Motorola just unveiled two new entry-level devices that aim to recapture an even larger portion of the affordable phone market in the US. The Moto G Fast looks like yet another promising chapter in the pretty successful Moto G-series, whereas the Moto E seems dead-set to redefine the important value-for-money category.
What's new about these two? Let's explore.
Moto G Fast
Specs and features
Don't get confused by the rather promising name, the Moto G Fast is not a flagship device. It's an adequate mid-range phone with a lively design that's a very obvious nod to the younger, tech-savvier generation thanks to the trendy punch-hole design. However, it makes little sense that the device will only be available in the Pearl White color option at launch - a little more variety wouldn't have hurt.
In a typical Motorola fashion, the phone has a rear-positioned capacitive fingerprint scanner embellished by the Motorola logo. The phone is also water-repellent, though the company did not disclose if it has a proper IP rating.
The Moto G Fast is equipped with a 6.4” HD+ LCD display, an octa-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 665 chipset, 3GB of RAM, and 32GB of storage. All of that will carry a $199.99 price tag, which is quite an adequate pricing for what you're getting. Given the affordable nature of the Moto G Fast and hardware that leaves something to be desired, it makes perfect sense that the device also comes with a microSD card slot for storage expansion and a headphone jack present at the top of the phone. After all, customers that are looking into the $199.99 Moto G Fast are unlikely to splurge another $100 or so on Bluetooth earbuds.
Camera-wise, the Moto G Fast is equipped with three cameras at the rear. The main one is a 16MP wide-angle camera with an f/1.7 aperture and 1.12μm pixels, the second unit is an 8MP ultra-wide angle snapper, and finally, we've got a dedicated 2MP macro camera that has a minimum focus distance of 2cm. The Moto G Fast is capable of recording UHD videos at 30fps, but FHD 1080p ones are available in either 30 or 60fps. You can also record ultra-wide FHD videos at up to 30fps.
161.87 x 75.7 x 9.05mm, 189.4gr, water-repellent design
Connectivity
4G LTE, Bluetooth 5.0, Single SIM card, USB Type-C, no NFC
Software
Android 10, Moto Experiences, Moto Gametime
Price and availability
As we already established, the Moto G Fast will start at $199.99. The device will officially launch June 12 on Best Buy, B&H Photo, Walmart, Amazon.com and Motorola.com (MSRP: $199.99) with subsequent availability at Boost Mobile. Pre-orders will kick off today, June 5. In Canada, the device will be sold at TELUS, Bell, Rogers, Fido, Koodo and Virgin later this summer.
Moto E
Specs and features
The all-new Moto E, which is technically the 7th device in the lineup, is keeping strict to its heirloom values — delivering the ultimate value-for-money with no non-sense involved. The new Moto E is very similar to the Moto G Fast, but it comes with a slightly smaller 6.2" HD+ LCD display, less impressive battery, and one less camera. It's also powered by the slightly less powerful Snapdragon 632 chipset aided by 2GB of RAM and 32GB of native storage. There's still water protection, a microSD card slot, and a 3.5mm headphone jack.
In terms of design, the Moto E is pretty fresh. It comes in two colors — Midnight Blue and Champagne Pink — and retains the Motorola-branded fingerprint scanner at the back. Have in mind that there's no USB Type-C port in sight as Motorola keeps things rather "retro" with a microUSB port at the bottom. It's not a terrible nuisance, but it's high time we moved on from this aging standard.
On the topic of cameras, the Moto E comes with two on deck. None of them is ultra-wide angle; instead, Motorola has employed a regular 13MP snapper with phase-detection autofocus for the heavy-lifting, aided by a 2MP depth sensor that should aid your portrait-taking game.
159.77 x 76.56 x 8.65mm, 185gr, water-repellent design
Connectivity
4G LTE, Bluetooth 4.2, Single SIM card, microUSB, no NFC
Software
Android 10, Moto Experiences, Moto Gametime
Price and availability
Just like the Moto G Fast, the Moto E will launch on June 12 and will be available for pre-order on June 5. The $149.99 makes it an extremely affordable phone that should be domineering the entry-level range. The new Moto E will be available at Best Buy, B&H Photo, Walmart, Amazon.com and Motorola.com (MSRP: $149.99) with subsequent availability at T-Mobile, Metro by T-Mobile, Boost Mobile, U.S. Cellular, Consumer Cellular, Xfinity Mobile, Republic Wireless, and certified prepaid on Verizon. Across the border in Canada, the phone will be sold at TELUS, Bell, Rogers, Virgin, Lucky Mobile, Fido, chatr, SaskTel, Videotron, Freedom Mobile later in the summer.
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Peter, an experienced tech enthusiast at PhoneArena, is captivated by all things mobile. His impartial reviews and proficiency in Android systems offer readers valuable insights. Off-duty, he delves into the latest cryptocurrency trends and enjoys sci-fi and video games.
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