Motorola One Macro Review

• Overview
• Design and Build Quality
• Display
• Performance
• Software and User Interface
• Camera
• Battery Life
• Connectivity and Networking
• Additional Features
• Comparison with Other Related Phones
• Pros and Cons
• Conclusion

Overview

Overview: The Motorola One Macro is a budget smartphone that packs a punch with its impressive features. With a stunning design, including a gradient Space Blue color option and a sleek plastic back, it exudes a premium feel. The 6.2-inch HD+ display provides a vibrant and immersive viewing experience. Powered by the Mediatek Helio P70 processor and 4GB of RAM, it delivers smooth performance for everyday tasks. The standout feature is its dedicated 2MP macro lens, allowing for stunning close-up shots. With a 4,000mAh battery, it offers impressive battery life. Priced at $299 in Australia, the Motorola One Macro is a great value for money option in the budget smartphone category.

Design and Build Quality

The Motorola One Macro boasts a sleek and stylish design that is sure to catch the eye. Its aesthetics are emphasized by the stunning Space Blue color gradient on the back panel, giving it a premium look and feel. The plastic body not only keeps the device lightweight but also adds to its durability. However, it does tend to pick up fingerprints easily, so a case might be necessary for those who want to keep it looking pristine. The phone features a teardrop notch on the front, accompanied by minimal bezels, which maximizes the screen real estate. The physical buttons, including the textured power button and volume rocker, are well-placed and offer a satisfying tactile response. The inclusion of a centrally-mounted fingerprint scanner on the rear adds convenience and enhances the overall design. With its slim form factor and ergonomic design, the Motorola One Macro fits comfortably in the hand and allows for easy one-handed usability. Whether it's the sleek design, robust construction, or the finishing touches, the Motorola One Macro is a well-built device that combines style and functionality.

Display

The Motorola One Macro features a 6.2-inch LCD display with a resolution of 1520 x 720 pixels. While it may not have the highest resolution on the market, the screen size is decent and provides a good viewing experience for everyday use. The aspect ratio is standard, and the LCD technology ensures accurate color reproduction. The color accuracy and vibrancy are satisfactory, although not as vibrant as OLED displays. The brightness levels are adequate, allowing for comfortable indoor visibility. However, outdoor visibility may be affected in bright sunlight. The touch responsiveness of the display is smooth and responsive, making it easy to navigate and interact with the device. Unfortunately, there is no mention of any specific display protection, such as Gorilla Glass. The pixel density is acceptable for the resolution, but it may not offer the sharpest details. There is no information available regarding the refresh rate, HDR support, or wide color gamut. The viewing angles are decent, without any noticeable color shifting. There is no mention of an anti-reflective coating or blue light filter. The notch design is a teardrop notch, which helps to maximize the screen real estate. The bezels around the display are reasonably thin, resulting in a decent screen-to-body ratio. Overall, the display of the Motorola One Macro is suitable for everyday use but may not offer the highest level of quality and features found in more premium devices.

Performance

The performance of the Motorola One Macro is powered by a MediaTek Helio P70 chipset, which includes a quad-core ARM Cortex-A73 CPU and a quad-core ARM Cortex-A53 CPU. The GPU is Mali-G72 MP3. This configuration provides smooth multitasking performance and allows for efficient app loading speeds.

In terms of gaming capabilities, the Motorola One Macro performs decently with its Mali-G72 MP3 GPU. While it may not achieve the highest graphics scores in benchmark tests, it delivers a satisfactory gaming experience for casual gamers. The phone can handle most graphic-intensive games with ease, although there may be some occasional stuttering and lag in more demanding titles.

The processor efficiency of the Helio P70 chipset ensures a lag-free performance and a smooth user experience. The device's system optimization and thermal management contribute to its overall performance, maintaining consistent performance even during extended usage.

Although specific benchmark scores were not provided, the Motorola One Macro has been tested in synthetic benchmarks and gaming benchmarks, which indicate its overall performance metrics. These tests evaluate the device's CPU and GPU performance, providing insights into its processor efficiency and GPU efficiency.

Overall, the Motorola One Macro offers a satisfactory performance for its price range. It delivers smooth multitasking, decent gaming capabilities, and a lag-free user experience. While it may not achieve top-tier performance compared to flagship devices, it provides a reliable performance for everyday tasks and casual gaming.

Software and User Interface

The Motorola One Macro runs on the Android 9.0 operating system, which is a slightly older version of Android. This means that users may not have access to some of the latest features and updates that come with newer versions of the operating system. However, the phone still offers a user-friendly interface that is easy to navigate.

In terms of customization, the Motorola One Macro provides some options for personalization. Users can customize their home screens, app icons, and wallpapers to suit their preferences. The phone also comes with a selection of pre-installed apps, including Google apps like Gmail, Maps, and YouTube. While these apps can be useful, some users may consider them as bloatware if they don't regularly use them.

One advantage of the Motorola One Macro's software is that it runs on a near-stock version of Android. This means that the user interface is clean and free from unnecessary modifications or overlays. It offers a simple and intuitive experience without any heavy customization or added features that could potentially slow down the device.

Overall, the software of the Motorola One Macro provides a user-friendly interface and a near-stock Android experience. While it may not have the latest version of Android, it still offers enough customization options for users to personalize their device according to their preferences.

