Moto G5 Plus

Update: Moto has announced that the G5 Plus will receive the upgrade to Android Oreo in the following months. It won't revolutionize the way you use the phone, but notification dots, a retooling of the way apps work in the background, as well as picture-in-picture mode, make for some exciting additions.

Original review follows below.

While flagship makers battle for the top spot with small bezels and pixel-perfect cameras, Motorola has been winning a more quiet, but equally important fight: to offer desired features in a phone without costing too much.

Speaking of features, the new Moto G5 Plus has them in spades. A fingerprint sensor, generous heaps of internal storage with microSD support, Google Assistant, fast charging, GSM and CDMA compatibility. The list goes on.

In that regard, it isn’t a far cry of last year's value-packed Moto G4 Plus - not that you’d even know the two were related by looking at them.

Refreshed from top to bottom (and on the inside, too), the Moto G5 Plus has redefined itself and it didn't even have to.

If you’re strapped for cash, but still want the latest Android Nougat software (with Oreo on the way), this year’s model is on sale for $229 (£249, AU pricing not disclosed at time of review), which is actually a little bit cheaper than the G4 Plus. How often do you see phone prices going down instead of up?

Previous owners and newcomers alike will find a lot to enjoy here for the price. So much so that minor exclusions like NFC (this feature is available outside of the US), the non-removable back and the so-so camera performance don’t detract much from the experience or the value. Though, if those features are absolutely key, you’ll want to spend a little more on some of the other best cheap phones. 

Moto G5 Plus release date and price

• Starts at $229 (£249, AU$399) – cheaper than the Moto G4 Plus
• Supports GSM and CDMA networks out of the box
• Available now globally
• Even cheaper with Amazon lockscreen ads in the US

Though most will have the luxury to decide between this and the Moto G5, the plus-sized phone is the only option available to those in the US. The lack of choice is a downer, but thankfully, this phone leaves almost nothing to be desired for the cost.

In the US, it has launched at $229 for the 2GB RAM model with 32GB of internal storage. At that price, it’s slightly cheaper than the Moto G4 Plus, which offered us less for the money in the way of internal storage and a weaker Snapdragon 617 system on chip (SoC).

For $299, you can pick up the US-exclusive model that comes with 4GB of RAM and 64GB of flash storage.

If you’re an Amazon Prime subscriber, you’ll snag a discount on each model: $184 and $239, respectively. The only caveats worth mentioning here is that you’ll be fed ads on the lockscreen and each phone will have some non-removable apps. However, this significant discount will certainly be worth it for some.

Depending on where you are in the world, the configurations available differ a bit.

In the Asia-Pacific region? You have two models to choose from: one with 16GB of storage/3GB RAM and one with 32GB/4GB RAM. In Latin America, there is but one model available with 32GB of storage and 2GB of RAM. To those in Europe, Africa, and the Middle East region, the only G5 Plus available has 32GB of storage with 3GB of RAM. Confusing, we know.

In the UK, you’ll be able to snag Moto G5 Plus for £249. Last, but not least, the model is available in Australia starting at AU$399.

Thankfully, any version that you pick up is compatible on both CDMA and GSM networks. On Verizon and planning a switch to AT&T, or vice versa? You’re all set with this single phone. Feel free to swap between networks on the fly, or if you’re like me, toss in a Project Fi SIM card that works with both CDMA and GSM and get the best of both worlds.

The fact that Moto can add this broad compatibility across networks in its budget phone lineup is impressive and frankly, all other manufacturers should be taking notes. 

Design

• Revamped design makes it no longer feel like a budget device
• Borrows from the Moto Z, but carves out a confident look on its own
• Concave, multi-purpose fingerprint sensor is Moto’s best yet

The Moto G5 Plus takes affordable smartphone design to the next level with a build quality that more closely mimics that of an expensive flagship phone.

Sure, the Moto G4 Plus could be considered good looking in its own right. It was on cue with what we’d expect out of a mid-range phone rolled into a budget handset. But not everyone liked the rubberized back when they equate aluminum or glass with top-tier quality.

This phone is completely made-over and almost unrecognizable next to its previous iteration, which in just about every way is a good thing.

