Smartphone Comparison: Motorola Moto G 5G vs. Honor Magic4 Pro
1. Specifications Comparison
Here's a detailed comparison of the Motorola Moto G 5G and Honor Magic4 Pro, focusing on practical implications for the user:
Design
| Feature | Motorola Moto G 5G | Honor Magic4 Pro | Practical Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dimensions | 166.1 x 76.1 x 9.9 mm | 163.6 x 74.7 x 9.1 mm | The Moto G 5G is slightly larger and thicker, making it less pocketable and potentially less comfortable for smaller hands. |
| Weight | 212g | 209g | Both are relatively heavy, but the difference is negligible. Both will feel substantial in hand. |
| Build | Unknown | Unknown | Missing information. It's not possible to give a comparison of build quality based on the available data. |
Display
| Feature | Motorola Moto G 5G | Honor Magic4 Pro | Practical Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Size | 6.7" | 6.81" | The Magic4 Pro has a slightly larger screen, offering a marginally more immersive experience for media consumption. |
| Resolution | 1080x2400 | 1312x2848 | The Magic4 Pro's higher resolution provides a noticeably sharper image, resulting in clearer text and more detailed visuals. |
| Pixel Density | 393 PPI | 460 PPI | The Magic4 Pro’s higher pixel density results in a crisper, more detailed display. Individual pixels are less likely to be noticeable. |
| Technology | IPS LCD | OLED | OLED provides richer colors, deeper blacks, and better contrast compared to IPS LCD. The Magic4 Pro will offer a more vibrant visual experience. |
| Refresh Rate | 60Hz | 120Hz | The 120Hz refresh rate on the Magic4 Pro results in significantly smoother scrolling, animations, and gaming experiences. The Moto G 5G's 60Hz is less fluid. |
| Brightness | 0 nits | 1000 nits | The Magic4 Pro offers much better visibility in bright sunlight due to its higher brightness. The Moto G 5G's 0 nits rating indicates missing or incorrect data. It would be expected to be much lower than the Honor device in a typical scenario. |
Performance
| Feature | Motorola Moto G 5G | Honor Magic4 Pro | Practical Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chipset | Snapdragon 750G (8 nm) | Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 (4 nm) | The Magic4 Pro's chip offers significantly faster processing, better power efficiency, and higher graphics performance, resulting in a much smoother and responsive experience. |
| AnTuTu Score | 390,000 | 945,832 | The Magic4 Pro’s substantially higher AnTuTu score indicates superior overall performance for demanding tasks, heavy multitasking, and high-end gaming. The Moto G 5G is more suitable for basic daily tasks. |
| GPU | Adreno 619 | Adreno 730 | The Magic4 Pro's Adreno 730 GPU provides much higher graphics performance, resulting in smoother gameplay and better performance in graphically intensive applications. |
Camera
| Feature | Motorola Moto G 5G | Honor Magic4 Pro | Practical Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Main Camera | 48MP f/1.7, 0.80µm pixel size | 50MP f/1.9, 1/1.56" sensor, Sony IMX766, 1.00µm pixel size | The Magic4 Pro, with its larger sensor and larger pixels, likely captures better images with more detail, better low-light performance, and potentially better dynamic range. The wider aperture on Moto G 5G might help in some low-light scenarios but is unlikely to match the sensor performance of the Honor device. |
| Telephoto/Portrait Camera | None | 64MP f/2.0, 1/2" sensor, Omnivision OV64B, 0.70µm pixel size | The Magic4 Pro has a dedicated telephoto camera for optical zoom and portrait shots which results in higher-quality zoomed photos and better portrait mode. The Moto G 5G relies on digital zoom with lower quality. |
| Selfie Camera | 16MP f/2.2, 1.00µm pixel size | 12MP f/2.4 | The Moto G 5G has a higher resolution selfie camera, which can lead to slightly more detailed pictures, however, the difference in aperture likely has only minor practical impact. The Honor Magic 4 Pro, while having a smaller resolution, might still perform better thanks to other image processing techniques. A comparison would be more useful with additional data on the sensor model. |
| Wide Angle Lens | 8MP f/2.2, 1.12µm pixel size | None | The Moto G 5G offers a dedicated wide-angle lens, useful for capturing group shots or landscapes. The Magic4 Pro does not have a dedicated wide-angle sensor, but has a secondary wide + macro lens which will offer a more detailed ultrawide shot. |
| ToF 3D Sensor | None | 0.3MP | The Magic4 Pro has a ToF 3D sensor, typically used for depth sensing in portrait mode and potentially in other augmented reality applications. |
| Macro Lens | 2MP f/2.4, 1.75µm pixel size | None | The Moto G 5G has a dedicated macro lens which allows for close-up shots of small objects. The Magic4 Pro has a wide angle lens that is also used as a macro camera which is generally more useful. |
