A promising entry in Motorola's current affordable Moto G line with features you don't collectively see at this price point.
Motorola Moto G82 Review
It is slightly cheaper than most phones, but still has a powerful OLED screen and stereo speakers. However it doesn't have the best camera or gaming performance.
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Review in two minutes
Moto G82 belongs to a long-standing family. The Moto G series has been a great tool for our work over the years. Are you looking for an Android budget phone? Buy the latest Moto G, a trusted recommendation that lasts for many years.
However, Motorola has released too many phones in 2022 for an average user to keep up with, so there is now more competition from companies like Realme, Xiaomi, and OnePlus.
The Moto G82 retains the Moto G's spirit. The Moto G82 is a simple, uncluttered, and reliable phone. It has a large OLED screen and 5G mobile Internet. There's also a lot of storage. Stereo speakers are included. All this at a very attractive price.
OIS (optical Image Stabilization) is added to this model, but it doesn't make the camera any more impressive than the Pixel 6a. OIS helps to avoid blurry indoor images, but the Moto G82's camera isn't as good at night photography than its more expensive competitors.
Its Snapdragon 695 SoC also beats the Qualcomm and MediaTek chipsets found in smartphones that are slightly less expensive.
Before you consider a Moto G82, make sure to check out other options such as the Google Pixel 6a and the OnePlus Nord 2T. Realme Neo 3T is also available.
We can't overlook the fact that these devices are often more expensive than the Moto G82. This should reduce the volume of the many weaker aspects discussed in this review.
Motorola Moto G82 Price and Availability
Motorola Moto G82 5G, which was launched in June 2022, is a cheaper alternative to the Moto G62. It has a thinner body, weaker processor and an LCD screen instead of OLED panels.
The G82 costs £289.99/$499AU, and while not widely available in the US at the time of review, it's expected to cost around $365.
- Value score: 4/5
Motorola Moto G82 design
- Kunststoffbau
- Headphone jack
- Water repellent IP52 certified
Although the Motorola Moto G82 5G may not be a beautiful phone, it is nevertheless a very capable and attractive device. The build of this phone is simple and pragmatic, featuring plastic panels everywhere, except for the protective glass.
Like many other Motorola phones, its finish seems to reflect that idea. As standard, a silicone case is included. It is easy to take off the metallic look. The dotted design on the back looks more like it should be under the surface.
This is how you disguise all of it. The simple silicone layer softens the appearance and makes the pattern stand out. The Moto G82 feels light with its case on; it measures 8mm thick. This is in contrast to older models and the 8.6mm thickness of the Moto G62.
The Motorola Moto G82 5G camera housing is attached with a case. It becomes the Moto G82 5G’s most distinctive stylistic element. The camera's ultra-softened rectangle shape doesn't make it seem as techy or advanced. The lenses are accompanied by the '50MP’ and 'OIS' certifications.
We end up analyzing a phone that isn't very adventurous but has enough coverage.
Motorola Moto G82 5G features a front-mounted fingerprint scanner that is just half a second slower than other models. The phone has two stereo speakers and a headset jack. One is located above the screen, the other in the usual spot at the bottom of the phone.
They sound thick, but their output is not low-frequency. They can be used as a pair to allow you to listen to podcasts while taking a bath or cooking. A stereo-style dual speaker array is, of course, always a blessing for YouTube, other video streaming apps and landscape-orientation games.
Similar to the Moto G82, its side-mounted fingerprint scanner isn't as sophisticated as some of the more expensive rivals. Although it is a fraction slower than some of the best, this scanner works flawlessly and never fails to detect a touch.
It also has water resistance. This product is described as "water repellent", a term Motorola uses for many years. However, this year, an IP52 rating has been added.
This is about as low as gadget water-resistance gets — the '2' figure tells us it can withstand water sprays up to 15 degrees from vertical. This is equivalent to just a little rain in the real world, so it should be considered a non-water resistant mobile.
The Moto G82's design features include a 3.5mm headset jack and a SIM tray that can hold either a microSD or second SIM.
- Design Score: 3.5/5
Motorola Moto G82 Display
- Panel 6.6 inches 120Hz Full HD OLED
- Customizable color profiles
- Peak brightness may be higher
Motorola Moto G82 5G features a 6.6 inch 120Hz display with OLED panels. This is the phone you want at this price. It offers the highest color and contrast in a budget smartphone.
It is however not the most impressive display. It reached 650 nits when it is directly lit, which was noticeably less than the Realme GT Neo 3T's 770. Were we able to see it outside? It's fine in general, but not the best.
The default color temperature was also a bit too cool for us. It's not uncommon for a color temperature to be a little cooler than the default setting. A darker tone will make a screen appear brighter or more punchy. The Moto G82 will look better if it has been slightly tweaked.
The Settings menu allows you to change the Moto G82’s color from "Saturated" to "Normal". A temperature slider lets you choose between a warmer and cooler look.