At 150.2 x 74 x 7.7 - 9.7mm, this new phone from Moto trims but a few millimeters from the length and width and has a similar thickness to that of the G4 Plus. Factoring in the reduction from the 5.5-inch screen down to 5.2 inches and the end result is a device that’s easier to hold in the palm.

The slim earpiece cutout and fingerprint sensor on the front borrows from the Moto Z’s styling. If anything, we prefer the feel of the sensor on the G5 Plus more because of its concave design, which makes it easier to find when you’re not looking at the phone.

Set to release in lunar grey and fine gold color options (Moto provided us with the latter for review), the bezels give off a glossy look and are complemented nicely by the metallic effect on the trim that surrounds the phone. We usually see manufacturers opting for a chamfered edge here, so it’s cool to see Moto bucking convention.

From there, the G5 Plus transitions on its back into soft, brushed metal that provides a good amount of grip while avoiding common smartphone plagues, like carrier-specific branding and attracting fingerprints.  As far as buttons and ports go, the G5 Plus plays host to the usual suspects.

On the right side, you’ll find a volume rocker placed above the notched power button. The nanoSIM and microSD card slot sits atop of the device, while the micro USB port and 3.5mm jack occupy its bottom.  

Display

Sitting front and center of the G5 Plus is its 5.2-inch Full HD (1080p) screen. A phone is usually only as good as its display and thankfully, this one doesn’t disappoint.

While we take every opportunity to bash manufacturers for not taking the leap to QHD (1440p) in more expensive devices -hrm, Sony -, FHD resolution suits Moto’s latest just fine. Games with a lot of detailed art look fantastic and VR experiences with the best Google Cardboard games will look just fine with its 424 pixel-per-inch (PPI) screen.

Though, due to Google Daydream’s tough guidelines that only let in phones that have OLED screen tech running at 2K, the G5 Plus will have to keep dreaming.

Indoor and out, the IPS display was clearly readable and multimedia is more vibrant than in Moto’s previous budget entries. This is in part thanks to the new settings menu that tweaks the colors of the screen, a welcome feature for those who like to have options. 

Interface and reliability

• Comes with Android Nougat, complete with Google Assistant, stock apps and Pixel-like interface. Android Oreo is on its way soon.
• Moto’s built-in software features make this phone into something unique
• Swipe-activated fingerprint sensor is awesome

Some phone makers insist on heavily remixing stock Android software, but Moto is not one of them. Following closely in the steps of Nexus and Pixel smartphones, the Moto G5 Plus does very little to stray for Google’s vision for Android Nougat.

Soon, Moto will be rolling out an update to Android Oreo, but until then, Nougat will have to do.

While the Moto G4, Moto G4 Plus and Moto G4 Play came with the Google Now launcher, the new phone’s software more closely resembles that of the Google Pixel and Google Pixel XL. Instead of an app drawer button, you simply slide a finger up from the bottom to reveal all of your apps.

Of course, you’re free to install the launcher of your choosing, but this refined user interface is at its peak and a lot of people are really going to enjoy it.

All of Google’s stock apps are here, like Phone, Messaging and Contacts. There are even a few surprises built-in, like Duo and Wallpapers and Google Assistant.

There is a little bit of Moto in the mix, too. There’s an app that is aptly titled “Moto” on the homescreen by default and it’s your shortcut to unlocking some interesting features baked into the device.

We’ve seen most of these before, like “twist to open camera” and “chop twice for flashlight”. But making its debut here is the inventive one button navigation.

Once activated, the capacitive navigation buttons that you’re used to disappear and shifts those duties to the fingerprint sensor.  

To go home, quickly tap it once. To look at recent apps, tap and swipe right. Going back is a simple swipe left. Like the Moto Z, you can put the phone in sleep mode with the fingerprint sensor as a more accessible alternative to the power button. To do this, just touch it a little longer than a tap, but shorter than a long press. Sounds confusing, but it’s executed pretty well.

In addition to making navigation easier with the fingerprint sensor, Moto has also implemented the Google Assistant to let you do more with your voice. You can either long press the fingerprint sensor or simply bring your phone to attention with “OK, Google”.    

