Motorola Moto G5s Smartphone
By now, Motorola's G-series smartphones have firmly established their position in the mid-range market. The respective generation is indicated simply by adding its number to the series name. The Moto G5 has been available for a while now, and Motorola, or its parent company Lenovo, has made the decision to offer a special edition of the phone by adding an 's' to its name, hence our test unit's designation, Motorola Moto G5s. In order to avoid any confusions, the manufacturer has printed 'Special Edition' on the unit's packaging. The G5s appears to be a stopgap before the Moto G6 hits the market, and consequently, not much has changed about the mid-range mix that made the G5 a successful product - it retains its comfortably rounded metal case and, apart from the differently positioned microphone and slightly protruding camera, it can barely be distinguished from the 'normal' edition.
The main camera now comes with a higher resolution sensor, the storage has been increased and the battery holds more power, although it is no longer removable in this iteration. These are the most marked differences of the special edition, which has an SRP of €249 (~$293) but is already available for under €200 (~$235). Currently, the Moto G5 can be ordered for about €150 (~176$). Is the G5s worth the premium and can the unconventional design still hold its own? We will find out in this review.
To answer these questions, we compare the Moto G5s not only with its predecessor, but other fairly affordable mid-range devices such as the Nokia 5, the BQ Aquaris X and the Samsung Galaxy J5. We have also added the Moto G5s Plus to the field and will ascertain whether the extra €80 (~94$) makes a noticeable difference.
Case
As mentioned above, Motorola has changed the smartphone's case only marginally: its metal case is still available in the colors gray and gold and its edges are well rounded, as is typical of the brand. The design generally keeps to the organic forms and avoids angular shapes. The slightly inlaid Motorola logo on the back that also serves as a finger rest is still there. Since the phone's battery is now built-in, the back cover is now a one-piece construction. As with the G5, the special edition's overall build quality is remarkable, especially for a mid-range device.
The screen's size has grown slightly to 5.2 inches, although the change in the smartphone's dimensions is limited to the length. Its weight, on the other hand, has increased to a hefty 157 grams (~5.5 oz), making the Moto G5s one of the heaviest competitors in its class.
Connectivity
The good news is that memory size has been increased in the Motorola Moto G5s compared to its predecessor - the G5s has 32 GB, while its RAM remains at 3 GB. Storage capacity can be increased using the microSD card slot. The microSD card takes up one of the two SIM slots in the dual-SIM version that we were supplied with. The Moto G5s can format microSD cards into external and internal memory and the cards can be inserted and ejected while the device is running. Apps can only be transferred to microSD cards that have been formatted as internal memory.
The Moto G5s retains its micro-USB port and still only supports data transfer with USB 2.0 speeds. In return, the device is USB OTG enabled and has a 3.5 mm audio jack that no longer comes as standard with many of the latest models.
Software
Motorola continues to supply a fairly unmodified Android 7.1.1 and has confirmed Android 8 support for the device. Fortunately, bloatware and advertising apps are few on Moto-smartphones: only LinkedIn and Outlook come preinstalled.
Other than that, Motorola has changed the stock Android 7.1.1. only very slightly by installing its own Moto App: This app has several features, one of them a blue light filter. The Moto App also has an option to display notifications on the smartphone's turned off screen, called Moto Display and another option that makes it possible to use various gesture and movement-controlled commands, called Moto Action.
Communication and GPS
WLAN speeds remain average: the Moto G5s supports wireless networks of the types 802.11a/b/g/n. Therefore, one could use the less overpopulated 5 GHz WLAN network. Considering its hardware capabilities, the Moto G5s achieves commendable networking speeds, but those who want to use the faster 802.11ac standard will be better served by some of the Moto G5s' direct competitors, for instance the BQ Aquaris X or the Samsung Galaxy J5.
