Motorola Moto G5S Unboxing and First Impressions
Apart from the capable Moto G5S Plus, Motorola also launched its smaller brother here in the Philippines last year, the Moto G5S.
The Moto G5S is the more affordable Moto phone that also offers the premium build, water repellent nano-coating, and TurboPower charging features of the higher-end Moto G5S Plus.
But obviously, at just PHP 10,999, Motorola will tone down its specs. It doesn't have a dual camera setup anymore and it only has the lower-end 64-bit Snapdragon 430 octa-core processor inside.
Anyway, let's check it out!
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| Moto's affordable mid-range contender? |
The Moto G5S is the more affordable Moto phone that also offers the premium build, water repellent nano-coating, and TurboPower charging features of the higher-end Moto G5S Plus.
But obviously, at just PHP 10,999, Motorola will tone down its specs. It doesn't have a dual camera setup anymore and it only has the lower-end 64-bit Snapdragon 430 octa-core processor inside.
Anyway, let's check it out!
Moto G5S Specs
Display: 5.2-inch FHD IPS 1920 x 1080 resolution w/ Gorilla Glass 3 protection at 423 ppi
CPU: 1.4GHz 64-bit Snapdragon 430 octa-core processor
GPU: Adreno 505
RAM: 3GB
ROM: 32GB expandable via microSD card slot up to 128GB
Back Camera: 16MP f/2.0 w/ PDAF and dual tone LED flash
Selfie Camera: 5MP f/2.0 w/ LED flash
Battery: 3,000mAh w/ TurboPower charging
OS: Android 7.1 Nougat
Connectivity: WiFi, 3G, HSPA+, LTE, Bluetooth 4.2, NFC, GPS, A-GPS, GLONASS, dual SIM (hybrid)
Sensors: Accelerometer, light, proximity, gyroscope, sound
Others: Fingerprint sensor, Water repellent nano-coating, Colors: lunar grey, fine gold
Dimensions: 150 x 73.5 x 8.2 mm
Weight: 157 g
Price: PHP 10,999
Disclaimer: This unit was borrowed from Motorola Philippines for our honest take.
The Moto G5S's packaging is simple. Inside, it has the set of basic accessories needed for your new smartphone.
It includes the Turbo Charge compatible wall charger, USB to micro USB cable, IEM earphones, SIM ejector tool, and paper documents. It has no free screen protector attached on the phone and case included inside the package.
The Moto G5S has one of the most premium metal build for the price. It has a beautiful textured metal unibody construction similar with the bigger Moto G5S Plus. It also has proper chamfered edges and familiar antenna band design.
In front, this phone boasts a beautiful 5.2-inch FHD display with 2.5D curved glass. It is protected with Gorilla Glass 3 protection to prevent light scratches and cracks from light drops.
In terms of design, it is simply the Moto G5S Plus with a more compact contruction. At the back, it has the unsual yet attractive circular big camera hump that contains the main camera sensor and the LED flash.
The phone is far from thick at 8.2 mm, but the bezels are quite thick for a 2017 / 2018 smartphone.
Ergonomically, this device feels very good to hold. It isn't that slippery as well. All buttons including the fingerprint scanner in front are easy to reach.
We also liked the fact that it still has a 3.5 mm headphone jack on top.
The design could be better, but this smartphone is a well machined in general.
1. Build is still premium despite the lower price tag versus the Moto G5S Plus. We also liked that its 5.2-inch display has 1080p resoliution and 10 points of touch. Its screen looks great so far.
2. Specs of the phone is decent, but we expected it to be better. We hoped that it used the newer Snapdragon 435 with more connectivity bands rather than the ageing Snapdragon 430 for a phone priced at PHP 11,999. The Adrenp 505 GPU, 3GB RAM, and 32GB storage are decent. It is great to know that it has TurboPower charging support.
3. Hooray for stock Android 7.1.1 Nougat! It is clean and snappy. It has no unwanted bloats too. It could be upgraded to Oreo soon as well.
4. The 16MP primary shooter is a decent shooter in daylight and indoor so far. Lowlight performance is below average though. The 5MP selfie shooter is quite good.
However, we wish that Moto will improve its cameras to make it an even better deal.
For our review: Moto G5S Review - Affordable Little Brother of the G5S Plus
Disclaimer: This unit was borrowed from Motorola Philippines for our honest take.
Unboxing/Accessories
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| The box |
The Moto G5S's packaging is simple. Inside, it has the set of basic accessories needed for your new smartphone.
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| Accessories inside |
It includes the Turbo Charge compatible wall charger, USB to micro USB cable, IEM earphones, SIM ejector tool, and paper documents. It has no free screen protector attached on the phone and case included inside the package.
Build Quality/Design
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| Mic, camera, and flash at the back |
The Moto G5S has one of the most premium metal build for the price. It has a beautiful textured metal unibody construction similar with the bigger Moto G5S Plus. It also has proper chamfered edges and familiar antenna band design.
Sturdy build for the price!
In front, this phone boasts a beautiful 5.2-inch FHD display with 2.5D curved glass. It is protected with Gorilla Glass 3 protection to prevent light scratches and cracks from light drops.
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| 3.5 mm headphone jack slot on top |
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| Speaker, micro USB port, and mic below |
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| Hybrid dual SIM tray at left |
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| Textured power button and regular volume rocker at right |
In terms of design, it is simply the Moto G5S Plus with a more compact contruction. At the back, it has the unsual yet attractive circular big camera hump that contains the main camera sensor and the LED flash.
The phone is far from thick at 8.2 mm, but the bezels are quite thick for a 2017 / 2018 smartphone.
Ergonomically, this device feels very good to hold. It isn't that slippery as well. All buttons including the fingerprint scanner in front are easy to reach.
We also liked the fact that it still has a 3.5 mm headphone jack on top.
The design could be better, but this smartphone is a well machined in general.
Intitial findings
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| Stock Android goodness! |
1. Build is still premium despite the lower price tag versus the Moto G5S Plus. We also liked that its 5.2-inch display has 1080p resoliution and 10 points of touch. Its screen looks great so far.
2. Specs of the phone is decent, but we expected it to be better. We hoped that it used the newer Snapdragon 435 with more connectivity bands rather than the ageing Snapdragon 430 for a phone priced at PHP 11,999. The Adrenp 505 GPU, 3GB RAM, and 32GB storage are decent. It is great to know that it has TurboPower charging support.
3. Hooray for stock Android 7.1.1 Nougat! It is clean and snappy. It has no unwanted bloats too. It could be upgraded to Oreo soon as well.
4. The 16MP primary shooter is a decent shooter in daylight and indoor so far. Lowlight performance is below average though. The 5MP selfie shooter is quite good.
5. It has still has LED notification, OTG, gyro sensor, light sensor, and snappy fingerprint reader.
Related: Motorola Moto G5S: First Camera Samples
If you are looking for a smartphone with GREAT build, 1080p screen, and stock Android OS on a compact package, the Moto G5S could be that device.Related: Motorola Moto G5S: First Camera Samples
As of the moment
However, we wish that Moto will improve its cameras to make it an even better deal.
For our review: Moto G5S Review - Affordable Little Brother of the G5S Plus
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