Moto G6 review

      Technicalnews TEAM, 07 JUNE 2018.

 1. Introduction, specs, unboxing2. Design and spin3. Lab tests - display, battery life, speaker, audio4. Software and performance5. Camera6. Alternatives, pros and cons, verdictMotorola Moto G6 specificationUser opinions and reviewsReview comments (37)

Introduction

Motorola may have changed ownership a few times already, but the iconic Moto G series not only survived the turmoil but thrived. Cheap yet powerful is a very lucrative smartphone niche and lately all makers are making the run for it. Does the Moto G6 hits the sweet spot? Let's find out!

The Moto G6 is the most balanced offer among the new Moto G6 trio with Play and Plus being the moderate and boosted options. So, as far as being in the middle - Moto G6 is already there.

Lenovo introduced the trendy tall screen to the Moto G6 series, as well as a dual-camera capable of native portrait shots. New glass design and modern chipset should make the G6 as compatible as possible.

Moto G6, Moto G6 Plus, and Moto G6 Play

One of the biggest Moto charms has always been the near vanilla Android experience and it's here to stay with the G6. Motorola promise timely updates that will continue for at least two years.

Moto G6 specs

• Body: Gorilla Glass 3 front and back, aluminum frame; p2i water repellent nano coating
• Screen: 5.7-inch, 18:9, FHD+ 2160x1080, IPS LCD, MAX Vision
• Rear Camera: 12MP, f/1.8 lens; Secondary 5MP; LED flash; 1080p@60fps video recording
• Front Camera: 8MP, f/2.2 lens, 1080p@30fps video recording; LED selfie flash
• Chipset: Qualcomm Snapdragon 450, octa-core Cortex-A53 1.8GHz; Adreno 506 GPU
• Memory: 3/4GB RAM, 32/64GB, dedicated microSD slot for up to 128GB expansion
• OS: Android 8.0 Oreo
• Battery: 3,000mAh, Turbo Charge 15W
• Connectivity: Optional Dual SIM (4G), Bluetooth 4.2, NFC (EU only), GPS/GLONASS, Dual-band Wi-Fi a/b/g/n, FM radio, USB Type-C
• Misc: Fingerprint reader in Home button

The Moto G6 is a modern-looking and well-specced smartphone, quite promising at that €250 price. But is it worth that cash? Let's find out.

Unboxing the Moto G6

The Moto G6 comes packed in a colorful paper box. It's bundled with a standard USB Type-C cable, a 15W TurboPower charger, and a transparent rubber case.

There are no headphones inside the Moto G6's box, but you can use any pair thanks to the available audio jack.

Design

Glossy is what we'd pick if we had to describe the Moto G6 with just one word. And by glossy, we mean shiny, specular, and slippery. The Moto G6 is yet another smartphone made of glass with a metal frame to hold those pieces together.

Moto G6 Plus, Moto G6, and Moto G6 Play

The glass phones overtook the metal ones in both flagship and budget series. Once considered a luxury, now anyone can have a glass device. And the Moto G6 is doing it the right way - with sturdy Gorilla Glass 3 panels for both the front and the back.

The Moto G6 is as big as the Moto G6 Play but is 1cm taller than the Moto G5 because of the new screen.

The new 5.7" tall screen makes up for most of the front. A large grille covers the earpiece on top, flanked by the 8MP selfie shooter and its LED flash.

The fingerprint reader is at the bottom chin. It's always-on and is quite fast and accurate. Just like on other Moto Gs, the one on the G6 also doubles as navigation deck for Android that works with various gestures.

The metal frame has been sprayed with the same paint as the rear glass but has an all-glossy finish. While this approach makes for a consistently good-looking body, it hurts the grip and the G6 is very slippery. We used the phone mostly with the rubber case on, even though it takes away some of its beauty.

   
Moto G6

The back of the Moto G6 is quite Motorolish. There is the round camera hump that has the two snappers and the LED flash forming something of an emoji face. Nothing fancy but this placement has become somewhat of a signature for Motorola.

The Moto G6 is well equipped with ports and mics. The audio jack is here to stay, the USB is type-C, and the card slot is of the triple kind - two independent SIMs and a microSD. The earpiece doubles as a loudspeaker, which might be awkward at first, but this way it's harder tо jam it. And wait to hear how loud it is!

   
Moto G6

The design of the Moto G6 is nothing special, really. But it's been done in line with all current trends - glass body, tall screen, USB-C port, and Motorola has been kind enough to apply a water-repellent coating. While you can't swim with the Moto G6, this coating may as well save your phone during incidents.

The Moto G6 is slippery and you should be careful when handling it. The rubber case help with that but it will also diminish the good looks. That's something valid for any glass phone lately though, so we are not really coming after the G6, we mention it just in case you wondered.