The $300 Moto G Energy Is the Lowest-Priced Motorola Telephone Price Shopping for

The $300 Moto G Energy is the lowest-priced Motorola cellphone that I can confidently advocate from the corporate’s 2025 lineup. Even after utilizing it for a number of weeks, the Moto G Energy by no means annoyed me whereas performing any of my common duties. If you happen to’re already a Motorola fan, this cellphone is a good possibility that may deal with the fundamentals with out breaking the financial institution. 

This won’t sound like excessive reward, however in comparison with the sluggishness I felt when testing out the $200 Moto G, that additional $100 goes a good distance. The Moto G Energy supplies sufficient extra energy to permit for easy multitasking, video calls, gaming at low graphics settings and may take respectable images of meals in vivid settings in addition to concert events in darker settings.

Charging velocity is a specific spotlight; the Moto G Energy’s battery went from 0 to 61% throughout my battery check when powering it up with the 30W wired charger, which is definitely a hair quicker than final yr’s version of the cellphone. That is accompanied by 15W wi-fi charging however, like most Android telephones, you will must get a third-party case if you wish to use the cellphone with magnetic Qi2 chargers. 

Quick charging is especially useful contemplating the Energy has a big 6.8-inch 1,080p show that runs at a 120Hz refresh fee, which may drain the battery down throughout extra intensive use. This show makes it straightforward for streaming movies, texting and lightweight gaming, but it surely would not present significantly vivid HDR-like colours like I’ve seen on different $300 telephones just like the OnePlus Nord N30. However that is largely an OK trade-off for a decrease priced cellphone.

The cellphone’s MediaTek Dimensity 6300 processor carried out solely barely higher than the $200 Moto G (with the identical processor) in my benchmark checks, which embrace the extra graphically intense 3DMark Wild Life Excessive check, and the extra computationally centered Geekbench 6.0. 

Exterior of gaming, I did not encounter any points. I had no hassle with my typical routine of watching YouTube, looking web sites, and taking video calls. Nonetheless, the cellphone did wrestle to keep up 60fps whereas working the Marvel Snap card recreation at medium settings. The cellphone’s 8GB of reminiscence — twice the 4GB out there on the Moto G — probably helps the cellphone run extra effectively in day by day use. This can be a stark distinction to Moto G which I discovered barely usable with out enabling Motorola’s RAM increase function that converts a portion of storage into digital reminiscence. The Energy works fairly nicely utilizing the default “AI” mode for assessing how a lot is required.

Photographs taken by each the rear digicam setup (50-megapixel vast and 8-megapixel ultrawide) and the 16-megapixel selfie digicam get the necessities of my images however largely lack finer element.

As an illustration, this closeup of a macaroni and cheese dish taken outdoors exhibits you the dish, however we’re not getting a lot of the tacky roux or of the breadcrumb particulars. In truth, every part across the dish appears blurry.

I took the cellphone with me to see Kylie Minogue at Madison Sq. Backyard, and contemplating I am sitting in the back of the sector, I do assume the cellphone was capable of seize a number of particulars of the singer together with her dancers. That is the sort of photograph that much more costly telephones would wrestle with, so I am glad it did not utterly dissolve right into a blurry mess.

The entrance digicam additionally exceeded my expectations when taking a selfie. I used the selfie mild — which is painfully apparent within the glare of my glasses — however most of my face and shirt appears to be like crisp within the photograph. My hair does mix in with the darkness, and there is noticeable picture noise round me. However nonetheless, these are difficult circumstances even for telephones within the $500 value vary, so for $300, it isn’t dangerous in any respect. 

The cameras may also seize 1080p video at 30fps decision, which was sufficient to seize footage of the band Anberlin at a distinct present I attended final week, however admittedly that footage additionally wasn’t very detailed. It is sufficient to shortly retailer the reminiscences, however I would not need to play them again on a TV.

Whereas I did not submerge the Moto G Energy throughout my testing, I admire that its IP68 and IP69 rankings counsel it could simply survive drops right into a sink or pool. However even a sturdy exterior cannot masks one in every of its greatest weaknesses; Motorola’s comparatively quick software program and safety help timeline. The cellphone will solely get two years of main Android updates and three years of safety replace help. Whereas I’ve but to check Samsung’s new Galaxy A lineup, one of many Moto G’s greatest opponents, Samsung is promising six years of software program and safety updates by comparability. It is a coverage that I hope Motorola reconsiders, because the Moto G line may grow to be a good broader possibility for cellphone consumers involved in regards to the ongoing information of tariffs that would enhance the price of electronics. 

So long as you may maintain your expectations in test in regards to the cellphone’s three-year lifespan, the Moto G Energy may very well be a viable possibility for anybody who simply wants a fundamental cellphone with out the extra frills.

How we check telephones

Each cellphone CNET’s critiques workforce checks is utilized in the true world. We check a cellphone’s options, play video games and take images. We look at the show to see if it is vivid, sharp and vibrant. We analyze the design and construct to see how it’s to carry and whether or not it has an IP ranking for water resistance. We push the processor’s efficiency to the extremes utilizing standardized benchmark instruments like GeekBench and 3DMark, together with our personal anecdotal observations navigating the interface, recording high-resolution movies and enjoying graphically intense video games at excessive refresh charges.

All of the cameras are examined in quite a lot of circumstances, from vivid daylight to darkish indoor scenes. We check out particular options like evening mode and portrait mode, and examine our findings in opposition to equally priced competing telephones. We additionally take a look at the battery life through the use of it day by day in addition to working a collection of battery drain checks.

We consider extra options like help for 5G, satellite tv for pc connectivity, fingerprint and face sensors, stylus help, quick charging speeds and foldable shows, amongst others that may be helpful. We stability all of this in opposition to the worth to provide the verdict on whether or not that cellphone, no matter value it’s, really represents good worth. Whereas these checks could not all the time be mirrored in CNET’s preliminary assessment, we conduct follow-up and long-term testing in most circumstances.

Watch this: Purchase or Wait Information: How Tariffs Will Change Tech Costs and What to Do Subsequent

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