Hands-on with the G7 Plus: the Moto for photo
Since the launch of the fourth generation Moto G series, the Plus version has been eagerly anticipated by countless users looking for a complete model at an attractive price. It is true that this variant has improved every year, but its price has also risen. Is the Moto G7 Plus a good buy for this year?
Motorola Moto G7 Plus release date and price
The launch event of the new Moto G7 took place in São Paulo, on February 7th. The devices arrived on the market in indigo blue and ruby red versions. They are available in both physical and via online retailers, including the Motorola official store. There is also a black version, but it is exclusive to selected regions. The prices of all of the G7 models are as follows:
- Moto G7 Play: €150/$170/£130
- Moto G7: €250/$290/£220
- Moto G7 Power: €210/$240/£185
- Moto G7 Plus: €300/$340/£260
Motorola Moto G7 Plus design and build quality
As expected, the Moto G7 Plus is the biggest and best of the Moto G7 range has to offer. The design also follows this theme, featuring a refined finish that combines aluminum at the edges and glass at the back. The built-in biometric sensor can be found on the back, featuring the company's logo.
There are other characteristics, of course, but they are less praiseworthy. One of them is the notch that has reduced in size on this model, and adopts a format that has become known as the dewdrop notch. Despite being a feature that does not deliver practical benefits for the user experience, the dewdrop notch allows for a top bezel size reduction. The design choice has already been widely adopted among the most established Chinese manufacturers, such as the OnePlus 6T, which is probably considered the best looking among the devices with a notch.
The round frame that holds the double front sensor remains present in this device, as with all the others launched by Motorola in recent years - the difference being that it is more prominent here compared to the other Moto G7s.
Of course, as I said, the bulge is bigger because the dual sensor and the LED flash are inside, and the highlight of this device is its camera. It is a detail that has been established as the signature of the most modern Moto equipment, especially since the Moto G5.
The side edges of the back are curved and promote optimum ergonomics during handling. The back is mostly straight, more so than last year's models. Despite the large screen size, the G7 Plus feels good in the hand. The headphone jack and USB-C ports are also still present.
In short, it is a device with solid construction and build quality, and will certainly surprise those who have not yet had contact with recent Motorola devices. We tested the indigo blue color, but we also checked out the red model. With the velvety effect of the glass, we can call it one of the most beautiful Moto G phones to date.
Display
The Moto G7 Plus display has highs and lows. The panel itself has no real downside - vivid colors, intense brightness and an interesting sharpness level for the 6.24 inches size. My observations here are due to the resolution and technology of the screen, which could be better in this model.
After so many releases of Plus models, Motorola could have opted for an OLED screen or a slightly higher resolution, such as 2K (2048 x 1080 pixels). It would be a more than deserved upgrade to the most expensive variant of the series ever released, but was probably not adopted to save battery life. It is worth mentioning that the Full HD+ (2270 x 1080 pixels) does a good job here and doesn't leave much to be desired.
Software
The factory system of Moto G7 Plus is Android Pie, which is welcome on smartphones that use a notch on the screen, since this version of the OS is designed to better organize the information that is displayed around the cutout. Everything runs smoothly on the device, which happens because of the software is always little modified and also because of the initial condition of the system itself, since we haven't had much time with the device to install more games and apps yet, which can lead to slow downs.
The G7 plus is expected to receive an update to Android Q, although there is no date set for this. Moto functions are present, in a redesigned app, including facial unlock, media control by volume buttons, screenshot editor, screenshot capture with your fingertips, one-touch navigation (better than on the Pixels), a flashlight, an instant camera, one-handed mode, grab to mute, and turn to Do Not Disturb mode.
Performance
The hardware of the G7 Plus is not surprising, especially when we take the Moto G5S Plus and Moto G6 Plus models in mind for that comparison. We have an eight-core 1.8 GHz Snapdragon 636 processor with 4GB of RAM and 64GB of internal storage. There's not much to talk about, since it's standard enough hardware to handle all the main daily activities, such as reading emails, playing games, listening to music and streaming video, editing photos and accessing social networks.
During my hands-on, I tested the G7 Plus with some games, including the popular PUBG game. In low definition and with a medium frame rate, I was able to play a game in a satisfying way. The experience wasn't super fluid, but it didn't hurt the gameplay.
Camera
Since the arrival of Moto G5S Plus, Motorola has been betting on the double sensor for the most expensive model in the Moto G series, in this case, the Plus. The Moto G7 Plus brings significant gains in the quality of both lenses, as well as a camera app with more consistent and useful features. The main lens has 16 MP and aperture f/1.7, ideal for capturing in poor light environments, while the sub-lens is 5 MP and has f/2.2.
During the launch, Motorola made it clear that it intends to differentiate between its four models, now that the line is larger. Thus, the Moto G7 Plus is the right one for those looking for a camera phone. Motorola has focused its efforts in this direction on this device. One of the highlights is the presence of optical stabilization.
And the work seems to have yielded good results because, in our initial tests, it produced great photos for the price range of the device. I really liked the portraits with the front camera, which has a 12 MP lens. The details were interesting and you can check them out via the link to the gallery with original photos.
We did a basic test with the Moto G7 Plus camera, which you can find here:
In the case of the rear camera, there are all the functions that Motorola highlights in its advertisements, such as portrait mode, cropping, highlighted color, slow motion, among others. The results you see in the gallery are all photos taken at 19:30 during daylight saving time (in Brazil, where it is currently summer), and the light capture was very satisfactory. The portrait mode still stumbles on complicated edges, but as a camera it is on a good evolutionary path.
Battery
While the Moto G7 Power comes with a 5,000 mAh battery, the G7 Plus is left with just 3,000 mAh. To compensate consumers who pay for the more expensive version, Motorola delivers the 27W TurboPower charger in the box. According to the company, half an hour of charge is enough for 11 hours of use.
And it's a welcome feature, because with 3,000 mAh you are certainly obliged to recharge the device every day. In quick tests with the charger, which now has a USB Type-C connection to allow for faster charging, the G7 Plus recovered 30% of the battery, which was already a third full, in 12 minutes. That's excellent.
Motorola Moto G7 Plus technical specifications
Early verdict
Motorola is striving to differentiate the products in this line. This means that the Plus version will not bring all the best features, leaving some bonuses for the less premium models. It doesn't have the battery or the Power, doesn't bring the smartest performance of Play and doesn't have the cost-benefit price of Moto G7.
With the Moto G7, Motorola makes clear its goal of becoming a major player in camera quality among the market.
The company's focus on the G7 Plus is its camera, which although it is not yet up to the top of the line, it is certainly an improvement over last year's model, leaving us curious to see what will be brought to the Moto Z4 Play and Z4. We are working on the full review for you now.
What did you think of Moto G7 Plus? Let us know in the comments below.
I got the G7 because that's what North America gets (along with Power and Play). I'm fine with it - definitely a step up from the E5 Plus - the complaints about the battery truly aren't worth it (a quick recharge gets You through the day). My really only complaint is the sound (speaker placement), and the camera does improve when you install Google Camera. $300 or half that when you pop in a sim from your carrier at Best Buy!
I think the 636processer is a bit small for 2019. The 660 or 710processer would have been much better. Plus there a 720p display on a couple of the models. To me that's a bit paltry in today's market!