Review: Motorola Moto G8 Power – Holds a few trumps

Motorola Moto G8 Power – specifications

Specs and performance

For those 229 euros you get reasonably good specifications. The processor is quite fast and relatively powerful, while with 4 GB of RAM you don’t have to run into a problem when you switch a lot between different applications. The most important factor here is the battery with a capacity of 5000 mAh. That’s quite a lot for a smartphone, something we don’t see very often on comparable models. There is also 64 GB of storage space, which can be expanded with a micro SD card (up to 256 GB).

Motorola Moto G8 Power – hardware and design

The Motorola Moto G8 Power has the characteristic Moto design that we also encounter on other Motorola smartphones. The device is relatively thick and heavier than average. There are also screen edges that are striking, but never really disturb. On the right are the buttons for switching on and off and the volume, which are easily accessible. On the left is the tray for the SIM cards or a SIM card and a micro SD card. At the bottom we find the USB-C port, as well as a few speakers to the right of the port.

If we turn the device over, we get to see a mix of old and new. We find the round fingerprint scanner at about a third of the top. The scanner has the familiar logo of the manufacturer, something that we saw on various Motorola smartphones years ago. To the left of it are no fewer than four camera lenses. They all have different specifications, so the Motorola Moto G8 Power has to keep up with the competition (but more about that later in this review).

Display

The LCD screen is 6.4 inches and has a generous resolution of 2300 by 1080 pixels. As a result, the Motorola Moto G8 Power has a respectable pixel density of 399 pixels per inch. The standard for a good screen is 400 ppi, so this is a great score. Colors sometimes look a bit pale, but that is because there is no AMOLED screen on the device. The viewing angle is therefore less than you might think. As long as you do not put it next to an AMOLED smartphone, you will not notice the shortcomings.

Connectivity

In terms of connectivity, the Motorola Moto G8 Power is well equipped. There is space for two SIM cards or you can combine a SIM card with a micro SD card. In addition, there is a USB-C port with which you can charge the smartphone fairly quickly. We also find WiFi 5 and Bluetoth 5 and you can count on an NFC chipset. A nice asset here is the headphone jack, which is at the top of the device. As a result, you are not dependent on headsets with a Bluetooth connection.

Speakers

It is also striking that the Motorola G8 Power is equipped with stereo speakers. Now you can always think that such a part has little added value on a device with such a small sound box, but you can easily be mistaken about that. The sound is noticeably louder and better than if it came from one speaker. Of course there is no bass sound, but otherwise audio sounds intelligible, clear and fine. Especially for conversations, simple series or YouTube videos in which not too complicated things happen.

Cameras

In general, we are pleased with the qualities of the camera, but then you should not make it too difficult for it. The main camera of 16 megapixel captures photos sharp, full of detail and with a wide color palette, but the other cameras on the device have a more difficult time with it. For example, the macro camera with 2 megapixels generally produces artifacts in the image a bit faster and the images from the wide-angle camera of eight megapixels sometimes look a bit soft and smeared.

But we must also mention that both cameras do well what they are supposed to do: respectively focus things from very close up or capture a lot more in the photo. Such cameras can therefore be used, especially in well-lit environments, as an alternative to the main camera. The 16-megapixel front camera delivers razor-sharp photos by combining pixels. Furthermore, the Google Lesson is built-in and the standard camera application offers more than enough functions to experiment with.

Battery life

The battery life is the greatest asset of this device. With a whopping 5000 mAh of energy, you can easily get through two, maybe three days without reaching for a charger. In addition, you have to wait about one and a half to two hours for it to be fully charged again, but that is a great trade-off for the respectable battery life in our opinion. Whether you save for two or three days, of course, depends on what you do all day: if you take it easy and don’t play games, then that result shouldn’t be a challenge.

Motorola Moto G8 Power – software

We are also very happy to see that Motorola has ensured that the Motorola Moto G8 Power has Android 10 on board right away . At the time of writing, the security update level is on December 1, which is more than three months ago. So there is still some profit to be made, but with Android 10 on board you are already a lot better protected and you get access to many more functions than if you still have to deal with Android 9. It is striking that quite a few applications are included.

We cannot remove many of those apps, but we can often disable them. This way they are not completely gone, but you are also not confronted with them every time you open the app drawer. The software has also been adjusted on few points, making the Android experience very close to a stock version. There are Moto Actions available, which are also on other Android smartphones. With those actions you can, for example, quickly take screenshots, activate the flashlight and do more. There is also a game mode.

Motorola Moto G8 Power – in use

The Motorola Moto G8 Power is a great smartphone to use. It lies comfortably in the hand and the buttons are easily accessible. In addition, the Google Assistant is immediately available and you can also use the smartphone as a means to send messages, read texts, create lists or control your smart home. What you can see as a disadvantage is the front camera: it is in the screen, so it can get in the way. But that’s one of the few drawbacks the device has.

Motorola Moto G8 Power – conclusion

We like the Motorola Moto G8 Power for several reasons. The battery is nice and large and lasts a very long time. In addition, there are enough cameras and options to experiment with, Android 10 is immediately present and the device – despite its midrange hardware – feels relatively fast. There are also disadvantages: not everyone will like the front camera in the screen, while the scanner on the back feels dated. The cameras also function at their best when there is enough light.

So is the Motorola Moto G8 Power worth your money? For 229 euros you can not really fall a bump with this device. Yes, the security update is a bit behind schedule and there is simply a lot of software out there that you may not do that much with. But on the other hand, there is a well-functioning device with excellent performance, fine software and an experience that generally pleases. If you find it very annoying that there is no AMOLED screen, you can, for example, consider the Samsung Galaxy A51.