Moto G6 review: The new Moto phone is positioned as a premium mid-end smartphone in India. Here is our review of the Moto G6. Moto G6 review: The new Moto phone is positioned as a premium mid-end smartphone in India. Here is our review of the Moto G6. Motorola has found success in the Moto G series, its answer to Xiaomi’s Redmi lineup of devices. The newest member of the family, the Moto G6, is positioned as a premium mid-end smartphone. The Moto G6 has a 5.7-inch FHD+ 18:9 display, Qualcomm Snapdragon 450 processor, a glass-and-metal construction, and dual cameras. Without any doubt, it’s a step-up from the Moto G5. The new Moto G6 starts at Rs 13,999 for the base model and goes up to Rs 15,999 for the top-end model. I have used the Moto G6 for a week, and here’s what I think about the new Moto G6. Moto G6 specifications: 5.7-inch 18:9 LCD display (2,160×1,080)| Qualcomm Snapdragon 450 processor| 3GB/4GB RAM| 32GB/64GB storage|microSD card slot| dual-SIM|12MP and 5MP rear, 16MP front camera|3000mAh battery| Android 8.0 Oreo| 4G VoLTE Moto G6 price in India: Rs 13,999 onwards Also read: Moto G6, Moto G6 Play launched in India: Price, launch offers, specifications Moto G6 review: Design, display The Moto G6 does look different from the Moto G5, or any previous phone released in the Moto G series. It feels as if it is a high-end device, complete with the 3D glass and metal combining together. In fact, the Moto G6 appears to be exactly like the Moto X4. The curved rear nestles perfectly in your palm, the fit and finish are also good. The Moto G6 measures 8.3mm and weighs in at 167 grams. Taking cues from the competition, Motorola Moto G6 has a minimal bezel around the display. It has an 18:9 aspect ratio, similar to that of the Xiaomi Redmi Note 5 Pro. This is what gives the phone its extra inches of screen space without actually increasing the size of the device. Since the screen is taller, it is great for watching movies and playing games. Moto G6 feels as if it is a high-end device, complete with the 3D glass and metal combining together. Moto G6 feels as if it is a high-end device, complete with the 3D glass and metal combining together. The fingerprint sensor remains at the front, below the screen, that doubles as a home button. The fingerprint sensor is very fast and accurate. This time though, Moto G6 has a built-in facial recognition feature to unlock the phone. It’s impressively fast at scanning my face – and unlocks the phone in mere seconds. On the top of the phone, next to a microphone, there’s a dual-SIM card tray. And on the bottom of the device, you’ll find a 3.5mm headphone jack and the USB Type-C connector for fast-charging purposes. Both the power button and volume rocker can be found along the right side. There is nothing on the left side. The rear-facing dual cameras and flash are positioned at the center of the back and yes, they protrude like other Moto devices. The Moto G6 does not support Moto Mods and is intended to be a mid-end device. The Moto G6 isn’t certified for water resistance, though the company says it’s given the device a water-repellent nano-coating. As I’ve mentioned before, Motorola Moto G6 has a taller display, thanks to the 18:9 aspect ratio. The 5.7-inch screen is an LCD type with a resolution of 2,160 x 1,080 pixels. It looks relatively crisp, clear and colourful, with wide viewing angles. Moto G6’s 5.7-inch FHD+ screen is great for watching YouTube and Netflix videos. Also read: Xiaomi Redmi Note 5 Pro review: Faster performance coupled with better cameras Moto G6 review: Performance, battery Motorola Moto G6 uses a 1.8 GHz octa-core, Qualcomm Snapdragon 450 processor coupled with Adreno 506 GPU, either 3GB or 4GB RAM (depending on the model you choose) and 32GB/64GB storage. I got the 4GB RAM + 64GB storage model for review. Performance lives up to the expectation; it was responsive and snappy throughout normal in day-to-day usage. It can run basic apps like Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram without any issues. Gaming, however, is not something the Moto G6 can handle very well. It is better suited to run casual games like Super Mario Run, for example. Sure, this is a step up from last year’s Snapdragon 430 