1. Specifications Comparison
| Feature | Motorola Moto G Power (2021) | Honor Magic6 Pro | Practical Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Design | |||
| Dimensions | 165.3 × 75.9 × 9.5 mm | 162.5 × 75.8 × 8.9 mm | Moto G Power is slightly taller and thicker, making the Magic6 Pro feel more compact. The difference in thickness is noticeable in hand. |
| Weight | 206.5g | 225g | Moto G Power is lighter, making it more comfortable for prolonged use. The weight difference is noticeable. |
| Display | |||
| Size | 6.6" | 6.8" | Magic6 Pro offers a slightly larger screen for more immersive media consumption. |
| Resolution | 720x1600 | 1280x2800 | Magic6 Pro has a significantly sharper display, with noticeably clearer text and images. |
| PPI | 266 | 453 | Magic6 Pro display appears much more detailed due to higher pixel density. |
| Technology | IPS LCD | OLED | Magic6 Pro has much better contrast, deeper blacks, and more vibrant colors. It also typically has better viewing angles. |
| Refresh Rate | 60Hz | 120Hz | Magic6 Pro provides noticeably smoother animations and scrolling, making the user experience feel more fluid. |
| Brightness | 0 nits | 0 nits | Both phones have identical peak brightness, but this value is missing, so we cannot accurately compare the screen visibility in daylight. |
| Performance | |||
| Chipset | Snapdragon 662 (11nm) | Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 (4nm) | Magic6 Pro is much faster, offering smoother multitasking, faster app loading, and superior gaming performance. The difference in speed is very noticeable. |
| AnTuTu Score | 178,220 | 2,069,877 | Magic6 Pro's significantly higher score means it handles demanding tasks much better, is more responsive, and will remain relevant for longer. |
| GPU | Adreno 610 | Adreno 750 | Magic6 Pro has a much more powerful GPU, providing much better graphics performance for gaming and other graphically intensive applications. |
| Battery | |||
| Capacity | 5000mAh | 5600mAh | Magic6 Pro has a slightly larger battery which should provide longer battery life, although usage patterns will affect real-world battery duration. |
| Charging | 15W Fast Charging | 80W Fast Charging | Magic6 Pro charges much faster, reducing charging downtime significantly. |
| Features | 10W charger in-box, Non-removable | Reverse charging, Wireless charging 66W, Reverse wireless charging 7.5W, E1 Power Efficiency Chip, No charger inbox, Non-removable | Magic6 Pro offers wireless charging, reverse charging and advanced charging features, giving more flexibility. Moto G has a charger inbox but lacks these premium charging capabilities. |
| Camera | |||
| Rear Camera (Main) | 48MP, f/1.7, 0.80 µm | 50MP, f/1.4, 1/1.3", 1.20 µm | Magic6 Pro has a higher resolution main sensor, a wider aperture and larger pixels which means better light gathering and performance in low light and sharper images with greater detail. |
| Telephoto + Portrait | None | 180MP, f/2.6 | Magic6 Pro features a dedicated telephoto lens with a higher resolution and zoom capability for more versatile photography. Moto G Power does not have a telephoto option. |
| Selfie Camera | 8MP, f/2.0, 1.12 µm | 50MP, f/2.0, 1/2.51", 0.64 µm | Magic6 Pro provides superior selfie capabilities with much higher resolution and potentially better low-light performance. |
| Portrait (Depth) | 2MP, f/2.4, 1.75 µm | None | Moto G power provides depth sensing for portraits. |
| Macro Lens | 2MP, f/2.4, 1.75 µm | None | Moto G power has a dedicated macro lens for close-up shots. |
| Wide Angle + Macro | None | 50MP, f/2.0, 1/2.88" | Magic6 Pro includes a wide angle and macro lens for more versatile photography. Moto G Power has neither. |
| Video | 1080p@30/60fps with EIS | 4K@24/30/60fps with HDR, OIS, EIS, 1080p@30/60/120/240fps with HDR, OIS, EIS | Magic6 Pro offers much higher quality video recording, with better stabilization and slow-motion capabilities, plus HDR for better dynamic range. |
| DxOMark Score | Not Available | Main: 158, Selfie: 151 | Magic6 Pro has excellent camera performance as tested by DxOMark, with superior image and video quality, indicating a notable difference in overall picture quality. |
