 5G SD 690 5G, Adreno 619L | 190 g | 128 GB UFS 2.1 Flash | 6.49" | 2400x1080 | |
| 81.1 % | 11/2020 | Realme 7 Pro SD 720G, Adreno 618 | 182 g | 128 GB UFS 2.1 Flash | 6.40" | 2400x1080 | |
| 82.1 % | 12/2020 | Xiaomi Mi 10T Lite 5G SD 750G 5G, Adreno 619 | 215 g | 128 GB UFS 2.1 Flash | 6.67" | 2400x1080 | |
| 79.4 % | 11/2020 | Samsung Galaxy M31s Exynos 9611, Mali-G72 MP3 | 203 g | 128 GB UFS 2.1 Flash | 6.50" | 2400x1080 | |
| 80 % | 08/2020 | Motorola Moto G 5G Plus SD 765, Adreno 620 | 207 g | 64 GB UFS 2.1 Flash | 6.70" | 2520x1080 |
Case - Motorola smartphone with punch hole
The Moto G 5G is available with a plastic case in the colors "Volcanic Gray" and "Frosted Silver". The plastic shell on the back feels slightly "hollow" in the area of the fingerprint scanner, but otherwise, it looks sturdy. Due to the high-gloss look, grease smudges caused by fingers are very noticeable.
The punch hole on the front and the edges that are not too wide ensure that the Moto phone still fits relatively well in the user's hand despite the pronounced display diagonal of 6.7 inches; this allows the Moto G 5G to achieve a screen-to-body ratio of almost 86%, which is efficient for this price range.
The build quality is very appealing. The Moto G 5G also features protection against water, but it's certified according to the IP52 standard so that it's only protected against water splashes as a result.
Connectivity - Moto G 5G with 3.5 mm audio jack
DRM-protected content from streaming platforms can be viewed in HD resolution thanks to the Moto G 5G's DRM Widevine L1 certification. Wireless image transmission of display content via Miracast works without issues as well.
The internal UFS storage has a capacity of 64 GB, but the user only has about 48 GB available out of the box. If you need more storage space, you can expand it with an additional microSD card or use a second SIM card.
Peripheral devices can be connected via the USB-C port using an OTG adapter. The USB port uses the 2.0 standard for data transfer.
Software - Motorola smartphone with Android 10
At the time of our test, the Motorola phone is running Android 10 with security patches at the level of November 2020. According to the manufacturer, an update to the latest version 11 will be available soon.
The minimalistic MyUX user interface includes the familiar Moto Experiences, e.g., for activating the flashlight by shaking the hand or launching the camera by turning the wrist quickly.
Communication and GPS - Motorola phone with NFC
In terms of communication, the Moto G 5G is one of the best in this price range. Motorola supports Bluetooth 5.1 in its mid-range phone, and the built-in NFC chip also enables near-field communication. The dual-SIM smartphone uses the fast 5G standard for mobile Internet access and covers all LTE frequencies relevant for Germany - with 20 supported LTE bands, the Moto G 5G is even on par with a few flagship smartphones.
The integrated WLAN module supports the IEEE 802.11a/b/g/n/ac standard and operates in the 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz frequency ranges. In combination with our Netgear Nighthawk AX12 reference router, the Moto phone achieves good transfer rates for this price range at over 600 Mb/s.
The current position is determined via the GPS, Galileo, and GLONASS satellite systems as well as the satellite-based complementary system SBAS. Even indoors, the Moto G 5G can pinpoint its location without problems and very quickly.
To assess the positioning accuracy of our test device in practice, we track a route with a Garmin Edge 520 in parallel for comparison purposes. The GPS module's deviations in the route are small, and there is only a gap of 20 meters between the Motorola smartphone and the navigation device at the end of the four-kilometer test route.
Telephone and call quality - Moto G 5G with Wi-Fi calling
We find the quality of the built-in microphones to be good, and the voices of the callers on the other end of the line are intelligible and clear. Video calls via Skype also work very well with the Motorola phone.
Like the Plus model, the Moto G 5G supports VoLTE, which allows voice calls via the 4G network, as well as Wi-Fi calling.
Cameras - Motorola smartphone with quad-camera setup
The Moto G 5G uses a 48 MP main camera that is complemented by an 8 MP ultra wide-angle lens as well as a 5 MP macro camera and a 2 MP ToF sensor. The main sensor of the rear-facing quad-camera setup has an aperture of f/1.7; it offers decent image sharpness in daylight and preserves quite a lot of details. However, low-light conditions reveal major deficits in sharpness and lighting, so that the subject is only visible to a limited extent.
