Moto G200 review: A genuine OnePlus rival?

(Pocket-lint) - For galore years Motorola's Moto G bid was each astir being the champion of a fund bunch. But times person changed. Since the G bid went triple-figure successful its naming normal - which started with the G100 - it's present a bid that ranges from entry-level done to the mid-level and sub-flagship, wherever astatine the precocious echelons it delivers high-end spec for a not-so-high price.

It's astatine this top-end wherever the 2nd triple-figure G bid merchandise fits in: the Moto G200's spec expanse reads similar a flagship, acknowledgment to its (admittedly present 1 procreation older) Qualcomm Snapdragon 888+ level powering everything, yet costs successful a akin ballpark to the OnePlus Nord series, making it an perfect out-right acquisition without a contract.

But what's the compromise astatine this level? Well, the G200 delivers beardown successful its powerfulness and software, but can't proclaim to connection the aforesaid benignant of physique prime oregon camera array arsenic its higher-priced peers. So does it each equilibrium out?

Design & Display

• 6.8-inch LCD panel, 1080 x 2460 resolution, 144Hz refresh
• Dimensions: 168.1 x 75.5 x 8.9mm / Weight: 202g
• Colours: Stellar Blue, Glacier Green
• Side-mounted fingerprint scanner
• Plastic framework & rear build

There are immoderate tell-tale signs that the G200 isn't astatine the uppermost premium extremity of the market. It's built with a integrative framework and integrative rear, for starters, which doesn't look oregon adjacent feel atrocious successful this peculiar statement - the mode the Moto 'batwing' logo is embellished successful holographic benignant to the centre rear is simply a bully interaction - but won't person those looking for an each metallic and solid physique.

It's besides a ample standard handset, each considered, connected relationship of a ample artillery capableness and the screen's 6.8-inch diagonal measure, which makes it a beauteous chunky instrumentality to grip compared to immoderate slimmer, much deft handsets that we've seen astatine the precocious ends of the market.

The bezel astir the G200's surface isn't unreasonable, but it's not the astir trim either, which is further pronounced by the usage of a level screen. We deliberation that level show is the close choice, though, arsenic portion a curved 1 mightiness look much edge-to-edge wide successful the mode it would fell bezel, it would present further imaginable issues. Here there's nary drop-off successful colour oregon opposition to the edges, nor immoderate issues with edge-to-edge interaction response.

And it's successful the surface section wherever the G200 holds a batch of appeal. This show is surely large, yet inactive conscionable astir manageable for one-handed use, with that ample diagonal measurement ensuring a physically expansive country for watching contented and interacting with apps. It's besides susceptible of 144Hz refresh rate, which is of gaming telephone standard, adding to imaginable smoothness successful playback.

Sure, it's an LCD sheet alternatively than AMOLED - the second would mean richer colours and deeper blacks - but arsenic natural-looking LCD goes this 1 does the occupation conscionable fine. It's agleam enough, too, though not eye-wateringly truthful similar immoderate of the higher-priced flagships of contiguous (not that you'd announcement without comparing them broadside by side).

There's nary distinctive ailment astir this panel, really, but the auto-brightness tin beryllium overly keen to stay dim and we've often had to manually set it. Furthermore our handset got scratched alternatively quickly, which was a surprise, but the specification doesn't authorities Gorilla Glass is utilized present - which could explicate wherefore that's been the lawsuit successful our hands.

Elsewhere the G200 offers a side-mounted fingerprint scanner, which we've recovered responsive, and that's astir arsenic acold arsenic the bells and whistles database goes with this handset. There's nary wireless charging, for example, which again is nary astonishment astatine this terms point.

It's besides worthy taking connected committee the changes that Motorola has made successful the G200 implicit its G100 predecessor: the rear camera statement is present overmuch neater, arranged arsenic a triple-lens vertical file alternatively than quad-lens square, portion the front-facing camera is conscionable the azygous punch-hole alternatively than the (entirely unnecessary) treble opening of its predecessor.

Sadly, however, that camera plan inactive causes the instrumentality to 'wobble' erstwhile lain level connected a aboveground - not the extremity of the satellite but a spot irksome nonetheless, unless you enactment its included lawsuit connected (which makes the instrumentality adjacent larger overall).

Performance & Battery

• Qualcomm Snapdragon 888+ platform, 8GB RAM
• 5,000mAh artillery capacity, 33W fast-charging
• 5G connectivity
• Android 11

Despite a fewer corners being chopped successful the plan section to marque ends meet, erstwhile it comes to wide powerfulness the G200 isn't holding back. Well, it depends however you look astatine it: the Snapdragon 888+ level successful usage present isn't Qualcomm's existent highest extremity offering, due to the fact that since this handset arrived the chip-maker has revealed its Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 platform. But, fret not, you're not missing retired connected excessively much.

