What you should know
- The new Moto G Play 2024 by Motorola is a budget-friendly phone with a modern design and a matte finish. It is a bit more affordable than its predecessor.
- The phone features a new 50MP main camera, an improvement from the previous 16MP. The selfie camera has also been upgraded to 8MP from 5MP.
- The Moto G Play 2024 is powered by a new chipset, the Qualcomm Snapdragon 680 4G, which offers better gaming and CPU performance compared to the MediaTek Helio G37 used in the 2023 model.
- Despite its improvements, the Moto G Play 2024 does not come with the latest Android update (Android 14) and does not support 5G connectivity. The charger included in the box is only 10W, while the phone is capable of 15W wired charging.
Full Story
What’s that you say? A brand spanking new Moto G Play? Yep, you heard right. As per usual, Motorola is kicking off the year with a fresh take on its beloved budget Moto G Play series. The Moto G Play 2024 is here, and it’s even a smidge cheaper than the last one! So, let’s dive into what this new kid on the block has to offer.
You might be thinking, “Hey, if they’ve slashed the price, it can’t be that exciting, right?” Wrong. Sure, nothing’s gonna blow your socks off in this price bracket, but there are some nifty changes worth noting.
First off, we’ve got a new design that’s finally earned its “modern” badge. The Moto G Play 2024 is sleek, clean, and dare I say, kinda stylish. The back panel and frame have a matte finish, and the edge has a slight angle for added comfort. It’s the little things, right?
But you’re gonna need that comfort. This phone’s got a hefty body, measuring 163.82 x 74.96 x 8.29mm. Thankfully, it’s made out of plastic, so it’s light for its size, weighing in at 185g. Just remember, the bezels are pretty thick, especially that bottom one. But hey, at $149.99, we can’t exactly throw a fit.
Next up, the main camera. It’s leapt from 16MP to 50MP, so we’re expecting a bit more bang for our buck. And good riddance to the pointless macro and depth cameras, which helps with the clean look and probably the lower cost. The selfie camera’s also had a boost, now at 8MP instead of 5MP.
And let’s not forget the new chipset. Motorola’s gone for Qualcomm this time, with the Snapdragon 680 4G. It’s a slight step up from the MediaTek Helio G37 that powered the 2023 Moto G Play. We’re talking 6nm instead of 12nm, support for more RAM, and better gaming and CPU performance.
In practical terms, this chip should let the Moto G Play 2024 handle games like PUBG Mobile at Medium settings with a smooth frame rate. Don’t get your hopes up for Genshin Impact or Fortnite though. Fingers crossed this new chipset sorts out some of the lag issues we saw with the Moto G Play 2023.
Charging’s a bit faster too. Motorola’s bumped up the charging speeds from 10W to 15W, which is a bit more like it.
But it’s not all sunshine and rainbows. Just like its predecessor, the Moto G Play 2024 doesn’t come with the latest Android update (Android 14), sticking with Android 13 instead. And as you might’ve guessed from the chip’s name, there’s no 5G connectivity, which could be a deal breaker in 2024.
There are a few other downsides. The included charger, for instance. You might think, “Hey, a free charger, that’s great!” But hold your horses. While the new Moto G Play can handle 15W wired charging, the charger in the box is only 10W. Feels a bit like a slap in the face, doesn’t it?
Then there’s the display. It’s got a 90Hz refresh rate, which is great. But it seems like it’s the same display as the previous generation, meaning low brightness and inaccurate colors.
So there you have it. The Moto G Play 2024. A budget Motorola that seems like a better deal than its predecessor, especially at $150. Stay tuned for our full review, where we’ll put this baby through its paces and give you our honest thoughts.
