Waterproof feature, fingerprint sensors, ultra-narrow bezels, triple camera setup - these were features of just the high-end phones that we began seeing for the past three years. Due to recent technological developments, these are now available in budget phones or mid-range phones such as the Motorola Moto G8 Plus.
Coming just months after the Moto G7 Plus release, the Moto G8 Plus boasts the features mentioned above, including a 48 MP triple camera setup with an ultra-wide-angle lens that can perform "action-cam," a Dolby Audio dual speaker setup and - all of which we'll discuss in detail below.
Release Date and Price
The Motorola Moto G8 Plus was released last Oct. 25, with varying price tags. It comes at £239 or AU$499 or roughly $310.
Display and Design
Motorola Moto's G8 Plus's display is an IPS LCD panel with a Full HD+ resolution or (2280 x 1080 pixels). Its aspect ratio is 19:9, which is better because videos are resized automatically rather than cropped. It's great for casual viewing and gaming, but the colors in the display could still be improved.
There's also Peek Display, which allows notifications and more on the screen when the phone is locked, and Attentive Display keeps the screen on while you're looking at it.
The Motorola Moto G8 Plus is bigger than its predecessor G7 Plus at 6.3 inches, 9.09mm at its thickest, and weighing 188g even though the cover has a plastic build. Furthermore, the model has a gradient-like glossy finish in two colors - Cosmic Blue and Crystal Pink. The backside contains the iconic batwing logo of Motorola disguised as a fingerprint sensor.
All sides of the phone contain varied features. The right edge contains the volume rocker, and the unlock button, while the left edge is for the dual nano SIM card slot with the other slot also available for a microSD card. Additionally, a microphone and a 3.5mm headphone jack is present at the top edge. Finally, the bottom is for a microphone, a speaker grill, and a USB-C port for faster charging compared to micro-USB ports.
Another feature that the G8 Plus claims is its water repellency due to rubber gaskets in the build of the body. While this may help the phone against some splashes having a rating of IP67/68 is still better.
Battery and Charging
The device is powered by a non-removable Li-Po 4,000mAh battery and supports 15W fast charging using the TurboPower adapter provided in the box. This means it can reach one to two days of use from a single charge and that it would only take around 150 minutes to get to a full battery. Because of this, the Moto G8 Plus could be considered a great phone at this price point.
Cameras
The latest upgrade for Motorola's G-series is the triple camera setup with a primary 48MP sensor with an f/1.7 aperture with a 16MP ultra-wide angle lens with a 117-degree field of view and a 5MP depth sensor which assists in portrait mode. Inside the notch cutout, there's a 25MP selfie camera with an f/2.0 aperture. The primary camera can take videos in 4K at 30fps and Full HD at up to 120fps while the ultra-wide-angle camera and the selfie camera can record at 1080p. One of the key features of the Moto G8 Plus is the ultra-wide-angle lens that should take ultra-wide pictures, but instead, an 'action-cam' feature introduced by the company on the Motorola One Action allows you to record horizontal videos while the phone is held vertically.
Movies, Music, and Gaming
Watching movies and listening to music could be a nice experience, especially because of the Dolby Audio dual speaker setup, which is great for this phone range. However, prepare yourself to be disappointed in the gaming performance with the lower RAM version.
Platform
Motorola Moto G8 Plus is working under Android 9.0 (Pie) and is upgradable to Android 10. It is powered by a Qualcomm SDM665 Snapdragon 665 chipset and paired with an octa-core CPU along with an Adreno 610 GPU. On the downside, it was mentioned that it has 4GB RAM with 64GB storage expandable to 512GB via microSD card.
The Verdict
Having a water-repellent design along with a fingerprint sensor is a great feature for budget phones along with all the basics. The Motorola Moto G8 Plus has this and more along with perfect audio, watching videos, and long battery life. However, the cost was cut down from the RAM storage and the camera lenses. So, if you're willing to sacrifice these features and you're looking for a budget phone that you could use on a daily basis, Moto G8 Plus is for you.
