A Moto G (2014) review from an everyday user

[G+_Duncan Jaffrey]

A Moto G (2014) review – from an everyday user

I should start by admitting that I only got the Moto G (2014) as I couldn’t get hold of a Nexus 5 32gb black replacement and there was simply nothing else on the market that I would consider buying. I may not be the correct person to be reviewing a mid to low level phone. But as a higher end consumer it’s interesting to see the other side.

Hardware

Build

As a device to hold in your hand I find the Moto G 2014 (from here out referred to as “the G”) to be superb for the cost (for the cost is a phrase you will hear a lot, this doesn’t mean it’s cheap it means its surprising how good it is for the low entry point).

At 5” the size is perfect, the side bezels are not distractingly large, nor are they lusciously thin, meaning you can palm this device in one hand and not accidentally touch the screen. The soft touch back has a fantastic hand feel, and the removal back is well recessed to create a defined but not “bumpy” edge. If held in the left hand the power button sits perfectly on your index finger with the volume rocker a comfortable distance away. The dimple on the back is surprisingly useful, not only is it a lovely home for your finger but it helps orient your phone .The subtle curves, corners and tapering all sum up to a beautify device that is wonderful to hold in the hand.

Specs

Whilst we’ll discuss performance later as you would expect for a sub $300 phone the G’s specs are middle of the road at best.

Buy the numbers the G has:

     Snapdragon 400

     1GB RAM

     5.0 inch 720p IPS LCD (294 PPI)

     8GB storage, Micro SD (max 32GB)

     8MP rear camera, autofocus, flash

     2MP front camera

     Wi-Fi b/g/n, Bluetooth 4.0

     GPS, GLONASS

     Cellular:

             *GSM:* 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 MHz

             *WCDMA:* 850 / 900 / 1900 / 2100 MHz

             *4G LTE:* None*

     Dual Micro SIM

     Android 5.02

     2070 mAh battery

     141.5 x 70.7 x 11 mm, 149 grams

 

Again for the cost it’s an impressive list of base specs. Notably missing is NFC, which moving forward with Android Pay, Google Cardboard/ VR and even the likes of the “View Master” the lack of NFC renders the device almost unrecommendable to any one who’s needs are more than a phone with email and Facebook.

Lack of LTE has now been addressed with a 2nd generation LTE variant released in some markets (notable differences include 16GB storage, higher battery capacity and but more heft) so we’ll pass on that.

Fast charging and Qi charging are both missing but at this price point it would be unreasonable to expect it.

Screen

The Screen of the G is 5” with a HD resolution of 720 giving a resolution of 294 PPI. Whilst I’ve seen many criticism of the screen, I appreciate the extra real-estate offered but a 5” display. For my mainly indoor use I haven’t had any issues with viewing angles or visibility. Colours may not be as accurate as higher end phones, but “for the price” I find it more than adequate.

Battery life

The battery performance of the G is surprising given its modes size. Whit the screen off, Wifi, on, Bluetooth on and tethered to a Moto 360 the draw is somewhere in the 1% per hour range. With the screen on draw can be a little higher but with non taxing apps you will last the day. Start taking that chip though and you will notice it.

Sound

Whilst phone gives the appearance of high end stereo front facing speakers above and below the screen the “speaker” slits are actually an earpiece on top and a descent loudspeaker underneath. It can get quite loud and has on occasion provided me with acceptable volume and clarity to listen to podcasts whilst I drive in cars without Bluetooth streaming. You’re not going to hold a house party with this thing, but for the money Motorola has hit the mark.

Performance

For a seemingly great phone for under $300 there had to be a fairly big downside somewhere, and in my opinion it’s the performance. Now it’s hard to say if the performance is “acceptable for the price”, but I can say that the performance is not acceptable for the user.

As standard I have Novo launcher running, WiFi and Bluetooth on and a Moto 360 paired at all times. I have a few apps which are normally running or paused in the background, Goggle+, Pocket casts, MyFitnessPal and hangouts adorn my recent screen for 90% of the day.

