Motorola Moto G73 5G Review: Stock and Secure
Pros: Slim and lightweight, Clicks likable photos, Stock-Android, Security features.
Cons: LCD display, Subpar videography, limited software support.
Motorola is just beginning with its budget smartphones for the year. It hitherto launched two devices, the Moto E13 and the Moto G73 5G. As you’d guess from the initial letter of the phones, the former is a phone for users not willing to stretch their budget above Rs 8,000, while the latter comes from the popular ‘G7X’ family – offering an impressive set of features to keep up with the stiff competition.
Keeping the entry-offering, the Moto E13 aside, the Moto G73 5G is the company’s first phone of the year in India that I feel is truly bringing a specs sheet worth looking at.
Also, it’s a device aimed to compete with the likes of mobile phones in the popular Rs 15,000 to Rs 20,000 segment. This means it’s going straight for Poco, Redmi, and Realme phones. And not to forget, the newly launched iQOO budget device – the iQOO Z7 5G.
I’ll get to the competition bit later in this review but hope readers get a rough idea of the phone’s price range and the competition.
With that said, I took the Moto G73 5G for a spin with me for more than a week to understand what owning it would feel like for consumers. And here’s my full review of the phone.
As usual, before we sink our teeth into the review, let’s see the full specs of the phone along with its retail price tag.
Moto G73 5G price and specifications
Model – Motorola Moto G73 5G
Build – PMMA (Plastic)
Display – 6.5-inch punch-hole panel, IPS LCD
Display specs – Adaptive refresh rate (30Hz to 120Hz), 240Hz TSR, FHD+ (2400 x 1080 pixels), HDR10+, Widevine L1
Protection – Panda Glass protection, dedicated Moto secure app
Security – Side-mounted FPS, facial unlock
Camera setup – Rear – dual cameras, Front – single camera
Camera specs – 50MP Samsung main lens (2-micron ultrapixel), 8MP ultrawide + macro | 16MP selfie
Video maximum – 1080p at 60fps | 1080p at 30fps
Chipset – 6nm MediaTek Dimensity 930, IMG BXM-8-256 GPU
RAM and Storage – 8GB LPDDR4x RAM, 128GB uMCP storage (Up to 1TB expansion with microSD card slot)
Battery and charging – 5,000mAh battery + 30W Turbo Power support
Ports – USB Type-C (USB 2.0)
Audio – 3.5mm headphone jack, stereo speakers
Operating system – Android 13 OS, MyUX skin
Software support – 1 year of software update (Android 14), 3 years of security updates
IP rating – IP52 water and splash resistance rating
Sensors – Accelerometer, Ambient light sensor, Proximity sensor, E-compass, Gyroscope, fingerprint
Network and connectivity – dual-SIM 5G (Hybrid slot), 13 5G bands, Wi-Fi 5 (2.4Ghz/5GHz, 4×4 MIMO support), Bluetooth 5.3, NFC
Design and Display
The Motorola Moto G73 5G boasts a familiar design that’s too simple and too boring. However, that seems to be working, not only for the brand but also for the buyers. It’s matte, lightweight (181 grams), and fairly grippy. But also, it can attract some fingerprints if you have oily hands, and could slip through your hands due to its slim form factor (8.29mm). But you can always use the transparent case that gets you extra grip and slight thickness.
Motorola has used PMMA material on the phone, which is nothing but plastic. There’s a plastic used on the back as well as on the frame. Despite that, it doesn’t feel tacky by any means. In fact, the Midnight Blue shade that I have, reflects in direct light – offering a dual-tone-like shade (Black and Dark Blue).
As usual, there’s a power button on the right spine that doubles up as a fingerprint scanner and above it, there’s a volume rocker. On the left spine, you’ll find a SIM card/microSD card tray. It’s a hybrid slot, so there’s a choice between two nano SIMs or a microSD card.
There’s a 3.5mm headphone jack, a primary microphone, a USB Type-C port, and a speaker grille at the bottom. On the upper side, there’s a secondary microphone and the Dolby Atmos branding.
For visual pleasure, the device has a 6.5-inch center-punch-hole notch display with an FHD+ resolution. It’s an LCD panel, though, but of good quality. The screen has an adaptive refresh rate, that can go from 30Hz to 120Hz depending on the content.
It’s an HDR10+ certified screen, and I have to say it’s vibrant and sharp. Something that buyers would rejoice in this price segment. The device has Widevine L1 certification, so you can easily stream content on OTT platforms in high quality and watch YouTube videos in HDR.
I have no problems with the display, but Motorola could have given an AMOLED panel to complete the whole experience.
