Moto G54 (Power Edition) Review

Introduction

Motorola has consistently excelled in producing commendable budget-friendly devices. Presently, the company boasts a diverse and extensive lineup, incorporating higher-tier models like the Edge series and innovative foldable options in the Razr line. Yet, the Moto G series continues to embody the quintessence of the iconic brand.

Following our examination of the Moto G84, which stands as the flagship within the current G-series range, we now turn our attention to its sibling, the G54 5G, for evaluation. To eliminate any confusion, our focus lies specifically on the Moto G54 Power edition. This variant distinguishes itself by integrating an autofocus ultrawide lens, replacing the 2MP macro camera found in the regular G54, and featuring a larger 6,000 mAh battery.

Motorola Moto G54 Power Specs

• Body: 161.6×73.8×8.9mm, 192g; Glass front, plastic back, plastic frame; Water-repellent design.
• Display: 6.50″ IPS LCD, 120Hz, 1080x2400px resolution, 20:9 aspect ratio, 405ppi.
• Chipset: Mediatek Dimensity 7020 (6 nm): Octa-core (2×2.2 GHz & 6×2.0 GHz); IMG BXM-8-256.
• Memory: 128GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 12GB RAM; microSDXC (uses shared SIM slot).
• OS/Software: Android 13.
• Rear camera: Wide (main): 50 MP, f/1.8, 0.61µm, PDAF, OIS; Ultra wide angle: 8 MP, f/2.2, 118-degree, 1.12µm, AF.
• Front camera: 16 MP, f/2.4, (wide), 1.0µm.
• Video capture: Rear camera: 1080p@30fps; Front camera: 1080p@30fps.
• Battery: 6000mAh; 33W wired, PD3.0, QC3+, 50% in 33 min (advertised), Reverse wired.
• Connectivity: 5G; eSIM; Hybrid Dual SIM; Wi-Fi 5; BT 5.3; NFC; FM radio; 3.5mm jack.
• Misc: Fingerprint reader (side-mounted); stereo speakers.

Previously released as the Moto G54 in China and India, the European Moto G54 and Moto G54 Power made their debut in Europe alongside the G84. This led to a slight “rebranding” and the introduction of the “Power edition.” For European consumers, the phone we’re examining today will be labeled the G54 Power.

Having clarified this distinction, the G54 Power epitomizes a traditional handset in its truest sense. Key highlights include the capacious 6,000 mAh battery and the autofocusing ultrawide camera, capable of doubling as a macro shooter. Despite its economical positioning, the G54 Power boasts stereo speakers, a rapid 33W charger in the package, and in select markets, features like an FM radio and NFC.

Primarily crafted from plastic, the G54 Power is available in the somewhat conventional Midnight Blue hue of our reviewed unit, or the marginally more captivating Pearl Blue and Mint Green. Unlike certain other Moto devices, these colors aren’t explicitly marketed as Pantone shades. Nevertheless, they offer an intriguing selection.

Adhering to Motorola’s long-established tradition, the G54 Power incorporates a water-repellent design. While lacking official ingress protection, it provides added assurance through a water-repellant nano-coating on internal components and a robust rubber gasket encircling the SIM tray. Without further delay, let’s explore what the Motorola G54 Power brings to the table, commencing with its retail package.

Moto G54 Power Edition Unboxing

The Moto G54 Power arrives in a straightforward two-piece cardboard box. The packaging is notably devoid of vibrant colors, and all the printing has been executed using soy ink. Moreover, the entire packaging is environmentally conscious and devoid of plastic. Although there isn’t an internal cradle specifically for the phone, the packaging itself feels sturdy enough to ensure adequate protection for its contents.

In terms of its included accessories, the G54 Power surprisingly offers a comprehensive retail package by contemporary standards. It comes equipped with a 33W fast charger and a USB Type-A to Type-C cable. Additionally, Motorola includes a sleek transparent TPU case in the box, allowing users to immediately and securely begin using the device.