The wide-angle lens delivers acceptable results but at a much lower level than the main camera. Pictures often look overexposed, and details get lost in blurriness.
The Moto G 5G only records videos at 60 fps in 1080p, while UHD videos can be captured at 30 fps. Furthermore, it's possible to switch between the main and wide-angle cameras while recording.
The selfie camera has a resolution of 16 MP and offers a solid photo quality for this price range that is perfectly suitable for multimedia content as well as snapshots. Colors look realistic, and softness is kept within limits.
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.
Main cameraMain cameraLow lightWide angle
Accessories and warranty - Moto G 5G with case
The Motorola Moto G 5G comes with a modular 20-watt power adapter, a headset, a quick-start guide and SIM toolkit, as well as a USB cable and a protective silicon case.
There's a 24-month warranty period starting from the date of purchase.
Input devices and handling - Motorola smartphone with face unlock
The capacitive multi-touch screen pleases in the test with its precise operation. Biometric identification using the face can be used to unlock the Moto G 5G, but this is unsafe due to this mechanism relying of the front-facing camera. In addition, an active fingerprint scanner is found on the case's back. The recognition rate is good; the user's fingerprint is recognized correctly in about 7 out of 10 attempts, but the sensor is not fast.
As is often the case with Motorola phones, the Moto G 5G is also equipped with a dedicated Google Assistant button, making Google's personal assistant available at the touch of a button.
Display - Moto G 5G with LC panel
The 6.7-inch LC display of the Moto G 5G has a resolution of 2400x1080 pixels in a 20:9 format with a pixel density of 393 PPI. The MaxVision display of the Moto phone is certified for HDR10 content, but it only uses a refresh rate of 60 Hz in contrast to the Plus model.
The maximum peak brightness of 586 cd/m² that we measured isn't very high, and it's too low for the optimal reproduction of HDR content, but it's absolutely satisfactory for this price range. Even the realistic APL50 test (Average Picture Level) with evenly distributed bright and dark areas barely changes the maximum brightness, because it only reaches 601 cd/m².
The brightness distribution of 88% is quite heterogeneous, and shadows are clearly visible in the area of the front-facing camera. Furthermore, the use of PWM isn't optimal for an LTPS panel.
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||
Brightness Distribution: 88 %
Center on Battery: 586 cd/m²
Contrast: 961:1 (Black: 0.61 cd/m²)
ΔE Color 1.74 | 0.5-29.43 Ø5
ΔE Greyscale 3 | 0.57-98 Ø5.3
97.9% sRGB (Calman 2D)
Gamma: 2.244
| Motorola Moto G 5G LTPS LCD, 2400x1080, 6.70 | OnePlus Nord N10 5G IPS LCD, 2400x1080, 6.49 | Realme 7 Pro AMOLED, 2400x1080, 6.40 | Xiaomi Mi 10T Lite 5G IPS, 2400x1080, 6.67 | Samsung Galaxy M31s Super AMOLED, 2400x1080, 6.50 | Motorola Moto G 5G Plus LTPS, 2520x1080, 6.70 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Screen | -18% | 4% | -5% | -13% | 14% | |
| Brightness middle | 586 | 450 -23% | 507 -13% | 606 3% | 584 0% | 461 -21% |
| Brightness | 565 | 422 -25% | 508 -10% | 574 2% | 586 4% | 458 -19% |
| Brightness Distribution | 88 | 89 1% | 97 10% | 89 1% | 95 8% | 93 6% |
| Black Level * | 0.61 | 0.57 7% | 0.44 28% | 0.52 15% | ||
| Contrast | 961 | 789 -18% | 1377 43% | 887 -8% | ||
| Colorchecker dE 2000 * | 1.74 | 2.67 -53% | 1.88 -8% | 2.4 -38% | 2.09 -20% | 1.01 42% |
| Colorchecker dE 2000 max. * | 4.09 | 6.76 -65% | 3.63 11% | 5.3 -30% | 7.96 -95% | 2.1 49% |
| Greyscale dE 2000 * | 3 | 2 33% | 2 33% | 4.5 -50% | 2.2 27% | 1.5 50% |
| Gamma | 2.244 98% | 2.274 97% | 2.338 94% | 2.21 100% | 2.084 106% | 2.25 98% |
| CCT | 6000 108% | 6859 95% | 6665 98% | 6224 104% | 6512 100% | 6701 97% |
* ... smaller is better
Screen Flickering / PWM (Pulse-Width Modulation)
| Screen flickering / PWM detected | 217.4 Hz | ≤ 25 % brightness setting |  |
The display backlight flickers at 217.4 Hz (worst case, e.g., utilizing PWM) Flickering detected at a brightness setting of 25 % and below. There should be no flickering or PWM above this brightness setting. The frequency of 217.4 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 17933 (minimum: 5 - maximum: 3846000) Hz was measured. | |||
The analysis performed with the spectrophotometer and the CalMAN software reveals low average Delta E deviations from the sRGB color space of 1.7 (colors) and 3 (grayscales), respectively, in the "Natural" display mode - the ideal range starts at values below 3. However, contrast isn't particularly pronounced due to the quite high black level. Mid-range models with an OLED panel like the Galaxy M31s, for example, have visible advantages here.
