Moto G35 5G: The budget smartphone market in India has been abuzz with competition in 2024, with brands vying to offer the best value for tech enthusiasts. Amid this dynamic landscape, Motorola introduced the Moto G35 5G, an entry-level device aimed at providing affordable 5G connectivity with respectable performance. Priced at just ₹9,999, the Moto G35 5G aims to strike the right balance between cost, performance, and features. But does it succeed? Here’s our detailed review.
Sleek Design that Stands Out
Dimensions
- 166.29 x 75.98 x 7.79 mm
- Weight: 185 g
The Moto G35 5G is much like its higher-priced sibling, the Moto G45 5G, in terms of looks. Available in Guava Red, Leaf Green, and Midnight Black, the smartphone flaunts a polished rear panel with both matte and vegan leather finishes. The Leaf Green variant we tested is not just stylish but also grippy, making it comfortable to hold.
This budget smartphone feels sturdy, with smooth plastic edges. Buttons are thoughtfully placed, with the power button doubling as a fingerprint scanner for added convenience. The device includes a USB Type-C port, a 3.5mm headphone jack, and a speaker grille at the bottom—ticks all the boxes for functionality.
Inside the box, you’ll find necessary accessories like an 18W charger, a USB Type-A to Type-C cable, and a transparent TPU case—a nice touch for budget buyers.
Clean Software Experience
The Moto G35 5G runs Android 14 with Motorola’s My UX user interface layered on top. The UI sticks to a clean, almost stock Android experience, giving users a fast and uncluttered interface. My UX comes with utility features such as Motorola Secure and Family Space, offering secure-folder protection and enhanced family controls.
However, there’s a caveat. The smartphone does come with bloatware via the Moto App Manager, pre-installing three third-party apps monthly unless users opt out after system updates.
Software updates include just one future Android upgrade (to Android 15) and security updates lasting until August 2027. While this lifetime support is acceptable in the budget segment, more extensive software updates would’ve been a welcome addition.
Performance That Surprises
Equipped with the mid-range Unisoc T760 6nm chipset, the Moto G35 5G handles everyday tasks like browsing, texting, and social media scrolling with ease. The chipset includes eight cores (six Cortex-A76 cores at 2.2GHz and four Cortex-A55 cores at 2GHz), alongside the capable Mali G57 MC4 GPU.
Benchmarks
Here’s a summary of how the Moto G35 5G fared in popular benchmark tests compared to its budget competitors:
| Benchmark | Moto G35 5G | Redmi A4 5G | Samsung Galaxy A16 5G |
|---|---|---|---|
| Geekbench (Multi) | 2290 | 1919 | 1938 |
| AnTuTu v10 | 470,387 | 387,157 | 411,056 |
| PCMark Work 3.0 | 11,755 | 8,782 | 9,382 |
The Moto G35 5G demonstrates solid performance for casual use in its price range. It runs games like Battlegrounds Mobile India (BGMI) and Asphalt Legends Unite at lower graphics settings without significant issues.
The 6.72-inch full-HD+ LCD display with a 120Hz refresh rate ensures smooth visuals during gameplay and general use. Its Gorilla Glass 3 protection handles minor scratches without trouble. However, outdoor visibility in bright sunlight isn’t optimal, and turning on “Extra Brightness” results in faster battery drain.
Camera Quality for Day-to-Day Use
For photography, the Moto G35 5G gets a 50MP main camera and an 8MP ultrawide lens at the back, while a 16MP front camera handles selfies.
Primary Camera
The 50MP sensor provides clear and vibrant shots in good lighting conditions, capturing skin tones and details nicely. Portrait images also look natural, with decent background blur.
At night, the Night Vision mode ensures much-improved results, albeit with a slight delay while capturing images.
Ultra-Wide Camera
The 8MP ultra-wide camera offers an expansive field of view, but its reduced sharpness and detail stand out when compared to the main camera. Images captured with the ultra-wide lens often lack clarity, and text in photographs can become unreadable.
Selfies & Videos
The 16MP selfie camera captures bright, natural daytime images. However, in low-light scenarios, visible noise and smoothened details can creep in. Videos max out at 4K 30fps using the main camera but lack stabilization, making them best suited to steady shots.
Reliable Battery Life
This device’s 5,000mAh battery is a highlight, lasting well beyond a day and a half of moderate use. Whether you’re making calls on WhatsApp, browsing, or indulging in casual gaming, the Moto G35 5G provides around 18+ hours in loop tests and delivers a respectable 5.5 hours of screen-on time in real-world usage.
Keep in mind that charging takes a little patience—the bundled 18W charger requires about 2 hours for a full charge from 0%.
Is the Moto G35 5G Worth It?
At a budget-friendly price of ₹9,999, the Moto G35 5G provides excellent value for money. It excels in offering 5G connectivity, superb battery life, and decent day-to-day performance.
Pros
- Sleek and modern design
- Better-than-expected CPU performance
- Clean user experience with minimal bloatware
- Reliable 50MP primary camera
- Long-lasting battery life
Cons
- Slow charging speeds
- Limited software upgrade policy
- Average ultrawide camera performance
That said, if you’re willing to look beyond the slow charging and short software support window, the Moto G35 5G is undoubtedly a strong contender under ₹10,000. Competitors like the Redmi A4 5G and Samsung Galaxy A16 5G may appeal to users with specific requirements, but Motorola’s offering strikes a great balance between power and affordability.
Would you like to know more about how the Moto G35 stacks up to other smartphones? Share your questions in the comments below!