Moto G5s Plus Review

Motorola has been producing good quality budget smartphone as the Introduced G series as the budget series. These phones are for people who don’t want to spend a good amount on phones yet requires a bit of juice and power under the hood. Motorola, now owned by Lenovo, has been serving the exact purpose. The successor of Moto G5 Plus is gaining a lot of hype in the market. But launching a smartphone in less than six months after the launch of its predecessor is quite unconventional for Lenovo. Having said that, analyzing the vast growth of the market and preferences of the consumers, Lenovo has taken a gamble with the smartphone, and as we can see, the risk paid off pretty well. So further ado, let us dive into the full of moto G5s plus review.

 

Moto G5s Plus Review: The Smartphone for the People

Moto G5s Plus has been the successor of G5. The concerning fact is that the release was conducted between six months! Anyways, In order to review a smartphone. We will have to examine a unit in certain categories so that the user experience is examined to the fullest. The categories are as follows:

• Design
• Display
• Performance
• Camera
• Battery
• Sensors and Other Features
• Water Resistance

Design

Lenovo has done some homework before actually starting to build this phone. They learned their lessons and shortcoming from the previous version, which is Moto G5 Plus. At first impression, the phone looks to be a bit premium compared to its predecessor, G5 Plus.

First up, let us talk about the build quality. We all know what Motorola is and how they surprise the fans with their premium build quality. This particular device has not been an exception. However, the frame is built out of plastic, which is pretty unusual. But when we are talking about a BUDGET smartphone, then the frame and the body would be plastic. But Moto G5s Plus did blow us away with an aluminum back and Corning Gorilla Glass 3 on the front for maximum protection. Kudos to Lenovo for that.

Let us talk about the dimensions and weight now. The dimensions are almost the same as Moto G% Plus; 5.91 inches to the length, 2.91 inches as the width and 0.30 inches thick. The phone is a bit sturdy, but it was very comfortable to hold on to. The weight is around 155 grams; however, the weight is reduced for the plastic framing. If they had gone for metal or alloy, the story would have been different.

And

The phone has a change in the attributes. The headphone jack is now shifted to the top as it was right by the charging port in the previous version. However, a speaker grill has been given just beside the Micro USB port, which is given for charging and data transferring. Otherwise, the phone is pretty similar to the Moto G5 Plus as per the body design is concerned.

Motorola has installed the signature camera module as those are the standouts on the G series. The Emoji Camera modules are fun to watch. On the front, there are notable thick basses, and there are just okay, to be honest. There are a flash and a camera placed on both sides of the earpiece.

There is a fingerprint scanner placed on the bottom base as it works super first and smooth. It also works with various gestures and as a home button as well.

To be honest, the design is not a conventional one, but still G series is pretty handy as they are more comfortable. Some features are the main attraction of this product. I personally liked the phone, and the form factor as well. But there are some consumers who intend to use something which is sleek and well-tuned. But let us face it, guys! This is, after all, a budget smartphone.

I will rate the design an 8 out of 10 for the comfortable and safe design.

 

Display

The full HD display is a far-fetched dream when you intend to buy a BUDGET Smartphone. But hold on to your nerves, dude! Moto G5s Plus comes with a full HD IPS LCD display! It’s charismas, and the Santa is pretty generous!

5.2 Inches is the size of the Full High Definition IPS LCD Display. The resolution is 1080 into 1920 pixels. The PPI density is close to 424 PPI. The display is pretty bright and workable in outdoors when the sun is shining brightly. The display settings are equipped with loads of functions like adaptive brightness and adjustable color temperature.

The most stand out part is that the display is protected with a Corning Gorilla Glass 3, which means it can protect the display from scratches and all the level 3 damages.

For the protection and vivid color, Moto G5s Plus is putting a lot of reputation and hype in the market. I personally liked the display very much, and I would be happy to rate it a 9 out of 10 compared to the market and the displays which the budget range has to offer.

 

Moto G5S Plus Full Specifications

Brand	Motorola
Model	Moto G5S Plus
Release date	August 2017
Form factor	Touchscreen
Dimensions (mm)	153.50 x 76.20 x 9.50
Weight (g)	168.00
Battery capacity (mAh)	3000
Removable battery	No
Colors	Blush Gold, Lunar Grey, Luner Grey

 

Display

Screen size (inches)	5.50
Touchscreen	Yes
Resolution	1080×1920 pixels

 

Hardware

Software

SIM 1

SIM 2

Compass/ Magnetometer	No
Proximity sensor	Yes
Accelerometer	Yes
Ambient light sensor	Yes
Gyroscope	Yes
Barometer	No
Temperature sensor	No

 

Moto G5s Plus Review: Performance

Performance is a key factor in judging a smartphone because it is the core requirement of a particular user. However, the combination of software and hardware is very crucial for the best outcome of the given circumstances.

The subcategories which I examine before adjusting the performance standards of a particular smartphone is Hardware and Software. I would like to do a similar test too. So let us dig into the hardware and the Software of Moto G5s Plus.

