Moto G8 Power Lite packs a colossal 5,000mAh battery for a cheap price

Moto G8 Power Lite
(Image credit: Motorola)

Motorola has had a surprise launch of its Moto G8 Power Lite handset that packs a 5,000mAh battery at a bargain price of £149.99 (around $184 / AU$305). 

That means the Moto G8 Power Lite is poised to be an even more affordable version of the Moto G8 Power (known as the Moto G Power in the US) that was revealed earlier this year, keeping its 5,000mAh battery but leaving off some of the more refined features and specs to come in at nearly half the price.

What does that mean? The G8 Power Lite has a MediaTek Helio P35 Quad-Core chipset, a lower-resolution 6.5-inch HD+ (1600 x 720) display, and crucially, packs Android 9 out of the box. It’s unclear if or when it will upgrade to the current standard Android 10 (and what comes with the G8 Power).

As for cameras, the G8 Power Lite keeps its sibling’s 16MP f/2.0 main and 2MP macro lenses, but loses the ultra-wide lens in favor of a 2MP depth sensor. It’s unfortunate, and we’re curious to see how useful folks find the remaining macro lens for up-close photography.

The Covid-19 announcement chill

Phone announcements have been delayed in 2020 due to the spread of coronavirus: many were set to be unveiled at MWC 2020, but when that was canceled out of concern for the outbreak, plenty of phonemakers have slowly begun to launch their handsets anyway – even if revealing them online has been far less flashy than the physical events that companies typically hold.

The G8 Power was one of the first to be shown off this way, so it’s only fitting that its more limited sibling also gets revealed online with little fanfare. Regardless, it’s a symbol that phones in 2020 will continue to come out on an atypical schedule as companies adjust to the new normal.

David Lumb

David is now a mobile reporter at Cnet. Formerly Mobile Editor, US for TechRadar, he covered phones, tablets, and wearables. He still thinks the iPhone 4 is the best-looking smartphone ever made. He's most interested in technology, gaming and culture – and where they overlap and change our lives. His current beat explores how our on-the-go existence is affected by new gadgets, carrier coverage expansions, and corporate strategy shifts.

Latest in Motorola Phones
Motorola Edge 50 Pro lavender
Your next Android bargain? Major Motorola leak teases details of multiple 2025 phones – including the Edge 60 series
The Motorola Moto G Power in grey and green on a desk
Motorola's new cheap phones offer flagship features for a quarter of the price of an iPhone 16
Motorola Razr 2024 orange folding phone on pink background with lowest price sign
The brand-new Motorola Razr 2024 has dropped to just $500 at Amazon
Motorola Razr Plus 2024 in green
The next Motorola Razr foldable might be able to close on its own with a motorized hinge
Motorola Razr Plus 2024 in green standing like a tent with a clock on its face
It looks as though another Motorola Razr flip foldable is about to launch
Motorola Razr Plus 2024 in green standing like a tent with a clock on its face
Motorola's next Galaxy Z Flip 6 rival just took another step towards launching
Latest in News
Google Pixel 8a in aloe green showing
Google Pixel 9a benchmark link teases the performance of the upcoming mid-ranger
Quordle on a smartphone held in a hand
Quordle hints and answers for Monday, March 17 (game #1148)
NYT Strands homescreen on a mobile phone screen, on a light blue background
NYT Strands hints and answers for Monday, March 17 (game #379)
NYT Connections homescreen on a phone, on a purple background
NYT Connections hints and answers for Monday, March 17 (game #645)
Apple iPhone 16 Pro HANDS ON
Leaked iPhone 17 dummy units may have given us our best look yet at all four models
A super close up image of the Google Gemini app in the Play Store
It's official: Google Assistant will be retired for phones this year, with Gemini taking over