The Motorola Moto G82 has an OLED panel that gives off a slight blue-green tint. According to reports, the Motorola Moto G82 has a LG P-OLED panel and not a Samsung. This issue is generally avoided by the latest Samsung OLED panels.
It's a 1080p display, which looks clean and sharp. Even if you spend a lot more on a phone, the most obvious improvement you're likely to see is higher peak brightness in direct sunlight — and even that isn't a given.
- Score: 4/5
Motorola Moto G82 Software and Performance
- Runs Android 12
- Qualcomm Snapdragon 695 chipset
- Motorola-specific shortcuts/gestures
Motorola Moto G82 uses Android 12 with the traditional Moto interface. These changes are very minor to the Google blueprint. You can see changes in Android's Material Design style.
Colorful bricks are used to house drop-down menu items. This color can be changed in Moto App to give Android a unique flavor.
Peek Display is a screen on the Moto G82 that shows when your phone was last used. The screen displays the battery life and time.
The Motorola G82 supports gestures like other Motorola phones. For example, you can jump to the camera app by making two quick turns of the handset. You can also toggle the torch using a double-karate chop movement.
Android 12 is largely smooth and responsive in the Moto G82. However, app loading and multitasking may seem slightly slower than on a flagship Android. The Qualcomm Snapdragon 695 CPU is used in this phone, which also features the Realme 9 Pro and Sony Xperia 10 IV.
Although the CPU is quite fast, its GPU (the graphics part) is not as good as that of the Snapdragon 870. Some graphics settings may not be accessible in high-end games. Those without solid performance optimization might experience a slow frame rate.
Fortnite is an example of this limitation. The Moto G82 can only use the Medium graphics preset and some smartphones don't have the option to switch to 60fps. It wouldn't have been able to achieve anything close to that frame rate. The phone handled Fortnite well after playing some rounds using the permitted settings. However, there were noticeable frame rates drops when flying in Fortnite's air vehicles.
This isn't necessarily going to be a problem for everyone. Some phones, like the Realme GT Neo 3T or Poco X4 GT perform better than others at this price.
- Software performance and score: 3.5/5
Motorola Moto G82 camera
- Triple rear-mounted 50MP-led camera system
- Boasts OIS, optical image stabilization
- Qualitative performance is below that of competitors
Three rear cameras are available on the Motorola Moto G82: a primary 50-megapixel camera, an ultra-wide 8-megapixel and macro 2-megapixel. The macro here, like all macros of 2-megapixel resolution is poor.
The Samsung JN1 is our primary camera. It's a low-cost sensor that can capture images up to 12.5 megapixels. This sensor is not as impressive technically as the Sony IMX766 sensor in the OnePlus Nord 2T or the Samsung GW1 from the Poco X4 GT.
The Motorola Moto G82 has optical image stability. To counteract the motion caused by the hands of the photographer, this moves the lens slightly. OIS used to be the only method of capturing decent night shots from a smartphone a few years back. But times have changed and night images these days are compiled using a whole stack of different pictures — a form of what is known as computational photography.
Night-time photography is not a great experience with the Motorola Moto G82. This may lead you to question why OIS exists. In good lighting conditions, it is not necessary. Handshake blur will be a problem because of the quick exposure. However, it can help to avoid blurry indoor images when exposures are longer than 1/20th of a second. You can get better nighttime results anywhere else.
Even though night photos look similar to the Google Pixel 6a's, or the OnePlus Nord 2T, they are very different. Night Vision is a mode that allows for dark photos in low light. However, details are limited and the pictures look blurry and vague.
You shouldn't place too much importance on the Motorola Moto G82 using OIS. A slightly more powerful sensor would have saved the budget.
The Motorola Moto G82 is capable of taking decent-looking photos during the day. The colors are vibrant and not too bright. Additionally, Auto HDR is able to lift shadows from the darkness, as well as avoiding areas that look distorted by objects like bright clouds.
The processing is not as sloppy as some cheaper phones, with good detail. If you compare Motorola Moto G82 photos with Pixel 6a's, you will notice a better texture reproduction, and more confidence-looking detail at the pixel level than rivals.
The Moto G82's sensor has a smaller surface area than its resolution. This is partly why it looks so good. It is a 1/2.76 inch sensor. This is slightly smaller than that of the Pixel 6a's 1/2.55-inch Sony IMX363 and a lot smaller than the OnePlus Nord 2T 1/1.56-inch Sony IMX766.
These phones are slightly more costly, but they are worth considering if you want to take great night shots with your phone.
Moto G82's 8MP wide camera has the same issues as secondary cameras on affordable smartphones. The corners are noticeably less sharp than the rest of the frame. Additionally, the sensor's lower dynamic range makes it more likely that the limit of dynamic range processing will be revealed, which can lead to some cloudy images in our tests.
The ultra-wide still takes perfectly shareable photos with rich colors and sufficient detail that they don't appear immediately compromised on a small laptop screen.
Video of the Moto G82 is an absolute disappointment. The main complaint? The camera can only shoot at 1080p resolution.
