The Moto G6 faces stiff competition in the budget segment.
Motorola unveiled the Moto G6 series back in April, and the Moto G6 and the G6 Play have made their debut in India. There’s no mention of whether the Moto G6 Plus will make its way to the country, but it’s unlikely as the Moto X4 offers similar specs.
For now, it looks like the standard Moto G6 and the G6 Play will carry the Moto G brand this year. That’s a huge ask considering just how competitive the budget segment has become in recent months, thanks to devices like the Redmi Note 5 Pro and more recently the ZenFone Max Pro M1, both of which feature the Snapdragon 636 chipset.
By contrast, the Moto G6 is powered by a Snapdragon 450, so it doesn’t look like the device will be able to compete when it comes to sheer numbers. So let’s see what else is on offer with the latest iteration of the Moto G series.
Moto G6 and G6 Play: Specs
| Operating System | Android 8.0 Oreo | Android 8.0 Oreo |
| Display | 5.7-inch IPS LCD 1440×720 | 5.7-inch IPS LCD 2160×1080 |
| Processor | Snapdragon 427 1.4GHz octa-coreAdreno 308 GPU | Snapdragon 450 1.8GHz octa-coreAdreno 506 GPU |
| RAM | 3GB | 3GB/4GB |
| Storage | 32GB | 32GB/64GB |
| Expandable | microSD card up to 128GB | microSD card up to 128GB |
| Rear Camera – Main | 13MP, ƒ/2.0 | 12MP, ƒ/1.8 |
| Rear Camera – Secondary | N/A | 5MP RGB (for depth) |
| Video | 1080p @ 30 fps | 1080p @ 60fps |
| Front Camera | 8MP front-facing flash | 8MP front-facing flash |
| Connectivity | 802.11 a/b/g/n 2.4 GHz + 5 GHz Bluetooth 4.2 | 802.11 a/b/g/n 2.4 GHz + 5 GHz Bluetooth 4.2 |
| Battery | 4000mAhNon-removable | 3000mAhNon-removable |
| Charging | Micro-USB10W rapid charger | USB-C15W TurboPower charger |
| Water resistance | Water-repellant nano-coating | Water-repellant nano-coating |
| Security | Fingerprint sensor (rear) | Fingerprint sensor (front) Face unlock |
| Dimensions | 154.4 x 72.2 x 9 mm | 153.8 x 72.3 x 8.3 mm |
| Weight | 175g | 167 g |
Both phones have 18:9 displays and glass backs
With the Moto G6 series, Motorola lavished the same amount of attention it reserves to its mid-range phones. The Moto G6 and G6 Play feature glass-backed designs that look nearly identical to what we’ve seen last year on the Moto X4.
The glass design certainly makes both devices feel upmarket. Another change for 2018 is the switch to the 18:9 form factor. The Moto G6 Play has a 5.7-inch HD+ (1440×720) display whereas the Moto G6 has a 5.7-inch Full HD+ (2160×1080) panel.
The Moto G6 comes with dual rear cameras
The main differentiator with the Moto G6 is the dual rear cameras at the back, with the secondary sensor enabling portrait mode. The primary camera doesn’t have the Dual Pixels feature from last year, and overall image quality is about the same as that of the Moto G5 Plus.
Moto G6 review: Finding success in compromise
There’s a huge 4000mAh battery on the Moto G6 Play
The Moto G6 has a 3000mAh battery, but the Moto G6 Play comes with a 4000mAh battery that’s easily good for two days’ worth of use from a full charge.
The larger battery combined with the HD+ panel makes the G6 Play one of the best devices in the budget segment when it comes to battery life.
The Moto G6 costs about the same as the Redmi Note 5 Pro
The 3GB/32GB variant of the Moto G6 costs ₹13,999 ($215) in India, whereas the 4GB/64GB version retails for ₹15,999 ($245).
The Moto G6 Play is available in a single 3GB/32GB edition, and is available for ₹11,999 ($185). The Moto G6 is exclusive to Amazon, while the G6 Play will be sold exclusively via Flipkart.
The Moto G5 is going up against the likes of the Redmi Note 5 Pro, and Motorola’s recent stance with updates combined with the underwhelming hardware makes the Moto G6 a tough recommendation.
I’ll take a look at how the camera on the Moto G6 compares to the Redmi Note 5 Pro early next week, but for now, you’re better off buying a phone with beefier hardware.
See at Amazon
