Motorola Moto G35 5G review: Sharper but slower

Motorola has been resurgent within the premium telephone market of late, turning out high-quality efforts just like the Motorola Edge 50 Extremely and the Motorola Razr 50 Extremely. Nevertheless, the corporate clearly hasn’t forgotten that it constructed its fame on solidly constructed but extremely low cost telephones.

The Moto G35 5G is Motorola’s newest telephone on this mould, providing ostensibly reasonable specs for a sub-£150 price ticket. However has it received the stability of elements proper this time?

Design & Construct

• Plastic or eco leather-based finishes
• Bigger however thinner than earlier than
• Water repellant design

Motorola has given its newest low cost telephone a barely bigger footprint than the previous Moto G34 5G at 166.07 x 75.98mm. It’s additionally a tad heavier at 188g (or 191g for the eco leather-based mannequin), although this nonetheless makes it comparatively light-weight.

On the plus aspect, the Moto G35 5G is even slimmer than earlier than at simply 7.79mm thick.

As I’ve already alluded to, the Leaf Inexperienced and Guava Crimson fashions include a pretend leather-based end on the again. Sadly, I used to be despatched the somewhat drab Midnight Black variant, which is available in lavatory customary matt plastic.

Even so, it’s good to see Motorola benefiting from using plastic and forming a flowing, built-in digicam bump. It provides a contact of low-key class to the design.

There’s no in-display fingerprint sensor right here. As an alternative, Motorola has gone with a less expensive energy button-based answer. It’s dependable, if not particularly speedy.

Motorola’s imprecise “water repellant design” designation makes a return, so that you wouldn’t need to drop the Moto G35 5G in a pool of water. It ought to stand as much as a lightweight rain bathe, although.

Jon Mundy / Foundry

On the plus aspect, Motorola has packed a case into the field this time round. It’s solely an inexpensive clear rubbery factor, however given the audience – youthful or older customers, or just those that don’t have some huge cash to spare – any further type of safety is welcome.

Additionally notable is a 3.5mm headphone jack on the underside edge. Once more, it’s a welcome provision on condition that many consumers gained’t have some huge cash to splash round on fancy Bluetooth headphones.

Display screen & Audio system

• 6.72-inch LCD
• 120Hz peak refresh fee
• Stereo audio system

Motorola has good cause for making the Moto G35 5G bigger than its predecessor, and that’s the inclusion of a bigger show. The corporate has gone with a 6.72-inch LCD this time round.

In reality, the dimensions distinction is neither right here nor there. I’m simply glad that Motorola has gone with a Full HD+ (1080 x 2400) decision this time round, in contrast to the outdated 720p display of the Moto G34 5G. It implies that textual content and pictures at all times look moderately sharp right here, no matter how small or detailed they’re.

Motorola has as soon as once more equipped a full 120Hz refresh fee. It’s set to mechanically change between 60- and 120Hz by default, however you possibly can power both on on a regular basis within the Settings menu. I ran my mannequin in full 120Hz mode for many of the evaluate interval, as common.

Jon Mundy / Foundry

In apply, I discovered this provision of a 120Hz refresh fee to be somewhat meaningless, given the Moto G35 5G’s stuttering efficiency – one thing that these additional pixels additionally contribute to, little question. I’ll get to that shortfall quickly sufficient.

What with this being a comparatively low cost and cheerful LCD show somewhat than OLED, you shouldn’t count on deep blacks, wealthy colors, or pronounced distinction. Motorola provides two color modes: the cool and punchy Vivid mode or the hotter and extra muted Pure.

Neither of those is particularly color correct, it needs to be mentioned, however then you could mood your expectations at this value level.

Again on the optimistic entrance, this panel definitely will get good and vivid. I recorded a most brightness of 732 nits with autobrightness off and the additional brightness setting toggled on – very spectacular for such an inexpensive telephone.

Whereas the Moto G35 5G comes with stereo audio system and Dolby Atmos assist, you shouldn’t count on excellent audio output. What it does do is get moderately loud while remaining pretty clear, which is all you possibly can hope for at this finish of the market.

As talked about earlier, it comes with the uncommon advantage of a conventional headphone socket.

