Despite having some rumors in the past that Lenovo would discontinue the Moto G and Moto E series, it now seems this is NOT the case. According to this post from the official motorola blog, the successful smartphone won't be killed, but the company will take different paths.

Hi, folks! After using the Moto G3 everyday for a while now, I would like to present a review of this android smartphone, recently updated to 6.0 Marshmallow. Later, it also received an update or patch to fix some bugs and improve security features.

The XT1544 model I'm using comes with a Digital HDTV receptor, but since I moved in to Toronto - Ontario, Canada, it has been unused because there's no open TV signal like I had in Brazil (the item was bought there initially).

Anyways, when I had the opportunity to watch TV in it, I felt a little stuttering while doing so and changing from channel to channel was a bit odd. I don't know if anything was improved for the android M regarding that feature. It came with the Android Lollipop back then.

I don't know if this model of the smartphone was nerfed in any ways, because as you can see from the screenshots taken, the RAM size is 1GB instead of 2GB. I thought the smartphone would come with 2GB since its internal storage is 16GB.

No stereo speakers though...

Yeah, I also thought the 2015 model had stereo speakers like its predecessor, it'd be kind of cool not that would make up my mind, I just felt a little disappointment there. In the other hand, no worries taking a sound blast into your ear (after finishing a whatever call and having the smartphone back playing some YouTube video).

In the end, it doesn't matter whether the smartphone has stereo capabilities or not. I can always use an earphone or a headset.

Some specs...

According to CPU-Z, the smartphone features a Qualcomm Snapdragon 400/410 @ 1.36GHz processor (a 4 core ARM Cortex-A53 in a 28nm die), 1GB of RAM memory and 16GB of internal storage. Its GPU is an Adreno 306 also from Qualcomm.

It supports dual LTE SIM cards and for extra storage, a limit of 32GB in a microSD card. You don't have to choose between having a second SIM card and a microSD expansion card, you can have both.

Note for people in Canada: this particular model has AWS capability, so it will work if you buy a WIND sim card.

You can see full specs from the processor here. Also, take a look @ GSM Arena with a lot more specs here.

Connectivity

No 5GHz wireless though, it features 802.11 b/g/n and it can hotspot (which I used a lot when I didn't have wifi at home). Bluetooth 4.0 to broadcast to speakers, car sound systems or using a compatible headset. A USB 2.0 port for charging and transfering files to a pc or notebook.

Antutu Benchmarks

I should advice that the following benchmarks were taken in a smartphone full of apps installed (Whatsapp, Facebook, 9gag, Instagram, LinkedIn, Youtube, NetFlix and so on), meaning that its RAM memory was almost at full charge. Despite having an Adreno 306 GPU that comes with the Snapdragon 410, the smartphone does not do well with 3D rendering (at least with Antutu).

According to Antutu ranking list, the smartphone in the 1st place is the Huawei Mate 8 (92746 points), followed by the Meizu Pro 5 (85652 points) and finally the Samsung Galaxy Note 5 (83944 points).

The Moto G3 scored 31002 points.

The following video looks like someone playing Myst (an old PC game), so 3D rendering is not a strong aspect of it. The phone does well though with games like Candy Crush Saga or Angry Birds. I tried Sonic Dash, but unfortunately it couldn't run smoothly enough.

I have a lot of apps installed on it and used it as my main device. I have to admit that if the smartphone keeps running smoothly as it has been for a couple of more years, I'll have no motive to buy another one.

The Moto G3 also comes with a security feature: the IPX7, meaning it can withstand some droplets of water or, for the sake of god, a dive into the toilet.

Don't blow air into the speakers to try take some water off of it. Trust me...

Front and Rear Cameras

The front camera is a 5MP, f/2.2 auto-HDR, capable of recording videos @ 700x1280 pixels. The rear camera offers more power, it's a 13MP, f/2.0, autofocus, dual-LED (dual-tone) flash.

It then features geo-tagging, touch focus, face detection, panorama, auto-HDR. The videos are recorded in 1080p @ 30fps.

For video testing, take a look at this YouTube video and you will have an idea or what to expect! The footage is from a channel called Technikfaultier.

Now, a couple of pictures demonstrating the HDR feature: the first one is enabled, while the second is not.

Panorama Pictures: easy to take them, some options are not available while doing so. Static pictures taken with the smartphone (and with the HDR on) are great: framing moving objects or anything that demands more from it won't keep up the quality.

At night and outside, the panorama feature won't be as useful during the day. You can take vertical panorama pictures though, if you are Neo from Matrix.

I tried taking panorama pictures while holding the smartphone in the portrait position... it didn't work at all.

Pictures at night will be a challenge: even switching between the available options for the camera, like activating the night mode, adjusting the light sensor throttle and forcing HDR on, the result is not good.

Moto G3: I am NOT the night, I am NOT Batman!

Should I stay or should I go (for it)?

Definitely an option for those who can't spend much money in a smartphone. It's a "does the job pretty well" kind of device, but I think people should wait to see if the prices will drop (or look for a better but more expensive option out there).