Moto G (3rd gen) review: Good as gold

3. Display, battery life, connectiviy

Display

Like its predecessor, the new Moto G features a 5" IPS LCD display with a resolution of 1280 x 720 pixels. The latter deliver a pixel density of 294ppi which, while not mind-blowing, is the norm in the handset's price range.

The display's contrast and viewing angles are stellar for the price range.

The brightness or the third Moto G is pretty much the same as on its predecessor on both 50% and 100%. We measured 430 nits brightness when the slider is set to 100%, but as it turned out that's not the maximum screen brightness.

When we illuminated the ambient light sensor, the screen went even brighter at 539 nits. This is good for the sunny days and will boost the legibility. The brightness limitation may be necessary to prevent display overheating.

The blacks are deep enough, though far from impressive. Still for this price range we can consider them as very good - deeper than the previous Moto G's the Xperia M4 Aqua and Redmi 2.

Finally, the contrast ratio is great, the color reproduction is accurate and you'll enjoy lively images.

Display test	50% brightness			100% brightness
Display test	Black, cd/m²	White, cd/m²	Contrast ratio	Black, cd/m²	White, cd/m²	Contrast ratio
Motorola Moto G (2014)	0.24	253	1039	0.43	413	968
Motorola Moto G	0.35	315	906	0.57	550	967
Motorola Moto G 4G	0.42	387	916	0.7	651	929
Moto G 3rd gen max manual	0.225	225	1000	0.426	430	1009
Moto G 3rd gen max auto	-	-	-	0.530	539	1017
Motorola Moto E (2nd Gen)	0.33	288	884	0.6	541	898
Sony Xperia M4 Aqua	0.17	176	1012	0.74	828	1115
Meizu m2 note	0.160	183	1096	0.420	473	1108
Meizu m1 note	-	-	-	0.65	562	867
Xiaomi Mi 4i	0.15	161	1063	0.51	542	1055
Xiaomi Redmi 2	0.3	273	943	0.58	561	974
Samsung Galaxy S5 mini	0	226	∞	0	432	∞

The screen glass isn't too reflective but the sunlight legibility isn't great. The Moto G 3rd Gen's display is still usable outside and you will be able to see what's happening on the screen.

