the smartphone Motorola Moto G50 It costs € 199 in Portugal, or a little less, € 189 depending on the promotions on Amazon.ES on this date. It’s a mid-range phone with uncompromising performance, especially after setting expectations for this price range. Motorola’s proposition is based on general simplicity, but it delivers on what it promises to the consumer.
4gnews tested the Moto G50, a product that also arrived to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the Moto G line. It stays true to its predecessors with a durable build in a product accessible to most consumers, albeit with few surprises.
First to frame the reader, immediately below the Moto G50 we have the Moto G30 and then the Moto G10 at the entry level.
Motorola Moto G50 strengths
Weaknesses of the Motorola Moto G50
Unboxing and first impressions of the smartphone
The box meets the smartphone it protects, an affordable and reliable product that we can trust, even if it is somewhat predictable. In 2021, faced with fierce competition from Chinese manufacturers, Motorola’s bet is quite conservative.
The biggest value propositions of this phone are battery life, lightweight interface, competent performance, support for 5G networks, and a display with a high refresh rate at 90 Hz, although the resolution leaves something to be desired: standard. HD +.
Its camera is acceptable, although “mediocre” is better suited to the results it captures. For a smartphone that costs less than 200 euros, I did not expect miracles and I ended up having good surprises in this Moto G50.
In short, we have a cheap phone with an uninspired design, not being ugly, it does not bring anything new to the technological landscape in 2021. It is one of the cheapest smartphones with support for 5G networks, an undeniable asset, but that does not make it perfect .
The screen resolution is immediately poor in mid-2021, despite the screen having sufficient brightness and a high refresh rate at 90 Hz.
The unboxing experience is conventional. Anyway we have a 15 W charger (maximum charging power), for fast charging. We also have the USB-C case, quick start manuals, as well as the clear protective cover.
Design and create quality options
The Motorola Moto G50 and other models in this range share the same industrial design philosophy. Any user who has picked up a Motorola smartphone in recent years will find several points of contact in this new terminal.
In short, we have a cheap phone, with a cheap appearance and cheap construction. As it is neither poorly built nor creaky, there is also no way to ignore the measured approach to its design and construction in which plastic is the only watchword.
On the other hand, considering its price, this phone will withstand some drops, bumps, and scratches. Your build won’t mind the rigors of everyday life, but it would be so much better if it offered IP certification.
The front camera is in the “notch” in the shape of a raindrop, at the top, in the center. The front panel features substantial edges or bezels that reinforce the feel of a budget smartphone.
It has a 3.5 mm audio jack port, dedicated physical button for the Google Assistant, volume selector, on / off button and fingerprint reader. The button dedicated to the Wizard can be assigned to other functions if desired.
The back of the smartphone, also in plastic, stands out for the Motorola logo where we also have the fingerprint reader. We also find the camera module, discreet and well resolved.
Motorola Moto G50 screen lacks HD resolution
The screen of the Motorola Moto G50 is relatively large, compounded by the notorious margins, bezels that surrounds you. It has 6.5 inches, IPS LCD technology with HD + resolution of 720 x 1600 pixels which results in a density of 269 pixels per inch.
We particularly like the 90Hz refresh rate, which makes content smoother without sacrificing too much battery life. There is even a redeeming note in the brightness of this panel, easily visible outdoors, with good viewing angles.
However, the low resolution for 2021 makes it difficult to recommend this phone for watching movies and series, or any online content. It is a sufficient panel, but far from ideal, with a small notch at the top to house the front camera.
The cameras are adequate for the price of the Moto G50
The main camera is triple and easy to use. It consists of 48 MP f / 1.7 + 5 MP f / 2.4 + 2 MP f / 2.4 sensors. Unfortunately, we don’t have an ultra-wide lens like the Moto G30. On the other hand, the overall quality of the results is adequate and pleasant.
We miss the wide angle and some kind of optical magnification. On the other hand, we like the way the native camera app works, for example suggesting to use Night Mode when it detects suboptimal light conditions.
