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Motorola Moto G23 smartphone review - Plenty of memory for the mid-range

Are long runtimes sufficient? Motorola's Moto G23 is an inexpensive mid-range phone with good stamina and a 90 Hz panel but comparatively little performance. Do the advantages outweigh the disadvantages, or should you rather buy another smartphone? We’ll find out in our test.
Android ARM Smartphone
Motorola Moto G23
Motorola Moto G23
Processor
Mediatek Helio G85 8 x 1.8 - 2 GHz, Cortex-A75 / A55
Graphics adapter
ARM Mali-G52 MP2
Memory
8 GB 
Display
6.50 inch 20:9, 1600 x 720 pixel 270 PPI, capacitive touchscreen, IPS, glossy: yes, 90 Hz
Storage
128 GB eMMC Flash, 128 GB 
, 115 GB free
Connections
1 USB 2.0, USB-C Power Delivery (PD), Audio Connections: 3.5mm audio jack, Card Reader: microSD up to 512 GB, 1 Fingerprint Reader, NFC, Brightness Sensor, Sensors: accelerometer, gyro, proximity
Networking
802.11 a/b/g/n/ac (a/b/g/n = Wi-Fi 4/ac = Wi-Fi 5/), Bluetooth 5.1, 2G (850/​900/​1800/​1900), 3G (B1/​B2/​B5/​B8), 4G (B1/​B2/​B3/​B5/​B7/​B8/​B20/​B28/​B38/​B40/​B41) , Dual SIM, LTE, GPS
Size
height x width x depth (in mm): 8.2 x 162.7 x 74.7 ( = 0.32 x 6.41 x 2.94 in)
Battery
5000 mAh Lithium-Polymer, 30 Watt charging
Charging
fast charging / Quickcharge
Operating System
Android 13
Camera
Primary Camera: 50 MPix f/​1.8, phase comparison-AF, LED-flash, Videos @1080p/​30fps (Camera 1); 5.0MP, f/​2.2, depth of field, wide angle lens (Camera 2); 2.0MP, f/​2.4, macro lens (Camera 3)
Secondary Camera: 16 MPix f/​2.45, Videos @720p/​30fps
Additional features
Speakers: stereo speakers (hybrid), Keyboard: OnScreen, charger, USB cable, bumper, SIM tool, 24 Months Warranty, SAR:0.450W/​kg Head, 1.790W/​kg Body, IP52-certified, fanless
Weight
184.3 g ( = 6.5 oz / 0.41 pounds) ( = 0 oz / 0 pounds)
Price
230 Euro
Links
Motorola homepage
Note: The manufacturer may use components from different suppliers including display panels, drives or memory sticks with similar specifications.

 

Possible competitors in comparison

Rating
Date
Model
Weight
Drive
Size
Resolution
Best Price
79 %
03/2023
Motorola Moto G23
Helio G85, Mali-G52 MP2		184.3 g128 GB eMMC Flash6.50"1600x720
75.1 %
05/2022
Motorola Moto G22
Helio G37, PowerVR GE8320		185 g64 GB eMMC Flash6.50"1600x720
79.1 %
03/2023
Motorola Moto G53
SD 480+, Adreno 619		183 g128 GB UFS 2.1 Flash6.50"1600x720
78.9 %
11/2022
Xiaomi Poco M5
Helio G99, Mali-G57 MP2		201 g128 GB UFS 2.2 Flash6.58"2408x1080
77.9 %
10/2022
Samsung Galaxy A13 5G
Dimensity 700, Mali-G57 MP2		195 g64 GB eMMC Flash6.50"1600x720

Case and features - Matt glossy plastic

Motorola Moto G23 is not exactly cheap at a manufacturer's price of 230 Euros, but it also comes with a lush storage configuration of 8 GB RAM and 128 GB mass storage. Hardly any comparable phone can keep up.

The Moto phone is available in dark gray, white, or blue, and the chassis seems stable: pressure on the back does not reach the display, but it does when you press directly on the screen. The phone can hardly be twisted. The Moto G23 has a good build quality, and material transitions are not noticeable. The back is matte but does not resist fingerprints very well. The camera module protrudes from the case. At only 184 grams, the Moto phone is relatively light for its price range and feels good in the hand.

NFC is part of the Moto G23's equipment, so you can also use mobile payment services. There is also a microSD reader that is separate from the two SIM slots. The reader is on par with our reference microSD Angelbird V60, but it cannot provide outstanding read and write rates.

Motorola Moto G23
Motorola Moto G23
Motorola Moto G23
Motorola Moto G23
Motorola Moto G23
Motorola Moto G23

Size comparison

❌
164.5 mm / 6.48 inch 76.5 mm / 3.01 inch 8.8 mm / 0.3465 inch 195 g0.4299 lbs164 mm / 6.46 inch 76.1 mm / 3 inch 8.9 mm / 0.3504 inch 201 g0.4431 lbs164 mm / 6.46 inch 75 mm / 2.95 inch 8.5 mm / 0.3346 inch 185 g0.4079 lbs162.7 mm / 6.41 inch 74.7 mm / 2.94 inch 8.2 mm / 0.3228 inch 184.3 g0.4063 lbs162.7 mm / 6.41 inch 74.7 mm / 2.94 inch 8.2 mm / 0.3228 inch 183 g0.4034 lbs148 mm / 5.83 inch 105 mm / 4.13 inch 1 mm / 0.03937 inch 1.5 g0.00331 lbs
SD Card Reader - average JPG Copy Test (av. of 3 runs)
Motorola Moto G53
  (Angelbird V60)
26.8 MB/s ∼100% +22%
Average of class Smartphone
  (10.9 - 77, n=124, last 2 years)
26.7 MB/s ∼100% +22%
Xiaomi Poco M5
  (Angelbird V60)
24.6 MB/s ∼92% +12%
Motorola Moto G22
  (Angelbird V60)
24.3 MB/s ∼91% +11%
Motorola Moto G23
  (Angelbird V60)
21.9 MB/s ∼82%
Samsung Galaxy A13 5G
  (Angelbird V60)
14.3 MB/s ∼53% -35%