| Camera Features | Digital Zoom, Triple Camera, Digital image stabilization, Autofocus, Touch focus, Phase detection autofocus (PDAF), Laser autofocus (LAF), Continuous shooting, Geotagging, Panorama, HDR, Face detection, White balance settings, ISO settings, Exposure compensation, Scene mode, Self-timer | Noise reduction, Face unlock, 4K Video, Digital zoom, Optical zoom, Triple camera, Digital image stabilization, Optical Stabilization (OIS), Ultra stable video, Autofocus, Touch focus, Continuous autofocus, Manual focus, Laser AF, Phase detection autofocus (PDAF), Laser autofocus (LAF), Dual front camera, Main camera for Selfies, Continuous shooting, Geotagging, Panorama, HDR, Face detection, White balance settings, ISO settings, Exposure compensation, Scene mode, Self-timer, RAW, Night Mode | The Magic6 Pro offers significantly more advanced camera features, including optical zoom, OIS, RAW capture, Night mode and more. |
| Software | |||
| OS | Android 10 | Android 14 | Magic6 Pro has a newer OS, meaning access to new features and security updates. The older OS on the Moto G power might be outdated. |
| Connectivity | |||
| WiFi | 802.11ac | WiFi 7 | Magic6 Pro supports the latest WiFi standards, offering faster and more stable connections. |
| Bluetooth | 5.0 LE | 5.3 LE | Magic6 Pro has a newer Bluetooth version for faster transfer and better codec support, improving audio streaming. |
| 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), QZSS (L1 + L5) | Magic6 Pro supports more satellite systems, potentially offering more accurate location tracking. |
| SIM | Single SIM (Nano) | Dual SIM (Nano + Nano/eSIM) | Magic6 Pro supports dual SIM functionality and eSIM, offering more flexibility for travel and work/life separation. |
| Storage | |||
| Internal | 32 GB or 64 GB | 256 GB, 512 GB, or 1024GB | Magic6 Pro offers significantly more storage, suitable for storing larger files like photos, videos and apps. Moto G is more limited on space. |
| RAM | 3 GB or 4 GB | 12 GB or 16 GB | Magic6 Pro has substantially more RAM, enabling smoother multitasking, running more apps simultaneously, and better gaming performance. |
| Expandable | No | No | Neither phone has expandable storage, limiting the capacity of both devices. |
| Audio | |||
| Quality | Basic audio features | DTS/DTS X, Stereo Speakers | Magic6 Pro provides enhanced audio with stereo speakers and DTS support, offering more immersive sound experience. Moto G has more basic audio. |
| Security | |||
| Features | side-mounted fingerprint sensor | basic fingerprint sensor | Moto G power has side-mounted fingerprint sensor which may offer a better experience. Both provide basic biometric security. |
| Build Quality | |||
| Screen Protection | Unknown | Unknown | Both phones use similar screen protection technology. The exact make of the screen is unknown for both. |
| Sensors | |||
| Sensors | Fingerprint, Proximity, Accelerometer, Compass, Gyroscope | Fingerprint, Proximity, Accelerometer, Compass, Gyroscope, Barometer | Magic6 Pro offers more sensors, including a barometer, providing additional data. |
2. Key Differences Analysis
Motorola Moto G Power (2021) Advantages:
- Lighter Weight: More comfortable for extended use at 206.5g, compared to 225g for the Honor Magic6 Pro.
- Side-mounted fingerprint sensor: Side-mounted fingerprint sensor that offers a smoother biometric unlock.
- Charger in the box: Includes a 10W charger, which could be convenient if you don't have a charger.
- Lower Price Point: Typically much more affordable, making it accessible for budget-conscious users.
Honor Magic6 Pro Advantages:
- Superior Display: Higher resolution OLED display with a 120Hz refresh rate for a much more vivid, fluid, and sharper visual experience.
- Significantly Faster Performance: The Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chipset provides far superior performance, making it great for gaming and heavy multitasking.
- Enhanced Camera System: Offers a much better set of cameras, with high-resolution main and selfie sensors, and the addition of telephoto and ultra wide-angle capabilities, coupled with superior video features.
- Larger Battery and Much Faster Charging: A larger battery combined with 80W fast charging means longer usage time and minimal downtime for charging.
- Advanced Connectivity: Supports newer Wi-Fi and Bluetooth standards, providing faster speeds and better connectivity.
- More Storage and RAM: Comes with significantly more storage and RAM which means better user experience.
- Advanced audio features: Includes DTS / DTS X and stereo speakers for enhanced audio.
Significant Trade-offs:
- Moto G Power: The biggest trade-off is the significantly lower performance and display quality. This phone is only suitable for users who are focused on battery life and basic smartphone use on a budget.
