Moto G85 Review: Display and Design Stars in Budget Segment
Published By: Unnati Gusain
Published On: Jul 23, 2024
Motorola has just launched the Moto G85 in India, a budget-friendly smartphone that brings premium features right to your palm. Typically, budget phones compromise on certain aspects, be it the design or the display quality. However, the Moto G85 is here to change that notion, offering several standout features you usually find in more expensive devices. Let’s explore what makes the Moto G85’s design and display so unique compared to other smartphones in the same price range.
Slim Design, Lighter Weight
The first thing that catches your eye when you unbox the Moto G85 is its slim and lightweight design. Everyone from my colleagues to my grandfather was impressed. Weighing just 172g and with a thickness of 7.5mm, this phone feels almost feather-light compared to its competitors. For instance, the Nothing CMF Phone 1, a strong competitor, weighs 197g and is 8.2mm thick. In terms of design, the Moto G85 scores a perfect 10 out of 10.
The phone’s vegan leather back panel enhances its premium feel. Available in three captivating colors—Olive Green, Urban Grey, and Cobalt Blue—the Moto G85 stands out. I had the Olive Green variant, and it’s nothing short of stunning. The leather finish gives it a luxurious touch and a firm grip. The clean rear panel, adorned only by the Motorola logo, houses a dual-camera setup in an elevated rectangular island, which also has the same leather finish. Just a heads-up: the leather back can get dirty quickly, but this can be avoided using the transparent case that comes with the phone.
Curved Display in a Sub-20k Smartphone
The Moto G85 boasts a 6.7-inch pOLED curved display with a 120Hz refresh rate, a feature rarely found in this price range. The pOLED technology not only enhances the visual experience but also helps save battery life. With a peak brightness of 1600 nits and Corning Gorilla Glass 5 protection, the display is equipped to handle anything. The punch-hole display even has a glow animation that pops up when it detects a registered face for unlocking, adding a dash of elegance.
The seamless curved display, similar to those seen in the high-end Moto Edge series, offers an almost bezel-less view, making your phone sessions, whether it’s Netflix or high-graphic gaming, more enjoyable. The vibrant screen remains bright even under direct sunlight, and the smooth touch experience ensures hassle-free usage.
Impressive Performance
Don’t let its sleek design fool you; the Moto G85 packs a punch under the hood. Armed with a Snapdragon 6 Gen3 chipset and up to 12GB RAM plus 256GB storage, it operates smoothly even during extensive usage. Running on Android 14 with two years of OS updates promised, the device didn’t lag once during my week-long testing period.
Though the chipset is slightly older, real-world testing shows stable performance. On benchmarks like Geekbench, it clocked 940 for single-core and 2102 for multi-core. In the 3D Mark Wildlife Extreme stress test, the device achieved a 99% stability score, indicating reliable performance during extreme gaming. While playing Call of Duty, I noticed that it warmed up quickly but cooled down just as fast, ensuring a smooth gaming experience.
The Moto G85 also features a gaming mode that provides quick access to various app shortcuts and allows you to manage performance modes. Another feature borrowed from the premium Moto Edge series is Smart Connect, which lets you mirror your phone on a laptop or desktop, making multitasking simpler.
Battery Capacity
With a 5,000mAh battery and 33W fast charging support, the Moto G85 reliably lasts throughout the day with heavy usage. Whether it’s gaming or binge-watching, the device never required a second charge in a day. Fully charging the phone took about 80 minutes, and watching a YouTube video for 30 minutes only drained 4% of the battery. While faster charging would be a nice addition, the impressive battery life compensates for it.
Decent Camera Delivers Insta-Ready Pictures
The Moto G85’s dual-camera setup features a 50-megapixel Sony LYT-600 sensor with Optical Image Stabilization (OIS) and an 8-megapixel ultra-wide lens. While images are slightly over-saturated, making colors pop, it generally delivers Instagram-worthy photos. The Pro mode further enhances your photography skills, offering a range of settings to play with.
The camera provides clear images even with up to 10x zoom, though the best results are usually at 3x. The only downside is its slower shutter speed, requiring both you and your subject to remain still for the best shots. The front camera, a 32-megapixel shooter, ensures high-quality selfies and video calls.
In conclusion, the Moto G85 is a fantastic budget-friendly option with features that scream premium. Priced at Rs 17,999 with an option for an additional Rs 1,000 bank discount from Axis Bank, it’s hard to find a better deal. With its sleek design, curved display, strong performance, and reliable battery life, the Moto G85 is a great choice for those looking for more value without breaking the bank.
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