Given that the so-called "5G for all" strategy seems to have worked rather splendidly for Motorola last year, it shouldn't come as a big surprise that the Lenovo-owned brand is unveiling not one but two new mobile devices capable of delivering the highest download speeds available right now in a lot of global markets.
Priced incredibly competitively on the old continent, the 6.5-inch mid-ranger seems unlikely to ever be released stateside, where "Lenovorola" already sells the inexpensive One 5G and One 5G Ace alongside last year's costlier (and more premium-looking) Edge and Edge+ models. That looks like a huge wasted opportunity to carve a new sub-$300 niche as yet untapped in the US by, well, anyone, Samsung included.
A fluid but low-res screen with a notch
There are a lot of little miracles Motorola was able to pull off without driving the G50's production costs through the roof, most notably equipping the aforementioned 6.5-inch "Max Vision" display with an unusually smooth 90Hz refresh rate (for this price bracket.)
Make no mistake, though, this is not a high-end handset, and the good old fashioned waterdrop-style screen cutout, relatively large chin, and especially the modest 1600 x 720 pixel resolution make it pretty clear right off the bat what kind of device you're dealing with here.
This thing basically looks identical to the even lower-end and lower-cost G10 and G30, down to its display size and resolution, undoubtedly pairing plastic with plastic for a... traditional budget-friendly design and construction. On the bright side, said design is "water-repellent", which doesn't mean you can take the G50 with you to the local swimming pool, of course.
"Democratizing" 5G technology with a middling processor
By no means a powerhouse, the Moto G50 packs a Snapdragon 480 SoC announced by Qualcomm just a couple of months ago that allows it to support 5G connectivity at a fraction of the One 5G Ace's price, which in turn comes with a presumably much faster Snapdragon 750 chipset under its hood.
The G50 5G hides a fairly humdrum 4 gigs of RAM and up to 128 gigs of storage space under its hood, as well as a sizable 5,000mAh battery unsurprisingly capable of keeping the lights on for up to "over two days" on a single charge. Both the low-res screen and low to mid-end processor of the Moto G50 have their own crucial contribution to this impressive battery endurance score, and yes, the phone will ship with a decently fast 10W power brick in the box as standard.
The Moto G50 5G also comes with a microSD card slot and headphone jack, thus eclipsing many overpriced flagships in the... flexibility department while featuring a triple rear-facing camera system composed of a solid 48MP primary shooter with Quad Pixel technology, a 5MP macro sensor, and let's face it, a largely useless 2MP depth lens.
Meanwhile, the notch accommodates a decent-sounding 13MP front-facing cam with all kinds of special settings and effects meant to "beautify" your selfies, and Android 11 runs the software show out the box.
Pricing and availability
Although many details remain under wraps, the few things we know for certain about the impending release of the Moto G50 5G make us pretty excited... for the European bargain hunters that will definitely get the chance to buy the mid-range device starting at €229.99.
Technically, that equates to a little over $270, but naturally, if the 5G-capable phone were ever to officially go on sale in the US, its recommended price would probably be set at less than $250, thus undercutting everything from the Motorola One 5G to the 4G LTE-only Moto G Stylus and G Power (2021), not to mention the likes of Samsung's Galaxy A51 and possibly even the A21.
Of course, they say hope springs eternal, so perhaps after the Moto G50 5G becomes available in "selected European markets in the coming weeks", Motorola will have mercy on its cash-strapped US-based fans as well.
Adrian, a mobile technology enthusiast since the Nokia 3310 era, has been a dynamic presence in the tech journalism field, contributing to Android Authority, Digital Trends, and Pocketnow before joining PhoneArena in 2018. His expertise spans across various platforms, with a particular fondness for the diversity of the Android ecosystem. Despite the challenges of balancing full-time parenthood with his work, Adrian's passion for tech trends, running, and movies keeps him energized. His commitment to mid-range smartphones has led to an eclectic collection of devices, saved from personal bankruptcy by his preference for 'adequate' over 'overpriced'.
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