Not specification, performance is more important
The iPhone 6 has ‘only’ a dual core processor with ‘only’ 1GB of RAM. The good thing is that most people do not make any decision about iPhone just by looking at its specifications. Apple also never paid much attention to it. Other manufacturers will continue to juggle things between “price to specs ratio” and “experience”. This will also depend on what device they are discussing; Are they the leaders of their segment or are they in the race to reach there?
However, when it comes to entry level smartphones, specifications are everything for people. It is assumed that the customers of this segment are those who are not concerned about things like stability and user experience, they are only concerned about the specifications of the phone.
We are not trying to say that specifications in a device have no importance and can be ignored. For a long time, the hardware of entry level smartphones was a bit weak. Today, you can get a smartphone in the range of Rs 10,000 which has the specifications of a flagship device. In such a situation, it is absolutely justified for the consumer to be excited.
Sometimes this enthusiasm turns into a strange kind of stubbornness. Due to this, many people rely on Mi, Yu and other ‘flagship killer’ devices because their specifications are of premium quality. What is the experience of using them in general, it does not matter. On the other hand, devices that compromise specifications for stability and user experience do not get customers. The poor response to the Android One smartphone launched last year is a great example of this type of behaviour.
The growing customer base of Lenovo (which now owns Motorola), Xiaomi and Micromax has been praised for all the right reasons, but the reality is that these companies still have a long way to go in terms of software stability before they can catch up with Apple, Will be able to compare the stability of devices from companies like Motorola, HTC and Samsung. Some companies are even taking money from customers and using them as beta testers. Due to this, the cost of testing is saved which helps in reducing the price of the handset. At the same time, companies which focus on user experience, software stability and respect the user’s money and time, their devices look a little expensive compared to others.
Now let’s talk about Moto G 3rd gen. The specifications of Moto G 3rd gen seem a bit weak compared to Lenovo K3 Note and Xiaomi Mi 4i, but being waterproof and excellent software experience are among the features of this handset. We used the Moto G 3rd gen as our primary smartphone for about a week and found it to be a reliable device. Let us know about other aspects of the phone in detail.
Design and display
The Moto G 3rd gen has a design that is completely Motorola’s identity, but the device also adds some unique touches. This smartphone may not attract the attention of the crowd due to its looks, but the feeling of holding it in the hands is great and it does not look weak in front of expensive devices. It has a textured finish on the backpanel which strikes a great balance between design and functionality. It looks good and creates enough friction on the hands that the phone stays securely in your grip. The textured finish of the handset is not too rough like we have seen on many other handsets.
The back cover of Moto G 3rd gen can be removed, but the battery is completely sealed so that the device remains waterproof. This is the biggest feature of the device at this price. If you are going to buy a smartphone with your hard-earned money, then we believe that a smartphone with waterproof feature is a more profitable deal instead of a device with full-HD display and octacore processor. Motorola claims that nothing will happen if the Moto G 3rd gen is kept in 3 meter deep water for 30 minutes. This is sufficient as a safety measure during daily use. Water resistance is present in the phone, it does not mean that you can keep it in your pocket and go deep into swimming.
During the time we spent with Moto G 3rd gen, we realized that the phone is a bit ‘small’. We had to repeatedly remind ourselves that this is a device with a 5-inch display. It is possible that we felt this way due to our habit of using large-screen smartphones, or it could also be due to the device’s excellent screen-to-body ratio. Motorola has provided a 720p display in the new Moto G device which is not as sharp as other smartphones in this price range. It is not going to happen at all that you will start praising the screen as soon as you see it.
However, there is no pixelation problem in it. The viewing angle of this display, which comes with Corning Gorilla Glass 3 protection, is good and we did not face any problem in viewing the screen in bright light outside.
