Motorola’s new Moto G Play (2023): An Outdated Idea with Subpar Features
Motorola has been on a roll lately and has been producing impressive affordable smartphones. The company’s star however is the G-Series lineup, as the year comes to an end, we have a new Moto G Play.
What We Know So Far
Motorola is abandoning Qualcomm in favor of a MediaTek Helio G37 processor for this handset. We wouldn’t expect this to be a gaming or productivity powerhouse with 3GB of RAM, but it should be plenty for texting, navigation, and other smartphone needs. Unfortunately, it comes with Android 12, placing it farther behind in updates with a business notorious for bad support.
The general quality and look are precisely what you’d expect from a sub-$200 smartphone. The Moto G Play, which is only available in one color (navy blue), is not for everyone. Nonetheless, we feel that most consumers would prefer the side-oriented camera module over the centered version in the previous edition. The general appearance and style, like its specifications, are similar to the Moto G Power, implying a rebuilt version of that smartphone to meet a specified price range. It is worth mentioning that if you are an Android user, the phone is more than capable of handling WhatsApp backup transfer without any compatibility issues. You’ll be able to enjoy the messaging app without any hassle.
In addition, this phone retains a massive 6.5" screen at only 720p, but its newly-added 90Hz refresh rate should keep things feeling buttery smooth. It’s getting increasingly difficult to justify 720p displays as we head into 2023, but a higher refresh rate should go a long way in selling customers on the phone.
The other major change is found on the back of the device. The single lens with a depth sensor was only good for snapping receipts and not much else. We’ll have to get our hands on the phone to see how this new model performs, but on paper, it’s a little more promising. With a 16MP primary sensor, a 2MP macro lens, and a 2MP depth sensor, Motorola is offering more power than previous Play models ever have.
We can not deliver a final verdict until 2023 since that is when Moto G Play will be available. Overall, the expectations are high, let’s see if the latest G series smartphone can keep up.
