This smartphone, clad in a metal case, has a relatively capacious battery with fast charging, a fingerprint scanner and a good main camera. In addition, it boasts support for features from software package Moto Experiences, including control gestures and display options. As usual, Vesti.Hi-tech discovered not only strengths, but also weaknesses in the Moto G5S.

Lenovo, which owns the Motorola brand, positions smartphones in the Moto G line as a product for those who not only value “precious” body materials, but also want acceptable performance, high-quality cameras and additional features proprietary software. According to the manufacturer, target audience Such devices are mainly used by young people. At the beginning of August, the Moto G line was replenished with the Moto G5S ( Special Edition) and Moto G5S (Special Edition) Plus, the difference between which is the screen diagonal and hardware. While remaining in an affordable price category, both of these devices received a number of features of flagship devices. We received a younger model for testing - Moto G5S, which will soon go on sale in Russia.

Moto G5S Review: Specifications

• Model: Moto G5S (XT1794)
• OS: Android 7.1.1 (Nougat)
• Processor: Qualcomm Snapdragon 430 8-core 64-bit (MSM8937), ARM Cortex-A53 cores (up to 1.4 GHz)
• Graphics subsystem: Adreno 505 (450 MHz)
• RAM: 3 GB (single channel, 800 MHz, LPDDR3)
• Built-in memory: 32 GB, microSD/HC/XC card support (up to 128 GB)
• Screen: 5.2 inches, IPS, Full HD (1920x1080 pixels), 424 ppi, up to 10 simultaneous touches, protective glass 2.5D Corning Gorilla Glass 3
• Main camera: 16 MP, f/2.0 aperture, phase detection (PDAF) autofocus, 8x zoom, LED flash, video: 1080p@30 fps, 4x zoom, stabilization
• Front-camera: 5 MP, f/2.0 aperture, wide-angle lens, fixed focus, LED flash
• Network: GSM/GPRS/EDGE, UMTS HSPA+, 4G LTE, LTE-FDD Band (1, 3, 5, 7, 8, 19, 20, 28); LTE-TDD Band (38, 40)
• SIM card type: nanoSIM (4FF)
• Number of SIM cards: two, Dual SIM Dual Standby (DSDS)
• Interfaces: Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n (2.4 GHz + 5 GHz), Bluetooth 4.2 BR/EDR+BLE, NFC, USB-OTG, 3.5 mm audio headset (CTIA)
• Navigation: GPS/GLONASS, A-GPS
• Sensors: accelerometer, gyroscope, light and proximity sensors, fingerprint scanner
• Battery: non-removable, 3,000 mAh, supports TurboPower fast charging
• Case feature: water-repellent nano-coating
• Dimensions: 150x73.5x8.2 (9.5) mm
• Weight: 157 grams
• Main color: gray, golden

Moto G5S review: design, ergonomics

Unlike flagship devices from the same brand, the Moto G5S feels bulkier. Its thickness (excluding the protruding main photo module) is 8.2 mm; Of course, at 5.19 mm it looks much sleeker.

However, the manufacturer calls the Moto G5S “thin and light.” Comparison of these parameters with 5.2-inch “classmates” (2017 model), such as Huawei P10 lite and ZTE Blade V8, although not so indicative, also turns out to be not in its favor - 8.2 mm versus 7.2 mm versus 7.7 mm and 157 g versus 146 g versus 141 g. However, partly due to its weight and thickness in The Moto G5S feels quite confident in the hand.

The all-metal aluminum alloy body, judging by the description, is characterized by high strength and scratch resistance. At least during testing, no abrasions appeared on the body of the smartphone. The proposed color scheme is clearly no frills; there are only two colors - gray and golden (Lunar Gray and Fine Gold). All sharp edges of the case are smoothed (due to “diamond” processing) with chamfers, onto which protective glass with a 2.5D effect “flows” from the front panel. So there are no unpleasant sensations from the smartphone in the palm of your hand.

There are thin radio-transparent inserts for antennas on the rear panel. The device is designed to be protected from splashes and light rain by a special water-repellent nanocoating. Form style Moto can be traced, as always, in the details.

The front side of the smartphone is covered with 2.5D Corning Gorilla Glass 3 with an oleophobic coating.

Around the slot for the speaker, under which the text Moto logo was applied, there was an LED flash (right), a front camera (left), as well as light and proximity sensors (left).

The “Back”, “Home” and “Recent Applications” buttons, made in the form of “triangle”, “circle”, “square” icons, are on-screen on the Moto G5S. A fingerprint scanner is located on the insert under the display, the touch pad of which can replace the control panel, thereby freeing up part of the screen. True, I couldn’t “steer” with the thumb of the hand holding the smartphone (obviously, this finger is not so long and flexible).

The left edge was occupied by a locked slot, the key for which is included with the smartphone. At the same time, one of the places on the tray is allocated specifically for the subscriber identification module (nanoSIM format), while the other is simultaneously claimed by a microSD memory card and a second SIM card (4FF). Let us remind you that they managed to safely get rid of such an alternative in smartphones.

On the right edge of the Moto G5S there is a volume rocker, as well as a (smaller) power/lock button with raised notches.

