On November 13th of 2013 the budget market forever changed with the introduction of the Moto G. While devices like the Nexus 4 and Nexus 5 had already given consumers a taste of high-end performance at a reasonably affordable price tag, the Moto G’s sub-$200 pricing brought things to a whole new level.
Fast-forwarding to 2015 and Motorola has now announced the third-generation iteration of the Moto G. But what a difference two years can make. While the original Moto G had virtually no real competitors, the budget market has exploded over the last several months with the introduction of products like the Asus ZenFone 2 and Alcatel OneTouch Idol 3 — just to name two.
It’s way too early to say whether or not the Moto G (3rd gen) competes on the same level as some of the more recent budget-friendly alternatives, but we are liking what we see so far.
Moto G (3rd gen) specs and features
Let’s start by running through the key specs:
| Display | 5-inch 720p display |
| Processor | 1.4GHz Snapdragon 410 processor |
| RAM | 1GB/2GB RAM |
| Storage | 8GB/16GB storage, with microSD |
| Networks | 4G LTE |
| Software | Android 5.1 Lollipop |
| Camera | 13MP rear, 5MP front |
| Battery | 2,470mAh battery |
| Waterproofing | IPX7 rating |
The Moto G (3rd gen) is powered by a Snapdragon 410 with 1GB or 2GB of RAM, depending on whether you buy the 8GB or 16GB internal storage options. This is a small but welcome upgrade from the Snapdragon 400 found in the 1st and 2nd gen iterations. While many would have liked to have seen 2GB across both models, remember that Motorola’s main concern is keeping the price tag down and these modest specs help with that endeavor.
Dual-SIM compatibility remains on the check-list, as does 4G LTE connectivity and a microSD card slot, for those who need the extra storage space. On the display front, the Moto G retains the same 5-inch 720p panel as before, and the phone still features the same dual speaker design on the front of the case. Though this time it has a refreshed design for the phone’s back panel.
Some of the biggest changes include the addition of an IPX7 rated design, meaning that the phone is water resistant up to 1 meter for 30 minutes. Additionally, the Moto G series now has Moto Maker support! While you only have the choice of black or white for the front there is a selection of colors for the rear panel, in the form of Moto Shells.
Probably one of the biggest changes with the Moto G (3rd gen) is in regards to the camera, which now uses the same sensor as the high-end Nexus 6. Each generation of the line has seen some improvements, but the leap up to a 13 megapixel sensor, f/2.0 aperture lens and dual-tone LED flash should make a noticeable difference to image quality.
For software, the Moto G comes with Android 5.1 Lollipop and a few of Motorola’s own pieces of tech. These include, Moto Display, Quick Capture and a Chop Twice feature, which turns the phone’s flash on and off by shaking the phone twice.
In India, the smartphone will be priced at Rs. 11,999 ($188) for the 8GB model, while the 16GB version with 2GB of RAM will cost Rs. 12,999 ($203). We should find out information about the European and US prices at the events in London and New York later today.
While the Moto G might not feature massively overhauled hardware from its predecessor, that’s really never been the point. Ever since the Moto X and Moto G lines debuted, Motorola has prided itself it putting the customer experience ahead of pure specs. With improved design, customization, and other improvements, that’s exactly what we have with the latest Moto G.