Cameras
When it comes to the cameras on the phone, Motorola appears to have given some thinking, and it finally concerted a dual camera system on the back. That’s odd because most phones in the segment come with triple cameras on the back.
But the dual cameras on the Moto G73 5G are nothing to scoff at since both sensors are totally useful. The setup goes by a 50MP Samsung main lens with f/1.8 aperture and 2-micron ultra-pixel technology.
For the unversed, most sensors in this price bracket come with a 1-micron ultra pixel that helps in low light. The larger 2-micron ultra pixel offers more light within the sensor and it translates into the real world.
It is paired with an 8MP secondary lens that does ultra-wide and macro, and also helps in creating bokeh for portrait shots. The main lens is pretty good in daylight as well as in night light. It’s 2023 and most phone makers are relying on software processing. The Moto G73 5G’s camera hardware, plus the processing, makes the final images more than likable.
Although, for night shots or while clicking images with a lot of text, you need to keep your hands steady for a second. This reminds me that there’s no OIS support for the camera.
Does that offer a shaky video? No. That’s because there’s EIS on the phone, which does a decent job of stabilizing videos. The maximum the device can shoot is 1080p video at 60fps, which is a limitation by the chip inside the phone.
Overall, photography will be a good experience for you, but it’s hard to say the same for videos. There’s a lot of over-sharpening in the final footage and it’s too saturated for my liking. However, this could just be because the screen is already vibrant.
The camera app on the phone comes with three standard modes – Portrait, Pro, and Nightvision. Apart from these modes, there are other features like Dual capture, Spot color, Panorama, Slow motion, Timelapse, and Ultra-res (which gives 50MP photos).
Dual capture is handy at times and the Spot Colour mode is unique as it lets you adjust specific color’s intensity in your photos and videos. The 16MP selfie camera on the front is above average.
You can see all original quality photos and videos here.
Performance
The Moto G73 5G is the first phone in the country with the MediaTek Dimensity 930 SoC. It is paired with 8GB of LPDDR4x RAM and 128GB of uMCP internal storage. All I have to say is that the chipset is enough for day-to-day tasks and can let you game on medium settings. Agreed that it’s not faster than Dimensity 920, but it’s not far behind.
Let’s be honest, the marginal difference won’t be noticeable to anyone in daily life, unless you jump into apps like AnTuTu and Geekbench. However, as said above, this chip limits the imaging power. The Dimensity 930 doesn’t support 4K video recording.
In terms of performance in daily life, the phone’s fast and fluid with only minor hiccups sometimes.
The device can play moderately demanding titles like Asphalt 9 with a breeze and heavy titles like COD Mobile on medium settings, as said above. On AnTuTu, the device maintained a score of 420,163 and was fairly stable in the CPU Throttling test.
In my experience, the device tends to get hot on the back after prolonged usage, which could be due to the slim form factor.
Battery and Fast Charging
Motorola has stacked a 5,000mAh battery inside the Moto G73 5G, which is standard now. And as you’d expect, it offers a full day of battery on moderate usage. However, I personally felt that on heavy usage, which contains gaming, video-watching, and camera usage — the phone dropped to 20 percent early in the day than other devices with a 5,000mAh cell.
This could be due to the Dimensity 930 chipset, again. I recently reviewed the Infinix Zero 5G 2023 Turbo and with the same battery, it was able to provide 1 and a half days of usage. As said, this could be the chip in the play – Dimensity 1080 (which is way more powerful and efficient, but also expensive). But Moto G73 5G’s 1-day battery backup will be still enough for most users.
Charging the device to its brim is quick with the certified 30W Turbo charging. Although, an even faster charging solution could have been better, say a 44W or 67W solution.
Software Experience
Interestingly, the Moto G73 5G boots on Android 13 out of the box and has MyUX. Motorola is known for providing a close-to-stock Android experience on its devices. With this one, the company has yet again offered clean software.
It is worth noting that before the phone’s release, Motorola was rumored to offer features like Glance along with some bloatware. However, the company seems to have gotten rid of some bloatware, after there was a backlash on Twitter based on the rumor.
That said, users will get the same clean software experience out of the box in the retail unit. MyUX is great, but since it’s close to stock Android there are fewer customization options. Although, you can change the look of icons and colors throughout the UI, thanks to Android 13’s material UI theming.
Motorola is claiming the G73 5G to be a secure phone, thanks to Thinkshield and Moto Secure features. Moto Secure is a dedicated app that acts as a control center for all privacy and security toggles. So, you can check the privacy dashboard, manage individual app permissions, and tweak privacy controls with the help of a single app.