The microUSB connector at the bottom is surrounded by a decorative grille for the “multimedia speaker” and a hole for the “talk” microphone.

The top end is occupied by a 3.5 mm audio headset connector (CTIA).

The proprietary, round photo module consists of a vertically positioned main camera lens and an LED flash. A hole for a second microphone was provided just above it. The Motorola graphic logo is placed in a small recess on the rear panel,

from the inscriptions at the bottom of which you can find out the model number of the smartphone and the country of production.

Moto G5S review: screen

The Moto G5S display is based on a 5.2-inch IPS matrix with Full HD resolution (1920x1080 pixels), which provides a pixel density per inch of 424 ppi.

The AntTuTu Tester program was able to recognize up to ten simultaneous clicks on a capacitive touch screen. The backlight level can be adjusted manually or automatically (the "Auto-brightness" option). Traditionally, Moto smartphones have two color display modes in the settings - “Normal” and “Vivid”, which allow you to choose a more suitable range between calm and more rich shades. The screen is protected from damage by 2.5D Gorilla Glass 3, and a fairly high-quality oleophobic coating applied to it helps remove grease.

One of the “chips” that the Moto G5S borrowed from the flagship devices was the “Moto Display” function. Let us remind you that its option of the same name allows you to display the battery charge value on the locked screen, current time, date, day of the week, as well as various notifications. To see all this, you just need to take the device in your hand.

Moto G5S Review: Cameras

The main camera with LED flash has a lens with an f/2.0 aperture and phase detection autofocus. At the same time, the Moto G5S, like the one, opted for a 16-megapixel sensor. Digital zoom allows you to enlarge the image up to 8 times. The maximum resolution of the main camera is achieved with the classic aspect ratio (4:3) and is 4632x3474 pixels (16 MP), and with widescreen (16:9) - 4632x2608 pixels (12.1 MP).

The front camera with a 5-megapixel sensor was equipped with a wide-angle lens with an f/2.0 aperture and a fixed focus, as well as an LED flash (its flashlight mode is undoubtedly useful). The maximum resolution for selfies with a classic aspect ratio (4:3) is 2592x1944 pixels (5 MP), and for a wide-screen groupie (16:9) - 2592x1458 pixels (3.8 MP).

Both cameras can record videos in Full HD quality (1920x1080 pixels) with a frame rate of 30 fps. For slow-motion video, a not very high resolution of 960x540 pixels is provided. All content is saved in MP4 container files (AVC - video, AAC - audio).

The interface of the "Camera" application, it seems, has migrated without any special changes to the Moto G5S from the Moto Z line. The main camera offers five modes - "Photo", "Video", "Panorama" (not available for the front photo module), "Slow Motion" shooting" and "Professional".

In the latter case, the orbital settings independently set the values ​​of ISO, shutter speed, exposure levels, white balance and focus. The last adjustment, for obvious reasons, is not available to the front camera. At the same time, both cameras have an Auto HDR option.

For those who like self-shooting, the front camera has provided manual and automatic “beautification” of self-portraits (where would we be without this now).

You can change the scale (for photos - 8x, for video - 4x) on the viewfinder by moving your finger up or down on the display. Exposure adjustment has been conveniently made when dragging the focus “clip” to a new location. Swiping left takes the screen to a gallery of pictures and clips. Swiping right opens the settings panel. As with the flagship line, there is a Quick Capture option that can be enabled either in the camera settings or in the Moto app. In addition, two-dimensional (QR) and one-dimensional barcodes are scanned automatically, you just need to point the camera at them.

During the day and in good lighting, there are, in general, no special complaints about the main camera on “automatic”. The background is carefully blurred during macro photography. But the results of night “shooting” without support are somehow not very impressive, which, however, is not surprising. Examples of photos can be viewed.

Moto G5S review: sound

The “multimedia” speaker, located at the bottom end of the case, is predictably deprived of special talents, although its sound is generally not bad. Interestingly, in the description of the audio capabilities of the Moto G5S there is no mention, for example, of surround sound, although among the advantages of its use mobile platform called 5.1-channel "surround sound" Dolby and DTS. Generally speaking, for a smartphone aimed at young people, the absence of such a “trick” seemed somewhat strange.

After turning on the Moto G5S for the first time, you have to use “Play Music” as an audio player. Pre-installed application"Radio FM", thanks to the presence of an appropriate tuner, can record stereo broadcasts in AAC format (44.1 kHz, 2 channels).

Moto G5S review: hardware, performance

The Moto G5S smartphone is based on the Qualcomm Snapdragon 430 platform (MSM8937), which is based on a 64-bit processor with eight ARM Cortex-A53 cores (clock speed up to 1.4 GHz). Graphics operations are performed by the Adreno 505 accelerator. The X6 LTE Cat.4/Cat.5 modem with 2x20 MHz carrier aggregation allows you to increase communication speeds to 150 Mbit/s and 75 Mbit/s, respectively. This platform supports interfaces including WiFi 802.11ac and Bluetooth. The new smartphone carries 3 GB on board random access memory LPDDR3.