Moto G54 Power Edition Design

As previously mentioned, the Moto G54 Power embraces a conventional design, perhaps even leaning towards the unexciting side. In terms of its shape, there’s nothing particularly innovative. The G54 Power follows a standard “sandwich” construction, employing predominantly flat front and back panels encased within a plastic middle frame. However, strategically placed chamfers enhance grip and inject a touch of stylishness into the design.

Motorola has been skillful with colors, partly owing to its collaboration with Pantone. Although the colors featured on the G54 Power aren’t officially Pantone-branded, the Pearl Blue and Mint Green variations stand out for their playful yet understated appearance. They possess a playful charm without being overly attention-grabbing, maintaining a certain level of subtlety.

In an effort to maintain consistency, Motorola color-matched nearly every element possible on the phone, including the camera island and the side frame buttons. Even the middle frame harmonizes with the chosen color scheme. Our reviewed unit arrives in Midnight Blue, which in reality appears more black than blue and happens to be the most unremarkable choice among the three options.

Regarding materials, all three color variants sport a smooth plastic back panel and a matte plastic middle frame. Both surfaces tend to attract fingerprints and smudges easily. However, the middle frame remarkably imitates a brushed metal appearance, despite its actual plastic texture. This faux-metal finish contributes to an impressive aesthetic appeal.

While the Moto G54 Power may not boast standout features in its design, it manages to carve out a peculiarly memorable and distinct identity. It might not stand out prominently among its Moto G siblings, which often share similar designs, but the meticulously color-coordinated camera island alone renders the G54 Power notably distinctive.

Moto G54 Power Edition Build Quality

The Moto G54 Power boasts a substantial size, housing a 6.5-inch display and measuring 161.6 x 73.8 x 8.9 mm. Despite its sizable 6,000 mAh battery, the phone manages to maintain a relatively light weight, tipping the scales at 192 grams, owing to its excellent weight distribution.

This lightweight attribute can be attributed in part to the predominantly plastic build of the G54 Power. Constructed primarily of plastic, the phone’s middle frame feels remarkably robust without any noticeable flex. Moreover, the plastic back panel doesn’t exhibit any hollow or flimsy qualities.

Regarding its composition, the front of the Moto G54 Power is crafted from some variant of glass, although Motorola doesn’t specify the exact type. Unlike its G84 counterpart, the G54 Power lacks an official ingress protection rating. Nevertheless, Motorola has implemented its customary nano-coating and water-repellent design.

This includes the incorporation of a sturdy rubber gasket around the SIM tray, leading to speculation that the G54 Power could potentially endure brief exposure to clean water. However, it’s important to note that deliberately submerging the device is not recommended under any circumstances.

Moto G54 Power Edition Controls

The Moto G54 Power adheres to a standard control layout that’s conventionally positioned. On the right side of the phone, there’s a power button, followed directly above by the volume rocker. While these buttons are relatively compact, they provide satisfactory tactile feedback and are easy to locate by touch.

The power button serves a dual purpose as a fingerprint reader, employing a traditional capacitive setup known for its swiftness and accuracy. The only minor issue we encountered pertains to the volume rocker’s positioning, which seems slightly higher up on the frame—a negligible point of contention.

Moving to the left side, you’ll find the SIM tray housing a single nano SIM slot and a dedicated microSD card slot. Although the Moto G54 Power is technically a dual SIM device, the second slot is designated for an eSIM.

At the top of the phone, there’s minimalism—just the secondary noise-canceling microphone. The bottom section is more populated, hosting the 3.5mm audio jack, the primary microphone, and the Type-C port. Additionally, a bottom-firing speaker finds its place here.

An amplified earpiece resides above the display, doubling as the second speaker in the G54 Power’s stereo setup. Despite the phone not having notably thick display bezels, there’s still a slight area above the display housing the proximity and light sensors, positioned to the left of the earpiece.

Regrettably, the Moto G54 Power lacks a notification LED, a feature commonly omitted in many contemporary devices. Lastly, the punch hole for the selfie camera appears slightly larger than necessary considering the diameter required to house the actual camera.

Moto G54 Power Edition Connectivity

While the Moto G54 Power accommodates only a single physical Nano SIM, its eSIM support enables it to function as a dual SIM device. Both SIM lines offer SA and NSA 5G support. Concerning local connectivity, the G54 Power is equipped with dual-band Wi-Fi 6 (ax) and Bluetooth 5.3 with LE capabilities.

Additionally, the phone includes an FM radio receiver and NFC, although their availability depends on the market, so it’s advisable to verify with your local vendor. For location services, the G54 Power relies on GPS, GLONASS, GALILEO, BDS, and QZSS.

The Type-C port on the Moto G54 Power supports a USB 2.0 data connection, allowing for a maximum theoretical transfer speed of 480 Mbps. It supports USB OTG/Host functionality; however, it doesn’t offer features like video output.

Unlike its G84 counterpart, the G54 Power lacks support for Moto Connect or Ready For, which allows connection to a PC via a companion app or the creation of a specialized desktop UI through Miracast. Nevertheless, the phone still supports Miracast, albeit solely for display mirroring purposes.

Regarding onboard sensors, the Moto G54 Power features a decent array, including an lsm6dso accelerometer and gyroscope combination, a Sensortek stk3a5x light sensor, hardware proximity sensor, and a qmc6308 magnetometer and compass combination. However, it does not incorporate a barometer.

Moto G54 Power Edition Display

With a sizeable 6.5-inch screen, the G54 Power mirrors its G84 counterpart. However, unlike the G84’s OLED panel, the G54 Power employs a cost-saving measure by utilizing an LCD display. Nonetheless, it maintains a FullHD+ resolution of 1080 x 2400 pixels, delivering an aspect ratio of 20:9 and a sharp pixel density of around 405 ppi in practical use.

One of the notable drawbacks of this specific panel is its brightness output, capping at a maximum of 400 nits on the slider. Despite some automatic brightness enhancement, which marginally boosts it to 489 nits, neither figure is adequate for comfortable outdoor visibility in bright sunlight.

While the G54 Power does exhibit slight light bleed in its blacks, it manages decent overall contrast for an LCD screen. However, its LCD panel’s slower pixel response leads to noticeable smearing and ghosting during scrolling, especially evident with smaller text and slower scrolls—a limitation that cannot be rectified.

Offering two color modes—the default saturated mode and the natural mode—the Moto G54 Power’s saturated mode aims for the DCI-P3 color space but falls short of complete coverage. Nevertheless, it surpasses sRGB coverage, although it lacks precise accuracy in this mode. Conversely, the natural mode aligns with the sRGB color space, achieving impressive color accuracy with deltaE values below three—signifying sufficient accuracy suitable even for color-sensitive tasks.

Despite robust HDR decoder support, encompassing HDR10, HDR10+, and HLG, the display itself lacks HDR capabilities and doesn’t support Dolby Vision. However, the G54 Power does boast the highest Widevine L1 DRM certification, ensuring services like Netflix can provide FullHD streams that utilize the phone’s display resolution to its fullest.

Handling of High Refresh Rates of Moto G54 Power Edition

The Moto G54 Power provides support for four different refresh rate modes: 30Hz, 60Hz, 90Hz, and 120Hz—an uncommon feature to find on many contemporary smartphones. Within the display operating modes in the settings, users can select between 60Hz, 120Hz, and Auto mode. Motorola has a history of managing high refresh rates in a straightforward manner, a trend continued with the Moto G54 Power.

Both the 60Hz and 120Hz modes function as distinct switches. In the 120Hz mode, users experience a consistently fixed 120Hz refresh rate regardless of on-screen activity or the app in use, barring a few exceptions where specific apps run at 60Hz.

The Auto mode operates dynamically, adapting to the display’s activity. Motion on the screen triggers 120Hz or occasionally 90Hz. Conversely, during inactivity, the refresh rate may drop to 30Hz to conserve power—a rare yet welcome feature, especially for a budget smartphone.

Even during video playback in certain apps, the display may revert to 30Hz. Another aspect of the switching logic involves user interaction: touching the display immediately boosts the refresh rate to 90Hz, while scrolling further elevates it temporarily to 120Hz.

However, high refresh rate gaming presented a mixed experience on the G54 Power. While most games ran at 120Hz in the dedicated 120Hz mode, some exceptions occurred. The situation was more problematic in the auto-refresh rate mode, where most test games remained stuck at 60Hz. Fortunately, Motorola’s Game interface allows users to manually adjust the refresh rate for individual games.

The streamlined approach Motorola employs for refresh rate handling, especially in auto mode across menus and apps, is commendable. The G54 Power’s ability to drop to a 30Hz refresh rate is appreciable for power savings. Nevertheless, there are notable flaws in gaming performance that require improvement within the system.

Moto G54 Power Edition Battery Life

Sporting an enormous 6,000 mAh battery, the Motorola G54 Power impressively delivered an Active Use Score of 13:54 hours during our testing. This represents a significant boost in battery capacity compared to the G84’s 5,000 mAh battery. Notably, the Dimensity 7020 chipset seems to exhibit efficiency similar to the Snapdragon 695 found in the Moto G84.

Charging Speed

Equipped with a 33W PD3.0 and QC3+ capable charger, the Motorola G54 Power charges using the Quick Charge 3+ standard when connected to a compatible charger. Motorola advertises a charging rate of approximately 50% in just 33 minutes—a claim largely validated by our testing.

During our evaluation, the Moto G54 Power demonstrated respectable charging speeds. Fifteen minutes on the charger resulted in a 25% charge, while thirty minutes provided 44% charge, and a complete battery recharge required 1:23 hours.

Speakers

The Moto G54 Power features a stereo speaker setup, combining a dedicated bottom-firing speaker with an amplified earpiece handling the other audio channel—a configuration commonly referred to as a “hybrid” setup. This speaker asymmetry slightly affects the audio output balance. Nevertheless, the G54 Power remarkably produces a well-balanced sound profile.

While not excessively loud, the G54 Power managed a “VERY GOOD” loudness score in our testing, albeit marginally. In terms of frequency response, its audio output maintains a clean profile. Particularly, midrange tones such as vocals come across distinctly and clearly, a crucial aspect of sound quality. Additionally, there’s a semblance of bass presence.

Despite certain feature omissions, the budget-friendly Moto G54 Power incorporates Dolby Atmos. Users benefit from a comprehensive equalizer with various presets, including an automated “smart” setting. Furthermore, the G54 Power supports Motorola’s Spatial Sound technology, providing virtualized surround sound—a feature that performs notably well in real-world usage.

Moto G54 Power Edition Software

The Moto G54 Power stays true to Motorola’s established software approach, offering a near-stock Android (version 13 in this instance) with a sprinkle of exclusive features. The clean and familiar appearance is a compelling factor across Moto devices, complemented by added functionality that enhances its appeal to a broader user base.

Setting AOSP (or Pixel) Android apart from most manufacturer overlays lies in the Quick Settings and notification shade. It features prominent, rounded buttons—four on the first pull, up to eight on the second—and a comprehensive full-screen notification panel.

While some brands diverge in widget design, Motorola adheres to Android’s layout, introduced in version 12 and retained in subsequent iterations. The widget selection features responsive previews for varied sizes and supports dynamic coloring through integration with the Material You theming engine, enabling widgets to adapt to the wallpaper.

The Material You auto-theming feature is incorporated, albeit presented through a slightly modified Moto-specific theming interface. Users can employ wallpaper-based accent colors, extending to Google apps and the settings menu. Motorola includes several handy extras accessible through the Moto settings app, categorized for easy access. The revamped Moto app showcases these features.

The Personalization category hosts the OS-native auto-theming found on Moto phones. It includes a diverse collection of Moto wallpapers alongside Google’s offerings, with the added option to generate personalized wallpapers using AI from gallery photos.

Gestures play a significant role, featuring Moto’s renowned karate chop motion for flashlight control and a twisting gesture to launch the camera—even when the device is locked. Additional gestures include lift-to-unlock, face unlock integration, swipe-to-split for multitasking, and a double-tap on the back for custom actions.

Exploring the display settings didn’t immediately reveal Motorola’s Peek Display option, although indications suggest its presence and functionality on the G54 Power. The Attentive Display prevents screen timeout when a face is detected looking at the screen. The Play section incorporates the Gametime utility, offering call and notification blocking, screen recording, media playback shortcuts when the screen is locked, and Dolby Atmos sound enhancement.

