The Moto G Phone, £135 yet decent smart phone.

[Jon-of-arc]

I'm in the market for a g6 plus. Seems like a pretty decent phone for the money. Bit worried about the issues with mics/sound, though. Are there any phones with comparable specs (64gig, running latest Android, good all day battery - all essential) for a similar price. Doesn't have to be the best of the best, but something that will last me two or so years without becoming defunct/falling to bits would please me lots.

 

[shambler]

I've finally, after 5 years, retired my OG Moto G. It was almost a sad moment.

That thing was immense. Literally would chuck it about in demonstration of its sturdiness. The fucker still works, but has gotten pretty slow and fleet of juice. At ease, soldier.

 

[kebabking]

Both me and Mrs K are looking to replace our Moto G3's - we're thinking about the G6plus which is 64Gb rather than the G6's 32Gb, and of course the G3's 8Gb. We're not into gaming or watching movies, it's just photos, internet, SM etc...

We both like android, and we've been very happy with the G3's reliability and functionality, though the memory size has been problematic occasionally.

Can anyone suggest anything better than the G6/plus for the £20per month mark...?

 

[Chz]

At £20 a month, the Galaxy A7 is ridiculously better than any G6. Motorola kind of dropped the ball this generation - they either needed to up the specs or drop the price and did neither. I see the Huawei P20 Lite at £16/mo and that's still better than the G6 Plus at the same price. At £13/mo, the Honor 9 Lite is a fair comparison to the top end G6.
(all prices from Carphone Warehouse)

 

[lizzieloo]

I'm happy with my G6 but as Jon-of-arc said the sound quality really is crap, it's fineish for spoken word stuff but music sounds really tinny, to the extent that is makes you pull faces. I listen to the radio on mine but never music radio.

 

[Boudicca]

I've been very happy with my G5, but it's full up and most of the Apps won't transfer to the memory card.

I have been looking at the G6 and G7 with 64Gb but they are too big and quite pricey.

kebabking what did you get in the end?

 

[kebabking]

I got the G6 plus - I'm very happy with it, the memory is huuuuuuuge, the camera is fantastic.

The only problem I had with my G3 was the memory filling up with crap. I've had this one 7 months and I don't think I've cleared the cache yet...

 

[Maggot]

I've been very happy with my G5, but it's full up and most of the Apps won't transfer to the memory card.

I have been looking at the G6 and G7 with 64Gb but they are too big and quite pricey.

I am also looking for something small and cheap. I still have a Moto G original, and don't want anything which is much bigger than that.

 

[lizzieloo]

I dropped my last G6 in the bath, looked into a G7, by all accounts not worth it, I bought another G6, great phone.

 

[yield]

I've finally, after 5 years, retired my OG Moto G. It was almost a sad moment.

That thing was immense. Literally would chuck it about in demonstration of its sturdiness. The fucker still works, but has gotten pretty slow and fleet of juice. At ease, soldier.

I've tired the original Moto G, became too slow no matter what I tried. Picked up a second hand Sony Xperia XA2, great camera and fast, enjoying it so far.

 

[Boudicca]

How do people carry these enormous phones around?

If I'm expecting a call, I have to wander around the house with the phone stuck down my bra (no pockets) and the 4.5" screen on the G5 is already quite uncomfortable.

 

[Steel Icarus]

How do people carry these enormous phones around?

If I'm expecting a call, I have to wander around the house with the phone stuck down my bra (no pockets) and the 4.5" screen on the G5 is already quite uncomfortable.

In every item of outer leg-clothing I've got I have pockets.

 

[Steel Icarus]

It's a great phone - on my second Moto G now - but this one's predictive text is shit. Old phone seemed to actually learn. This just does what it wants.

 

[UnderOpenSky]

It's a great phone - on my second Moto G now - but this one's predictive text is shit. Old phone seemed to actually learn. This just does what it wants.

Try replacing the keyboard with Type App

 

[Throbbing Angel]

Try replacing the keyboard with Type App

Or Gboard

 

[weltweit]

I am looking at a Moto G7 Power at the moment.

It is a while since I had a smartphone so this will be a re-entry for me.

I like the battery power / life and lots of the features but worry it may be too large for me.

£159.95 from Argos.
Buy SIM Free Motorola G7 Power 64GB Mobile Phone - Black | SIM free phones | Argos

Seems a good price compared to iPhones but I don't know what it won't do compared?

What does Urban think?

 

[BristolEcho]

That seems decent for the price especially with the memory which was always an issue for me with the G's. It's a bit bulky, but offsetting that with the battery etc. Personally I feel a days charge is enough as I just charge it at night so you might not need all of that.

What do you want to use it for? Looks decent too me.

 

[UnderOpenSky]

Looks quite good for the cash.

 

[Boudicca]

I bought a G6 in the end, I think it was about £175. Nice to have something which isn't freezing all the time like my old Moto g, but it is too big.

 

[weltweit]

That seems decent for the price especially with the memory which was always an issue for me with the G's. It's a bit bulky, but offsetting that with the battery etc. Personally I feel a days charge is enough as I just charge it at night so you might not need all of that.

