All About Motorola Moto G82 5G smartphone

Features

• Dual Sim, 3G, 4G, 5G, VoLTE, Wi-Fi, NFC
• Snapdragon 695, Octa Core, 2.2 GHz Processor
• 6 GB RAM, 128 GB inbuilt
• 5000 mAh Battery with Fast Charging
• 6.6 inches, 1080 x 2400 px, 120 Hz Display with Punch Hole
• 50 MP + 8 MP + 2 MP Triple Rear & 16 MP Front Camera
• Memory Card Supported, upto 1 TB
• Android v12

The Moto G82 5G is a nice addition to Motorola's portfolio at a typical mid-range price of around EUR 330. Thanks to its strong features, similarly priced smartphones appear less attractive by comparison.

The Motorola Moto G82 5G does not have a direct counterpart in Motorola's 2021 portfolio, but it is most likely a successor to the Moto G71. The SoC remains unchanged, so the OIS-equipped camera is the 'new and improved' feature of the successor. 

The Moto G82 5G falls into the mid-range with a recommended retail price of EUR 329. Meanwhile, there are many other exciting devices that offer sufficent power for everyday use, long runtimes and decent cameras, so let's examine how the Moto G82 performs in comparison.  

The Moto smartphone is relatively light and also somewhat more compact than other smartphones in this class, but still probably too big for small hands. The casing is made of PMMA, a plastic also known as Plexiglas. It appears very sturdy and can hardly be twisted, but cracks under strongly applied pressure. 

Thanks to the rounded glass edges on the back, the smartphone feels good to use and looks quite modern with its relatively straight sides. But the transition between various surface materials is noticeable when handling the device. Colors come in dark gray or a creamy white, and both are decorated with a delicate dot pattern on the back. Unfortunately, our gray test device proves rather susceptible to fingerprints. 

The Moto G82 5G has an IP52 rating, which translates to protection against dust. However, in terms of protection against liquids, the smartphone is only certified as splash water resistant, so it should not be immersed in water.

Android 12 serves as the basis for Motorola's MyUX, which hardly differs from the stock Android. All extensions, such as gesture control or design settings, are pooled in the Moto app.

At the beginning of our review process, the security patches were from March 2022 and thus in urgent need of an update. Towards the end of the review, we received an update (June 2022), which shows that you should only expect an update every 3 months. In total, Motorola only offers 3 years of security updates for its smartphones. In terms of system updates, two major Android updates are promised, but other providers, such as Nokia or Samsung, now offer much more. 

DRM-L1 certification is provided, so HD streaming is possible in apps like Netflix and the like.

The OLED screen of the Moto G82 5G can get quite bright. It does not come close to high-end smartphones in terms of brightness, but it is among the best in its price range with an average of 640 nits. The slightly expanded Full HD resolution is also class standard.

We observed the typical PWM flickering, but Motorola has integrated a DC dimming mode in its software (i.e. in the display settings), as an option called "Flicker prevention". This adjusts the flickering uniformly to the refresh rate, thereby remedying the issue and preventing a nuisance for many users. However, colors can also become distorted at low brightness.

The fingerprint sensor is integrated into the standby button on the right side of the case, which is easy to reach with the right thumb or the index finger of the left hand and recognizes the imprint very reliably. However, there is a one-second delay until the homescreen is displayed after unlocking.

Unlocking via facial recognition is also possible, but not quite as secure due to the use of a purely software solution.

Battery Life

The 5,000 mAh battery of the Motorola Moto G82 packs a punch compared to other smartphones in this price range. Interestingly, the Moto G82 still remains a fairly light smartphone despite the large battery.

The 120 HZ display functions smoothly in use and also reacts very sensitively to input in the peripheral areas.

• Screen flickering / PWM detected 119.4 Hz
• The display backlight flickers at 119.4 Hz (Likely utilizing PWM) .
• The frequency of 119.4 Hz is very low, so the flickering may cause eyestrain and headaches after extended use.
• In comparison: 52 % of all tested devices do not use PWM to dim the display. If PWM was detected, an average of 21792 (minimum: 5 - maximum: 3846000) Hz was measured.