Motorola Moto G5S
- ?
- Anonymous
- 3xn
- 24 Jul 2020
This is my experience with Moto G5s, a phone that I have been using since June 2018.
! That is my only opinion and experience!
The Good parts
1. The speakers and the sound quality
The speakers are great. They are louder. The first two positions of the sound level bar are enough for you to listen a video.
The Sound quality is great. If you are using a good pair of headphones, the sound will be amazing. It's the best sound quality that I got from a device that I own, excluding the Smart TV.
The Phone call quality is enough to be heard clearly. No one would I talk to say something bad about the phone's microphone.
2. The "Turbo Power" fast charger.
The fast charger in the box is a 15W charger. It can charge the battery from 20% to 100% in 80 minutes. Yes, the phones get hotter, but it's a fast charger. Every phone that is using a fast charger gets hotter. In 2018, when I bought this phone, there was a huge deal putting a fast charger in the box of a midrange phone, a phone that was not very Chinese. (I know that Lenovo bought Motorola)
3. The Build quality
The build quality is good. The phone is made from aluminium and it has Gorilla Glass 3. It got some scratches on the corners, scratches that can be only seen in good light.
4. The Launcher
The Launcher is simple. Looks a lot like the Pixel launcher. It doesn't eat too much ram. The simpler the launcher is, the less ram it eats (Also depends on software optimization).
5. The screen resolution and size
The screen is 1080p, which was and is enough .
6. The memory
I didn't have less than 15 GB of free memory in this period of time. I used Google Photos for photos.
7. One button navigation.
It has one button navigation. That means it has more screen space.
8. Moto gestures.
Are extremely useful. Chop twice for Flashlight and Twist from quick capture were my favorites.
Mediocre parts
1. The camera.
The camera can take good photos, most of the times. The most of the time, the colors are detailed enough to use them anywhere. In low light, the camera can take good photos, in 75% of the time, but in the rest 25%, it doesn't. That 25% of the photos taken in low light, are many times to0 brighter, or too darker, or there are low on detail. But the phone is too old, and too cheap to get great low light photos. Is good to note that the HDR mode can help.
But also, the HDR mode takes the camera to the mediocrity of this phone. It's auto, but many times it when is triggered by some external factors, the photos that are taken are too satured, or too detailed. On some occasions it can destroy(you can not use on social media for photographers sites) a photo because of the things that I said. Other times the photos taken with HDR mode on, on auto are good or better than photos taken without HDR mode. And the photos made with the HDR mode on, NOT on Auto can be even worser. Not only the photos are too detalied and saturated, but are too big in size(many times more than 10 MB/photo), but also it takes a lot of time to take a photo(5 to 11 seconds)
It is important to say that the camera interface is not that easy to use. The brightness level bar cn be hard to use(and understand) for a people that never used one before. Even for me was a difficulty in the first 2 months.
But also the camera app has a professional mode, which is a nice option to see.
The Selfie camera is mediocre, but I have known that when I bought the phone. I am not a selfie enthusiastic. But it also has a frontal flash.
The phone has a slow motion video mode. The videos are not that good. These are in 540p only. But the mode exists, when in other new phones in the 200$ price range from THAT TIME didn't existed.
The videos are not very good. They are in 1080p, but they are a little crispy. I have an older phone that can record better in 1080p-Iphone 5S.
I would appreciate if the phone had camera effects.
Note!
If the phone hadn't had the small issues with HDR mode, the camera would have been at the good parts.
2. The processor
Because I am not a mobile gamer, I couldn't test the chipset at its maximum. Plus, I know it is the Snapdragon 430.
But the chipset is getting its job done. I didn't have any apps freezes or lagging. If an app had a lagging issue, an app update was fixing that.
3. Software updates
It updated to Android 8.1 in February 2019. The last update was in August 2019. I would like it to make updates until 2020. But is Ok, since is not an Android One.
4. The battery life.
In the first year of when I had the phone, it's battery lasted two days on medium usage per charge. Now it's last one day and a half per charge, on medium usage. Considering that It has only 3000 mAh, a 1080p and not so power efficient chipset is good. A bigger battery would have been better. Now in July 2020, the phone battery gets hotter, and it drains quicker than at the start of 2020.
The bad parts.
1.The screen optimization and the screen brightness during the battery saver mode.
