1. Specifications Comparison
Here's a detailed comparison of the Motorola Moto G Power (2021) and the Honor 90, highlighting practical implications:
Design
| Feature | Motorola Moto G Power (2021) | Honor 90 | Practical Impact |
|---|
| Dimensions | 165.3 × 75.9 × 9.5 mm | 161.9 × 74.1 × 7.8 mm | The Honor 90 is noticeably more compact and thinner, making it easier to handle and pocket. The Moto G Power is larger and bulkier. |
| Weight | 206.5g | 183g | The Honor 90 is significantly lighter, making it more comfortable for extended use and less tiring to hold. |
| Build | Not specified | Not specified | No information to compare. |
Display
| Feature | Motorola Moto G Power (2021) | Honor 90 | Practical Impact |
|---|
| Size | 6.6" | 6.7" | The Honor 90 offers a slightly larger screen, which may provide a slightly more immersive viewing experience. The difference is minor. |
| Resolution | 720x1600 | 1200x2664 | The Honor 90 has a much sharper display with significantly more pixels, resulting in clearer text, images, and videos. |
| PPI | 266 | 435 | The higher pixel density of the Honor 90 results in a crisper and more detailed display, where individual pixels are less noticeable. |
| Technology | IPS LCD | AMOLED | The AMOLED display on the Honor 90 provides deeper blacks, higher contrast, more vibrant colors and better power efficiency, especially with dark themes. |
| Refresh Rate | 60Hz | 120Hz | The 120Hz refresh rate on the Honor 90 provides smoother scrolling, animations, and overall better responsiveness. |
| Brightness | 0 nits | 1600 nits | The Honor 90's display is much brighter, making it significantly more usable in direct sunlight. The Moto G Power's brightness is not available, making it potentially difficult to use in bright conditions. |
Performance
| Feature | Motorola Moto G Power (2021) | Honor 90 | Practical Impact |
|---|
| Chipset | Qualcomm Snapdragon 662 (11 nm) | Qualcomm Snapdragon 7 Gen 1 Accelerated Edition (4 nm) | The Honor 90 has a much newer and more powerful chipset, leading to significantly better performance in all tasks and is more energy efficient due to its smaller node size. |
| AnTuTu Score | 178,220 | 701,227 | The Honor 90's significantly higher score reflects faster app loading times, smoother multitasking, and better gaming performance. |
| GPU | Adreno 610 | Adreno 644 | The Honor 90 has a much more powerful GPU, resulting in better graphics performance for gaming and other graphically intensive tasks. |
Camera
| Feature | Motorola Moto G Power (2021) | Honor 90 | Practical Impact |
|---|
| Main Camera Resolution | 48MP | 200MP | The Honor 90 captures photos with significantly more detail and higher resolution. |
| Main Camera Aperture | f/1.7 | f/1.9 | The wider aperture on the Moto G Power (2021) allows more light to reach the sensor but is not as important as the sensor size. |
| Main Camera Sensor Size | Not specified | 1/1.4" | The Honor 90 has a larger sensor which captures more light leading to better low-light performance. |
| Main Camera Pixel Size | 0.80 µm | 0.56 µm | The Moto G Power has larger individual pixels, but the overall larger sensor of the Honor 90 outweighs this difference. |
| Selfie Camera Resolution | 8MP | 50MP | The Honor 90's selfie camera has significantly higher resolution, resulting in sharper and more detailed self-portraits. |
| Selfie Camera Aperture | f/2.0 | f/2.4 | The wider aperture on the Moto G Power (2021) theoretically captures more light but is not as important as sensor size. |
| Portrait Mode Camera | 2MP, f/2.4, 1.75 µm pixels | 2MP, f/2.4, 2.24 µm pixels | Both have similar secondary cameras with the Honor 90 having slightly larger pixel size. The impact is minimal. |
| Macro Lens | 2MP, f/2.4 | Not present | The Moto G Power has a dedicated macro lens. |
| Wide Angle/Macro Lens | Not Present | 12MP, f/2.2 | The Honor 90 includes a wide angle/macro lens. |