Cross Platform Disk Test (CPDT)

0102030405060708090100Tooltip
Motorola Moto G23 Mali-G52 MP2, Helio G85, 128 GB eMMC Flash; SDCard Sequential Write 0.5 GB: Ø38.6 (28.1-50.2)
Motorola Moto G22 PowerVR GE8320, Helio G37, 64 GB eMMC Flash; SDCard Sequential Write 0.5 GB; Angelbird V60: Ø35.9 (20.7-46.1)
Motorola Moto G53 Adreno 619, SD 480+, 128 GB UFS 2.1 Flash; SDCard Sequential Write 0.5 GB: Ø38.9 (28.3-49.6)
Xiaomi Poco M5 Mali-G57 MP2, Helio G99, 128 GB UFS 2.2 Flash; SDCard Sequential Write 0.5 GB; Angelbird V60: Ø37.7 (21.8-45.3)
Samsung Galaxy A13 5G Mali-G57 MP2, Dimensity 700, 64 GB eMMC Flash; SDCard Sequential Write 0.5 GB: Ø37.9 (30.5-48.3)
Motorola Moto G23 Mali-G52 MP2, Helio G85, 128 GB eMMC Flash; SDCard Sequential Read 0.5 GB: Ø73.1 (32.5-76.9)
Motorola Moto G22 PowerVR GE8320, Helio G37, 64 GB eMMC Flash; SDCard Sequential Read 0.5 GB; Angelbird V60: Ø72.5 (27.9-75.8)
Motorola Moto G53 Adreno 619, SD 480+, 128 GB UFS 2.1 Flash; SDCard Sequential Read 0.5 GB: Ø76.1 (26.1-84.4)
Xiaomi Poco M5 Mali-G57 MP2, Helio G99, 128 GB UFS 2.2 Flash; SDCard Sequential Read 0.5 GB; Angelbird V60: Ø76 (40-79.1)
Samsung Galaxy A13 5G Mali-G57 MP2, Dimensity 700, 64 GB eMMC Flash; SDCard Sequential Read 0.5 GB: Ø74.6 (44.2-104.8)

Communication, software and operation - Unclear update situation

The phone supports WiFi 5 and can deliver stable transfer rates in our test with the reference router Asus ROG Rapture AXE11000. These are between 320 and 380 MBit/s and are thus on the typical level for phones with WiFi 5. The signal strength of the WLAN network is also good in our sample tests.

The Moto G23 is a 4G smartphone that provides enough frequencies for the European market and also for traveling abroad. However, it is not a world phone, so you should check if a smartphone can be used on the local network before further trips. The 4G signal is significantly weaker than in high-end phones in our samples during the test. At the same time, there were no complete disconnections during the tests.

Android 13 is used as the operating system, and, as usual for Motorola, quite a few apps and no third-party programs are preinstalled. The security patches are from January 2023 and are thus a bit older at the time of the test. Widevine certification is available so you can enjoy streaming content in HD.

The 90 Hz screen can be used smoothly and precisely, and you can also scroll through the pages quickly in the browser. Very complex apps and multitasking can cause stutters from time to time. A fingerprint sensor is hidden in the standby button on the casing's right. It unlocks the smartphone almost without delay and usually provides a reliable recognition rate.

The smartphone can also be unlocked biometrically with the face. Recognition works quite well in the dark with the screen's light, but it is not as secure since it is software-based.

Networking
iperf3 transmit AXE11000
Motorola Moto G22
802.11 a/b/g/n/ac
370 (351min - 376max) MBit/s ∼100% 0%
Xiaomi Poco M5
802.11 a/b/g/n/ac
370 (332min - 381max) MBit/s ∼100% 0%
Motorola Moto G23
802.11 a/b/g/n/ac
370 (339min - 379max) MBit/s ∼100%
Samsung Galaxy A13 5G
802.11 a/b/g/n/ac
368 (355min - 384max) MBit/s ∼99% -1%
Motorola Moto G53
802.11 a/b/g/n/ac
358 (319min - 374max) MBit/s ∼97% -3%
iperf3 receive AXE11000
Xiaomi Poco M5
802.11 a/b/g/n/ac
356 (333min - 363max) MBit/s ∼100% +3%
Motorola Moto G23
802.11 a/b/g/n/ac
346 (322min - 350max) MBit/s ∼97%
Motorola Moto G53
802.11 a/b/g/n/ac
345 (317min - 350max) MBit/s ∼97% 0%
Samsung Galaxy A13 5G
802.11 a/b/g/n/ac
337 (289min - 349max) MBit/s ∼95% -3%
Motorola Moto G22
802.11 a/b/g/n/ac
326 (305min - 332max) MBit/s ∼92% -6%
020406080100120140160180200220240260280300320340360Tooltip
Motorola Moto G23; iperf3 receive AXE11000; iperf 3.1.3: Ø345 (322-350)
Motorola Moto G23; iperf3 transmit AXE11000; iperf 3.1.3: Ø370 (339-379)

Cameras - Many lenses

Photo from the front camera
Photo from the front camera

It is great that the Moto G23 has a real triple camera at the back: the main camera with 50 megapixels from Samsung, an ultra-wide-angle lens, and a macro camera. However, there is no hybrid zoom, so you can only switch between the lenses manually.

