Motorola G85: A Mid-Range Contender with Premium Touches

The Motorola G85 5G, launched in India on July 10, 2024, aims to capture the mid-range smartphone market with a blend of stylish design, capable specifications, and a competitive price point. Succeeding the popular Moto G84, the G85 brings several upgrades, most notably a curved display, improved camera system, and a new Snapdragon processor.

Design and Display: A Curved Edge in the Mid-Range

One of the standout features of the Motorola G85 is its Endless Edge pOLED display. This 6.67-inch FHD+ (2400 x 1080 pixels) curved screen offers an immersive viewing experience with a 120Hz refresh rate and a peak brightness of 1600 nits. The curved edges, usually found in higher-end devices, give the G85 a premium feel and comfortable in-hand ergonomics. It also boasts SGS Blue Light Reduction and SGS Motion Blur Reduction certifications, along with Corning Gorilla Glass 5 for protection. The phone comes in attractive finishes, including Olive Green, Cobalt Blue, Urban Grey, and Viva Magenta, with some variants featuring a vegan leather back. Despite packing a large battery, it maintains a slim profile, weighing around 171-173 grams.

Performance: Snapdragon 6s Gen 3 Under the Hood

Powering the Motorola G85 5G is the Qualcomm Snapdragon 6s Gen 3 processor. This octa-core chipset, built on a 6nm process, offers a clock speed of up to 2.3 GHz, promising smooth performance for everyday tasks, multitasking, and even moderate gaming. The device comes with various RAM and storage configurations, including 8GB RAM with 128GB storage and 12GB RAM with 256GB storage. Motorola also includes RAM Boost feature, which can virtually expand RAM for an even smoother experience. The storage type is UFS 2.2, and there's support for expandable storage up to 1TB via a microSD card (hybrid slot). The phone runs on Android 14 out of the box, with Motorola promising 1 year of OS upgrades and 3 years of security updates.

Camera System: Capturing Moments with OIS

The Motorola G85 5G features a versatile dual-camera setup on the rear:

  • 50MP Primary Camera: This main sensor (Sony LYT 600) comes with an f/1.79 aperture, Quad Pixel Technology for enhanced low-light performance (1.6µm effective pixel size), and crucially, Optical Image Stabilization (OIS). OIS helps in capturing sharper photos and smoother videos, especially in challenging conditions.
  • 8MP Ultra-wide Angle Camera: Offering a 118° field of view, this lens also doubles as a macro vision camera, allowing users to capture detailed close-up shots. It has an f/2.2 aperture.

For selfies and video calls, the Motorola G85 sports a 32MP front camera with an f/2.4 aperture and Quad Pixel Technology. Both front and rear cameras support FHD (1080p) video recording at 30fps. The camera software includes features like Portrait mode, Night Vision, Ultra-Res, Pro mode, Dual Capture, and AI enhancements for auto optimization.

Battery and Charging: All-Day Power

A substantial 5000mAh Li-Polymer battery powers the Motorola G85 5G, designed to offer over 34 hours of battery life on a single charge. It supports 33W TurboPower fast charging, with the compatible charger included in the box. This allows for quick top-ups, with Motorola claiming a 0 to 50% charge in approximately 37 minutes, and a full charge in about 90 minutes.

Other Notable Features

  • In-display Fingerprint Sensor: For secure and convenient unlocking.
  • Stereo Speakers with Dolby Atmos: Enhances the audio experience for multimedia consumption.
  • 5G Connectivity: Supports a wide range of 5G bands for future-proof connectivity.
  • Water-repellent Design (IP52 rating): Offers basic protection against splashes and light rain.
  • Connectivity: Dual SIM (pSIM + eSIM), Wi-Fi 5 (802.11 a/b/g/n/ac), Bluetooth v5.1, USB Type-C (USB 2.0).
  • Sensors: Accelerometer, Ambient Light Sensor, Gyroscope, Magnetometer (e-Compass), Proximity Sensor, SAR Sensor.

Price and Availability in India

The Motorola G85 5G was launched in India with a starting price of around Rs 17,999 for the 8GB RAM + 128GB storage variant. Discounts and bank offers can bring the effective price down further, making it an attractive option in the competitive mid-range segment.

Conclusion

The Motorola G85 5G is a well-rounded smartphone that brings a touch of premium design to the mid-range. Its curved pOLED display, capable Snapdragon 6s Gen 3 processor, OIS-equipped 50MP camera, and long-lasting 5000mAh battery make it a strong contender for users looking for a feature-rich device without breaking the bank. While its charging speed is decent, and the absence of a 3.5mm headphone jack might be a minor drawback for some, the overall package offers a compelling user experience for its price point.

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