Motorola Moto G200
Motorola is positioned in all segments and intends to stand out from the many competitors in the sub-$700 segment. Proof is the G200, a version less well off than the flagship Edge 20 Pro, but not uninteresting for all that.
Presentation
With the Edge 20 Pro, Motorola continues its adventure in the "high-end" field with the G200, successor of the appreciated G100 released in 2021. However, according to the firm, this new smartphone does not trample on the last Edge since it offers a lesser technical specifications and a price flirting with the mid-range.
Ergonomics and design
With the Moto G200, Motorola tries a more aesthetic approach than with the Edge 20 range. The back seems to be designed in one piece, with the camera island blending into the shell. This one is a bit prominent, but well integrated with a little delineation above and below. Let's face it, it looks pretty good and we liked it.
At the front, the G200 is very classic despite its large 6.8-inch screen. The borders are quite thin and a punch occupies the center space, allowing the panel to offer an occupancy rate of over 86% - very good, but could have been a bit better without the still somewhat thick bottom border.
The button layout is also traditional with the volume controls placed on the right, as is the power button of the smartphone. The latter incorporates a fingerprint reader quite responsive. On the opposite edge, we find a button dedicated to Google Assistant. This one is unfortunately not programmable for anything else, which would have been a useful option.
The G200 is quite large and thin with dimensions of 168.1 x 75.5 x 8.9 mm. This doesn't really make it easy to use: you'll probably have to use two hands to reach the top of its screen. The smartphone exceeds 200 g with 202 g on the scale. A weight fairly well distributed throughout the terminal.
The mini-jack 3.5 mm is not part of the game, as well as any IP standard that would guarantee waterproofing. The repairability index is 7.1/10, in the high end of the mobile park. A single speaker sits on the bottom edge of the mobile. Its sound is good, but it will be necessary to take care not to push it too much to preserve a pleasant listening. Next to this speaker, we find a USB-C port.
Screen
The G200 has a 6.8-inch LCD panel with a definition of 2460 x 1080 px. Like many of the firm's models, the screen has a 144 Hz refresh rate that is not adaptive, but dynamic. It oscillates between 60, 90 and 144 Hz when it is placed in Auto mode. It is always possible to opt for one of the two other available modes, in 90 or 144 Hz.
By default, the display is not properly calibrated with a color temperature of 8388 K and a delta E of 3.4. By selecting the Natural display mode, the calibration is better. The color temperature goes down to 7381 K, still a little high compared to the video standard (6500 K). The delta E also drops, showing 2.3.
The maximum brightness is 466 cd/m² with a reflectance measured at 43.4%. A value in the average that should not bother you too much in a use under the sun. At its lowest, the screen goes down to 1.8 cd/m², exactly like the Edge 20 Pro. The contrast ratio is 1581:1, while the touch delay was measured at 63 ms, the afterglow time being 17 ms.
Performance
After the Asus ROG Phone 5s Pro, it's the Moto G200's turn to offer a Snapdragon 888+ processor, the second one in our comparison. But we have to admit that the chip integrated into Motorola's smartphone doesn't shine as brightly as in the Taiwanese firm's gaming model.
With a total index of 104, the G200 ranks slightly above the Edge 20 Pro from the same manufacturer. Its RAM management is correct with a score of 99. The Motorola interface is not the most intrusive of Android, so no slowdown is to be expected, even under heavy use. This is an excellent point.
On the video game side, it also does not do too badly with a rating of 109. In terms of pure performance, the G200 averages 62 fps with a peak of 71 fps. However, these results are only valid when the screen refresh rate is in Auto mode. By switching to 144 Hz, we enjoy better performance with a peak at 146 fps and an average of 110 fps. You should use this refresh rate when you want to play big titles to get the best out of them.
Photo
The G200 is composed of a rather classic photo trio. Its wide-angle sensor is 108 megapixels, its ultra wide-angle of 8 MP and the depth sensor of 2 MP. Motorola seems to do without a telephoto lens to not compete with its Edge 20 Pro.