Let us first take a look at the image quality of the main camera: At first glance, snapshots in daylight look quite decent, but a closer look reveals the relatively low sharpness and the significant loss of details. However, we like the camera's dynamics in good lighting conditions. In low light and high contrasts, sharpness is also clearly lost, and there is hardly any brightening in the dark areas.

The wide-angle camera has a resolution of 5 megapixels and takes quite nice snapshots. However, you should not look for details as they are only represented very rudimentarily. The macro camera has an even lower resolution of just 2 megapixels. It can be used for very close detail shots, which also turn out quite decent. However, the lighting has to be very good, and the pictures should not be enlarged too much.

A selfie camera is found on the front; it has a resolution of 16 megapixels. The resulting pictures could also use more brightening, but the details are quite decent.

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
click to load images
ColorChecker
14.6 ∆E
12.7 ∆E
16.9 ∆E
18.9 ∆E
17.6 ∆E
12 ∆E
12.3 ∆E
18.3 ∆E
11.3 ∆E
10.9 ∆E
11.8 ∆E
10.7 ∆E
13 ∆E
16.9 ∆E
9.7 ∆E
6.5 ∆E
13.7 ∆E
15.4 ∆E
6.3 ∆E
9.6 ∆E
14.8 ∆E
14.3 ∆E
7.8 ∆E
4.7 ∆E
ColorChecker Motorola Moto G23: 12.52 ∆E min: 4.74 - max: 18.89 ∆E
ColorChecker
29.4 ∆E
54.3 ∆E
39.6 ∆E
36.3 ∆E
45.1 ∆E
63.7 ∆E
53.8 ∆E
36 ∆E
43.2 ∆E
28.3 ∆E
65.3 ∆E
64.7 ∆E
31.4 ∆E
48.8 ∆E
37.3 ∆E
76.4 ∆E
44 ∆E
44.1 ∆E
90.9 ∆E
70.6 ∆E
52 ∆E
37 ∆E
23.9 ∆E
13.5 ∆E
ColorChecker Motorola Moto G23: 47.08 ∆E min: 13.46 - max: 90.94 ∆E

Display - Motorola does without PWM

Subpixel structure
Subpixel structure

The Moto G23 features an IPS display with a resolution of 1600 x 720 pixels. The panel can also display up to 90 frames per second, which enables smooth scrolling and a smooth picture in games or videos.

The display does without PWM, so even sensitive users should not have any problems with flickering. The screen's brightness of over 500 cd/m² is convincing on average, so you can also take the Moto G23 outdoors on brighter days.

However, the black value is slightly higher, which results in a mediocre contrast ratio. The noticeable blue cast is visible in the display, especially blue tones, and very bright grayscales are displayed in an unbalanced way.

511
cd/m²		504
cd/m²		476
cd/m²
508
cd/m²		522
cd/m²		478
cd/m²
500
cd/m²		518
cd/m²		504
cd/m²
Distribution of brightness
X-Rite i1Pro 2
Maximum: 522 cd/m² (Nits) Average: 502.3 cd/m² Minimum: 3.7 cd/m²
Brightness Distribution: 91 %
Center on Battery: 522 cd/m²
Contrast: 1111:1 (Black: 0.47 cd/m²)
ΔE Color 4.63 | 0.55-29.43 Ø5.2
ΔE Greyscale 5.2 | 0.57-98 Ø5.4
93.9% sRGB (Calman 2D)
Gamma: 2.296
Motorola Moto G23
IPS, 1600x720, 6.50		Motorola Moto G22
IPS LCD, 1600x720, 6.50		Motorola Moto G53
IPS, 1600x720, 6.50		Xiaomi Poco M5
IPS, 2408x1080, 6.58		Samsung Galaxy A13 5G
PLS, 1600x720, 6.50
Response Times
-18%
-14%
24%
-3%
Response Time Grey 50% / Grey 80% *
46 ?(28, 18)
46 ?(25, 21)
-0%
56 ?(32, 24)
-22%
33 ?(18, 15)
28%
41 ?(24, 17)
11%
Response Time Black / White *
25 ?(14, 11)
34 ?(19, 15)
-36%
26.6 ?(12.6, 14)
-6%
20 ?(11, 9)
20%
29 ?(13, 16)
-16%
PWM Frequency
Screen
-11%
23%
32%
1%
Brightness middle
522
451
-14%
587
12%
400
-23%
471
-10%
Brightness
502
431
-14%
559
11%
396
-21%
437
-13%
Brightness Distribution
91
90
-1%
91
0%
96
5%
86
-5%
Black Level *
0.47
0.5
-6%
0.4
15%
0.27
43%
0.31
34%
Contrast
1111
902
-19%
1468
32%
1481
33%
1519
37%
Colorchecker dE 2000 *
4.63
5.82
-26%
2.6
44%
1.26
73%
5.43
-17%
Colorchecker dE 2000 max. *
8.59
9.3
-8%
5.62
35%
2.45
71%
10.55
-23%
Greyscale dE 2000 *
5.2
5
4%
3.3
37%
1.5
71%
5.1
2%
Gamma
2.296 96%
2.776 79%
2.463 89%
2.298 96%
2.12 104%
CCT
7832 83%
7683 85%
6288 103%
6658 98%
7465 87%
Total Average (Program / Settings)
-15% / -12%
5% / 16%
28% / 30%
-1% / 0%

* ... smaller is better

Display Response Times

ℹ
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
25 ms ... rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined↗ 14 ms rise
↘ 11 ms fall
The screen shows relatively slow response rates in our tests and may be too slow for gamers.
In comparison, all tested devices range from 0.1 (minimum) to 240 (maximum) ms. » 50 % of all devices are better.
This means that the measured response time is worse than the average of all tested devices (22.3 ms).
   ↔    Response Time 50% Grey to 80% Grey
46 ms ... rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined↗ 28 ms rise
↘ 18 ms fall
The screen shows slow response rates in our tests and will be unsatisfactory for gamers.
In comparison, all tested devices range from 0.25 (minimum) to 636 (maximum) ms. » 74 % of all devices are better.
This means that the measured response time is worse than the average of all tested devices (35.1 ms).