Camera

The camera setup on the Motorola One Macro includes a 13MP main sensor with an aperture of f/2.0, a 2MP depth sensor, a 2MP dedicated Macro lens, and a laser auto-focus sensor with an LED flash. The main camera captures photos with good sharpness and detail, particularly in well-lit conditions during daylight photography. The dedicated Macro lens allows users to take close-up shots with better clarity and focus compared to other cameras.

In terms of image quality, the Motorola One Macro produces natural colors and offers a decent dynamic range, capturing a good amount of detail in both highlights and shadows. The low-light performance of the camera is average, with some noise present in photos taken in darker environments. However, the phone does offer a night mode that helps to improve low-light sensitivity and reduce noise in night photography.

The camera app on the Motorola One Macro includes various features such as portrait mode, HDR, panorama mode, and pro mode. It also supports AI scene recognition, which automatically adjusts camera settings based on the detected scene.

For video recording, the device can shoot up to 1080p videos with decent image stabilization. However, it does not support 4K video recording. The phone also offers slow-motion video and time-lapse features, allowing users to capture creative videos in different formats. Overall, the camera performance on the Motorola One Macro is satisfactory for a budget smartphone, providing users with the ability to capture decent photos and videos in various situations.

Battery Life

The Motorola One Macro comes with a 4,000mAh battery, which provides impressive battery life and can easily last throughout the day. The battery capacity is quite generous for a budget smartphone, allowing users to use the device for extended periods without worrying about running out of power. The phone also features a 10W fast charger, which enables quick top-ups when needed. However, it does not support wireless charging. In terms of battery performance, the phone offers good power efficiency and optimization features to maximize battery usage. The battery drain is minimal during standby time, and the device manages battery usage well. Overall, the Motorola One Macro's battery is reliable and delivers a satisfactory battery backup for everyday use.

Connectivity and Networking

The Motorola One Macro offers a range of connectivity options to keep you connected wherever you go. It supports 4G LTE for fast data speeds, ensuring smooth browsing, streaming, and downloading. The device also supports dual SIM functionality, allowing you to use two SIM cards simultaneously for added convenience.

In terms of wireless connectivity, the Motorola One Macro features Wi-Fi support, allowing you to connect to Wi-Fi networks for faster internet access. It supports the latest Wi-Fi standards, ensuring a stable and reliable connection. Additionally, Bluetooth is available on the device, enabling you to connect to other Bluetooth-enabled devices such as headphones, speakers, and smartwatches.

Unfortunately, the Motorola One Macro does not support NFC, so you won't be able to use it for contactless payments or quick file transfers. However, it does come with a USB-C port for charging and data transfer, which is a welcome addition.

When it comes to navigation, the device offers GPS functionality, allowing you to accurately track your location and navigate with ease. It also supports mobile hotspot, so you can share your internet connection with other devices when needed.

In summary, the Motorola One Macro offers a range of connectivity options including 4G LTE, dual SIM support, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and GPS. While it lacks NFC, it compensates with a USB-C port for charging and data transfer. Overall, it provides reliable and convenient connectivity for everyday use.

Additional Features

Comparison with Other Related Phones

When comparing the Motorola One Macro with related gadgets in the market, it's important to consider its competition, market positioning, features, specifications, performance, and pricing.

In terms of competitors, the Motorola One Macro can be compared to devices such as the Xiaomi Redmi Note 8 and the Samsung Galaxy A20s. These phones offer similar specifications and price points, making them direct competitors in the budget smartphone segment.

In terms of features, the Motorola One Macro stands out with its dedicated macro camera, allowing users to take close-up shots from as little as 2cm away. This unique feature sets it apart from its competitors, as neither the Xiaomi Redmi Note 8 nor the Samsung Galaxy A20s offer a dedicated macro lens.

When comparing specifications, the Motorola One Macro offers a 6.2-inch HD+ display, a MediaTek Helio P70 processor, 4GB of RAM, and 64GB of storage (expandable with microSD cards). The Xiaomi Redmi Note 8 and Samsung Galaxy A20s also offer similar specifications in terms of display size, RAM, and storage.

In terms of performance, the Motorola One Macro performs decently for everyday tasks but may struggle with graphic-intensive gaming. The Xiaomi Redmi Note 8 and Samsung Galaxy A20s offer similar performance levels in this price range.

Pricing is also an important factor to consider. The Motorola One Macro is priced at $299, which is comparable to the Xiaomi Redmi Note 8 and Samsung Galaxy A20s. All three devices offer good value for money in the budget smartphone segment.

In terms of market competition, the Motorola One Macro faces stiff competition from other budget smartphones offering similar features and specifications. However, its unique macro camera feature gives it a slight edge over its competitors.

Overall, the Motorola One Macro offers a competitive package with its unique macro camera feature and decent overall performance. It provides good value for money in the budget smartphone segment, although it faces tough competition from other devices in the market.

Pros and Cons

Conclusion

Conclusion: The Motorola One Macro offers a unique feature with its dedicated macro camera, allowing users to capture close-up shots with impressive clarity. However, it falls short in other areas, such as the overall camera performance and the Mediatek processor that struggles with animations. On the positive side, the phone has a durable design, decent battery life, and a vibrant display. The stock Android experience and the inclusion of a 3.5mm headphone jack are also commendable. Overall, the Motorola One Macro is a budget-friendly option for those specifically interested in macro photography, but it may not be the best choice for users seeking overall camera excellence or top-notch performance.