Connect with us

Motorola

New Moto G Hands On Video (Moto G2)

Published

on

The new Moto G delivers more value than the original thanks to a higher resolution display, improved camera and new software all at the same $179 off contract price.

Rumored as the Moto G2, Motorola is simple calling this the new Moto G and it is on sale today at Motorola and we’ll likely see it at retailers in the near future.

This is a step down from the new Moto X, but it is not as big of a step down as we saw last year thanks to smart upgrades that users will appreciate.

The New Moto G is a smart upgrade from the original.

The New Moto G is a smart upgrade from the original.

The Moto G release date is today and you can buy one unlocked for $179.99 direct from Motorola. We’re still waiting on any carrier announcements, but you can drop a SIM card from AT&T or T-Mobile in this model or any variety of pre-paid carries that operate on AT&T or T-Mobile. There are also options for use on international carriers and a dual-SIM version coming to Brazil.

New Moto G Hands On Video

Watch our three-minute new Moto G hands on video for an overview of the new features found on the Moto G2, that will officially arrive without a “2” at the end of the name.

The new Moto G features a larger 5-inch display with a 1280 x 720 resolution. This is not as high as flagship phones that cost three times more than this device, but for a sub-$200 phone it’s an acceptable trade-off. The Moto G2 display looks very nice in head-on usage of browsing the web and reading. Viewing angles are pretty wide, allowing you to share the screen with two more people easily when showing off a photo or video.

A larger, higher-resolution display deliver a better overall value.

A larger, higher-resolution display deliver a better overall value.

Motorola upgraded the sound with front ported speakers. These are not as nice as on the new Moto X, but they are pretty loud. While listening to electronic music some of the sound is smashed together without much ability to pick out individual instruments or notes, but overall this sounds like an improvement from the original Moto G.

A new 8MP camera delivers decent looking photos, but there is still some loss of detail. When I took a photo of my poodle the photo didn’t show a lot of detail around his ears which are full of individual strands and curls.

Motorola didn’t change the design dramatically and that’s fine. The larger Moto G is easy to use with one hand thanks to a reasonable size and a curved back. This is a plastic phone, but the soft touch backs help to deliver a better overall look and feel. I quickly swapped in a colorful purple Motorola Shell.

Remove the back for access to a Micro SD card slot and to add color to the new Moto G.

Remove the back for access to a Micro SD card slot and to add color to the new Moto G.

The back of the new Moto G peels off to allow access to a Micro SD card slot that adds up to an additional 32GB of storage. This is a must for a phone that only includes 8GB of internal storage. This option alone elevates the usefulness and appeal of an affordable phone like the new Moto G.

Performance is good so far with no stuttering or lag during normal use, but I’ll be testing the device further in the coming weeks. New software features like Driving mode for Moto Assist detect when you are doing something like driving or sleeping and adjusts the phone settings to reflect that. The driving option is finally on the new Moto G.

1 Comment

1 Comment

  1. mike goldberg

    09/05/2014 at 11:16 am

    Did they solve the problem of the moto g not seeing the SIM card on a regular basis? Tired of taking the back off, removing and replacing the card 2 or 3 times a week with current phone (third phone, second SIM card since phone first arrived. New phones and card did not help).

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published.

As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.