| Wide Angle + Macro | None | 50MP f/2.2 | The Magic4 Pro includes a combined wide-angle and macro lens, allowing for high resolution, detailed ultrawide angle and close-up shots. |
| Video | 4K@30fps with EIS, 1080p@30/60fps with EIS; slow-motion 60fps | 4K@30/60fps with HDR, EIS, 1080p@30/60fps with HDR, EIS; slow-motion 960fps | The Magic4 Pro offers more advanced video recording with HDR support, 60fps 4K recording and higher frame-rate slow-motion. The Honor offers stabilization, whereas the Motorola does not. |
| DXOMark | Not tested | Main Score: 126, Photo Score: 132, Video Score: 117 | The Honor Magic4 Pro has a tested DXOMark score, which indicates good camera performance overall. The Moto G 5G's camera performance is unmeasured. |
Battery
| Feature | Motorola Moto G 5G | Honor Magic4 Pro | Practical Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Capacity | 5000mAh | 4600mAh | The Moto G 5G has a slightly larger battery, which might translate to slightly longer battery life, although this depends on usage, power efficiency of the chipset, and other software features. |
| Charging | 20W Fast Charging | 100W Fast Charging | The Magic4 Pro's 100W charging is significantly faster, allowing for much quicker charging times. The difference between 20W and 100W charging is substantial and very noticeable to a user. |
| Features | Non-removable | Reverse charging, Wireless charging 100W, Non-removable | The Magic4 Pro offers significantly more charging features including fast wireless charging and reverse charging to charge accessories. |
Other
| Feature | Motorola Moto G 5G | Honor Magic4 Pro | Practical Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Operating System | Android 10 | Android 12 | The Magic4 Pro runs a newer version of Android, which likely offers the latest features, performance improvements, and security updates. |
| Wi-Fi | 802.11ac | Wi-Fi 6 (802.11ax) | The Magic4 Pro supports the newer Wi-Fi 6 standard, offering faster speeds and lower latency when connected to a compatible network, ideal for online gaming and heavy data use. |
| Bluetooth | 5.1 LE | 5.2 LE, APT-x, LDAC, SBC, AAC | The Magic4 Pro supports the newer Bluetooth 5.2 standard with additional high-quality codecs offering better sound quality over compatible headphones, lower latency, and more reliable connections |
| GPS | GPS, A-GPS, GLONASS, SUPL, Galileo | GPS, A-GPS, Beidou, QZSS, Galileo, GPS (L1+L5), GLONASS (L1), BeiDou (B1), Galileo (E1+E5a), BeiDou (B2), NavIC System, QZSS (L1 + L5) | The Honor Magic4 Pro supports more satellite navigation systems, resulting in more accurate positioning. |
| Storage | 64 GB or 128 GB | 256 GB or 512 GB | The Magic4 Pro offers significantly more internal storage, which is useful for storing more apps, photos, videos, and other files. |
| RAM | 4 GB or 6 GB | 8 GB or 12 GB | The Magic4 Pro has more RAM, leading to smoother multitasking and better overall performance with demanding applications. |
| Expandable Storage | None | None | Neither phone offers expandable storage, limiting future storage capacity. |
| Audio | 2 microphones | DTS / DTS X, Stereo Speakers | The Magic4 Pro offers more advanced sound quality, making it better for media consumption, where speakers are important to the experience. |
| Security | Rear-mounted fingerprint sensor | Basic fingerprint sensor | Both offer basic fingerprint sensor security. |
| Sensors | Biometric: Fingerprint; Proximity: Proximity; Motion: Accelerometer, Compass, Gyroscope | Biometric: Fingerprint; Proximity: Proximity; Motion: Accelerometer, Compass, Gyroscope, Gravity | The Honor Magic4 Pro has an additional Gravity sensor useful for gaming and other motion tracking tasks. |
2. Key Differences Analysis
Motorola Moto G 5G Advantages:
- Slightly Larger Battery: Offers a slightly larger 5000mAh battery, which might result in marginally longer battery life for some users, but this is highly dependant on use.
- Dedicated Wide Angle Lens: Offers a dedicated ultrawide lens.
- Dedicated Macro lens: Offers a dedicated macro lens.
- Lower Price: Typically, the Moto G series represents the entry to the mid-tier budget of phones, making it more affordable than flagship devices like the Honor Magic4 Pro.
Honor Magic4 Pro Advantages:
- Superior Display: The OLED panel with higher resolution, pixel density, brightness, and 120Hz refresh rate results in a dramatically better viewing experience.
- Much Higher Performance: The Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 chipset provides significantly faster processing power, making the phone much smoother and more responsive for all tasks, including gaming.
- Significantly Better Camera System: The Magic4 Pro boasts a much more versatile camera setup, including a dedicated telephoto lens, higher quality primary sensor, and advanced video features. The higher DXOMark score suggests significantly better picture and video quality in typical usage scenarios.
