16 Jun
Blog

Motorola Moto G Fast Review: A Great Phone For $200

motorola moto g quick evaluation 2

Motorola Moto G Quick evaluation: Fast, but not expensive

"If your budget is a maximum of $ 200, the Moto G Fast is the best choice."

  • Modern design

  • Feels durable

  • Great performance for the price

  • Good battery life

  • Camera is just fine

  • Ad is not great

The Moto G Seires have weathered ups and downs. The device has long been considered one of the best budget options, but competition from Samsung companies has intensified in recent years. However, as so often, Motorola has launched a number of new Moto G models, including the extremely affordable Moto G Fast.

The Moto G Fast hopes to bring premium features and a thoroughly modern look at a price of $ 200. There are other phones in this price range, but not many – especially from well-known brands such as Motorola, Samsung and LG.

Is the Moto G Almost the Best Cell Phone Under $ 200?

Design and display

Two or three years ago, it would be difficult for you to find a phone with a modern, borderless display design in the price range below $ 250. Now they are becoming more and more common – and we are happy to see that.

On the front of the Moto G Fast is a nice large 6.4-inch display from edge to edge, which has a hole cutout in the upper left corner of the device. The neckline is slightly larger than some other devices, like the Galaxy A51 or the OnePlus 8 series, but it's still pretty remote, though you'll get used to it quickly.

The bezel is relatively narrow around the display, except at the bottom where there is a chin. It's not a big deal, and such design decisions are still expected in this price range. Here, too, you will get used to it.

The buttons and connectors on the edges of the phone are pretty standard. On the right side there is an on / off switch and a volume rocker, on the left a SIM and MicroSD card slot and below a USB-C port. There is also a headphone jack at the top, which is very nice in a world where higher-quality wired consumer audio disappears.

The back of the phone is also pretty sleek and stylish. At the top left you get a vertically aligned triple lens camera and at the top a fingerprint sensor. I have relatively large hands, but the sensor felt comfortable to me and appeared to be well positioned to naturally unlock the device.

The back of the device is mostly plastic, but generally felt solid. It definitely doesn't feel as premium as much more expensive phones like the iPhone 11 Pro or OnePlus 8, but this is also expected for a price-range phone, and the phone is still in my hand. The device is currently only available in one color – pear white. It doesn't look bad, but more color options would have been nice.

The display on the phone does the job, but isn't great. The 6.4-inch display is an LCD display with a resolution of 720p, and you can definitely see slightly jagged edges on fonts and surface elements when you search for them. The slightly more expensive Moto G Power has a 1,080p display, which makes the 720p panel of the G Fast a bit rough – but again, it does the job as long as you don't expect much. It can get bright enough for most purposes and is brighter than the $ 150 Moto E.

Performance and battery life

The Moto G Fast is equipped with a Qualcomm Snapdragon 665 processor, 3 GB RAM and 32 GB memory. Fortunately, a microSD card slot is also integrated in the phone, so you can expand this memory if you wish. The fact that it has the same processor as the Moto G Power is good news – and it helps the device outperform its weight.

The performance of the phone is great in everyday use. The phone can easily multitask easily without slowing down too much, and it can also handle basic games. It certainly won't charge as fast as more expensive phones, but Call of Duty: Mobile and Asphalt 9 worked pretty well.

Here is a brief overview of some of the benchmark results we have achieved:

  • AnTuTu: 161,627
  • GeekBench 5 single core: 312
  • GeekBench 5 multi-core: 1,391

Generally, these are good results for a phone in this price range. In fact, these values ​​correspond to the Samsung Galaxy A51, which is twice the price of the Moto G Fast.

The Moto G Fast offers a 4,000 mAh battery and is solid. I was easily able to survive a whole day of normal use, and at the end of the day I had 43% left. If you use your phone conservatively, you may be able to use it for two days.

camera

The Moto G Fast is equipped with a triple lens rear view camera that has a 16 megapixel main sensor, an 8 megapixel ultra-wide sensor and a 2 megapixel macro sensor. There is an 8 megapixel camera on the front.

