4.0 out of 5 stars
Still going strong.
Reviewed in the United States on 4 December 2023
The information below still holds true. However, after several weeks with this phone, I actually like it better than my Samsung A54. When the screen is locked and off, you get these little information dots. Based on the dot symbol, I can tell whether it is a text from someone, or just a notification from an app.
I can touch the little dot symbol, it will give me a little bit of information. I can swipe from that dot, to dismiss, close out or respond. I like that. Lastly, I have noticed the battery life is better than the Samsung A54. Not fantastic like my old Moto G Power, that would last three days easily, without needing a charge. But, this one last about 20% longer than the Samsung A54. Other than that, both phones (the Samsung A54 works just fine), are pretty good for the price.
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This is an early review of the Moto G Power 5g-2023 model. Just got it yesterday.
First, I have a Samsung A54, that I purchased least Christmas season and it works fine. No broken screen, no scratches. But the battery life on it (the A54) did not impress my at all. Felt the same about the Nord 10, which also is in perfect working condition.
Realized that I had been spoiled. By my 4 or 5 year old, Moto G Power 2019 or 2020 phone. I could easily go three days, without having to worry about constantly looking at the battery state, with normal use.
Yes, it still works, too! Oh yes, I wanted a headphone jack again, which the Samsung doesn't have.
Yes, I have blue tooth headphones (not earbuds), but a set of good corded earbuds, is easy to take out of your pocket and pop into your eye, when you are mobile.
So getting the new Moto G Power 5g 2023, at $200 was what I was waiting for. Here's what I have noticed:
a. The screen is cleaner and brighter than my Samsung A54, at a lower setting.
b. It is actually a little taller and thinner than my Samsung A54, and not at wide. So it is easier to hold in my hands.
c. Charging time is similar when I put them on two chargers of the same brand, type and wattage.
d. The front facing camera lens hole is definitely wider on the Moto G, I barely notice it on the Samsung.
e. Setup was very easy. I connected a USB-C, cord between the Samsung and Moto G, and all of my account information was transferred. I could select NOT to transfer media from the old phone to the new one, since I had inserted, a micro sd slot into the new phone, with what media I always wanted to keep.
f. The fingerprint reader is on the side of the phone, vs, in the screen like the Samsung. Which I actually prefer.
Here are the disappointments:
1. This phone is newer than the Samsung A54. Yet, when I did the Geek bench Test series on it, the final results were that the Moto G Power 2023 is about 20% 'slower' than the Samsung. Oh, according to Geek Bench, they have the same processor.
2. I'm only seeing a slightly better battery performance than the Samsung, which is very disappointing, because of the POWER name, that is slapped on it. Definitely no where close to the battery longevity of my old Moto G Power 4g.
3. When I tested the wifi speed, the Samsung A54, downloaded faster, by about 20%.
4. This might be user error. But I can't figure out how to get 5 app icons in a row, compared to my other phones. The Samsung gives me a grid option, in home screen settings. But I do not see that in the menu of the Moto G Power 2023, even though they 'both' have Android 13.
Yes, I know 5g drains the battery faster than 4g, when all things are the same. I didn't expect it to quite match my old Moto G Power. But I was extrapolating that it would be at least 30% better than the competing Samsung A54, which last about a day, before I have to recharge it. It seems 10% at best of an improvement.
So if you have a Samsung A54, and you are looking for performance improvement, I would not buy this phone.
BUT, if you have an older phone, like the Samsung A52 (which I had traded in for the Samsung A54), this is definitely a good upgrade at this price, since it was originally about $299. Especially, if you don't want to have to be bothered with wireless headphones, or fancy 'tiny' wireless earbuds, whose batteries, barely last a few hours.
Perception-Someone with 'wired' earbuds walking around in public, are because of industry image, perceived as cheap. That is the image that I want.
Will I return them? Nope, too much hassle and they do give me the headphone jack, that I wanted. But I know that POWER meaning of the past phones, is not the POWER meaning of the newer ones.
Attached photo, sorry about it being sideway. The Nord plus phone is at the top (different wallpaper), the Samsung is in the middle and the Moto G Power at the bottom. Same wallpaper because it copied over in the transfer.
That's it.
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