I am used now to charging things every night but it would be great to break that cycle.

What do you want to use it for? Looks decent too me.

I want to use it as a phone, for star checking (the night sky), as a compass, perhaps as a sat nav with G Maps, for email, for taking notes while out and about, as a camera, ways (transport or whatever it is called), various other apps as and when I find some that are useful. I am hoping the photographer's ephemeris will become available on android at some point, I think at the moment it only works on iPhone. I don't know really, I need to get back into it and find out what it can do

The call quality on my old Nokia is often complained about by my son so hopefully that will be a step forward and I like the idea of being able to type texts on a small keyboard rather than the glacially slow way I have to do it at the moment.

I suppose the key thing for me is internet access on the move, because at the moment I can't research things online with my Nokia and finding a site on the net and then having the option to email or call them immediately is a big plus.

 

[weltweit]

Also, it will be nice going back to Motorola, my first phone was a brick flip Motorola and I had iirc three motorolas in a row, they were always solid and dependable.

 

[UnderOpenSky]

Also, it will be nice going back to Motorola, my first phone was a brick flip Motorola and I had iirc three motorolas in a row, they were always solid and dependable.

They sold their phone business to Lenovo a while back...

 

[weltweit]

They sold their phone business to Lenovo a while back...

Oh, so it is still called a Motorola but that division is owned by Lenovo?

 

[UnderOpenSky]

Oh, so it is still called a Motorola but that division is owned by Lenovo?

Correct. Doesn't mean they are bad phones though. They bought Thinkpad of IBM and still make solid laptops.

 

[Throbbing Angel]

FWIW weltweit I bought lil'Angel the G7 Play for her birthday - she loves it - I've had a few Motorola's prior to the phone I have now and always liked them - fairly raw Android experience - no bloat installed.

The G7 range is nice, I liked it a lot when setting it up.
Always dependable, easy to use etc.

GSM comparison of the G7 Power-G7Play-iPhone 8 here
Compare Motorola Moto G7 Power vs. Motorola Moto G7 Play vs. Apple iPhone 8 - GSMArena.com
with their differences highlighted. The G7 Power doesn't have a compass listed

The power is a little thicker, obvs, so a little heavier too but I'm sure you know this.

The apps you've listed will be no issue on that phone. Dunno if you need Waze and Gmaps - same thing aren't they??

Same price at John Lewis atm with 2yr gtee if that floats your whassname

 

[Jon-of-arc]

I am looking at a Moto G7 Power at the moment.

It is a while since I had a smartphone so this will be a re-entry for me.

I like the battery power / life and lots of the features but worry it may be too large for me.

£159.95 from Argos.
Buy SIM Free Motorola G7 Power 64GB Mobile Phone - Black | SIM free phones | Argos

Seems a good price compared to iPhones but I don't know what it won't do compared?

What does Urban think?

It will do everything important that a brand new iPhone will do.

Might not be quite as fast/smooth in how it feels, and the camera won't be in the same league, but a quarter of the price doesn't mean a quarter of the quality.

 

[weltweit]

FWIW weltweit I bought lil'Angel the G7 Play for her birthday - she loves it - I've had a few Motorola's prior to the phone I have now and always liked them - fairly raw Android experience - no bloat installed.

The G7 range is nice, I liked it a lot when setting it up.
Always dependable, easy to use etc.

GSM comparison of the G7 Power-G7Play-iPhone 8 here
Compare Motorola Moto G7 Power vs. Motorola Moto G7 Play vs. Apple iPhone 8 - GSMArena.com
with their differences highlighted. The G7 Power doesn't have a compass listed

The power is a little thicker, obvs, so a little heavier too but I'm sure you know this.

The apps you've listed will be no issue on that phone. Dunno if you need Waze and Gmaps - same thing aren't they??

Same price at John Lewis atm with 2yr gtee if that floats your whassname

Hi Throbbing Angel, thanks for your feedback, I think I am going to get it, in fact I popped into a local Argos yesterday in the hope of picking it up only to be told that it is only for home delivery. So I hope to order and get it next week. It is good to hear other people's experiences - I already had a couple of good references from people irl.

 

[weltweit]

It will do everything important that a brand new iPhone will do.

Might not be quite as fast/smooth in how it feels, and the camera won't be in the same league, but a quarter of the price doesn't mean a quarter of the quality.

Hi Jon-of-arc, thanks for that. I don't really understand how Apple can justify the prices they charge when there are alternatives like this for less than £200?

 

[Callie]

Hi Jon-of-arc, thanks for that. I don't really understand how Apple can justify the prices they charge when there are alternatives like this for less than £200?

they have a brand, marketing and people are willing to pay it. Why wouldn't they want to broaden their profit margins under those circumstances

 

[weltweit]

they have a brand, marketing and people are willing to pay it. Why wouldn't they want to broaden their profit margins under those circumstances

Sure, and I had an iPhone 4S some years back as a company phone, but I wonder how long they can justify their premium pricing against other phones that seem to do as much?