Like its predecessor, the Moto G5s has better than average support for mobile bands among its class: LTE speeds of up to 150 Mbit/s download are standard. The smartphone's support for ten mobile bands makes it usable abroad and its reception quality is very decent – we tested logging into the well-developed German Vodafone network in the city and consistently noted at least ¾ of the total LTE signal strength even indoors.
Networking | |
iperf3 transmit AX12 | |
Samsung Galaxy J5 (2017) Duos | |
BQ Aquaris X | |
Nokia 5 | |
Motorola Moto G5s | |
Lenovo Moto G5 | |
Motorola Moto G5s Plus | |
iperf3 receive AX12 | |
BQ Aquaris X | |
Samsung Galaxy J5 (2017) Duos | |
Nokia 5 | |
Lenovo Moto G5 | |
Motorola Moto G5s | |
Motorola Moto G5s Plus |
Indoors, we could not achieve a satellite fix, even in the proximity of windows. Outdoors however, we achieved a quick satellite fix to a precision of 6 meters (~20 ft).
To test the Moto G5s' GPS capabilities in everyday use, we took it on a mountain bike ride along with our Garmin Edge 500, a professional-grade bike computer. The recorded distances diverge by only 10 meters (~33 ft), which is an excellent result. At various points on the route, the Moto G5s' recorded track was closer to the actual position than the Garmin computer's, while at others clear course deviations that are obvious inaccuracies could be seen. The overall GPS quality, however, is very decent for a smartphone this affordable and one would be right to put their trust in its accuracy, even when exploring unknown terrain.
Telephone and Call Quality
Consistent with Motorola's principle of delivering an Android experience as unadulterated as possible, the Moto G5s uses Google's standard call app. This app is very intuitive and therefore a change seems unnecessary.
The G5s' call quality is similar to that of the Moto G5: the earphone delivers good voice quality, up to very loud volumes. By comparison, the microphone was less impressive, transmitting the speaker's voice with interference, albeit always in an intelligible quality. In handsfree mode, call quality remains decent, but the speaker needs to be in close proximity of the phone and not speak too quietly for the microphone to pick up their voice.
Cameras
The camera is surely the most exciting part of this update, since it is supposed to be the main upgrade in the Moto G5s. While the main camera does not have dual lenses like the Moto G5s Plus, its sensor has a higher resolution, and the front camera now has a higher aperture lens.
The main camera has a new 16 MP sensor, still with phase detection autofocus and its monochromatic LED flash. The recorded photos seem rather cool and the colors are significantly less bright than on, for example, the OnePlus 5. Other smartphones also have a better automatic brightness correction. In higher zoom levels, blur and pixelation is a real problem, especially compared to high-level smartphone cameras such as the one on the Galaxy Note 8, although the significant price difference must be taken into account. Compared to other phones in its class, the Moto G5s takes decent photos that are on the dark side. Those using their smartphone camera as a point-and-shoot and usually only look at the results on the phone itself, will be satisfied with the Moto G5s. But for those who already own a Moto G5, the improvements in photo quality will not be sufficient to consider an upgrade. One interesting point is that the new sensor handles brightness correction in low-light scenes better than its predecessor, while in turn, normal light conditions produce slightly somber shots.
Videos can be recorded with up to 1080p at 30 FPS. The sensor reacts to changing light conditions swiftly and appropriately, picture clarity and color precision are also decent. Here as well, the video brightness could be improved on, but the overall impression of the Moto G5s' video function is still good.
On the front camera, the new sensor has the same resolution as that of the Moto G5: 5 MP, although its aperture is now wider, which may make it handle low-light scenes better. As it happens, photos taken in adverse lighting conditions turn out respectably well, even without a flash. The picture quality of shots taken in bright conditions was also satisfactory; colors are vivid and realistic, and even zoomed shots have good sharpness and details.
The Moto G5s also had to prove its worth under controlled light conditions. Our test photo appears sharp and color transitions as well as lettering on colorful backgrounds are reproduced accurately. At higher zoom levels, edges show minor image noise and artifacts. Some colored areas appear unclear, but color precision is good on balance.
