# Why is the Moto G phone so cheap compared to others? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [January 16, 2017, 9:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-the-moto-g-phone-so-cheap-compared-to-others/777341 "2017-01-16T21:18:06Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 18\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![CookingWithGas](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cookingwithgas/32/485_2.png) [@CookingWithGas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CookingWithGas)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2017, 9:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-the-moto-g-phone-so-cheap-compared-to-others/777341/1 "2017-01-16T21:18:06Z")
I just paid about $650 at Verizon for an LG G5. A friend of mine said he got a [Moto G[sup]4[/sup]](https://www.motorola.com/us/products/moto-g-plus) new, unlocked for about $250. Other than lining Verizon’s pockets, what else is my money buying me that I don’t get with the Moto? Both Android phones with similar form factors and features, as far as I can tell. ---
**Author:** ![Shagnasty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9dc877/32.png) [@Shagnasty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shagnasty)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2017, 9:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-the-moto-g-phone-so-cheap-compared-to-others/777341/2 "2017-01-16T21:24:31Z")
Nothing. Moto G4’s are just a really good deal that blur the line between discount and premium phones. Motorola did a good job with delivering a “cheap” phone that doesn’t suffer in quality or features. They get really good tech reviews. > **[Moto G5 (2017)](https://www.trustedreviews.com/reviews/motorola-moto-g)** > > Moto G5 review: A new metal-infused design and smaller size, but this is still the same old G we know and love. ---
**Author:** ![gazpacho](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/6f9a4e/32.png) [@gazpacho](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gazpacho)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2017, 9:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-the-moto-g-phone-so-cheap-compared-to-others/777341/3 "2017-01-16T21:27:22Z")
The moto G4 has lower resolution screen, an older slower processor, Less RAM, lower resolution camera etc. The G4 is a lower speced phone than the LG G5. You have to decide if the G4 is good enough for you or not. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2017, 12:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-the-moto-g-phone-so-cheap-compared-to-others/777341/4 "2017-01-17T00:41:52Z")
Yeah, that’s what I got, too. The folks at the phone store were surprised that I wanted it (they didn’t even have any in stock), but I figure, on a phone, does the faster processor etc. really make any practical difference? Anything where performance matters that much, I’m going to be doing on a real computer, anyway. ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2017, 1:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-the-moto-g-phone-so-cheap-compared-to-others/777341/5 "2017-01-17T01:20:08Z")
I bought a Moto X Pure in April 2016. $350. They dropped the price a few months later. I just checked Best Buy and it’s currently $270. I like mine. I added a 32gb memory card. It’s a well made phone. I’ve dropped it twice with no damage. ---
**Author:** ![Novelty\_Bobble](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/a3d4f5/32.png) [@Novelty\_Bobble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Novelty_Bobble)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2017, 8:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-the-moto-g-phone-so-cheap-compared-to-others/777341/6 "2017-01-17T08:15:37Z")
I had a first generation Moto G, my wife a second generation moto e (£120 and £100 unlocked and contract free). They are absolutely fine for any low level user. If you want to make reliable calls, texts, emails, social media, play music, check calendars an occasional photo, use sat nav, run a few time-wasting games then they are really good value. I maintain that most low cost android phones about there are probably 95% of the phone that 95% of the public really need. ---
**Author:** ![Keeve](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/f07891/32.png) [@Keeve](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Keeve)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2017, 3:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-the-moto-g-phone-so-cheap-compared-to-others/777341/7 "2017-01-17T15:00:44Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > Anything where performance matters that much, I’m going to be doing on a real computer, anyway. My feeling is that speed is very important on navigation. I turn the corner, and it can take a second or two for the screen to rotate. But I have no idea if that is due to the processor, the video, or who knows what. ---
**Author:** ![Orwell](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/dfb087/32.png) [@Orwell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Orwell)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2017, 7:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-the-moto-g-phone-so-cheap-compared-to-others/777341/8 "2017-01-17T19:26:01Z")
There are several versions of the Moto G. I just bought the Moto G Plus, which has pretty darn good specs. It has a decent processor and lots of RAM. It doesn’t have NFC, so Google Pay and similar apps do not work. It also doesn’t have LED notification lights. But at half the price of the flagship phones, it’s a heckuva deal. I just replaced a Samsung Galaxy S4, and couldn’t see paying $600-700 for a new phone. ---
