Motorola phones are not the type that can blow your socks off. They don’t get a lot of press and dominance, either. However, the best phone doesn’t always have to be Apple, Samsung, Google, or Huawei. Not everyone is looking for a thousand-dollar phone with high-end specs. Some people are price-conscious and want to buy something amply decent and affordable.
If you’re looking for a decent budget smartphone, then you should check out Motorola. As one of the oldest phone makers to make it through the changing market, they make reliable phones with good features for the price. Breaking the bank won’t be a part of your worries when smartphone shopping from this phone brand.
In this article, we’ll list down the best Motorola phones you should consider now.
Who Owns Motorola?
While the company may not be as well-known nowadays, Motorola was a famous brand back in the day. They’re known for pioneering the mobile communications industry. Motorola is responsible for creating the world’s very first mobile phone that’s handheld.
However, Motorola has changed its trajectory since its inception. Who makes Motorola phones now is a Chinese company known as Lenovo. They were bought by Lenovo from Google in 2014. That begs the question, where are Motorola phones made? Well, even though Motorola was bought by Lenovo, their smartphones are made in America. They’re the first corporation to manufacture smartphones in the USA after everyone else employed overseas production.
Best Motorola Phones in 2022
Not sure where to start? No problem. We’re here to help and guide you on your hunt for the best Motorola phone. Let’s check out the 10 best Motorola phones you can buy now.
| 1. Motorola Edge 20 Pro | 6. Moto G Power (2021) |
| 2. Moto G100 | 7. Moto G 5G Plus |
| 3. Moto G30 | 8. Moto G10 |
| 4. Motorola Edge | 9. Moto G9 Plus |
| 5. Moto G Play (2021) | 10. Motorola Razr 5G |
Motorola doesn’t really have a proper flagship phone but if we have to pick one, it’s going to be the Edge 20 Pro. It is a high-end device that balances great features with a good price. Compared to flagship models of iPhone or Samsung, Edge 20 Pro is far more affordable that can give the two brands a run for their money.
It is pushing its boundaries with a 144Hz, HDR10 6.7″ screen combined with the Snapdragon 870. You can consider it as a dedicated gaming phone as it can manage to decently play moderate to high-loaded games. It has three variations in terms of memory size — 6 GB, 8 GB, and 12 GB — so you can easily pick depending on your needs.
In terms of internal storage, you can pick between 128GB and 256GB. Since Edge 20 Pro doesn’t have a card slot, you may opt for bigger storage if you need to keep more files locally.
In addition to the lack of expandable local storage, Motorola also seems to turn conservative with Edge 20 Pro’s battery. If other Motorola phones from the same year have 5000 mAh capacity, Edge 20 Pro only has 4500 mAh. Thankfully, it compensates with the amount that it has to recharge with the 30W fast charging capacity.
Moto G100 is a statement that not all high-end devices have to be expensive. Without sacrificing certain features and specs, Motorola was able to offer a well-performing smartphone that does not reap the pocket.
Moto G100 is the first G-series phone model to have the Snapdragon 870 inside. Granted that it won’t make a huge difference alone, but Motorola was able to maximize its processing power by pairing it with ample memory. Moto G100 has two variations, the 8 GB and 12 GB, which can give you a monstrous performance. In terms of internal storage, you can pick between 128 GB and 256 GB, which you can further expand using the shared SIM slot.
As you would expect from Motorola, the Moto G100 also has a powerful battery that can take 5000 mAh. And yes, it’s 5G ready.
However, its camera can be disappointing if you are so into mobile photography. Its wide-angle camera is only 64 MP, while the selfie is 16 MP. If you are specifically looking for a smartphone for mobile photography, then the Motorola Edge series is the safe bet.
Moto G30
The Moto G30 is a good pick for folks looking for an outstanding balance of specs, features, and price. Equipped with Qualcomm Snapdragon 662, its processing power isn’t exactly top-notch but it manages to get everything right. It has three variations in terms of memory, which include 64 GB + 4 GB RAM, 128 GB + 4 GB RAM, and 128 GB + 6 GB RAM. Using the MicroSD card slot shared with the sim slot, you can expand its internal storage.
