Technologies

Moto G 5G (2023) Hands-On: Are the Trade-Offs Worth the Lower $250 Price?

The Moto G gets reinvented with a cheaper price, and it shows.

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The $250 Moto G 5G marks a big reimagining of the phone since last year’s more-expensive $400 model. This year’s Moto G 5G scales back on storage and cameras to help hit its lower price but steps up the refresh rate on its 6.5-inch display to a smooth 120Hz. All that, while keeping the 5,000mAh battery and its roughly two-day battery life, should make the phone a decent value for its price.

The Moto G 5G has 4GB of memory, runs on a Snapdragon 480 Plus 5G chip and comes with 128GB of storage. This is a decent amount of storage space for this price and can be expanded up to 1TB with a microSD card. The phone’s stereo speakers and headphone jack are also quite nice for when I watch videos or listen to music. It ships with Android 13, and like other Moto G phones, will get only one major software update to Android 14 along with three years of security updates

I spent a few days with the Moto G 5G so far, and, while it looks and feels like it’s fallen down a few rungs of the price tier, the phone might meet enough essential needs to satisfy most people. However, by no means does it punch above its weight. The Moto G 5G has 4GB of memory, runs on a Snapdragon 480 Plus 5G chip and comes with 128GB of storage. This is a decent amount of storage space for the price and can be expanded up to 1TB with a microSD card. The phone’s stereo speakers and headphone jack are also quite nice for when I watch videos or listen to music. It ships with Android 13, and like other Moto G phones, will get only one major software update to Android 14 along with three years of security updates.

The back of the Moto G 5G. — The Moto G 5G has a main 48-megapixel camera and a 2-megapixel macro camera.

Mike Sorrentino/CNET

However, when testing other features, I can’t help but compare this phone to the slightly more expensive $300 Moto G Power 5G — which includes quite a bit more for that extra $50. For instance, the Moto G 5G’s 6.5-inch display runs at a 720p resolution. Even though that screen animates smoothly with its 120Hz refresh rate, I find that the lower-resolution makes photos and videos look rather plain. The Power 5G runs at a 1,080p resolution at the same refresh rate, and in my review of that phone the display was a particular highlight.

Performance also seems to take a noticeable hit during my early tests, which could be attributable to the phone having 4GB of memory compared with the 6GB available on the Power 5G. Often when I test phones, during casual use I play games while taking calls or texting. I find that when a call comes through while I’m playing a game, in this instance Marvel Snap, that the game needs to reload itself after I answer the call. Lighter multitasking, however, has been fine, for instance reading news articles while I’m listening to music has not led to any noticeable issues.

The Moto G 5G also moves down from three cameras on last year’s model to two, with this year’s phone including a 48-megapixel main camera and a 2-megapixel macro camera. This is an area that cheaper phones often struggle, and my early photos taken by the Moto G 5G don’t change that opinion. Like other cheaper phones, photos taken in outdoor environments or indoor locations with good lighting come out OK, but without much detail.

The Public Theater taken on the Moto G 5G. — Outdoor photo taken on the Moto G 5G of the Public Theater.

Mike Sorrentino/CNET

Twister Air demo station — Indoor photo taken on the Moto G 5G at a Twister Air demo event.

Mike Sorrentino/CNET

The 8-megapixel front-facing camera is similarly serviceable, but photos look a little plain.

Photo of Mike Sorrentino taken on the Moto G 5G. — Front-facing camera photo taken on the Moto G 5G.

Mike Sorrentino/CNET

I’ll reserve judgment after I have taken the Moto G 5G through more photo scenes, but my early indoor photos are comparable to the Moto G Power 5G — which is to say that they are fairly blurry and lack detail. Photos are usable but more for quick group chats and social posts.

Cocktail photo in kitchen — A cocktail photo taken at a friend’s house on the Moto G 5G.

Mike Sorrentino/CNET

The Moto G 5G’s 5,000mAh battery, however, easily lasted two days during my early tests, matching the performance that I saw on the Moto G Power 5G and the $200 Moto G Stylus. As we continue to test phones in the $300 price range, it has been comforting to see the 5,000mAh battery become a standard feature in 2023. However, I hope Motorola finds a way to speed up charging, as the Moto G 5G’s 15-watt max speed takes about 90 minutes to charge from 4% to 88%. It’s not awful, but is slow when compared with the 33-watt charging included on comparable phones like the OnePlus N300 and OnePlus N20.

Motorola has been releasing several phones over the last few weeks, with the Moto G 5G arriving alongside the $800 Motorola Edge Plus. The Moto G 5G appears to be offering a middle ground between the 4G-only Moto G Stylus and the Moto G Power. The main question as I continue testing is whether this phone’s trade-offs are worth the lower price, or if someone searching for a deal should consider paying slightly less for the Stylus or more for the Power.

Technologies

Today’s NYT Connections Hints, Answers and Help for Oct. 29, #871

Here are some hints and the answers for the NYT Connections puzzle for Oct. 29, No. 871.