Sunlight contrast ratio

Nokia 808 PureView
4.698
Samsung Galaxy E7
4.485
Samsung Galaxy A3
4.241
Samsung Galaxy S6
4.124
Samsung Galaxy Note 4
4.033
Samsung Galaxy Note 3
3.997
Apple iPhone 5
3.997
Samsung Galaxy A5
3.895
Apple iPhone 6
3.838
Motorola Moto X (2014)
3.816
Samsung Galaxy Note Edge
3.799
Vivo X5Pro
3.706
Samsung Galaxy A7
3.679
Oppo R5
3.678
Samsung Galaxy K zoom
3.675
Nokia Lumia 930
3.567
Apple iPhone 5s
3.565
Samsung Galaxy S5
3.549
Nokia Lumia 735
3.547
Motorola Nexus 6
3.543
Alcatel Idol X+
3.527
Apple iPhone 5c
3.512
Samsung Galaxy Alpha
3.509
Samsung Galaxy Note 3 Neo
3.487
vivo X5Max
3.472
LG G Flex2
3.465
YotaPhone 2
3.453
Motorola RAZR MAXX
3.42
Samsung I9300 Galaxy S III
3.419
Samsung Galaxy S5 Active
3.406
Nokia Lumia 925
3.402
Gionee Elife S5.5
3.386
Samsung I9505 Galaxy S4
3.352
Oppo R7
3.32
Samsung Omnia W
3.301
Samsung Galaxy S5 mini
3.174
Samsung I9000 Galaxy S
3.155
Samsung Ativ S
3.129
Samsung I9190 Galaxy S4 mini
3.127
Samsung Galaxy S4 zoom
3.118
Nokia N9
3.069
Microsoft Lumia 640 XL
3.065
Apple iPhone 6 Plus
3.023
Samsung Galaxy Note
2.97
Samsung Galaxy Premier
2.958
Sony Xperia Z1
2.95
HTC One S
2.901
Lenovo S90 Sisley
2.892
Samsung I8730 Galaxy Express
2.861
BlackBerry Q10
2.856
Samsung I9100 Galaxy S II
2.832
Sony Xperia Z3+
2.824
HTC Desire Eye
2.815
Gionee Elife S5.1
2.812
Samsung Galaxy S II Plus
2.801
BlackBerry Z30
2.79
Meizu MX4 Pro
2.765
Sony Xperia ZR
2.672
Huawei Ascend P1
2.655
Xiaomi Mi 4i
2.641
Sony Xperia Z3
2.618
Sony Xperia Z3 Compact
2.616
Sony Xperia T3
2.609
BlackBerry Passport
2.595
Microsoft Lumia 640
2.563
Nokia Lumia 900
2.562
Motorola Moto G 4G
2.546
HTC One Max
2.537
Nokia Lumia 720
2.512
HTC One
2.504
Sony Xperia M4 Aqua
2.503
Motorola Moto G
2.477
vivo Xshot
2.465
Sony Xperia Z
2.462
Xiaomi Mi 4
2.424
Samsung Galaxy S III mini
2.422
Lenovo Vibe Z2 Pro
2.416
LG G Flex
2.407
Huawei Honor 7
2.406
HTC Desire 820
2.372
HTC One (M8)
2.371
Meizu MX4
2.366
Motorola RAZR i
2.366
Meizu m1 note
2.362
Sony Xperia ZL
2.352
HTC One M9
2.334
LG G4
2.317
Samsung Galaxy Note II
2.307
HTC One E9+
2.305
HTC One (M8) for Windows
2.291
Oppo R1x
2.281
Oppo Find 7a
2.279
Alcatel One Touch Hero
2.272
Apple iPhone 4S
2.269
HTC Desire 600 dual sim
2.262
Nokia Asha 311
2.25
Sony Xperia C4 Dual
2.235
Xiaomi Mi Note
2.234
Motorola Moto G (2014)
2.233
LG Nexus 5
2.228
Huawei P8
2.196
Nokia Lumia 820
2.193
HTC One (E8)
2.185
Oppo N3
2.181
Nokia Lumia 920
2.17
Huawei Honor 6
2.169
OnePlus Two
2.165
HTC One X
2.158
Asus Zenfone 2 ZE551ML
2.149
LG Aka
2.145
Nokia N8
2.144
Nokia Lumia 620
2.142
Archos 50 Diamond
2.134
Nokia 515
2.134
HTC Desire 500
2.129
Sony Xperia C3 Dual
2.12
Xiaomi Redmi Note
2.119
Sony Xperia acro S
2.119
Nokia Lumia 1020
2.103
Oppo Find 5
2.088
Huawei P8lite
2.078
Sony Xperia SL
2.078
Nokia Lumia 630
2.056
BlackBerry Z10
2.051
Moto G 3rd gen
2.026
Huawei Ascend Mate7
2.024
Samsung I9295 Galaxy S4 Active
2.022
Apple iPhone 4
2.016
HTC One mini
2.003
Xiaomi Mi 3
2.001
Huawei Ascend P7
1.992
LG G2
1.976
Sony Xperia E4g
1.972
OnePlus One
1.961
Oppo R819
1.957
Sony Ericsson Xperia ray
1.955
Lenovo Vibe X2
1.952
Sony Xperia Z2
1.944
Sony Xperia E3
1.943
Nokia Lumia 1320
1.941
HTC One mini 2
1.94
Samsung Galaxy Camera
1.938
Samsung Galaxy Grand Prime
1.935
Sony Xperia J
1.932
Acer CloudMobile S500
1.931
ZTE Blade S6
1.927
LG Nexus 4
1.926
LG G Pro 2
1.922
Samsung Galaxy Mega 6.3
1.913
Nokia Asha 308
1.911
HTC Butterfly 2
1.905
Sony Xperia T
1.894
BlackBerry Leap
1.892
Meizu m2 note
1.892
Nokia Lumia 830
1.887
HTC Desire X
1.878
HTC Butterfly
1.873
HTC Windows Phone 8X
1.873
HTC Butterfly S
1.867
Huawei Ascend P6
1.865
Huawei Ascend Mate
1.845
LG G2 mini
1.838
LG G3
1.82
Nokia Lumia 1520
1.813
HTC Desire 616 dual sim
1.797
Sony Xperia V
1.792
HTC Desire 816
1.783
Sony Xperia Z1 Compact
1.772
HTC Desire 700 dual sim
1.769
ZTE Nubia Z9 mini
1.759
Sony Xperia U
1.758
Meizu MX3
1.754
LG Optimus G
1.753
Sony Xperia T2 Ultra
1.74
Sony Xperia Z3 Tablet Compact
1.735
Acer Liquid Jade S
1.734
Sony Xperia SP
1.733
LG Optimus 4X HD
1.691
Oppo Find 7
1.691
HTC One V
1.685
BlackBerry Q5
1.682
LG Optimus Vu
1.68
Motorola Moto E (2nd Gen)
1.675
Xiaomi Mi Pad 7.9
1.672
LG Optimus GJ
1.666
ZTE Nubia Z9
1.659
LG Optimus 3D Max
1.658
HTC Desire V
1.646
Samsung Galaxy Xcover 2
1.632
Samsung Galaxy Ace 3
1.622
Microsoft Lumia 532
1.615
Jolla Jolla
1.605
Microsoft Lumia 435
1.598
Sony Xperia Z Ultra
1.578
Sony Xperia go
1.577
Samsung Galaxy Ace 2 I8160
1.566
Samsung Galaxy Core
1.563
LG Optimus G Pro
1.552
Motorola Moto E
1.545
LG Optimus 3D
1.542
Nokia Asha 302
1.537
Samsung Galaxy Core Prime
1.507
BlackBerry Curve 9320
1.488
Sony Xperia M
1.473
Oppo N1
1.47
Sony Xperia E4
1.467
Meizu MX 4-core
1.462
Nokia Lumia 610
1.432
Samsung Galaxy S Duos
1.4
Microsoft Lumia 535
1.393
Samsung Galaxy Grand Neo
1.393
Sony Xperia M2
1.393
Samsung Galaxy Grand 2
1.38
Sony Xperia E1
1.372
Nokia Lumia 625
1.371
Gigabyte GSmart G1355
1.361
Sony Xperia L
1.351
Samsung Galaxy Mega 5.8
1.35
Xiaomi Redmi 1S
1.35
HTC Desire 510
1.34
Sony Xperia M2 Aqua
1.331
Sony Xperia miro
1.324
Samsung I9082 Galaxy Grand
1.321
Samsung I8530 Galaxy Beam
1.315
Xiaomi Redmi 2
1.311
HTC Desire C
1.3
Nokia X
1.291
Sony Xperia C
1.283
Nokia Asha 503
1.281
Nokia Asha 501
1.27
LG Optimus L7
1.269
Nokia Lumia 510
1.268
Samsung Galaxy Fame
1.245
LG Optimus L9
1.227
Meizu MX
1.221
Samsung Galaxy Young
1.22
Sony Xperia E
1.215
Nokia XL
1.204
Sony Xperia E dual
1.203
Asus Memo Pad 7 ME176C
1.198
Samsung Galaxy Pocket
1.18
Nokia Asha 305
1.178
Nokia Asha 306
1.175
Sony Xperia neo L
1.169
Sony Xperia tipo
1.166
Nokia Lumia 520
1.161
Samsung S6802 Galaxy Ace Duos
1.148
Samsung Galaxy mini 2
1.114

