More and more users are looking for unsubsidized smartphones that offer decent features without the 2 year carrier trap. I was excited about the Moto G when I heard about it but couldn't wait to pay with it in real life.

What is this phone? Its a decent looking phone with

• 1.2Ghz quad core processor
• 8/16GB of storage
• 4.5" 720p display
• 5 MP camera with LED flash
• WIFI, GPS, Glonas
• Bluetooth 4 

All of this can be had for a measly $200.

How does it perform in everyday "normal" use? Very well actually. This isn't the latest and fastest device but for most tasks, it performs very well. It doesn't have LTE but 3G performance is acceptable for the average user. 

The only times I noticeably felt the device was lagging a bit was during 3G gaming and some photo editing software (which is processor intensive). When you are reading emails, checking facebook, posting on Twitter or checking out Google Now, you won't notice any slow performance.

Surprisingly the battery last all day with normal use.

The biggest snag for me was photography. I wasn't bothered by the 5MP theoretical sensor limit but found the entire photo experience frustrating (since photography is one of my main uses for a smartphone.) Autofocus often took a couple of seconds and sometimes settled on the wrong target. Overall image quality was soft with lacklustre vibrancy. Pictures just felt flat. 

Verdict

This is a great mid range phone at budget pricing. It offers a great entry point for consumers looking for a smartphone, but that don't want to spend $700-900 (thats what your 2 year term subsidized phone is really costing you). Performance was admirable for 85% of normal user tasks. 

I only really was left wanting when taking pictures. So If you will only take rare pictures then this is a great option. If photography is important for you, grab a Nexus 5 instead (I would have recommended a Moto X but it is due for an upgrade this summer).