Additionally, there’s a secure folder option in the app that allows you to lock apps, hide apps using stealth mode, and change app icons (to trick others) using the disguised icons feature. It also comes with a Pin pad scramble feature, which shuffles the numbers so it’s hard for others to guess your PIN only by seeing your finger movements.
Furthermore, there’s a Family Space app that lets you create Kids space (which is basically, a locked space for kids with pre-selected apps by parents). It could also be helpful if you want to hand over your phone to someone else for some time.
Overall, Motorola has done a great job with the software. Despite it being close to stock Android, the added features like Moto Secure, Family Space, and the ability to change the look of icons make the software experience top-notch and secure, of course.
Motorola has also assured Android 14 on the device, which is great. However, it hasn’t committed to the total years of software support, which concludes that we are looking at only 1 year of software support. Although, the company will still offer 3 years of security updates to the device.
Connectivity and extras
The smartphone comes with dual-SIM 5G support, with a choice of either adding two SIMs or a microSD card. I had no issues with 5G on Airtel, but on Jio, I didn’t get 5G out of the box. Calls were clear to me and also to the other party, and Wi-Fi connectivity was also not a problem.
However, the device supports older Wi-Fi 5, again it’s a limitation by the chipset. Although, Motorola has offered 4×4 MIMO support and there’s carrier aggregation support as well. So, there’s no problem with Wi-Fi or mobile internet connectivity in day-to-day life.
As for security, Motorola has provided a side-facing fingerprint scanner that works 9 out of 10 times and there’s also facial unlock support.
There’s a 3.5mm headphone jack on the phone that will allow you to connect your wired headphones. While wired connectivity is good, the stereo speakers on the phone are fantastic. They are loud and clear for a group movie-watching session. Dolby Atmos support is a great addition.
It has a USB Type-C port that supports USB 2.0 speeds, which is expected for the price. Motorola has also offered an IP52 rating, so there’s no anxiety when the device has some dust or water splashes over it. There’s NFC too on the phone.
Verdict
In the Rs 20,000 segment, Motorola Moto G73 5G offers a close-to-stock Android experience, more security and privacy features, and a reliable camera for night, ultra-wide, and macro photography.
With its extra features like Moto secure, Family space, IP52 rating, and a great set of speakers tuned by Dolby Atmos, the Moto G73 5G is indeed a suitable device to keep it for yourself or to give it to your parents.
However, do note that it doesn’t support 4K recording, shoots subpar video, lacks the darks of an AMOLED, and sometimes tends to get hot in heavy usage (while playing games). If these are the things, you can look past, then it’s a good new 5G handset that you can consider.
You can also have a look at the newly launched IQOO Z7 5G and Poco X5 5G. The iQOO handset offers Dimensity 920, which is faster and gets you 4K video recording, but lacks an ultra-wide sensor, and the AMOLED screen on the phone is restricted to 90Hz.
The Poco phone, on the other hand, offers Snapdragon 695, which performs similarly to Moto G73 5G’s Dimensity 930. However, it boots on older Android 12 OS and doesn’t have a stock-like feel due to MIUI theming.
The post Motorola Moto G73 5G Review: Stock and Secure appeared first on Techlusive.
Pros: Slim and lightweight, Clicks likable photos, Stock-Android, Security features.
Cons: LCD display, Subpar videography, limited software support.
Motorola is just beginning with its budget smartphones for the year. It hitherto launched two devices, the Moto E13 and the Moto G73 5G. As you’d guess from the initial letter of the phones, the former is a phone for users not willing to stretch their budget above Rs 8,000, while the latter comes from the popular ‘G7X’ family – offering an impressive set of features to keep up with the stiff competition.
Keeping the entry-offering, the Moto E13 aside, the Moto G73 5G is the company’s first phone of the year in India that I feel is truly bringing a specs sheet worth looking at.
Also, it’s a device aimed to compete with the likes of mobile phones in the popular Rs 15,000 to Rs 20,000 segment. This means it’s going straight for Poco, Redmi, and Realme phones. And not to forget, the newly launched iQOO budget device – the iQOO Z7 5G.
I’ll get to the competition bit later in this review but hope readers get a rough idea of the phone’s price range and the competition.
With that said, I took the Moto G73 5G for a spin with me for more than a week to understand what owning it would feel like for consumers. And here’s my full review of the phone.
As usual, before we sink our teeth into the review, let’s see the full specs of the phone along with its retail price tag.
