Adding to its strong range of affordable phones, Motorola has announced three new handsets coming to Australia below $230: the Moto G34 5G, Moto G24, and Moto G04.
Near Field Communication (NFC) and fingerprint sensors come to all three models, enabling contactless payments – a feature not typically seen at this price point. Remarkably, the Moto G34 5G even supports eSIM technology, making it incredibly easy to swap networks and phone plans as needed.
Across the three new phones are features often reserved for handsets double the price. Contactless payments are just one benefit of NFC: the technology also eases the process of sharing media and contacts between devices.
Moto G34 5G brings eSIM to a low price
One of the most affordable 5G phones in Australia, the Moto G34 5G brandishes a 6.5-inch HD+ (1600 x 720) LCD screen, supporting a smooth 120Hz refresh rate. Keep in mind that it uses the sub-6GHz network, which is the current standard across Australian 5G phones.
Of the three phones announced by Motorola, the Moto G34 5G is the only model to include eSIM support. Which, mind you, is barely seen in $500 phones, let alone sub-$300 devices. It reduces the friction of finding the cheapest SIM plan and paying less for your phone bill.
On the inside, the Moto G34 5G packs a Qualcomm Snapdragon 695 5G processor, which is also used by the Moto G84 5G. Accounting for the lower price, the G34 includes a lower 4GB of RAM, which can be boosted up to 8GB by using some of the phone’s 128GB of internal storage as virtual memory.
With a two-camera rear array, Motorola’s latest budget 5G phone has a 50MP Quad Pixel main sensor, supported by a 2MP macro lens. On the front, it uses a 16MP selfie camera. Motorola points to its Quad Pixel technology as being better at capturing photos at night due to increased low-light sensitivity.
Including a decent 5,000mAh battery capacity, the Moto G34 5G also supports 18W wired charging, with a 20W charger included in the box. Instead of an IP rating, the phone is “water-repellent”, meaning it’s okay with light splashes but not liquid submersion – like the Moto G14 and Moto G54 5G phones.
Out on 24 April, the Moto G34 5G costs $279 once it hits the Motorola website, with Charcoal Black and a vegan leather Ocean Green your colour options. However, you can grab it for as little as $229 from various telcos, with exact details to be confirmed.
Launching with Android 14, it only comes with one major OS update, but supports three bi-monthly security updates.
Moto G24 personifies affordable versatility
Next cab off the rank is the Moto G24, a slightly larger 6.6-inch phone aimed at bringing premium features and design to a $229 device. It’s remarkable to see NFC plus fingerprint and face unlock technology included in such a low-priced device.
Powered by a MediaTek Helio G85 processor, the Moto G24 also includes 4GB of RAM, expandable up to 8GB using flash storage. Its refresh rate caps out at 90Hz, and there’s no eSIM support with this model.
Otherwise, there are plenty of similarities between the Moto G24 and its slightly more powerful G34 sibling. There’s a water-repellent design and a 5,000mAh battery capacity, in addition to a 50MP Quad Pixel main rear camera.
Its selfie lens is a lower 8MP sensor, but megapixels aren’t everything. Elsewhere, the Moto G24 charges at 15W via USB-C, although this model doesn’t include a charger in the box, likely to keep costs down. Like each of the new phones, a 3.5mm headphone jack is included. There’s also Bluetooth 5.0 wireless connectivity, a slight step down from the G34’s 5.1 tech.
Available in Matte Charcoal, Ice Green, and Pink Lavender, the Moto G24 is out now via retailers and the Motorola website. It ships with Android 14, although no further OS updates are promised, while the three years of security updates remain consistent.
Moto G04 offers NFC for less than $150
The most affordable of the three new Motorola phones, the Moto G04 brings contactless NFC tech and a fingerprint sensor to a device as cheap as $149.
Like the G24, the Moto G04 is a decent-sized handset, including a 6.6-inch HD+ LCD display. A 90Hz refresh rate is also a nice inclusion at this price range.
Driving the phone is a UNISOC T606 processor with 4GB of RAM. Like the other models, the G04 supports virtual memory expansion, producing the equivalent of 8GB by tapping into unused storage. On that note, the G04 comes with 64GB of internal storage, down from the other models’ 128GB.
Other than the processor, the Moto G04 has a similar-looking spec sheet to the G24. Both share the same connectivity options, battery capacity and charging speeds, and a water-repellent design.
There’s a bit of a difference in the camera array, which is to be expected given the price gap. On the back, the Moto G04 uses a main 16MP sensor that doesn’t include Motorola’s low-light Quad Pixel technology. As for the front, the 5MP selfie lens will be fine for the budget-savvy target market.
Also out today, the Moto G04 costs $179 at retailers and Motorola’s website, with colours including Concord Black, Satin Blue, and Sunrise Orange. In the coming weeks, it will also be available through Telstra for $149 in Satin Blue.
NFC technology across such affordable phones sets a new standard for other manufacturers to follow. Since adding my cards to my phone, I’ve barely touched my wallet. It’s incredibly convenient, which will appeal to plenty of people who value convenience and affordability over raw power.
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