[Gadgets] Moto E13 Review: Filling the Void

[Maestro]

Gadget Source

Smartphones keep getting more expensive every year and there's no stopping it. With the increasing cost of components, coupled with most big brands focusing more on premium smartphones, there is a void in the entry-level segment in India. Motorola, which had a busy 2022 launching several G-series and E-series phones in India, is trying to fill that void with the launch of the Moto E13.

The Moto E13 is the company's most affordable phone to date in India. It aims at getting the basics right while still offering a budget-friendly price. Should the Moto E13 be considered if your budget is under Rs. 10,000? Here is our review to help you decide.

 

Moto E13 price in India.

The Moto E13 has been launched in India with 2GB of RAM and 64GB of storage, which is priced at Rs. 6,999. There is also a 4GB RAM and 64GB storage option, which is priced at Rs. 7,999. Motorola sent us the latter variant for this review. 

 

Moto E13 design and display.

The Moto E13 follows the flat-frame design trend that most smartphones tend to sport these days. The frame, like the curved rear panel, is made of plastic. Motorola has tried giving the phone a premium look with a gradient frosted finish, which is something I really liked. I have the Aurora Green colour but if you want a more classic look, there's Cosmic Black and Creamy White colour options as well.

The phone is also quite light in the hand at under 180g. It is not the slimmest phone out there but at 8.47mm, I would not complain. This thickness also means there's room for a 3.5mm headphone jack at the top edge and a big battery.

On the front, the Moto E13 sports a 6.5-inch IPS LCD display with a HD+ (1600 x 720 pixels) resolution and a 60Hz refresh rate, which is fairly standard for smartphones in this price range. The screen brightness should not be a problem when using the phone indoors, however it needs to be maxed out when using it outdoors and under sunlight. Thankfully, the ambient light sensor does a fairly good job of automatically adjusting the brightness as needed.

The colours reproduced by the Moto E13's display are obviously not as rich or vivid as you would experience on AMOLED panels, but it's serviceable. The device also has a WideVine L3 certification for SD video playback from streaming apps such as Netflix. There is a single bottom-firing speaker, which is fairly loud. Considering that the phone is targeted at buyers who are either first-time smartphone users or former feature phone users, the E13 should be good enough for basic multimedia consumption.

The Moto E13 has an IP52 rating for basic splash resistance against water and dust. There is no fingerprint scanner, which is something that can be found in alternatives like the Redmi A1+.

 

Moto E13 specifications and software.

The Moto E13 draws power from a UniSoc T606 chipset. The 12nm SoC is paired with up to 4GB of RAM, but lacks support for 5G networks. There is a 5,000mAh battery with support for 10W charging via a USB Type-C port. The phone offers connectivity features such as Bluetooth 5.0, dual-band Wi-Fi, FM radio, 3.5mm headphone jack, and a dual-SIM tray. There is a slot for a microSD card, which can expand the internal storage up to 1TB.