Accessories and Warranty
As well as the smartphone, the box contains a Quick Charge adapter, a USB cable and a SIM-card tool. Additional chargers can be bought from Motorola directly on its website for around €30 (~$35). Unfortunately, the possibility of customizing one's smartphone with the Motomaker before buying it has not been available for a while.
In central Europe Motorola offers 24 months of warranty for its smartphones. Please see our Guarantees, Return Policies and Warranties FAQ for country-specific information.
Input Devices and Handling
Googles GBoard is used as the device's virtual keyboard and offers good handling and various possibilities for customization. Alternative apps can always be downloaded from the Google Play Store or other sources.
The menu keys are on the display by default, but can be disabled so that the system is operated only by touch, gestures and input through the fingerprint sensor. After a short period of familiarization, this works quite well and is a valid option for those who need more space on the display. This option, like many other touch and gesture input options, is available through the Moto app. For instance, there is an option to start the camera app by quickly twisting the phone twice, or another to enable a Do-Not-Disturb-mode by laying it display-down on a surface. All gestures can be activated individually and work reliably.
The touchscreen is sensitive on its entire surface and handles touch inputs precisely.
Display
Compared to the Moto G5, the Moto G5s' display has increased marginally: it now has a diagonal of 5.2 inches, still a Full HD and with IPS technology. However, its maximum brightness is considerably lower than on its predecessor and many comparable devices. Only the Samsung Galaxy J5 has a darker screen, which, however, has AMOLED technology.
The Moto G5s' screen averages at around 502 cd/m², which is not bad, but below what other mid-range devices achieve. With the lowest intensity levels at about 92% of the maximum brightness measured, the display strikes us as accurate, so that even larger areas are displayed without obvious brightness variation.
|
Brightness Distribution: 92 %
Center on Battery: 490 cd/m²
Contrast: 1140:1 (Black: 0.43 cd/m²)
ΔE Color 5.7 | 0.5-29.43 Ø5
ΔE Greyscale 4.7 | 0.57-98 Ø5.3
Gamma: 2.4
Motorola Moto G5s IPS, 1920x1080, 5.20 | BQ Aquaris X LTPS IPS , 1920x1080, 5.20 | Nokia 5 IPS, 1280x720, 5.20 | Samsung Galaxy J5 (2017) Duos Super AMOLED, 1280x720, 5.20 | Lenovo Moto G5 IPS, 1920x1080, 5.00 | Motorola Moto G5s Plus IPS, 1920x1080, 5.50 | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Screen | 1% | -4% | 12% | 26% | 11% | |
Brightness middle | 490 | 675 38% | 630 29% | 448 -9% | 660 35% | 512 4% |
Brightness | 502 | 702 40% | 635 26% | 451 -10% | 625 25% | 500 0% |
Brightness Distribution | 92 | 91 -1% | 90 -2% | 91 -1% | 92 0% | 90 -2% |
Black Level * | 0.43 | 0.59 -37% | 0.57 -33% | 0.29 33% | 0.35 19% | |
Contrast | 1140 | 1144 0% | 1105 -3% | 2276 100% | 1463 28% | |
Colorchecker dE 2000 * | 5.7 | 4.5 21% | 5 12% | 2.7 53% | 4.9 14% | 4.6 19% |
Colorchecker dE 2000 max. * | 7.8 | 9.1 -17% | 8.7 -12% | 9.8 -26% | 7.6 3% | 7.6 3% |
Greyscale dE 2000 * | 4.7 | 6.4 -36% | 6.9 -47% | 1.6 66% | 4.8 -2% | 3.8 19% |
Gamma | 2.4 92% | 2.24 98% | 2.37 93% | 2.06 107% | 2.18 101% | 2.11 104% |
CCT | 7526 86% | 7478 87% | 8736 74% | 6557 99% | 7357 88% | 6952 93% |
* ... smaller is better
Screen Flickering / PWM (Pulse-Width Modulation)
Screen flickering / PWM detected | 2358 Hz | ≤ 6 % brightness setting | |
The display backlight flickers at 2358 Hz (worst case, e.g., utilizing PWM) Flickering detected at a brightness setting of 6 % and below. There should be no flickering or PWM above this brightness setting. The frequency of 2358 Hz is quite high, so most users sensitive to PWM should not notice any flickering. In comparison: 53 % of all tested devices do not use PWM to dim the display. If PWM was detected, an average of 18034 (minimum: 5 - maximum: 3846000) Hz was measured. |
At 0.43 cd/m², the new display's black levels are significantly higher than that on the predecessor's, which together with the lower brightness produce clearly worse contrast levels of 1140:1. On its own, this is not a poor result by any means and most competing smartphones offer similar display characteristics. In short, the Moto G5s lags behind its predecessor's vivid and bold portrayal of colors, but achieves a quite natural display of colors in its own right.