The panel is a wonderful 6.5” with an HD+ display, which you can manually switch between 60Hz and 90 Hz. It comes with an ample 5000 mAh battery with fast charging capability when it comes to battery. It’s also more versatile than other options coming with both a rear-mounted fingerprint sensor and facial recognition.
For photos and videos, the Moto G30 comes with a quadruple-camera system on the rear that can take 64 MP wide shots. On the other hand, it has a single-lens 8 MP selfie camera in front.
In terms of build quality, we like that Moto G30 comes with water protection with an IP54 rating. It even has a rubber seal for keeping water out. However, its backplate and frame made out of plastic do not help with its overall appeal. It looks cheaper than it actually is.
Performance-wise, we consider Moto G30 as an entry-level to a mid-ranger phone.
Motorola Edge is a younger brother of Motorola Edge Pro — still a premium choice regardless. For a mid-range price, you get high-end specs that can handle your productivity or even gaming needs.
Starting with Snapdragon 778G chipset paired with 8 GB memory, Motorola Edge came to impress. It is perfectly able to play your favorite games smoothly. Although a Snapdragon 888 could have been better, Motorola’s choice of processor for Edge is making the device push its limits.
The Motorola Edge also packs a killer camera system. At the rear section, you will find a triple set of cameras that can take 108 MP (wide), 8 MP (ultrawide), and 2 MP (depth) photos. You will also love its 32 MP camera for selfies.
The greatest deviations of Edge from Edge Pro are the internal storage and battery. Although it still lacks expandable memory, Edge sticks with 256 GB for sufficient storage. The battery capacity also got better with 5000 mAh.
If you’re just looking for a basic smartphone, the Moto G Play (2021) is a good option. It’s not much compared to other Motorola phones regarding specs or features. However, the price makes its underwhelming specs worth it for basic functions.
The phone doesn’t skip out on its display size of 6.5” with 720 x 1600 pixels — just enough for casual video streaming. Its random access memory and storage are somehow limited (3 GB and 32 GB, respectively); it comes with a card slot for expanding the internal storage.
When it comes to the camera, the Moto G Play (2021) is also pretty basic. It has a 13 MP + 2 MP rear camera and a 5 MP single selfie camera. It can shoot 1080p videos at 30/60fps. Meanwhile, as expected from Motorola, Moto G Play (2021) is a performer in terms of battery with 5000 mAh.
With all the specs mentioned, Motorola’s 2021 version of G Play is for people on a budget who needs a basic phone. It may also be a good first phone for kids. But if you want a phone with smoother performance but at the same price range, Moto G9 Play would be a good alternative. It’s a notch higher in terms of memory and storage. However, its connectivity is limited to GSM networks such as AT&T and T-Mobile.
As part of the G-series, the Moto G Power (2021) is one of the best Motorola phones with great value. It’s a competent and reliable phone with a decent price tag. While it still falls under the umbrella of a budget phone, Moto G Power is an improved version of Moto G Play. The major differences between the two can be seen on memory and camera.
Moto G Power has a 32 GB + 3 GB RAM version similar to Moto G Play, but you can upgrade to 64 GB + 4 GB RAM for smoother performance. Either way, you can expand the internal storage as you see fit. For the camera performance, it has a triple set with a 48 MP wide-angle lens and 2 MP for macro and depth.
With a 6.6″ display, this phone won’t disappoint the average user. For battery life, it comes with an ample 5000 mAh battery that is fast-charging capable at 15W. When it comes to its processor, the phone comes with a Snapdragon 662.
If you’re solely looking at the Moto G family, then the best one by far is the Moto G 5G Plus. Its specs are pretty good for the below mid-range price it offers.
The screen is 6.7” with a 1080 x 2520 pixels resolution, and it is not bad for the price tag. In terms of battery life, it comes with an ample 5,000 mAh battery just like the rest in the series. But, it has better charging capabilities at 20W.
The phone is equipped with a Snapdragon 765 processor with a maximum of 8 GB RAM and 128 GB storage. Furthermore, it also has expandable storage of up to 512 GB for all your files and photos.
