Motorola G100 is first with Snapdragon 800-series chip (Update: US availability)

Update, July 22, 2021 (11:15 AM ET): The Motorola Moto G100 came out a few months ago, but only in specific areas of the world. Disappointingly, Motorola claimed it had no plans to change that. Now, though, the device is officially available in the United States. Thanks, Moto!

Starting now, you can buy the G100 in an unlocked state for $499 — a full $100 off its list price of $599. You can grab this deal exclusively from Motorola.com. The device is GSM-only, which means it will only work on T-Mobile, AT&T, and their various subsidiaries. The phone won’t work correctly on Verizon and its subsidiaries.

Original article, March 16, 2021 (02:50 AM ET): The purchase of a Moto G phone has typically meant accepting fair performance at best, but you might not have to make that compromise going forward. Motorola has introduced the G100, its first phone using one of Qualcomm’s higher-end Snapdragon 800-series chips.

Read more: The best Motorola phones

True to the rumors, the Moto G100 centers on a Snapdragon 870 mated with 8GB of RAM and 128GB of expandable storage. It won’t be as fast as the Snapdragon 888-powered flagship phones on the market, but it will include 5G and the processing power to juggle multiple apps and handle intensive tasks.

Motorola G100: More than meets the eye

Motorola is expanding the Android 11-based software to match. As hinted late last year, the Moto G100 includes a Ready For platform that lets you move games, video calls, and other apps to a big screen. An included dock helps you use the feature from the start. Regardless of how you use apps, a unique-to-mobile subject tracking feature keeps tabs on people whether you’re calling or recording video.

The 6.7-inch display won’t rival the latest devices with its 90Hz refresh rate. You do get HDR10 support, though, and Motorola is betting that the higher performance will help you make the most of the screen.

The Moto G100’s camera array is more familiar, but might do the job well for the price class. Although it’s not uncommon to see 64MP main cameras, there’s also a macro camera with a ring light akin to the one seen on the less powerful Motorola One 5G. There’s also an ultra-wide cam. The front packs two cameras, including another ultra-wide as well as a 16MP standard sensor.

Motorola is selling the Moto G100 now in Europe and Latin America at a starting price of £449.99. Motorola confirmed it has no plans to bring this phone to North America. This is unfortunate as it’s hard for Americans to find readily available Snapdragon 800-powered phones in that price tier.