Moto G 2024 (Moto G Play 2024, Moto G 5G 2024, and Moto G Power 2024) has been announced and is available in some regions. Moto G Stylus 2024 will very likely be announced this summer.
This Moto G guide explains the new features, improvements, commonalities, and differences of these latest Moto G 2024 models. It also includes a concise guide on how to choose the right model.
As Motorola adopted a confusing naming convention for Moto G, these Moto G 2024 models are mainly for the North American market. For the international market, Motorola released the Moto G04 and Moto G24 in 2024 and the Moto G34, Moto G54, Moto G84, and Moto G14 in the second half of 2023.
The commonalities of Moto G 2024 models
5000mAh Battery on all Moto G 2024 models
All Moto G 2024 models come with a 5000mAh battery, which can usually last more than one day for most users.
Although the battery capacity is identical, the charging speed differs. Moto G Power 2024 supports up to 30W USB charging. While Moto G Play 2024 only supports fast charging up to 15W. Read on.
Headphone jack
As usual, all 2024 models of Moto G still have the 3.5mm headphone jack, which has become a luxury. So, you can use any headset conveniently. You can also enjoy High-Res music without relying on Bluetooth codecs with a phone costing less than $300 (or $200), and owners of $1000+ phones can only dream of it.
SD card support
Similar to previous generations oh Moto G, micro SD card support is still available for all 2024 models. You can use the micro SD card to expand the internal storage or use it as portable storage.
FM radio
All 2024 models of Moto G have the FM radio feature. You need to connect a wired headset to the headphone jack as the antenna.
No charger in the box
Motorola has stopped offering chargers with new Moto G phones in most regions. Of course, you can use any existing USB charges. The cable included is a USB C to USB C.
USB C 2.0 (no display output)
Like other middle-range smartphones, Moto G 2024 only supports USB 2.0 for data transfer. The good news is that it supports USB on-the-go (OTG) natively. It is easy to connect and use a thumb drive or even a USB Drive with these Moto G phones.
Of course, USB C Alt mode is not supported. This means you cannot connect the phone to a TV or monitor directly with a USB to HDMI dongle. If you want to cast the screen, you may consider a Chromecast or Android TV.
Water-repellent design
There is no IP rating for all Moto G phones. All Moto G 2024 phones still have only water-repellent design.
Fingerprint reader on all Moto G 2024 models
All Moto G 2024 phones have a side-mounted (on the power button) fingerprint reader to help you unlock the phone quickly. Such an old-school capacitive fingerprinter reader is actually superior to the fancy under-display fingerprint sensors (or ultrasonic fingerprint sensors) found on flagship phones. It’s faster and more convenient.
Like some Moto G owners, we still prefer the fingerprinter reader embedded in the Motorola logo on the back of the phone (e.g., on Moto G8).
The differences in Moto G 2024 models
Let’s go through the differences among Moto G 2024 models.
Andorid 13 or Android 14
Moto G Play 2024 was released earlier with Android 13. While Moto G 5G 2024 and Moto G Power 2024 were both released with Android 14. The coming models will very likely come with Android 14.
Please note that Motorola has been far behind Samsung and Google in updating their Android phones. Moto G normally only gets one major Android update.
5G Connectivity
Moto G Play 2024 only supports 4G LTE. The other two, Moto G 5G 2024 and Moto G Power 2024, support 5G. In some marketing materials, Moto G 5G 2024 is also mentioned as Moto G 2024 5G. In fact, these are the same model. The 4G-only model is Moto G Play 2024.
CPU
One of the biggest differences among the 2024 models of Moto G is the CPU (chipset).
Moto G Power 2024 has the most powerful CPU of Mediatek Dimensity 7020, which is a 6nm mid-range smartphone processor with two Cortex-A78 cores at 2.2 GHz and six Cortex-A55 cores at 2.0 GHz. It is comparable to the Snapdragon 695.
Moto G 5G 2024 comes with Snapdragon 4 Gen 1, which is a 6nm entry-level mid-range smartphone processor with two Cortex-A78 cores at 2.0 GHz and six Cortex-A55 cores at 1.8 GHz.