Battery life

Moto G (3rd gen) has a significantly larger 2,470mAh battery than its predecessor (last year's iteration has a 2,070mAh unit). Combined with the energy-sipping 64-bit chipset and stock Android Lollipop, the new power cell propelled the smartphone to an impressive endurance rating of 76 hours.

This means that the smartphone will last a tad over three full days if used of an hour each of telephony, web browsing, and video playback daily. In our experience, the handset easily made it through a full day of heavy use - enough for most of the users if you believe market research companies.

Connectivity

In terms of connectivity, the new Moto G has quad-band GSM/GPRS/EDGE and 3G globally to cover the basics. There are also CDMA-enabled models. This time around, 4G LTE is also standard even on the cheapest variant of the device - compatible bands will vary in each market of availability. A Dual-SIM option of the device will also be available in markets where the solution is popular.

Also on board is Bluetooth 4.0 alongside Wi-Fi b/g/n with Wireless Hotspot support. Wired connectivity is covered by a microUSB 2.0 port with USB host.

Although it is missing some of the more advanced connectivity features like NFC and IR-port, or Wi-Fi ac, the 2015 Moto G does have an FM radio, as well as SatNav with GPS, GLONASS and Beidu support. In short, the smartphone has all the basics covered and then some more.

Next Page » 4. User interface, apps

3. Display, battery life, connectiviy

Reviews Moto G (3rd gen) reviewPage 3