processor in the Moto G5. Do keep in mind that this is the same processor which can be found inside the Redmi 5, which only costs Rs 7,999. Moto G6 does not support Moto Mods and is intended to be a mid-end device. Moto G6 does not support Moto Mods and is intended to be a mid-end device. The Moto G6’s 3000mAh battery life was surprisingly good. Using it as my primary device for a week, with Facebook, Twitter and Olx apps installed, and receiving hundreds of notifications and emails, as well as browsing the web and listening to music while commuting from Janak Puri to Noida in the metro, it got me through a full day of charge. It charges up fast too, thanks to the included Turbo Power charger. Call quality was good, and reception and data speeds were also good. Moto G6 review: Camera, software The Moto G6 has a dual-camera setup on the back. The main camera is a 12MP unit with an aperture of f/1.8 and phase-detect autofocus. Unfortunately, it can’t shoot 4K videos and is limited to 1080p at up to 60 frames per second. The secondary depth camera is 5MP for depth of field and bokeh effects. I was surprised to see the performance of dual cameras on the Moto G6. The cameras on the back produce respectable shots, with accurate colour and a solid amount of detail even in low-light. That’s hard to expect from a mid-end phone. The Moto G6’s camera has also got the ability to identify landmarks and objects in the frame, similar to Google Lens. Check out some of the camera samples below.<doc-sep>It has been a while since Motorola launched the first Moto G back in 2013, and the budget smartphone market has come a long way since then. What made the Moto G special back then was the fact that it offered 'premium' features in a more affordable package. That formula has since been adopted by so many other Chinese companies, especially Xiaomi, that it's no longer unique. What is Motorola offering now that sets it apart from anyone else? Lenovo-owned Motorola launched the Moto G6 series back in April at an event in Brazil. The company, surprisingly, decided to keep the more powerful G6 Plus off bounds in India, but having spent a while with the Moto G6, that may not be as bad a decision as you might think, and the G6 packs enough of a punch on paper to be called an upgrade over last year’s G5S series. At a price of Rs 13,999 for the base model, the Moto G6 is poised to take on budget powerhouses like the Xiaomi Redmi Note 5 Pro and the Asus ZenFone Max Pro M1. The unit we received came with 4 GB of RAM and 64 GB of storage, but it's Snapdragon 450 SoC puts it at a performance disadvantage when compared to the Note 5 Pro and the Max Pro M1. Does that matter, though? Let's find out! Build and Design: 8.5/10 The Moto G6 looks stunning with its shiny glass design. The G6 comes wrapped in Corning Gorilla Glass, which does catch its fair share of fingerprints, but that's a small price to pay for that appealing design. The design is somewhat similar to that of the more expensive Moto X4. The glass does make the G6 slippery, however, so that's something you have to bear in mind. In comparison to last year’s G5S Plus, the design is perhaps the most striking difference between the two. Gone is the aluminium unibody design, which did not look bad, but the glass looks and feels far more refined and premium. Motorola’s also done away with the microUSB port this time and opted for a more universal Type-C port. Given the glass back, the antenna bands are fully covered and don’t hamper the look of the phone. The power button is a bit too recessed to my liking, making it very difficult to press the button, and even when you do press it, it feels like the button is soon going to be unusable. The large camera bump means that the phone sits a bit awkwardly on flat surfaces. I also didn't like the placement "Motorola" branding on the front of the device, below the display area. It just looks tacky. Features: 8/10 The Moto G6 is powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 450 SoC, which features an octa-core CPU clocked at 1.8 GHz and an Adreno 506 GPU. It comes with 4 GB RAM and 64 GB internal storage, and an option to expand the storage using an external microSD card up to 128 GB in size. The phone packs