Moto G73 5G price and specifications
Model – Motorola Moto G73 5G
Build – PMMA (Plastic)
Display – 6.5-inch punch-hole panel, IPS LCD
Display specs – Adaptive refresh rate (30Hz to 120Hz), 240Hz TSR, FHD+ (2400 x 1080 pixels), HDR10+, Widevine L1
Protection – Panda Glass protection, dedicated Moto secure app
Security – Side-mounted FPS, facial unlock
Camera setup – Rear – dual cameras, Front – single camera
Camera specs – 50MP Samsung main lens (2-micron ultrapixel), 8MP ultrawide + macro | 16MP selfie
Video maximum – 1080p at 60fps | 1080p at 30fps
Chipset – 6nm MediaTek Dimensity 930, IMG BXM-8-256 GPU
RAM and Storage – 8GB LPDDR4x RAM, 128GB uMCP storage (Up to 1TB expansion with microSD card slot)
Battery and charging – 5,000mAh battery + 30W Turbo Power support
Ports – USB Type-C (USB 2.0)
Audio – 3.5mm headphone jack, stereo speakers
Operating system – Android 13 OS, MyUX skin
Software support – 1 year of software update (Android 14), 3 years of security updates
IP rating – IP52 water and splash resistance rating
Sensors – Accelerometer, Ambient light sensor, Proximity sensor, E-compass, Gyroscope, fingerprint
Network and connectivity – dual-SIM 5G (Hybrid slot), 13 5G bands, Wi-Fi 5 (2.4Ghz/5GHz, 4×4 MIMO support), Bluetooth 5.3, NFC
Design and Display
The Motorola Moto G73 5G boasts a familiar design that’s too simple and too boring. However, that seems to be working, not only for the brand but also for the buyers. It’s matte, lightweight (181 grams), and fairly grippy. But also, it can attract some fingerprints if you have oily hands, and could slip through your hands due to its slim form factor (8.29mm). But you can always use the transparent case that gets you extra grip and slight thickness.
Motorola has used PMMA material on the phone, which is nothing but plastic. There’s a plastic used on the back as well as on the frame. Despite that, it doesn’t feel tacky by any means. In fact, the Midnight Blue shade that I have, reflects in direct light – offering a dual-tone-like shade (Black and Dark Blue).
As usual, there’s a power button on the right spine that doubles up as a fingerprint scanner and above it, there’s a volume rocker. On the left spine, you’ll find a SIM card/microSD card tray. It’s a hybrid slot, so there’s a choice between two nano SIMs or a microSD card.
There’s a 3.5mm headphone jack, a primary microphone, a USB Type-C port, and a speaker grille at the bottom. On the upper side, there’s a secondary microphone and the Dolby Atmos branding.
For visual pleasure, the device has a 6.5-inch center-punch-hole notch display with an FHD+ resolution. It’s an LCD panel, though, but of good quality. The screen has an adaptive refresh rate, that can go from 30Hz to 120Hz depending on the content.
It’s an HDR10+ certified screen, and I have to say it’s vibrant and sharp. Something that buyers would rejoice in this price segment. The device has Widevine L1 certification, so you can easily stream content on OTT platforms in high quality and watch YouTube videos in HDR.
I have no problems with the display, but Motorola could have given an AMOLED panel to complete the whole experience.
Cameras
When it comes to the cameras on the phone, Motorola appears to have given some thinking, and it finally concerted a dual camera system on the back. That’s odd because most phones in the segment come with triple cameras on the back.
But the dual cameras on the Moto G73 5G are nothing to scoff at since both sensors are totally useful. The setup goes by a 50MP Samsung main lens with f/1.8 aperture and 2-micron ultra-pixel technology.
For the unversed, most sensors in this price bracket come with a 1-micron ultra pixel that helps in low light. The larger 2-micron ultra pixel offers more light within the sensor and it translates into the real world.
It is paired with an 8MP secondary lens that does ultra-wide and macro, and also helps in creating bokeh for portrait shots. The main lens is pretty good in daylight as well as in night light. It’s 2023 and most phone makers are relying on software processing. The Moto G73 5G’s camera hardware, plus the processing, makes the final images more than likable.
Although, for night shots or while clicking images with a lot of text, you need to keep your hands steady for a second. This reminds me that there’s no OIS support for the camera.
Does that offer a shaky video? No. That’s because there’s EIS on the phone, which does a decent job of stabilizing videos. The maximum the device can shoot is 1080p video at 60fps, which is a limitation by the chip inside the phone.
Overall, photography will be a good experience for you, but it’s hard to say the same for videos. There’s a lot of over-sharpening in the final footage and it’s too saturated for my liking. However, this could just be because the screen is already vibrant.
The camera app on the phone comes with three standard modes – Portrait, Pro, and Nightvision. Apart from these modes, there are other features like Dual capture, Spot color, Panorama, Slow motion, Timelapse, and Ultra-res (which gives 50MP photos).