Testing Moto G5S. Results in the AnTuTu benchmark

Testing Moto G5S. Results in the GeekBench benchmark

Testing Moto G5S. Visual test resultsEpicCitadel

Above are the results (as you can see, very average values) obtained on the Moto G5S in the main tests.

The new smartphone has 32 GB of internal memory, of which, at the time of switching on, a little more than 8 GB was occupied. You can increase the built-in storage using microSD/HC/XC cards with a capacity of up to 128 GB. Note that the second subscriber identification module (nanoSIM) also claims the place in the tray where the memory card is installed. Support for USB-OTG technology makes it possible to connect USB flash drives.

Two subscriber identification modules can alternately (Dual SIM Dual Standby, DSDS mode) use one radio channel. In 4G networks (Cat.4, 150/50 Mbit/s), among others, the FDD-LTE frequency bands b3 (1,800 MHz), b7 (2,600) and b20 (800 MHz) are available. Other wireless communications include Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac (5 GHz + 2.4 GHz), Bluetooth 4.2 and NFC.

The presence of an NFC interface makes it possible to work with the service Android Pay. In addition, using the Moscow Transport Maps application, it was possible to find out the balance of not only the Moscow Troika, but also the Strelka near Moscow.

The results of the AndroiTS GPS Test and GPS Test programs confirm that GPS and GLONASS satellites can be used to determine location and navigation. A-GPS technology is also supported.

The capacity of the non-removable battery of the Moto G5S is 3,000 mAh. For a day active use should definitely be enough. For comparison, for example, “classmates” Huawei P10 lite and ZTE Blade V8 received batteries of 3,000 mAh and 2,730 mAh, respectively. In addition, a 15-watt power supply is included with the new smartphone. Charger, rated for a current of 3 A (5 V). Let us remind you that it supports TurboPower fast charging technology, which also uses voltages of 9 V (1.6 A) and 12 V (1.2 A). Thanks to this, in 15 minutes the battery is filled to a level sufficient to provide 5 hours of operation. The relatively thick cable (designed for high current) is not secured to the adapter, unlike how it is done, for example, in chargers, and. However, this cable should definitely be used to recharge the Moto G5S battery, especially if it is very discharged.

The AnTuTu Tester battery test program showed a good, but not amazing, result of 9,243 points. A set of videos in MP4 format (hardware decoding) and Full HD quality at full brightness played continuously for almost 8 hours without any problems, and the body of the smartphone practically did not heat up.

As usual, only basic energy-saving functions are available to the user.

Moto G5S Review: Software Features

The Moto G5S smartphone runs operating system Android 7.1.1 (Nougat) without additional add-ons. One of the main advantages of this approach is the ability to receive the latest system updates as quickly as possible. By the way, there is already confirmation of an upgrade of the Moto G5S model to .

Like the flagship devices of the Moto Z line, including , and , the new smartphone supports functions from the Moto Experiences software package (Moto application), which relate to gestures and display.

Using fingerprints obtained on a fingerprint scanner, it is convenient to unlock your smartphone. It is also recommended to use a fingerprint scanner when paying for purchases. You can also use the Moto Actions settings in the Moto app to replace the control panel buttons with the touch pad.

Moto G5S review: purchase, conclusions

Among the advantages of the Moto G5S, it is worth noting its proprietary design, a good main camera, a battery with TurboPower fast charging, and a “clean” OS Android Nougat with a planned update to Oreo, as well as features from the Moto Experience software suite.

As for the shortcomings, these primarily include a somewhat bulky body, average performance, and the notorious choice between installing a second SIM card and expanding the memory.

The recommended price at the start of sales for the Moto G5S was 16,990 rubles. At the same time, for “classmates” in metal cases - Huawei P10 lite and ZTE Blade V8 with the same amounts of RAM (3 GB) and built-in (32 GB) memory - they asked for 16,990 rubles and 14,990 rubles, respectively. At the same time, Huawei P10 lite received a faster processor (HiSilicon Kirin 658, up to 2.1 GHz), and ZTE Blade V8 received a dual main camera (13 MP + 2 MP). By the way, the front cameras of rivals (8 MP and 13 MP, respectively), although they look more serious than the 5 MP in the Moto G5S, unfortunately, cannot boast of flashes. In addition, brand affinity, “clean” and “fresh” Android, as well as Moto Experience features may well influence a positive purchase decision.

Results of the review of the Moto G5S smartphone

Pros:

• Corporate design
• Decent main camera
• Capacious battery with TurboPower fast charging
• "Pure" Android Nougat OS with a planned update to Oreo
• Features from the Moto Experience software package

Minuses:

• Somewhat bulky and heavy body
• Average performance
• The inevitable choice between installing a second SIM card and expanding memory

Trying to release an improved version great smartphone Moto G5 Plus the same year? In this case, the company was again successful. The Moto G5S Plus is a special edition of the G5 Plus with an improved design, camera and larger screen. Simply put, this is a more premium version of its predecessor.

