Motorola G53 5G – features and value that are hard to beat (update smartphone review)

The Motorola G53 5G at $329 has a Qualcomm SD480+ SoC, 5000mAh battery, decent camera, and a good strong phone signal. It is the one to buy in this price bracket.

And that price bracket is important – $329 is in the upper entry-level bracket. Spend much less, and the compromises impact functionality. But you could spend more and still not get the functionality this has.

Upfront, be clear that it is a no-risk purchase. It is future-proof, knowing you can use 5G if and when it is in your area, and you want to pay a lot more for mobile data. So, consider it a good 4G phone with potential future benefits.

Update 16 August 2023: The Motorola G53 has been named Best Value Phone in the 2023 WhistleOut Awards – we told you first that its features and value are hard to beat. From 17 August – 14 September, it is on sale for $299 (RRP $329). Also available at Telstra prepaid for $269.

Australian Review: Motorola G53 5G, 4/128GB, dual sim, Model XT2335-2

Website	Product Page
Price	$329
Colours	Ink Blue
From	Lenovo Online, JB Hi-Fi, The Good Guys, Officeworks, Big W, Amazon, Catch.com.au, and motorola.com.au*
Warranty	12-months ACL
Made in	China
Company	Owned by Lenovo (Est 1984) – a multinational technology company with its primary operational headquarters in Beijing and Morrisville, North Carolina. It is the world’s largest PC maker, and it purchased Motorola Mobility from Google in 2014. Most of Lenovo’s smartphone business is now under the Motorola brand, with grand plans to become a ‘top five’ smartphone maker.
More	Other CyberShack Motorola news and reviews

Deep-Dive review format

It is now in two parts – a summary (the first part) and a separate 300+ line database-driven spec, including over 70 tests to back up the findings. It also helps us compare different phones and features.

We use Fail (below expectations), Passable (meets low expectations), Pass (meets expectations), Pass+ (near Exceed but not class-leading) and Exceed (surpasses expectations or is the class leader) against many of the items below. You can click on most images for an enlargement.

* Better buy genuine, or 5G won’t work

We strongly advise buying a genuine model with Australian firmware if you want to use 5G. Read Don’t buy a grey market phone to ensure you get the Australian model.

We know country and telco carrier-specific models for the USA, China, LATAM and Europe that won’t work on 5G here. Make sure the software version is ‘retapac’. The only colour for Australia is ink blue.

It is easy to identify the Australian version – usually, under Settings, About Phone, Legal Information, and Regulatory Compliance, you will see the Australian RCM C-tick mark, and it is also on the box.

First impression – More glass slabs – Pass

It is a glass slab – minimalistic with no distinguishing features apart from a subtle centre-top O-hole selfie and the discrete Batwing logo on the chamfered-edge back. At $329, you should not expect more.

Screen: 6.5” 1600 x 720, 120Hz IPS/LCD – Pass

It is an HD 720p screen, where more are now 1080p. Nevertheless, it is fit for purpose and is reasonably colour-accurate. It is OK in sunlight, but avoid direct light. It will stream L1 Widevine video in HD SDR.

Summary: Good IPS screen for the price

Processor – Qualcomm SD480+ 8nm is all you need – Pass

It is faster than a MediaTek Helio P0/G90/G70/Dimensity720 and slower than an SD730G.

It has a Gen 2 X51 modem for a maximum of 2.5Gbps download (it will never reach this).

The Adreno 619 GPU maxes out at 40fps for most games – not for gamers!

It has 4/128GB storage and microSD expansion to 1TB and can access external SSD in OTG Mode.

Summary: It passed all tests commensurate with this price bracket.

Comms – it is all there – Pass

Wi-Fi 5 AC is all you can expect, and it connects at 433Mbps half-duplex. It works well out to 10m on the 5Ghz band.

BT 5.1 has Qualcomm standard codecs – SBC, AAC, aptX (most versions) and LDAC.

