Motorola has finally launched one of its most successful phones, Moto's successor, globally. Unlike its most closest competitors like Lenovo K3 Note and Xiaomi Mi 4i, Moto G (3rd Gen) doesn't focused only on hardware, but features some specification, which might impress some and depress some.

We received the device on Wednesday. Before diving into our impression, let us inform you that the device has been unveiled in two storage variants- 8GB and 16GB. The 8GB storage edition packs 1GB RAM, while the 16GB edition features 2GB RAM memory. While the 8GB edition is available for Rs 11,999, the 16GB edition has been priced at Rs 12,999. Both the editions of Moto G (3rd Gen) are exclusively available through Flipkart.

Design and Build

Moto G (3rd Gen) looks quite alike the earlier edition of Moto X with a curvy textured back cover and a chrome plate to place the rear camera sensor, dual-tone LED flash and the brand logo. For Moto G (3rd Gen), Motorola has released a series of different color back covers. We received the black unit and found it quite ergonomic to hold and slip into pocket. The size of the device was also ideal for many of the compact display lovers. The only compact substitute in its price is Xiaomi's Mi 4i, which boasts a 0.2-inch bigger display.

Measuring 142.1 x 72.4 x 11.6mm and weighing 155g, the Moto G (3rd Gen) is definitely not the slimmest or lightest device in competition, but it is not as heavy as Moto E 4G.

Moto G (3rd Gen) retains the button placement of its earlier devices and houses the power and volume rocker button at the right, micro USB port on the bottom and 3.5mm audio-out at the top. Opening the rear cover gives access to its two micro 4G SIM and the micro SD card slot.

Display

Moto G (3rd Gen) retains the same 5-inch, 720x1280 pixels, 294PPI display from its predecessor. The display offers decent brightness and nicely balanced colours in use. It also offers decent viewing angle and is readable under bright light. The only question that came into our minds is while most of its competitors offer Full HD display, why Motorola preferred the HD-only display for Moto G (3rd Gen)? You might find the answer below.

Specification

Moto G (3rd Gen) is powered by a Quad-Core Qualcomm SnapDragon S410 SoC that runs at a clock speed of 1.4GHz. The device is backed by 2GB RAM and 16GB storage expandable up to 32GB. Powered by a non-removable 2,470 mAh battery, Moto G (3rd Gen) is expected to deliver more than a day of battery life.

Camera

Moto G (3rd Gen) comes with a 13MP, f/2.0, Multilayer IR Filter camera sensor with dual-tone LED flash to meet the primary photography requirement. For selfie clicking, the device packs a 5MP snapper at the front.

We clicked a few photographs using the phone under different lighting conditions and found it quite similar to Moto X 2nd Gen for its ability to focus on subject and click images very quickly.

Operating System

Moto G (3rd Gen) runs on the latest Android 5.1.1 Lollipop out of the box with Motorola's UI overlaid on the top. The intuitive UI has made the interface quite interesting and sacrificed bloatware, resulting a butter smooth experience while in use.

Water Resistance

Moto G (3rd Gen) comes with IPX7 certification, which makes the device able to survive three feet under water for 30 minutes. Of course nobody would love to keep their device inside aquarium to show off the feature but it will come quite handy while using the phone during monsoon or after shower.

This feature is usually visible in premium phones like Sony Xperia Z series and Samsung Galaxy Active Series of devices. Moto G (3rd Gen) is the first phone to come with this certificate in the budget category.

Our Take

As we mentioned earlier, Moto G (3rd Gen) sacrifices a few and featured a few to keep it in the competition. Comparing Moto G (3rd Gen) with Lenovo K3 Note and Xiaomi Mi 4i straightway might make it inferior for the processor and display. But Moto G (3rd Gen) takes an upper hand by featuring the latest Android operating system, stylish look and water resistance capability.

We will speak on the camera capability compared with its competitors once we are done with the review process. Till then stay tuned.