Moto G Play 2024 is equipped with Snapdragon 680 4G, which is also a 6nm entry-level mid-range smartphone processor with four Cortex-A73 cores at 2.4 GHz and four Cortex-A53 cores at 1.9 GHz. The performance is comparable to Snapdragon 4 Gen 1.
RAM
Both the Moto G Play 2024 and the Moto G 5G 2024 have only 4GB RAM. The phones may become slower after using some apps for a while.
Moto G Power 2024 gets 8GB RAM. It is sufficient for most apps, including most games.
Storage
All three Moto G models use UFS 2.2 storage, but the capacity differs. Moto G Play 2024 has only a 64GB storage option, while the other two offer 128GB storage.
Please note all Moto G 2024 models support a micro SD card. You can even use it to expand the internal storage.
Display
All Moto G models use an IPS LCD display. But the screen size is slightly different, ranging from 6.5″ (Moto G Play 2024) to 6.6″ (Moto G 5G 2024) and 6.7″ (Moto G Power 2024). The dimensions of these three models also differ.
The display resolution is different. Both Moto G Play 2024 and Moto G 5G 2024 have a 720p resolution, while Moto G Power 2024 boosts a 1080p resolution.
For the refresh rate, both Moto G 2024 and Moto G 5G Power 2024 can achieve 120Hz refresh rate. Moto G Play 2024 can only reach 90Hz. However, most users will not be able to tell the difference.
Front Camera
Both the front and rear cameras of 2024 Moto G phones can record video up to 1080p@30fps. But the camera sensors differ.
The Moto G Power 2024 has a 16MP wide-angle front camera with f/2.4, while the other two have an 8MP wide-angle front camera with f/2.0.
Rear camera
The rear cameras on these three phones differ more significantly.
Moto G Power 2024 comes with dual rear cameras: one 50MP wide-angle main camera with OIS (optical image stabilization) and one 8MP ultra wide-angle camera. The 50MP sensor combines 4 pixels into 1, resulting in an effective photo resolution of 12.5MP.
The Moto G 2024 also comes with dual rear cameras, but the specs are inferior. The 50MP main camera does not have OIS. The 2MP secondary camera is mainly used for macro photos. There is no ultra-wide-angle camera lens.
Moto G Play 2024 has a single 50MP rear camera without OIS.
NFC
Motorola finally brought back NFC to Moto G devices in the US market this year. It makes it easier to make mobile payments.
Both Moto G Power 2024 and Moto G 5G 2024 now support NFC. However, Moto G Play 2024 still lacks it.
Fast charging
All 2024 models of Moto G support fast charging. However, the maximum charging speed is different. Moto G Power 2024 supports up to 30W fast charging. But Moto G 5G 2024 and Moto G Play 2024 support up to 18W and 15W fast charging, respectively.
As mentioned earlier, Motorola does not include a charger in the box. You need to get your own charger.
Wireless charging on Moto G Power 2024
Wireless charging finally comes to Moto G. Moto G Power 2024 now supports fast wireless charging up to 15W. The other models do not support wireless charging.
Material for the back panel
All Moto G phones still use a plastic frame. This is not a bad thing because it helps reduce weight.
But the back panel now has two different materials: plastic for Moto G Play 2024 and eco-leather (silicon polymer) for Moto G 2024 and Moto G Power 2024.
eSIM support (no play)
Moto G Power 2024 and Moto G 2024 support eSIM. However, Moto G Play 2024 does not.
Choose the right Moto G 2024 model
When choosing the right phone, you always have to balance the budget and typical usage. Do not just look at the spec sheet.
Moto G Play 2024 is wallet-friendly and, therefore, ideal for budget-conscious users who prioritize basic daily tasks and don’t need 5G or fancy features. Motorola often offers a deep discount for this model when no new Moto E models are released.
Moto G 5G 2024 is perfect for users who want a balance between price, performance, 5G connectivity, and a decent battery life.
Moto G Power 2024 is the best option for users who demand the most performance, a beautiful display, all-day battery life, and potentially a more capable camera system.
What are your thoughts on Moto G 2024 models?
Please share your thoughts, questions, and comments on Moto G 2024 models (Moto G Play 2024, Moto G 2024, and Moto G Power 2024) in the comment box below.
For more Moto G online manual pages, please check this page.
For detailed step-by-step guides, please check the Moto G How-to guides page.
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