moto g54 launch: First impressions, features, price — all you need to know

Launch Price: Rs. 18,999

Bank Offer: Rs 1,500 instant discount on ICICI bank cards or Rs 1,500 additional off on exchange.

Operator Offer: Rs 5,000 worth of benefits from Reliance Jio (Rs 2,000 cashback on 399 prepaid plan + Rs 3,000 in coupons).

Launch Price: Rs. 15,999

Bank Offer: Rs 1,500 instant discount on ICICI bank cards or Rs 1,500 additional off on exchange.

Operator Offer: Rs 5,000 worth of benefits from Reliance Jio (Rs 2,000 cashback on 399 prepaid plan + Rs 3,000 in coupons).

As mentioned earlier, the moto g54 is powered by a MediaTek dimensity 7020 chipset, a massive 6,000 mAh battery, up to 12 GB of RAM and 256 GB of storage and in three colour variants — Midnight Blue, Pearl Blue, and Mint.

The phone, which runs Android 13 out of the box, is rated IP52 for dust and water resistance, features a stereo speaker setup with Dolby Atmos and spatial audio support, a 6.54-inch Full HD display with 12 Hz refresh rate and a hybrid dual-slim slot, meaning one of the slots can be used for extra storage, expandable up to 1 TB.

The g54 also sports a dual rear camera setup — with a 50-megapixel primary lens with optical image stabilisation, and an 8 MP ultrawide shooter — and a 16 MP selfie camera on the front.

The moto g54 feels good in hand. It sports an "Acrylic Glass Finish" on the back, which is essentially a fancy way of saying high-quality plastic. It feels really premium, thanks to the curved edges of the back, which make it easier to hold. The handset weighs 192 grams, which is much lighter than some of the smartphones I've tested this year.

I'd go out on a limb and say the g54 feels better in hand than the more expensive G series flagbearer g84, which the company released on September 1 (full review in coming). The g84 is a more premium-feeling device, certainly, with its flat edges, and Pantone-certified colour options (viva la Viva Magenta), but there's something about its less-powerful sibling that I personally prefer. The g84 wins points on style — and performance — but the g54 just feels better in hand.

The user experience is fluid — my review unit is the base 8+128 GB variant, which will allow me to experience the device that most people will likely opt for — and the lack of extra RAM does not show. The animations are smooth, scrolling is seamless thanks to the high refresh rate. And yes, there is a 3.5 mm headphone jack.

The LCD screen is a bit of a letdown, with the display skewing to the blue side of the colour spectrum when viewed at an angle, but that is not how most users will be looking at the screen, so it's not a deal-breaker. The display itself is pleasant to look at, with excellent colour reproduction — at the right angle.

I've said it before and I'll say it again — we have reached a point in the smartphone evolution cycle where it is very difficult to get a device wrong. The only differentiators are price, performance, and budget. And nearly every smartphone out there does its job in its price bracket.

That said, I'll be putting the moto g54 through its paces and will post a full review soon.

The g54 comes with an applied clear case, the expected sundries like user manual, SIM ejector tool, et al, and a 33W charging brick with a USB type-C cable.