Specs & Efficiency

• Unisoc T760 chipset
• 4GB RAM
• Typically sluggish, stuttering efficiency
• 128GB storage

On the subject of the efficiency of a sub-£150 smartphone, I solely count on two pretty modest issues: that it’s quick sufficient to deal with common navigation moderately easily, and that it’s quicker than any earlier fashions within the vary. Sadly, the Moto G35 5G fails on each counts.

Motorola has switched to a really humble Unisoc T760 chip, and it doesn’t appear able to standing as much as the creaky Snapdragon 695 of the Moto G34 5G.

There’s the notable mitigating circumstance of the Moto G35 5G having a a lot sharper, extra demanding FHD+ show.

Nevertheless, that simply makes me surprise much more why Motorola didn’t go for a extra succesful processor, or much more than the identical meagre 4GB allotment of RAM – aside from to maintain the invoice of supplies down.

Jon Mundy / Foundry

In Geekbench 6 multi-core benchmark phrases, the Moto G35 5G barely scored any higher than the Moto G34 5G, whereas in graphical benchmarks the 2023 mannequin completely blows the G35 away.

Once more, this may largely be attributed to the uptick in show sharpness, which could be very a lot welcome. I’d fortunately sacrifice summary benchmark outcomes for such sensible show features.

The difficulty is, that shortfall in efficiency manifests itself very clearly in day-to-day utilization. Each activity, from unlocking the telephone to flitting between dwelling screens and even dropping down the notification menu is accompanied by a really obvious diploma of stutter.

Primary UI animations are wallowy and halting, inflicting a gradual build-up of frustration. My persistence with the telephone died a demise of a thousand micro-pauses.

Gaming efficiency is at a reasonably low degree, as you’d count on. The Moto G35 5G will run Genshin Influence, however if you would like something like a playable body fee you’ll need to hold it set to the bottom graphical settings. Even then, it’s not precisely easy. Much less intensive video games like Slay the Spire will run simply advantageous, although.

You’ll discover ample cupboard space, a minimum of, with 128GB (the identical as some flagship telephones 4 occasions the value) as customary together with a microSD slot for enlargement functions.

There’s NFC, Wi-Fi 5, and GPS as earlier than, however even the supply of Bluetooth 5.0 is technically a step again from the Moto G34 5G’s Bluetooth 5.1.

That’s unlikely to make any form of sensible distinction for the Moto G35 5G’s possible viewers, nevertheless it provides to the general sensation that the Moto G35 5G’s baseline spec (display and digicam apart) represents a step again.

Cameras

• 50Mp f/1.8 essential digicam
• 8Mp f/2.2 ultrawide digicam
• 4K @ 30fps video

Motorola has souped up its digicam providing for the Moto G35 5G, if solely barely. Whereas the 50Mp f/1.8 essential digicam stays, there’s now a devoted 8Mp ultrawide too somewhat than a pointless macro sensor.

The primary digicam is able to taking ample photographs in good lighting. They’re not the sorts of snaps that can take properly to being blown up on a great laptop computer display and poured over, however they’re eminently sharable in social media circles.

Jon Mundy / Foundry

As earlier than, there is usually a honest quantity of over-saturation to vivid colors, and a smidgen of over-exposure in highlights. However they often look good for an inexpensive telephone of this sort.

That high quality utterly falls aside in lesser lighting, with an evening mode that ramps up the brightness, however actually doesn’t appear to do all that a lot for element or noise discount. There’s no OIS (optical picture stabilisation) right here, which possible doesn’t assist.

I additionally encountered a wierd bug that noticed a number of meals photos I took rendered irretrievable, with solely a low-res thumbnail picture remaining.

The 8Mp ultrawide doesn’t seize significantly nice snaps, with a a lot lighter tone and an absence of sharpness, however its inclusion is welcome. You additionally get a stable 16Mp entrance digicam that may seize ample selfies.

The addition of an ultrawide digicam completes a digicam bundle that’s ok for the cash.

One huge enchancment with the Moto G35 5G is the addition of 4K video recording at 30fps. The Moto G34 5G may solely handle 1080p, so this represents a substantial advance.

Battery Life & Charging

• 5000mAh battery
• 18W charging speeds
• No charger within the field

Motorola has used one other 5000mAh battery for the Moto G35 5G. As soon as once more, it produces sturdy outcomes, although not fairly nearly as good because the Moto G34 5G earlier than it.

In our common PCMark Work 3.0 battery take a look at, the Moto G35 5G lasted 10 hours and half-hour. That’s an hour and 12 minutes lower than the Moto G34 5G.