| Video Recording | 1080p@30/60fps | 4K@30fps, 1080p@30/60fps | The Honor 90 can record in 4K, allowing for higher-quality video footage. |
| Slow Motion | 60fps | 960fps | The Honor 90 has a significantly higher framerate for slow-motion recording. |
| DxOMark Score | Not Available | 122 (Mobile) | The Honor 90 has a decent camera score according to DxOMark. |
| Features | Laser AF, Panorama | 4K video, RAW, Front Flash, Night Mode | The Honor 90 offers more advanced features including 4K video recording, RAW capture for editing, front-facing flash and night mode. |
Battery
| Feature | Motorola Moto G Power (2021) | Honor 90 | Practical Impact |
|---|
| Capacity | 5000mAh | 5000mAh | Both phones have the same battery capacity. |
| Charging | 15W fast charging | 66W fast charging | The Honor 90 charges much faster, significantly reducing the time spent waiting for the device to reach full charge. |
| Battery Type | Li-Ion Polymer | Li-Ion | No noticeable real world implications. |
Software
| Feature | Motorola Moto G Power (2021) | Honor 90 | Practical Impact |
|---|
| OS | Android 10 | Android 13 | The Honor 90 has a much newer version of Android, offering the latest features, security updates, and better performance optimization. |
Connectivity
| Feature | Motorola Moto G Power (2021) | Honor 90 | Practical Impact |
|---|
| Wi-Fi | 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac | 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/ax | The Honor 90 supports Wi-Fi 6, offering faster speeds, lower latency, and better performance in crowded Wi-Fi networks. |
| Bluetooth | Bluetooth 5.0 | Bluetooth 5.2 | The Honor 90 has the newer standard, often with better stability, power efficiency, and wider codec support. |
| GPS | GPS, A-GPS, GLONASS, SUPL, Galileo | GPS, A-GPS, GLONASS, Beidou, Galileo, BeiDou (B1) | The Honor 90 supports more satellite systems, allowing for more accurate positioning. |
| SIM | Single SIM (Nano SIM) | Dual SIM Dual Standby (Nano SIM + Nano SIM) | The Honor 90 allows the use of two SIM cards at the same time, helpful for travel or managing multiple phone numbers. |
Storage
| Feature | Motorola Moto G Power (2021) | Honor 90 | Practical Impact |
|---|
| Internal | 32GB or 64 GB | 256GB or 512 GB | The Honor 90 offers significantly more storage space, allowing for more apps, photos, videos, and files. |
| RAM | 3GB or 4GB | 8GB, 12GB, or 16GB | The Honor 90 has more RAM, resulting in smoother multitasking, better app performance and is more suitable for future app demands. |
| Expandable | No | No | Neither phone supports expandable storage. |
Audio
| Feature | Motorola Moto G Power (2021) | Honor 90 | Practical Impact |
|---|
| Quality | Basic | Noise Cancellation Mic | The Honor 90 offers clearer calls in noisy environments. |
Security
| Feature | Motorola Moto G Power (2021) | Honor 90 | Practical Impact |
|---|
| Features | Side-mounted fingerprint sensor | Basic fingerprint sensor | The side-mounted fingerprint sensor on the Moto G Power may be more ergonomic for some users but they are both able to provide biometric security. |
Build Quality
| Feature | Motorola Moto G Power (2021) | Honor 90 | Practical Impact |
|---|
| Screen Protection | Not Specified | Not Specified | No information available for comparison. |
Sensors
| Feature | Motorola Moto G Power (2021) | Honor 90 | Practical Impact |
|---|
| Sensors | Fingerprint, Proximity, Accelerometer, Compass, Gyroscope | Fingerprint, Proximity, Accelerometer, Compass, RGB | Both phones have standard sensors, with the Moto G Power offering a gyroscope (useful for some games and AR) and the Honor 90 with a RGB sensor. |
2. Key Differences Analysis
Motorola Moto G Power (2021) Advantages:
- Wider Aperture on Main Camera: f/1.7 for better low-light performance compared to the Honor 90's f/1.9, though the smaller sensor size means that the honor 90 likely will capture more light overall despite having a narrower aperture.
