As tradition goes, the most popular and “people’s” smartphones from Motorola belong to the G series, which is refreshed annually with the current digit at the end. Currently, we have the Moto Gx4 models. We have already tested the successful “budget flagship” Moto G84, the excellent “mid-range” Moto G54 5G (there is also its more enduring version, the Moto G54 Power with a 6000mAh battery). In the lineup, there are also the very affordable G14, G24, and G24 Power models, so there is plenty to choose from. But today, let’s talk about the Moto G34 5G.
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The smartphone is available in two variants – 4/128 GB and 8/128 GB. Availability is currently limited, as the phone has yet to hit the market.
Here, everything is traditional for the Moto G series – the phone, charger and cable, silicone case, SIM card ejector tool, and documentation.
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Traditionally, all Moto G smartphones of the same generation look alike. However, Moto G34 5G stands out from the crowd because one of the versions – green (although it looks blue in the photo) – has an eco-leather back panel. Yes, yes, until recently this was a privilege of high-end models, and now it can be found in budget phones!
The material has a premium appearance, feels pleasant to the touch, is durable, and doesn’t retain fingerprints at all. The camera island is streamlined, with a pleasant and glossy green hue when exposed to light.
The other colors are black and blue, with matte polymer back panels.
The phone’s edges are matte and flat, as is currently fashionable. The only reminder that we’re dealing with a budget device is perhaps the display with fairly wide bezels, pronounced chin, and a large punch-hole for the front camera.
On the right side of the phone are the volume control keys and the power/lock button (with an embedded fingerprint scanner). On the left side is the slot for two SIM cards or one SIM card and a memory card.
The fingerprint sensor works without any issues and is very fast. There is also facial recognition (very basic, doesn’t work in darkness), but I prefer the fingerprint scanner.
At the top end, there is only a microphone, and at the bottom end – another microphone, a 3.5mm headphone jack, a charging port, and a speaker.
The phone can’t be called too large; it’s relatively slim, lightweight, and feels comfortable in the hand.
The Moto G34 5G has basic protection according to the IP52 standard – protection against dust and water splashes. It’s definitely not advisable to submerge the phone in water.
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The Moto G34 display immediately indicates that it’s a budget device. The only standout feature is the 120Hz refresh rate. However, in other aspects, it falls short with a rather dated resolution of 1600×720, leading to graininess, and an IPS panel that isn’t the best among its type. The colors aren’t the brightest, and the screen dims or washes out at angles..
The readability in the light is very poor – the brightness is less than 500 nits.
In the screen settings, you can choose the color display style, refresh rate (automatic, 60 Hz, or 120 Hz), enable dark mode, eye protection (blue light filtering), and more.
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The smartphone is powered by a 6nm 8-core Snapdragon 695 5G chipset. This processor is two years old and is designed for mid-range phones. It’s not the fastest, but let’s say it’s time-tested. In the AnTuTu benchmark, the model scores a modest 433,103 points, and in Geekbench multi-core, it scores 2045.
I can’t say that the phone is slow. It’s not a flagship model, of course, but there are no issues with it. The menus and apps work quickly, and Motorola is generally known for well-optimized software. You can even play games on it; they are designed to run on any hardware, although the graphics may be on the lower end.
The smartphone is available in two variants – 4/128 GB and 8/128 GB. It’s better, of course, to choose the version with 8 GB of RAM, especially since the price difference will be insignificant. 4 GB may not be enough, leading to potential issues with interface delays and background app closures.
The RAM can be expanded using the device’s primary memory. In the settings, you can choose to expand it by 2, 4, 6, or 8 GB (Motorola RAM Boost).
It’s a pity that there isn’t a version with 256 GB of storage. Nowadays, 128 GB is considered insufficient, but the support for memory cards can somewhat compensate for this.
Everything here is simple – the main 50 megapixel lens and an additional macro module.
ALL PHOTOS FROM MOTO G34 IN ORIGINAL RESOLUTION
There is a zoom, but it’s digital and the quality is disappointing.
At night, the pictures are not the worst, and if there is enough light, they are even clear.
The night mode is automatic, although it’s somewhat weak in its light version. I would recommend activating it manually through the camera menu (unfortunately, you can’t do it quickly; you have to navigate to the section with all available shooting modes). Then the phone will take longer to capture the shot, but the images will be brighter, clearer, and with better processing of illuminated objects. Below are examples, with the night mode on the right.