The best thing here is that the strengths of the Moto G5 Plus haven't been lost. Almost all previous shortcomings have been corrected. Is this enough for the price to rise from $229 to $279?

pros

The Moto G5S Plus has a metal monolithic body, which has a clear advantage over the appearance of the G5, where the plastic body had only inclusions of metal. The new camera contains two 13 megapixel modules, a first for the Moto G line of devices. The screen size is 5.5 inches, 1080p resolution, which is the most noticeable change compared to the previous device with a 5.2-inch screen.

Otherwise, the smartphones are the same. The same fast Snapdragon 625 processor is used, a 3000 mAh battery with support for fast charging, 4 GB of RAM, 64 GB of flash memory. New smartphone runs on Android 7.1, while the previous one shipped on Android 7.0. In both cases, the developers promise an update to Android 8.

The screen is still excellent and produces vibrant colors thanks to the use of an IPS LCD panel. Together with the all-metal body, the device seems much more expensive than $300. The build quality is reminiscent of the original Moto X, which retailed for around $350, but was on par with smartphones twice that price.

The device is thicker and heavier than its predecessor, with polished aluminum and clean antenna lines giving it a distinctive look. Although more have already been released modern processors Snapdragon 600 series, like the Snapdragon 630 in the more expensive Moto X4, the Snapdragon 625 remains fast and can handle intensive web browsing and gaming without any problems. Android is almost pure, not counting additions in the form of Moto Actions and Moto Display, which expand functionality. There's a fast fingerprint scanner included in the Home button. There is also a headphone jack.

Minuses

The camera is not bad, but not very good either. Motorola followed the trend and offered a dual rear camera, with a 13-megapixel secondary camera used to create depth effects and monochrome tricks. You can use the Moto Depth editor to change focus, selectively apply black and white areas to an image, and change the background. The problem is that the photographs themselves are not of very high quality.

The photographs are acceptable at best. Motorola claims that it uses the capabilities of professional DSLR cameras, which is extremely far from the truth. Available nice photos in great lighting and with the help of editing, but this is not a suitable smartphone for those who want to post the best photos on their Instagram.

In low light, photos in standard mode come out bad, they are too blurry, unless you switch to professional mode, which not everyone will agree with. The front camera works well thanks to the 8 MP sensor and wide-angle lenses. If you often take selfies, then this is quite suitable.

Apart from its photographic capabilities, the G5S Plus doesn't have any major flaws. There is no interface; instead, the older microUSB is used for charging and data transfer; there is also no communication standard and along with it support payment system. Just three shortcomings in a smartphone for $279 can be called an excellent indicator. In Russia on Yandex.Market the price for a 32 GB model is 19,000 rubles.

Conclusion

The Moto G5S Plus is better than the Moto G5 Plus in many ways. The device has become larger, the screen and build quality are better, but the price has increased, which may turn off many. 4 GB of memory will help you cope with a wide variety of tasks.

pros

• Excellent monolithic body
• Duration battery life

Minuses

• Weak camera
• No NFC
• No USB-C

If you are a passionate person (they are called geeks), then you will never buy a Moto G5s. You just can’t afford to pay 17 thousand for a smartphone with Snapdragon 430 and 3 GB of RAM. I wouldn't give it away either. It is not enough to understand that the main thing is optimization, not power; that except for heavy games, flagship processors are not really needed - you first need to drive out the geek who keeps benchmark numbers in his memory. I don't know how to do this.

Still, I used the Moto G5s for a week and I liked it. The weak hardware didn’t leave my mind, but when used it didn’t make itself felt. In short, the manufacturer turned out to be a nice budget phone, but not for geeks.

And for more detailed review Moto G5s, please scroll further.

Equipment

The phone's kit is the most common:

• power supply with output up to 12 V
• USB-Micro USB cable
• SIM tray clip
• warranty, instructions

Design

The smartphone has a classic Motorola design: a huge tablet with a camera and flash, huge frames around the display and a small recess for the logo. This recess is similar to a fingerprint scanner - the designers seem to be saying: “Look what would happen if there was a scanner on the back.” Indeed, it would be bad.

The scanner itself is located under the screen. By default, it only locks and unlocks the phone, and the on-screen buttons are responsible for navigation. The huge chin of the phone is empty. In the settings you can transfer navigation to the fingerprint scanner. Then his touch will be the “Home” button, and swiping to the right and left will be the “Back” and “Multitasking” buttons. But this is inconvenient, especially when you use your phone on the go.

Everything is fine with the direct responsibilities of the fingerprint scanner (recognizing fingers). It doesn't work very quickly, but almost always. Mistakes rarely happen, mostly when you place your finger crookedly or it’s just wet.

The smartphone is metal, with polished chamfers and a web of plastic inserts for antennas on the top and bottom. In fact, there’s not even much to talk about - there are no complaints about the design, nor is there anything special about it. Cute from behind, ugly from the front huge frames- that's all. It’s unlikely that state employees buy because of the design, so let’s move on.

Screen

The Moto G5s display is quite robust - the Full HD resolution at 5.2 inches looks very tasty, although it’s too late to be surprised at the pixel density of 424 ppi at the end of 2017. However, not many smartphones in this price category have HD matrices, so the G5s can be praised.