The rear-facing camera can take decent photos in well-lit environments with relatively bright colors and solid details. The ultra-wide camera isn't the best on the market, but it definitely offers more versatility for the phone's camera and is a feature you don't normally get on phones in this price range.

However, without good lighting you are a bit unlucky. The phone can take better photos than the new Moto E, but that's not a high bar – and if you don't have enough light, you don't expect quality.

The phone also has a 2 megapixel macro lens and is pretty lackluster. There seems to be a trend these days to include macro lenses in phones of all price ranges. The problem, however, is that the macro lenses are of poor quality most of the time. This is especially true here. If you take a close-up of a small object, which I almost never do, you will likely get something of relatively poor quality.

The phone's front-facing camera is fine, but the colors aren't as deep as they could be, and the details aren't great. It will do the work for standard selfies, but don't expect much more.

In general, this is not a phone that you should buy for the camera. However, the camera is not bad for a phone in this price range – and it is much better than what you would have gotten just a few years ago.

software

The Motorola Moto G Fast comes with Motorola’s new Android skin, My UX. Fortunately, My UX is based on Android 10 and is very close to Android, with just a few minor changes to allow for some adjustments and gestures.

For example, you get Moto promotions with which you can easily access certain functions. These are pretty handy. You can take a screenshot by tapping the screen with three fingers, or you can lift the handset to turn off the ringtone. Some of these actions are enabled by default, while others must be enabled, and it's worth taking a look at.

While My UX is based on standard Android, it is possible that Motorola will deviate somewhat more over time – and it is currently unclear whether and when the device will get Android 11. Motorola has been doing Android updates well in the past, so we'll do it. I have to wait and see if it stays that way now, as the mix includes a new skin label.

Price, guarantee and availability

The Moto G Fast costs $ 200. This is an excellent price for a phone with these features. Sure, it doesn't compare to more expensive devices, but if you have a budget of $ 200, the Moto G Fast is the way to go. If you can stretch a little, the Moto G Power with its better display and bigger battery might be worth considering. However, if you are not interested in these features or do not have the money, you will be satisfied with the Moto G Fast.

The one-year warranty from Motorola, which covers practically only manufacturer defects, applies to the phone. You should make sure that you take care of this phone.

The Moto G Fast is available directly from the Motorola website.

Our opinion

The Motorola Moto G Fast isn't perfect, but in my opinion it's the best thing you'll get in this price range. It has a modern design and great performance in this price range, as well as a solid battery – and the latter two are extremely important when you buy an inexpensive phone.

Is there a better alternative?

There are better options if you can spend more money, but if your budget is a maximum of $ 200, the Moto G Fast is your best bet. If you can add another $ 200 to your budget, consider the iPhone SE, which is the most powerful phone for $ 400 or less. If you're more of an Android fan, consider the Google Pixel 3a or the Samsung Galaxy A51, which you might find for $ 300 if you're looking for it. Alternatively, you can wait for Google Pixel 4a, which may be released soon.

How long it will take?

The Moto G Fast is made of plastic, which means that it is likely to survive falls better than a glass device. That means it is not waterproof. So keep it away from the bath or pool.

Motorola has a decent track record of software updates, but given the price range here, no one can guess how many updates you will receive or when you will receive them. With normal use, you should be able to get two years out of the phone.

Should you buy one?

Yes, but only if your budget is $ 200 or less. If you can afford to spend a little more, it is worth doing so.

Editor's recommendations




24 Apr
Blog

2020 Lexus LS 500 F Sport AWD Review: F Is For Fast

2020 Lexus LS 500 F Sport AWD

2020 Lexus LS 500 F Sport AWD review: Comfortable chair

"The 2020 Lexus LS 500 is as fast as a sports car and as comfortable as your living room."

  • Impressive acceleration

  • Striking exterior

  • Well-designed interior

  • Handles well for a large car

  • No Android car

  • Cumbersome infotainment interface

  • Inconspicuous driver assistance technology

With the 2020 LS 500, Lexus lets hair hang. The original Lexus LS shocked the world with its amazing build quality and reliability at a lower price than a comparable Mercedes-Benz or BMW of the time. The first LS proved to be fairly bulletproof, with one example collecting 1 million miles. However, luxury car purchases are inherently irrational, so Lexus needed cars that could appeal to both the heart and the head.

