Design
- Looks pretty slick - the glossy back with rounded edges gives the Moto G9 a premium look - the design is very similar to other Motorola phones like the Moto E7 Plus
- The front has pleasingly rounded edges and slimline bezels with a tear-drop notch that looks decent (though, phones have started to offer hole-punch displays at this price)
- Decent fingerprint sensor at the back
- At 200g, the phone is reasonably hefty
- It also picks up greasy fingerprints a little too easily
Display
- Vibrant, large 6.5-inches IPS display - the images on the screen have a good amount of pop thanks to the display’s reasonably high contrast
- Sunlight legibility is good
- The resolution is low for the price, every reasonable competitor offers a full HD display at this price
Software
- Motorola continues to keep the software on it's phones clean, and simple - it's basically stock Android with a few useful Moto add-ons
Performance
- Decent performance from the new Snapdragon 662 - the phone feels fast when jumping from app to app and there's no issue in regular use, thanks to the clean and light software Motorola uses - you can also do some casual gaming
- However, this is not the most powerful phone at this price and heavy 3D gaming takes a toll on the processor - the Redmi Note 9 offers a better performance at this price
Camera
- Decent triple rear camera setup - a 48MP primary module, a 2MP macro camera, and a 2MP depth sensor
- In daylight, photos carry a decent amount of details with bright colors and high contrasts - colours are boosted slightly to enhance appeal but the camera never overdoes it
- Macro camera can take some fun photos for social media, if you can find the right focus
- Portrait mode is good - the depth detection is nice and subject separation is on par with other Motorola phones
- The 8MP selfie camera does a good job at taking clear sharp photos and it also offers a selfie portrait mode, which works well
- Average low-light performance - the lack of detail and sharpness make the photos look foggy
Battery
- Very good battery life from the 5000 mAh battery - a full charge will easily last you for 2 days of regular use
- Decent fast charging from the 20W fast charger - takes about 2 hours to completely charge the phone
Verdict
- The Motorola Moto G9 is a decent phone for the price - the software is the key winner here, it offers clean Android with decent performance and nice cameras
- However, if you want a bit more power in your phone and a higher resolution display the Redmi Note 9 and Realme 6i are good phones at a little more price, though it's not for stock Android lovers