I’m standing in line at Four Barrel Coffee in San Francisco with my Moto G Power 5G (2024). I’ve been reviewing Motorola phones since 2016, but I’m about to do something I’ve never done before with any previous Moto G model: Buy a coffee with Google Pay. I hold the phone over the register terminal, and my cappuccino is paid for almost instantly.
Motorola isn’t reinventing the wheel; Google Pay has been widely available on most Android phones for years. But features like NFC and wireless charging are still uncommon on affordable phones and, in the case of the $300 Moto G Power 5G, they elevate the overall experience. After six days, I’m surprised by how much “phone” I get for the price.Â
7.5
Motorola Moto G Power 5G (2024)
Like
NFC/Google Pay
Good battery life
Wireless charging
Moto shortcuts
Don’t like
Short software support timeline
Screen is too dim in sunlight
Lacks IP rating for dust and water resistance
Read more: Best phone under $300 for 2024
Motorola has always been masterful at making smart compromises in order to hit an affordable price for its Moto G series. And this Taco Bell-like approach, shuffling features and components to create a phone with as much value as possible, is on full display with the Moto G Power.
For each new benefit you get with the 2024 Moto G Power, there’s usually a drawback. For example, Motorola adds NFC and wireless charging, but limits the built-in storage to 128GB. The screen is taller, but the phone weighs more than the 2023 version. There’s a new ultrawide camera that doubles as a macro lens, but that replaces the dedicated macro and depth cameras from last year’s model. The Moto G Power supports 30W fast charging and has expandable storage and a headphone jack, although it lacks an official IP rating for dust and water resistance. And…
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