But God is with him, with permission. The display is otherwise very nice. Moderately cool color rendering, normal contrast, fairly high brightness - of course, the screen is not surprising, but it makes a good impression. There is a function that adjusts the screen temperature to the lighting - in the dark (that is, most of the day) the picture is warm and easy to perceive by the eyes.

The glass is slightly curved around the perimeter and covered with an oleophobic coating. True, it is weak - fingerprints are not so easily removed, and the finger sometimes glides across the screen not as gracefully as we would like.

Moto G5s Specifications:

• Qualcomm Snapdragon 430 processor (8 cores at up to 1.4 GHz, Cortex-A53, 28 nanometers)
• graph accelerator Adreno 505
• 3 GB RAM @ 800 MHz (1928 MB available after reboot)
• 32 GB ROM (23.78 GB available out of the box, can be expanded by another 256 GB with a memory card)
• hybrid slot: either two SIM cards, or one plus a memory card
• 5.2-inch IPS display, 1920 x 1080 resolution, 424 ppi pixel density
• 13-megapixel main camera with f/2.0 aperture
• 5-megapixel front camera with f/2.2 aperture
• 3,000 mAh battery with TurboCharge fast charging
• Android 7.1.1 Nougat
• sensors: accelerometer, gyroscope, lighting, proximity, electronic compass
• Fingerprint's scanner
• Connectors: Micro USB, 3.5 mm headphone
• dimensions: 150 x 73.5 x 8.2 mm
• weight 157 grams

Wireless capabilities:

• 2G, 3G, LTE (frequencies: 1, 3, 5, 7, 8, 19, 20, 28, 38, 40)
• 2 x Nano SIM
• Wi-Fi (a/b/g/n), Bluetooth 4.2, NFC
• navigation: A-GPS, GLONASS

Performance

The characteristics of the smartphone are weak - the Snapdragon 430 has eight Cortex-A53 cores at a frequency of up to 1.4 GHz, and only 3 GB of RAM. Up to 15,000 rubles you can find a bunch of options that are twice as productive. But the smartphone works great.

I constantly write about responsiveness in reviews. For example, it would be a normal device if it didn’t process each touch with a barely noticeable but infuriating delay. And at this point it’s easy to track a normal state employee from one that was done on a whim, just to be released. The Moto G5s is fine with this, as well as with performance in general.

I only met the brakes in Google Play Music, but this application lags and is much more powerful on smartphones. And if we take this out of the equation, we get a very decent speed of work, which is not annoying at all. I only had it at hand, I opened applications and sites at the same time on both - Moto G5s did not lag behind and even overtook. Here I remember an old video where the first Moto E worked on par with.

Games are not the strong point of a smartphone, but no one expects that from it. Dungeon Hunter 5 and Gangstar 4 regularly slow down, but you can play. Another question is that the phone has no power reserve. Game lovers should look for another device.

It’s very cool that there is an NFC chip, which means Android Pay works. Entering 2018 without contactless payment is somehow not comme il faut.

Cameras

Budget smartphones are not always about the camera. But the Moto G5s has a very decent level of photo capabilities. Of course, it’s not even close to a flagship one, but in general, the device’s cameras were more pleasing than disappointing.

Main camera

The 16-megapixel module with f/2.0 aperture does not have a very wide dynamic range - when shooting landscapes on a sunny day, either the sky will be white or other objects will be too dark. Here you will have to look for a balance and rely on HDR.

But the pictures have the correct white balance and good detail. There is no this nasty over-sharpening, which is visible even without zoom in most budget phones, mid-rangers and even many flagships. Although, of course, it’s better not to zoom photos from the Moto G5s unless absolutely necessary. And in the dark everything is standard - noise and blur.

We take all the originals for detailed study on our computer from here.

Front-camera

The 5-megapixel front camera copes well with its tasks. Plus, it has a flash, so you can take normal selfies in artificial light.

No flash

With flash

Don't forget that Motorola belongs to the Chinese Lenovo, so you can't go without a face enhancement. Look how she made me look like a pedophile pick-up artist. And she didn’t cover up the black eye:

Video

The video on the main camera is recorded in Full HD, and it is disgusting. There’s nothing to say here, just see for yourself. On big screen It's painful to watch on a computer.

The front camera (if you make allowance for the fact that it is a front camera) takes pictures quite tolerably. Also in Full HD.

Software

I like the approach to software Moto smartphones. This is not to say that there is absolutely bare Android here, but the manufacturer integrates its features as unobtrusively and harmoniously as possible. At first glance, there really are no add-ons - the design of the system is the usual Google one. But there are several functions of varying degrees of usefulness.

The phone understands when you take it in your hand. I don’t understand why all manufacturers don’t add this obviously useful thing to their smartphones. It is found in more or less all flagships, but is rarely found in budget phones. It’s very convenient - you take your smartphone and immediately see the notifications, you can go straight to them. It seems like a small thing, but you get used to it instantly.

Motorola provided a few more features, but I never got used to using them. Here, for example, is an intermediate lock screen with dark theme, which displays notification icons and themes - why is it needed? I can see who wrote what to me on a standard lockscreen. And here it’s not even an AMOLED screen to try to save battery using black color.

