Motorola updates its budget lineup with the new Moto E and Moto G Fast

Motorola has a pair of new budget smartphones: the entry-level $149.99 Motorola E and the $199.99 Moto G Fast. The two new phones help solidify Motorola’s lineup across the budget and midrange space, with the Moto E and the Moto G Fast joining the already released Moto G Power ($249.99) and G Stylus ($299.99).

For comparisons to last year’s lineup, the new Moto E replaces the old Moto E6, while the G Fast replaces the G7 Play. As with the other G-series phones launched earlier this year, Motorola appears to be fully abandoning the numbering system it had previously used.

Image: Motorola

The G Fast bears a strong resemblance to the Moto G Power and G Stylus, with a similar design and a 19:9 hole-punch display. But nearly all the specs on the new G Fast are downgraded compared to its pricier siblings: while it shares the same Snapdragon 665 processor, it only offers 3GB of RAM (instead of 4GB), just 32GB of internal storage (versus 64GB and 128GB on the G Power and Stylus, respectively), and the display is a 720p panel, instead of the 1080p panel found on the other G-series phones.

The cameras on the G Fast are virtually identical to the G Power, too: a 16-megapixel main camera, an 8-megapixel 118-degree ultrawide camera, and a 2-megapixel macro camera. There’s also an 8-megapixel front-facing camera for selfies. It has the same 4,000mAh battery that the G Stylus has — but not quite as good as the 5,000mAh battery that gives the pricier G Power its name. Rounding out the spec sheet is a rear fingerprint scanner, USB-C charging, a 3.5mm headphone jack, and an IP52 “water repellant” design for the occasional drip or rain shower.

Image: Motorola

The Moto E, on the other hand, is a more substantial upgrade compared to last year’s E6. The phone has jumped up in size from a 5.5-inch screen to a 6.2-inch panel (although still at 720p) with a teardrop notch (although there’s still a hefty chin for a bottom bezel). There’s also a rear fingerprint sensor, which is a first for the E lineup.

Motorola has also put in a beefier processor, going from the Snapdragon 435 to a Snapdragon 632. RAM is still the same 2GB as the E6, although internal storage has been doubled to 32GB. The rear camera has also been upgraded to a dual-lens system, with a 13-megapixel main lens that’s joined by a 2-megapixel depth sensor. There’s also a 3,550mAh battery, a 3.5mm headphone jack, and an IPX2 rating for water and dust (which, again, is good for a splash at best).

Bafflingly, Motorola has still decided to use a Micro USB port for charging instead of USB-C. That’s a decision that was already bizarre in 2019 on the E6 and rises to the level of absurd a year later for its successor.

Both phones run Android 10, which features the usual suite of improvements common to Motorola’s other recent phones, like the Edge Plus, including a gaming mode, customizable icons and colors, and various gestures to do things like launch the camera or turn on the flashlight. Motorola is promising that the Moto G Fast will get one Android OS update down the line, but it has no such pledge for the Moto E.

Both phones will be available on June 12th as unlocked devices. The Moto E will also be available through several carriers, including T-Mobile, Metro by T-Mobile, Boost Mobile, US Cellular, Consumer Cellular, Xfinity Mobile, Republic Wireless, and certified prepaid on Verizon. The Moto G Fast will be sold through Boost Mobile as well.