The LS has been redesigned for the 2018 model year and has been given a more expressive exterior and interior design to give it a distinctive personality that earlier generations of this large sedan lacked. The LS also received a technical and performance upgrade to keep pace with competitors like the Audi A8, the BMW 7 Series, and the Mercedes-Benz S-Class.

Our test car was a 2020 Lexus LS 500 with the optional performance package F Sport and all-wheel drive (rear-wheel drive is standard). As tested, the car had a sticker price of $ 89,555, about $ 13,000 more than a base model.

2020 Lexus LS 500 F Sport AWD

Design and interior

Like other current Lexus models (and those of the parent company Toyota), the 2020 LS 500 tries very hard not to get bored. From the massive spindle grill to headlights that look as if they were designed by Zorro, the LS 500 stands out in a way that its German competitors don't. In contrast to the LS of the previous generation, in which many of these style elements were taken up later, the exterior of the 2020 model also works as a coherent whole.

The interior is even better. Not only does it have a distinctive look, with aluminum trim parts flowing over the dashboard and hand-folded pleats on the doors, but the materials are top-notch. Almost everything you touch is real metal or leather. Lexus has skipped the traditional wood paneling of our performance-oriented F-Sport test car, but is available as an option.

The interior is also cavernous, but that's expected in this segment. As spacious as the Lexus is, the Mercedes-Benz S-Class and the Audi A8 offer more headroom at the front and rear. The Audi also has a bit more leg room in the front, while the BMW 7 Series has more leg room and a larger trunk.

The LS 500 stands out in a way that its German competitors don't.

Technology, infotainment and driver assistance

Lexus hit the design but missed the technical goal. The infotainment system includes a central 12.3-inch screen and a digital instrument cluster (our test car also had the optional head-up display). The graphics were clear and easy to read, but everything is controlled via the cumbersome Remote Touch Interface trackpad.

This interface is similar to a laptop, in which the driver has to move a cursor over the screen. While Lexus has made some improvements over previous versions (the latest version supports handwriting recognition), the trackpad is still difficult to use while driving.

By default, the LS is compatible with Apple CarPlay and Amazon Alexa, but not with Android Auto. Some Lexus models have received Android Auto for the 2020 model year, so it is possible that the feature will be added to the LS in the future. However, Lexus has not discussed a fixed schedule.

2020 Lexus LS 500 F Sport AWDStephen Edelstein / Digital Trends

An unusual feature that Lexus included was a CD player that has disappeared from most other new cars. The Lexus SC 430 was the last car to be sold in the US with a tape recorder. So Lexus clearly has a soft spot for the media.

Like most other models from the Japanese automaker, the 2020 LS 500 comes standard with the Lexus Safety System + 2.0 package of driver aids. These include autonomous emergency braking, traffic sign recognition, adaptive cruise control, automatic high beam, a lane departure warning and a lane tracking assistant that offers small steering inputs to keep the car centered on its lane. Regardless of this package, monitoring of the blind spot, warning of cross traffic at the rear and parking assistance are also standard on the 2020 LS 500.

Driver aids are fairly simple compared to other luxury car manufacturers. For example, the LS can recognize stop signs, but the Audi A8 knows when the traffic lights change (at least in 30 cities with the necessary infrastructure). The lane tracking assistant struggled with even the smoothest bends on highways and tumbled drunk from one side of the lane to the other. The adaptive cruise control had problems maintaining a set speed. When going downhill, it relied too much on engine brakes to slow the car down, and let the speed increase a few miles an hour before finally slowing down. It is a low-resolution version of the experience you have with one of the German alternatives.

2020 Lexus LS 500 F Sport AWD

Experience behind the wheel

Turn off the driver aids and the 2020 Lexus LS 500 is in its element. Lexus has steadily improved the driving dynamics of its cars, and the LS 500 shows how far the automaker has come.