The Game launcher allows users to manually set refresh rates per app, compensating for the G54 Power’s suboptimal automatic behavior during gaming. Google’s recent efforts emphasize Android’s privacy and security aspects, evident in features like the Privacy dashboard—a consolidated view of app permissions.

Visible camera and microphone indicators offer immediate awareness of surveillance, with quick toggles to limit access. Users can choose between precise or approximate location sharing for apps. Secure folder provides a secure space for sensitive apps and files, complemented by network protection options to block specific apps on unsecured Wi-Fi networks.

Advanced security settings include locking network and security settings while the screen is locked and scrambling the PIN input interface for added security. These settings are easily accessible through a dedicated Moto Secure app shortcut. However, the Moto G54 Power doesn’t include Motorola’s “Ready For” platform, omitting the ability to cast a desktop-style interface via Miracast, a feature available on other Moto devices like the G84.

Moto G54 Power Edition Performance and Benchmarks

The Motorola G54 Power is built on the MediaTek Dimensity 7020 chipset, a relatively new offering introduced earlier this year. However, the Dimensity 7020 is essentially a rebranded version of the Dimensity 930, which emerged towards the end of the previous year. Neither of these chipsets had been reviewed in our office until now.

The Dimensity 7020 is a modern chipset manufactured using TSMC’s 6nm process. Its CPU comprises two significant Cortex-A78 cores running up to 2.2GHz and six smaller Cortex-A55 cores operating at speeds of up to 2.0GHz.

Regarding its GPU, MediaTek collaborated with Imagination Technologies for the IMG BXM-8-256 GPU, another product in the line of Imagination Technologies’ PowerVR series of chips. This GPU, based on the B-Series architecture, claims approximately 30% better power efficiency compared to its predecessor (PowerVR).

It supports graphical APIs like OpenGL ES 3.x, OpenCL 3.0, and Vulkan 1.3, though some Vulkan extensions crucial for 3DMark benchmarks are notably missing in the Moto G54 Power, causing some limitations. Interestingly, while gaming, we didn’t encounter practical issues related to these Vulkan limitations, but it’s a noteworthy point.

Moving on to performance evaluations using GeekBench and other CPU benchmarks, the Dimensity 7020, while not a powerhouse, competes well within its price segment. AnTuTu, a comprehensive benchmark including GPU and memory tests, showcases the Dimensity 7020’s performance within its price range, aligning closely with the Dimensity 1080, 6080, Snapdragon 695, and Snapdragon 4 Gen 2, albeit slightly outpaced by the latter. Depending on AnTuTu 9 or 10 preferences, the Dimensity 7030 seems slightly less potent than the 7020.

However, in terms of graphical performance, the Dimensity 7020 with its IMG BXM-8-256 lags behind competitors. Notably, the Mali-G68 MC4 within the Dimensity 1080 and the Mali-G610 MC3 in the Dimensity 7030 exhibit stronger graphical capabilities, and even the Adreno 619 in the Snapdragon 695 performs better in graphical tasks.

On a positive note, the Dimensity 7020 manages heat well and doesn’t aggressively throttle due to thermal constraints. Under prolonged stress, it experiences some performance reduction, but it remains reasonable.

Overall, the Moto G54 Power delivers commendable performance for everyday use, handling routine tasks smoothly. However, the IMG BXM-8-256 GPU within the Dimensity 7020 slightly impacts gaming experiences, making the Moto G54 Power less preferable as a primary gaming device.

Camera

Enhanced Versatility in Dual Camera Setup

The Moto G54 Power boasts a standard dual-camera configuration, consisting of a primary 50MP camera alongside an 8MP ultrawide with autofocus capabilities, enabling macro photography. Additionally, it features a 16MP fixed-focus front camera for selfies.

Delving into the specifics, the primary 50MP camera in the Moto G54 Power houses an OmniVision OV50D sensor, a 1/2.88″ sensor size with 0.612 µm individual pixels, utilizing 4-cell binning for a 1.22 µm equivalent pixel size. The OV50D incorporates a type 2 2×2 ML phase detection autofocus, nestled behind an f/1.8 lens, complemented by Optical Image Stabilization (OIS).

On the other hand, the 8MP ultrawide camera employs a Samsung ISOCELL S5K4H7AF sensor with autofocus functionality, denoted by the “AF” designation. This sensor features a 1/4″ size with 1.12 µm individual pixels, coupled with an f/2.2 lens.

This setup mirrors the familiar ultrawide configuration found in other Moto devices such as the G84. Lastly, the 16MP selfie camera uses the SK Hynix hi1634q sensor, operating on a 1/3″ sensor with 1.0µm pixels and a Quad-Bayer filter, paired with an f/2.4 lens.

Camera Application

In contrast to the otherwise stock appearance of the software, the Moto G54 Power’s camera app is an in-house development. The camera modes are organized in a customizable carousel layout, with less frequently used shooting modes found under the ‘More’ tab at the carousel’s rightmost end.

The Pro mode provides comprehensive control over camera settings like white balance, ISO, focus, shutter speed, and exposure compensation across all cameras, excluding manual focusing for the selfie camera. While it includes a tiny live histogram, features like focus peaking or zebras are absent.

Swiping down in the viewfinder unveils additional settings specific to each camera mode. However, the interface could be clearer, as some controls, like self-timer settings in Photo mode, might be easily overlooked.

The general settings menu, accessible through the gear icon, contains more options, but there’s room for improvement in organizing and categorizing the settings. Unlike the G84, where the full-resolution main camera mode is a separate camera mode, on the G54 Power, this setting is tucked away in the settings menu alongside the full-resolution mode for the selfie camera. A new addition to the G54 Power is the inclusion of two photo color modes – Natural and Auto Enhanced.

Daylight Photography Quality

The primary camera captures default 12.5MP stills, offering decent overall quality with ample resolved detail. However, the frame appears overly sharp due to artificial sharpening, and the contrast is excessively high, resulting in an overprocessed appearance. Dynamic range could be improved, especially in preserving shadow detail.

The G54 Power offers two app-level color modes – Natural and Auto Enhanced. Even in the “Natural” mode, the colors are vibrant and saturated, deviating from real-life representation. “Auto Enhanced” marginally intensifies colors.

The option to capture images in full 50MP resolution is available but buried in the settings menu, without discernible advantages in detail over the default 12.5MP setting. Portrait mode delivers decent results, excelling in subject detection, separation, and background blur, even with non-human subjects.

Despite the absence of a dedicated telephoto lens, the G54 Power’s main camera lacks a 2x toggle on the interface, indicating a potential lack of trust in the main camera’s zoom capabilities by Motorola. The 8MP ultrawide camera captures decent shots, exhibiting good autofocus performance and reasonable detail. However, softness and noise are noticeable, particularly near the frame edges.

The color modes “Natural” and “Auto Enhanced” show minimal discernible difference in ultrawide shots. The autofocus-enabled ultrawide camera impresses with its macro capabilities, delivering impressive close-up shots. The 16MP selfie camera produces commendable results with ample detail and good skin texture. However, skin tones appear oversaturated, albeit not dramatically.

In “Auto Enhanced” mode, the selfie camera doesn’t exhibit significant color alterations. By default, it captures 4MP selfies, with an option for 16MP resolution, though the difference is negligible unless higher resolution is specifically needed. Selfie portraits showcase effective subject detection, background blur, and notable facial detail, presenting a well-rounded performance overall.

Video Capture Quality

The Moto G54 Power presents a blend of performance in video capture. The choice of the Dimensity 7020 chipset confines its video capture resolution to 1080p, significantly limiting its potential. Despite this constraint, Motorola offers an array of video-capturing features.

Every camera on the phone, including the ultrawide lens in a dedicated macro mode, can record videos. Moreover, there’s an option for Electronic Image Stabilization (EIS) across all video capture scenarios, along with an h.265 (HEVC) choice in settings applicable to any camera.