The dual GPS is welcome, but it loses satellites on cloudy days. It is accurate to <10m and is fine for in-car navigation.

NFC supports Google Pay.

Phone – eSIM, single SIM and dedicated microSD

It is a hybrid eSIM and single SIM with a dedicated MicroSD. Only one can be active at a time. It has two ringtones that are excellent for home and business users.

All you need to know is that it supports all Australian 4G/LTE and 5G sub-6Ghz and its low bands.

It is a great city, suburbs, regional and rural area device with good strong antenna strength. It found four towers where many phones only find one.

Battery – 5000mAh for two or more days of use – Pass+

The battery is 5000mAh. But it is laughable that it comes with a USB 2.0 5V/2A charger that can take over 2.5 hours. It is 5V/3A/15W capable, and its charge time reduces to 1 hour 37 minutes.

BTW – the supplied USB-A to USB-C 2W cable is for charging only – it won’t transmit data and will not handle 15W charging – you need a PD 15W charger and a  3 to 5W cable.

Battery Tests: Adaptive screen

• PC Mark 3.0 battery test is one of the more accurate tests for heavy use, and it gives 19 hours and 6 minutes on the Adaptive setting.
• GFX Benchmark T-Rex: A good 1080p video benchmark, giving 7.57 hours and 5663 frames.
• GFX Benchmark Manhattan stresses the device a little more, but it had the dreaded out-of-memory error, which is not an issue.
• Our video loop on-device storage, 50% screen and aeroplane mode was 19 hours and 7 minutes.
• 100% drain screen-on: 4 hours 30 minutes
• mA idle: 250-300
• mA full load: 1150-1250
• 5V/2A/10W charger: 2 hours 37 minutes
• 5V/3A/15W charger:

Battery summary: Overall a two-day typical use device but the 100% load screen on drain at 4 hours 30 minutes means it is not for heavy users.

Sound – Stereo and Dolby Atmos decode – Pass

It has a stereo earpiece and a bottom-firing speaker. These are surprisingly well-balanced, giving a sound stage as wide as the phone. Maximum volume is 83dB.

It can decode Dolby Atmos and downmix to the 2.0 speakers, and the sound stage widens, but there are no convincing 3D spatial height effects.

Hand-free is adequate, with dual mics providing some noise cancelling, but keep the phone close to your mouth.

BT includes Qualcomm aptX, HD, TWS, Adaptive, and the standard SBC, AAC, and LDAC.

Sound quality – Passable

It has no low/mid-bass, slowly building high bass and mid and flat from 1-6Khz when the treble falls off. Distortion is evident at maximum volume.

It has an Analytical sound signature: (bass/mid recessed; treble boosted) – crisp but not pleasant for most music.

Build – solid – Pass

It is well-made and should withstand the knocks, especially with a clear bumper cover. However, IP52 is a joke – ‘Vertically dripping water shall have no harmful effect when the enclosure tilts at an angle of 15° from its normal position.’ Still, it should withstand light rain.

Android 13 – you will get 14 – Pass

It ships with Android 13 and Motorola’s overlay My UX. You can reasonably expect Android 14 and three years of bi-monthly security updates.

Android is almost pure, and the MY UX adds things like a camera app and Moto gestures.

Missing – not much

3.5mm earphones (there is a 3.5mm four-pole port). It has everything you need apart from a faster charger.

Motorola G53 camera – better than social media class – Pass

Let’s face it – it is an entry-level Samsung SK5JN1, 50MP with tiny .64um pixels binned to 12.5MP and 1.28um. Add to that the Qualcomm SD480+ entry-level AI image processing and it is better than most at this price.

The result is generally good photos in day or office light. It struggles with low light introducing some noise, but you will not see that on a 4×6″ print.

