Bigger and Better? The new Moto G has a lot to live up to

For many people, the original Moto G was the device that actually started the trend of devices that delivered excellent performance without costing the earth. Does its successor do the same?

MotoroLa Moto g (2nd gen)
teCh SpeCS
size | 141.5x70.7x10.99 mm
Weight | 149 grams
Memory | 16GB, microsD
os | android os v4.4
screen size | 5.0-inch, capacitive
Battery |  li-Ion 2,070 mah
Talktime/standby | -/
Gprs/3G/BT/Wifi | yes/yes/yes/yes
camera | 8.0-megapixel
others | Dual sIM, Gorilla Glass 3, Motorola Migrate
Looking very...usual

The first thing that might strike you about the Moto G (2nd Gen) is well, the fact that it does not seem too extraordinary in terms of appearance. Unlike the original Moto G, the new one is not exactly compact. And that is because the display of the device is bigger and adheres to the current trend of big displays - while its predecessor sported a 4.5 inch display, the new Moto G has a 5.0-inch one. It also looks discernibly bigger  - while the original Moto G was 129.9 mm long, the new one is 141.5 mm, and while the original was 65.9 mm wide, the new one is 70.7 mm. Yes, at around 11 mm, the new Moto G is marginally thinner than its 11.6 mm thick predecessor, but there is no getting away from the fact that this is a large-ish phone, even though Motorola is to be commended at keeping the weight down to 149 grammes, a mere 6 grammes more than the original Moto G. In terms of appearance, the phone seems a bit more run of the mill, to be brutally honest. The display is flanked by twin speakers, which juts out a bit, and the volume rocker and power/ display buttons are on the right of the device, the micro USB port at the base, and the 3.5 mm audio jack bang on top. The back is smooth plastic (we got the white model) in which is lodged an 8.0-megapixel camera with single LED flash. There is also a front-facing 2.0-megapixel camera. We would not call this as compact and as palm-friendly as the oroiginal Moto G, but the Moto G (2nd Gen) does feel reassuringly solid to hold.

getting a spec boost 
The second generation Moto G comes with slightly better specs than its predecessor, but just how much the spec bump up matters to you depends on what you value. The display has got bigger, but has the same resolution (1280 x 720) as the first Moto G. Honestly, we still think it is a very high-class display with good viewing angles, but there is a drop in pixel density (from an iPhone 5S-like 326 ppi to 294 ppi). Similarly, the processor and RAM combination remains the same - a 1.2 GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon 400 affair and 1GB. Connectivity options also remain more or less similar - 3G, Dual SIM, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and GPS. The most discernible change, apart from the display size is in cameras - the new Moto G sports a 8.0-megapixel camera at the back and a 2.0-megapixel camera in front. One of the main complaints about the original Moto G has also been addressed - although like its predecessor, the new Moto G comes with storage of 8GB and 16GB, you can now expand it using a memory card. There are also twin speakers now, instead of just one, in front (one of the reasons why the phone seems longer). And of course, when it comes to software, you still get the latest version of Android - KitKat.

Still a brilliant performer
When we had reviewed the original Moto G, we had come away impressed with its buttery smooth performance, and well, that is one aspect of the device that has not changed a bit. The Moto G (2nd Gen) is every bit as brilliant a performer as the first. What’s more, it brings considerable improvements in the two departments where the first was seen to lag - the camera and the sound. The 8.0-megapixel camera is not really the best at this price point (we think it is bettered significantly the slightly more expensive Xiaomi Mi3 and is matched by the lower priced Asus ZenFone 5), but is a significant step forward from the rather routine 5.0megapixel affair on the original. And yes, sound on those front-facing twin speakers is very good indeed. That apart, the large display is great for viewing videos and Web pages, and well, although some devices at this price point might
come with 2GB RAM, as compared to the 1GB on the new Moto G, the latter more than holds its own when it comes to handling high-definition games and hefty content. The fact that it runs plain Android makes it a very smooth performer indeed.

Conclusion:
worthy successor? And yes, the price of the Moto G remains unchanged - it comes at Rs 12,999 for the 16GB model. However, what has changed is the market. When the original Moto G was released at this price earlier this year in India, there had been gasps of surprise. However, the period since has seen users being flooded with devices that come with good hardware at relatively low prices. So while the original Moto G had mainly to contend with the likes of the Lumia 525 and 630, the new one faces a very formidable challenge - most notably from the trio of the Asus ZenFone 5,  also has an 8.0-megapixel camera and 5.0-inch display and is powered by a 64-bit Intel processor; the Micromax Canvas Nitro, has a 5.0-inch display, a 13.0-megapixel camera and is powered by an octa core processor; and most notably, the difficult to find Xiaomi Mi 3, which costs slightly more but packs in a full HD display, a quad core Snapdragon 800 processor and a 13.0-megapixel camera. The original Moto G was in a league of its own, the new one has competition. But yes, if you are looking for a solid performing smartphone in the subcategory, the Moto G (2nd generation) is definitely one of the prime options