Looking for the most recent Connections answers? Click here for today’s Connections hints, as well as our daily answers and hints for The New York Times Mini Crossword, Wordle, Connections: Sports Edition and Strands puzzles.

Today’s NYT Connections puzzle has some very tricky words in the grid. You might not know the meaning of all of them, but if you need help, you’re in the right place. Read on for clues and today’s Connections answers.

The Times now has a Connections Bot, like the one for Wordle. Go there after you play to receive a numeric score and to have the program analyze your answers. Players who are registered with the Times Games section can now nerd out by following their progress, including the number of puzzles completed, win rate, number of times they nabbed a perfect score and their win streak.

Read more: Hints, Tips and Strategies to Help You Win at NYT Connections Every Time

Hints for today’s Connections groups

Here are four hints for today’s Connections puzzle groupings, ranked from the easiest yellow group to the tough (and sometimes bizarre) purple group.

Yellow group hint: Bravery.

Green group hint: Delivery method for media.

Blue group hint: Say, say, say.

Purple group hint: All the letters.

Answers for today’s Connections groups

Yellow group: Fortitude.

Green group: Channel.

Blue group: Words starting with the «say» sound.

Purple group: Things featuring letters A through Z.

Read more: Wordle Cheat Sheet: Here Are the Most Popular Letters Used in English Words

What are today’s Connections answers?

The yellow words in today’s Connections

The theme is fortitude. The four answers are backbone, courage, heart and spirit.

The green words in today’s Connections

The theme is channel. The four answers are medium, outlet, platform and venue.

The blue words in today’s Connections

The theme is words starting with the «say» sound. The four answers are sacrum, seitan, Seychelles and seance.

The purple words in today’s Connections

The theme is things featuring letters A through Z. The four answers are abecedarium, computer keyboard, Ouija board and Scrabble.

Technologies

Nothing’s Unique Ear (Open) Earbuds Are Back Down to $99 for a Limited Time

This limited-time deal knocks $50 off the $149 list price, a 33% savings on these open-ear favorites.

If you’re not a fan of silicone tips jamming uncomfortably inside your ears, open-ear buds are a great alternative. These lightweight models prioritize comfort, resting gently on your ear canal rather than inside it like traditional buds. They also let external sound in, so you can stay aware of your surroundings. And right now, you can treat yourself to one of our favorite open earbuds for less.

Amazon is currently offering the Nothing Ear (Open) earbuds for just $99, a 33% discount off the $149 list price. Grab the deal while it lasts. For more audio savings, check out our best headphone deals and top wireless earbuds picks.

Stepped drivers move sound closer to your ear without blasting it in. An automatic algorithm detects music signals, adjusting sound settings on its own for a more personalized experience. The diaphragm is uniquely shaped and titanium-coated for clear, balanced audio and the earbuds support EQ tuning and low-latency gaming via the Nothing X app.

You’re also getting a sound seal system that keeps the audio from leaking, so while you’ll stay aware of your surroundings, your listening stays private. One full charge gets you 30 hours of playback, and when you’re running low on power, a quick 10-minute charge gives you an extra two hours of use. The earbuds themselves offer up to 8 hours of playtime, with the fast-charging case adding 22 more.

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Bluetooth 5.3 ensures stable, low-latency audio and multipoint pairing — which lets you switch between devices seamlessly. Dual microphones with AI noise reduction trained on 28 million samples help keep calls clear, while ChatGPT voice control is available when paired with Nothing or CMF phones.

There’s also an IP54 rating for dust and water resistance — perfect for sweaty workouts, long commutes and the occasional adventure.

In his review, CNET’s audio expert David Carnoy calls these the best lightweight earbuds with earhooks among all the open-ear models he’s tested. Featuring the brand’s signature translucent plastic, they are super lightweight, fit comfortably and actually feel like nothing when you’re wearing them.

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Why this deal matters

Good quality earbuds that offer a secure-yet-comfortable fit, 30-hour battery life and AI-enhanced features typically cost well over $150. This deal gets you one of our favorite lightweight open-ear models for under $100 — a rare price drop on a standout design. Just be sure to get your orders in before Amazon pushes the price back up.

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Technologies

Today’s NYT Mini Crossword Answers for Wednesday, Oct. 29

Here are the answers for The New York Times Mini Crossword for Oct. 29.

Looking for the most recent Mini Crossword answer? Click here for today’s Mini Crossword hints, as well as our daily answers and hints for The New York Times Wordle, Strands, Connections and Connections: Sports Edition puzzles.

Need some help with today’s Mini Crossword? It’s a bit trickier than normal, so read on for the answers. And if you could use some hints and guidance for daily solving, check out our Mini Crossword tips.

If you’re looking for today’s Wordle, Connections, Connections: Sports Edition and Strands answers, you can visit CNET’s NYT puzzle hints page.

Read more: Tips and Tricks for Solving The New York Times Mini Crossword

Let’s get to those Mini Crossword clues and answers.