Moto G82 5G: Redefining Mid-Range Excellence with Innovative Features

The Moto G82 5G stands out as the newest and most upscale entry in Motorola’s G series, positioning itself at the top tier. This smartphone breaks the ₹20,000 price threshold, marking the G series’ entry into a premium price segment for the first time. Motorola has endowed the G82 5G with a 120Hz pOLED display, stereo speakers, and a 50-megapixel camera featuring optical image stabilization (OIS). It operates on a Qualcomm Snapdragon 695 chipset, presenting an intriguing set of specifications relative to its cost. After spending some time with the Moto G82 5G, here are my initial thoughts.

According to Motorola, the Moto G82 5G is the slimmest and lightest device in its category. It is just 7.9mm thick and weighs 173 grams. The design of the Moto G82 5G resembles the boxy aesthetic seen in Motorola’s recent Edge series, including the Motorola Edge 30 (Review) and the newly released Moto E32s (First look). The phone’s frame is flat and made of plastic.

On the right side, you will find a side-mounted fingerprint sensor that also functions as the power button. The volume controls are located on the same side; however, they are slightly challenging to reach. The volume buttons do not stick out significantly but provide satisfactory feedback when pressed. The Moto G82 5G is equipped with a 3.5mm audio jack, a USB Type-C charging port, and a speaker located at the bottom. Additionally, there is another microphone on the top, and the earpiece serves as a secondary speaker for stereo audio. The Moto G82 5G is rated at IP52, offering a level of resistance against minor water splashes.

The acrylic back of the Moto G82 5G lends it a premium appearance

The Moto G82 5G features an acrylic rear panel that gives it an attractive glass-like finish, promising enhanced durability against unintentional drops. I noticed it tends to attract fingerprints rather quickly, but the Meteorite Grey shade of my model effectively conceals them. Motorola also provides a White Lily variant. The phone comes with a protective case in the box to help minimize this issue.

Equipped with a triple camera arrangement, the Moto G82 5G includes a 50-megapixel main camera with optical image stabilization (OIS), an 8-megapixel ultra-wide sensor that also serves as the depth sensor, and a 2-megapixel macro lens. The rear panel is flat with slightly rounded edges, making it pleasant to hold.

The Moto G82 5G boasts a 6.6-inch pOLED screen with full-HD+ resolution and a rapid 120Hz refresh rate. The display incorporates DC dimming for better battery longevity and features a touch sampling rate of 360Hz. Motorola asserts that the pOLED technology helps maintain a slim display profile while allowing for narrower bezels. A hole-punch design accommodates the 16-megapixel front camera.

The Moto G82 5G launches with Android 12, with an Android 13 update promised

Powering the Moto G82 5G is the Qualcomm Snapdragon 695 SoC. This chipset is quite prevalent in this price bracket, also being used in the Moto G71 5G (Review). The G82 5G is available in 6GB and 8GB RAM variants, both offering 128GB of storage. The 6GB model is priced at ₹21,499, while the 8GB version is available for ₹22,999. At launch, Motorola is providing a cashback offer on selected credit cards, allowing a ₹1,500 discount on both variants.

There is also an option to expand the phone’s internal memory further; however, this uses a hybrid SIM slot, meaning that inserting a microSD card will sacrifice the second SIM slot. The Moto G82 5G supports Bluetooth 5.1, dual-band Wi-Fi, 13 5G bands, dual 4G VoLTE, NFC, and connects to six satellite navigation systems. The smartphone is powered by a 5,000mAh battery and supports 30W fast charging, with a 33W TurboPower charger included in the box.

The device ships with Android 12 along with Motorola’s MyUX UI overlay. The interface closely resembles stock Android and is straightforward to navigate. It includes Google’s suite of applications and comes preloaded with Facebook. Motorola ensures an upgrade to Android 13 and pledges three years of security updates. While I wish for an Android 14 update to be included, Motorola is currently providing two major OS updates solely for its premium Edge 30 series.

The Moto G82 5G features a primary camera with 50 megapixels

With the intention of broadening the reach of its G-series devices across various price ranges, the Moto G82 5G represents the inaugural step in this direction. However, the new smartphone competes with formidable contenders like the Vivo T1 5G (Review), OnePlus Nord CE 2 Lite 5G (Review), and the Redmi Note 11 Pro+ 5G (Review). These models boast similar specifications and generally undercut the Moto G82 5G in terms of pricing. But can features like the optically stabilized primary camera and the IP rating turn the tide in favor of the G82 5G? I will be rigorously testing the Moto G82 5G, so stay tuned for my comprehensive review only on Gadgets 360.