I tried a mega cheap Android phone that’s less than £100 – and I was blown away by the battery
MOTOROLA may have had its heyday in the mid-noughties but the company is still around making gloriously cheap smartphones.
It’s hard to find a bargain in the tech world but the Moto g04 will certainly please your bank balance at only £89.
Of course, no-one should expect iPhone 15 Pro Max or Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra quality at that price.
But you still want to be sure you’re getting value for your money.
So is the no-thrills Moto g04 worth it?
Read The Sun’s full review below.
Motorola Moto g04: Look and feel
The Moto g04 has a pretty simple look about it – and that’s not a criticism, I quite like this.
It’s housed in a plastic body which has a slight satin effect on the back, in blue. There’s also “Concord black” and “Sea green”.
Finger smears are quickly sucked away from sight on the back.
However, the smoothness can be quite slippery on some surfaces – but it sits comfortably in my hand.
Most smartphones have a pretty noticeable bulge from the camera lens but not here. However, that does have an impact on the quality of the camera (more on that later).
It’s also wonderfully light at 178.8g.
As for the display, it’s a 6.6-inch HD+ screen which pops with colour and brightness but it does lack clarity.
Motorola Moto g04: Performance and features
The Moto g04 runs on the latest version of Android, which is currently 14.
It’s a pretty pure take on the software but there is some bloatware apps I don’t want or need.
One rather retro feature I rate is an FM radio, provided you have some headphones to plug-in (yes, there is a headphone jack).
The photos won’t wow you and there aren’t any fancy features – but if you don’t care about that and want a phone that does the essentials, it’ll sort you out fine
As for security, you can use facial recognition or a PIN but I prefer the fingerprint reader which is handily within the unlock button along the side, seamlessly using your thumb.
The cheapest version only get 64GB but you can top this up via an SD card with a supported slot for it.
In terms of performance, I did find the Moto g04 quite sluggish at times so I wouldn’t recommend it for hard gaming or using lots of big apps at once.
Motorola hasn’t revealed how long it plans to provide the Moto g04 with software and security updates.
Who offers free updates longest?
The longer you receive updates, the longer you can safely continue using your smartphone - with the latest features thrown in too for free.
Samsung
While the A55 has four years of OS and five years of security updates, the Galaxy S24 series has more, with at least seven generations of OS updates and seven years of security updates.
OnePlus
At the launch of the OnePlus 12, OnePlus committed to at least four years of Android updates and five years of security updates.
Nothing
Nothing only offers three years of major Android updates and four years of security updates.
Google
For the Pixel 8, Google said that devices would receive at least seven years of support.
Motorola Moto g04: Battery
If you worry about battery then the Moto g04 is a pleasant surprise.
It pretty much matches up to more expensive competition with a 5000mAh battery.
I found it easily lasted well into the second day with general usage.
Motorola has also thrown in a charging plug with the cable in the box, which some companies have stopped now – however, it only charges at 10W which takes a good hour or so to go from zero to 50 per cent.
It does work with a slightly faster 15W chargers though.
Motorola Moto g04: Camera
The Moto g04’s main camera is just 16-megapixel so don’t expect stunning shots.
It can handle static scenes at a fair distance but the detail and vibrancy is lacking – and digitally zooming will just spoil your photos.
Motorola Moto g04: Verdict
The final verdict by Jamie Harris, Senior Technology and Science Reporter at The Sun
If you’re looking for a bargain smartphone that does the basics then look no further than the Moto g04.
The photos won’t wow you and there aren’t any fancy features – but if you don’t care about that and want a phone that does the essentials, it’ll sort you out fine.
And what could be more essential than a decent battery? Motorola didn’t hold out when it comes to power – though it would have been even better if it could refuel faster.