a 5.7-inch full HD Plus IPS LCD display with a 2160x1080 resolution. The G6 gets a dual camera setup like its predecessor which comprises a 12 MP primary sensor with an f/1.8 aperture and a secondary 5 MP f/2.2 sensor. On the front, you get an 8 MP camera module with a wide angle lens, f/2.2 aperture and a dual-tone LED flash. Users will be able to shoot 1080p video at 60 fps. The device runs Android Oreo 8.0 out of the box and comes with a 3,000 mAh battery with "TurboPower" support. Also included is USB type-C, GPS, WiFi 802.11 a/b/q/n, Bluetooth 4.2, 3.5 mm headphone jack and Dual nano-SIM slots in terms of connectivity options. Display: 7.5/10 The Moto G6 sports a taller 5.7-inch full HD+ (2160x1080) IPS LCD display panel with Corning Gorilla Glass protection. The display here is plenty sharp and gave me very little to complain about. Colours are bright and vibrant with good viewing angles and the colour tone tilts ever so slightly towards the bluish side, but you will get used to it very quickly. If you are used to more saturated colours of an AMOLED display, then you might not find the display very appealing. But don't worry, at this price range, there's barely anything to find fault with. Motorola does throw in the ability to change the white balance to warm or cool, but this is not really a slider so it is better left untouched. You also get the ability to change your colour saturation by a little bit under the display settings, if you feel like playing around with that. Throughout my time with the phone, I prefered to leave it in the standard setting. Viewing the display under the bright summer sun will be an issue though as the display does not get too bright. This is an issue we had with the Moto G5S Plus as well, so Motorola does need to put in more effort there. Software: 8/10 I was expecting the Moto G6 to come with the latest version of Android Oreo, 8.1, but to my surprise, we are still stuck with 8.0. That said, the software is still good and the UI was buttery smooth throughout. Motorola is known for leaving the launcher as close to stock as possible, and we get exactly that on the G6. Animations are smooth and you will notice just a minor hiccup here and there when swiping fast through the UI. Stutters are more noticeable if you look for them, so it shouldn't be a problem for most people. There is not a lot of bloatware to complain about either. Lenovo does include the Microsoft Outlook app, LinkedIn, PhonePe and the Facebook Lite app, but all these can be uninstalled if you want to get rid of them. You do get the Device Help, File Manager, Motorola Notifications app and the Moto app by default. The Moto app comes with four sub-actions enlisted under it.<doc-sep>Motorola under Lenovo has maintained a stronghold on the budget market in many parts of the world — particularly India and Latin America — but its U.S. tenure hasn't been as assured. With the Moto G6, the company butts up against rising component prices and emerges with a budget champion that's also full of compromise. Moto G6 Price: from $240 Bottom line: While it's clear sacrifices were made to reach its $249 price, the Moto G6 is one of the best budget phones around. See at Amazon $110 at Walmart Pros Great build quality and design for the price Excellent main rear camera Good battery life Moto Display is still amazing USB-C charging Cons Slippery Screen quality isn't great, even for the price Occasional performance stuttering Moto G line isn't known for swift software updates Lacks NFC Moto G6 The details I've been using an unlocked U.S. Moto G6 for a week as my daily driver — Android 8.0, Build OPS27.104-15-10, with a March 1, 2018 security patch date. It has 3GB of RAM and 32GB of storage, which aligns with the $249 "base" model. Moto G6 The Prelude When reviewing a phone that's less than half — and in some cases a full third — the price of the flagship products we normally look at, it's important to put its review into context. Most people choose a budget phone like the Moto G because they don't have a lot of money to spend. Makes sense, but the matter is complicated by the varieties of ways people buy their phones. The Moto G6 is a sequel to either the G5 or G5 Plus depending on the