In the display settings, the user can switch between 'Standard' and 'Intense' color modes, which make a subjective difference, but not a large one. Despite this impression, we measured the modes with our spectrophotometer and the software CalMAN. Our findings confirm that the two options change the display of images only slightly: in the 'Standard' mode, colors seem a little more natural, while the 'Intense' mode's portrayal of the grayscale is closer to RGB reference levels. In both modes, we found the image to have a distinct blue shift, which can be mitigated with the Moto mod's blue light filter that increases red levels in the white balance and makes looking at the display more pleasant, especially at night.
In the Moto G5s' predecessor, we noted screen flickering below certain brightness levels and could observe the same issue with the Moto G5s. All the same, this flickering's frequency is high enough that even those sensitive to screen flickering should not be troubled by it.
Display Response Times
↔ Response Time Black to White | ||
---|---|---|
29.6 ms ... rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined | ↗ 14 ms rise | |
↘ 15.6 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. » 76 % of all devices are better. This means that the measured response time is worse than the average of all tested devices (21.6 ms). | ||
↔ Response Time 50% Grey to 80% Grey | ||
48 ms ... rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined | ↗ 22 ms rise | |
↘ 26 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. » 80 % 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 predecessor coped with outdoor applications better due to its brighter display, but the Moto G5s still does decently well on all but the sunniest of days. Its ambient light sensor works reliably, contrast levels are sufficient and, having retreated into the shade, the display is quite usable.
The IPS display’s viewing angles are flawless: the image can be seen clearly from all angles.
Performance
The Qualcomm Snapdragon 430 with its 8 cores and clock speeds of up to 1.4 GHz is a fairly popular CPU to use in mid-range smartphones and was used in the Moto G5 . The Nokia 5, for instance, also uses this CPU and most test units consequently perform at similar levels in terms of CPU applications. This is where the Moto G5s Plus can show up the competition: its faster CPU provides far better performance for a small premium. The BQ Aquaris X also scores with a faster CPU. Nevertheless, the Moto G5s handles all tasks swiftly and only very taxing apps will make it struggle. Stutters could not be found in everyday applications. By virtue of the sufficient 3 GBs of RAM, multiple running background apps do not impact its performance.
The internal GPU is the Qualcomm Adreno 505, which is clocked at MHz. As a result, the Moto G5s produces typical results of its class while the Moto G5s Plus can boast significantly higher graphics performance once more.
Overall, the Moto G5s needs not shy away from comparison with similarly priced smartphones in terms of pure performance, but has not grown compared to its predecessor, the Moto G5.