As for the macro camera – I didn’t expect much from the 2 MP module, but it’s not bad at all. You need to get within 2-4 cm of the object, while ideally keeping the phone as still as possible. Of course, it lacks sharpness, but overall, macro photos look good, especially for miniatures.
The phone records video in a single mode: Full HD at 30 frames per second. The quality is good (you can see noise at night), and the video is remarkably stable. There’s also the option for slow-motion video recording.
The front camera features a 16 MP module. The shots are not the sharpest, but I wouldn’t call them bad either. During nighttime shooting, there’s screen illumination (though it won’t make you look beautiful, rather the opposite). Beautification and portrait mode are available, although the background separation in portrait mode is not very precise.
The camera interface is standard, with various modes and settings:
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The phone supports 5G (which is probably one of its main advantages considering the price), dual-band Wi-Fi ac, Bluetooth 5.1 (not the latest version), and NFC for in-store payments. It also features various navigation options and even includes an FM radio, which is rarely found nowadays. The sound is stereo, with one speaker at the bottom and the earpiece serving as the second speaker. The sound balance isn’t perfect but satisfactory, and the quality is also okay.
There are Dolby Atmos effects available, offering several presets along with the option for manual adjustment of the equalizer. This includes Spatial Audio for an immersive sound experience.
The Moto G34 runs on the latest Android 14, which is also a plus. Traditionally, the system is “stock,” meaning it doesn’t come with manufacturer overlays. However, compared to previous years, it’s not as clean anymore due to the presence of pre-installed software like Booking, Facebook, LinkedIn, and a range of games. While you can uninstall them, they’re still there initially.
In recent years, Motorola has significantly expanded and improved its range of built-in applications. Once there was only the Moto Actions app (which still exists, with a redesigned interface), but now there’s also Moto Secure for managing data security (for example, you can rearrange the keypad buttons when entering a PIN), Family Space (a separate interface with access to selected software), Games (settings during gameplay), Moto Unplugged (an interface with access only to selected apps, for minimizing distractions), and Moto Connect (wireless connection to TVs and monitors).
I tried screen mirroring to the TV without wires – everything works fine.
I connected it to the monitor – the phone can act as a touchpad, and its camera can be used as a webcam. There are separate modes for viewing videos, playing games, video calls, where specific applications are available. Everything works, but with the Huawei monitor with a non-standard aspect ratio, the image turned out stretched, and I couldn’t find any settings to change it.
If you install the Lenovo application (Ready For Assistant, available only for Windows OS) on your PC and connect it to your phone via cable or Wi-Fi, you’ll get access to an interface similar to a standard OS. You’ll be able to open apps in windows, resize them, move them around, and minimize them. This option is called Ready For PC (we did a detailed review of the application). In more expensive models, the desktop mode is implemented without a bridging application, directly when connected to a TV or monitor.
Of course, the Moto app includes familiar and beloved gestures (such as double shake to activate the flashlight or twist your wrist to open the camera), themes, sound settings, and so on.
I’ll add that Motorola promises one Android update (so we’ll get the 15th version) and 3 years of security patches. For a budget phone, that’s reasonable.
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The Moto G34 features the standard battery capacity typical for the Moto G series – 5000 mAh. Despite this, the high-performance processor and low-resolution screen do their job well – the model lasts a long time, and with moderate usage, it can last up to two days. For instance, continuous video playback at above-average brightness drained the phone in just 19 hours.
Motorola has once again released a successful budget phone. Firstly, the design is appealing, and at a reasonable price, there’s a version with eco-leather – very cool! There’s also 5G support, decent stereo speakers, and a respectable camera (considering the phone’s cost). The performance is adequate. The software is clean Android, the latest 14 version, with useful Moto features.
And what disappoints in all this beauty? The screen, despite being 120Hz, can’t boast of much else – the resolution is low, color reproduction and brightness are weak. Only 128GB of storage, and 4GB of RAM in the base version – it’s not serious in 2024, competitors offer more. Charging could be faster. There’s pre-installed bloatware (not a big deal, can be removed, but it wasn’t there before). But overall, for its price, as I mentioned, it’s a successful model. Those who choose it are unlikely to be disappointed.
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