Main module: 108 Mpx
You know the drill: smartphones don't capture their shots in full resolution by default. This Motorola is no exception to the rule and offers images in 27 Mpx. To capture in 108 Mpx, you have to go through a specific mode in the photo app (called Ultra-Res at Motorola). In some cases, the full definition allows to get more details, but this does not seem to be the case with our G200. This observation is true for both day and night shots.
In daylight, the captured shot is correct despite a slight overexposure. We can perceive some digital noise on the whole black part of our photo scene - a problem absent with the Xiaomi Mi 11T. Let's add that Motorola's software processing smoothes some details of the scene.
At night, the Moto G200 goes up very high in sensitivity, distorting all the colorimetry of the shot. The image is clearly desaturated, not far from being only black and white. On the Xiaomi side, the shot remains relatively dull with a tone tending towards sepia proposed by the software processing. However, the rendering of details is more satisfactory on the Chinese smartphone thanks to a more pronounced contrast.
Ultra wide-angle module: 8 Mpx
The ultra wide-angle module is struggling on both of them. The image lacks sharpness and the smoothness is very pronounced. That said, the Motorola terminal offers a more natural color rendering - the luminous halo generally present on the right edge of the image is moreover almost non-existent.
Same observation in low light. By going a little higher in sensitivity than the Mi 11T, the G200 manages to offer a better exposed image with better colors. Unfortunately, this high ISO level implies a lot of digital noise.
Front module, portrait mode and video
On the front, the Moto G200 sports a 16MP module that delivers a pretty good result when taking selfies, although it does smooth out facial features a bit too much. The portrait mode available on the front is very good, managing to capture a character very well. The front camera did not run into shaggy little hairs, as is usually the case.
On the back, the portrait mode is also very good. On a 3/4 chest shot, the main module only stumbles slightly on the usual body parts like an arm, a finger or even an ear. Nothing to worry about though.
For the video, the main lens allows to shoot up to 4K at 30 fps. No optical stabilization in the program, it will have to make do with electronic stabilization. With the front camera, you can shoot in Full HD at 30 fps.
Autonomy
Motorola has made a habit of providing a 5000 mAh battery in the vast majority of its smartphones. This G200 is no exception to the rule, which allows it to hold the charge for 15 h 22 min when the refresh rate of the display is set to Auto mode. By using 144 Hz constantly, this autonomy decreases and passes to 13 h 34 min. A value in the low average of smartphones, which should give him a use of a day, or a day and a half at most.
Recharging is done rather quickly thanks to a block delivering a power of 33 W. Thus, you will need only 68 minutes to recover your autonomy.
Sustainability
Our sustainability score allows us to determine the sustainability of the smartphone for both the consumer and the environment. It is based on the repairability index, durability criteria (protection index, standard connectors, warranty period and updates...) and an evaluation of CSR policies (Corporate Social Responsibility). You can find all the details of the analysis in our article presenting the sustainability score.
The table summarizing the sub-scores of its reparability index is available below.
Interface & OS
The Moto G200 comes with Android 11 and the My UX overlay. The firm made the right choice of a clean interface and the navigation strongly resembles that of a Google Pixel. Motorola insists that it is possible to customize the experience through its overlay. This is particularly the case for the font size, the layout of the apps or the choice of colors and shapes for the icons. If you are a regular user of the Google OS, you will certainly not be caught off guard.
The firm also offers a dock called Ready For, which allows you to connect your smartphone to an external screen to enjoy apps on a larger screen. This can be useful for video calls, as the system can use the back photo sensors and thus better track the movements of people in the frame. It is also possible to connect a Bluetooth controller or keyboard to play or work.
Conclusion
The Motorola Moto G200 is not a bad phone, but it suffers from a rather fierce competition in its price segment. Despite an original design, a good screen and a Snapdragon 888+, it doesn't perform miracles in terms of photography. One of its main assets, namely its 144 Hz refresh rate, allows it to deliver high performance, but at the cost of a disappointing autonomy. In short, the Moto G200 makes compromises that you'll have to consider if you want to buy it.
