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Our takeEditorialA bare-bones 5G phone with a smooth screen and two-day battery for $149 — get it for someone whose phone needs to work, not impress.
Motorola
Motorola Moto G 5G - 2023
5.5/10 UpPhone score
A 6.5-inch 120 Hz screen and two-day battery life for $149 — the trade-offs are sub-HD sharpness and slow loads.
Screen
6.5"
Chip
Snapdragon 480+ 5G
Camera
48 MP
The verdict, & two little voices
Should you actually get the Motorola Moto G 5G - 2023?
The editor weighs in — flanked by the optimist on her shoulder and the cynic on the other.
“At $149 it covers calls, texts, and 5G data with battery to spare — that is the whole job for a backup or kid's first phone.”
“The same $149 buys nothing else, but the soft screen and slow chip make every interaction feel cheaper than it should.”
Our take
A 6.5-inch 120 Hz screen and two-day battery life for $149 — the trade-offs are sub-HD sharpness and slow loads.
The Moto G 5G - 2023 is the budget Android phone you reach for when the price tag matters more than the spec sheet. Ting carries it for $149 outright, and at that price you get a 6.5-inch screen that scrolls smoothly, a battery that comfortably stretches across two days, and 5G that works on most of the country. What you give up: the screen is HD+ rather than full HD, so text and photos look soft up close; the Snapdragon 480+ inside is competent for messaging and YouTube but will hesitate on heavier games and split-screen multitasking. There is no IP rating, no wireless charging, and the cameras are basic — fine in daylight, noisy after dark. Three years from launch, this phone is approaching the end of its software life and starts to feel its age, but it remains one of the cheapest paths to a working 5G smartphone in 2026.
What we love
- 5000 mAh battery comfortably covers two days of light use. The 120 Hz refresh keeps scrolling smooth even with the modest chip underneath. Sub-6 5G is included
- so it will keep up with most prepaid networks. At $149 outright on Ting
- total cost of ownership is hard to beat for a working smartphone.
What we don't
- The HD+ resolution at 6.5 inches looks visibly soft — text edges blur and photos lose detail when zoomed. The Snapdragon 480+ stutters on heavier apps and demanding games. There is no IP rating
- no wireless charging
- and the 15W wired top-up is slow by current standards. Software support runs out soon
- since the phone shipped with Android 13 and Motorola only commits to limited updates on this tier.
Full specifications
Display
Size6.5"
TypeIPS LCD
Resolution1600x720
Performance
ChipSnapdragon 480+ 5G
OSAndroid 13
Camera
Rear camera48 MP
Rear camera 22 MP
Front camera8 MP
Frequently asked questions about the Motorola Moto G 5G - 2023
What kind of display does the Motorola Moto G 5G - 2023 have?
The 6.5-inch IPS LCD runs at a 120 Hz refresh rate, which is the headline feature here — scrolling and animations look smoother than you would expect on a $149 phone. The catch is resolution. At 1600x720 stretched across 6.5 inches, you get roughly 270 pixels per inch, which is well below what most current phones deliver. Small text, photo detail, and fine UI elements look soft. Outdoor visibility is also weak; Motorola does not publish a peak brightness figure, but in direct sun the screen washes out. For watching a YouTube video on the couch it is fine. For long reading sessions or detailed photo editing, look elsewhere.
What kind of camera does the Motorola Moto G 5G - 2023 have?
The rear setup is a 48 MP main sensor with a 2 MP macro tagging along — the macro is a spec-sheet filler more than a useful tool. In good light the main camera produces serviceable shots: colors are fine, exposure is fine, and you can crop in a bit before noise shows up. In low light the small sensor and lack of optical stabilization show through; pictures get grainy and motion blurs. The 8 MP front camera is acceptable for video calls and the occasional selfie. There is no telephoto, no ultrawide, and no night mode worth using.
What is the battery life of the Motorola Moto G 5G - 2023?
The 5000 mAh cell is the strongest part of this phone. With light use — messaging, browsing, the odd YouTube video — two full days between charges is realistic. Heavier days with gaming or hotspot tethering still leave you with charge to spare overnight. The trade-off comes when you do plug in: 15W wired charging is slow, and a full top-up takes well over two hours. There is no wireless charging.
What processor does the Motorola Moto G 5G - 2023 use?
The Snapdragon 480+ 5G is a 2023 budget chip and it shows. Day-to-day messaging, browsing, and social apps run fine. Heavier games drop frames and load slowly, and switching between several apps causes noticeable reloads when memory pressure hits the 4 GB RAM ceiling. If your routine is mostly communication and media, the chip keeps up. If you lean on demanding apps or expect the phone to feel responsive three years from now, this is not the right pick.
How much storage does the Motorola Moto G 5G - 2023 have?
The single 128 GB configuration is enough for most people — apps, a few thousand photos, and offline music or podcasts fit comfortably. Motorola also includes a microSD slot on this tier, so you can expand storage cheaply for media and downloads.
What kind of speakers does the Motorola Moto G 5G - 2023 have?
Single bottom-firing speaker. Loud enough for voice calls on speakerphone and casual video watching, but it lacks bass and gets thin at high volumes. There is no stereo pairing with the earpiece on this model, which is a step down from Motorola's mid-range phones.
Does the Motorola Moto G 5G - 2023 support fingerprint or face unlock?
Side-mounted fingerprint sensor built into the power button. Fast and reliable in practice. Face unlock is camera-based rather than secure 3D, so it works for convenience but is not secure enough for banking apps or payments.
Is the Motorola Moto G 5G - 2023 water-resistant?
There is no IP rating on this model. Motorola lists a water-repellent design, which means it will survive a light splash or rain, but you should not submerge it or use it in heavy rain.
