Motorola for years has dominated the budget smartphone market in the US with its Moto G lineup, but those Android phones have never felt particularly exciting. Phones like the Google Pixel 3A or even the new Nothing Phone (2a) almost always offer more features, better performance, cooler design and nicer cameras for just a few dollars more.
They also suffered from a lack of support for Near Field Communication (NFC) – the sensor that enables tap-to-pay for contactless payments at cash registers, train stations and the like. Motorola has notoriously omitted this benefit from its sub-$300 phones in the US for nearly a decade, despite it being standard on competing devices that cost as little as $150. This year’s Moto G Power 5G changes that – it’s undoubtedly the best Moto G the company has ever made, and frankly the best phone you can buy for under $300 right now.
Hello Moto
It’s important that you definitely check out the Moto G Power 5G for 2024 as the name of this device has remained the same for several years. One of the best aspects of the new version is how it looks and feels. The shiny, boring plastic design has been ditched in favor of a textured vegan leather back that resists fingerprints surprisingly well (dust and lint tend to get stuck in the grooves, though). I suggest buying the Pale Lilac model, but the Midnight Blue, which is more black to me, looks good too.
Photo: Julian Chokkattu
When using this phone, it’s easy to forget that it only costs $300. The 6.7-inch LCD is sharp and I had no trouble reading the screen on bright, sunny days. The speakers sound decent, there’s a 3.5mm headphone jack, and the side-mounted fingerprint sensor is reliable.
The performance is also outstanding. This Motorola is powered by MediaTek’s Dimensity 7020 chipset with 8GB of RAM, and while you’ll notice a few stutters here and there, such as when switching between apps, it’s otherwise pretty fast and smooth. I found it to perform more smoothly than the Samsung Galaxy A35 5G ($400) that I’m currently testing, although the Samsung performed slightly better in benchmark tests. To address any concerns, I’ve been using the Moto G Power 5G as my daily smartphone for almost a month and haven’t had any issues.
The 5,000 mAh battery cell easily lasts a whole day under heavy use – I reached 39 percent after five hours of screen on time – and is enough to last until the next morning on a single charge. One of the biggest surprises is that you can charge this phone wirelessly. I say this because wireless charging is generally not available on smartphones under $400. Nothing is fancier The phone (2a) for $350 doesn’t even have it. I love being able to put my phone on my wireless charger next to the bed instead of searching for a cable in the dark, so it’s a welcome addition and I hope wireless charging finds its way into cheap phones too.
Likewise, I think it’s great that a Moto G for under $300 finally offers NFC support. It’s about damn time! I used it to pay for my subway ticket, late-night trips to the deli, and coffee. No wallet required.