Motorola Moto G200 5G review

Design, build, quality

Motorola is proud with the Moto G200 5G design and specifically its ramp-like camera bump that's slowly raising from the side. This unique element makes the Moto G200 easily standout of the crowd and gives it a personality of its own.

The Moto G200 has a traditional mid-range build that includes a glass front, a plastic frame and a plastic rear panel with curved edges. Thanks to these curved sides, the phone feels thinner than it is and looks better.

The Mogo G200 is IP52-rated, but that's rather limited as to what it covers as it doesn't even include splashes. So it doesn't really earn it any bonus points, but seeing how most competitors don't have an official rating at all it's not going to count against it either.

Even if the G200 is mostly a plastic phone, Motorola has made sure it doesn't feel cheap. On the contrary, the matte rear panel looks and feels like glass, and we found it attractive and eye catchy.

The matte finish frame has a flat piece on the top that looks and feels a lot like metal. We are not sure if it's an actual aluminum element or not, but it is a nice touch, and we are awarding points to Motorola for making it this way.

We have the Stellar Blue option and while its somewhat translucent top layer on the back makes for cool light effects when light is available, it is also a giant smudge magnet. Those are relatively easy to clean, but if you don't want to bother with that we suggest getting the Aurora-like Glacier Green option, which will hide them a bit better.

The front is a home to the 6.8-inch IPS LCD screen that's been improved with a buttery smooth 144Hz refresh rate. The panel has an extended 1080p resolution, supports HDR10 and DCI-P3 color gamut, and has a tempered glass of unknown maker for protection.

One major change compared to the Moto G100 is the absence of a second selfie camera. Now, the Moto G200 has a singular punch-hole for its 16MP selfie camera. The fewer cutouts certainly make for a better look, but there are scenarios where that ultrawide selfie camera is super convenient and it will be missed.

Above the screen is the earpiece and a bunch of sensors. There is no visible grille for the earpiece, just a long thin outlet.

The curved back has a nice matte finish and is pleasing to the touch. Its centerpiece, of course, is the unique camera bump with a ramp-like design that slowly raises from the right side, envelops the three cameras, and then flows back to the panel with a steep curve. It's certainly an innovative solution and Motorola deserves praise for coming up with it.

The three cameras at the back are surrounded by jutting out rings. The top one is the 13MP ultrawide shooter, below it is the 108MP primary camera, and last is the 2MP depth sensor. A dual-LED flash is also around.

The Moto G100 had a TOF 3D sensor, which is absent on the Moto G200. But with the present depth sensor and the AF-capable ultrawide camera, we doubt it would have made a huge difference anyway.

The top has a lonely microphone.

The bottom has the USB-C port, the SIM tray, the mouthpiece, and the speaker grille. There is no second speaker on the Moto G200.

The left side houses a single key, which summons the Google Assistant.

The volume and power keys are on the right side of the Moto G200. The power/lock key is where the fingerprint scanner is embedded - it's always on and satisfyingly fast.

The Motorola Moto G200 5G feels solid and secure when handled. Its matte finish does help a lot with grip, while the phone's shape is comfortable and makes handling easy despite large size.

The signature Motorola logo on the back and the unique camera bump are aesthetics boosters, and together with the traditional build and shape everything clicked into an enjoyable and carefree experience. And that's plenty enough.