Instead of simultaneously announcing all the new mid and high-end smartphones we know the company is preparing, Motorola seems to want to spend more time than usual in the limelight this quarter, taking the wraps off the global Edge 40 Pro flagship a couple of days ago and now doing the same with the much humbler Moto G Power 5G.
That leaves the Moto G Stylus (2023), G Stylus 5G (2023), Edge 40, and Razr+ (2023) for announcements at later dates, and knowing Motorola, a bunch of other lower-profile G and E-series models could also see daylight in the coming months.
For the time being, though, we'd like to focus our attention squarely on the Moto G Power 5G, which lacks 2023 branding for the simple reason that this is the first member of the big-battery handset family to support "modern" 5G speeds in addition to "outdated" 4G LTE connectivity.
A fast, smooth, and powerful new mid-ranger for the US market
Remember how few upgrades the Moto G Power (2022) brought to the table compared to its 2021 predecessor? The 2023 edition is pretty much the polar opposite, not only adding 5G support to the winning G Power value equation but also 120Hz display refresh rate technology and better storage and memory options.
That's right, this 5G-enabled new candidate for the title of best budget phone in the world will be available with up to 6GB RAM and 256 gigs of local digital hoarding room, unlike its 4G LTE-only forerunner, which caps off at 4 and 128GB respectively.
The 120Hz LCD screen, meanwhile, also improves on its 90Hz predecessor with Full HD+ resolution (more specifically, 2400 x 1080 pixels), thus promising superior overall sharpness in addition to silky smooth mobile gaming experiences.
The screen-to-body ratio is enhanced as well from under 80 percent to a solid 84 percent with the simple help of thinner bezels, which obviously means the Moto G Power 5G is all in all more compact than the G Power (2022). The height, width, and even depth numbers are lower this time around, and unsurprisingly, the same goes for the product weight too.
Under the hood, a decently snappy MediaTek Dimensity 930 processor runs the show, and on the software side of things, you get Android 13 out the box... with no explicit long-term support commitment, which is clearly not ideal.
The not-so-great things, the price point, and the release date
While a 5,000mAh battery for a 6.5-inch device is not an inherently bad spec, Motorola's 38-hour endurance promise certainly feels a little underwhelming.
The Moto G Power (2022) is officially rated at "up to 3 days", which is awfully vague and arguably unrealistic, but it's abundantly clear that the faster, sharper, and smoother G Power 5G will deliver much lower real-life autonomy scores between charges in the lack of a cell size increase.
It's also a tad disappointing to see the charging capabilities minimally upgraded from 10 to 15W, especially with the recommended price jacked up from $199.99 to $299.99 stateside.
The triple rear-facing camera module combining a 50MP primary shooter with 2MP macro and 2MP depth sensors seems to have gone completely unchanged, and the same goes for the sluggish 10W charger included in the retail box as standard.
Said boxes will start arriving after April 13, mind you, which is the official US release date of the "universally" unlocked Moto G Power 5G variant. The aforementioned $299.99 price tag is only valid for that unlocked model with no strings attached, of course, while carriers like Metro by T-Mobile, Spectrum Mobile, and Xfinity Mobile will give you various deal sweeteners in the "coming months."
Recommended Stories
Curiously enough, there are no words on impending availability at major operators like Verizon and T-Mobile itself, but you probably shouldn't panic just yet. Something tells us this is only the first announcement of at least a few.
Create a free account and join our vibrant community
Register to enjoy the full PhoneArena experience. Here’s what you get with your PhoneArena account:
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'.
Recommended Stories
Loading Comments...
COMMENT
All comments need to comply with our
Community Guidelines
Phonearena comments rules
A discussion is a place, where people can voice their opinion, no matter if it
is positive, neutral or negative. However, when posting, one must stay true to the topic, and not just share some
random thoughts, which are not directly related to the matter.
Things that are NOT allowed:
Off-topic talk - you must stick to the subject of discussion
Offensive, hate speech - if you want to say something, say it politely
Spam/Advertisements - these posts are deleted
Multiple accounts - one person can have only one account
Impersonations and offensive nicknames - these accounts get banned
Moderation is done by humans. We try to be as objective as possible and moderate with zero bias. If you think a
post should be moderated - please, report it.
Have a question about the rules or why you have been moderated/limited/banned? Please,
contact us.
FCC OKs Cingular\'s purchase of AT&T Wireless
Things that are NOT allowed: