Motorola moto g53 review: Good-looking and affordable

Besides high-end Android devices, Motorola also manufactures mid-range and entry-level smartphones. Among them, a recent model is the moto g53, a phone that promises to deliver all you need for everyday use in a good-looking package and for an affordable price. While some compromises have clearly been made to keep the costs low, the moto g53 might prove to be the smartphone that you want with you daily, especially if you intend to keep your budget in check. Find out more in this review:

Motorola moto g53: Who is it good for?

This Android smartphone is a good choice if you:

• Want a good-looking smartphone with an affordable price
• Are looking for a daily driver that simply does its job
• Don’t need a powerful device for demanding apps or gaming

Pros and cons

Here are the key positive aspects of Motorola’s moto g53:

• Affordable pricing
• It looks good, and it feels better than you’d expect
• The software experience is excellent
• Great battery life
• Decent performance for productivity tasks

There are also some downsides to this smartphone:

• Weak low-light photography and videos
• The display is underwhelming
• Charging the phone takes a very long time

Verdict

After using and testing the Motorola moto g53, I can say that this Android smartphone looks and feels better than what you’d expect from an affordable device. If you want a daily driver that doesn’t cost a fortune and can do its job well in regular tasks, such as browsing the web or social networks, or productivity apps, then the moto g53 is a good choice. However, if you’re looking for an Android smartphone that’s good at gaming or photography, you might want to check out other, more expensive alternatives.

Unboxing the Motorola moto g53

Motorola’s moto g53 arrives in a standard-size box that features a minimalistic design on its top cover. Only the Motorola logo and the name of the smartphone are printed on it. On the back, there’s also an illustration of the smartphone, together with a couple of details about its main features. The box of the Motorola moto g53 Unboxing the Motorola moto g53 reveals everything you get: the smartphone itself, a 10 Watts charger with a detachable USB-A to C cable, a pin for removing the SIM tray, and the regular documentation (user guide, warranty, safety information). Depending on the region you live in, the Motorola moto g53 packaging might also bundle a protective cover and/or a headset. Unboxing the Motorola moto g53 Unpacking the Motorola moto g53 is a pleasant experience. You get almost everything you’d expect, depending on the country or region you purchase it.

Design and build quality

Measuring 162.7 by 74.7 by 8.2 mm (or 6.41 x 2.94 x 0.32 inches) in length, width, and thickness, the Motorola moto g53 is a large smartphone. It’s also rather heavy, weighing 183 grams (6.46 oz). Although it’s not fit for any pocket and is clearly not a perfect choice for people with smaller hands, the phone looks good and doesn’t appear as bulky as you might expect. The body of the moto g53 is made mainly of plastic materials, to keep costs low, but the finishing is very well done. The back and edges of the smartphone provide a good grip and aren’t slippery like I’ve seen on other such devices. Furthermore, the back of the phone is matte, which means it shouldn’t collect fingerprints or smudges. Oh, and the colors are nice and subtle too. The model I tested was the Ink Blue one, but there are also options for those who prefer lighter shades: Arctic Silver and Pale Pink. Color options for the Motorola moto g53 The front of the smartphone also looks pleasant. The screen occupies most of it, and the bezels are relatively thin: not as thin as they are on high-end Android devices but not too thick either. The only other thing worth mentioning here is the punch hole for the front selfie camera that’s positioned towards the top center of the screen. The bezels of the Motorola moto g53 are not thin, but not thick either On the phone's bottom edge, you find the loudspeaker, a USB-C port, the main microphone, and a 3.5 mm audio jack. The latter is quite a nice surprise, as we don’t often get that on new smartphones these days. Motorola moto g53 comes with a USB-C port and a 3.5 mm jack The top edge is home to the secondary microphone and a small inscription that lets you know that the smartphone supports Dolby Atmos. The left edge holds the SIM tray, while the right edge is home to all the usual physical buttons: Power and Volume rocker. The Power button also includes the fingerprint reader. Motorola moto g53 supports Dolby Atmos The Motorola moto g53 offers a pleasant design, and although the company used mainly plastic to build it, the smartphone feels nice to the touch.

Hardware specifications

The Motorola moto g53 is based on the mid-range Qualcomm Snapdragon 480+ 5G mobile platform. The SoC (System on a Chip) features an octa-core Kryo 460 processor that can reach a top speed of 2.2 GHz (on two cores, the other six can reach 1.8 GHz) and an Adreno 619 graphics chip that runs at 650 MHz and supports OpenGL ES 3.2, OpenCL 2.0, and Vulkan 1.1. In terms of memory, you can get the moto g53 with 4, 6, or 8 GB of RAM and 64 or 128 GB of built-in storage. The model I’m reviewing is an affordable version that’s equipped with a lower amount of RAM, 4 GB, but with a larger flash memory: 128 GB. Motorola moto g53: hardware and software One good news is that you can add a microSD card if the built-in storage memory isn’t enough for your needs. The smartphone is compatible with microSD cards of up to 1 TB in size. However, keep in mind that the phone’s microSD card slot is a hybrid one, meaning that it can also be used for adding a second SIM instead of a microSD card. In that case, the smartphone will work as a dual SIM phone. The SIM tray of the Motorola moto g53 Another key aspect of the Motorola moto g53 is the fact that its chipset allows it to connect to 5G networks and thus offer fast mobile internet speeds. Furthermore, also in terms of connectivity, it’s important to note that the Motorola moto g53 supports Wi-Fi 5 on both the 2.4 and 5 GHz bands. Unfortunately, it can’t use Wi-Fi 6. The phone features Bluetooth 5.1, GPS, and NFC, but the availability of the latter depends on the region you buy the smartphone from. Among other sensors, you also get a fingerprint sensor that’s built into the side Power button, as well as other essentials such as an accelerometer, gyro, proximity, and compass sensors. When it comes to the display, Motorola made a compromise on its quality. The large 6.5-inch screen uses an IPS LCD panel with a rather low resolution of 720 by 1600 pixels, which translates into a density of 270 ppi (pixel per inch). All you get is an average display in terms of detail, color, and brightness. This choice helps Motorola decrease the cost of the phone and also improve its battery life significantly. On the bright side of things, the display does have a refresh rate of 120 Hz that translates into smooth animations and transitions, although it won’t do miracles in demanding games, as the chipset is not powerful enough to sustain a number of frames per second that matches the high refresh rate. Last but not least, you should also know that the screen is protected by tempered glass, not by high-quality Corning Gorilla Glass. The display of the Motorola moto g53 Regarding the camera setup, the Motorola moto g53 smartphone offers:

• A main 50 MP (wide) camera with an aperture of f/1.8, 0.64 µm pixels, and phase-detection autofocus (PDAF)
• A secondary (macro, not ultrawide) 2 MP camera with an f/2.4 aperture
• A front 8-megapixel selfie camera (wide) with an aperture of f/2.2 and 1.12 µm pixels.

Something else you might want to consider is the fact that both the back main camera and the front selfie one are able to record video at a maximum resolution of 1080p. And, although the phone can stabilize images, it can only do it using software, not optically, so don’t expect it to be able to significantly remove any hand shaking while recording video. Oh, and the back cameras are aided by a regular LED flash, not by a dual-LED one. The main camera system of the Motorola moto g53 A key aspect where the Motorola moto g53 shines, at least theoretically, is its battery life. The phone is equipped with a large (non-removable) 5000 mAh battery. Thanks to that and also to the compromises made for the screen and the entry-level chipset, the smartphone should last for two days on a full battery charge. On the other hand, the smartphone doesn’t fast charge, which means that it takes a while to get the battery from 0 to 100%. Before moving on to the user experience offered by the smartphone, know that you can check all the features and technical specifications on its official webpage: Motorola moto g53. Turn the page to find out more about the user experience offered by the Motorola moto g53, its camera quality, performance in benchmarks, and bundled software.

The smartphone experience on the Motorola moto g53

While I had the Motorola moto g53, I used it as my main smartphone for all my daily activities. In doing so, I found out that the experience it offers is generally good. When it comes to phone calls, the audio quality is excellent when using the ear speaker. The microphone does a good job too, as everyone I’ve talked to over the phone said they heard my voice well, clearly, and loudly. Calls while using the loudspeaker were also OK. Regarding the phone’s display, things could’ve been better however. Its generous size is nice, but the contrast, brightness, and colors aren’t something to brag about. The images displayed are great for everyday use, don’t get me wrong. Browsing the web, scrolling on social networks, using office apps, etc., are all OK, and the 120 Hz refresh rate ensures smooth transitions and animations. I can’t say the same about watching movies or YouTube videos, though, as the colors aren’t what I’d call vibrant. Motorola moto g53 has a 120 Hz refresh rate Gaming is not a strong point either for the Motorola moto g53, as the chipset doesn’t allow for high framerates. While it does its job well in less demanding casual games, playing titles with increased system requirements is another thing. In the latter case, you’ll need to let go and adjust to lower visual quality and refresh rate. For instance, I tested Asphalt 9 and Diablo Immortal, and although they both ran OK, I did encounter some stuttering. Gaming on the Motorola moto g53 The fingerprint sensor that’s built into the power button works fast and registers touch pretty accurately. There were just a couple of times when the smartphone didn’t immediately “see” my fingerprint and told me that it wasn’t recognized. Battery life is excellent: its 5000 mAh capacity, paired with the energy-efficient chipset and display, allowed me to use the phone for two days before having to charge it. On the other hand, charging the moto g53 is, simply put, painful. Despite what Motorola accustomed us to on its other smartphones, the moto g53 doesn’t fast charge. Frankly put, charging it is very slow. Using its bundled 10W charger, it took two hours and forty minutes to get from 0 to 100%! This is especially disappointing when you consider that its predecessor, the moto g52, offers 30W charging. Charging time for the Motorola moto g53 In short, the Motorola moto g53 is a good Android smartphone for everyday tasks, but I wouldn’t recommend it to gamers or to those who like to watch movies on their smartphone. Also, while the battery life is excellent, charging it is very slow.

The camera experience on the Motorola moto g53

NOTE: For optimization purposes, the pictures in this review are resized. If you want to see the full-sized original photos and videos I shot with the Motorola moto g53, open this gallery: Motorola moto g53’s cameras are average and nothing more. The main system on the back features a wide 50-megapixel camera and a 2-megapixel macro camera. In daylight or excellent lighting conditions, the 50 MP one captures decent photographs with adequate color and contrast. Motorola moto g53: Daylight photograph However, in low-light environments and at night, there’s plenty of noise, and unfortunately, I had to delete more than just a few of the photos I took simply because they turned out to be too blurred. In those cases, you need a steady hand, so as not to shake the phone, not even for a tiny bit. Or use a tripod if you have one. Motorola moto g53: Night photograph If you want to shoot close-ups, the macro camera offers slightly better results than the main one. However, with a sensor of just 2 megapixels, you can’t expect too much in terms of quality either. Motorola moto g53: Macro photograph The front camera is OK, but again, nothing out of the ordinary. The selfies you take with it are good in excellent lighting conditions, but I wouldn’t recommend it in low light. Motorola moto g53: Selfies during the day and night As for the videos, the general idea remains valid: average quality and average expectations. 🙂 The chipset allows the smartphone to record video in up to 1080p at 30 frames per second. The results are decent, but the contrast is underwhelming, and you should avoid shooting in low light. Image stabilization can be turned on, but it’s a software-only feature (not OIS), so its results are not that great. Minimal handshaking is corrected, but don’t expect the moto g53 to remove trembling or major bumps on the road. 🙂 Here’s a relatively static video I took using the Motorola moto g53: And here’s a more dynamic video I shot with this smartphone: The camera experience offered by the Motorola moto g53 is average. It does its job well enough during the day or in excellent lighting conditions, but I wouldn’t recommend it for low-light photography. The same for video recording.

Android 13 and bundled apps

If there is one aspect where Motorola deserves all the praise, that’s software. No matter which of their smartphones you’re using, all of them follow the same excellent approach in terms of software: usually the latest Android version available when they’re launched, no bloatware, and only a few customization options that are actually useful. The moto g53 walks the same path, and that’s great, especially for a budget smartphone. Motorola moto g53 comes with Android 13 The moto g53 comes with Android 13 out of the box, and besides all the standard Google apps on Android, you only get a few additions:

• Candy Crush Saga - this is the only game bundled on the Motorola moto g53; a popular choice among many, and one I’ve seen a lot of people play during their commute. 🙂
• Device Help - guides you on how to use the smartphone and helps you fix potential issues.
• Dolby Atmos - allows you to configure the Dolby Atmos audio experience on the phone.
• Family Space - enables you to create a safe space on your smartphone where your child(ren) can play and use only the games and apps you allow.
• Games - acts as a central hub for your games; you can use it to quickly access all your games as well as configure a few settings related to how the smartphone should act when you’re playing (like notifications or phone calls).
• Interactive wallpapers - gives you access to a series of dynamic wallpapers made by Motorola.
• Moto - you can use it to configure and customize some key aspects of your smartphone (such as themes or gestures), and it also offers some useful tips and tricks.
• Moto Secure - gives you access to a series of security and privacy settings, including one called Secure Folder, which lets you hide and protect files and apps you don’t want others to access.
• Motorola Notifications - is there just to let you subscribe or unsubscribe from Motorola’s communications (personalization tips, information about software updates, invitations to studies and surveys, special offers).

Motorola continues to do a great job when it comes to software. The moto g53 has the latest Android 13, a clean user interface, and only a few additional apps.

Performance in benchmarks

We’ve seen what the Motorola moto g53 has to offer in key areas such as specs, design, user experience, and software. But what about computing performance? Let’s put it to the test in a couple of benchmarks: I began by running Geekbench to see how it evaluates the smartphone’s single-core, multi-core, and GPU performance. The Motorola moto g53 got a Single-Core score of 742 points and a Multi-Core score of 1779 points. These are the results of an average Android smartphone, close but slightly lower than what you’d get from other devices in the same price bracket, like Realme 7 5G or Samsung Galaxy A52 5G. Moto g53’s GPU scores are, unfortunately, low: 1019 points with OpenCL and 916 points with Vulkan. These results point out weak performance in gaming, similar to what you’d get from an old Samsung Galaxy S7 or a Xiaomi Redmi 9. Benchmark results in Geekbench 6 Next, I ran 3DMark’s Wild Life and Sling Shot tests. The Motorola moto g53 scored 984 points in Wild Life and 3639 points in Sling Shot. Once again, these low scores show that the Motorola moto g53 isn’t a smartphone for gamers. It can run casual games well, and it might offer a decent amount of performance in more demanding ones, but only if you decrease the visual quality and are OK with a lower count of frames per second. Benchmark results in 3DMark I also checked what PCMark for Android had to say about the Motorola moto g53. This app benchmarks the device in daily tasks that include web browsing and working with office apps. It can also give an accurate image of how the battery fares in such scenarios. The Motorola moto g53 scored 9740 points in the Work 3.0 performance test and managed to run the Work 3.0 battery life for 10 hours and 44 minutes. These results translate into a good level of performance in daily productivity tasks and a good battery life. Benchmark results in PCMark In the end, I also checked the internet speed of the Motorola moto g53 while connected to a fast Wi-Fi network. Unfortunately, I couldn’t do the same for 5G as my mobile carrier doesn’t offer that in my region. On my 1 Gbps Wi-Fi, Ookla’s Speedtest showed that the moto g53 can reach a download speed of about 250 Mbps and an upload speed of over 330 Mbps. If you take into account that the moto g53 only works with Wi-Fi 5, the results are decent. Internet speed on Wi-Fi The Motorola moto g53 appears to be a good choice if you want average performance in daily activities and some casual gaming. However, it’s not an Android smartphone designed for gaming.

What’s your opinion about the Motorola moto g53?

Now you know more about what the Motorola moto g53 has to offer. There are some key aspects that recommend it for daily use, but there are also things that can make you look elsewhere. But, in the end, if you want a decent Android smartphone for a fair price, it might be the one you’re looking for. What do you think? Would you buy a Motorola moto g53? Let me know in the comments section below.