Moto G64 5G Review Motorola introduced the Moto G64 in India recently as an upgrade to the G54 from the previous year. It shares many specifications with the G54 but has a slightly faster SoC and is priced Rs. 1000 lower. Is the Moto G64 a recommended 5G smartphone priced under Rs. 15,000? Let’s explore this in the review.
Moto G64 5G Review
- Moto g64 5G 12GB + 256GB in Mint Green colour
- 33W fast charger
- USB Type-A to Type-C cable
- SIM ejector tool
- Clear protective case
- User manual and warranty information
Motorola Edge 50 Pro
Display, Hardware & Design
The moto g64 features a 6.5-inch Full HD+ 120Hz LCD display with a resolution of 2400 × 1080 pixels, 20:9 aspect ratio, and around 405 PPI. It boasts a peak brightness of 560 nits, ensuring a bright display with good sunlight legibility and vibrant colors.
The phone offers a variable refresh rate of 30 to 120Hz and a touch sampling rate of 240Hz. It supports HDR for YouTube and provides color adjustment options including Natural and Saturated under display settings. The Active Area-Touch Panel (AA-TP) covers 90% of the screen. The display is protected by Corning Gorilla Glass 3 as opposed to Panda Glass on the g54.
The phone features a punch-hole screen containing a 16-megapixel camera. It includes a peek display feature for viewing interactive notifications and quick information even when the screen is off, although it does not function as an always-on display seen in AMOLED phones.
When it comes to placement, the power button on the right side includes a fingerprint scanner, alongside the volume rockers. On the left side, there is a hybrid SIM and microSD card slot that can accommodate cards up to 1TB. Positioned at the bottom are the 3.5mm audio jack, primary microphone, USB Type-C port, and the loudspeaker grill. The top side features the secondary microphone, which is branded with Dolby Atmos.
The phone measures 8.89mm in thickness and has a weight of 192 grams, despite housing a 6000mAh battery. It features a premium Acrylic Glass (PMMA) back, providing a sleek finish and a high-quality appearance. The construction is sturdy, with noticeable enhancements from the g54 model. Additionally, it holds IP52 ratings, making it resistant to dust, light rain, and splashes.
Pricing & availability
The Moto G64 5G is available at Rs. 14,999 for the 8GB + 128GB variant and Rs. 16,999 for the 12GB + 256GB variant. Additionally, HDFC Bank Credit cardholders can enjoy an instant discount of Rs. 1,000, making the effective starting price Rs. 13,999.
Pros
- Good display
- Clean UI without Bloatware or Ads
- Good build quality
- Good cameras
- Stereo speakers, Dolby Atmos
- Excellent battery life, fast charging
Cons
- Promise of only 1 Android update
Camera
- 50MP rear camera with f/1.8 aperture, OIS,
- 8MP ultra-wide / macro / depth camera with f/2.2 aperture
- 16MP front-facing camera with f/2.4 aperture
- 50MP rear camera with f/1.8 aperture, OIS,
- 8MP ultra-wide / macro / depth camera with f/2.2 aperture
- 16MP front-facing camera with f/2.4 aperture
The camera interface on most Motorola smartphones is recognizable, featuring quick toggles between the main camera and macro camera at the bottom. Additionally, there are quick toggles for flash, timer, aspect ratio, and other settings. Noteworthy camera functions include Night Vision, Portrait mode, Spot Colour, Panorama, Scan, Dual Capture, Slow motion, Time lapse, and more. In terms of image quality, daylight photos exhibit good dynamic range, benefiting from the Quad Pixel technology that delivers 12.5MP output. HDR shots show enhanced dynamic range, and it is advisable to activate auto HDR for better results.
Software, UI and Apps
The Moto G64 operates on Android 14 and comes with the February 2024 Android security patch. The manufacturer guarantees an update to Android 15 and three years of security updates for the device. It features the standard stock Android 14 experience with additional Moto enhancements, including My UX with Ambient Display, Quick capture, Fast flashlight, Three-finger screenshot, Sidebar, Double press power key, and Press and hold power button gestures. Additionally, it introduces new features such as Moto Unplugged, Ready For, and Family Space for creating distinct spaces and pairing with other devices.
In addition to the typical utility and Google apps, there are additional apps and games that can be effortlessly installed. Our current version includes 12GB of LPDDR4X RAM, with an alternative version offering 8GB of RAM. Moreover, the phone features a RAM booster function to increase virtual RAM up to 12GB.
Fingerprint sensor and Face unlock
The phone features a side-mounted fingerprint sensor for quick unlocking by simply placing your finger on it, eliminating the need to press. This method is notably quicker than using an in-display fingerprint scanner. It allows for registering up to five fingerprints and can be used for local app access and in-app payments. Additionally, the phone offers face unlock, although it is considered less secure than the fingerprint option.
Music Player, FM Radio and Multimedia
YouTube Music serves as the primary music player featuring standard audio effects and an equalizer, easily accessible through the Audio Effects shortcut app. Additionally, it includes FM Radio with recording capabilities. The stereo speakers deliver loud audio, surpassing the mono speakers found in other phones within the same range. Moreover, it is equipped with Dolby Atmos for an enhanced audio experience. When using earphones, the audio quality is also commendable. Widevine L1 support allows for seamless playback of HD content on platforms like Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, and various other streaming applications. While HDR functionality is available for YouTube, it is not compatible with Netflix.
Dual SIM & Connectivity
The device comes equipped with standard connectivity options including 5G support across multiple bands, compatibility with Jio and Airtel 5G, 5G VoNR support, dual 4G VoLTE, 4G carrier aggregation, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and various location services. Additionally, it features USB OTG support for connecting USB drives, offers good call quality with no call drops, loud earpiece volume, and lacks NFC support. The body SAR and head SAR of the Moto G64 are within the permissible limits in India.
Performance & Benchmarks
Powered by the MediaTek Dimensity 7025 6nm SoC, an overclocked variant of the 7020, this device features 2 x A78 CPUs clocked at up to 2.5GHz, along with 6x A55 CPUs clocked at up to 2GHz. It also includes the IMG BXM-8-256 GPU and supports up to 12GB LPDDR4X RAM. The IMG BXM-8-256 GPU delivers smooth gaming performance in graphic-intensive games, although it may heat up during extended gaming sessions. While performance in games like COD and BGMI was flawless with no issues or frame drops, the device struggled to handle Genshin Impact at high settings. Below are some synthetic benchmark scores for reference. In AnTuTu, it almost matches Snapdragon 6 Gen 1 and surpasses it in the Geekbench benchmark.
Battery life
When it comes to battery life, the device features an impressive 6000mAh (typical) battery, which is one of the largest in its price category. It can last a full day even with heavy usage on 5G and multimedia, and over a day with moderate usage. Personally, I experienced about 2 days of battery life. Additionally, the phone supports 30W fast charging, taking approximately 1 hour and 40 minutes to fully charge, while reaching 50% takes around 45 minutes with the included 33W charger.
