Motorola Moto G30 is one of the newest members of the G-series. The device offers a set of features that check a lot of boxes in the budget segment. The Moto G30 is powered by the Snapdragon 662 SoC, packs a 5,000mAh battery, and offers a quad rear camera setup alongside a design that’s good to look at. But how good is it really when compared to the competition? We spent some time with the device and here’s our Moto G30 quick review.

The smartphone offers a fresh look with its gradient design on the Dark Pearl color variant, which we received from the company. It is hard to spot the fingerprints on the back, which makes it a few of the devices that we can recommend without using a case. The phone is easy to grip, thanks to the curves at the sides. Furthermore, the fingerprint sensor is situated within the Motorola logo, which is a decent placement as it is easy to reach while holding the device.

Moto G30 rear

On the left edge lie all the buttons including the Google Assistant, volume rockers, and the power button, which is positioned well and has a textured finish to it. However, the Google Assistant button is up on top and is very hard to reach with one hand without doing some thumb acrobatics. At the bottom, you get a Type-C port, which is accompanied by a microphone and loudspeaker. On the top, you get a 3.5mm audio jack and secondary microphone. I have a soft spot for phones that come with a headphone jack. The Moto G30 offers an IP52 rating for water resistance but don’t take it to the beach with you. 

The Moto G30 features a 6.5-inch LCD display that offers a 90Hz refresh rate. The bezels are on the thicker side, but they won’t bother you while watching content or using the phone in general. While it is not as contrasty as an OLED screen, the display quality is good for media consumption. Plus, 90Hz makes the experience smoother than usual. However, the screen’s maximum brightness isn’t the best. We had trouble viewing it in direct sunlight, especially when trying to view photos. 

Moto G30 display

The smartphone is powered by Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 662 chipset, paired with 4GB/6GB of RAM and 64GB/128GB of internal storage that can be expanded. We faced no issues while browsing through the phone and in casual use. Although, the animation is on the slower side. Apps load quickly and you’ll be able to multitask without worries. That being said, don’t expect to play your favorite games in high graphics settings. 

As for battery life, the 5,000mAh cell will last you an entire day easily – with any kind of usage. Motorola offers great battery life on its budget devices and the Moto G30 is no different. The company bundles a 20W charger in the box, and it charged about 35% in 30 minutes and more than 60% in an hour. 

Moto G30 in hand

The Moto G30 sports a quad rear camera setup that is led by a 64MP primary camera, which is accompanied by an 8MP ultra-wide-angle lens, a 2MP macro camera, and a 2MP depth sensor. The cameras are plenty versatile but apart from the primary sensor, the others need improvement. 

The 64MP sensor uses pixel-binning to capture 16MP shots by default. However, you can click full-res photos as well. As with any other camera nowadays, you get good details in broad daylight. Moreover, we found the colors to be fairly accurate too. At night, it takes a while to click images. It misses out on details in the shadows. Plus, there is some kind of smoothening going on to reduce the grain. Switching to Night Mode offers better details but the highlights could be blown out at times. As for portrait shots, the software is able to offer good separation between the subject and the background.

The secondary cameras are not worth writing home about. The 8MP sensor captures lesser details when compared to the primary lens. It is perfectly usable in daylight. Coming to the 2MP macro camera, it is average at best. The shots lack details but it does allow you to get super close to the subject. On the front lies a 13MP selfie shooter that offers average dynamic range and aggressive HDR most of the time. You can click portrait shots, which offer a good separation of the subject from the background. Turn to low light and the details disappear but using the Night Mode is the better choice since it offers better colors.

A jack of all trades but master of none

The Moto G30 seems to be a device that is a jack of all trades but master of none. It offers a good display with a 90Hz refresh rate, average performance, and cameras, a long-lasting battery life – all of it packed inside a stylish design. It does a bit of everything. However, the phone faces tough competition from the likes of the Redmi Note 10 (though, more expensive but better value) and the Realme Narzo 30A. That being said, if you are strictly on a budget, you won’t be disappointed by the Moto G30.


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