Screen Flickering / PWM (Pulse-Width Modulation)

ℹ
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 not detected

In comparison: 53 % of all tested devices do not use PWM to dim the display. If PWM was detected, an average of 19035 (minimum: 5 - maximum: 3846000) Hz was measured.

CalMAN Grayscale
CalMAN Grayscale
CalMAN color accuracy
CalMAN color accuracy
CalMAN color space sRGB
CalMAN color space sRGB
CalMAN Saturation
CalMAN Saturation

Performance, emissions and battery life - Endurance runner

The MediaTek Helio G85 SOC is used in many low-cost smartphones and tablets, including the Motorola Moto G23. It is sufficient for smooth everyday operation, although comparison devices such as the Xiaomi Poco M5 or the Samsung Galaxy A13 5G offer considerably more performance in this price range. This becomes noticeable upon starting more complex apps or multitasking.

In terms of storage, Motorola relies on slow eMMC flash, while Xiaomi, for example, already relies on UFS 2.2 in the Poco M5. This only results in comparatively slow read and write rates for our test device.

We cannot determine excessively high heating under a long load or throttling of the performance in our tests.

The Moto G23 has a dedicated speaker on the bottom edge and uses the earpiece for support, so the stereo sound is possible. The sound system could offer a bit more power, but it does not overdrive even at maximum volume and sounds a bit trebly, but not unpleasant. The sound gets even better via external audio devices: a 3.5 mm jack or Bluetooth is available for connecting them. The codec variety for Bluetooth is quite rich with SBC, AAC, aptX, aptX HD, LDAC, LHDC, and LHDC-V, so many devices are compatible.

Motorola gets very good runtimes out of the 5,000 mAh battery: we measured over 19 hours in our WLAN test, which is more than all comparison devices can bring. Thus, those looking for a real long-runner among inexpensive smartphones will get their money's worth with the Moto G23. The phone is charged with 30 watts, which is decent for the price range. A suitable charger is included in the box.