market. In North America, most people buy their devices through carriers, which amortize the cost over a year or two, tacking on the cost of the phone to their monthly bill. In parts of Europe, the cost of the phone depends on the cost of the plan — the more expensive the plan, the less one pays for the phone. In South America, India, and certain other countries — where Motorola dominates the market — phones are bought outright in order to keep plan costs down. If a carrier doesn't have to subsidize, or even stock, the phone being used, it has less overhead and can charge less for what it's really there to provide: service. It's with that lens that I look at the Moto G6, because at $250 it attempts to reproduce the look and experience of pricier models, becoming convincingly aspirational in markets where most phones sold are under $300 and suitably disruptive in markets where flagships sell in volume. Most Moto G6 users will likely be upgrading from previous budget phones, which means we have to frame the device in that light. Me, I'm reviewing this after using "budget" flagships like the $529 OnePlus 6 and canonical flagships like the Huawei P20 Pro and Samsung Galaxy S9. The Moto G6 is objectively impressive, but it's particularly so when using it right after those phones. Moto G6 The Review Until Lenovo purchased Motorola in 2014, the Moto G line emphasized function over form. The first four iterations weren't ugly, but they had no real design, no true eye-catching appeal. That changed in 2017 with the Moto G5 line, which traded plastic for metal, and a year and a bit later we have the Moto G6, which trades metal for glass... and a bit of plastic. The Moto G6, which sits in the middle behind the $199 Moto G6 Play and the $349 (ish — it's not available in North America) Moto G6 Plus, has Gorilla Glass 3 on the front and back, with matching shiny acrylic sides. While slippery, I appreciate the way the rear curves to meet the frame, making it a pleasure to grip the tall-and-narrow frame. And while the device, which has a 2:1 aspect ratio, is taller than its predecessors, it's also immediately identifiable as a Moto product, mainly due to the signature rounded camera module and front-facing fingerprint sensor. I really like this design. It's not symmetrical, but it's balanced, and despite the fingerprint sensor's reduction in surface area, it's responsive and easy to use, even when standing in for the on-screen navigation keys with One Button Nav. A note on One Button Nav Motorola introduced the One Button Nav feature with the Moto G5 line, adapting it from parent company India-centric Lenovo's Z2 Plus, and has since brought it to every phone in its lineup that has a front fingerprint sensor. It works by mimicking Android's on-screen navigation buttons — Back, Home, Multitasking — with a set of swipe and tap gestures. Swipe left for back; swipe right for multitasking; tap quickly for Home; tap-and-hold for Google Assistant. When it debuted, I couldn't use it. The sensitivity was abysmal and I experienced too many false positives for it to be even remotely useful. With the Moto G6, I decided to give it another go and found it much better. In fact, I used it for the entire review period, and aside from a few situations found it reliable and enjoyable. While I'm not sure I could transition full-time to it, it's an interesting feature that frees up screen space, allowing apps to use the Moto G6's full 5.7-inch display. Compared to Google's own set of navigation gestures in Android P, Motorola keeps things relatively simple, but it will be interesting to see how the feature evolves as devices get updated to Android 9.0 in 2019. Should you buy the Moto G6, I highly recommend you give One Button Nav a try. One Button Nav on the Moto G5 is an exciting new way to interact with your phone Spec Moto G6 OS Android 8.0 w/ Moto Screen 5.7-inch LCD 2160x1080 Gorilla Glass 3 SoC Snapdragon 450 Adreno 506 GPU RAM 3GB / 4GB Storage 32GB / 64GB Camera 1 12MP rear, ƒ/1.8 Camera 2 5MP rear, ƒ/1.8 Front camera 8MP Battery 3000mAh Connectivity 300Mbps LTE, 19 LTE bands Verizon, Sprint, AT&T, T-Mobile Security Fingerprint, face unlock Charging USB-C<doc-sep>Sheldon Pinto Back in 2014, the Moto G was the