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Budget Moto G Fast and Moto E pack edge-to-edge displays starting at $150

Motorola has long offered some of the best budget phones, with series like the Moto G and Moto E setting new standards for value. As rivals offer devices like the iPhone SE, Samsung Galaxy A51, and more, Motorola has launched two new budget-friendly phones — the new Moto G Fast and the 2020 Moto E.

Both of phones offer premium features for their price range, and could easily be the go-to phones for those who want a great handset at $200 or less. Here’s a rundown of the new Moto G Fast and Moto E.

Moto G Fast

The Moto G Fast is the latest addition to the Moto G lineup, joining the Moto G Stylus and Moto G Power. The new phone is also the cheapest in the lineup, costs $200 while still retaining some of the most-loved aspects of Moto G phones.

Notably, the device has an edge-to-edge display with a small chin at the bottom, and a hole-punch cutout in the top-left of the display. That helps make the front of the device resemble other premium phones, like the OnePlus 8 and Samsung Galaxy S20. The display itself offers a 720p resolution, so it’s not the highest-resolution display out there — but that’s to be expected in this price range. On the back, you’ll find the camera and a fingerprint sensor.

The design isn’t necessarily the reason to buy this phone — it’s what’s under the hood that counts. You’ll get a Snapdragon 655 processor, coupled with 3GB of RAM, which should make it more than powerful enough for most basic usage, and even some lightweight mobile gaming. You’ll get 32GB of storage, and there is a microSD card slot built into the phone for further expansion.

Motorola is taking the cameras seriously, though we’ll have to wait and see just how good they are in real life. The phone offers a triple-lens camera, with one 16-megapixel main sensor, one ultra-wide sensor, and a macro lens. We’re not quite sure why Motorola went for a macro lens instead of a telephoto. The camera even offers some artificial intelligence features that you would expect from more expensive offerings, like auto smile capture, which supports up to five people.

Powering it all is a 4,000mAh battery, which, considering the lower-resolution display, should last a long time. Motorola says that the battery will give the phone two days of normal use, which, if accurate, is impressive. The phone ships with Android 10.

Moto E

If you’re on a tighter budget, it’s worth considering the Moto E, which costs $150. The Moto E also offers a nearly edge-to-edge display with 720p resolution, but instead of a hole-punch cutout for the front-facing camera, you’ll get a teardrop notch. The display is 6.2 inches, which is a little smaller than that on the Moto G Fast, but still la good size. On the back of the phone, there’s a dual-lens camera and a fingerprint sensor.

When it comes to performance, the phone still isn’t bad. You’ll get a Qualcomm Snapdragon 632 processor, along with 2GB of RAM and 32GB of storage. There’s a microSD card slot for up to 512GB of added storage.

When it comes to camera sensors, you’ll get a 13-megapixel main sensor with a 2-megapixel depth sensor, though again, we’ll have to wait and see how well the camera performs in real-world use. The battery on the phone comes in at 3,550mAh, which again, Motorola says will last two days. Software-wise, the phone ships with Android 10.

Pricing and availability

The Moto G Fast costs $200, a solid price for a phone with these specs. You can pre-order the Moto G Fast starting on June 5, with full sales set to begin on June 12.

The Moto E will be up for pre-order on June 5, with full sales to begin on June 12. It costs $150.

Christian de Looper
Christian’s interest in technology began as a child in Australia, when he stumbled upon a computer at a garage sale that he…
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