Dual capture is handy at times and the Spot Colour mode is unique as it lets you adjust specific color’s intensity in your photos and videos. The 16MP selfie camera on the front is above average.
You can see all original quality photos and videos here.
Performance
The Moto G73 5G is the first phone in the country with the MediaTek Dimensity 930 SoC. It is paired with 8GB of LPDDR4x RAM and 128GB of uMCP internal storage. All I have to say is that the chipset is enough for day-to-day tasks and can let you game on medium settings. Agreed that it’s not faster than Dimensity 920, but it’s not far behind.
Let’s be honest, the marginal difference won’t be noticeable to anyone in daily life, unless you jump into apps like AnTuTu and Geekbench. However, as said above, this chip limits the imaging power. The Dimensity 930 doesn’t support 4K video recording.
In terms of performance in daily life, the phone’s fast and fluid with only minor hiccups sometimes.
The device can play moderately demanding titles like Asphalt 9 with a breeze and heavy titles like COD Mobile on medium settings, as said above. On AnTuTu, the device maintained a score of 420,163 and was fairly stable in the CPU Throttling test.
In my experience, the device tends to get hot on the back after prolonged usage, which could be due to the slim form factor.
Battery and Fast Charging
Motorola has stacked a 5,000mAh battery inside the Moto G73 5G, which is standard now. And as you’d expect, it offers a full day of battery on moderate usage. However, I personally felt that on heavy usage, which contains gaming, video-watching, and camera usage — the phone dropped to 20 percent early in the day than other devices with a 5,000mAh cell.
This could be due to the Dimensity 930 chipset, again. I recently reviewed the Infinix Zero 5G 2023 Turbo and with the same battery, it was able to provide 1 and a half days of usage. As said, this could be the chip in the play – Dimensity 1080 (which is way more powerful and efficient, but also expensive). But Moto G73 5G’s 1-day battery backup will be still enough for most users.
Charging the device to its brim is quick with the certified 30W Turbo charging. Although, an even faster charging solution could have been better, say a 44W or 67W solution.
Software Experience
Interestingly, the Moto G73 5G boots on Android 13 out of the box and has MyUX. Motorola is known for providing a close-to-stock Android experience on its devices. With this one, the company has yet again offered clean software.
It is worth noting that before the phone’s release, Motorola was rumored to offer features like Glance along with some bloatware. However, the company seems to have gotten rid of some bloatware, after there was a backlash on Twitter based on the rumor.
That said, users will get the same clean software experience out of the box in the retail unit. MyUX is great, but since it’s close to stock Android there are fewer customization options. Although, you can change the look of icons and colors throughout the UI, thanks to Android 13’s material UI theming.
Motorola is claiming the G73 5G to be a secure phone, thanks to Thinkshield and Moto Secure features. Moto Secure is a dedicated app that acts as a control center for all privacy and security toggles. So, you can check the privacy dashboard, manage individual app permissions, and tweak privacy controls with the help of a single app.
Additionally, there’s a secure folder option in the app that allows you to lock apps, hide apps using stealth mode, and change app icons (to trick others) using the disguised icons feature. It also comes with a Pin pad scramble feature, which shuffles the numbers so it’s hard for others to guess your PIN only by seeing your finger movements.
Furthermore, there’s a Family Space app that lets you create Kids space (which is basically, a locked space for kids with pre-selected apps by parents). It could also be helpful if you want to hand over your phone to someone else for some time.
Overall, Motorola has done a great job with the software. Despite it being close to stock Android, the added features like Moto Secure, Family Space, and the ability to change the look of icons make the software experience top-notch and secure, of course.
Motorola has also assured Android 14 on the device, which is great. However, it hasn’t committed to the total years of software support, which concludes that we are looking at only 1 year of software support. Although, the company will still offer 3 years of security updates to the device.
Connectivity and extras
The smartphone comes with dual-SIM 5G support, with a choice of either adding two SIMs or a microSD card. I had no issues with 5G on Airtel, but on Jio, I didn’t get 5G out of the box. Calls were clear to me and also to the other party, and Wi-Fi connectivity was also not a problem.
However, the device supports older Wi-Fi 5, again it’s a limitation by the chipset. Although, Motorola has offered 4×4 MIMO support and there’s carrier aggregation support as well. So, there’s no problem with Wi-Fi or mobile internet connectivity in day-to-day life.
As for security, Motorola has provided a side-facing fingerprint scanner that works 9 out of 10 times and there’s also facial unlock support.