Geekbench 5.4 | PCMark for Android | 3DMark | GFXBench | Octane V2
Geekbench 5.4
Single-Core
Average of class Smartphone
  (119 - 1885, n=240, last 2 years)
822 Points ∼100% +132%
Motorola Moto G53
Qualcomm Snapdragon 480 Plus 5G, Adreno 619, 6144
558 Points ∼68% +58%
Xiaomi Poco M5
Mediatek Helio G99, Mali-G57 MP2, 4096
548 Points ∼67% +55%
Samsung Galaxy A13 5G
MediaTek Dimensity 700, Mali-G57 MP2, 4096
445 Points ∼54% +26%
Motorola Moto G23
Mediatek Helio G85, Mali-G52 MP2, 8192
354 Points ∼43%
Average Mediatek Helio G85
  (344 - 369, n=11)
353 Points ∼43% 0%
Motorola Moto G22
Mediatek Helio G37, PowerVR GE8320, 4096
172 Points ∼21% -51%
Multi-Core
Average of class Smartphone
  (473 - 5538, n=240, last 2 years)
2637 Points ∼100% +93%
Xiaomi Poco M5
Mediatek Helio G99, Mali-G57 MP2, 4096
1924 Points ∼73% +41%
Motorola Moto G53
Qualcomm Snapdragon 480 Plus 5G, Adreno 619, 6144
1632 Points ∼62% +20%
Motorola Moto G23
Mediatek Helio G85, Mali-G52 MP2, 8192
1363 Points ∼52%
Average Mediatek Helio G85
  (1184 - 1363, n=11)
1303 Points ∼49% -4%
Samsung Galaxy A13 5G
MediaTek Dimensity 700, Mali-G57 MP2, 4096
1071 Points ∼41% -21%
Motorola Moto G22
Mediatek Helio G37, PowerVR GE8320, 4096
947 Points ∼36% -31%
PCMark for Android - Work 3.0
Average of class Smartphone
  (4780 - 28378, n=227, last 2 years)
10646 Points ∼100% +30%
Motorola Moto G53
Qualcomm Snapdragon 480 Plus 5G, Adreno 619, 6144
10093 Points ∼95% +23%
Xiaomi Poco M5
Mediatek Helio G99, Mali-G57 MP2, 4096
9587 Points ∼90% +17%
Motorola Moto G23
Mediatek Helio G85, Mali-G52 MP2, 8192
8215 Points ∼77%
Average Mediatek Helio G85
  (6596 - 8672, n=9)
7714 Points ∼72% -6%
Samsung Galaxy A13 5G
MediaTek Dimensity 700, Mali-G57 MP2, 4096
6962 Points ∼65% -15%
Motorola Moto G22
Mediatek Helio G37, PowerVR GE8320, 4096
4922 Points ∼46% -40%
3DMark
2560x1440 Sling Shot Extreme (ES 3.1)
Xiaomi Poco M5
Mediatek Helio G99, Mali-G57 MP2, 4096
2535 Points ∼100% +78%
Average of class Smartphone
  (286 - 7890, n=130, last 2 years)
2515 Points ∼99% +77%
Motorola Moto G53
Qualcomm Snapdragon 480 Plus 5G, Adreno 619, 6144
2511 Points ∼99% +76%
Samsung Galaxy A13 5G
MediaTek Dimensity 700, Mali-G57 MP2, 4096
2415 Points ∼95% +70%
Motorola Moto G23
Mediatek Helio G85, Mali-G52 MP2, 8192
1423 Points ∼56%
Average Mediatek Helio G85
  (1387 - 1463, n=10)
1417 Points ∼56% 0%
Motorola Moto G22
Mediatek Helio G37, PowerVR GE8320, 4096
453 Points ∼18% -68%
2560x1440 Sling Shot Extreme (ES 3.1) Graphics
Average of class Smartphone
  (240 - 9814, n=130, last 2 years)
2517 Points ∼100% +99%
Motorola Moto G53
Qualcomm Snapdragon 480 Plus 5G, Adreno 619, 6144
2363 Points ∼94% +87%
Xiaomi Poco M5
Mediatek Helio G99, Mali-G57 MP2, 4096
2356 Points ∼94% +87%
Samsung Galaxy A13 5G
MediaTek Dimensity 700, Mali-G57 MP2, 4096
2303 Points ∼91% +82%
Motorola Moto G23
Mediatek Helio G85, Mali-G52 MP2, 8192
1262 Points ∼50%
Average Mediatek Helio G85
  (1237 - 1268, n=10)
1255 Points ∼50% -1%
Motorola Moto G22
Mediatek Helio G37, PowerVR GE8320, 4096
383 Points ∼15% -70%
2560x1440 Sling Shot Extreme (ES 3.1) Physics
Xiaomi Poco M5
Mediatek Helio G99, Mali-G57 MP2, 4096
3450 Points ∼100% +34%
Average of class Smartphone
  (858 - 4679, n=130, last 2 years)
3006 Points ∼87% +17%
Samsung Galaxy A13 5G
MediaTek Dimensity 700, Mali-G57 MP2, 4096
2908 Points ∼84% +13%
Motorola Moto G23
Mediatek Helio G85, Mali-G52 MP2, 8192
2576 Points ∼75%
Average Mediatek Helio G85
  (2084 - 2654, n=10)
2531 Points ∼73% -2%
Motorola Moto G53
Qualcomm Snapdragon 480 Plus 5G, Adreno 619, 6144
2398 Points ∼70% -7%
Motorola Moto G22
Mediatek Helio G37, PowerVR GE8320, 4096
1265 Points ∼37% -51%
2560x1440 Sling Shot Extreme (ES 3.1) Unlimited
Average of class Smartphone
  (317 - 16100, n=203, last 2 years)
5303 Points ∼100% +269%
Motorola Moto G53
Qualcomm Snapdragon 480 Plus 5G, Adreno 619, 6144
2638 Points ∼50% +83%
Xiaomi Poco M5
Mediatek Helio G99, Mali-G57 MP2, 4096
2618 Points ∼49% +82%
Samsung Galaxy A13 5G
MediaTek Dimensity 700, Mali-G57 MP2, 4096
2478 Points ∼47% +72%
Motorola Moto G23
Mediatek Helio G85, Mali-G52 MP2, 8192
1438 Points ∼27%
Average Mediatek Helio G85
  (1393 - 1453, n=10)
1430 Points ∼27% -1%
Motorola Moto G22
Mediatek Helio G37, PowerVR GE8320, 4096
536 Points ∼10% -63%
2560x1440 Sling Shot Extreme (ES 3.1) Unlimited Graphics
Average of class Smartphone
  (267 - 192870, n=202, last 2 years)
8202 Points ∼100% +549%
Xiaomi Poco M5
Mediatek Helio G99, Mali-G57 MP2, 4096
2413 Points ∼29% +91%
Motorola Moto G53
Qualcomm Snapdragon 480 Plus 5G, Adreno 619, 6144
2412 Points ∼29% +91%
Samsung Galaxy A13 5G
MediaTek Dimensity 700, Mali-G57 MP2, 4096
2331 Points ∼28% +85%
Motorola Moto G23
Mediatek Helio G85, Mali-G52 MP2, 8192
1263 Points ∼15%
Average Mediatek Helio G85
  (1234 - 1281, n=10)
1260 Points ∼15% 0%
Motorola Moto G22
Mediatek Helio G37, PowerVR GE8320, 4096
460 Points ∼6% -64%
2560x1440 Sling Shot Extreme (ES 3.1) Unlimited Physics
Xiaomi Poco M5
Mediatek Helio G99, Mali-G57 MP2, 4096
3727 Points ∼100% +34%
Average of class Smartphone
  (839 - 7042, n=202, last 2 years)
3678 Points ∼99% +32%
Motorola Moto G53
Qualcomm Snapdragon 480 Plus 5G, Adreno 619, 6144
3387 Points ∼91% +21%
Samsung Galaxy A13 5G
MediaTek Dimensity 700, Mali-G57 MP2, 4096
3179 Points ∼85% +14%
Motorola Moto G23
Mediatek Helio G85, Mali-G52 MP2, 8192
2790 Points ∼75%
Average Mediatek Helio G85
  (2533 - 2811, n=10)
2672 Points ∼72% -4%
Motorola Moto G22
Mediatek Helio G37, PowerVR GE8320, 4096
1283 Points ∼34% -54%
Wild Life Score
Average of class Smartphone
  (370 - 10062, n=178, last 2 years)
3020 Points ∼100% +304%
Xiaomi Poco M5
