The Motorola One Macro relies on the photo mode of the same name to differentiate itself. Was it a successful bet? The answer is in the test below, conducted by the specialist Bankai. The Motorola One range is constantly evolving. After the “Vision,” “Action,” and “Zoom” models, here comes the Motorola One Macro with the mode of the same name. Motorola’s strategy is quite interesting. The manufacturer has developed a particularly readable range by giving each model a specific strength. However, these advantages are so specific to certain models that one might wonder if they still constitute a good selling point. And to be frank, that’s exactly the question we asked ourselves while reading the Motorola One Macro’s specifications. It was therefore important to see how this model performs in images and beyond. But first, let’s take a look at its technical specifications.
Design, screen, audio
In terms of design, the Motorola One Macro shows no originality, but it also doesn’t make any mistakes: its edges could have been thinner and the notch better designed, but otherwise, it features the current aesthetic with an iridescent back (plastic on the other side) and vertically aligned photo sensors. The facial recognition unlock works well, but doesn’t offer rock-solid security. The rear fingerprint sensor is therefore preferred and also quite appealing. The 6.2-inch screen of the Motorola One Macro is not particularly impressive with its HD+ resolution (1520 x 720). The resolution barely meets current standards and it lacks a bit of brightness. There’s nothing to be ashamed of on a daily basis, but even at this price, Motorola could have (and should have) done a bit better. The manufacturer compensates for this with the audio part: the volume range is quite extensive and the sound from the single speaker of the Motorola One Macro is entirely satisfactory. Finally, we appreciate the presence of a headphone jack on the top edge of the phone.
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Performance, interface autonomy
Equipped with a Mediatek Helio P70 and 4 GB of RAM, the Motorola One Macro runs on a near-production version of Android 9, and in daily use, the phone offers quite satisfactory performance for this price range. We also appreciate the ability to expand the 64 GB memory via micro SD (up to 512 GB). The phone is not part of the Android One range, but it offers the small Motorola options we appreciate. These include starting the flashlight with a quick gesture of the hand or activating the camera with a double twist. Another practical advantage is the very smooth activation of the “Do Not Disturb” mode, where you simply flip the smartphone over. In terms of battery life, the Motorola One Macro stands out with its 4000 mAh battery. Whatever you use it for, the phone will easily last you two days. Its charging time is reasonable (a little over 2 hours to reach 100%).
The photo
We finally arrive at the heart of the matter. Motorola has heavily invested in the existence of a macro mode. Good ideas? We were excited by the results when we started. The ability to shoot so closely is indeed a nice bonus, and the first shots we took with it look quite good. But the macro mode quickly shows its weaknesses in the long run. Photos often lack detail, color reproduction is sometimes unnatural, and without stabilization, it’s really difficult to take decent photos. We could have overlooked this if the Motorola One Macro had compensated in other areas, but unfortunately, that’s not the case with the photos. The main sensor performs well when the lighting is optimal. But as soon as it drops, the images are often blurry, dark, in short, missed.
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Price and finish
The Motorola One Macro is available for €229.99 since December 2019.