Camera Comments

• 1X Day Primary sensor: the colours are accurate. Good details in the background, shadows, and highlights.
• 2X Day Primary sensor: Good colour and details – particularly good background with little noise
• 4X Day Primary sensor: Pushing its limits with a noisy background – still pretty good
• 10X Day Primary sensor: Forget it
• Ultra-wide: N/A
• Macro 2MP sensor: excellent details and colours but critical about 4cm focus distance.
• Indoor office light: Slightly muted colours and good details
• Bokeh Depth: Using AI, and without a human subject, it does not know how to separate foreground and background, so it is all bokeh.
• Dark <40 lumens: The standard mode (not night mode) is quite decent, picking up details from the screen.
• Night mode: Brightens the scene but blows out details – needs work.
• Selfie: The 8MP has natural skin tones, good detail and a range of filters to enhance any image.
• Video (we are not video experts):
  • Primary sensor: You can shoot at 1080p@60/30fps with EIS, and the day/office light results are adequate.
  • Selfie: 1080p@30fps, but the results are barely adequate. Fine for video conference.
  • Overall video is good but lacks dynamic range, especially in low light.

CyberShack’s view – Motorola G53 5G – all the features you need for $329

I am quite pleased to see that Motorola has a such a well-featured G-series at this price. The Motorola G53 5G is what it is – a $329 device with stereo speakers, solid build quality, a 120Hz refresh rate, a big battery with excellent battery life and Android 13.

The more I tested and stressed it, the more impressed I became. It punches above its weight. If that is all, I had to spend I would buy it.

At the end of the review, I can safely say this phone is all you need, so don’t wait.

Its competition is:

• Samsung A04S 128GB RRP 329
• Motorola G62 128GB $349
• 2022 Motorola G51 128GB $349
• OPPO A76 128GB $349
• Nokia G22 128GB $349
• OPPO A78 128GB $359
• Samsung Galaxy A13 128GB $379

It stands up well against all of these; however, the 2022 Motorola G51 is very similar and has slightly higher specs.

Rating Explanation 8.8 out of 100

• Features: 90 – It is an entry-level 5G phone using the Qualcomm SDF+480+ SoC. There is nothing wrong. with it, but nothing is outstanding, either.
• Value: 100 – It has all the features at a great price.
• Performance: 80 – It is a value SoC, and you get fit-for-purpose performance. It is not for gamers.
• Ease of Use: 90 – My UX adds some value to stock Android 13 and a decent warranty and OS upgrade/patch policy.
• Design: 80 – A plastic glass slab is boring but fine.

Pro

Good build quality, warranty

Decent camera

Decent battery life

Excellent phone antenna strength for city, suburbs and regional use

Android 13 and OS/Patch upgrade policy

Con

Basic 10W charging when it is 15W capable

Adequate but unimpressive processor performance

No ultra-wide or depth sensors – I would have preferred that over a 2MP macro sensor

Motorola G53 5G – Detailed specs

CyberShack Smartphone comparison v 1.7 (E&OE)
Brand	Motorola
Model	Motorola G53 5G
Model Number	XT2335-2
Price Base	4/128GB
Price base	329
Warranty months	1-year retail, 2-year Telco versions
Tier	upper entry-level
Website	Product page
From	JB Hi-Fi, Big W, Lenovo Online
Country of Origin	China
Company	Owned by Lenovo (Est 1984) – a multinational technology company with its primary operational headquarters in Beijing and Morrisville, North Carolina. It is the world’s largest PC maker. It purchased Motorola Mobility from Google in 2014. Most of Lenovo’s smartphone business is now under the Motorola brand, with grand plans to become a ‘top five’ smartphone maker.
More
Test date	1-20 April 2023
Ambient temp	20°
Release	44896
Other models not for Australia (Don’t buy)	Must have an RCM C-Tick. Only approved resellers – any other outlet is likely to be grey market.