One month ago, I discovered that the screen was more dimmer that it was before. The brightness sometimes cannot be changed, probably because of an error. So it makes it difficult to take photos in sunlight, or to look at the screen. But this error appears only in the Battery Saver Mode. Not every time is the same. Sometimes you need to turn off the auto brightness or to turn off the Battery Saver mode to escape from this error. From when I had this phone I used it in Battery Saver mode, at 30-40% brightness, but I didn't have this issue. After a hard reset, the error appeared rarely.
This is a well known error, not only on G5S, but also on others Motorola phones.
It appears to time to time, but it's get out by itself.
2.The camera bump
It does exist. It is prone to scratches. A case was a necessity.
4. The Signal , Wi Fi and data problems.
Many times when I used Bluetooth headphones, the wifi started to turn off and on. It had this problem when it was new, and when I was not using Bluetooth headphones. This problem appears only on Motorola, because when I use that pair of headphones with my laptop, or with an older phone, I don't have any issues even when I used at with my laptop seeing a video at 4K.
Sometimes I have problems with the Signal and internet data. Compared with my old phone. Sometimes, when I need to use my internet data, i need it to restart the phone, after that I could have used the internet data.
- M
- Motorola fan
- I@H
- 21 Jun 2020
I've been using my Moto G5s going 3 years now and still performing the same that is why im not being lured to buy this new trending brand phones because I have proven myself that Motorola is the best phone for me, I've been planning to buy another Motorola Unit (wishing for the razor or edge).
By the way, my phone fell 3 or more times but never broke or quality never change except some scratches on the metal casing because I did not dress my phone with a jelly casing or some protection ( sort of, mediocrity,,) I love my Motorola..
- ?
- Anonymous
- 3xn
- 16 Jun 2020
olakunle, 30 May 2020I want to upgrade the OS to Android 8.1. Can anyone help?Firstly, you need more than 35% battery left.
Go to System, then to Advanced and then System update.
Check for updates.
If the phone finds updates, download them and install them.
The last update of the phone has the security correction level on the August first 2019.
- A
- Asa
- tet
- 22 Mar 2020
Is this phone support hml ?
- a
- abd
- ati
- 09 Mar 2020
Tariq, 01 Jul 2019Can someone helps me in restoring my contacts from clouds t... moreimport vCard file from cloud and then connect andriod via pc suit then import that v card file
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- Anonymous
- xBC
- 27 Feb 2020
Deepakyadav, 27 Dec 2019When did you get the 9.0 Pie update? It won't ever get Android 9 Pie. You may be able to update it manually, at your own risk. It's possible for some others in the G5 series, but I haven't seen it confirmed for the G5s.
- D
- Deepakyadav
- XP@
- 27 Dec 2019
Anonymous, 19 Oct 2019Try reset factory or using adb command but only re instal n... moreWhen did you get the 9.0 Pie update?
- ?
- Anonymous
- PA7
- 19 Oct 2019
Michael, 27 Jan 2019No need updates with bugs .In G5s plus after Oreo update, w... moreTry reset factory or using adb command but only re instal network related. Most of us just fine no issue, although i have bad carrrier but signal fine. For wifi try "forget network" than connect again
- s
- sharky
- 3Av
- 27 Jul 2019
New security update this month
- S
- Saeedhu
- YUf
- 22 Jul 2019
Spotman, 09 Apr 2019I just buyed It and for now I really like it. But a thing i... moreHorrible, no compass means can't use some android application like photo pills. Next time I will make sure I purchase a phone with compass.
- T
- Tariq
- 6PQ
- 01 Jul 2019
Can someone helps me in restoring my contacts from clouds to this phone
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- Onyedika Joseph
- Nu6
- 12 Jun 2019
Sheikhg, 10 Jan 2019Planning to upgrade it today from G4 play also is there any... moreNo bugs bro. Just a very lovely phone. Perfect in making. I
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- Anonymous
- MkE
- 17 May 2019
Still a great device last security patch receveid yesterday.
- S
- Spotman
- Awe
- 09 Apr 2019
I just buyed It and for now I really like it. But a thing is weird, I have an XT1094 and it does not have a compasss like it's written in the specs here.
I bought it from France.
- A
- Alma
- 3At
- 13 Mar 2019
February security update received
- W
- Wanta Taylor
- LEi
- 05 Mar 2019
I like it
- s
- sultan
- 3Ae
- 16 Feb 2019
Maybe needs factory reset after install oreo to avoid crash applications or slow device .That's happened on G5s plus.
- J
- John
- 3Ae
- 15 Feb 2019
Also Oreo 8.1 received with December 2018 security.Update via Cosmote Greece
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- Anonymous
- 3Ac
- 14 Feb 2019
I received update Oreo 8.1, I live in Greece