Motorola Moto G55 5G: Two-minute overview
Should you’re on the hunt for an exceptionally low cost telephone that carries all of the essential options for modern-day use – the Motorola Moto G55 5G could possibly be for you. With an inventory value of £199 / AU$299 (round $250), you’re not going to seek out too many trendy telephones that can value lower than this. As you’d anticipate from a mannequin at this price-point, the Motorola Moto G55 5G isn’t with out its flaws – however do these flaws cease it from being a worthwhile funding? In no way.
By way of basic efficiency, the Motorola Moto G55 5G surpassed my expectations. OK, it wasn’t all the time completely responsive when working extra demanding functions, however I skilled pretty restricted body drops or lag when navigating menus. This telephone makes use of Android 14, which is a clear, easy-to-use operating system. It’s value noting, nevertheless, that solely two years value of OS updates and 4 years of safety updates have been promised – which does reduce down the longevity of this gadget a good bit. However for those who’re in search of an affordable, short-term choice, this gained’t be an issue.
And there are some essential additions right here that enable you to get the most effective out of the Motorola Moto G55 5G. As an example, Motorola GameTime helps you optimize the gadget for gaming exercise, with a battery saving, balanced and ‘Turbo’ mode, which is right for bigger video games. This telephone additionally has 8GB of RAM, which is beneficial for people who wish to run a number of functions without delay with out an excessive amount of of a efficiency dip. This degree of RAM is fairly good for the worth you pay and really a lot in-line with what I’d anticipate from among the best cheap phones.
And maybe the most effective factor about this mannequin is its spectacular battery life. It has a 5,000mAh capability battery, which was sufficient for me to get a full day’s use out of the gadget with no need to cost it up. And so far as charging is anxious, issues aren’t too unhealthy in any respect. It will probably cost up at a good tempo, with 30W most charging. That is wired solely, nevertheless, so there’s no wi-fi charging or reverse wi-fi charging on supply.
So, you’re in all probability questioning proper now… what’s the catch? Properly there are just a few. To begin with let’s speak about design. This isn’t precisely the prettiest cellular available on the market. I wasn’t a fan of any of the three color choices out there right here, all of which lacked a contact of sophistication. And the telephone itself has a little bit of an unattractive end, which picks up fingerprints comparatively simply – particularly with the PMMA mannequin I examined (there’s additionally a vegan leather-based choice). It’s not the sleekest both, though I used to be personally happy to discover a 3.5mm headphone jack included, which was useful for some wired listening.
One other space which didn’t impress was digital camera high quality. I discovered that the mannequin’s 16MP selfie digital camera was fairly underwhelming, with blurriness and flawed color constancy that includes in my photographs. The rear cameras are higher, for my part, however you’ll discover a transparent step down in readability and sharpness in comparison with mid-range choices, particularly when zooming in. There are some neat modifying instruments although and also you get HDR help for taking photographs, which is a candy contact.
Having stated all of that, this telephone does even have a strong show. It’s pretty vibrant and affords each Pure or Vivid image modes, relying in your private style. You’re getting a reasonably customary LCD display screen with Full HD+ and a 120Hz refresh charge too, so you’ll be able to stream video content material and play video games to a fairly excessive customary for a sub-£200 telephone. It gained’t have essentially the most eye-popping colors or mind-blowing black ranges, however for the worth, the show actually seems to be up-to-scratch.
And that virtually sums up the Motorola Moto G55 5G. Does it do something different Android telephones can’t? No. Does it possess an enthralling feature-set and jaw-dropping show? Definitely not. However can it do all of the fundamentals with out an excessive amount of bother? Completely. Because of this, it’s effectively value contemplating for these on the hunt for a discount cellular gadget, however if you would like a bit extra energy and stylistic finesse out of your telephone, you’ll probably be better-served by another in our record of the best Motorola phones.
Motorola Moto G55 5G overview: Worth and availability
- Listing value of £199 / AU$299 (round $250)
- Usually out there for rather less within the UK
- Launched in August 2024
The Motorola Moto G55 5G sits firmly within the price range class and can solely set you again about £199 / AU$299 (round $250). I’ve already seen it out there for much less, nevertheless, with each Amazon UK and Motorola itself promoting this mannequin for £179 on the time of writing.
That’s a fairly good value for a telephone that was solely launched in August 2024. Opponents on this vary embody telephones just like the Samsung Galaxy A15, the Google Pixel 7a (when on sale) and a few of Motorola’s personal price range choices.