Various gestures are also not for everyone - all these hand dances to turn on a flashlight or camera, in my humble opinion, do not make life easier. There is a function to activate Do Not Disturb mode when you place the phone face down. But there is a high probability of putting it there without a second thought and missing the call/notification.

Motorola hasn't built anything else in. Total - one most useful additional function, several useless ones and none that would get in the way. And most importantly, the optimization is good, it’s really a pleasure to use the phone. I'm happy. Although there were some problems - my Instagram periodically crashes and the recording is interrupted voice messages on VKontakte.

Autonomy

I didn't expect anything good from the battery life of the Moto G5s. The battery here is 3,000 mAh - not much for a Full HD display and old hardware. Plus, the phone constantly monitors when I pick it up to turn on the screen.

But in reality, everything is fine with autonomy. I always had Internet access via LTE, I read articles in a browser, used social networks, streamed music and watched videos on YouTube, and did not play games. In this mode, the phone survived until the evening with about 10% charge remaining. The screen operating time was around 4 hours - the result was not spectacular, but functional and strong.

The smartphone also supports charging using the TurboPower standard. Because of this, the phone gets warm, but charges quickly:

• from 15 to 30% in 15 minutes
• up to 40% in 25 minutes
• up to 55% in 40 minutes
• up to 75% per hour

The phone needs approximately 2 hours to charge from 0 to 100%.

Bottom line

Smartphones like the Moto G5s are the hardest to review. It seems to be good, but, as I already wrote, I wouldn’t dare buy it at the official price, which is 16,990 rubles. A gray phone costs 13-14 thousand - it’s better, but still a bit much.

I don’t know how to feel about the price of the Moto G5s, so instead of making a conclusion, I’ll simply list the main points. And you decide for yourself whether it’s worth taking or not.

1. The smartphone is fast and responsive. You won't notice any performance issues in everyday use.
2. But in games, you will notice that the phone is clearly not intended for them.
3. Normal screen, normal camera - no complaints here.
4. Autonomy is good, yes fast charging.
5. There is NFC, Android Pay works.

On sale Official price: 16,990 rubles, gray: 13-14 thousand

"Fotosklad.ru"

An era has long passed Motorola as an independent company that delighted its fans with unusual products. Just remember the legendary Razr V3 clamshell, one of the first Atrix 4G smartphones docked with a keyboard-display dock, and the Kevlar Razr Maxx. Nowadays, this sub-brand of the Chinese Lenovo also sometimes produces interesting devices: for example, Z, Z Play, Z2 and Z2 Play with support for moto mods, but still the company’s focus has significantly shifted to the budget area: smartphones have become very popular in developing countries and third world countries inexpensive series E, M, G, C.

Today we are reviewing a representative of the mid-budget segment - Moto G5S. As usual, let’s briefly go through the characteristics of the smartphone, and then proceed to its detailed analysis.

Display	IPS, 16 million colors
Display diagonal	5.2 inches
Display resolution	FHD (1920 x 1080), 424 ppi
operating system	Android 7.1
CPU	Qualcomm Snapdragon 430
Video accelerator	Adreno 505
RAM capacity	3 GB
Volume of permanent memory	32 GB
Memory card slot	Yes, microSD, up to 256 GB, dedicated
Main camera	16 MP, F/2.0
Front-camera	5 MP, F/2.0
Video shooting	FHD (1920x1080) at 30 fps
Number of SIM cards	2, nano
Interfaces	WiFi 802.11 b/g/n, Bluetooth 4.2, GPS (A-GPS, GLONASS), microUSB 2.0, NFC, audio jack, FM radio
Fingerprint's scanner	Eat
Fast charging	Supported
Battery	3000 mAh
Weight	157 g
Dimensions	74x150x8.2 mm
Colors	Grey, gold, blue

The first difference from the predecessor G5 that catches your eye is the slightly increased screen diagonal (from 5 to 5.2 inches). The G5 also has a slightly lower battery capacity, lacks NFC support and a slightly different main camera. In addition, the G5S received splash protection, which is also a nice bonus. The only configuration of the G5S is 32 GB of permanent memory and 3 GB of RAM, while the G5, in addition to this, also offered a configuration with 16 ROM and 2 GB of RAM. This is where all the differences essentially end.

Well, let's move on to the review of the smartphone.

Box and accessories

The G5S comes in a colorful box, which is easy to give as a gift even without wrapping paper. The delivery set includes a traditional set for budget smartphone: the device itself, charger, cable, extractor clip and instructions. The charger supports fast charging and is capable of operating at voltage/current 5V/3A, 9V/1.6A, 12V/1.2A, which is good news.

Design

By appearance The G5 and G5S are very different: the newcomer is equipped with an all-metal body, unlike its predecessor, and looks very good. The metal added weight to the device - the smartphone became 12 g heavier. There are antenna inserts on the top and bottom of the back cover.

In the back center, in a slightly protruding base, there is a camera with a flash, and just below is the Motorola logo. On the right are the volume and power control buttons, on the left is the SIM card slot. The microUSB input and speaker grille are located at the bottom end, and the audio jack is at the top.

The smartphone itself lies very nicely in the hand and does not slip out thanks to its rounded shape. The edges of the smartphone are very well processed; they do not dig into the palm. The assembly of the smartphone is excellent, there is no play or creaking.

