After refreshing its mid-range lineup, Chinese smartphone brand Motorola is back in India with an entry-level model in its budget-oriented Moto G-series line. Named the Moto G64, the smartphone is packed with features such as a display of a smooth refresh rate, a thin-and-lightweight design, a capable dual-camera system, swift performance, and a near-stock Android operating system. At Rs 14,999 onwards, the Moto G64 5G ticks all the right boxes for a budget smartphone. But is it without flaws? Let us find out:
Design
The Moto G64 has a thin-and-lightweight build, which enhances the in-hand experience. Its mint green colourway (review unit) looks different in a good way. The phone has a gradient finish on the back cover, accentuated by an aluminium camera housing positioned at the top left side. The back cover is adorned with a 3D Acrylic glass (PMMA) finish, with the iconic Moto logo embossed in the centre. On the front, the phone sports a centrally located camera hole, surrounded by thick bezels that lend it a somewhat mundane appearance.
To the right, it accommodates the power button and volume controls, and the left side hosts the removable SIM slot. The bottom is equipped with a 3.5mm audio jack, a USB-C port, and one of the two speakers. The phone is water-repellent (IP52 rating), guarding against accidental spills or splashes. Overall, the design closely resembles that of its predecessors.
Display
The Moto G64 sports a 6.5-inch fullHD+ IPS LCD of 120Hz refresh rate. High refresh rate is now common in smartphones across price segments, but budget smartphones usually exhibit broken experience even with high refresh rate support. This is where the Moto G64 excels. Though not without flaws, the refresh rate is optimised for a smooth experience in general. As for the performance, the display remains readable even in sunny outdoor conditions. It is vibrant, smooth and responsive. The display supports HDR viewing on YouTube and other apps.
Coming to the audio, the Moto G64 boasts stereo speakers with Dolby Atmos, providing loud and clear audio with a sense of spatial coverage. Interestingly, the phone is among the few to include a 3.5mm jack.
Camera
The Moto G64 boasts a dual-camera setup on the rear, featuring a 50-megapixel main sensor with optical image stabilisation (OIS) and an 8MP ultra-wide-angle camera sensor. On the front, the phone has a 16MP camera sensor.
Details aside, the rear camera system captures images with clarity and modest depth in daylight. However, after processing, the colours do not appear natural and look overly contrasted. In indoor and well-lit conditions, the picture quality is clear, with balanced colours and depth. However, in low-light conditions, the camera produces pixelated and blurry images. Ultra-wide-angle shots tend to be a bit hazy, while macro shots are clear.
Improvements are needed in night shots, where images can become hazy, and multiple shots are required to capture a good image.
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The front camera captures good images both in daylight and at night. It offers beauty filters and tends to soften the images.
One interesting feature is the capture method for selfies, which includes an option to show your palm to the camera without tapping to take a picture. This feature is similar to the air gesture feature. The camera has other options like slow-motion, time-lapse dual capture mode and many more.
Video recording capability includes videos at 30fps and 60 fps with OIS. Stabilization is good, but the output colour quality is not natural.
Performance
The Moto G64 5G is powered by the MediaTek Dimensity 7025, accompanied by up to 12GB of RAM and 256GB of storage. This is among the best configurations available on budget smartphone. Therefore, expect smooth performance. Complementing the performance is the near-stock Android 14 experience. Motorola has included some of its nifty features in the interface, and for better. These include the “My UX” feature for personalised experience. Besides, there are other Motorola features such as Think Shield, Family Space, and Moto Secure. Perhaps the most important software aspect is Motorola’s commitment to update it to Android 15 and support the smartphone with security updates for three years.
Battery
The Moto G64 is powered by a 6,000mAh battery, which keeps the show going for a day even when used to the max of its potential. Supporting the good on-battery time is the charging time with 33W fast charging – takes 90 minutes for the phone to fully charge.
Verdict
The Moto G64 is a solid budget smartphone with swift performance, decent camera capabilities, and a clutter-free user interface. With camera performance, the only drag here, the Moto G64 makes a compelling option in the budget segment only if you can live with a sub-par camera system. Otherwise, the smartphone is a better option with something in store for everyone.
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