There’s a 3.5mm headphone jack on the phone that will allow you to connect your wired headphones. While wired connectivity is good, the stereo speakers on the phone are fantastic. They are loud and clear for a group movie-watching session. Dolby Atmos support is a great addition.
It has a USB Type-C port that supports USB 2.0 speeds, which is expected for the price. Motorola has also offered an IP52 rating, so there’s no anxiety when the device has some dust or water splashes over it. There’s NFC too on the phone.
Verdict
In the Rs 20,000 segment, Motorola Moto G73 5G offers a close-to-stock Android experience, more security and privacy features, and a reliable camera for night, ultra-wide, and macro photography.
With its extra features like Moto secure, Family space, IP52 rating, and a great set of speakers tuned by Dolby Atmos, the Moto G73 5G is indeed a suitable device to keep it for yourself or to give it to your parents.
However, do note that it doesn’t support 4K recording, shoots subpar video, lacks the darks of an AMOLED, and sometimes tends to get hot in heavy usage (while playing games). If these are the things, you can look past, then it’s a good new 5G handset that you can consider.
You can also have a look at the newly launched IQOO Z7 5G and Poco X5 5G. The iQOO handset offers Dimensity 920, which is faster and gets you 4K video recording, but lacks an ultra-wide sensor, and the AMOLED screen on the phone is restricted to 90Hz.
The Poco phone, on the other hand, offers Snapdragon 695, which performs similarly to Moto G73 5G’s Dimensity 930. However, it boots on older Android 12 OS and doesn’t have a stock-like feel due to MIUI theming.
The post Motorola Moto G73 5G Review: Stock and Secure appeared first on Techlusive.
Pros: Slim and lightweight, Clicks likable photos, Stock-Android, Security features.
Cons: LCD display, Subpar videography, limited software support.
Motorola is just beginning with its budget smartphones for the year. It hitherto launched two devices, the Moto E13 and the Moto G73 5G. As you’d guess from the initial letter of the phones, the former is a phone for users not willing to stretch their budget above Rs 8,000, while the latter comes from the popular ‘G7X’ family – offering an impressive set of features to keep up with the stiff competition.
Keeping the entry-offering, the Moto E13 aside, the Moto G73 5G is the company’s first phone of the year in India that I feel is truly bringing a specs sheet worth looking at.
Also, it’s a device aimed to compete with the likes of mobile phones in the popular Rs 15,000 to Rs 20,000 segment. This means it’s going straight for Poco, Redmi, and Realme phones. And not to forget, the newly launched iQOO budget device – the iQOO Z7 5G.
I’ll get to the competition bit later in this review but hope readers get a rough idea of the phone’s price range and the competition.
With that said, I took the Moto G73 5G for a spin with me for more than a week to understand what owning it would feel like for consumers. And here’s my full review of the phone.
As usual, before we sink our teeth into the review, let’s see the full specs of the phone along with its retail price tag.
Moto G73 5G price and specifications
Model – Motorola Moto G73 5G
Build – PMMA (Plastic)
Display – 6.5-inch punch-hole panel, IPS LCD
Display specs – Adaptive refresh rate (30Hz to 120Hz), 240Hz TSR, FHD+ (2400 x 1080 pixels), HDR10+, Widevine L1
Protection – Panda Glass protection, dedicated Moto secure app
Security – Side-mounted FPS, facial unlock
Camera setup – Rear – dual cameras, Front – single camera
Camera specs – 50MP Samsung main lens (2-micron ultrapixel), 8MP ultrawide + macro | 16MP selfie
Video maximum – 1080p at 60fps | 1080p at 30fps
Chipset – 6nm MediaTek Dimensity 930, IMG BXM-8-256 GPU
RAM and Storage – 8GB LPDDR4x RAM, 128GB uMCP storage (Up to 1TB expansion with microSD card slot)
Battery and charging – 5,000mAh battery + 30W Turbo Power support
Ports – USB Type-C (USB 2.0)
Audio – 3.5mm headphone jack, stereo speakers
Operating system – Android 13 OS, MyUX skin
Software support – 1 year of software update (Android 14), 3 years of security updates
IP rating – IP52 water and splash resistance rating
Sensors – Accelerometer, Ambient light sensor, Proximity sensor, E-compass, Gyroscope, fingerprint
Network and connectivity – dual-SIM 5G (Hybrid slot), 13 5G bands, Wi-Fi 5 (2.4Ghz/5GHz, 4×4 MIMO support), Bluetooth 5.3, NFC
Design and Display
The Motorola Moto G73 5G boasts a familiar design that’s too simple and too boring. However, that seems to be working, not only for the brand but also for the buyers. It’s matte, lightweight (181 grams), and fairly grippy. But also, it can attract some fingerprints if you have oily hands, and could slip through your hands due to its slim form factor (8.29mm). But you can always use the transparent case that gets you extra grip and slight thickness.