Mediatek Helio G99, Mali-G57 MP2, 4096
1205 Points ∼40% +61%
Samsung Galaxy A13 5G
MediaTek Dimensity 700, Mali-G57 MP2, 4096
1203 Points ∼40% +61%
Motorola Moto G53
Qualcomm Snapdragon 480 Plus 5G, Adreno 619, 6144
982 Points ∼33% +31%
Motorola Moto G23
Mediatek Helio G85, Mali-G52 MP2, 8192
748 Points ∼25%
Average Mediatek Helio G85
  (706 - 761, n=11)
731 Points ∼24% -2%
Motorola Moto G22
Mediatek Helio G37, PowerVR GE8320, 4096
Points ∼0% -100%
Wild Life Unlimited Score
Average of class Smartphone
  (366 - 14566, n=215, last 2 years)
4672 Points ∼100% +524%
Xiaomi Poco M5
Mediatek Helio G99, Mali-G57 MP2, 4096
1155 Points ∼25% +54%
Samsung Galaxy A13 5G
MediaTek Dimensity 700, Mali-G57 MP2, 4096
1116 Points ∼24% +49%
Motorola Moto G53
Qualcomm Snapdragon 480 Plus 5G, Adreno 619, 6144
973 Points ∼21% +30%
Motorola Moto G23
Mediatek Helio G85, Mali-G52 MP2, 8192
749 Points ∼16%
Average Mediatek Helio G85
  (698 - 757, n=11)
729 Points ∼16% -3%
Wild Life Extreme
Average of class Smartphone
  (22 - 3877, n=218, last 2 years)
1257 Points ∼100% +565%
Xiaomi Poco M5
Mediatek Helio G99, Mali-G57 MP2, 4096
342 Points ∼27% +81%
Samsung Galaxy A13 5G
MediaTek Dimensity 700, Mali-G57 MP2, 4096
326 Points ∼26% +72%
Motorola Moto G53
Qualcomm Snapdragon 480 Plus 5G, Adreno 619, 6144
293 Points ∼23% +55%
Motorola Moto G23
Mediatek Helio G85, Mali-G52 MP2, 8192
189 Points ∼15%
Average Mediatek Helio G85
  (181 - 193, n=10)
185.8 Points ∼15% -2%
Wild Life Extreme Unlimited
Average of class Smartphone
  (101 - 3792, n=211, last 2 years)
1251 Points ∼100% +565%
Xiaomi Poco M5
Mediatek Helio G99, Mali-G57 MP2, 4096
323 Points ∼26% +72%
Samsung Galaxy A13 5G
MediaTek Dimensity 700, Mali-G57 MP2, 4096
312 Points ∼25% +66%
Motorola Moto G53
Qualcomm Snapdragon 480 Plus 5G, Adreno 619, 6144
287 Points ∼23% +53%
Motorola Moto G23
Mediatek Helio G85, Mali-G52 MP2, 8192
188 Points ∼15%
Average Mediatek Helio G85
  (178 - 191, n=10)
183.8 Points ∼15% -2%
GFXBench
on screen Aztec Ruins Normal Tier Onscreen
Average of class Smartphone
  (3.6 - 123, n=239, last 2 years)
37.4 fps ∼100% +240%
Motorola Moto G53
Qualcomm Snapdragon 480 Plus 5G, Adreno 619, 6144
31 fps ∼83% +182%
Samsung Galaxy A13 5G
MediaTek Dimensity 700, Mali-G57 MP2, 4096
28 fps ∼75% +155%
Xiaomi Poco M5
Mediatek Helio G99, Mali-G57 MP2, 4096
14 fps ∼37% +27%
Average Mediatek Helio G85
  (7.5 - 22, n=12)
11.9 fps ∼32% +8%
Motorola Moto G23
Mediatek Helio G85, Mali-G52 MP2, 8192
11 fps ∼29%
Motorola Moto G22
Mediatek Helio G37, PowerVR GE8320, 4096
7 fps ∼19% -36%
1920x1080 Aztec Ruins Normal Tier Offscreen
Average of class Smartphone
  (1.9 - 175, n=240, last 2 years)
48.7 fps ∼100% +453%
Motorola Moto G53
Qualcomm Snapdragon 480 Plus 5G, Adreno 619, 6144
18 fps ∼37% +105%
Samsung Galaxy A13 5G
MediaTek Dimensity 700, Mali-G57 MP2, 4096
16 fps ∼33% +82%
Xiaomi Poco M5
Mediatek Helio G99, Mali-G57 MP2, 4096
16 fps ∼33% +82%
Average Mediatek Helio G85
  (8 - 9.7, n=12)
9.15 fps ∼19% +4%
Motorola Moto G23
Mediatek Helio G85, Mali-G52 MP2, 8192
8.8 fps ∼18%
Motorola Moto G22
Mediatek Helio G37, PowerVR GE8320, 4096
4 fps ∼8% -55%
on screen Aztec Ruins High Tier Onscreen
Average of class Smartphone
  (2.8 - 100, n=240, last 2 years)
26.7 fps ∼100% +256%
Motorola Moto G53
Qualcomm Snapdragon 480 Plus 5G, Adreno 619, 6144
20 fps ∼75% +167%
Samsung Galaxy A13 5G
MediaTek Dimensity 700, Mali-G57 MP2, 4096
17 fps ∼64% +127%
Xiaomi Poco M5
Mediatek Helio G99, Mali-G57 MP2, 4096
8.8 fps ∼33% +17%
Average Mediatek Helio G85
  (5 - 13, n=12)
7.82 fps ∼29% +4%
Motorola Moto G23
Mediatek Helio G85, Mali-G52 MP2, 8192
7.5 fps ∼28%
Motorola Moto G22
Mediatek Helio G37, PowerVR GE8320, 4096
5 fps ∼19% -33%
2560x1440 Aztec Ruins High Tier Offscreen
Average of class Smartphone
  (0.85 - 68, n=240, last 2 years)
18.8 fps ∼100% +470%
Motorola Moto G53
Qualcomm Snapdragon 480 Plus 5G, Adreno 619, 6144
8.9 fps ∼47% +170%
Xiaomi Poco M5
Mediatek Helio G99, Mali-G57 MP2, 4096
5.8 fps ∼31% +76%
Samsung Galaxy A13 5G
MediaTek Dimensity 700, Mali-G57 MP2, 4096
5.6 fps ∼30% +70%
Average Mediatek Helio G85
  (3.1 - 3.5, n=12)
3.38 fps ∼18% +2%
Motorola Moto G23
Mediatek Helio G85, Mali-G52 MP2, 8192
3.3 fps ∼18%
Motorola Moto G22
Mediatek Helio G37, PowerVR GE8320, 4096
1.5 fps ∼8% -55%
Octane V2 - Total Score
Average of class Smartphone
  (4633 - 74261, n=193, last 2 years)
29582 Points ∼100% +123%
Motorola Moto G53
Qualcomm Snapdragon 480 Plus 5G, Adreno 619, 6144
20938 Points ∼71% +58%
Xiaomi Poco M5
Mediatek Helio G99, Mali-G57 MP2, 4096
17228 Points ∼58% +30%
Samsung Galaxy A13 5G
MediaTek Dimensity 700, Mali-G57 MP2, 4096
16871 Points ∼57% +27%
Motorola Moto G23
Mediatek Helio G85, Mali-G52 MP2, 8192
13252 Points ∼45%
Average Mediatek Helio G85
  (10299 - 13252, n=9)
12028 Points ∼41% -9%
Motorola Moto G22
Mediatek Helio G37, PowerVR GE8320, 4096
5648 Points ∼19% -57%
Motorola Moto G23Motorola Moto G22Motorola Moto G53Xiaomi Poco M5Samsung Galaxy A13 5GAverage 128 GB eMMC FlashAverage of class Smartphone
AndroBench 3-5
-56%
43%
202%
-12%
-21%
186%
Sequential Read 256KB
282.4
215.45
-24%
474.6
68%
976.4
246%
289.7
3%
289 ?(106.7 - 511, n=59)
2%
1180 ?(215 - 4512, n=233, last 2 years)
318%
Sequential Write 256KB
244.6
112.78
-54%
243.87
0%
870.7
256%
176.7
-28%
193.5 ?(90 - 314, n=59)
-21%
743 ?(13.6 - 3062, n=233, last 2 years)
204%
Random Read 4KB
100.2
39.32
-61%
166.24
66%
247.6
147%
86.2
-14%
82.7 ?(10.1 - 247, n=59)
-17%
207 ?(22.2 - 543, n=233, last 2 years)
107%
Random Write 4KB
100.5
16.34
-84%
139.83
39%
257.8
157%
90.9
-10%
53 ?(5.3 - 159.9, n=59)
-47%
217 ?(13 - 572, n=234, last 2 years)
116%