Motorola Moto G55 5G overview: Specs
| Dimensions | 161.6 x 73.8 x 8.1mm |
| Weight | 179g |
| Display screen | 6.49-inch LCD |
| Decision | 2400 x 1080 (FHD+) |
| Refresh charge | 120Hz |
| Chipset | MediaTek Dimensity 7025 processor with 2.5 GHz octa-core CPU |
| RAM | 8GB |
| Storage | 256GB |
| OS | Android 14 |
| Rear cameras | 50 MP f/1.8 huge; 8 MP f/2.2 ultra-wide |
| Entrance digital camera | 16 MP sensor f/2.4 |
| Battery | 5,000 mAh |
| Charging | 30W wired |
Motorola Moto G55 5G overview: Design
- Barely unattractive end and form
- Poor color choices
- Useful 3.5mm port
I’ll be sincere, the Motorola Moto G55 5G isn’t essentially the most attractive-looking telephone. There are two totally different finishes you will get right here – vegan leather-based or PMMA (plastic) and I examined the latter. On this variant, the end has a glittery look and simply picks up fingerprints and marks, which I didn’t love.
As well as, the three color choices: Forest Gray, Smoky Inexperienced and Twilight Purple aren’t precisely essentially the most interesting. Smoky Inexperienced is the most effective, for my part, with Forest Gray caught in a clumsy green-ish black midpoint and Twilight Purple trying a bit cheesy – however that’s simply my opinion, after all.
By way of extra goal facets, the cameras are on a raised space on the again of the telephone, that means that the gadget will rock when on a flat floor. However there’s an answer right here – simply insert the telephone into the included clear case and you may stabilise the G55 5G considerably. The case itself isn’t super-durable and is made from a versatile plastic materials – however to get this included within the first place is actually a win.
And there’s extra good to report. All three buttons (energy, quantity up and quantity down) are decently spaced-out and so they’re all on one aspect. That is splendid for those who’re utilizing the telephone in panorama mode, particularly when enjoying a sport. Should you’re in a high-octane motion sequence, for instance, you’ll be much less prone to by chance faucet a button and regulate quantity or energy. And regardless of for those who’re gaming, watching films or simply scrolling by means of your feed, you’ll probably discover the G55 5G pleasing to carry. It’s pretty light-weight at 179g and it isn’t too massive both.
One thing that can excite some is the inclusion of a 3.5mm port – a little bit of a rarity amongst trendy smartphones. For me personally, this was a neat inclusion – particularly as I’ve been testing out among the best wired earbuds as of late. Positioned subsequent to that is the telephone’s charging port which is, after all, sort USB-C, so that you’ll probably have already got a charging cable for the G55 5G. One thing that’s a bit much less sensible, although, is the entire lack of waterproofing. It is a little bit of a miss contemplating most price range choices from opponents like Google or Samsung supply strong safety towards the weather.
Motorola Moto G55 5G overview: Show
- Unremarkable but completely satisfactory show
- Brightness is first rate
- Pure or vivid coloration choices
The Motorola Moto G55 5G has a reasonably detailed and vibrant show. OK, you’re actually not going to be wow-ed by an astonishingly vivid image and life-like color constancy, however for a telephone that prices lower than £200, the show is first rate.
This mannequin makes use of a reasonably customary 6.49-inch LCD display screen with a 2400 x 1080 decision. Total, it is a typically handsome show that provides you entry to full HD+ viewing. And when tuning into 2160p HDR movies on YouTube, there was strong high quality, with properly saturated colors and commendable ranges of element. I didn’t really feel that the G55 5G produced a very nice, colour-popping image, however actually, it didn’t need to. For what you pay, the telephone is completely as much as the duty of replicating video content material, even when it is extra technically demanding.
Motorola doesn’t record a peak brightness for the G55 5G on its web site, however judging by eye, this factor can get decently vibrant. After I put it side-by-side with extra of a mid-range choice – the Samsung Galaxy S24 FE – the Motorola couldn’t get fairly as vibrant and smaller visible particulars on a Google Meet name weren’t as effectively outlined. On prime of that, the telephone’s auto-brightness function could possibly be a contact irritating, with the show usually too darkish for my liking – I quickly turned this off in Settings.
However nonetheless, when watching The Boy and the Heron on Netflix throughout a scene with the protagonist biking by means of a forest-like space, the grand inexperienced bushes maintained their wealthy, darkish shade. As did the Heron’s mustard-coloured eyes and the protagonist’s blue tunic – making for an gratifying viewing expertise general. Parts similar to flames in an enclosed space weren’t fairly as dazzling or vivid as I’d get on a higher-end mannequin, however to not a grating diploma in any respect.
