Although Motorola's flagships are rarely among the best Android phones, its affordable Moto G series hasn't failed to make an appearance in our best cheap Android phone roundups for the last few years. We expect Motorola to continue this trend in the coming year, and it has made a great start today with the launch of the Moto G Play 2023.

The all-new Moto G 2023 is a budget-friendly Android phone that succeeds the Moto G Play 2021. It brings a few design and hardware improvements over the latter, including a new SoC, a notchless high refresh rate display, and a better primary camera.

Motorola Moto G Play 2023: Specifications

Specifications

Motorola Moto G Play 2023

Dimensions & Weight

  • 167.24 x 76.54 x 9.36mm
  • 203g

Display

  • 6.5-inch HD+ IPS TFT LCD
  • 1600 x 720p resolution
  • 90Hz refresh rate

SoC

MediaTek Helio G37

Memory & Storage

  • 3GB RAM
  • 32GB storage (expandable up to 512GB)

Rear Camera(s)

  • Primary: 16MP f/1.22
  • Macro: 2MP f/2.4
  • Depth: 2MP f/2.4

Front Camera(s)

5MP f/2.4

Battery

  • 5,000mAh
  • 10W wired charging support

Connectivity

  • USB 2.0 Type-C
  • 3.5mm headphone jack
  • Bluetooth 5.0
  • 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac dual-band Wi-Fi

Software

Android 12

The Moto G Play 2023 features an updated design befitting a smartphone launched in late 2022. It no longer features a tear-drop notch for the selfie camera and opts for a more modern hole-punch solution. The rear-facing camera module also has a new design that gives the phone a more premium look.

In addition to the design changes, Motorola has swapped the Snapdragon 460 chip with a MediaTek Helio G37 chip on the newer model, upgraded the phone to a 16MP primary camera, added a new 2MP macro sensor, and updated the 6.5-inch IPS TFT panel to offer 90Hz refresh rate support.

The Moto G Play 2023 also features an IP52 rating for dust and water resistance, a USB Type-C port, a 3.5mm headphone jack, and a rear-mounted fingerprint scanner. In terms of connectivity, the device offers 4G LTE support, Bluetooth 5.0, and 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac Wi-Fi. Sadly, it doesn't provide 5G support. But that was to be expected given its price.

Pricing & Availability

Although Motorola has officially unveiled the device today, the unlocked version of the Moto G Play 2023 will go on sale in the U.S. for $169.99 starting January 12 through Best Buy, Amazon, and Motorola's website, with carrier availability coming later at Metro by T-Mobile, Dish, Xfinity Mobile, UScellular, Consumer Cellular, Spectrum Mobile, and Optimum Mobile. The device will be available in Canada through Motorola's website and select carriers starting January 12.