Having utilized a fig of 888+ devices implicit caller months, we did person immoderate fearfulness that the G200 would overheat arsenic we've seen elsewhere. Thankfully that's not the lawsuit astatine all. So this device's integrative framework and rear makes precise bully consciousness successful combination, ensuring vigor dissipation works well.

We've been playing each mode of games, streaming YouTube, adjacent doubling up messaging apps portion playing successful crippled - the GameTime diagnostic enables window-in-window to marque this imaginable - and there's ne'er been a hiccup successful presumption of playback. The 144Hz sheet is simply a nicety, too, though we've opted for the 'Auto' enactment wrong the settings to let the instrumentality to prime what's champion suited to task (manual options are 60Hz oregon 144Hz only, there's nary 90Hz oregon 120Hz in-between options here).

The 1 happening the 888+ level does impact is artillery beingness - and the aforesaid tin beryllium said of the fast-refresh display, too, really. That said we've ne'er had the menace of the G200 conking retired earlier than a afloat time of usage - but aft astir 14 hours of usage it volition beryllium successful its last 15 per cent (which is Battery Saver territory, to debar it depleting completely).

Clearly this is wherefore Motorola opted for a ample artillery and the large carnal standard of this device, to guarantee it'll scrape done a time - which is simply a batch much than we tin accidental of, say, the Vivo X70 Pro+ (which has the aforesaid processor and unspeakable artillery beingness by compare). Such is the trade-off for having specified power.

The G200's deficiency of wireless charging isn't a deal-breaker for us, overmuch arsenic it'll disappoint many. In presumption of wired charging, the 33W maximum enactment disposable present is surely fast, conscionable not super-fast similar immoderate of the flagship handsets tin present offer. No biggie, though, arsenic artillery wellness options for sensible charging implicit clip whilst you're successful furniture and asleep, for example, volition guarantee wide longevity and, realistically, adjacent speedy top-ups are much than bully capable if it's moving low.

A large portion of Motorola's play is successful adopting adjacent banal Google Android software, without blighting its devices with layers of further app overlays oregon pre-installs. Indeed, the Moto app is the 1 and lone wide displacement betwixt the G200 handset and, say, a Google Pixel device, offering assorted personalisation, motion controls, show adaptations, and the aforementioned GameTime. Many of those insignificant bundle additions are genuinely utile too.

Above all, however, it's this bundle acquisition wherever the G200 excels streets up of galore of its Chinese competitors - Xiaomi successful peculiar - successful delivering bundle that doesn't adhd barriers to notifications oregon fell features successful places wherever you'll person to excavation to look. This 'clean' attack is simply a wide benefit.

Cameras

• Triple rear camera system:
  • Main: 108-megapixel, f/1.9 aperture, 0.7um pixel size
  • Wide: 8MP, f/2.2, 1.12um
  • Depth: 2MP, f/2.4
• Front-facing camera: 16MP, f/2.2

We called the earlier G100 an oversell successful the camera department, arsenic it had 4 lenses and 2 of those - the extent and ToF sensors - weren't precisely 'proper cameras'. The G200 steps things up by scaling down, if you like, by opting for a triple camera array which alternatively ups the main sensor's solution but, strangely, drops the wide-angle camera's pixel count; the 3rd 'camera' is sadly inactive conscionable a extent sensor.

As specified you tin spot wherever we're going with this: the G200's camera statement is inactive an oversell. Just telephone it what it is: a dual camera system, 1 main and 1 wide-angle. Which is fine, yet simultaneously a shame - arsenic we miss immoderate enactment of zoom featuring here, which would truly assistance Motorola's highest-ranked G bid to basal retired successful among a busying assemblage of competitors. But, hey, it is what it is.

And it is not each atrocious by immoderate means. Positives wherever they're due: the main camera, with its 108-megapixel solution - it pares this down 9 pixels into one, astatine 12-megapixels output wide - tin present beauteous astute results successful bully light, with tons of item and colour.

Things get trickier arsenic the airy drops, however, arsenic there's nary optical stabilisation (OIS) which tin marque shooting overmuch much problematic - and we've had plentifulness of blurred shots arsenic a result. Using Night Mode successful overmuch darker conditions and there's a batch of atom disposable and adjacent immoderate interior lens reflection issues, which isn't great.

The wide-angle is beneath par, really, fixed however acold higher solution and much considered examples are disposable connected each mode of different phones. The little solution present is besides successful struggle with debased light, resulting successful alternatively detuned colours and lacking successful anyplace adjacent the aforesaid benignant of item of the main lens.

Given the powerfulness disposable there's nary shortage of processing speed, portion artificial quality volition punctual you to set modes depending connected conditions. It's delicate successful this touch, alternatively than forcing changes upon you, and makes for an easy-to-use camera experience. Albeit 1 that's lacking a zoom oregon existent flagship kudos. It's passable overall, but nary much than that.

Writing by Mike Lowe. Originally published connected 10 January 2022.