budget smartphone to buy. It came with buttery smooth stock Android at a time when every other manufacturer was busy skinning their smartphones with custom operating systems (read slow custom operating systems). In short, back in 2014, Motorola not only won the ‘budget smartphone’ game, it probably coined the term. It was priced right at Rs 12,499 for the 8 GB storage variant with the 16 GB version priced slightly higher at Rs 13,999. And India among other countries loved it. But then came Xiaomi with its cutthroat pricing strategy and in just three years, seems to have not just flooded the budget smartphone segment with impressive smartphone options, but dominated the market in India itself. The Redmi series of budget to mid-range smartphone was their weapon of choice. And name ‘Redmi’ itself is probably as popular as the word ‘Nokia’ today. With that said, I reviewed the Redmi Note 5 Pro a couple of months ago and it was a stunning device for the price tag that it currently retails at; one that is impossible to beat, unless you cut a few corners. This year however, Motorola seems confident and recently launched the Moto G6 and other smartphones in Brazil. While the smartphone seemed underpowered on paper, our review of the Moto G6 tells slightly different story. So, let’s go ahead and see how the two compare going purely by their hardware specifications. Smartphone Moto G6 Xiaomi Redmi Note 5 Pro Display Size (inch) 5.7 5.99 Resolution (pixels) 2160 x1080 2,160 x 1,080 Pixel Density (PPI) 424 403 Display Type IPS LCD IPS LCD Dimensions(mm) 153.8 x 72.3 x 8.3 158.6 x 75.4 x 8.05 Weight (gm) 167 181 Dual SIM Yes Yes SIM Type Nano-SIM Nano-SIM Connectivity Types GSM / WCDMA / LTE GSM / HSPA / VoLTE Processor Qualcomm Snapdragon 450 Qualcomm Snapdragon 636 CPU Cores Octa-core Octa-core CPU Clock Speed (GHz) 8x Cortex-A53 @ 1.8 Ghz 8x Kryo 260 @ up to 1.8 GHz GPU Adreno 506 Adreno 509 RAM 3 GB, 4 GB 4,6 GB On-Board Memory 32,64 GB 64, 128 GB Expandable Memory Yes, upto 256 GB Yes, up to 256 GB Sensors Fingerprint, Accelerometer, Gyroscope, Proximity, Compass Fingerprint, Accelerometer, Gyroscope, Proximity, Compass Primary Camera 12 MP f/1.8 + 5 MP 12 MP, f/2.2 and 5 MP, f/2.0 Autofocus System Phase detection autofocus Dual Camera Secondary Camera 8 MP Phase detection Video Capture 1080p 20 MP Flash Dual-LED 1080p OS Version Android 8.0 Oreo Dual-LED AI (Smart Assistant) Google Assistant Android 7.1.1 Nougat-based MIUI 9.2 Wi-Fi Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n, dual-band, WiFi Direct, hotspot Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n, Dual-band, Wi-Fi Direct, Hotspot Bluetooth 4.2, A2DP, LE, EDR v4.2, A2DP, LE NFC No No Fingerprint Scanner Yes, front Yes, Rear button 3.5mm jack Yes Yes Radio Yes Yes, FM Radio USB Type micro USB 2.0 microUSB 2.0 USB Standard Type-C Micro B Battery (mAh) 3,000 4,000 Quick Charge Yes No Colors Indigo, Silver, Rose Gold, Black Black, Gold, Rose Gold, Blue Prices in India Rs 13,999 Starting at Rs 14,999 The Xiaomi Redmi Note 5 Pro has been at the very top of budget smartphone game ever since its launch in India, but the competition always catches up and Motorola this year with its G6 has something rather interesting on offer. It may not be as powerful as the Redmi Note 5 Pro, but it comes close and for some customers and this may be just about enough to convince them to buy one. With that said, power and performance may not be enough for some buyers these days as design also matters. It’s clear that Motorola Moto G6 is the better looking smartphone between the two when placed side by side. Its glass and metal design looks very attractive and gives off that premium look and feel. Add to this some bonus bits like a USB Type C port at the bottom, splash resistant coating and an almost stock version of Android, and I do see some buyers reaching out for this beauty instead of the Redmi Note 5 Pro. Indeed, it’s all about compromises (there are no miracles here). With the Motorola you get a balanced performance with great design while the Xiaomi smartphone gets you raw power (for gaming possibly) along with a much better camera. In short, it all boils down to whether you want a good looking smartphone, or an understated one that works better in every way.<doc-sep>
