Moto C

Lenovo tries to capture the low-cost market with the Moto C. Priced at ₹6,999, it is a capable set for low-budget users.

As a low-cost phone, Moto C does not have any spectacular features, but it arrives with enough low-cost components to keep the user happy. The only problem remains with the dated display. On the whole, it is a worthy recommendation for any low-cost user.

The Moro C is of a plastic build, which is expected at this rate. It has a low display-to-surface ratio of around 64% which means you do not get adequate screen space to work with. It also has a removable back. On the whole, the material used and the craftsmanship is okay for an entry-level phone. The device does not make much noise when sturdiness tests like twisting the phone are done – proving it to be sturdy. The Volume button is placed at the right side and is quite easily accessible. As it is made out of plastic, the phone does not feel good in the hand and looks cheap.

Moto C comes with a 5-inch TFT display with a resolution of 854×480 pixels having a density of about 196 PPI. It is a very dated display. The maximum luminosity registered by Moto C is 364 cd/m². It is quite bright, but it is easily beaten by its competitors. However, the brightness is evenly distributed. Due to the lack of ambient light sensors, the screen brightness cannot be adjusted. However, the colours on the phone are intense. Due to its screen brightness, it can be viewed outdoors in sunlight without having too much of reflection. However, the viewing angles are not good and have a fall in quality when viewed at a wide angle.

The Moto C is fitted with a MediaTek MT6737 chipset. It is a very old chipset, running on 4 cores the clock up to 1.1 GHz. It is an entry-level processor and partnered with the ARM Mali T720 which is also entry level. Twinned with the 1 GB RAM, the Moto C delivers average performance. Demanding games will make the phone freeze. Multitasking is good but opening too many apps at one time would result in stuttering.

The Moto C has a primary 5MP camera on its rear panel. It can take shots at 4:3 format and with a resolution of 2560×1920 pixels. It comes with an f/2.4 aperture. Under good lighting conditions, the photos have high details and are quite sharp. However, there is a bit of washing out of colours which may be because of the lack of autofocus. Videos can be recorded in HD at 30 fps.

The Moto C stutters when it comes to low light photos. The image sharpness is not great, and as a result, you get noisy photos.

The 2MP selfie camera is decent and captures mediocre selfies. However, the selfies have to be taken in adequate light, and low light selfies falter when it comes to quality.

The Moto C comes with a 2350-mAh battery. In a Wi-Fi test where the internet was kept running, the phone was able to last for 8h 37min which is impressive. It showed that the phone is capable of offering amazing battery backup that can make it go through a whole day, or even two. The charging time, however, is a bit long, taking 3 hours to charge.

In the low budget segment, Moto C is quite a good phone. While it may have a cheap design, it sits well in hand. However, the problem with the phone is the bad display. It is very dated though it might be the reason for the better performance and battery life if the phone is placed against its flagship rivals. On the whole, it is a phone with all the qualities expected from a low-budget phone and is a recommended buy for any low-budget user. However, investing a bit more and buying a Redmi 4 would be a much better option.