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Battery life
- 3,000mAh removable battery
- Above average life
Perhaps the most noteworthy aspect of the Moto E6 Plus’s battery is the simple fact that it can be easily removed. Indeed, as a part of the setup process, it is necessary to insert the battery into the frame of the phone itself. To anyone used to setting up smartphones pre-2016, this is a very particular nostalgia trip.
Moving on to the performance of the unit itself, the picture is a good one. The device has a modern, efficient chipset, a low resolution screen and a reasonably-sized 3,000mAh cell, and as such it can last a long time.
That is to say, on an average 12-hour day, rising at 7am and then returning home for 7pm, it will normally have around 65-70% in the tank.
This is using wired headphones on the commute to listen to music, taking calls and messaging throughout the day, playing a few light games and reading articles on the internet. Those using the device more intensely will be able to drain it faster, while lighter users will easily be able to coax a second day of use out of it.
Running the highly-scientific TechRadar battery test, running a full resolution video at maximum brightness for 90 minutes over Wi-Fi, the charge dropped from 100% to 87%, which is a positive showing if not the absolute best. The pricier Moto G7 for comparison dropped to 78% in this test.
Beyond simply lasting for a long time, part of the measure of a good battery is its reliability, and with good standby times too, the Moto E6 Plus is a strong contender in the battery stakes.
Camera
- 13MP and 2MP rear lenses
- 8MP front-facing camera
- Acceptable snaps for the money
Of all the constituent parts of the Moto E6 Plus, it is the camera which the manufacturer most wishes to crow about. Two sensors are present on the rear of the Moto, there's a 13MP f/2.0 main lens, while the other is a 2MP depth sensor.
The camera app on the device is a relatively ‘normal’ one. Following the standard which is being set by Apple, it offers an interface which will be immediately familiar to most.
Swiping up and down takes the user through differing modes and options, with a Google Lens shortcut allowing the use of QR codes and the like. High Dynamic Range is activated by default, as is an 'AI' mode.
One feature we were sad to see omitted is a dedicated manual or ‘professional’ mode, that being one which allows for the white balance, focus and the like to be adjusted manually. Instead the user is limited to the use of various toggles and switches, but nothing approaching real creative control.
This said, the images produced by default with the Moto E6 Plus are certainly... interesting.
For the price point, they are quite good, meaning that they have quite a decent rendering of detail generally. Sharpening halos are a fact of life though, mainly when HDR is active, and noise is clearly visible.
Colors are a notable weakness, with even images in perfect lighting often appearing more than a little washed out. Again, this is likely a side-effect of the HDR algorithm. As it brightens the shadows and lowers the contrast, so too is the drama of any image lost.
Predictably, snaps at night are just terrible, with the flash only alleviating issues slightly. For the price, this is snapper is okay, and certainly produces images good enough to be shared at 3MP on Instagram. For those looking to get creative with their images however, there are better options to be had elsewhere.
As for the quality of the selfies, they are adequate, while video is similarly uninspiring.
