Motorola Moto G23 : Practical and price-conscious The Moto G23 is true to the brand’s heritage and delivers straightforward, no-nonsense goods at affordable prices.
This is Motorola’s budget strategy in the flesh: it values reliability, clean software, and useful features that increase the daily usability of the device.
Design and Build
Moto G23 has a simple design with a plastic rear panel that comes with a subtle texture which provides better grip and also doesn’t catch fingerprints.
But, there’s a water-repellent coating here that gets you basic protection against splashes and light rain – a nice to have in this price point.
The pinhole display and slender bezels make the phone look modern, and the side-mounted fingerprint sensor provides reliable and subtle authentication.
Display Experience
A 6.5-inch HD+ (1600 x 720 pixels) IPS LCD display sits at the front of the device.
The panel also has a 90Hz refresh rate, which should result in smoother scrolling and animations than the typical 60Hz displays most phones in the this price range have.
At typical 400-nit brightness, outdoor visibility is still acceptable under mild sunlight.
The higher refresh rate should help to mitigate some of the impact of the lower resolution by making the experience more responsive.
Performance Profile
In terms of under the hood, the Moto G23 comes with a MediaTek Helio G85 processor that offers decent performance for day to day activities and casual gaming.
The chipset strikes a balance between the efficient and performant, with the added bonus of 4GB of RAM and 64GB or 128GB of expandable storage.
The duo also handles a lot of the things people do on smart phones just fine, though power-intensive apps can sometimes bring out the worst in budget hardware.
The optimisation of Motorola makes it run smoothly even on ordinary applications.
Audio Enhancement
One of the highlights of the Moto G23 is its stereo speaker system with Dolby Atmos – a rarity in this range.
The double speakers deliver a richer sound which can be a heavier music and gaming phone than budget devices with one speaker. With a 3.5mm audio jack, you have options unlike other DSLRs.
Camera Capabilities
It has a rectangle-shaped camera module that accommodates the main 50-megapixel sensor, which shoots detailed and well-dynamic range image in good light.
The main camera is fine for posting on social media and is good for a snap here and there. The main shooter is accompanied by a 5MP ultrawide lens to capture wide landscapes and a 2MP macro camera that gets you as close as 4cm to your subject to take close-up shots.
The 8MP front camera ensures you have the perfect selfie with natural skin tones.
Battery and Charging
The device is backed by a 5000mAh battery, which can offer day-long usage to heavy users with a little juice left for light users.
With its efficient processor and well-optimized software, the handset delivers some impressive standby times.
The phone is capable of 30W TurboPower charging as well, so the battery should charge fairly quickly – refreshing to see in the budget tier.
Software Experience
Running almost full Android 13, it has a clean UI and a small bit of bloat. Motorola has added some nice benefits, which include Moto Actions for gesture-based commands and Moto Display for smart notifications.
The slimy file experience means that it feels super responsive, even on low spec hardware.
Pros and Cons
Pros:
Uncluttered, nearly stock Android interface
90Hz refresh rate display
Speakers Stereo with Dolby Atmos
Water-repellent design
Reliable battery endurance
30W fast charging support
Expandable storage option
Cons:
HD+ resolution only
All plastic design throughout
Macro camera is of little use
Modest processing power
Mediocre low-light shooting performance
Limited update commitment
No 5G connectivity
Motorola Moto G23: Verdict
Motorola Moto G23 review: balancing act Offering a balanced budget smartphone experience with a focus on software quality, audio performance, and useful features.
Yes, compromises in display resolution and power do surface, but that also results in the Z3 Compact being a substance over style affair for those busy completing the day-to-day rather than comparing specs.
For affordable buyers looking for a clean Android experience with thoughtful touches, the Moto G23 makes a strong argument for being a device that focuses more on functionality and less on blistering specs.
“Motorola has built a phone with the basics in mind, while adding some touches that make day-to-day use easier.”