Motorola G45 5G Review: Budget 5G with Style and Clean Android

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The Motorola G45 5G stands out as a compelling budget-friendly 5G smartphone. Sporting a vegan-leather finish, 120 Hz smooth display, and clean Android interface, it offers a great value proposition for everyday users seeking speed, style, and dependability.

Motorola G45 5G Specs at a Glance

Feature Specification
Display 6.5″ IPS LCD, HD+ (1600×720), 120 Hz, Gorilla Glass 3
Processor Qualcomm Snapdragon 6s Gen 3 (Octa-core up to 2.3 GHz)
RAM & Storage 4 GB / 8 GB RAM; 128 GB internal; microSD slot up to 1 TB
Rear Camera 50 MP primary (Quad-Pixel) + 2 MP secondary
Front Camera 16 MP selfie
Battery & Charging 5,000 mAh battery, 18 W charging support; 20 W adapter in box
Build & Design 162.7 × 74.64 × 8.03 mm; 183 g; IP52 rated; vegan leather back
Extras Side-mounted fingerprint, Dolby Atmos stereo speakers, 3.5 mm jack, Android 14, Gorilla Glass 3

Design, Build Quality, Handling

The G45’s vegan leather rear and lightweight (~183 g) profile exude premium flair in a budget handset. Its IP52 rating offers splash and dust resistance—ideal for everyday life. The side-mounted fingerprint scanner is both intuitive and ergonomic.

Display

The Motorola G45 5G features a 6.5-inch IPS LCD panel with HD+ resolution (1600 × 720 pixels) and 120 Hz refresh rate. While the 120 Hz ensures a smooth user experience—whether you’re scrolling through social media or gaming—the HD+ resolution is a compromise. Text and images don’t appear as crisp as on Full HD+ screens, and if you’re used to higher resolution, you may notice pixelation.

  • Aspect Ratio: 20:9, ideal for immersive viewing.

  • Protection: Gorilla Glass 3 provides scratch resistance.

  • Colour Reproduction: Decent for casual content consumption but lacks the punch of AMOLED.

  • Brightness: Peaks around ~450 nits, which means sunlight visibility isn’t the best.
    Overall, the display is fine for everyday use but is outshone by AMOLED competitors in this price range.

Battery Life & Charging Speed

The phone packs a 5,000 mAh battery, a standard in this segment, ensuring:

  • Usage: Easily lasts a full day and a half with moderate use (social apps, light gaming, streaming).

  • Standby Time: Up to two days on light use.

  • Charging: Supports 18W fast charging (although the box includes a 20W adapter). A full charge from 0% to 100% takes roughly 90–100 minutes.

  • Efficiency: The Snapdragon 6s Gen 3’s efficiency helps keep power drain under control, even at 120 Hz.
    While charging speeds lag behind rivals offering 33 W or 44 W fast charging, endurance is reliable, making it a strong performer for those who prioritise long-lasting power over fast top-ups.

Operating System

The Moto G45 5G runs on Android 14 with Motorola’s lightweight My UX skin:

  • Clean UI: Close to stock Android with no bloatware, providing a smooth, clutter-free experience.

  • Moto Gestures: Handy shortcuts like chopping twice to turn on the flashlight or twisting the wrist to launch the camera.

  • Software Updates: Promised upgrade to Android 15 and at least 3 years of security updates.

  • Customisation: Options to tweak icons, fonts, colours, and themes.

  • Performance Boosting: Built-in tools like “Game Mode” optimise system resources while gaming.
    This software experience is one of Motorola’s most significant selling points, especially when compared to heavily skinned UIs from rivals.

Benchmarks and Performance

Under the hood, the phone is powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 6s Gen 3, built on a 6nm process:

  • CPU: Octa-core (2x Cortex-A78 at 2.3 GHz + 6x Cortex-A55 at 2.0 GHz).

  • GPU: Adreno 619 handles graphics.

  • RAM/Storage: 4 GB or 8 GB RAM, paired with 128 GB UFS 2.2 storage (expandable up to 1 TB via microSD).

Benchmarks:

  • AnTuTu: ~380,000 points (mid-tier performance).

  • Geekbench 6: Around 700 (single-core), 1900 (multi-core).

  • Gaming: Handles titles like BGMI, Asphalt 9, and COD Mobile at medium settings smoothly. More demanding games at high settings show occasional stutter.

  • Multitasking: Works well for everyday use—app switching is smooth, but with the 4 GB variant, background apps may reload often.

For casual users, the performance is reliable, but gamers and heavy multitaskers prefer a more powerful chip.

Camera System

The dual-camera setup on the back features:

  • 50 MP Quad-Pixel primary sensor (f/1.8) – Captures well-lit photos with decent dynamic range and natural colours. The Quad-Pixel tech combines pixels for better low-light sensitivity, but night shots still suffer from noise.

  • 2 MP depth/macro lens – More of a filler, as its results are limited.

  • Front Camera: 16 MP sensor (f/2.0) – Ideal for selfies in daylight, with beauty mode options; in dim light, details are lost.

Camera Features:

  • Modes: Night Vision, Portrait, HDR, Pro mode, Panorama, and Dual Capture (front and rear cameras at once).

  • Video Recording: 1080p at 30 fps (both front and rear); lacks 4K and optical stabilisation, but EIS does help reduce shaky footage.

  • Daylight Shots: Detailed and vibrant, making it excellent for social media uploads.

  • Low-Light: Usable with Night Vision mode, but still grainy compared to competitors with OIS or larger sensors.

In summary, the camera is dependable for its price range, especially in daylight, but night photography enthusiasts may find it lacking.

The Competition & Price

Rivals include the Redmi Note 13 5G with AMOLED and faster charging, Realme C65 5G, iQOO Z9x, and Samsung Galaxy M16 5G.
The Motorola G45 5G is priced around ₹9,999–10,999 with offers, while retail price ranges ₹11,500–13,699 depending on variant.

Our Verdict

The Motorola G45 5G delivers excellent value, combining a smooth 120Hz display, clean software, a solid day-long battery, and a stylish design at a budget-friendly price. Weaknesses lie in its low-resolution screen, average brightness, modest charging speed, and less-impressive low-light camera performance. Still, for users prioritising 5G future-proofing and a polished, minimal Android experience under ₹12K, it’s a standout choice.

Buy it here.

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