Under the hood (and a large plastic engine cover) sits a 3.5-liter V6 with two turbochargers that delivers 416 horsepower and 424 pound-feet of torque. The V6 is coupled with a 10-speed automatic transmission with standard rear-wheel drive or the optional all-wheel drive of our test car.

Lexus said that rear-wheel drive models will go from zero to 60 mph in 4.6 seconds. That said, this 4,900-pound sedan is faster than a basic Porsche Cayman. It is also faster than the basic versions of the Audi A8, the BMW 7 Series and the Mercedes-Benz S-Class and is connected to the V8-BMW 750i. However, the Germans offer other variants of their large sedans with more power and faster acceleration.

Lexus hit the design but missed the technical goal.

Our test car was an F Sport model, which was equipped with adaptive suspension and larger brakes to improve handling. F Sport models don't get the same upgrades as Lexus F-bore full-bore models, but this LS 500 did pretty well with what it had.

The car always felt like the big, heavy sedan, but the F Sport suspension made it somewhat maneuverable in corners. The engine was one of the most powerful turbo six-cylinder we have ever seen. He felt like he had a few more cylinders. If big cars are like boats, this is more of a guided missile cruiser than an ocean liner.

Even in normal mode, the ride was not as smooth as we would expect from cars in this segment. This could be due to the chassis tuning and the 20-inch wheels of our test car. However, the compromise between driving quality and handling seemed reasonable.

2020 Lexus LS 500 F Sport AWD

Fuel consumption and security

All-wheel drive 2020 Lexus LS 500 models like our test car are rated at 21 mpg (18 mpg city, 27 mpg highway), while rear-wheel drive models with 23 mpg (19 mpg city, 30) do slightly better at mpg highway). The ratings are pretty close to the petrol versions of the Audi A8, the BMW 7 Series and the Mercedes-Benz S-Class. We drove an average of 15.5 mpg over a week (according to the car's on-board computer), but the average fell around 11 mpg when driving around town.

Lexus also offers an LS hybrid of up to 28 mpg, which, however, offers significantly less power than the non-hybrid model. Audi, BMW and Mercedes offer plug-in hybrid drives with even higher fuel efficiency.

If big cars are like boats, this is more of a guided missile cruiser than an ocean liner.

The 2020 Lexus LS has received no crash test ratings from the Road Safety Insurance Institute (IIHS) or the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). This is usually the case with high-end, low-volume cars.

Lexus offers a four-year basic warranty of 50,000 miles and a six-year warranty of 70,000 miles for the drive train. The LS has built its reputation on unparalleled reliability, and Lexus still has a pretty good reputation in this area.

How DT would configure this car

It can raise the price by $ 6,000, but the F Sport package seems like a good investment. The adaptive suspension enlivens handling, and improved brakes are always a plus with such a heavy car. F Sport models also get comfortable but heavily padded front seats, which are a good alternative to the crowded sofa cushions of some other luxury cars. The head-up display ($ 1,200) and the Mark Levinson audio system with 23 speakers ($ 1,940) would complete our hypothetical LS build.

Our opinion

The 2020 Lexus LS 500 has a powerful turbo engine and a well-designed interior that makes for a very luxurious experience, although competitors offer better technology. Lexus needs to get rid of the chunky trackpad interface and update the driver aids. The original LS hybrid was one of the first traditional luxury cars with electrification. Audi, BMW and Mercedes are now offering plug-in hybrids. The F Sport model is sporty, but not as sporty as the top versions of the German sedans.

Lexus gave the LS a soul, but now he has to give the car a technical upgrade. The infotainment system and driver aids are the most imperfect areas, but it would also be nice to see a full-fledged F-performance model or plug-in hybrid or fully electric powertrain options. These changes would make the LS from a good car to a great one. Nevertheless, the Lexus LS 500 sends you down the road like a rocket ship and still offers you comfort. That will definitely appeal to many buyers.

Should you get one?

Yes. The 2020 Lexus LS is luxury with personality.

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