Display Response Times
| ↔ Response Time Black to White | ||
|---|---|---|
| 24 ms ... rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined | ↗ 9 ms rise |  |
| ↘ 15 ms fall | ||
| The screen shows good response rates in our tests, but may be too slow for competitive gamers. In comparison, all tested devices range from 0.1 (minimum) to 240 (maximum) ms. » 48 % of all devices are better. This means that the measured response time is worse than the average of all tested devices (21.5 ms). | ||
| ↔ Response Time 50% Grey to 80% Grey | ||
| 42 ms ... rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined | ↗ 19 ms rise |  |
| ↘ 23 ms fall | ||
| The screen shows slow response rates in our tests and will be unsatisfactory for gamers. In comparison, all tested devices range from 0.2 (minimum) to 636 (maximum) ms. » 63 % of all devices are better. This means that the measured response time is worse than the average of all tested devices (33.8 ms). | ||
The liquid crystal display performs well outdoors. Content can still be read reasonably well on the IPS panel in direct sunlight. Viewing angles are also at a decent level, but the OLED competition has the edge here as well thanks to the underlying technology.
Performance - Moto smartphone with Snapdragon SoC
The Qualcomm Snapdragon 750G is manufactured in an 8 nm process and integrates eight cores that are divided into two clusters. The performance cluster is based on two fast ARM Cortex-A77 cores (2.2 GHz), and the power-saving cluster contains six Cortex-A55 cores that run at up to 1.8 GHz. A Qualcomm Adreno 619 is used as the graphics card. The "G" in the name refers to special gaming drivers.
The benchmark results are at a similar level as those of its big sibling, the Moto G 5G Plus, which is equipped with the Snapdragon 765. From a performance perspective, the Moto G 5G chipset is in the front of the pack in our comparison.
The combination of the Qualcomm SoC and 4 GB of RAM ensures good system performance in everyday use. Thanks to the light UI, stutters only occur during multitasking or when processes are running in the background. The relatively fast UFS storage isn't a performance bottleneck either.
| AnTuTu v8 - Total Score (sort by value) | |
| Motorola Moto G 5G | |
| OnePlus Nord N10 5G | |
| Xiaomi Mi 10T Lite 5G | |
| Samsung Galaxy M31s | |
| Motorola Moto G 5G Plus | |
| Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 750G 5G (291387 - 334292, n=6) | |
| Jetstream 2 - Total Score | |
| Average of class Smartphone (13.8 - 351, n=172, last 2 years) | |
| Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 750G 5G (40.8 - 67.5, n=7) | |
| Motorola Moto G 5G (Chrome88) | |
| Xiaomi Mi 10T Lite 5G (Chrome 87.0.4280.101) | |
| Motorola Moto G 5G Plus (Chrome 83) | |
| Samsung Galaxy M31s (Chrome 86) | |
| OnePlus Nord N10 5G (Chrome 87) | |
| Octane V2 - Total Score | |
| Average of class Smartphone (4633 - 89112, n=210, last 2 years) | |
| Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 750G 5G (17730 - 21566, n=7) | |
| Xiaomi Mi 10T Lite 5G (Chrome 87.0.4280.101) | |
| Motorola Moto G 5G (Chrome88) | |
| Motorola Moto G 5G Plus (Chrome 83) | |
| Samsung Galaxy M31s (Chrome 86) | |
| OnePlus Nord N10 5G (Chrome 87) | |
| Mozilla Kraken 1.1 - Total | |
| OnePlus Nord N10 5G (Chrome 87) | |
| Samsung Galaxy M31s (Chrome 86) | |
| Motorola Moto G 5G Plus (Chrome 83) | |
| Xiaomi Mi 10T Lite 5G (Chrome 87.0.4280.101) | |
| Motorola Moto G 5G (Chrome88) | |
| Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 750G 5G (1897 - 2665, n=7) | |
| Average of class Smartphone (388 - 9999, n=172, last 2 years) | |
* ... smaller is better
| Motorola Moto G 5G | OnePlus Nord N10 5G | Realme 7 Pro | Xiaomi Mi 10T Lite 5G | Samsung Galaxy M31s | Motorola Moto G 5G Plus | Average 64 GB UFS 2.1 Flash | Average of class Smartphone | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AndroBench 3-5 | -11% | -13% | 19% | -16% | -10% | -21% | 140% | |
| Sequential Read 256KB | 822 | 865 5% | 521 -37% | 938 14% | 490.3 -40% | 885 8% | 696 ? -15% | 1505 ? 83% |