Screen

Size	6.5″
Type	IPS LCD
Flat, Curve, 2D, 3D	Flat
Resolution	1600 x 720
PPI	269
Ratio	20:9
Screen to Body %	0.8947
Colours bits	8-bit 16.7m colours
Refresh Hz, adaptive	60Hz or 120Hz fixed or Auto – Adaptive to 60/90/120Hz.
Response 120Hz	N/A
Nits typical, test	500 (480)
Nits max, test	600 (590)
Contrast	1500:1 (1470:1)
sRGB	Saturated 90% sRGB Natural is more colour accurate
DCI-P3	around 50% of the 16.7m gamut
Rec.2020 or other	No
Delta E (<4 is excellent)	3
HDR Level	No
SDR Upscale	No
Blue Light Control	Yes
PWM if known	No
Daylight readable	Yes, but not in direct sunlight
Always on Display	No
Edge display	No
Accessibility	Usual Android features
DRM	L1 for HD SDR playback
Gaming	Not for gaming = PUGB Mobile <40fps
Screen protection	Unknown – likely toughened
Comment	Slight blueish cast – best to use the Natural setting. Overall a fit-for-purpose screen that is better than expected for this price.

Processor

Brand, Model	Qualcomm SD480+ Product page
nm	8
Cores	2×2.2GHz + 6×1.8GHz
Modem	X51
AI TOPS	Estimate 5 TOPS (low-end AI)
Geekbench 5 Single-core	736
Geekbench 5 multi-core	1790
Like	Similar to MediaTek Helio G70 or Qualcomm SD678
GPU	Adreno 619
GPU Test
Open CL	1020
Like	SD 730G
Vulcan	885
RAM, type	4GB LPDDRX
Storage, free, type	128GB UFS 2.1 (101GB free)
micro-SD	up to 1TB
CPDT internal seq. Read MBps	468 – reflects UFS 2.1
CPDT internal seq. write MBps	299
CPDT microSD read, write MBps	81/27 and mountable
CPDT external (mountable?) MBps	29/23 OTG Only
Comment	All are fit for purpose and price
Throttle test
Max GIPS	155383
Average GIPS	146992
Minimum GIPS	137047
% Throttle	0.1
CPU Temp	50
Comment	Excellent thermal management

Comms

Wi-FI Type, model	Wi-Fi 5 AC WCN3990 2×2 MU-MIMO
Test 2m -dBm, Mbps	-27/433
Test 5m	-48/433
Test 10m	-57/433
BT Type	5.1
GPS single, dual	Dual but tends to lose satellites on cloudy days. Accuracy <4m.
USB type	USB-C 2.0 480Mbps
ALT DP, DeX, Ready For	No
NFC	Yes
Ultra-wideband	No
Sensors
Accelerometer	Yes -combo with Gyro is very sensitive
Gyro	Yes
e-Compass	Yes
Barometer
Gravity
Pedometer
Ambient light	Yes
Hall sensor
Proximity	Yes
Other	SAR sensor Sensor Hub
Comment	Speeds as expected with Wi-Fi AC, although 5 and 10m tests are a little below average.

LTE and 5G

SIM	Hybrid Dual SIM (1 eSim + 1 Nano Sim + 1 microSD)
Active
Ring tone single, dual	Dual – excellent for travellers
VoLTE	Carrier dependent
Wi-Fi calling	Carrier dependent
4G Bands	B1/2/3/5/7/8/18/19/20/26/28/32/38/40/41/42
Comment	All Australian 4G bands
5G sub-6Ghz	n1/3/5/7/8/20/28/38/40/41/77/78
Comment	All Australian 5G sub-6 and low bands
mmWave	No
Test Boost Mobile, Telstra
UL, DL, ms	24/22/31ms
Tower 1 -dBm, fW or pW	-90/1 to 3 pW
Tower 2	-96/1pW
Tower 3	100/500fW
Tower 4	-103/250fW
Comment	As expected from a Qualcomm modem, it found all four towers at usable strengths. It should be suitable for city, suburbs and regional use with reasonable tower coverage.