To say the phone is sluggish is an understatement. Clicking on an on screen button is a game of did it work as I wait what feels like a minute to see if that action takes place, will the dialler launch, will the recent apps open. Its not always like this but it is never zippy.

Interfacing via a Bluetooth device is frustrating useless, pressing skip or pause or volume up on a Moto 360 or connected headphones results in a 5 ish second lag before that action takes place, when skipping inside a podcasts it renders it near useless. I have found that using the G over Bluetooth for calls is folly, the call lags and the audio regularly disappears, I have actually turned off phone connection to my car preferring to use the loudspeaker because of this.

Clicking on the volume up button also results in a few second lag if your are actually playing any audio, which is normally when you want it.

I didn’t expect it to play games but I did install a few to try it out, SimCity (despite being a horrible IAP sink/ scam of a game) just didn’t run and clash of clans was less than enjoyable. I bring this up as many people I see posting are considering this as a phone for their kids. Even a 5 year old will tax this hardware, and as mentioned without NFC I’d advice not getting this phone for “techno kids”.

Considering that the Moto E has the same 400 series chip in it I would have thought that the Moto G would have benefited from a 600 series processor. The SOC is, for me, the weakest link by far and considerably lets down the device. It feels like Motorola were chasing a price point rather than a good mid-range phone.

Camera

If we are being honest android photography often leaves a lot to be desired, and Motorola doesn’t have the best track record for cameras either. Whilst the camera can take perfectly adequate photos of completely still objects the delay between “Shooting” and image capturing and poor performance in lower light or with moving targets relegates the camera to a “it’s there” category.

I take three basic photos, 1. need to remember X, 2. grabbing a shot of my family ect and 3. action shots of my daughter. I rarely even try and get number 3 with this phone. By the time the phone has opened an the camera is ready to use (even using the lock screen direct entry) the moment is normally over and if it isn’t it always fails to capture even the slightest of movement I the best lighting conditions.

I’m not fond of the Moto camera interface and if space wasn’t already limited and the camera actually performed better I would have installed another app instead.

Don’t buy this phone if the camera is critical to you.

Software

Simply put Motorola is the exception that proves the rule of “stock is best”. Motorola has left the pristine Google Android 5.0x experience completely intact and then just enhanced it a little bit. The Moto G doesn’t have the advanced active notifications or knock to wake feature of it’s larger and move expensive brother the Moto X but the subtle changes truly enhance the overall UX.

Moto keeps the bloat to a minimum with just the Moto Alert, Assist, Connect and Migrate and an FM radio 9popular in other markets) apps added into the mix as extras, the other apps like the camera and gallery replace the stock versions. Which is good because at 8gb of on-board storage you would be doing a lot of app swapping otherwise.

I only had the phone for a few days before the 5.0 rollout so I don’t remember the pre-rollout performance, although I do remember being far more impressed with it when I first got it. So I’m not sure if 5.0x has made it worse or the new phone honeymoon has finished.

Conclusion

The 3G Moto G (2014) is a wonderfully put together device with a clean and well finished industrial design. The hand feel and appearance of the phone is very appealing and it certainly breaks the mold of plain lower end devices. As a phone and simple app/ web machine its adequate, but in my experience it is sluggish under even mild strain and near unusable under higher load. I have found myself rebooting several times a day, so perhaps I am having a 5.0 related issue and if a future updates improves things I will certainly update the post.

The lack of NFC is actually a big issue for this device as I have said, and combined with lack luster performance means I would not recommend this phone to anyone who is looking for more than a device to place calls, send basic messages and email and jump onto Facebook (not that I have actually tested Facebook but Google + works ok).

This is not the phone for my daughter or my nephews but perhaps it the phone for my mother or and elderly aunt. It’s clean software and familiar UI means I could definitely remotely support this device.

Again I have to admit, I may not be the intended market for this phone. Perhaps I pushed it further than would be reasonable for a sub $300 phone, but if I gave this phone to someone wanting to get into the Android experience I think they wouldn’t be back.

 

I would love to see a Moto G with a SnapDragon 600 series SOC inside, even if that cost a few dollars more.