Lenovo Moto G8 Plus

Budget phone is a basic necessity

In another victory for marketing logic, the Moto G8 Plus differs from the Moto G8 in that it has a 6.3in screen and 64GB of storage, while the Moto G8 doesn’t actually exist. Still, if there was a Moto G8, the Moto G8 Plus would doubtless be better.

With a glossy pink or blue plastic back, it feels mid-range rather than budget, with a decent processor that runs Android 9 smoothly and can cope with all but the most demanding 3D games. The IPS screen has a bit of bezel at the bottom, and only covers 88.5 per cent of SRGB

SPECIFICATIONS

6.3in 2280x1080-pixel screen • 48-megapixel and 16-megapixel rear cameras • 25-megapixel front camera • 64GB flash storage • Microsd card slot • 802.11ac Wi-fi • Bluetooth 5.0 with aptx • 3G/4G • 158x75.8x9.1mm (HXWXD) • 188g • One-year warranty www.snipca.com/34037 colours, but goes exceptionally bright.

Fighting for space with the NFC fingerprint reader, the impressive rear camera array has only two actual cameras. The main sensor uses 48 megapixels to generate 12-megapixel images, with a fast f/1.7 lens that gave convincing results in low light. There’s also a laser focus sensor and a depth sensor for portrait mode, while the other wide-angle lens is for video. An action cam mode lets you shoot widescreen while holding the phone vertically, but only in 1080p Full HD; 4K is available in landscape, but lacks stabilisation.

Lasting just under 18 hours in our video-playback test, the Moto G8 Plus is a practical phone with no major flaws. Its problem is competition. Xiaomi’s Redmi Note 8T (£166 from Amazon www.snipca. com/33950, see our review, Issue 573) has similar specs, three cameras, prettier colours, and costs £30-odd less.

VERDICT Like the best previous Moto Gs, this isn’t the most exciting phone but gives you a solid spec for the money

ALTERNATIVE

Xiaomi Redmi Note 8T £166 The macro (close-up) camera is gimmicky, but this is a decent phone for a bit less