Should you’d like to change the way in which colors are translated on the G55 5G, you’ll be able to swap between Pure and Vivid mode in Settings. I tended to stay with Vivid to get a bit of additional brightness and saturation, however each work effectively. And so general, for those who’re somebody in search of a price range telephone, the show right here is as much as the duty – simply don’t anticipate top-tier brightness or next-level sharpness.
Motorola Moto G55 5G overview: Software program
- Simple-to-use Android 14
- Some pre-installed apps really feel pointless
- Two years of OS upgrades
The Motorola Moto G55 5G makes use of the Android 14 working system. Many will likely be aware of this – it’s easy-to-use and navigate, with loads of choices and customizability in settings. It gained’t be specified by fairly as easy a means as say, the latest model of iOS, however for Android followers like myself, this will likely be of no concern in any respect.
By way of the longer term, nevertheless, issues look somewhat restricted. Motorola has promised simply two years of OS upgrades for this mannequin, which maybe limits its longevity. And Motorola has been a bit patchy on this situation extra typically. As an example, the extra premium Motorola Edge 50 Pro will nonetheless solely obtain three years of software program help and 4 years of safety updates.
The G55 5G, nevertheless, does match that 4 years of safety updates pledge. Total although, the restricted scope for OS upgrades is a disgrace, particularly when Samsung, for example, usually has 4 years of OS updates and 5 years of safety updates assured for its cheaper telephones.
Anyway, Android 14 nonetheless works nice and in its present state. One thing I wasn’t such a fan of although, was the state of pre-installed software program on the G55 5G. Particularly, I realised that there have been loads of video games pre-installed on this gadget, like Monopoly, Raid and even Merge Dragons (which was a brand new one for me). Personally, I don’t love this. If there’s a sport I wish to play, I’ll obtain it myself from the Google Play store – I don’t want a convoluted set of pre-installed video games unnecessarily taking over space for storing.
Past this, there’s not an excessive amount of to say concerning the Motorola Moto G55 5G. It’s a fairly primary telephone software-wise. There’s nothing ultra-fresh like Samsung’s Galaxy AI instruments or Apple Intelligence, however for those who’re simply in search of a primary consumer expertise, you probably gained’t thoughts this. However that basically sums it up. It is a fairly primary smartphone that by no means wanted to do something out of the bizarre, so you actually do get what you pay for with the G55 5G software-wise.
Motorola Moto G55 5G FE overview: Cameras
- Entrance digital camera unlikely to impress
- Rears aren’t all too unhealthy
- HDR, loads of customisability
One space wherein the Motorola Moto G55 5G kinda reveals its value is with its cameras. For lower than £200 is high quality poor? Probably not. However in comparison with extra mid-range choices, there are some noticeable compromises.
Firstly, the 16MP entrance digital camera isn’t the most effective. I attempted taking some selfies on this in addition to the Samsung Galaxy S24 FE and located that lighting was captured much less faithfully with the Motorola mannequin. On prime of that, pores and skin tones appeared much less true to life with the Motorola and facial particulars appeared a tad blurrier too. Having stated that, the standard was not at all horrible, simply don’t anticipate to be impressed by a detail-rich entrance digital camera.
The rear cameras however weren’t all too unhealthy. Once more, photographs didn’t stack up amazingly towards these taken on the S24 FE, however for the worth you pay, you get fairly strong efficiency. Colors had been decently saturated and vibrant, with HDR serving to to offer a extra detailed image. And though you gained’t get tremendous crisp high quality that among the best camera phones will supply, parts like discoloured patches on buildings and stitches on clothes are nonetheless distinct. I did discover, although, that when zooming in, readability was hampered considerably. I didn’t need to go to a granular degree to note appreciable blurring and muddied graphic particulars both.
Regardless of this, you get a pleasant quantity of choices when taking and modifying photographs. There are a selection of modes to select from, together with Professional, Night time Imaginative and prescient, Twin Seize and extra. And once you wish to contact up your photographs you get AI-enabled options in addition to Magic Eraser, filters and markup instruments. And certain, you don’t get flashy inclusions like object removing or generative AI integrations, however for lower than £200, that’s to be anticipated.
Motorola Moto G55 5G FE overview: Efficiency
- Usually clean for majority of duties
- Extra demanding capabilities may cause a little bit of lag
- Nifty Motorola GameTime mode
Maybe the realm I used to be most impressed by with this telephone was its efficiency, with the Motorola G55 5G’s MediaTek Dimensity 7025 processor placing an excellent shift in. Basically, I skilled pretty restricted points, with nearly all of net pages, video games and messaging apps working as I’d hoped. And arguably, efficiency is the important thing class for any cellular gadget, making this a pretty choice for these on a tight-budget.