Display

As already mentioned, the G5S slightly increased the display diagonal to 5.2 inches, leaving the FHD resolution unchanged. However, this is more than enough for a smartphone with such a diagonal. The IPS display does its job well: the colors are bright and rich, and it is clearly visible in moderate sunlight.

OS and user interface

The operating system is almost bare Android 7.1.1 with applications from Google, the Moto application and a couple of applications from Yandex. There are no separate touch buttons at the bottom of the screen; control is carried out using on-screen soft buttons. Signature gestures available for quick launch cameras. The operating speed of the smartphone is generally satisfactory: no lag is felt when navigating through the operating system menu. They arise only in cases where, in parallel with work in some application, for example, an application from Play Market. Which, however, is typical for any budget smartphone running on inexpensive eMMC memory.

Particularly worth mentioning is the Moto application, with which you can customize gestures and the operation of the active display. For example, you can enable gestures to turn on the camera with two circular movements or operate the flashlight with two chopping movements.

The touch button of the fingerprint scanner can replace the navigation buttons: when you swipe to the right, the application menu is called up, when you swipe to the left, the back button is activated, with a short press the smartphone is blocked, with a long press it opens Google Now(which, in addition, can be controlled by voice when the smartphone is locked).

By default, the G5S has Active Display enabled. If you need to check the time or read missed notifications, just lift your smartphone.

Overall, it's clear that Lenovo/Motorola have put a lot of work into the user interface. You quickly get used to the features of the smartphone, after which you are left a little surprised why other manufacturers didn’t do this.

Processor and memory

If you think that the S suffix in the model name is derived from the English word Speed, then you are mistaken. The processor in the G5S remains the same as that found on its predecessor (Snapdragon 430), which is a bit of a shame, especially considering the fact that its older brother G5S Plus has a more acceptable and more productive Snapdragon 625, which is faster than any processor from the 4xx line in terms of speed. almost one and a half times. The test results confirm this. However, noticeable delays will only occur in very heavy games that are not optimized for weak smartphones.

The predecessor G5 had two configurations available: with 2/16 GB and 3/32 GB of RAM and permanent memory, respectively. In the G5S, it was decided to leave only the older configuration, and this is probably correct: 3 GB of RAM is now the minimum required to work with a smartphone. The permanent memory can be expanded by equipping the smartphone with a microSD card, but, unfortunately, then you will lose the opportunity to install a second SIM card - the slot is hybrid.

Interfaces

The smartphone is equipped with the necessary minimum: a microUSB connector, a dual-band WiFi module, Bluetooth version 4.2, 3.5 mm audio jack. It was a little disappointing that the G series remained on the outdated microUSB connector, and did not switch to a more modern one USB Type-C. There is support for FM radio. It was also nice to see the availability NFC module, which means the availability of wireless payments.

Battery

The battery capacity has increased slightly to 3000 mAh. This is a normal indicator for a smartphone of this diagonal. Thanks to the energy-efficient processor and good Android optimization 7 it can easily withstand one day of use by the average user.

The smartphone supports TurboCharge fast charging. A 15-watt charger is included with the device. In 30 minutes the device is charged from scratch by about 40%, in an hour - by 70%. A full charge cycle will take about one and a half hours.

Communication and sound

There are no complaints about the quality of communication with the G5S: both the interlocutor and we can hear him perfectly well during a conversation. The smartphone operates in the three most common LTE bands in Russia: B7, B20, B38, which is not very common in smartphones in this price category.

The sound of the external speaker is clear and plays without wheezing at maximum power. There are also no complaints about the sound in the headphones.

Camera

Both the main and front cameras in a mid-level smartphone: there aren’t enough stars in the sky, but they’re not bad for their level. The detail of the images from the main camera is moderate, color rendition is satisfactory. The HDR algorithm does not work very well, as can be seen from the image. The front camera takes pictures, like all average cameras, quite acceptable, but it is far from the flagships.

The camera app is fast, capturing photos in the blink of an eye, which isn't typical for a not-so-fast processor. The following shooting modes are available: Photo, Video, Slow Motion, Professional Mode, Panorama. Slow motion shooting is carried out in a resolution of 960x540 at 120 frames per second. In Photo mode, you can turn on/off/set auto mode HDR, turn on/off/set automatic flash mode and set a timer. In professional mode, you can manually set shutter speed, white balance, ISO, focus and exposure compensation.

Results

Lenovo is trying to keep up with the times. The G5S is an improved model of its predecessor, the G5, which was slightly increased in diagonal, added a few milliampere hours and, most importantly (as it seems to us), built in an NFC module. For quite reasonable money, you get a device that is pleasant to use and does not contain unnecessary bloatware. G5S will be a pleasant gift for a person who appreciates ease of use and design, but does not demand anything from his smartphone maximum performance and I'm not used to overpaying.

Actually, the situation was funny. At the presentation, representatives of the Moto team spent an hour talking about what wonderful Moto Modes they already have, how great it is to use them, in general, they shared facts that were obvious, in my opinion. And then they quickly showed three new modules, several concepts in five minutes and spent about the same amount of time on the brand new G5/G5 Plus. In our article I will do the opposite, because smartphones turned out to be interesting, in my opinion.

