Review: Motorola g53 5G Smartphone – Big on Features. Small on Price.

Motorola has always been a reliable name in the smartphone market, providing quality devices at affordable prices. The Motorola g53 5G is the company’s latest offering in its popular G series, promising flagship-level features and performance at a budget-friendly price point. With 5G connectivity becoming more important each day, the g53 5G aims to bring this next-gen technology to the masses without breaking the bank.

The Motorola G53 5G has a large 6.5-inch display, a powerful Snapdragon chipset, a very capable camera setup, and a massive battery to back it all up. On paper, it seems like a great value proposition, but does it live up to the expectations in real-world usage? Let’s find out.

Key features of the Motorola g53 5G smartphone

From its 5G capabilities to its impressive battery life, there’s a lot to cover, so let’s dive in.

5G capabilities and performance

One of the main selling points of the Motorola g53 5G is its 5G capabilities. The smartphone comes with a Qualcomm Snapdragon 480+ 5G chipset, which provides excellent performance for day-to-day tasks and gaming and supports 5G connectivity. This means that users can enjoy lightning-fast download and upload speeds, improved call quality and lower latency in supported areas.

During my testing, the Motorola g53 5G performed admirably, with smooth multitasking and no noticeable slowdowns or stutters even when running multiple apps simultaneously. 5G connectivity was impressive (on the Vodafone network), providing much faster download speeds than regular 4G LTE connections.

Display and design evaluation

The Motorola g53 5G boasts a large 6.5-inch IPS LCD with an HD+ resolution (1600 x 720 pixels) @ 269ppi. This results in crisp and clear visuals, making it ideal for watching videos, browsing the web, and playing games. The display also supports a 120Hz refresh rate, which provides a smoother experience when scrolling through content or playing compatible games.

In terms of design, the Motorola g53 5G features a sleek and modern look with a plastic back and frame. While it may not feel as premium as some flagship devices, the build quality is solid, and the phone feels comfortable. The side-mounted fingerprint scanner is well-positioned and easy to reach, while the dedicated Google Assistant button is very convenient for those who use the virtual assistant frequently. Additionally, the g53 housing is also built to resist water and dust ingress.

Camera quality and features

The Motorola g53 5G has a versatile camera setup with a 50MP (f/1.8) primary lens, and a 2MP (f/2.4) macro lens on the rear. The primary camera captures detailed and vibrant images with good dynamic range and accurate colour. The macro lens allows for sharp close-up shots even in low-ligh conditions.

Here are some sunset shots taken on the Motorola g53 5G.

Golden hour sunset.
Golden hour sunset shot on the Motorola g53 5G (ƒ/1.8 1/118 ISO111).

In low-light conditions, the big on features, small on price, Motorola g53 5G performs decently. While it may not be on par with flagship devices, the resulting images are undoubtedly usable and much better than what you’d expect from a budget-friendly smartphone.

Low light and high ISO makes the photo noisier (ƒ/1.8 1/50 ISO966).
The macro lens ensures that plenty of detail is captured (ƒ/2.4 1/2847 ISO100).

At the front, there’s an 8MP (f/2.0) selfie camera that produces sharp and well-exposed selfies with sound skin tone reproduction and pleasant background blur.

Motorola G53 battery life and charging options

One of the standout features of the Motorola g53 5G is its massive 5000mAh battery, which easily lasts a full day of heavy usage with 5G enabled. In my testing, I could consistently get through an entire day without needing to reach for the charger, even with heavy usage that included social media, recording hi-res videos, and browsing the web.

When it comes to charging, the Motorola g53 5G supports 10W fast charging, which can replenish the battery quickly when needed. While it may not be the fastest charging standard available, it’s certainly a welcome addition that helps minimise downtime. Unfortunately, the g53 5G doesn’t support inductive wireless charging.

Software and user experience

The Motorola G53 5G runs on the latest Android 13 operating system with Motorola’s annoying My UX interface on top. This provides a clean and near-stock Android experience, with minimal bloatware and a focus on useful features. The software experience is smooth and responsive, and Motorola’s Moto Actions provide helpful shortcuts and gestures to make navigation and interaction more efficient.

As a big fan of the Android OS, I appreciated the clean interface and the lack of unnecessary apps or features. Simply log in to your Gmail account, and you’re off and running. The software experience on the Motorola g53 5G is a strong point that sets it apart from many competitively priced competitors.

Key Features of the Motorola g53 5G at a Glance

FeatureSpecification
Storage128GB + microSD expandable
SIM CardsHybrid Dual SIM (1 eSim + 1 Nano Sim + 1 microSD)
Dimensions162.7 x 74.66 x 8.19mm
Weight183g
SecurityFingerprint reader, Face unlock
FM RadioYes
SpeakersStereo speakers
Microphones2
Headphone Jack3.5mm headset jack
Wireless Bands5G: NR band n1/n3/n5/n7/n8/n20/n28/n38/n40/n41/n77/n78 |
4G: LTE band 1/2/3/5/7/8/18/19/20/26/28/32/38/40/41/42 |
3G: WCDMA band 1/2/5/8/19 | 2G: GSM band 2/3/5/8
Bluetooth®
Technology
Bluetooth® 5.1
Wi-FiWi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac | 2.4GHz & 5GHz | Wi-Fi hotspot
PortsType-C port (USB 2.0)
NFCYes
Location ServicesGPS, A-GPS, LTEPP, SUPL, GLONASS, Galileo, Beidou
SensorsFingerprint reader, Proximity, Accelerometer, Ambient Light,
Gyroscope, SAR sensor, Sensor Hub, E-Compass
Rear Cameras50 MP sensor (f/1.8, 0.64μm) | Quad Pixel technology for 1.28μm |
PDAF + 2 MP (f/2.4, 1.75μm) | macro
Front Camera8MP (f/2.0, 1.12μm)
Battery5000mAh
ChargingROW:10W charging

Pros and cons of the big on features, small on price, Motorola g53 5G

After spending considerable time with the Motorola g53 5G, I’ve compiled a list of pros and cons to help you decide if this smartphone is the right choice for you.

Pros

5G support at an affordable price

Large and vibrant display with a 120Hz refresh rate

Solid performance with the Snapdragon 480+ chipset

Impressive battery life with fast charging support

Clean and responsive software experience

Cons

Plastic build may not feel as premium as some competitors

Low-light camera performance could be better

No inductive charging

Final verdict: Is the Motorola G53 5G worth it?

In conclusion, the big on features, small on price, Motorola g53 5G is an excellent smartphone that delivers on its promise of bringing flagship-level features and performance to a budget-friendly price point. Its 5G capabilities, impressive battery life, and clean software experience make it a compelling option for those looking to upgrade to a 5G smartphone without breaking the bank.

While the plastic build and low-light camera performance may not be perfect, the overall package more than makes up for these shortcomings. If you’re in the market for a reliable and feature-packed 5G smartphone, the Motorola g53 5G is definitely worth considering.

Buy online from $327 from Officeworks.

About Author
Mike is the Australian editor of SonnyDickson.com with a lifelong passion for cars, technology and engineering. He reviews and writes about all kinds of motoring and tech products for our readers. Follow Mike on Instagram or send him an email: mike@sonnydickson.com