Motorola Moto G54

The Moto G54 is Motorola's September 2023 entry in the affordable end of its G series, and its pitch is simple: a very large battery, a fast 120Hz screen and a stabilised main camera at a price that sits well below the flagship tier. This page is a spec-and-information-based review. It draws on the figures published on Motorola's Indian product page, where the phone is sold as the Moto G54 5G, and it points out where those figures describe a regional configuration that may differ from versions sold elsewhere.

Where it sits in the lineup

The G54 belongs to Motorola's mainstream G family, which targets buyers who want modern basics without paying for premium materials. It is not a showcase device. It uses a plastic body, an LCD panel rather than OLED and a mid-range MediaTek chip. What it offers instead is a list of features that have become rare on phones in this class: a 3.5mm headphone jack, a microSD slot, FM radio and stereo speakers. If you are comparing it with newer budget models, the Galaxy A56 is a useful reference for what a few extra years and a higher price bring, and the Moto G54 vs Galaxy A56 table shows the gap side by side.

Design and build

Motorola describes the body as 3D premium PMMA, a type of acrylic that is lighter than glass and resists cracking, although it scratches more easily than glass. The phone measures 161.56 x 73.82 x 8.89 mm and weighs around 192 g, which is reasonable given the size of the battery inside. The Indian page lists three colours: Mint Green, Midnight Blue and Pearl Blue. The camera sits in a raised rectangular module on the back with the Motorola batwing logo centred below it, and the front has a small punch-hole for the selfie camera. A side-mounted fingerprint reader doubles as the power button, and face unlock is available as a second option.

Protection is limited to an IP52 water-repellent design. That rating covers light drips and dust ingress to a degree, but it is not meant for submersion, so treat it as insurance against rain and splashes rather than a reason to take the phone swimming. The charging and data port is USB-C, and Motorola lists it as USB 2.0, so file transfers will be slower than on phones with faster ports.

Display

The screen is a 6.5-inch IPS LCD with a Full HD+ resolution of 2400 x 1080 pixels and a 20:9 aspect ratio. The headline feature is the refresh rate: Motorola specifies a 120Hz panel with a dynamic range from 30Hz up to 120Hz, so the phone can drop the rate for static content to save power and rise when you scroll or play games. For a phone in this price band, a 120Hz screen makes everyday navigation feel smoother than the 60Hz panels that were common a few years earlier. As with most LCD panels, expect lower contrast and less deep blacks than OLED, and Motorola's page does not publish a peak brightness figure, so outdoor visibility is something to check against your own habits.

Performance and software

Inside is the MediaTek Dimensity 7020, described by Motorola as an octa-core processor running at up to 2.2GHz with an IMG BXM-8-256 graphics unit. The company also calls it the first Dimensity 7020 phone in India. It supports 5G, and the phone covers 14 5G bands, including n78 and n77, which matters for compatibility with local networks. Memory options are 8GB and 12GB of RAM, and storage comes in 128GB and 256GB variants. A hybrid SIM tray accepts two SIM cards or one SIM plus a microSD card, which can extend storage up to 1TB.

The Dimensity 7020 is a mid-range chip, so it handles messaging, social media, streaming and casual games comfortably, but it is not aimed at demanding 3D titles at maximum settings. Software is close to stock Android, with Motorola's My UX layer adding gestures such as a quick-capture twist for the camera, a chop for the flashlight, a three-finger screenshot and flip to do not disturb. The phone shipped with Android 13. Motorola states an upgrade to Android 14 and three years of security updates, which is a modest commitment compared with the longer promises some competitors now make, so it suits someone who keeps a phone for two to three years rather than five.

Camera

The rear camera setup has two sensors. The main one is a 50MP sensor with an f/1.8 aperture and Quad Pixel technology, which combines four pixels into one for an effective resolution of 12.5MP and, according to Motorola, better low-light sensitivity. It also has optical image stabilisation, something many phones at this price lack, and it helps with steadier handheld shots and video in dim conditions. The second camera is an 8MP unit with a 118-degree ultrawide lens that also works as a macro camera with autofocus and depth sensing. The front camera is a 16MP sensor.

Video recording on the main camera is Full HD at 30 frames per second, and the front camera also records Full HD at 30fps. There is no 4K video listed, which is a clear limitation for anyone who shoots a lot of footage. Software features include Night Vision, Portrait mode, Pro mode with long exposure, Dual Capture, Spot Color and slow motion. Overall, the camera is more about getting a dependable daylight photo than competing with flagship image processing, and the stabilised main sensor is the part most likely to matter in everyday use.

Battery and charging

The 6000 mAh battery is the main reason to look at this phone. Motorola describes it as enough to go all day and night on a single charge, and a capacity of that size is well above the roughly 5,000 mAh that has become typical. The box includes a 33W charger, so refilling the large cell takes a while compared with faster 65W or 100W solutions, but a full charge should be needed less often. Motorola does not publish wireless charging, and the phone has none. If your priority is endurance over speed, the combination of a big battery and a power-saving 30Hz idle refresh is sensible.

Audio and connectivity

Audio is better than the class average. There are stereo speakers tuned with Dolby Atmos and Moto Spatial Sound, a 3.5mm headset jack and an FM radio. Wireless connectivity includes Bluetooth 5.3, Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac on 2.4GHz and 5GHz, and a Wi-Fi hotspot mode. The most important omission is NFC: Motorola lists it as not supported, which means no tap-to-pay with the phone, and that is a real drawback in markets where contactless payments are the norm. Location services cover GPS, A-GPS, GLONASS, Galileo and QZSS.

Compromises to consider

• No NFC. Contactless payments from the phone are not possible.
• LCD and plastic. The display lacks OLED contrast and the body is acrylic rather than glass or metal.
• Video and ports. Video tops out at Full HD and the USB-C port runs at USB 2.0 speed.
• Update promise. One Android upgrade and three years of security patches is short of the longest commitments in the market.
• Regional differences. The figures above come from the Indian product page, so battery capacity, memory options and the charger can differ in other regions.

Who it is for

The Moto G54 suits people who value battery life, a smooth screen and the older conveniences of a headphone jack and expandable storage, and who do not need contactless payments or the best camera. It is a sensible choice for a first smartphone, for a backup device or for someone who uses a phone heavily for video and music. Anyone who wants a longer software promise or a brighter OLED display should look higher in the range, for example at the Nothing Phone (3a). You can browse every model in the phones category or see how it ranks in our rankings.