| Sequential Write 256KB | 243 | 187.2 -23% | 198.1 -18% | 463.5 91% | 318.4 31% | 180.2 -26% | 224 ? -8% | 1112 ? 358% |
| Random Read 4KB | 157.8 | 137 -13% | 159.8 1% | 176.6 12% | 105 -33% | 138.1 -12% | 137.2 ? -13% | 247 ? 57% |
| Random Write 4KB | 167.8 | 106 -37% | 129.1 -23% | 162.3 -3% | 117.1 -30% | 119.3 -29% | 84.7 ? -50% | 271 ? 62% |
| Sequential Read 256KB SDCard | 86.6 ? | 86.5 ? 0% | 86.7 ? 0% | 87 ? 0% | 73.6 ? -15% | 87.1 ? 1% | 68.6 ? -21% | |
| Sequential Write 256KB SDCard | 64.9 ? | 64.9 ? 0% | 64.9 ? 0% | 65.8 ? 1% | 59.9 ? -8% | 65.7 ? 1% | 52.2 ? -20% |
Games - Moto G 5G suitable for gamers
The Adreno 619 in the Moto G 5G provides enough graphics power to run modern games smoothly. The CPU-intensive racing game Asphalt 9 Legends as well as PUBG mobile can be played on the Motorola phone without problems. Our gaming tests of the Qualcomm GPU reveal frame rates close to the 30-fps mark for both game titles.
Emissions - Moto G 5G gets warm
Temperature
The case of the Moto phone heats up considerably under load, but the temperatures we measured are within a harmless range at a maximum of 42 °C (~108 °F).
| 3DMark - Wild Life Stress Test Stability | |
| Xiaomi Mi 10T Lite 5G | |
| Motorola Moto G 5G | |
(±) The maximum temperature on the upper side is 42.1 °C / 108 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 41.5 °C / 107 F, compared to the average of 33.8 °C / 93 F
(±) In idle usage, the average temperature for the upper side is 32.2 °C / 90 F, compared to the device average of 32.7 °C / 91 F.
Speaker
The mid-range Motorola phone only has one speaker at the bottom. Sound quality is satisfactory for this price range, even though music playback is not very linear, and maximum volume only reaches a value of 82.5 dB. As expected, there's hardly any bass in the sound spectrum.
Users of the Moto G 5G don't have to do without a 3.5 mm audio jack. Those who prefer a wireless solution can implement it via Bluetooth 5.1. The supported codecs are aptX, aptX HD, AAC, and LDAC.
Motorola Moto G 5G audio analysis
(+) | speakers can play relatively loud (82.5 dB)
Bass 100 - 315 Hz
(-) | nearly no bass - on average 67.3% lower than median
(+) | bass is linear (0% delta to prev. frequency)
Mids 400 - 2000 Hz
(-) | nearly no mids - on average 67.3% lower than median
(+) | mids are linear (0% delta to prev. frequency)
Highs 2 - 16 kHz
(-) | nearly no highs - on average 67.3% lower than median
(+) | highs are linear (0% delta to prev. frequency)
Overall 100 - 16.000 Hz
(-) | overall sound is not linear (119.1% difference to median)
Compared to same class
» 86% of all tested devices in this class were better, 10% similar, 4% worse
» The best had a delta of 12%, average was 38%, worst was 134%
Compared to all devices tested
» 96% of all tested devices were better, 3% similar, 1% worse
» The best had a delta of 4%, average was 25%, worst was 134%
OnePlus Nord N10 5G audio analysis
(+) | speakers can play relatively loud (83.3 dB)
Bass 100 - 315 Hz
(-) | nearly no bass - on average 68.7% lower than median
(+) | bass is linear (0% delta to prev. frequency)
Mids 400 - 2000 Hz
(-) | nearly no mids - on average 68.7% lower than median
(+) | mids are linear (0% delta to prev. frequency)
Highs 2 - 16 kHz
(-) | nearly no highs - on average 68.7% lower than median
(+) | highs are linear (0% delta to prev. frequency)
Overall 100 - 16.000 Hz
(-) | overall sound is not linear (117.2% difference to median)
Compared to same class
» 85% of all tested devices in this class were better, 8% similar, 7% worse
» The best had a delta of 12%, average was 38%, worst was 134%
Compared to all devices tested
» 95% of all tested devices were better, 2% similar, 2% worse
» The best had a delta of 4%, average was 25%, worst was 134%
Battery life - Motorola smartphone with TurboPower charging
Energy consumption
The 5,000 mAh battery is charged at up to 20 watts using the TurboPower fast-charging technology - the charging process takes about 2 hours.