When enjoying Raid – a pre-installed sport – the expertise was pretty clean, with just some occasional body drops. Much less demanding video games saved up completely too, so for those who’re somebody who’s not an avid cellular gamer, however wish to dip your toes right into a little bit of solitaire or sudoku every now and then, you’ll don’t have anything to fret about.
If you wish to optimize gaming efficiency, nevertheless, you’re in luck. Simply enter the Motorola GameTime menu (which routinely seems on the aspect of the display screen) and swap between Battery Saving, Balanced, or Turbo (top-performance mode). All of those labored effectively for me, although I discovered Turbo to be value utilizing, particularly given this telephone’s sturdy battery life – extra on this later. It’s value noting too, that this telephone has a 120Hz refresh charge, that means you will get entry to 120fps for video games that help it – simply don’t anticipate really flawless, constant top-level framerates from essentially the most demanding functions.
When executing typical duties like browsing the net, I used to be glad. There was, occasionally, a little bit of delay or lag, however this wasn’t sufficient to trigger me nice frustration. After I stretched this telephone’s very strong 8GB of RAM, stuff like lag when navigating menus was a bit extra noticeable, however once more, this was fairly minor.
Motorola Moto G55 5G FE overview: Battery life
- 5,000mAh battery
- Most 30W charging capabilities
- No wi-fi charging
Like loads of price range telephones, the Motorola Moto G55 5G prides itself on a robust battery life. With a 5,000mAh capability battery, I discovered that this telephone may get by means of a full day of use with a little bit of juice left within the tank. And that was even when watching Netflix, YouTube, listening to hi-res music on Tidal and enjoying cellular video games.
On prime of its high-capacity battery, the G55 5G can cost up fairly quick too because of Motorola TurboPower. That is just like Samsung’s “Tremendous-fast” charging and lets you carry the gadget again to life very quickly. Particularly, this telephone helps most 30W charging, that means you will get it from 0% to 100% in lower than two hours.
One slight miss right here, although, is the absence of wi-fi charging. This isn’t stunning for a super-cheap telephone just like the G55 5G, however it might actually be good to have. You additionally don’t get one thing akin to wi-fi energy sharing the place you employ the gadget to present life to others in want of a lift. That’s not an enormous deal for a telephone like this, however it’s value taking into account if you would like essentially the most trendy battery-related options.
- Battery life rating: 4 / 5
Ought to I purchase the Motorola Moto G55 5G?
| Attributes | Notes | Score |
|---|---|---|
| Design | Not beautiful-looking or waterproof, however the 3.5mm port and case are neat. | 3/5 |
| Show | Full HD show, Vivid or Pure mode, OK brightness, strong colors. | 3.5/5 |
| Software program | Simple-to-use Android 14, restricted improve ensures. | 3/5 |
| Cameras | Common high quality with first rate element, useful modes and modifying instruments. | 3/5 |
| Efficiency | Occasional delay/lag however general handles duties easily and successfully. | 4/5 |
| Battery life | Nice 5,000mAh battery, 30W charging, no wi-fi charging. | 4/5 |
Purchase it if…
Do not buy it if…
Motorola Moto G55 5G: Additionally contemplate
| Row 0 – Cell 0 | Motorola Moto G55 5G | Samsung Galaxy A55 5G | Google Pixel 7a |
| Worth | £199 / AU$299 (round $250) | £439 / AU$699 (round $550) | $499 / £449 / AU$749 |
| Dimensions | 161.6 x 73.8 x 8.1mm | 161.1 x 77.4 x 8.2mm | 152 x 72.9 x 9mm |
| Weight | 179g | 213g | 193.5g |
| Cameras | 50MP fundamental; 8MP ultra-wide | 50MP fundamental; 12MP ultra-wide; 5MP macro | 64MP fundamental digital camera, 13MP ultrawide |
| Battery | 5,000mAh | 5,000mAh | 4,385mAh |
Motorola Moto G55 5G overview: How I examined
- Examined throughout a number of weeks
- Used at work and in day-to-day life
- Trialed video games, built-in cameras and calls
I examined the Motorola Moto G55 5G over a number of weeks and throughout numerous environments, together with at residence, the workplace and the town streets.
I used this telephone for hours throughout every day of testing. I listened to music, watched YouTube movies, performed video games and way more. All in all, I simply made certain to get essentially the most doable out of the Moto G55 5G, guaranteeing I messed round with loads of choices in Settings, like Motorola Gametime.
Lastly, I examined the Moto G55 5G’s digital camera outdoors, at residence and on the workplace. This ensured that I may seize photographs in pure mild or in artificially / low-lit areas and pretty assess high quality throughout the board.
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