Temperature

Max. Load
 38.7 °C
102 F		35.4 °C
96 F		33.4 °C
92 F		 
 37.7 °C
100 F		35.1 °C
95 F		33.5 °C
92 F		 
 36.5 °C
98 F		34.5 °C
94 F		33.1 °C
92 F		 
Maximum: 38.7 °C = 102 F
Average: 35.3 °C = 96 F
31.6 °C
89 F		34.5 °C
94 F		37.2 °C
99 F
32.4 °C
90 F		35.4 °C
96 F		39.3 °C
103 F
32.2 °C
90 F		35.2 °C
95 F		38.1 °C
101 F
Maximum: 39.3 °C = 103 F
Average: 35.1 °C = 95 F
Power Supply (max.)  41.5 °C = 107 F | Room Temperature 21.2 °C = 70 F | Fluke t3000FC (calibrated), Voltcraft IR-260
(±) The average temperature for the upper side under maximal load is 35.3 °C / 96 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 38.7 °C / 102 F, compared to the average of 34.9 °C / 95 F, ranging from 21.9 to 52.9 °C for the class Smartphone.
(+) The bottom heats up to a maximum of 39.3 °C / 103 F, compared to the average of 33.7 °C / 93 F
(+) In idle usage, the average temperature for the upper side is 23.9 °C / 75 F, compared to the device average of 32.7 °C / 91 F.


Heatmap Front
Heatmap Front
Heatmap Back side
Heatmap Back side
3DMark - Wild Life Stress Test Stability
Samsung Galaxy A13 5G
99.2 (7.22min - 7.28max) % ∼100% 0%
Motorola Moto G23
98.8 (4.47min - 4.53max) % ∼100%
Xiaomi Poco M5
98.7 (7.37min - 7.47max) % ∼99% 0%
Motorola Moto G53
96.9 (5.72min - 5.9max) % ∼98% -2%

Legend

 
Motorola Moto G23 Mediatek Helio G85, ARM Mali-G52 MP2, 128 GB eMMC Flash
 
Motorola Moto G22 Mediatek Helio G37, PowerVR GE8320, 64 GB eMMC Flash
 
Motorola Moto G53 Qualcomm Snapdragon 480 Plus 5G, Qualcomm Adreno 619, 128 GB UFS 2.1 Flash
 