- Macro Lens: Dedicated macro lens for close-up photography.
- Side-Mounted Fingerprint Sensor: Might be ergonomically preferred by some users.
- Gyroscope Sensor: Useful for some games and augmented reality applications.
Practical Implications: The Moto G Power is designed as a budget-friendly phone with useful camera features and a large battery.
Honor 90 Advantages:
- Superior Display: AMOLED panel, higher resolution, higher pixel density, 120Hz refresh rate, and significantly brighter for much better viewing experience.
- Significantly Faster Performance: Much more powerful chipset and GPU for better app performance, multitasking, and gaming.
- Much Better Main Camera: Significantly higher resolution with a larger sensor size for better photos, video and low light performance.
- Much Better Selfie Camera: Higher resolution for better selfies.
- Higher Quality Video: Capable of 4K video recording.
- Faster Charging: 66W fast charging for quick battery replenishment.
- Newer OS: Android 13 for the latest features and security updates.
- More Storage: Much more internal storage and RAM for demanding users.
- Dual SIM Support: Useful for managing multiple numbers.
- More advanced Connectivity: Supports newer Wi-Fi and Bluetooth standards.
- Noise Cancellation Microphone: For clearer calls.
- Wide Angle Lens: For added camera versatility.
Practical Implications: The Honor 90 is a much more premium device, offering significant improvements in almost every category, making it a much better overall phone.
Trade-offs:
- The Motorola Moto G Power (2021) trades overall performance, display quality, and camera quality for its lower price point and potentially slightly more ergonomic side-mounted fingerprint sensor.
- The Honor 90 does not have a dedicated macro lens which is present on the Moto G Power.
3. User Profiles & Recommendations
Motorola Moto G Power (2021) Ideal Users:
- Budget-Conscious Users: People looking for an affordable smartphone that can handle basic tasks.
- Users who Value Battery Life: Those who need a phone that can last all day on a single charge.
- Users who like Macro Photography: People who like taking close up photos with a dedicated lens.
- Basic Use Cases: Browsing, social media, calls, emails and media consumption on a budget.
Honor 90 Ideal Users:
- Performance Enthusiasts: Users who need a phone that can handle demanding games, multitasking, and resource-intensive applications smoothly.
- Multimedia Lovers: Users who prioritize display quality, camera performance, and video recording.
- Power Users: Those who use multiple apps, need ample storage, and appreciate fast charging.
- Users wanting a Premium experience: Those who want a premium phone without going into the highest price ranges.
Price-to-Value Ratio:
- Motorola Moto G Power (2021): Offers a decent experience for a very low price.
- Honor 90: Priced higher but offers significant performance, camera, and display improvements making it a better value for users with more demanding needs and willing to pay more.
4. Decision Framework
Here are three key questions buyers should consider:
- What is my budget? The Moto G Power is a budget option while the Honor 90 is more expensive and provides better overall experience.
- What will I primarily use the phone for? Basic tasks vs demanding games, photo/video capture.
- What features are most important to me? Display quality, performance, camera, or battery life, fingerprint sensor type.
Scenario-Based Recommendations:
- Scenario 1: Basic Use, Tight Budget: Choose the Motorola Moto G Power (2021) if you need a phone for basic tasks, a long battery life and you have a very tight budget.
- Scenario 2: Moderate Budget, Good Camera & Performance: Choose the Honor 90 if you prioritize a better display, great camera, and significantly better performance without needing the absolute latest and greatest flagship specs.
- Scenario 3: Demanding User: Choose the Honor 90 if you are a heavy user with multiple apps, gaming, high quality video and photos.
My Choice
If I were to choose, I would pick the Honor 90. The vast differences in display quality, performance, camera capabilities, and the overall user experience justify the higher cost. While the Motorola Moto G Power (2021) is adequate for basic tasks, the Honor 90 provides a significantly better and more future-proof experience in all categories. The 120Hz AMOLED display, the powerful chipset, and the significantly higher quality camera system are aspects that would greatly enhance my daily usage. Furthermore, the significantly faster charging makes the Honor 90 a practical choice for a user who is often on the go.