Software, performance and battery life
The stock version of Android 5.1.1 (Android 5.1.1) is available in Moto G 3rd gen. This means that it is ahead of its rivals in terms of day-to-day performance. Some people like octa-core processors, but we want a stable and glitch-free experience even if the device is running on relatively weak hardware. Yu from Lenovo, Xiaomi and Micromax have often compromised on user experience for specifications, but this cannot be blamed on Motorola.
It also has to be acknowledged that the company has not taken any risk by using almost stock version of Android. Now when consumers are happy with this, then what is the need to change the hit formula? Due to using stock Android, the company keeps releasing updates of the operating system rapidly, sometimes even Google’s Nexus devices lag behind in this matter. If you like to always be on the latest Android version, then this is another reason for you to buy this new smartphone of Motorola family.
Moto Display feature is provided in Moto G 3rd gen. This feature was seen in Moto X (Gen. 2). Due to this feature, you will be able to see time and other notifications even on the lock screen. For this there is no need to bring the phone into active mode. The smartphone detects when you pick it up and automatically makes the information available on the screen without you having to do anything, which is a great feature. However, sometimes this feature makes the device appear over-excited. In fact, while driving, we found that whenever the car encountered small potholes or bumps on the road, the Moto Display automatically activated.
We tested the 2GB RAM/ 16GB storage model (Rs 12,999). Knowing that there is a difference of only Rs 1,000 between the two variants of the device, the question arises that why was the model made with 1GB RAM and 8GB storage? The chances of this variant finding a customer are very less. We also suggest that you buy only the 2GB RAM/16GB storage model. The Moto G 3rd gen comes with 4G support on both SIM cards and we thoroughly enjoyed data connectivity on Airtel’s 4G network. Call quality and loudspeaker performance are also satisfactory.
While playing high-end graphics games like Asphalt 8, we did not notice any drop in performance and the phone did not heat up even after playing the game for a long time. However, when using 3G in sunlight for a long time, we found that the screen got a bit warm and this could be a problem for many people. The phone’s settings indicate that it has USB OTG support, but we were not able to run our drive with the Moto G 3rd gen. Some quick gestures are also included in the smartphone, such as shaking the phone twice to switch on the flashlight or twisting your wrist twice to open the camera app while holding the phone, all these features may prove useful for some people. Can happen.
The battery lasted between 10 and 46 minutes on continuous SD video playback, which is average for a handset with a Snapdragon 410 processor. If you are out most of the time and continuously use data on 3G or 4G network, then charging Moto G 3rd gen just once a day will not work. If you use Wi-Fi networks at home and office and use cellular data only when you go out, the battery will easily last a day.
camera
The camera app that comes with the Moto G 3rd gen is in autofocus mode by default. This means you can take a picture by tapping on the screen. You can also switch on focus and exposure controls in the app’s settings. By doing this, a reticule appears on the screen which you can slide to focus on a particular object. There is also a dial that you can use to change the exposure settings. The inclusion of these new features is welcome. However, this doesn’t work as smoothly as the tap-to-focus style (you may want to use a third-party app). The app also includes HDR mode. However, you cannot use it with focus and exposure controls.
Talking about image quality, Moto G 3rd gen takes pictures with a lot of detail outdoors and in well-lit areas. However, the camera performance could have been better in low light. The front camera is more than enough to keep selfie lovers happy.
The Moto G 3rd gen can record full-HD videos and slow motion videos at 720p. In terms of quality, regular videos are fine, but despite being shot in daylight, grains are sometimes visible in slow-motion videos.
our decision
If you are buying a smartphone to impress others then Moto G 3rd gen is not for you. There is no such specification available in it which can earn you applause. By the way, if you want, you can show off your phone in front of your friends by dropping it in a glass filled with water. Well, on a serious note, we are happy that the water resistance feature has been introduced at this price point and the time has come that this feature should now be included in all smartphones.
This isn’t the only reason why we’re recommending buying the Moto G 3rd gen. The camera and battery life did not disappoint. It is far ahead in terms of stability and user experience and we also believe that every user deserves these two things first and foremost.