Motorola has used PMMA material on the phone, which is nothing but plastic. There’s a plastic used on the back as well as on the frame. Despite that, it doesn’t feel tacky by any means. In fact, the Midnight Blue shade that I have, reflects in direct light – offering a dual-tone-like shade (Black and Dark Blue).
As usual, there’s a power button on the right spine that doubles up as a fingerprint scanner and above it, there’s a volume rocker. On the left spine, you’ll find a SIM card/microSD card tray. It’s a hybrid slot, so there’s a choice between two nano SIMs or a microSD card.
There’s a 3.5mm headphone jack, a primary microphone, a USB Type-C port, and a speaker grille at the bottom. On the upper side, there’s a secondary microphone and the Dolby Atmos branding.
For visual pleasure, the device has a 6.5-inch center-punch-hole notch display with an FHD+ resolution. It’s an LCD panel, though, but of good quality. The screen has an adaptive refresh rate, that can go from 30Hz to 120Hz depending on the content.
It’s an HDR10+ certified screen, and I have to say it’s vibrant and sharp. Something that buyers would rejoice in this price segment. The device has Widevine L1 certification, so you can easily stream content on OTT platforms in high quality and watch YouTube videos in HDR.
I have no problems with the display, but Motorola could have given an AMOLED panel to complete the whole experience.
Cameras
When it comes to the cameras on the phone, Motorola appears to have given some thinking, and it finally concerted a dual camera system on the back. That’s odd because most phones in the segment come with triple cameras on the back.
But the dual cameras on the Moto G73 5G are nothing to scoff at since both sensors are totally useful. The setup goes by a 50MP Samsung main lens with f/1.8 aperture and 2-micron ultra-pixel technology.
For the unversed, most sensors in this price bracket come with a 1-micron ultra pixel that helps in low light. The larger 2-micron ultra pixel offers more light within the sensor and it translates into the real world.
It is paired with an 8MP secondary lens that does ultra-wide and macro, and also helps in creating bokeh for portrait shots. The main lens is pretty good in daylight as well as in night light. It’s 2023 and most phone makers are relying on software processing. The Moto G73 5G’s camera hardware, plus the processing, makes the final images more than likable.
Although, for night shots or while clicking images with a lot of text, you need to keep your hands steady for a second. This reminds me that there’s no OIS support for the camera.
Does that offer a shaky video? No. That’s because there’s EIS on the phone, which does a decent job of stabilizing videos. The maximum the device can shoot is 1080p video at 60fps, which is a limitation by the chip inside the phone.
Overall, photography will be a good experience for you, but it’s hard to say the same for videos. There’s a lot of over-sharpening in the final footage and it’s too saturated for my liking. However, this could just be because the screen is already vibrant.
The camera app on the phone comes with three standard modes – Portrait, Pro, and Nightvision. Apart from these modes, there are other features like Dual capture, Spot color, Panorama, Slow motion, Timelapse, and Ultra-res (which gives 50MP photos).
Dual capture is handy at times and the Spot Colour mode is unique as it lets you adjust specific color’s intensity in your photos and videos. The 16MP selfie camera on the front is above average.
You can see all original quality photos and videos here.
Performance
The Moto G73 5G is the first phone in the country with the MediaTek Dimensity 930 SoC. It is paired with 8GB of LPDDR4x RAM and 128GB of uMCP internal storage. All I have to say is that the chipset is enough for day-to-day tasks and can let you game on medium settings. Agreed that it’s not faster than Dimensity 920, but it’s not far behind.
Let’s be honest, the marginal difference won’t be noticeable to anyone in daily life, unless you jump into apps like AnTuTu and Geekbench. However, as said above, this chip limits the imaging power. The Dimensity 930 doesn’t support 4K video recording.
In terms of performance in daily life, the phone’s fast and fluid with only minor hiccups sometimes.
The device can play moderately demanding titles like Asphalt 9 with a breeze and heavy titles like COD Mobile on medium settings, as said above. On AnTuTu, the device maintained a score of 420,163 and was fairly stable in the CPU Throttling test.
In my experience, the device tends to get hot on the back after prolonged usage, which could be due to the slim form factor.
Battery and Fast Charging
Motorola has stacked a 5,000mAh battery inside the Moto G73 5G, which is standard now. And as you’d expect, it offers a full day of battery on moderate usage. However, I personally felt that on heavy usage, which contains gaming, video-watching, and camera usage — the phone dropped to 20 percent early in the day than other devices with a 5,000mAh cell.