- Faster Charging and Wireless Charging: 100W wired and 100W wireless charging is a huge time-saver, and the reverse charging feature adds extra versatility.
- More Storage and RAM: The Honor phone comes with significantly more internal storage and RAM, leading to better multitasking and overall performance.
- Newer Software and Features: Runs a newer version of Android and has more advanced connectivity features, such as Wi-Fi 6 and better Bluetooth codec support.
- Better Audio: Offers DTS X audio, with stereo speakers, for more immersive sound.
Trade-offs:
- Battery vs. Charging: While the Moto G 5G has a slightly larger battery, the Honor Magic4 Pro compensates with significantly faster charging and wireless charging, meaning it can be charged quicker and with greater flexibility.
- Price vs. Performance: The Moto G 5G is significantly more affordable, but the Honor Magic4 Pro offers dramatically better performance and features. The trade-off comes down to a user's priorities and budget.
- Camera features vs Quality: The Motorola has additional cameras, such as a dedicated macro and wide-angle lens, whereas the Honor device, while not having dedicated lenses, uses a more powerful sensor that will deliver superior results with it's ultrawide and macro shots.
3. User Profiles & Recommendations
Motorola Moto G 5G:
- Ideal User: Budget-conscious users looking for a reliable phone for basic tasks, media consumption, and decent battery life.
- Use Cases:
- Daily browsing, social media, and messaging.
- Casual media consumption (videos, music)
- Users prioritising basic functionality and affordability above all else.
- Users who need a dedicated wide-angle or macro lens, and are not concerned about image quality.
- Price-to-Value: Offers good value for users on a tight budget, focusing on core functionality with decent battery life, whilst sacrificing high-end features and performance.
Honor Magic4 Pro:
- Ideal User: Tech enthusiasts, mobile photographers, power users, and gamers who demand top-tier performance, a premium display, and a high-quality camera.
- Use Cases:
- Demanding mobile gaming with smooth graphics.
- Professional-grade photography and videography.
- Heavy multitasking, using many apps at once.
- Users who want an immersive multimedia experience.
- Users who frequently need fast charging and want the flexibility of wireless charging.
- Price-to-Value: Justifies its higher price with premium features, exceptional performance, and versatile camera capabilities. The phone is designed for performance first, and is a premium device.
4. Decision Framework
Here are three key questions to help a buyer decide between these two phones:
- What is your budget? The Moto G 5G is much more affordable than the Honor Magic4 Pro. If budget is the primary concern, the Moto G 5G will likely be the better option.
- What are your main use cases? If you need a phone for basic tasks, the Moto G 5G will suffice. However, for demanding use, gaming, photography, and a premium experience, the Honor Magic4 Pro is worth the investment.
- How important are display quality and performance? If you value a high-quality display and smooth performance, the Honor Magic4 Pro's superior screen and powerful processor make it the obvious choice.
Scenario-Based Recommendations:
- Scenario 1: Casual User on a Budget:
- Recommendation: Motorola Moto G 5G. It provides core functionality, a decent battery, and good performance for basic use cases at an accessible price.
- Scenario 2: Mobile Photographer/Videographer:
- Recommendation: Honor Magic4 Pro. The advanced camera system, telephoto lens, and HDR video capabilities make it a clear choice for capturing high-quality photos and videos.
- Scenario 3: Heavy Gamer/Power User:
- Recommendation: Honor Magic4 Pro. Its powerful Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 chipset, high refresh rate display, and ample RAM will deliver the best gaming and multitasking experience.
- Scenario 4: Power User Concerned About Charging Speed
- Recommendation: Honor Magic4 Pro. The 100W wired and wireless charging capabilities, plus the reverse charging functionality offer more flexibility, and charging speeds that the Motorola cannot come close to.
What I would choose and why
Based on the analysis, I would choose the Honor Magic4 Pro.
Here's why:
While the Motorola Moto G 5G offers decent value for its price, the Honor Magic4 Pro provides a vastly superior user experience in almost every aspect. The dramatically improved display with OLED, higher resolution, pixel density, and 120Hz refresh rate alone makes a significant difference. When coupled with the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 chipset, significantly better camera capabilities, 100W fast wired and wireless charging, and a more modern feature set, the Honor Magic4 Pro is the clear choice for those looking for premium performance. The additional RAM and storage ensure the device remains fluid and responsive for years to come.
While the Moto G 5G has a larger battery, the dramatically improved charging speeds offered by the Honor device make battery life negligible in terms of user experience. It's also worth noting that the Honor device features a more efficient chipset, so it's likely to offer adequate, and similar battery performance.
The Honor Magic4 Pro is simply a much more capable device, offering a significantly better experience for the user. Although more expensive, the premium features offered by the Honor device justify the higher price point. As a tech enthusiast, I greatly value the improvements in display, performance, and camera and I consider it an investment in the technology and quality of the device. The increased performance, camera versatility, and charging speed are critical for my typical usage.
