The Motorola Moto G series has long been a great way to get an affordable phone that still offers solid features. The 2021 iteration of this series is no exception to this rule. With three new phones in the lineup, there should be some for anyone who wants to spend $ 250 or less on a phone.
Before continuing, of course, it should be noted that if you can stretch your budget a bit, you should. The Moto G series is great, but if you can spend $ 350 on a Pixel 4a, it’s worth it, for better performance, a better camera, and a better software experience. Alternatively, you’ll get some of the best performance in the industry by quitting Android entirely and going for the $ 400 iPhone SE.
But, if $ 250 is your budget cap, you’ve come to the right place. As mentioned, there are three different phones in the series: the low-end Moto G Play, the standard Moto G Power, and the more expensive Moto G Stylus. As someone who has used all three phones, I have found that each has its pros and cons. Here’s everything you need to know to decide which one you want to buy.
Moto G Play
The Moto G Play is the cheapest of the three devices, and as a result, it has the lowest performance, the least versatile camera, and inferior hardware. That doesn’t mean it’s really this much worse than other phones, but as you would expect from a cheaper phone, it’s just not as powerful.
Like the other two phones, the Moto G Play has a plastic back, not a glass back like you might get on a more expensive phone. Plus, like the other two phones, it has a headphone jack and fingerprint sensor, although on this phone it’s on the back. The phone is a bit bulky for a phone in 2021 at 0.37 inches thick, 2.99 inches wide, and 6.56 inches tall, but it’s not overdone and still very easy to grip. Perhaps one of the biggest differences between this phone and others in terms of design is the fact that it has a teardrop notch, instead of a punched cutout for the front camera. It does not matter.
What could be a big deal for some is the fact that the phone only has a 720p display. For basic use this will be fine – but the text won’t be as crisp and images as detailed as on other devices in the series, which have 1080p displays. The screen measures 6.5 inches, the smallest in the Moto G 2021 series. The Moto G Stylus went up to 6.8 inches. Still, although it’s smaller than other devices, you’ll still need a really big hand to reach the top corner when using one-handed.
Under the hood, the Moto G Play offers a Qualcomm Snapdragon 460 processor, coupled with 3 GB of RAM and 32 GB of storage. That’s not a ton, and if you want to be able to download more than a few songs, it’s worth taking advantage of the built-in microSD card slot.
But the Series 4 processor is a pretty big step up from the Series 6 chip on other Moto G phones. The end result won’t be. really impact things like basic texting, calling, and social media, but more intense multitasking or mobile games, and you’ll want to fork out a bit more cash for a more powerful model.
On the back of this phone you will find the dual camera setup. You get a 13-megapixel main camera and a 2MP depth sensor. It’s not very versatile and the photos aren’t great, but they’ll do the job for basic shots. Again, this is one of those places where you really notice the price.
So who should buy this phone? If you want to save as much money as possible and don’t plan on using your phone for more than the most basic use, then the Moto G Play will do the trick. It starts at just $ 170, which is exceptional.
Read our full Moto G Play review
Moto G Power
The Moto G Power is the next step up from the Moto G Play and adds a number of features and performance improvements. You’ll still have the plastic construction with the headphone jack and fingerprint sensor, although on this phone that sensor is built into the power button rather than the back. The device is also the same size as the Moto G Play, although it is a bit larger. It is slightly thicker and taller, but the same width. Honestly, the differences are so small that it won’t make much of a difference.
However, dive into the internal specs and you start to see the differences. The Moto G Power has a Snapdragon 665 processor, with 4 GB of RAM. It’s a pretty big step up from the Moto G Play’s chip, and as a result, things like games will load much faster and you’ll experience fewer hops and hops when multitasking, especially. after a year or two of use.
The display is also a step forward. It offers 1080p resolution, which means the text is sharper and the images are a bit more detailed. It’s definitely better than the Moto G Play’s display, in case that’s important to you. It’s 6.6 inches, which is a bit taller than the Moto G Play’s – but it also feels taller given the lack of a notch.
As the name suggests, the real advantage of the Moto G Power is its large battery. The device has a 5000mAh battery, and the result is that you can easily get two days of use, and even a third day if you know how to save. It’s pretty awesome and that means the Moto G Power is a good choice for heavy users or those who tend to forget to charge their phone.
The camera passes things up to three sensors. You’ll get a 16-megapixel main camera, an 8 MP ultra-wide camera, and a 2 MP macro camera. It’s a bit more versatile given the addition of the ultra-wide and macro cameras, but the actual quality of the photos isn’t much better. They’re still perfectly suited for very basic use in well-lit environments, but not much more than that.
Overall, the Moto G Power is a solid choice for those who want a good all-rounder. It’s definitely worth spending more on the Moto G Power than on the Moto G Play, especially for moderately heavy phone users.
Read our full Moto G Power review
Moto G Stylus
The Moto G Stylus is the more expensive of the three phones, and there really are only minor enhancements to the features on offer for most users.
As the name suggests, the biggest change the Moto G Stylus has compared to the Moto G Power is the addition of a … stylus. The stylus stores inside the right side of the phone when not in use and can be removed when needed. When you remove the stylus from the device, a few quick options, such as the ability to take a note, appear on the screen. It is a delicate attention. That said, you won’t get the same high-end text recognition as on the iPad or Galaxy Note series, and the stylus in general isn’t as responsive as it might be on a more powerful phone. with a high refresh rate display. .
The phone is also the biggest of the group. It’s actually thinner, at 0.35 inches, but its 3.07-inch width and 6.69-inch height allows it to make room for the large 6.8-inch screen. So much room for activities (related to the stylus)!
The phone offers the same performance as the Moto G Power, but it has a smaller 4000mAh battery. You’ll still be able to get through a full day of heavy use and the next day – but you might not get quite the two-plus days you’d get on the Moto G Power.
The camera is also a little different. You’ll get the same ultra-wide and macro cameras, but the main camera speeds things up to 48 megapixels, with an effective output of 12 MP thanks to technology from Motorola. This is supposed to give more detail and better low-light photography, but in reality the image quality isn’t much better. You shouldn’t buy the Stylus Moto G over the Moto G Power for its camera.
Frankly, the Moto G Stylus isn’t worth the extra money for the most part. If you really You want a stylus on a budget, this phone is the one for you – but you probably don’t need a stylus, and as such, the Moto G Power is worth buying at home. square.
Editor’s recommendations
https://www.digitaltrends.com/mobile/2021-motorola-moto-g-series-comparison/