AnTuTu v6 - Total Score (sort by value) | |
Motorola Moto G5s | |
BQ Aquaris X | |
Nokia 5 | |
Samsung Galaxy J5 (2017) Duos | |
Lenovo Moto G5 | |
Motorola Moto G5s Plus |
PCMark for Android | |
Work performance score (sort by value) | |
Motorola Moto G5s | |
BQ Aquaris X | |
Nokia 5 | |
Samsung Galaxy J5 (2017) Duos | |
Lenovo Moto G5 | |
Motorola Moto G5s Plus | |
Work 2.0 performance score (sort by value) | |
Motorola Moto G5s | |
BQ Aquaris X | |
Nokia 5 | |
Samsung Galaxy J5 (2017) Duos | |
Lenovo Moto G5 | |
Motorola Moto G5s Plus |
Geekbench 4.4 | |
64 Bit Single-Core Score (sort by value) | |
Motorola Moto G5s | |
BQ Aquaris X | |
Nokia 5 | |
Samsung Galaxy J5 (2017) Duos | |
Lenovo Moto G5 | |
Motorola Moto G5s Plus | |
64 Bit Multi-Core Score (sort by value) | |
Motorola Moto G5s | |
BQ Aquaris X | |
Nokia 5 | |
Samsung Galaxy J5 (2017) Duos | |
Lenovo Moto G5 | |
Motorola Moto G5s Plus | |
Compute RenderScript Score (sort by value) | |
Motorola Moto G5s | |
Samsung Galaxy J5 (2017) Duos | |
Lenovo Moto G5 | |
Motorola Moto G5s Plus |
GFXBench (DX / GLBenchmark) 2.7 | |
T-Rex Onscreen (sort by value) | |
Motorola Moto G5s | |
BQ Aquaris X | |
Nokia 5 | |
Samsung Galaxy J5 (2017) Duos | |
Lenovo Moto G5 | |
Motorola Moto G5s Plus | |
1920x1080 T-Rex Offscreen (sort by value) | |
Motorola Moto G5s | |
BQ Aquaris X | |
Nokia 5 | |
Samsung Galaxy J5 (2017) Duos | |
Lenovo Moto G5 | |
Motorola Moto G5s Plus |
GFXBench 3.0 | |
on screen Manhattan Onscreen OGL (sort by value) | |
Motorola Moto G5s | |
BQ Aquaris X | |
Nokia 5 | |
Samsung Galaxy J5 (2017) Duos | |
Lenovo Moto G5 | |
Motorola Moto G5s Plus | |
1920x1080 1080p Manhattan Offscreen (sort by value) | |
Motorola Moto G5s | |
BQ Aquaris X | |
Nokia 5 | |
Samsung Galaxy J5 (2017) Duos | |
Lenovo Moto G5 | |
Motorola Moto G5s Plus |
GFXBench 3.1 | |
on screen Manhattan ES 3.1 Onscreen (sort by value) | |
Motorola Moto G5s | |
BQ Aquaris X | |
Nokia 5 | |
Samsung Galaxy J5 (2017) Duos | |
Lenovo Moto G5 | |
Motorola Moto G5s Plus | |
1920x1080 Manhattan ES 3.1 Offscreen (sort by value) | |
Motorola Moto G5s | |
BQ Aquaris X | |
Nokia 5 | |
Samsung Galaxy J5 (2017) Duos | |
Lenovo Moto G5 | |
Motorola Moto G5s Plus |
GFXBench | |
on screen Car Chase Onscreen (sort by value) | |
Motorola Moto G5s | |
BQ Aquaris X | |
Nokia 5 | |
Samsung Galaxy J5 (2017) Duos | |
Lenovo Moto G5 | |
Motorola Moto G5s Plus | |
1920x1080 Car Chase Offscreen (sort by value) | |
Motorola Moto G5s | |
BQ Aquaris X | |
Nokia 5 | |
Samsung Galaxy J5 (2017) Duos | |
Lenovo Moto G5 | |
Motorola Moto G5s Plus |
In web applications, the Samsung Galaxy J5 has the edge over its competitors, while our test unit performs similarly to the Moto G5.
Our Moto G5s does not cope too well with more demanding HTML5 content such as the game under letsplay.ouigo.com: loading times are quite long and we needed several tries to get the game to actually start. The actual gameplay was so jerky that the game was unplayable.