| Off / Standby |   0.1 / 0.2 Watt |
| Idle |  1.3 / 1.5 / 2.1 Watt |
| Load |
7 / 8.9 Watt |
    
| |
| Motorola Moto G 5G 5000 mAh | OnePlus Nord N10 5G 4300 mAh | Realme 7 Pro 4500 mAh | Xiaomi Mi 10T Lite 5G 4820 mAh | Samsung Galaxy M31s 6000 mAh | Motorola Moto G 5G Plus 5000 mAh | Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 750G 5G | Average of class Smartphone | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Power Consumption | 9% | 12% | -21% | -18% | -15% | 17% | ||
| Idle Minimum * | 1.3 | 0.9 31% | 0.5 62% | 1.4 -8% | 1.5 -15% | 1.039 ? 20% | 0.897 ? 31% | |
| Idle Average * | 1.5 | 1.6 -7% | 2.1 -40% | 2.2 -47% | 2.1 -40% | 2.61 ? -74% | 1.452 ? 3% | |
| Idle Maximum * | 2.1 | 2.1 -0% | 2.13 -1% | 3.4 -62% | 2.9 -38% | 2.91 ? -39% | 1.629 ? 22% | |
| Load Average * | 7 | 6.2 11% | 5.39 23% | 6.3 10% | 6.7 4% | 6.16 ? 12% | 5.55 ? 21% | |
| Load Maximum * | 8.9 | 7.8 12% | 7.4 17% | 8.9 -0% | 9.2 -3% | 8.34 ? 6% | 8.31 ? 7% |
* ... smaller is better
Battery life
In our WLAN test, the Moto G 5G shows very long runtimes of 17:30 hours under practical conditions (display brightness: 150 cd/m², active WLAN module).
| Motorola Moto G 5G 5000 mAh | OnePlus Nord N10 5G 4300 mAh | Realme 7 Pro 4500 mAh | Xiaomi Mi 10T Lite 5G 4820 mAh | Samsung Galaxy M31s 6000 mAh | Motorola Moto G 5G Plus 5000 mAh | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Battery Runtime | ||||||
| WiFi v1.3 | 1056 | 974 -8% | 931 -12% | 1096 4% | 1309 24% | 914 -13% |
Pros
Cons
Verdict on the Motorola Moto G 5G - Clean Snapdragon phone
The Moto G 5G from Motorola is an interesting mid-range phone with one flaw - the display. The latter is by no means bad, but the LTPS panel of the Moto G 5G doesn't quite live up to what prospective buyers might expect from a 300-Euro (~$365) smartphone nowadays. The LC display is a bit low in contrast, uses PWM for brightness control, and has a native refresh rate of only 60 Hz coupled with the typical LCD weaknesses (shadows, screen bleeding, ...). Display fans will definitely find better panels in this price range.
Those who can live with a solid 60 Hz LCD display will find an appealing mid-range phone in the Moto G 5G, for which the price will surely move quickly in the direction of the Plus model (approximately 230 Euros (~$279)).
Regardless of that, the Motorola phone offers a nice overall package consisting of very good battery life, minimalistic software, fast WLAN and GPS, and strong communication capabilities (5G, a lot of LTE bands, NFC, ...). Compared with the Plus model, the Moto G 5G shows very decent performance and doesn't have the relatively inconsistent system speed of its big brother.
Price and availability
Motorola Moto G 5G
-
02/20/2021 v7
Marcus Herbrich
Pricecompare