Speaking of photos, the phone comes with a 48 MP (wide) + 5 MP (ultrawide) + 5 MP (macro) + 2 MP (depth) rear camera. For selfies, the phone is equipped with 16 MP for normal and 8 MP for ultrawide cameras.
Moto G10
If you don’t have the budget for Moto G30 but want something similar, then this Motorola phone should be the one next on your list. Moto G10 is Moto G30’s smaller brother. That said, it’s a device that is at par with entry-level Android phones in the market today.
If it’s battery life over everything else for you, then all the more that you should check out this device. It’s one of the best Motorola phones with all-day power, thanks to Li-Po 5000 mAh battery.
The phone comes with a 6.5” display, which should take a hit on the battery. However, it doesn’t. Even with the Snapdragon 460 equipped, the ginormous 5,000 mAh battery holds up pretty well. Motorola even claims you can expect up to three days of use on a single charge.
Moto G10 comes equipped with 4 GB RAM with an option between 64 GB and 128 GB. It also comes with Android 11 out of the box. It almost got the same camera set up as the Moto G30, only it’s equipped with 48MP for ultrawide. For selfies, Moto G10 has an 8 MP camera.
The predecessor of the Moto G10 series, Motorola’s G9 Plus is the one you should get if you are looking for an even cheaper all-around phone. This phone comes equipped with a 6.8” screen and a 60Hz refresh rate.
Although it is not optimized for heavy gaming, it’s sufficient for casual video and movie streaming. The Snapdragon 730G chipset inside paired with 4GB or 6GB random access memory makes G9 Plus capable of multitasking. For photos, you get a wonderful 64 MP camera + Night Vision capture for low-light images. The front cam is also impressive with a 16 MP.
The Moto G9 Plus is not also lagging behind the latest models with 5,000 mAh. It can manage to handle two days of single-charge use. Charging the phone won’t also be an issue, thanks to 30W fast charging.
Motorola Razr’s enticing clamshell design and folding display are the ones to catch our eyes first. The 2019 remake of the iconic flip phone was not exactly a success. But for its second attempt, Motorola was able to crack the formula and perfect what must be perfected — design-wise at least. Motorola maintained the look and feel of the original Razr with improvement in the hinge to make it sturdier compared to the 2019 version.
Inside, though, Motorola Razr does not have the high-end specs one would love to see. While it has a decent processor, the Snapdragon 765G, paired with 8 GB of RAM and 256 GB internal storage, the fun pretty much ends there.
Its camera is not very impressive for its price tag. Its battery at 2800 mAh is not that powerful too. We understand this given the limited space to house these components, but 15W charging could be better.
Motorola Razr at a retail price breaching the one-thousand USD mark is seriously not cheap. However, it landed our favorite list for the nostalgia that it can provide to users. If you think this little perk outweighs its cons, then you have no problem getting the device.
Best Motorola Phones: Special Mentions
- Moto One 5G Ace. Does not ace every aspect of a smartphone, but it is a smart buy if you are looking for a budget phone. Inside the device, you’ll get up to 6 GB RAM, up to 128 GB storage, and Snapdragon 750G processor. We only wish it has Android 11 out of the box.
- Moto G60. Has limited availability in specific territories, but we still thought of recommending this for its massive battery capacity. With the enormous 6000 mAh, you wouldn’t want to miss out on Moto G60 if you can grab it.
- Motorola Defy. It’s a rugged phone that can match your active lifestyle. With an IP68 rating, it’s typical for outdoor use.
- Moto G Stylus 5G. Not many budget phones would come readily with a stylus pen. If you love making notes or doodling on a mobile phone, the Moto G Stylus 5G is a good way to start your search.
- Moto E. It’s not the most powerful device in terms of specs, but it’s a good phone for kids or seniors.
Final Thoughts
Motorola phones are certainly worth checking out if you’re looking into mid-range phones. They have all kinds from the dirt-cheap models to ones that are a little bolder like the Razr. Thus, whether you prioritize battery life, good cameras, or buying a basic phone, Motorola will have something for you. They’re worth checking out for any price-conscious phone shopper.
