Motorola's Moto G5S Plus is the company's latest addition to its lineup of great phones in the budget category. Since the release of the original Moto G, the firm has been putting out smartphones packed with impressive features, but with an affordable price tag. The device was announced in August and, in a week or so, it will hit the shelves in the US.

Getting to know the handset

Motorola's newest budget phone has a larger screen than its predecessor, the Moto G5 Plus. The former displays a 5.5-inch screen while the latter has 5.2 inches. The original plastic frame with metal tacked on was replaced with a new all-metal body.

The rear camera has been upgraded to a dual setup with 13-megapixel sensors and an 8MP front-facing camera. The circular bulge in the dual cameras allows for monochrome photos and depth of field effects. This setup has been featured in the Moto Z2 Force and the image quality turned out to be impressive. It is interesting to see how it will perform on a phone that costs much less.

The battery endurance looks promising at 3,000 mAh, which should be more than enough to last throughout a day. It even comes with a Turbo Power charger should a quick refill is necessary. The phone will run on Android 7.1 and Qualcomm's Snapdragon 625 processor. Memory capacity varies from 3GB of RAM and 32GB of storage to 4GB of RAM and 64GB of storage.

The handset comes with a fingerprint sensor below the display and a built-in gesture support.

Awaiting arrival

With regard to network support, unlocked phones are now common in the US these days. As for the Moto G5S Plus, it has support for all four major carriers in the United States, including Verizon and Sprint. Prepaid subsidiary networks such as Boost and Cricket can also take part in the deal.

Pricing for the 32GB built-in storage is at $230 while the 64GB version sells at $300. Currently, the phone is available for pre-order on the company's website. On September 29, it will be available in retail stores such as Best Buy, New Egg, Walmart.com, Ting, B&H, and Fry. Considering the device's outstanding build quality and design features, it proves to be ahead of other phones included in its price range.

What's the catch?

Naturally, not every good deal is perfect and for a budget phone like this.Although the verdict still boils down to user preference, the G5S Plus is incomplete to some extent. Its lack of NFC restricts the user from using mobile payment solutions like Android Pay and the metal frame prevents it from wireless charging. Instead, it charges through micro USB with a coating that is only splash-repellant, but not water-resistant.
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