Software stabilization will only be visible when you shoot at 30fps. The phone also has OIS, so there is a 60fps option. However, this mode appears completely unstabilized. The phone doesn't seem to use it for photo capture.
The default mode of 1080p/30 is recommended. 60fps footage can look blurry if it's not mounted on a tripod. 60fps images will have a much more pronounced character. This picture is less detail and appears more abstracted.
By default, the 16-megapixel front camera on Motorola Moto G825G shoots 4MP pixel-binned photos. Although you can take 16-megapixel photos using the "high resolution" mode, we do not recommend it.
The 4-megapixel resolution is the best option. Pictures look four times more detailed, even under perfect lighting. Both dynamic range as well as image consistency will be better. Although this isn't the best selfie camera out there, it can compensate for brightly lit scenes. It also works well with dimmed indoor lighting.
- Camera score: 3/5
Battery life for Motorola Moto G82
- Large 5,000mAh battery
- Fast charging support for 30W
- 50% charge in under 30 minutes
Motorola Moto G82 5G packs a 5,000mAh lithium-ion battery. This is the same size as many other Moto-series smartphones. It's nice to have this battery, even though it is slightly smaller than many other Moto G phones.
Although real-world endurance is excellent, it doesn't compare to some of its rivals like the Sony Xperia 10 IV at 60Hz and the Moto G50 5G at 720p, which has slightly more demanding components. Even with the most demanding use patterns, these phones last for almost 2 days.
Motorola Moto G825G will leave you with a steady, but not overwhelming 20-30% battery by the end the day. There are some ways to increase its lifespan without having to turn on Battery Saver. This alters the way that your phone works.
The OLED panel can be set to 'Dark' mode, and dark wallpapers or backgrounds will reduce the display's power consumption. The screen refresh rate can be reduced to 60Hz if you know that the display will use more power.
Fast charging is also a feature of the Moto G82, though it's not as good as some other models. The box includes a 30-W fast charger and an accompanying 30W charger.
The phone can go from flat to half-full in just 27-28 minutes. After 80 minutes it will reach 100%. While the Moto G82 draws a mere 4W of power for some time, it can reach 100% in just 10 minutes.
As is standard at this level there is no wireless charging support.
- Battery Score: 4/5
Score card Motorola Moto G82
| Attributes | Notes | Rating |
|---|---|---|
| Design | Thin design but plastic build, best keep the in-box case on. | 3.5/5 |
| Display | Nice 120Hz OLED panel could be brighter. | 4/5 |
| Software & performance | Clean UX but not the most powerful phone. | 3.5/5 |
| Cameras | OIS is nice but pictures are just OK. | 3/5 |
| Battery | Google longevity and decent fast charging speeds. | 4/5 |
| Value | A nice, low price for some premium features. | 4/5 |
Do I need to buy Motorola Moto G82 or not?
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It's a good deal if...
Looking for a 5G phone with good value
It's a great-value smartphone that offers a clear-looking OLED screen and 5G. The phone also has stereo speakers. Although there were some negative points in this review, it isn't as bad as the Moto G82 we reviewed. We have often had to compare these phones with slightly higher-priced rivals. This shows that, although Moto G series is losing much of its focus, it still delivers a solid phone at a reasonable price.
You appreciate a slimmer large-screen Android
Moto G82's design dynamism trait isn’t actually a Moto G82 characteristic. It is 8mm thick and noticeably thinner than many phones this price range, even older Moto G models. Even with its silicone case, it feels great and we recommend that you keep it on your phone from the beginning.
Want an OLED screen
It is the cheapest phone with Full HD OLED screens. Although it's not the most brilliant in this class, the screen is rich and vibrant enough to stream movies and games.
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It's not worth the risk if:
You demand good low-light photos
This phone doesn't have OIS and it can't capture nighttime photos well. Smartphones with higher-quality sensors and advanced low light software will produce better results. Photos taken in the middle of the day may look great, but they are not top-of-the-line.
High-end Gaming is your top priority
Gaming is a better option than the Moto G82 because of its generalized approach to smartphone design. The Snapdragon 695 SoC is capable of running most games well, however the Snapdragon 778G Real GT Master Edition offers significantly more GPU power.
A phone that has a real personality
The Moto G series smartphones aren't meant to be a shocker, but rather to reach a broad audience. The G82 is a fine phone, but it is not visually striking. It also has a plastic shell and no glass protection. Glass back panels are available on some higher-end phones, such as the OnePlus Nord 2T.
You should also consider
Although the Moto G82 offers a variety of technology you might not expect at this price, it isn't necessarily the best in its class. If the Moto G82 doesn't suit your needs, there are three alternatives.
OnePlus Nord 2T
The user interface is similar, with great performance and an amazingly capable camera for the price.
Poco X4 GT
The MediaTek 8100 SoC is a powerful feature that makes this phone great for gaming. Although charging is quicker than the Moto G82, it's not as easy to access in all countries.
Google Pixel 6a
The Pixel 6a is a great option if you have the budget. It has a better main camera, a faster processor and great water-resistance — plus a more distinctive design.
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