By default, videos are recorded in h.264 (AVC) format at a bitrate around 20 Mbps with stereo 48 kHz AAC audio housed in an MP4 container, exhibiting typical specifications. Quality-wise, the primary camera performs decently considering the resolution limitations, delivering satisfactory FullHD detail and good color reproduction. However, the frame displays noticeable noise and shimmering, especially in finer details. The dynamic range is relatively narrow, characterized by both crushed shadows and clipped highlights.

In comparison with competitors in our extensive video comparison database, the ultrawide camera manages to capture decent 1080p video. It presents sufficient detail for its role without excessive focus hunting, maintaining good color consistency with the main camera.

The selfie camera, while capturing impressive 1080p videos, renders plenty of detail and accurate facial features. However, these videos exhibit noticeable shakiness and jitteriness during motion. Although the EIS available at full 1080p resolution effectively smoothens shakes and bumps, it significantly crops the frame. Moreover, using EIS on both the main and ultrawide cameras appears to affect autofocus performance negatively, making the EIS functionality somewhat impractical.

Low-Light Camera Quality

In low-light conditions, the main camera on the Moto G54 Power delivers reasonable performance, especially considering its budget status. It manages to retain ample detail in darker areas, with well-handled highlights and light sources. Colors, albeit slightly warm, retain overall quality.

The device features a “Night vision” mode, enhancing photo brightness and detail in darker regions, resulting in more natural colors. However, this mode works exclusively with the main camera, excluding the ultrawide and selfie cameras from its functionality.

The ultrawide camera fares less favorably, capturing soft images with blown-out light sources, lacking the desired clarity on uniform surfaces. Meanwhile, the selfie camera performs acceptably, capturing natural skin tones and texture, albeit with noticeable noise.

Low-light video from the main camera yields decent yet unremarkable results due to the 1080p resolution limit that restricts detail. While colors remain consistent and noise is kept minimal, light sources are overexposed. Conversely, the ultrawide camera’s low-light video appears soft, dark, and noisy, with consistent autofocus issues being a significant drawback.

Conclusion

In conclusion, the Moto G54 Power emerges as a commendable budget-friendly smartphone offering a mixed bag of features across its various aspects. With a sturdy plastic build and a sizeable 6.5-inch display, it boasts an impressive 6,000 mAh battery that provides substantial longevity, although its primarily plastic construction does contribute to its lightweight feel.

In terms of connectivity, the phone supports dual SIM functionality with eSIM support, coupled with 5G capability. However, it lacks Moto Connect and Ready For features present in its sibling models, and its refresh rate behavior, particularly during gaming, might require further optimization.

The device showcases a capable camera setup, including a 50MP primary camera, an 8MP ultrawide, and a 16MP selfie camera. The cameras deliver satisfactory performance in various scenarios, yet limitations exist, especially in low-light conditions where the ultrawide camera struggles.

Performance-wise, the MediaTek Dimensity 7020 chipset offers acceptable power for regular tasks, though its GPU performance might disappoint gamers. Moreover, video capture, while versatile, suffers from resolution limitations and autofocus issues in some scenarios.

Overall, the Moto G54 Power serves as a functional and reliable device suitable for everyday use, offering decent battery life, a competent camera system, and sufficient performance for its price point. Despite its limitations, it presents a valuable option for users seeking an affordable smartphone with versatile features.

Pros of Moto G54 Power Edition

• Elegant, traditional design featuring sturdy construction, exceptional weight distribution, water-repellent design, and a lightweight structure.
• Competent management of high refresh rates, including the capability to reduce the refresh rate to 30Hz.
• Excellent battery life.
• Impressive stereo speakers with Dolby Atmos and Spatial Audio, complemented by a 3.5mm audio jack.
• Neat, almost stock Android software augmented by robust Moto supplementary functionalities.
• Respectable camera performance in daylight across the board.
• Option for expandable storage.
• Comprehensive retail package.

Cons of Moto G54 Power Edition

• Lack of an official ingress protection rating.
• The LCD panel’s brightness is mediocre and lacks HDR support.
• Restriction to 1080p video capture due to the modest GPU of the Dimensity 7020.
• EIS causes significant focus hunting during video recording.
• Mediocre performance in low-light conditions for the camera system.

Published on 02/17/24 1:32 | by Rawa John