However, it is important to adjust expectations of what the software can do with the available hardware. The results are pleasant, more than enough to share on social networks, but lacking in detail, even in good lighting conditions.
However, the camera is sufficient, worthy of an above-average note in bright light. Another positive note is the native camera app you’ll find on this Motorola Moto G50, which is well crafted and easy to use.
Finally, video capture can be done in 1080p at 30 fps or 60 fps. The results are also remarkable, with good colors and correct exposure, being a fast camera, although some details can be rare.
The results of the front camera with a resolution of 13 MP and a lens with a focal aperture of f / 2.2 are average. The colors are particularly vibrant, although the details are not abundant, but it will do for most uses.
In short, the entire image and video capture experience on this camera is reasonable. Sometimes it gives us good surprises, but it rarely disappoints considering the previously defined expectations for this price range.
Competent performance for a mid-range smartphone in 2021
Its “heart” is the new Snapdragon 480 5G from MediaTek. First of all, its low number in Qualcomm’s rankings left us worried and expecting a painful performance at best. Fortunately, however, the opposite happened.
Qualcomm’s latest generation of 5G processors at 8nm are particularly nimble. Although the 4GB of RAM also partially restricts its “power”, performance was certainly not a cause for complaint on the phone.
In fact, the stability, fluidity, and overall speed of the system are noteworthy. This was, most likely, one of the biggest surprises on this phone, even in games. However, we warn of the need to manage expectations well.
Motorola’s user interface (UI) is light and friendly
A big part of this phone’s amazing performance is due to its lightweight interface. It is close to “pure Android” which may attract or alienate some users. However, it is easy to use and does not overload your hardware.
In short, the lightweight interface remains one of Motorola’s strengths. For those looking for an easy-to-use smartphone with a pure Android look, this Moto G50 will meet the demands of everyday life in a perfectly competent way.
Battery life is another highlight of the Motorola Moto G50
The Motorola Moto G50 smartphone is equipped with a 5,000 mAh battery, with a load of 15 W. This translates into a lot of autonomy for a day of intense use, or two days of moderate use thanks to the measured screen and the efficient processor.
In short, we have good energy management in this economical and competent phone that does not leave us half a day and even risks the second day of use. It is a good phone for those who value autonomy and do not want to depend on the plug.
It comes equipped with a 15W charger, not being exactly fast, at least it still has a charger in the box. However, we do not have wireless charging, or reverse charging, but we do have a good autonomy.
Conclusion: simple lines and low price make a smartphone competent
Who can we recommend the Motorola Moto G50 to? For those looking for a cheap 5G mobile phone, ready for the future and for the highest data traffic speeds.
We can recommend this phone to anyone looking for a cell phone that they can trust. A robust product, with good battery life and adequate performance for most users (without excesses or too much appreciation for games).
Similarly, if you are not heavy camera users on a daily basis, you will not miss the ultra wide angle lens present on the Moto G30. In everything else, this camera fits the current asking price over the phone. Android.
On the contrary, we do not recommend the phone to anyone looking for a bold design and wants to stand out. The Moto G50 is quite the opposite, asserting itself as a safe bet, but not very exciting or boring in 2021.
We do not recommend it to anyone who values photography highly or uses this camera very frequently. Not because it’s bad, it’s not, but because on the Moto G30 you’ll find a more captivating combination of cameras with ultra-wide-angle optics.
Finally, and more seriously, if you want a phone to watch movies, series and videos in general. Although we can get used to the HD standard, in 2021 it becomes a prerequisite to have at least Full-HD resolution on phones that cost more than 100 euros.
4gnews score (0-10)
layout options | 7 |
Build quality | 7 |
| Screen | 6 |
| sound quality | 7 |
Performance Performance | 7 |
Interface / UI | 7 |
Camera | 6 |
Drums | 8 |
Price quality | 8 |
| Punctuation | 7 – Good |
4gnews thanks Motorola for submitting the product for testing