Enjoy Versatility On a Budget with the Motorola G8 Plus
Motorola has added another affordable addition to the G series, and their fans couldn’t be happier. Boasting many of the quirky features Motorola users have grown to love, the Moto G8 Plus picks up where its processor left off. It has all of the tweaks that Lenovo’s subcompany loves to add on to Android, and its available at an impressively comfortable price. Retailing at $306, this budget phone is poised to take Europe, Australia and Latin America by storm.
The Moto G7 was the top budget device of 2018, so the bar has been set high for the G8 Plus. Even though critic reactions vary, this smartphone has managed to quickly gain the respect of the community. To see if this phone lives up to the hype, we decided to test out the G8 Plus. After a day of taking it on the road, we were able to create this in-depth review. There’s plenty of surprising additions to Motorola’s new release, so discover why users are raving about this unexpected champion of Android’s bottom shelf!
Utilizing the G8 Plus
When using the G8 Plus, it’s impossible not to be reminded of its predecessor. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing, since last year the G7 Plus blew users away with its versatility. While it has the same teardrop notch and 1080p screen, there are some notable upgrades. The G8 Plus is now equipped with a midrange Snapdragon 665 processor and sports a slightly larger 6.3-inch LCD screen. The battery has also been bumped up to 4,00mAh, which gives users more than enough power to last through the day.
True to tradition, Motorola added their own special touch to the base Android system. The phone reacts to a series of “Moto Action” gestures, with the most notable being activating the flashlight with a double karate chop motion. Motorola also allows users to drag their finger across the locked screens to access notifications. These unique tweaks are welcome deviations from the traditional Android operating system. They successfully add a touch of flair to an otherwise outdated Android 9 layout.
Even though this phone has all of the perks of Motorola’s imaginative design, it can’t escape the pitfalls of being a budget phone. Its rear 3-camera setup can’t compete with the competition, since they fail to work together seamlessly. Even with three lenses, users are routinely forced to either underexpose subjects or overexpose the sky. The landscape videos come out blurry, and this phone has no IP water resistance. This last issue forces users to keep the device dry and makes it hard to survive in rainy climates.
Despite having a surprisingly nonplus list of specs, this smartphone packs enough surprises to win over frugal shoppers. It’s equipped with an exceptional battery and functional system, which makes it the perfect sidekick. The G8 Plus has a 3.5mm headphone jack, which is a novel bonus to those who despise easy to lose earbuds. It may not win over users who are used to flagship devices, but the G8 Plus firmly fits into the niche Motorola has made for itself. It’s an extremely capable smartphone, which is extremely rare for such a seductively low price.