	Moto G5	Moto G5 Plus
Class	Middle class	Middle class
Form factor	Monoblock	Monoblock
Housing materials	Aluminum	Aluminum
operating system	Android 7.0	Android 7.0
Net		2G/3G/LTE (800/1800/2600), two SIM cards
Platform	Qualcomm Snapdragon 430	Qualcomm Snapdragon 625
CPU	Octa-core	Octa-core
Video accelerator	Adreno 505	Adreno 506
Inner memory	16/32 GB	32/64 GB
RAM	2 GB	3/4 GB
Memory card slot	Eat	Eat
WiFi	Yes, a/b/g/n/ac, dual-band	Yes, a/b/g/n/ac, dual-band
Bluetooth	Yes, 4.2 LE, A2DP	Yes, 4.2 LE, A2DP
NFC	Unknown	Unknown
Screen diagonal	5 inches	5.2 inches
Screen resolution	1920 x 1080 pixels	1920 x 1080 pixels
Matrix type	IPS	IPS
Protective covering	Gorilla Glass 3	Gorilla Glass 3
Oleophobic coating	Eat	Eat
Main camera	13 MP, 1080p video shooting	12 MP, f/1.7, video recording 2160p
Front-camera	5 MP	5 MP, f/2.2
Navigation	GPS, A-GPS, Glonass	GPS, A-GPS, Glonass
Sensors		Accelerometer, light sensor, proximity sensor
Battery	Non-removable, Li-Ion 2800 mAh, fast charging	Non-removable, Li-Ion 3000 mAh, fast charging
Dimensions	144.3 x 73 x 9.5 mm	150.2 x 74 x 7.7 mm
Weight	145 grams	155 grams
Price	From 200 euros	From 280 euros

Talking about new G-series, company representatives noted that users who want to purchase a good quality product for little money have a very limited number of options, and they made their new G5 especially for them. I tried to fill out the characteristics plate as completely as possible to make it more convenient for you to evaluate new products, so I won’t repeat the numbers again.

At the presentation, they noted that in the middle segment, consumers pay attention to three parameters, or rather, are ready to pay extra for them: the quality of the display and its resolution, battery life and camera. It was these parameters that they tried to improve.

Screen

The screen diagonal in the Moto G5 is five inches, in the G5 Plus - 5.2 inches, the resolution in both devices is FHD. Moto kept their word and made the displays really high quality, the picture is bright and rich, the colors are pleasing to the eye.

Interestingly, despite the use of IPS matrices, Always On technology is supported.

Design and materials

Externally, the devices do not look very original, but due to the design of the main camera, like in Moto Z, both smartphones are easily recognizable.

Back cover made of aluminum, with plastic inserts installed on top and bottom.

Moto G5 Plus

Fingerprint's scanner

The fingerprint scanner was very interesting. I often hear in comments that it wouldn’t hurt to assign several actions to the scanner and abandon on-screen buttons. The G5 Plus did just that. You first enable this function in the settings, and then you can swipe left to go back, and swipe right to open latest apps. An excellent and convenient feature. As I understand it, it will only work in the older model.

Working hours

Moto added support for its TurboCharger to these models; at the presentation they promised that in 15 minutes the smartphone will be charged for six hours of battery life. When I asked what percentage this was, the company representative replied that it was about 20%. In any case, these numbers will still need to be tested and verified.

Price

In Europe, the G5 will sell for 200 euros, and the G5 Plus for 280. It is important to remember that we are talking about versions with minimal memory.

In Russia, the G5 will appear in April, but the G5 Plus will not be sold. There is no information on prices yet, let me assume that they will be around 18 thousand rubles.

I liked the new products, these are good, high-quality solutions for those who do not need shells and who want a good-quality smartphone.

Moto Mods

The company showed four new modules and several interesting concepts.

First, we updated our module with external battery. New colors and TurboCharge support have arrived!

Secondly, we made an accessory that allows you to quickly recharge the modules and the smartphone itself using contacts on the back cover.

Thirdly, we made a separate module with wireless charging.

Fourthly, a special module with a joystick has appeared! And, in my opinion, this is the most interesting accessory among all the modules! Now let's move on to the concepts.

The first concept is a module with instant photo printing.

The second is a toy car module; a smartphone in this module will be able to communicate with a child, etc.

The third is the base, turning your Moto into full tablet. It is made based on the design of Yoga Tab.

The fourth is a pixel case, only, unlike HTC, the back part consists of pixels.

They also plan to release special glasses for viewing VR content.

For owners of several modules, they came up with a special docking station for recharging them!

The last module will work with Alexa, voice assistant from Amazon.

Conclusion

Now comes the fun part. Despite the continuity of design between the Moto Z and the new G5/G5 Plus, the latter will not support Moto Mods, which is very sad, I think that such an approach would significantly increase the popularity of the modules. On the other hand, I think that Lenovo understands that the user who bought the G5/G5 Plus wants to save money and is unlikely to spend money on expensive additional modules.