- Honor Magic6 Pro: The main trade-off for the Honor Magic6 Pro is the higher price point. It's a premium device that is more expensive than the budget focused Moto G Power. Another drawback for some would be that it does not come with a charger in the box.
3. User Profiles & Recommendations
Motorola Moto G Power (2021) Ideal User:
- Budget-conscious users: Those who prioritize affordability over high-end features and performance.
- Basic smartphone users: Individuals who mainly use their phone for calls, texts, browsing, and basic social media.
- Users prioritizing battery life: Individuals who need a phone that can easily last through a day (or two) of moderate usage.
- Users preferring the fingerprint sensor to be side-mounted: Those who prefer the more tactile nature of side-mounted fingerprint scanners.
- Users who want a charger in the box: Those that need a charger included with the phone purchase.
Use Cases:
- Daily communication and basic social media consumption.
- Long usage sessions between charging.
- As a secondary or backup phone.
Honor Magic6 Pro Ideal User:
- Power users: Individuals who require the highest performance for gaming, video editing, and heavy multitasking.
- Photography enthusiasts: Those who value a high-quality camera system with versatile features and great low-light performance.
- Multimedia consumers: Individuals who prioritize display quality and audio experience for streaming and gaming.
- Users who value cutting-edge features: Those who want the latest technology and features in a premium smartphone.
- Users wanting more storage and ram: Those who need the extra space and performance that comes with a higher storage and ram options.
Use Cases:
- Demanding mobile gaming and graphics-intensive apps.
- Professional photography and videography.
- Immersive media consumption and streaming.
- Work tasks requiring heavy multitasking.
Price-to-Value Ratio:
- The Moto G Power offers a strong value proposition for users on a very tight budget who need a basic, long-lasting device.
- The Honor Magic6 Pro is positioned as a premium device, so its price tag is justified by the superior performance, display, and camera system for users who want the best possible experience.
4. Decision Framework
Key Questions for Buyers:
- What is my budget? If budget is the main constraint, the Moto G Power is the obvious choice. If you're willing to spend more for a premium experience, the Magic6 Pro should be considered.
- What are my primary use cases? If you mostly use your phone for basic tasks, the Moto G Power suffices. For intensive tasks, gaming or professional photography, the Magic6 Pro is the better option.
- How important are the display, performance, and camera? If these are not high priorities, the Moto G Power is acceptable. If these are top priorities, the Magic6 Pro's superior capabilities are necessary.
Scenario-Based Recommendations:
- Scenario 1: "I need a basic phone on a tight budget."
- Recommendation: Motorola Moto G Power (2021). This phone offers the best combination of basic functionality and battery life at a budget price.
- Scenario 2: "I want the best performance and camera I can get."
- Recommendation: Honor Magic6 Pro. The Magic6 Pro is the superior device, with much better performance, display, and a more advanced camera system.
- Scenario 3: "I want a long-lasting phone but I also care about some advanced features."
- Recommendation: Honor Magic6 Pro. Even though it is not the focus, it is likely that due to it having a larger battery and more efficient chip, the Honor Magic6 Pro will provide you with more battery life that the Moto G Power, whilst being a lot more capable.
- Scenario 4: "I need a cheap phone and I need a charger in the box"
- Recommendation: Motorola Moto G Power (2021). If you are on a budget, the Moto G Power is the option for you as it is likely to be significantly cheaper than the Honor Magic 6 Pro.
My Choice and Why
If I were choosing between these two phones, I would choose the Honor Magic6 Pro. While the Motorola Moto G Power (2021) serves its purpose as a basic, budget-friendly device, the sheer difference in performance, display quality, and camera capabilities of the Honor Magic6 Pro makes it a much more compelling choice for me.
The Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chipset would offer an incredibly smooth experience, both in everyday use and when engaging in demanding tasks like gaming or video editing. The 120Hz OLED display alone is a significant upgrade over the Moto G Power's LCD panel, and the vastly superior camera system provides far more versatility for all photography needs. Furthermore, the faster charging and larger battery, paired with the more modern connectivity options, makes the Honor Magic6 Pro a much more future-proof device. Even though the price point is considerably higher, the overall user experience provided by the Honor Magic6 Pro justifies the increased cost, as it provides a significantly more advanced feature-set across the board.
While I acknowledge the Moto G Power's advantages in terms of being lighter and coming with a charger in the box, these benefits are overshadowed by the overall superior capabilities of the Honor Magic6 Pro. For me, a premium user experience, especially in terms of performance, display quality, and camera capabilities, is worth the extra investment.