Battery

mAh	5000
Charger, type, supplied	10W supplied and capable of 5V/3A/15W
PD, QC level	PD capable – Overcharge protection may influence results.
Qi, wattage	No
Reverse Qi or cable	No
Test (60Hz or adaptive screen)	Adaptive
Charge % 30mins	0.22
Charge 0-100%	1 hour 37 minutes 15W
Charge Qi, W Using Belkin Boost Charge 15W fast wireless charge	N/A
Charge 5V, 2A	2 hours 37 minutes with supplied adapter
Video loop 50%, aeroplane	19 hours 7 minutes
PC Mark 3 battery	19 hours 6 minutes
GFX Bench Manhattan battery	Would not run
GFX Bench T-Rex	454.4 minutes (7.57 hours) 5663 frames
Drain 100-0% full load screen on	4 hours 30 minutes
mA full load	1150-1250
mA Watt idle Screen on	250-300mA
Estimate loss at max refresh	Auto mode maximises battery life, so we expect about a 20% penalty should you fix on 120Hz
Estimate typical use	Estimate typical use over 2 days. It consumes more power under full load than expected.
Comment	Excellent battery life. Moto should have provided a 15W faster charger for the pittance that would cost. Oh well, a cost-saving measure. Note that the supplied cable is for charging only and will not handle 5V/3A/ 15W, so you need a higher-rating cable.

Sound

Speakers	Top forward, up-firing and bottom down-firing stereo.
Tuning	No
AMP	2 x AW87 each 2.3W @10% THD
Dolby Atmos decode	Dolby Atmos decode to 2.0 speakers.
Hi-Res	No
3.5mm	Yes
BT Codecs	SBC, AAC, LDAC and aptX, HD, TWS, Adaptive
Multipoint	Yes
Dolby Atmos (DA)	Yes
EQ	Smart, music or movie for headphones.
Mics	Dual
Test dB – all on EQ flat DA off
Volume max	83
Media (music)	80
Ring	77
Alarm	77
Notifications	77
Earpiece	55
Hands-free	While it has dual mics and some noise-cancelling, the volume is just adequate.
BT headphones	Good volume and channel separation

Sound quality – Motorola G53 5G

Deep Bass 20-40Hz	Nil
Middle Bass 40-100Hz	Nil
High Bass 100-200Hz	Slow build to 200Hz
Low Mid 200-400Hz	Still building to 1kHz
Mid 4000-1000Hz	Still building to 1kHz
High-Mid 1-2kHz	Flat to 8kHz
Low Treble 2-4kHz	Flat to 8kHz
Mid Treble 4-6kHz	peaking
High Treble 6-10kHz	declining
Dog Whistle 10-20kHz	declining to 12kHz the off the cliff
Sound Signature type	Analytical: (bass, mid recessed; treble boosted) – crisp but not pleasant for most music
Soundstage	As wide as the phone. DA content widens it a little, but no 3D spatial height exists. A decent balance between the top and bottom speakers.
Comment	At the price, this is all you can expect. The speaker is purely for clear voice, and music is unpleasant. Use earphones where DA adds more effect.

Build

Size (H X W x D)	162.7 x 74.7 x 8.2 mm
Weight grams	183
Front glass	Glass (we assume toughened)
Rear material	Plastic
Frame	Plastic unibody
IP rating	Water-resistant coating – IP 52 rating
Colours	Ink Blue
Pen, Stylus support	No
In the box
Charger	10W
USB cable	USB-A to USB-C 2W charge only – no data
Buds	No
Bumper cover	Yes
Comment