You don’t should look far to search out the wrongdoer for that, after all. Working considerably extra pixels on a show will naturally sap extra energy, and it’s a trade-off I’m very happy to make.

Jon Mundy / Foundry

Particularly on condition that the Moto G35 5G was nonetheless capable of get me by a day of reasonable utilization with ease.

In a 14-hour day with round 4 hours and half-hour of screen-on time, I’d nonetheless be left with round half a tankful left. That’s a robust consequence, if not precisely atypical throughout the reasonably priced smartphone panorama.

This was with the show compelled to 120Hz on a regular basis, too, so you might eke much more out for those who caught with the default auto refresh fee setting.

One space the place Motorola has taken a step again is with its charging provision.

You now not get an influence prick bundled in, in contrast to with the Moto G34 5G and different earlier fashions. The business has been going this manner for some time and for some noble causes nevertheless it’s nonetheless doubtlessly a little bit of a bind for those who haven’t stored maintain of a earlier charger, otherwise you’re shifting from a distinct charging port.

By way of supported charging speeds, Motorola has as soon as once more gone with 18W. Utilizing a suitably succesful third-party charger, I recorded the Moto G35 5G charging from empty to 21% in quarter-hour, and to 36% in half-hour. A full 0 to 100% cost took about 1 hour 45 minutes.

That’s broadly in step with the Moto G34 5G, as you’d count on. It’s not particularly quick, however isn’t a horrible provision for the value.

Software program & Apps

• Android 14
• Safety updates till 2027

Motorola has lengthy equipped among the most appealingly clear software program within the reasonably priced telephone market, and the Moto G35 5G retains up that custom.

It runs on Android 14 out of the field, with minimal embellishment and little or no in the best way of bloatware. There are a few third-party pre-installations I may have carried out with out, led by TikTok and LinkedIn.

I don’t see the purpose of putting in the Opera net browser as customary when Chrome is already there, both. In any other case, this can be a good clear tackle Android, with icons and menus that stick near Google’s manner of doing issues by itself telephones just like the Pixel 8a.

Jon Mundy / Foundry

That is fairly spare even by Motorola’s requirements. You don’t even get the devoted Moto app this time, which supplies a gateway to its customized ideas and gestures.

You’ll now discover the latter buried within the Settings menu. It’s a extra streamlined method, however I wasn’t averse to Motorola’s earlier method, because it was dealt with in a pleasant approachable method and one we’ve at all times been keen on at Tech Advisor.

Motorola has nonetheless included its Moto Safe app, which supplies an accessible technique to handle your telephone’s safety. Household House, in the meantime, allows you to create a protected digital atmosphere for youthful relations with full parental controls.

On the subject of updates, Motorola has confirmed that the Moto G35 5G will get up to date to Android 15 and that it’s down for safety updates by to August 2027.

Value & Availability

You should buy the Moto G35 5G direct from Motorola UK for £149.99, which is similar value because the Moto G34 5G in 2023. It’s additionally out there on the similar value from third-party retailers like Argos, John Lewis, and Currys.

It gained’t be made out there within the US so look to the very comparable Moto G 5G (2024) for $199.

That makes the Moto G35 5G one of many extra reasonably priced telephones in the marketplace. Samsung’s non-5G Galaxy A15 comes with an RRP of £169, whereas its Galaxy A05s prices £129.

Switching over to Xiaomi, the Redmi 14C offers you double the RAM and storage, a bigger 5160mAh battery, and a bigger (if much less sharp) 6.88-inch show for £159. The Poco M6 provides one thing broadly comparable for a similar RRP.

Take a look at our checklist of one of the best price range telephones for the highest choices.

Must you purchase the Motorola Moto G35 5G?

We’re used to accepting compromises in our sub-£149 smartphones, however the Moto G35 5G arguably goes just a little too far.

Whereas I’m glad to see Motorola add a bigger and sharper 6.72in FHD+ show, it has come on the expense of easy efficiency. Utilizing the Moto G35 everyday is an train in frustration.

If you happen to can reside with the fixed stutters and pauses, you would possibly recognize the addition of a devoted 8Mp ultra-wide digicam, stable battery life, and Motorola’s clear software program provision.

It nonetheless belongs within the ‘ok’ class – nearly – however spending just a little extra can get you a a lot slicker day-to-day expertise.