JetStream 1.1 - Total Score | |
BQ Aquaris X (Chrome Version 60) | |
Motorola Moto G5s Plus (Chroem Version 62) | |
Samsung Galaxy J5 (2017) Duos (Samsung Browser 5.4) | |
Nokia 5 (Chrome 56.0.2924.87) | |
Lenovo Moto G5 (Chrome 57) | |
Motorola Moto G5s (Chrome 62) |
Octane V2 - Total Score | |
Samsung Galaxy J5 (2017) Duos (Samsung Browser 5.4) | |
BQ Aquaris X (Chrome Version 60) | |
Motorola Moto G5s Plus (Chroem Version 62) | |
Nokia 5 (Chrome 56.0.2924.87) | |
Motorola Moto G5s (Chrome 62) | |
Lenovo Moto G5 (Chrome 57) |
Mozilla Kraken 1.1 - Total | |
Motorola Moto G5s (Chrome 62) | |
Lenovo Moto G5 (Chrome 57) | |
Nokia 5 (Chrome 56.0.2924.87) | |
Motorola Moto G5s Plus (Chroem Version 62) | |
BQ Aquaris X (Chrome Version 60) | |
Samsung Galaxy J5 (2017) Duos (Samsung Browser 5.4) |
WebXPRT 2015 - Overall | |
Samsung Galaxy J5 (2017) Duos (Samsung Browser 5.4) | |
Motorola Moto G5s (Chrome 62) | |
Lenovo Moto G5 (Chrome 57) | |
Nokia 5 (Chrome 56.0.2924.87) |
* ... smaller is better
The Moto G5s memory is very fast, even more so than its predecessor's and noticeably faster than the direct competition. Our reference microSD card, the Toshiba Exceria Pro M501, is utilized properly as well.
Motorola Moto G5s | BQ Aquaris X | Nokia 5 | Samsung Galaxy J5 (2017) Duos | Lenovo Moto G5 | Motorola Moto G5s Plus | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
AndroBench 3-5 | -14% | -14% | -36% | -15% | -5% | |
Sequential Read 256KB | 259 | 266.4 3% | 255.6 -1% | 204.4 -21% | 230.6 -11% | 237.4 -8% |
Sequential Write 256KB | 77.5 | 75.3 -3% | 74.9 -3% | 52 -33% | 45.6 -41% | 75.7 -2% |
Random Read 4KB | 40.6 | 37.47 -8% | 40.54 0% | 24.07 -41% | 37.6 -7% | 37.94 -7% |
Random Write 4KB | 46.2 | 11.85 -74% | 8.39 -82% | 9.9 -79% | 37.9 -18% | 44.89 -3% |
Sequential Read 256KB SDCard | 84.1 ? | 84.3 ? 0% | 83.9 0% | 72.2 ? -14% | 78.5 ? -7% | 79.6 ? -5% |
Sequential Write 256KB SDCard | 62.3 ? | 62.6 ? 0% | 62 0% | 44.21 ? -29% | 58 ? -7% | 58.8 ? -6% |
Games
Unfortunately, the app 'GameBench' failed to launch on our test unit, so we could not provide any frame rate counts for the tested games. Since the relevant hardware for game performance has not changed compared to the predecessor's and noting that the Moto G5s performs very similarly in other benchmarks, it seems reasonable to consult our findings in the review of the Moto G5 as reference values. In any event, in gameplay we found that the highest graphics options of “Asphalt 8” produce slight jitters, but slightly lowered settings result in smooth gameplay. Other games such as “Dead Trigger 2” or less demanding ones such as “Angry Birds” are rendered smoothly.
The Moto G5s' touchscreen controls and handling as well as its position sensors were entirely satisfactory.
Emissions
Temperature
The maximum temperatures measured under load on the case itself amounted to 36 °C (~97 °F). This warming is noticeable, but not critical by any means. As with the predecessor, the highest temperatures were measured in the earphone area, which can make calls uncomfortable on hot summer days. In general, the temperatures are fairly even across the case and are significantly lower while idling.