OS

Android	13
Security patch date	1/02/23
UI	Personalize: Theme, Wallpaper Display: Peek Display, Attentive Display Gestures: Quick Capture, Fast Flashlight, Three-Finger Screenshot, Flip for DND, Pick Up to Silence, Lift to Unlock, Swipe to Split, Quick Launch Play: Media Controls, Gametime Tips: Take a Tour, What’s New in Android 13
OS upgrade policy	1 OS update
Security patch policy	3 years bi-monthly patches
Bloatware	All Google Suite Facebook
Other	No
Comment	There is a lot of added functionality in MY UX, leaving the underlying Android alone.
Security
Fingerprint sensor location, type	On power button – 9/10 test
Face ID	Yes, 2D not tested
Other	Lenovo Think Shield security for registered businesses – not for consumers

Camera – Motorola G53 5G

Rear Primary	Wide
MP	50MP bins to 12.5MP
Sensor	Samsung S5KJN1
Focus	PDAF
f-stop	1.8
um	.64 bins to 1.28
FOV° (stated, actual)	63-75°
Stabilisation	EIS
Zoom	8X digital
Rear 3	Macro
MP	2
Sensor	Omnivision ov02b10
Focus	Fixed 4cm
f-stop	2.4
um	1.75
FOV (stated, actual)	N/A
Stabilisation	No
Zoom	No
Video max	1080p@30fps
Flash	LED
Auto-HDR	No
	Ultra-Res Dual Capture Spot Colour Night Vision Macro Vision Portrait Live Filter Panorama AR Stickers Pro Mode (w/ Long Exposure) Smart Composition Auto Smile Capture Google Lens integration Active Photos Timer High-res Digital Zoom (Up to 8x) RAW Photo Output HDR Burst Shot Assistive Grid Leveller Watermark Barcode Scanner Quick Capture Tap Anywhere to Capture
QR code reader	Via Google Lens
Night mode	AI

Front camera – Motorola G53 5G

Type	Selfie
MP	8MP
Sensor	SK54h7
Focus	Fixed
f-stop	2
um	1.12
FOV (stated, actual)	67.5-79.8°
Stabilisation	No
Flash	Screen fill
Zoom	Fixed
Video max	1080p@30
Features	Dual Capture Spot Colour Portrait Live Filter Group Selfie Pro Mode (w/ Long Exposure) Auto Smile Capture Gesture Selfie Active Photos Face Beauty Timer Selfie Animation RAW Photo Output HDR Assistive Grid Leveller Selfie Photo Mirror Watermark Burst Shot Tap Anywhere to Capture

 Camera comment – Motorola G53 5G

• 1X Day Primary sensor: the colours are accurate. Good details in the background, shadows, and highlights. • 2X Day Primary sensor: Good colour and details – particularly good background with little noise • 4X Day Primary sensor: Pushing its limits with a noisy background – still pretty good • 10X Day Primary sensor: Forget it • Ultra-wide: N/A • Macro 2MP sensor: excellent details and colours but critical about 4cm focus distance. • Indoor office light: Slightly muted colours and good details • Bokeh Depth: Using AI and without a human subject, it does not know how to separate foreground and background, so it is all bokeh. • Dark <40 lumens: The standard mode (not night mode) is quite decent, picking up details from the screen. • Night mode: Brightens the scene but blows out details – needs work. • Selfie: The 8MP and has natural skin tones, good detail and a range of filters to enhance any image. • Video (we are not video experts): o Primary sensor: You can shoot at 1080p@60/30fps with EIS, and the day/office light results are adequate. o Selfie: 1080p@30fps, but the results are barely adequate. Fine for video conference. o Overall video is good but lacks dynamic range, especially in low light.

Rating Explanation – Motorola G53 5G

Features	9
	It is an entry-level 5G phone using the Qualcomm SDF+480+ SoC. There is nothing wrong with it, but nothing is outstanding, either.
Value	10
	It has all the features at a great price
Performance	8
	It is a value SoC, and you get fit-for-purpose performance. It is not for gamers.
Ease of Use	9
	My UX adds some value to stock Android and a decent warranty and OS upgrade/patch policy.
Design	8
	All plastic is boring but fine
Rating out of 10	8.8
Final comment	If all you have is $329, this is the one to buy.