Motorola Moto G42 Review: Desperate times for Motorola?

tech.hindustantimes.com:

Motorola and Realme have been bombarding the smartphone space lately with affordable and tempting options. While Xiaomi and Samsung have resorted to selling one phone in that segment for almost a whole year, Motorola is trying to grab sales figures by launching a new Moto G model every few months. The Moto G42, which we are discussing here, is kind of replacing the Moto G52 – a phone that we loved just three months ago. With the G52 going pricey, the Moto G42 is Motorola’s answer to offer a phone at a low price.

And that is sad. The Moto G42 feels like a hastily designed phone without inspiring any imagination or thought. At a price of Rs. 13,999, the Moto G42 takes on the Redmi Note 11, the Realme 9i, and Realme Narzo 50 – it is barely able to match them on paper and in the real world? That is a different story altogether. Read on to find out.

When you are charging a low price, design and style gets compromised. The Moto G42, just like all of its rivals from Redmi and Realme, looks dull. Motorola chooses to paint its phones in the dullest colours as well, further dropping the appeal. The company boasts of a “new” camera hump but from where I see it, this is just the same boring thing we have seen in the past. The plastic unibody construction feels fine and the buttons are tactile. The presence of IP52 certification means this phone can survive sweat and accidental splashes. Hence, dull design but decent build with weather protection – this is what the budget segment needs.

Motorola’s obsession to go all AMOLED is evident on the G42. You get a nice 6.4-inch FHD+ AMOLED display with a refresh rate of 60Hz. AMOLED means the display looks good with bright colours and actual blacks. It goes decently bright too under the sun and