With the benchmark GFXBench and its included battery test, we could ascertain that the frame rates remained consistent even after 30 benchmark cycles. Accordingly, any throttling of the hardware components under prolonged load seems unlikely.
(+) The maximum temperature on the upper side is 36 °C / 97 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 33.1 °C / 92 F, compared to the average of 33.8 °C / 93 F
(+) In idle usage, the average temperature for the upper side is 27.9 °C / 82 F, compared to the device average of 32.7 °C / 91 F.
Speaker
On the Moto G5, the speaker was positioned within the earphone, which was satisfactory, and now, on the new Moto G5s, Motorola has adopted a more usual layout, positioning the speaker at the case's bottom. In exchange, the speaker now has decidedly more power with an intensity of more than 88 dB(A). Our test software ARTA also found that it has greater variety in the lower mids and even more so in the highs. We were satisfied with the low mids, but the highs are overemphasized now. This impacts the overall sound performance negatively, since the core bass range is hardly perceptible now. On the whole, the Moto G5s' speaker is better than what the competing devices offer, and above all, much louder, but it could have used some more fine-tuning. To improve on the sound balance, one would need to find an equalizer app on the Google Play Store, since no such app is preinstalled.
The sound is played cleanly over the 3.5 mm audio jack and Bluetooth.
Motorola Moto G5s audio analysis
(+) | speakers can play relatively loud (88.4 dB)
Bass 100 - 315 Hz
(-) | nearly no bass - on average 26.9% lower than median
(±) | linearity of bass is average (7.5% delta to prev. frequency)
Mids 400 - 2000 Hz
(+) | balanced mids - only 4.2% away from median
(+) | mids are linear (6.5% delta to prev. frequency)
Highs 2 - 16 kHz
(±) | higher highs - on average 6% higher than 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
» 25% of all tested devices in this class were better, 8% similar, 67% worse
» The best had a delta of 12%, average was 38%, worst was 134%
Compared to all devices tested
» 46% of all tested devices were better, 7% similar, 47% worse
» The best had a delta of 4%, average was 25%, worst was 134%
Lenovo Moto G5 audio analysis
(+) | speakers can play relatively loud (82.1 dB)
Bass 100 - 315 Hz
(-) | nearly no bass - on average 26.5% lower than median
(±) | linearity of bass is average (10.3% delta to prev. frequency)
Mids 400 - 2000 Hz
(±) | higher mids - on average 5.4% higher than median
(+) | mids are linear (6.3% delta to prev. frequency)
Highs 2 - 16 kHz
(+) | balanced highs - only 3.8% away from median
(+) | highs are linear (3.2% delta to prev. frequency)
Overall 100 - 16.000 Hz
(±) | linearity of overall sound is average (23.8% difference to median)
Compared to same class
» 48% of all tested devices in this class were better, 9% similar, 44% worse
» The best had a delta of 12%, average was 38%, worst was 134%
Compared to all devices tested
» 67% of all tested devices were better, 7% similar, 26% worse
» The best had a delta of 4%, average was 25%, worst was 134%
Frequency diagram in comparison (checkboxes above selectable/deselectable!)
Energy Management
Power Consumption
Once the Moto G5s is turned off, it draws almost no power, which will be useful for those who like to turn off their smartphones once in a while and just leave them for a time; even after several weeks the battery level should be about the same as before.
Once it is turned on, and used moderately, the Motorola Moto G5s draws power sparingly: 1.52 watts while idling is decent. When it is taxed, however, its power consumption jumps to relatively high levels, using more power than all the competing devices with 7.05 watts at maximum load.