This could be due to the Dimensity 930 chipset, again. I recently reviewed the Infinix Zero 5G 2023 Turbo and with the same battery, it was able to provide 1 and a half days of usage. As said, this could be the chip in the play – Dimensity 1080 (which is way more powerful and efficient, but also expensive). But Moto G73 5G’s 1-day battery backup will be still enough for most users.
Charging the device to its brim is quick with the certified 30W Turbo charging. Although, an even faster charging solution could have been better, say a 44W or 67W solution.
Software Experience
Interestingly, the Moto G73 5G boots on Android 13 out of the box and has MyUX. Motorola is known for providing a close-to-stock Android experience on its devices. With this one, the company has yet again offered clean software.
It is worth noting that before the phone’s release, Motorola was rumored to offer features like Glance along with some bloatware. However, the company seems to have gotten rid of some bloatware, after there was a backlash on Twitter based on the rumor.
That said, users will get the same clean software experience out of the box in the retail unit. MyUX is great, but since it’s close to stock Android there are fewer customization options. Although, you can change the look of icons and colors throughout the UI, thanks to Android 13’s material UI theming.
Motorola is claiming the G73 5G to be a secure phone, thanks to Thinkshield and Moto Secure features. Moto Secure is a dedicated app that acts as a control center for all privacy and security toggles. So, you can check the privacy dashboard, manage individual app permissions, and tweak privacy controls with the help of a single app.
Additionally, there’s a secure folder option in the app that allows you to lock apps, hide apps using stealth mode, and change app icons (to trick others) using the disguised icons feature. It also comes with a Pin pad scramble feature, which shuffles the numbers so it’s hard for others to guess your PIN only by seeing your finger movements.
Furthermore, there’s a Family Space app that lets you create Kids space (which is basically, a locked space for kids with pre-selected apps by parents). It could also be helpful if you want to hand over your phone to someone else for some time.
Overall, Motorola has done a great job with the software. Despite it being close to stock Android, the added features like Moto Secure, Family Space, and the ability to change the look of icons make the software experience top-notch and secure, of course.
Motorola has also assured Android 14 on the device, which is great. However, it hasn’t committed to the total years of software support, which concludes that we are looking at only 1 year of software support. Although, the company will still offer 3 years of security updates to the device.
Connectivity and extras
The smartphone comes with dual-SIM 5G support, with a choice of either adding two SIMs or a microSD card. I had no issues with 5G on Airtel, but on Jio, I didn’t get 5G out of the box. Calls were clear to me and also to the other party, and Wi-Fi connectivity was also not a problem.
However, the device supports older Wi-Fi 5, again it’s a limitation by the chipset. Although, Motorola has offered 4×4 MIMO support and there’s carrier aggregation support as well. So, there’s no problem with Wi-Fi or mobile internet connectivity in day-to-day life.
As for security, Motorola has provided a side-facing fingerprint scanner that works 9 out of 10 times and there’s also facial unlock support.
There’s a 3.5mm headphone jack on the phone that will allow you to connect your wired headphones. While wired connectivity is good, the stereo speakers on the phone are fantastic. They are loud and clear for a group movie-watching session. Dolby Atmos support is a great addition.
It has a USB Type-C port that supports USB 2.0 speeds, which is expected for the price. Motorola has also offered an IP52 rating, so there’s no anxiety when the device has some dust or water splashes over it. There’s NFC too on the phone.
Verdict
In the Rs 20,000 segment, Motorola Moto G73 5G offers a close-to-stock Android experience, more security and privacy features, and a reliable camera for night, ultra-wide, and macro photography.
With its extra features like Moto secure, Family space, IP52 rating, and a great set of speakers tuned by Dolby Atmos, the Moto G73 5G is indeed a suitable device to keep it for yourself or to give it to your parents.
However, do note that it doesn’t support 4K recording, shoots subpar video, lacks the darks of an AMOLED, and sometimes tends to get hot in heavy usage (while playing games). If these are the things, you can look past, then it’s a good new 5G handset that you can consider.
You can also have a look at the newly launched IQOO Z7 5G and Poco X5 5G. The iQOO handset offers Dimensity 920, which is faster and gets you 4K video recording, but lacks an ultra-wide sensor, and the AMOLED screen on the phone is restricted to 90Hz.
The Poco phone, on the other hand, offers Snapdragon 695, which performs similarly to Moto G73 5G’s Dimensity 930. However, it boots on older Android 12 OS and doesn’t have a stock-like feel due to MIUI theming.
The post Motorola Moto G73 5G Review: Stock and Secure appeared first on Techlusive.