Lastly, Moto earns points for its smart display tech. When you move your hand over the phone, a screen lights up that shows notifications and lets you pause music. It’s a nice quality of life touch that makes interacting with the G5 Plus faster and easier.   

Music, movies and gaming

• Delivers a solid multimedia experience on a budget
• 3.5mm jack and Bluetooth 4.2 support wired and wireless headphones
• Vibrant Full HD display makes movies look crisp at 1080p
• Faster Snapdragon 625 and extra RAM helps games run smoothly, too

If you want true multimedia bliss, the Moto Z is definitely the best option offered by Motorola. But that G5 Plus is certainly no slouch and in fact, it one-ups its flagship sibling right out of the gate.

Starting with music, the G5 Plus comes with a 3.5mm headset and Bluetooth 4.2 to ensure that both wired and wireless tech adopters are suited. As you may remember, the Moto Z and Moto Z Force omitted the wired option following the Apple’s controversial decision with the iPhone 7, only to bring it back in the Moto Z Play.

This device comes stocked with Google Play Music as its music player by default, but you’re free as always to load on whichever music streaming service that you’d prefer.

As it does for music, Moto’s budget device calls upon Google’s suite of video apps, Google Play Movies and YouTube to provide what you’re looking for. Like the G4 Plus, the G5 Plus a 1080p display, though it looks plenty vibrant and crisp for its size. Overall, the quality is as expected, but is nevertheless impressive considering the low price tag.  

Lastly, your gaming experience on this phone will depend on the types of games you like to play. The classics work without a hitch and even newer titles, like Fire Emblem Heroes and Hearthstone, look stunning and are each a smooth, enjoyable experience on the G5 Plus.  

Whatever it is you enjoy doing on a phone for entertainment, the built-in microSD slot that supports up to 128GB of extra adoptable storage will keep the party rolling for quite some time.  

Specs and performance benchmark explained

• Enough power to multitask without a hitch and run the latest games
• Matches (and in some regions, exceeds) the specs of the Moto Z Play for cheaper, sans Mods

Moto’s G series has always worked against the idea that a low price phone can’t be thoughtfully constructed or packed full of competent specs, and that baton has been passed on to the G5 Plus.

You certainly won’t find a Snapdragon 835 inside, but the Snapdragon 625 octa-core SoC is a small, albeit noticeable speed boost over the 617 inside of the Moto G4 Plus. Also improved inside of that package is the Adreno 506 graphics processing unit (GPU) that operates at a higher clock speed than what was found in last year’s model.

Our review unit has 4GB of RAM inside, so it’s the top of the line in Moto’s G5 lineup in the US (and anywhere else, for that matter).

In fact, that puts it higher than the 3GB of RAM-equipped Moto Z Play if you’re just comparing specs. During our time with it, we spent no time waiting on hanging menus, and multitasking with Nougat’s split-window feature didn’t slow this phone down at all.  

When put through its paces on Geekbench 4, the Moto G5 Plus spit out an average of 3,824 for the multicore score. Oddly, that’s well above the 2,600 score put forward by the Moto Z Play, which aside from the 3GB of RAM, matches this new budget phone completely. We think it’s fair to attribute this to inconsistencies in the benchmarking app and/or vast performance improvements from Nougat over Android Marshmallow. One shouldn’t place too much confidence in those scores, anyway.  

Wondering where the Moto Mods are? Like you, we were hoping to see them appear on the G series one day. And thankfully, Motorola didn’t totally rule out Moto Mod coming to the budget line when we asked at MWC 2017. But seeing as this Moto G5 Plus is similarly specced to the Moto Z Play, the lack of modular support is a let-down.  

• No batter increase over the G4 Plus, but that’s not a bad thing
• Impressive fast-charge technology for a budget phone

In some ways, the Moto G5 Plus couldn’t be more different from its predecessor. But when it comes to the battery inside this time around, it’s quite similar.

At 3,000mAh, the capacity offered up is on par for a phone this size. Moto promises all-day performance, so the baseline target for this budget phone is one day before it taps out. During our testing, it was common for the phone to last longer than its advertised lifespan. Obviously, your results will vary depending on your work (or play) load, but the G5 Plus easily meets the mark of a day of battery life.