Off / Standby | 0.01 / 0.23 Watt |
Idle | 0.67 / 1.4 / 1.52 Watt |
Load |
4.56 / 7.05 Watt |
Motorola Moto G5s 3000 mAh | BQ Aquaris X 3100 mAh | Nokia 5 3000 mAh | Samsung Galaxy J5 (2017) Duos 3000 mAh | Lenovo Moto G5 2800 mAh | Motorola Moto G5s Plus 3000 mAh | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Power Consumption | -20% | 5% | 36% | 0% | -4% | |
Idle Minimum * | 0.67 | 1.12 -67% | 0.52 22% | 0.52 22% | 0.73 -9% | 0.83 -24% |
Idle Average * | 1.4 | 2.16 -54% | 1.78 -27% | 1.17 16% | 1.64 -17% | 1.67 -19% |
Idle Maximum * | 1.52 | 2.18 -43% | 1.96 -29% | 1.24 18% | 1.68 -11% | 1.85 -22% |
Load Average * | 4.56 | 2.94 36% | 3.23 29% | 1.66 64% | 3.46 24% | 3.47 24% |
Load Maximum * | 7.05 | 5.1 28% | 4.88 31% | 2.94 58% | 6.13 13% | 5.41 23% |
* ... smaller is better
Battery Life
Its high power consumption makes the Moto G5s lag behind in our benchmarks: although its battery is larger than that of the Moto G5 at 3000 mAh, the battery life has not changed practically. Completely apart from these two, the Moto G5s Plus uses its power more efficiently, its larger screen and equally sized battery notwithstanding: its power consumption is significantly lower, making it perform better in our WLAN test and stress test.
With just 8:38 hours of battery life in our WLAN test, the Moto G5s performed the worst among its direct competition. The battery seems to survive away from the plug for the whole day, but having to charge it every day should be expected. With Quick Charge and the supplied charger this takes under two hours.
Motorola Moto G5s 3000 mAh | BQ Aquaris X 3100 mAh | Nokia 5 3000 mAh | Samsung Galaxy J5 (2017) Duos 3000 mAh | Lenovo Moto G5 2800 mAh | Motorola Moto G5s Plus 3000 mAh | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Battery Runtime | 14% | 37% | 53% | -1% | 65% | |
Reader / Idle | 1233 | 1772 44% | 1564 27% | 1243 1% | 1496 21% | |
H.264 | 645 | 790 22% | 917 42% | 616 -4% | ||
WiFi v1.3 | 518 | 592 14% | 713 38% | 738 42% | 561 8% | 974 88% |
Load | 225 | 323 44% | 449 100% | 207 -8% | 419 86% |
Pros
Cons
Verdict
The Moto G5s is a successful evolution of its predecessor and has changed less than appears at first glance: more memory, improved camera, larger screen and a new speaker. Furthermore, the new camera sensors perform very decently: photos taken with the main camera are on the cool side, but the sensor corrects adverse lighting conditions well. The front camera confirms these findings.
The smartphone has no serious faults: its screen is darker than its predecessor's and its power consumption is slightly too high. Moreover, the respectable speaker has to be fine-tuned with an equalizer to correct the overemphasised highs. The microphone is also rather mediocre. In return, the software runs smoothly and comes without bloatware. The device remains cool as well.
Even with the larger battery, battery life has not improved and, all things considered, an upgrade from the Moto G5 is not worth it. If you are, however, deciding between getting the G5 and the G5s, it depends on how important the removable battery of the G5 is to you. Otherwise, picking the G5s is surely a good call, since it comes with more memory and an improved camera. The G5s Plus comes with a dual camera that does not constitute a drastic advantage, although the markedly faster CPU and GPU could justify the price difference.
The Motorola Moto G5s is a successful intermediate product that does not offer revolutionary innovation. Rather, it comes with improvements of some details, but one or the other change for the worse as well: its display, for instance, is darker than its predecessor's. All things considered, the Moto G5s appears to be a well-balanced deal that finds its place in the lower mid-range.
Overall, the Moto G5s has earned its place in the Moto G-series family and can hold its own against similarly priced smartphones of other manufacturers.
Motorola Moto G5s
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12/07/2017 v6(old)
Florian Wimmer