After a rather lean period, Motorola India has kicked off its 2018 innings with the launch of the Moto G6 and Moto G6 Play. The Lenovo-owned company has refreshed the design language of its budget-minded G series and has equipped both smartphones with tall 18:9 displays, which have already become ubiquitous. We have the Moto G6 in for review, which adds a rear dual-camera setup to the mix and starts at Rs. 13,999 for the variant with 3GB of RAM and 32GB of storage. While past G-series models from Motorola have been received warmly by buyers and critics alike, the Moto G6 is arriving at a time when competition in the sub-Rs. 20,000 market has heated up considerably. Does the Moto G6 have what it takes to compete with the likes of the Asus ZenFone Max Pro M1 (Review), which received top marks from us at Gadgets 360, and the Redmi Note 5 Pro (Review), which has established itself as the segment benchmark? Let's find out in our full review. Moto G6 design With the Moto G6 and G6 Play, Motorola has spurned the plastic and metal bodies of past G-series smartphones for a glass and metal design. With a sleek and shiny curved glass back and a polished metal mid-frame, the Moto G6 looks a lot like last year's Moto X4 (Review). At 8.3mm, the phone is not the slimmest out there, but is easy to hold in one hand and is not too heavy (167g). The curves, manageable width, and rounded edges aid one-handed use considerably. However, this smartphone still feels chunky and solid. We (accidentally) dropped it numerous times during our week-long review period, but it did not suffer any damage save for a few cosmetic scratches. What does worry us a little bit is the fact that Motorola has opted for Gorilla Glass 3 for the front and back, instead of the newer and sturdier Gorilla Glass 4 or 5. The glass makes the device very slippery and prone to fingerprints and smudges. A case is must with this phone. While most manufacturers have had to move their fingerprint sensors to the backs of their phones in order to accommodate tall 18:9 displays and reduce bezels, Motorola has stuck with a front-facing one. The pill-shaped fingerprint sensor is very small and at first, we weren't sure how easy it would be to use. Real-world performance however is stellar, and the sensor is very quick and accurate. The left side of the smartphone is blank, but the right side has the volume rocker and power button. These are small and fiddly, but easily within reach. The earpiece also acts as a speaker, and while it's loud, the sound it produces lacks warmth and clarity. On the bottom of the Moto G6 is a USB Type-C port and a 3.5mm headphone socket. With many OEMs still using the Micro-USB standard for phones at this price level, it is good to see a Type-C port on the Moto G6. Moto G6 specifications and display Motorola's newest budget smartphone is powered by the Snapdragon 450 processor, which is Qualcomm's latest budget offering and is also found inside the likes of the significantly lower-priced Xiaomi Redmi 5 (Review) and Honor 7C (Review). This smartphone is available in two variants - one with 3GB of RAM and 32GB of storage priced at Rs. 13,999, and the one we reviewed here which is priced at Rs. 15,999 and has 4GB of RAM and 64GB of storage. You can expand the storage using a microSD card of up to 128GB. The Moto G6 has a non-removable 3,000mAh battery and supports quick charging. Connectivity options include 4G VoLTE, Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n (dual-band 2.4GHz and 5GHz), Bluetooth 4.2, GPS/ A-GPS, USB Type-C, and a 3.5mm headphone jack. It supports dual SIMs (Nano) but only one can run at 4G speed at a time, with the other limited to 3G. While many smartphones in this price range have hybrid dual-SIM trays, the Moto G6 has dedicated slots for both Nano-SIMs and a microSD card. With the Moto G6 and Moto G6 Play, Motorola has finally latched on to the 18:9 display trend. The display is not exactly borderless but the presence of a front facing fingerprint sensor compensates somewhat for the relatively chunky bottom bezel. The Moto G6 features a 5.7-inch full-HD+ IPS panel with an aspect ratio of 18:9. The display is adequate but nothing more.