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Friday 5: Getting to know the Moto G5S Plus, Motorola’s best budget phone yet [Video]

Motorola has consistently been putting out great phones in the budget category since the original Moto G, and the new Moto G5S Plus looks to continue that trend with a metal body and a spec bump over the Moto G5 Plus we reviewed earlier this year. As we unbox the phone and start prepping for our full review, this week’s Friday 5 is all about its most noteworthy features.

Price

Just like its predecessor, the Moto G5S Plus costs just $230. Considering the outstanding build quality, including a metal body, chamfered edges, and delightfully clicky and solid buttons, the design of the G5S Plus is leaps and bounds ahead of the other phones in its price range.

Dual cameras

The Moto G5S Plus is one of the cheapest phones we’ve ever seen tout a dual camera system. Inside its circular camera bulge rest two 13 MP sensors, allowing users to play with monochrome photos and artificial depth of field effects. The Moto Z2 Force impressed us with the image quality from its dual cameras, so we’re excited to see how well this system translates to a phone that costs significantly less.

Network support

Unlocked phones are relatively common in the US these days, but even most high-end unlocked phones only support GSM networks like AT&T or T-Mobile. The Moto G5S Plus has support for all four major US carriers, meaning that even Verizon and Sprint customers can get in on this deal, along with customers on prepaid subsidiary networks like Boost or Cricket.

Battery

Motorola phones often impress us with their endurance, and though we haven’t yet had time to put the Moto G5S Plus through its paces, it looks promising on paper. The 3,000 mAh battery should be plenty to last throughout a day, especially when combined with the power-efficient Android 7.1, and Motorola includes a Turbo Power charger in the box for a quick refill when necessary.

Shortcomings

It’s hard to complain about missing features in such an inexpensive phone, but everyone’s priorities when buying a phone are different, so it’s important to know what the Moto G5S Plus is missing. There’s no NFC, meaning you won’t be able to make mobile payments through Android Pay, and while the metal design is sturdy and attractive, it prevents the phone from supporting wireless charging.

The phone charges through microUSB rather than the more modern USB-C (though those with a stockpile of older cables probably won’t mind this), and like every other Moto phone, the G5S Plus has a splash-repellant coating, but no full-blown water resistance.


The Moto G5S Plus is available for pre-order now on Motorola’s website, and will officially go on sale September 29. Check back soon for our full review to see if it’s worth your money.

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Hayato is an Indianapolis-based writer and video producer for 9to5Google.