**Author:** ![Dag\_Otto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/439d5e/32.png) [@Dag\_Otto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dag_Otto)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2017, 8:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-the-moto-g-phone-so-cheap-compared-to-others/777341/9 "2017-01-17T20:01:09Z")
Android Pay only works 50% of the time with NFC. You aren’t missing anything. ---
**Author:** ![magnusblitz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b4bc9f/32.png) [@magnusblitz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/magnusblitz)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2017, 2:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-the-moto-g-phone-so-cheap-compared-to-others/777341/10 "2017-01-18T02:45:47Z")
> [@aceplace57](#): > > I bought a Moto X Pure in April 2016. $350. They dropped the price a few months later. I just checked Best Buy and it’s currently $270. > > I like mine. I added a 32gb memory card. It’s a well made phone. I’ve dropped it twice with no damage. I just got one for myself as well. I knew I didn’t need a $600 bells-and-whistles phone (which is all Verizon offers now it feels like), just something with a solid speed, screen, etc. Had been looking at the Moto G4 but read horror stories about getting it to work on Verizon so went with the Moto X instead (which was confirmed to work). Been really happy with it so far. ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2017, 4:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-the-moto-g-phone-so-cheap-compared-to-others/777341/11 "2017-01-18T16:59:07Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > Yeah, that’s what I got, too. The folks at the phone store were surprised that I wanted it (they didn’t even have any in stock), but I figure, on a phone, does the faster processor etc. really make any practical difference? Anything where performance matters that much, I’m going to be doing on a real computer, anyway. The only thing I have where performance matters is my DS emulator, and that runs fine on a $50 phone, and even runs (albeit with frame skip) on my 800Mhz single core hand-me-down phone that cost $30 when new. ---
**Author:** ![Jophiel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jophiel/32/66_2.png) [@Jophiel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jophiel)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2017, 5:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-the-moto-g-phone-so-cheap-compared-to-others/777341/12 "2017-01-18T17:46:25Z")
> [@gazpacho](#): > > The moto G4 has lower resolution screen, an older slower processor, Less RAM, lower resolution camera etc. The G4 is a lower speced phone than the LG G5. You have to decide if the G4 is good enough for you or not. Yeah, you can usually Google [Phone A] vs [Phone B] and get side by side comparisons from various sites. [Here’s one](http://gadgets.ndtv.com/motorola-moto-g4-plus-3500-vs-lg-g5-3308). The Moto G4 has a slightly larger but lower resolution screen, a Snapdragon 617 vs SD 820 processor, half the RAM and storage, etc. How much you care is up to you. There has been some cheap “flagship killer” style phones coming from Chinese companies in the past year or two. OnePlus has a phone (the 3T - $430) that’s considered “90%” of the way there versus the top end phones. LeEco has one (Le Pro 3 - $350) that’s virtually there as well including the same 821 processor found in the Google Pixel at $650. Again, you’re making some comprises (usually screen resolution and camera) but getting 90% of the specs for 50-66% of the price can certainly be worth it. ---
**Author:** ![Jophiel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jophiel/32/66_2.png) [@Jophiel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jophiel)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2017, 5:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-the-moto-g-phone-so-cheap-compared-to-others/777341/13 "2017-01-18T17:50:26Z")
> [@Keeve](#): > > My feeling is that speed is very important on navigation. I turn the corner, and it can take a second or two for the screen to rotate. But I have no idea if that is due to the processor, the video, or who knows what. Also just general OS updates and new apps. You go up a version or two of Android and you start feeling it get less responsive. Or new apps are flagged not to work with that older processor. How much you care, of course, depends entirely on how you use your phone. A clearer example is on the Apple side where I’m sure most have heard stories of “I updated my old iPad’s operating system and now it barely works” because the OS features have outpaced its ability to handle them. ---
**Author:** ![muldoonthief](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/muldoonthief/32/3188_2.png) [@muldoonthief](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/muldoonthief)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2017, 5:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-the-moto-g-phone-so-cheap-compared-to-others/777341/14 "2017-01-18T17:58:07Z")
> [@Jophiel](#): > > Yeah, you can usually Google [Phone A] vs [Phone B] and get side by side comparisons from various sites. [Here’s one](http://gadgets.ndtv.com/motorola-moto-g4-plus-3500-vs-lg-g5-3308). The Moto G4 has a slightly larger but lower resolution screen, a Snapdragon 617 vs SD 820 processor, half the RAM and storage, etc. How much you care is up to you. > > There has been some cheap “flagship killer” style phones coming from Chinese companies in the past year or two. OnePlus has a phone (the 3T - $430) that’s considered “90%” of the way there versus the top end phones. LeEco has one (Le Pro 3 - $350) that’s virtually there as well including the same 821 processor found in the Google Pixel at $650. Again, you’re making some comprises (usually screen resolution and camera) but getting 90% of the specs for 50-66% of the price can certainly be worth it. Just so you know, Motorola _is_ a Chinese company now. Specifically, Motorola mobility was sold to Lenovo about 2 years ago. ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2017, 7:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-the-moto-g-phone-so-cheap-compared-to-others/777341/15 "2017-01-18T19:15:15Z")
Chinese owned, but not a Chinese company; they’re still headquartered in Chicago. You presumably wouldn’t have called Jaguar an American company when it was owned by Ford, or call it an Indian company nowadays. ---
**Author:** ![muldoonthief](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/muldoonthief/32/3188_2.png) [@muldoonthief](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/muldoonthief)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2017, 8:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-the-moto-g-phone-so-cheap-compared-to-others/777341/16 "2017-01-18T20:16:06Z")
> [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](#): > > Chinese owned, but not a Chinese company; they’re still headquartered in Chicago. You presumably wouldn’t have called Jaguar an American company when it was owned by Ford, or call it an Indian company nowadays. From what I understand from former coworkers, Lenovo bought them for the name recognition. Much/most of the engineering (as well as all the manufacturing) happens outside the USA. ---
**Author:** ![Jophiel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jophiel/32/66_2.png) [@Jophiel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jophiel)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2017, 8:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-the-moto-g-phone-so-cheap-compared-to-others/777341/17 "2017-01-18T20:37:12Z")
> [@muldoonthief](#): > > Just so you know, Motorola _is_ a Chinese company now. Fair enough. I meant “largely unknown to the US” Chinese companies like OnePlus, LeEco or Xiaomi who may be large companies but are just recently pushing into the US phone market. ---
**Author:** ![Lee\_Q](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/aeb1de/32.png) [@Lee\_Q](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lee_Q)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2017, 11:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-the-moto-g-phone-so-cheap-compared-to-others/777341/18 "2017-01-19T23:14:49Z")
> [@aceplace57](#): > > I bought a Moto X Pure in April 2016. $350. They dropped the price a few months later. I just checked Best Buy and it’s currently $270. > > I like mine. I added a 32gb memory card. It’s a well made phone. I’ve dropped it twice with no damage. I, too, have a Moto X Pure, bought it last October for $350 and that was with 64gb memory and fully customized exterior including engraving on the back (which I didn’t care about that much but I essentially got it for free, so). I’ve dropped mine twice, but I have a cover on it, a clear one so the engraving on the back of the phone is still visible. It also came with a turbo charger and they’re not kidding, it charges the phone FAST. The only thing I have a love/hate about is no LED indicator for missed calls or for text messages. Instead is has the thing where you wave your hand over the phone a la “these aren’t the droids you’re looking for” (except horizontal) and it lights up to show any notifications. I sort of like this feature, but still find myself getting annoyed sometimes at not being able to just glance at the phone and see an LED indicator for msgs, voice mail, and calls. I love the motion-activated flashlight feature. Camera is great quality, especially compared to my last phone. My friends who have iPhones are peeved that it cost so relatively “little” compared to theirs. I could not care less about iPhones, so I was and am very pleased with the purchase after putting off getting a new phone for a long time.