Moto G5s Plus Review: Hardware

The Hardware is typically not that powerful if you are seeking a Budget Smartphone. It’s simple logic; if you want power, you will have to lose your pockets. But this particular device has done a decent job as per as the hardware is concerned. The chipset which is used in this handset is Qualcomm Snapdragon 625. This 14-nanometer chipset is not the top of the line from Qualcomm, I admit. But you can use so some decent workloads with this chipset. The CPU is an Octa-Core processor clocked at 2.0 GHz and is of Cortex-A53. This phone comes with an Adreno 506 GPU, and I must tell you it does a pretty decent job.

The Ram comes in two variants; 3 GB and 4 GB. However, the internal storage is 32 GB or 64 GB. The 3 GB Ram variant comes with a 32 GB and a 64 GB storage, respectively. But the 4 GB Ram comes with 64 GB of Internal Storage.

Moto G5s Plus Review: Software

This Bad boy comes with Android 7.0 Nougat. But it can be upgraded up to Android 8.1, which is commonly known as Oreo in the smartphone world. There are a lot of Moto Magic sprinkles on the phone to spice things up and make it a bit interesting. The fingerprint scanner responds to certain gestures like press 1 second to lock, swipe right to go back, press longer to activate Google Assistant. There is no notification light, but the screen does lit up when you wave your hand over it. There are other cool features like shake to activate the flash lite or tilt it to activate the camera. Small changes like these do come in handy in particular situations.

The user interface is pretty much stock, which is okay. There is not much provided by Moto in the apps, so it basically relies on Google’s apps, which are preinstalled and ready to go.

Overall the software is decent, and the hardware responds with the software in a positive manner. The form factor is suitable for such performances. There were no visible lags or mismanagements encountered while using the device.

I rate this product a solid 8 out of 10 as per the performance, and the combination of both the hardware and the software is concerned.

Moto G5s Plus Review: Camera

The rear camera seems like an Emoji, as the form factor gives us joy, I wish I could say the same with the camera performance as well. First, let us see what has Moto and Lenovo offered on this smartphone.

The rear camera has a single camera setup, and a dual-tone LED flash for additional light support. The main camera is of 12 Mega Pixels with an aperture of f/1.2. The Camera supports panorama, and the videography is supported up to 1080p in 60 frames per second.

The front-facing camera, AKA Selfie camera, is of 5 Mega Pixels with an aperture of f/2.2. It also supports, and the videography is supported up to 1080p in 30 frames per second.

The results are a bit disappointing because the photos turned out to be muddy and a bit washed out. The hardware is pretty decent compared to the market and other competitors. But there might have been an upgrade needed in the software. Anyways, whatever the case might be, Lenovo should solve it in the upcoming update.

The Videography was decent, and recording full High Definition or 1080p is a basic need nowadays with a higher frame rate, the experience as good as it is a budget smartphone.

Overall I rate this camera setup and module a 7.5 out of 10 as the results were not living up to the expectations.

 

Moto G5s Plus Review: Battery

The Moto G5s Plus is loaded up with a non-removable Lithium-Ion Battery of 3000 MAh. It is capable of fast charging up to 15 Watts, and the power brick provided in the package is a 15 Watt power brick. The battery life is reasonably good, as the endurance range was a bit higher than 55 hours. It will easily support you with all-day battery life, and the experience was overall good comparing the price point.

 

Sensors and Other Features

The Fingerprint scanner is front mounted. All the sensors like accelerometer, gyro, and proximity are Included in the unit. However, the USA models do come with a compass.

The Moto G5s Plus is loaded with cool features and gestures like fingerprint gestures, which allows you to lock the screen with 1-second hold, long hold to launch Google Assistant, swipe left to scroll back, and other cool commands. You will have to shake the phone to turn on the flash. Even tilt the phone sidewise to activate the camera app. These small features are included in the phone to make a difference and stand out from the crowd.

  Moto G5s Plus Review: Water Resistance

This phone does not come with any certified water resistance. So the users are discouraged from spilling water like substance on it, let alone drowning.

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Advantages and Disadvantages

The Moto G5s Plus comes with some advantages and disadvantages. Those are mentioned as follows:

Moto G5s Plus Review: Advantages

• Good Processor
• Build Quality
• Expandable Storage option
• Smart Gestures
• Optimized User Interface
• Gorilla Glass 3 protection and Aluminum back.

Moto G5s Plus Review: Disadvantages 

• The Fingerprint Scanner is annoying while it is in the pocket.
• The Camera output is dull, and image quality is not up to the mark.
• The chassis is made of plastic, so damage can be done when dropped.

 

Frequently Asked Questions

1. Does Moto G5s Plus come with water Resistance?

No, it does not have any certified water resistance.

 

2. What is the price of the phone?

It is around 229 USD. But the price may vary according to the dealers.

 

3. Does it have a dual-camera setup?

No, unfortunately.

 

Conclusion

The Moto G5s Plus is a pretty handy phone if you want to have a decent deal within a tight budget. It has some shortcomings which can be resolved with software updates and reconfigurations. However, if you want a good or fairly decent experience and a trustworthy brand at the same time, then The Moto G5s Plus will not disappoint you. Overall I score it 8 out of 10, and that is a reasonable score as per the review unit is concerned.

So that was all for today, folks. Thanks for sticking by!

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