It’s really no surprise, given that an 90-minute HD movie only drained 12% of the battery.

Although this phone can last quite a while without a charge, plugging it into the included charger once it’s dead reveals another neat trick: it can return to form very quickly. Equipped with Moto’s TurboPower technology, the G5 Plus went from 0-20% in 15 minutes. After another half hour, it reached 62%. And finally, it became fully charged in a total of 85 minutes. 

Camera

• Captures bigger pixels, but the results don’t really show
• 4K video looks good on paper, but 1080p at 60FPS is the star here
• Moto’s camera software is becoming a favorite and the app is fast to boot and capture

If you’re a numbers person, the changes in the camera department from last year’s G4 Plus might be setting off an alarm.

The rear sensor in the G5 Plus is now 12MP, moved down from 16MP. But in its stead are some worthwhile improvements that are worth the exchange.

For instance, the main camera is now capable of better low light shooting thanks to the aperture boost from f/2.2 to f/1.7. The sensor now captures larger 1.4-micron pixels in each photograph, which in theory boasts accurate lighting and cuts back on the amount of noise present.

You’ll also be able to shoot video in 4K at 30 frames per second (FPS) - 1080p at 30FPS was the threshold of the G4 Plus. What we discovered from the G5 Plus is that being able to shoot in 4K doesn’t magically turn your footage into Hollywood-caliber gold. While detailed, our results were shaky, slow to focus with colors muddled slightly throughout. There are few places where this phone shows its budget roots and this is one of them. 

Lastly, though the specs of its front facing camera haven’t changed one bit, Moto has added its professional and beautification modes to this end. Now, you can modify your shots and tweak your results with both cameras of this budget device.

As someone who uses the Google Pixel XL as a daily driver and main camera, more or less, it quickly becomes apparent how far behind every other phone is. Obviously, the Moto G5 Plus is on the opposite side of the pricing spectrum and it’s unfair to compare the two directly. And while serviceable, I can fairly state that I was a little disappointed with the camera performance here.

It’s hard to expect brilliance at this low price tag, and yes, it is possible to take some nice shots if you have an eye and a steady hand for it. But you may not want to toss out your point-and-shoot just yet.

Moto has improved its less-than-stellar reputation for bad imaging in the past few years, but the G5 Plus isn’t a good indicator of that progress.

Photos were generally murky and lacked the sharp details and colors that we expected to be captured from each scene, especially considering the large pixels. Testing its low-light chops ended with mixed results. It captured photos with enough detail to satisfy, but mixed in the same haze and overblown lights that we saw during the day.

Check out the results in the slideshow below. As you’ll see, still photos are another area where the Moto G5 Plus lives up its its budget reputation, and doesn't in anyway exceed it.

Despite the so-so performance of the camera hardware, Moto’s camera software is really starting to become a favorite. It’s intuitive, feature-packed and it boots quickly, whether you launch it from the app, the twist-to-open Moto action, or by double tapping the power button. 

Motorola is continuing its hot streak in the budget market with the Moto G5 Plus. Flagship features and design have slowly trickled down to the mid-range and it’s good to see Moto absorbing this trend on the low-end. Finally, it longer looks or feels like a budget phone.

While what’s at the core of the new phone is simply a welcome jump over last year’s, it will likely mark a change in perception of the G series. If not for the design, then for inclusions like Google Assistant and other inventive features like the one-button navigation on the fingerprint sensor.

The quality of the images taken with the G5 Plus are the low point here. Otherwise, our biggest gripes with it are centered around what it could be, not what we wished it wasn’t.

Who's it for?

For those on a budget, but who don’t want to sacrifice decent performance to save some money.

Android Nougat with Google Assistant, Moto’s slick (and light) custom touches, premium design and stacked list of features all make this more than your ordinary phone. All for $229, you say? That’s an easy sell. 

Should you buy it?

If you own the Moto G4, you more or less know what you’re in for. For everyone else, there is simply no better deal out there for a phone that essentially does it all.

Sure, you won’t find NFC here if you’re pining to use Android Pay in the US, and the camera performance didn’t impress us. However, those are small blips for a device that gets so much right for very little cash.