Xiaomi Poco M5 Mediatek Helio G99, ARM Mali-G57 MP2, 128 GB UFS 2.2 Flash
 
Samsung Galaxy A13 5G MediaTek Dimensity 700, ARM Mali-G57 MP2, 64 GB eMMC Flash

Speaker

dB(A) 0102030405060708090Deep BassMiddle BassHigh BassLower RangeMidsHigher MidsLower HighsMid HighsUpper HighsSuper Highs2038.638.52537.136.9312827.84032.934.75031.836.2632630.68022.922.410021.12512523.729.716018.234.320013.334.825014.543.331512.849.640011.45250011.755.363010.961.680015.264.9100012.266.6125012.868.2160010.967.4200010.966.7250011.664.731501257.5400012.965.3500013.669.3630014.367.9800015.1661000015.761.81250016.566.71600017.458.4SPL25.477.9N0.740.2median 13.3median 61.8Delta210.634.237.331.632.128.229.829.631.334.239.426.729.319.422.520.129.913.827.513.337.710.442.911.246.99.550.7956.59.460.89.360.413.162.615.168.815.571.59.673.89.375.310.173.310.66711.465.31263.212.962.313.56914.170.414.965.915.556.424.482.10.547.8median 12median 62.62.19.8hearing rangehide median Pink NoiseMotorola Moto G23Samsung Galaxy A13 5G
Frequency diagram (checkboxes can be checked and unchecked to compare devices)
Motorola Moto G23 audio analysis

(±) | speaker loudness is average but good (77.9 dB)
Bass 100 - 315 Hz
(-) | nearly no bass - on average 25.7% lower than median
(±) | linearity of bass is average (9.3% delta to prev. frequency)
Mids 400 - 2000 Hz
(±) | higher mids - on average 5.1% higher than median
(+) | mids are linear (5.2% delta to prev. frequency)
Highs 2 - 16 kHz
(+) | balanced highs - only 4.1% away from median
(±) | linearity of highs is average (8.4% delta to prev. frequency)
Overall 100 - 16.000 Hz
(±) | linearity of overall sound is average (20.8% difference to median)
Compared to same class
» 33% of all tested devices in this class were better, 12% similar, 56% worse
» The best had a delta of 11%, average was 23%, worst was 65%
Compared to all devices tested
» 57% of all tested devices were better, 8% similar, 35% worse
» The best had a delta of 3%, average was 20%, worst was 65%

Samsung Galaxy A13 5G audio analysis

(+) | speakers can play relatively loud (82.1 dB)
Bass 100 - 315 Hz
(-) | nearly no bass - on average 23.3% lower than median
(±) | linearity of bass is average (10.9% delta to prev. frequency)
Mids 400 - 2000 Hz
(±) | higher mids - on average 6.1% higher than median
(+) | mids are linear (6.3% delta to prev. frequency)
Highs 2 - 16 kHz
(+) | balanced highs - only 4.8% away from median
(+) | highs are linear (6% delta to prev. frequency)
Overall 100 - 16.000 Hz
(±) | linearity of overall sound is average (19.9% difference to median)
Compared to same class
» 27% of all tested devices in this class were better, 8% similar, 65% worse
» The best had a delta of 11%, average was 23%, worst was 65%
Compared to all devices tested
» 52% of all tested devices were better, 7% similar, 41% worse
» The best had a delta of 3%, average was 20%, worst was 65%

Battery life

Battery Runtime - WiFi Websurfing
Motorola Moto G23
5000 mAh
1152 min ∼44%
Samsung Galaxy A13 5G
5000 mAh
1102 min ∼42% -4%
Motorola Moto G22
5000 mAh
1101 min ∼42% -4%
Motorola Moto G53
5000 mAh
1035 min ∼39% -10%
Xiaomi Poco M5
5000 mAh
916 min ∼35% -20%
Average of class Smartphone
  (424 - 1252, n=240, last 2 years)
888 min ∼34% -23%
Battery Runtime
WiFi Websurfing
19h 12min

Pros

+ flexible camera system
+ bright screen
+ long battery life
+ many Bluetooth codecs

Cons

- infrequent software updates
- slow memory
- clear blue cast in the display
- mediocre selfie camera

Verdict - Good equipment that wants to be paid for

Motorola Moto G23

Besides its long battery runtimes, Motorola's Moto G23 also offers a bright screen and a fairly flexible camera system for its price range. The wide-angle camera should be particularly mentioned here.

Although it is confidently priced at 230 Euros, it also offers a lot of RAM and storage. In terms of WLAN and LTE, the phone offers good reception and solid transfer rates. The speaker sound is solid, the smartphone does not heat up much, and you can also watch content in HD thanks to Widevine L1.

A 90 Hz screen is also available in cheaper phones, and the Moto G23 lags behind similar devices in some areas in terms of performance.

Motorola's Moto G23 is a good 4G smartphone with a lot of memory. It is currently comparatively expensive, especially because it also lags behind in terms of performance.

Nevertheless, the phone performs well overall and offers enough features for its price. If you want the latest mobile phone standard, you will be happy with the Samsung Galaxy A13 5G. The Xiaomi Poco M5 offers more performance and comes with a higher screen resolution.

Price and availability

The Motorola Moto G23 is available directly from the manufacturer for just under 230 Euros.

The smartphone is also available for this price at amazon.de.

Motorola Moto G23 - 03/29/2023 v7
Florian Schmitt

Chassis
82%
Keyboard
65 / 75 → 87%
Pointing Device
93%
Connectivity
48 / 70 → 68%
Weight
89%
Battery
92%
Display
84%
Games Performance
16 / 64 → 24%
Application Performance
60 / 86 → 70%
Temperature
92%
Noise
100%
Audio
69 / 90 → 77%
Camera
58%
Average
73%
79%
Smartphone - Weighted Average

More articles related to this device

Motorola Moto G23 (Moto G20 Series)

Transparency

The present review sample was made available to the author as a loan by the manufacturer or a shop for the purposes of review. The lender had no influence on this review, nor did the manufacturer receive a copy of this review before publication. There was no obligation to publish this review.

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> Notebook / Laptop Reviews and News > Reviews > Motorola Moto G23 smartphone review - Plenty of memory for the mid-range
Florian Schmitt, 2023-03-29 (Update: 2023-03-29)