Motorola Moto G200 5G review

Introduction, specs, unboxing

Motorola launched the Moto G200 5G back in November, nine months after the first Ready For-capable smartphone - the Moto G100. And it is shaping as an outstanding sequel and probably one of the most interesting bang-for-the-buck offers on the market right now. With display, chipset and camera getting major boosts it's looking like a well-rounded package.

The Moto G200 5G carries a mid-range price tag, but its specs sheet really blurs the line to flagships. It impresses right out of the bat with a 6.8" 1080p LCD screen with a 144Hz refresh rate and HDR10 support. One of the most powerful chipsets - the Snapdragon 888+ can really drive the fast-refreshing screen and will make sure you can reach the 144fps wherever support is present. Oh, and the triple camera on the back sure sounds premium with that 108MP primary and a 13MP ultrawide with autofocus for Macro Vision.

Motorola has been known for its water-repellent designs and the new G200 5G is no different. The IP52 rating is not exactly impressive as it covers no water splashes, let alone submersion, but then official IP ratings aren't that common in this price range so at least it's not going to hold the G200 back.

More of Motorola's DNA shines through in the 33W TurboPower charging for the large 5,000mAh battery and the clean Android experience with limited Moto customizations. And we do appreciate the Ready For support, which despite its gimmicky name, promises a powerful desktop experience.

And while the package sounds great on its own, the thing that makes the Moto G200 5G really interesting is its price. In a smartphone world with constantly increasing prices this Motorola that could have been easily an Edge series member, is priced at €449, while some shopping around can let you have it for as low as €400 in some markets.

So, let's take a quick scroll through the complete Moto G200 5G specs and get this review started.

Motorola Moto G200 5G specs at a glance:

• Body: 168.1x75.5x8.9mm, 202g; Glass front, plastic frame, plastic back; Water-repellent design.
• Display: 6.80" LCD, 144Hz, HDR10, 1080x2460px resolution, 20.5:9 aspect ratio, 395ppi.
• Chipset: Qualcomm SM8350 Snapdragon 888+ 5G (5 nm): Octa-core (1x2.99 GHz Kryo 680 & 3x2.42 GHz Kryo 680 & 4x1.80 GHz Kryo 680); Adreno 660.
• Memory: 128GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 8GB RAM; UFS 3.1.
• OS/Software: Android 11.
• Rear camera: Wide (main): 108 MP, f/1.9, 1/1.52", 0.7µm, PDAF; Ultra wide angle: 13 MP, f/2.2, 119˚, 1.12µm, AF; Depth: 2 MP, f/2.4.
• Front camera: 16 MP, f/2.2, (wide), 1.0µm.
• Video capture: Rear camera: 4K@30fps, 1080p@30ps, gyro-EIS; Front camera: 1080p@30fps.
• Battery: 5000mAh; Fast charging 33W.
• Misc: Fingerprint reader (side-mounted); NFC.

We see two notable omissions compared to the Moto G100. The first is the microSD expansion slot. We realize these are an increasingly rare sight these days, but it still pains us to see them go. The second is the 3.5mm audio jack, though the way TWS earphones are exploding in popularity this may well bother fewer people.

There are no stereo speakers either, which may count against the G200 against some rivals, but cutting corners is the name of the game in the mid-range and we are now going to find out if Motorola cut the right ones.

Unboxing the Motorola Moto G200 5G

The Motorola Moto G200 is packed within a beautiful Moto box that has the same color as the G200 inside.

The box contains a 33W TurboPower charger, a 3A-rated USB-A-to-C cable, and a soft transparent case. And that's all the essentials covered and a lot more than some makers have been offering recently.