1. Specifications Comparison
| Feature | Motorola Moto G Power (2021) | ZTE nubia Z50S Pro | Practical Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Design | |||
| Dimensions | 165.3 × 75.9 × 9.5 mm | 163.9 × 76.3 × 8.3 mm | The Moto G Power is slightly taller and thicker, while the Nubia Z50S Pro is marginally wider but thinner. The Z50S Pro feels more modern. |
| Weight | 206.5g | 228g | The Moto G Power is noticeably lighter, potentially more comfortable for extended one-handed use. |
| Display | |||
| Size | 6.6" | 6.8" | The Nubia Z50S Pro has a slightly larger screen, offering a more immersive experience. |
| Resolution | 720x1600 | 1260x2800 | The Nubia Z50S Pro has a far sharper display, resulting in clearer text, images, and videos. |
| PPI | 266 | 452 | The Nubia Z50S Pro's display is significantly crisper, with much less pixelation. |
| Technology | IPS LCD | AMOLED | The Nubia Z50S Pro boasts deeper blacks, higher contrast, and more vibrant colors, greatly enhancing viewing quality. |
| Refresh Rate | 60Hz | 120Hz | The Nubia Z50S Pro provides smoother scrolling and animations, resulting in a more fluid user experience. |
| Brightness | 0 nits | 1500 nits | The Nubia Z50S Pro is significantly brighter, making it much more readable in direct sunlight. Note: The '0 nits' for Motorola is likely an error or missing specification. |
| Performance | |||
| Chipset | Qualcomm Snapdragon 662 (11 nm) | Qualcomm Snapdragon 8+ Gen 2 (4 nm) | The Nubia Z50S Pro has a much more powerful processor, resulting in significantly faster app loading, smoother multitasking, and superior gaming performance. |
| AnTuTu Score | 178,220 | 1,579,720 | The Nubia Z50S Pro demonstrates dramatically better overall performance, indicating it can handle intensive tasks with ease. |
| GPU | Adreno 610 | Adreno 740 | The Nubia Z50S Pro has a much more powerful GPU, offering superior graphics performance in games and other graphically demanding applications. |
| Camera | |||
| Rear Standard Camera | 48MP, f/1.7, 0.80 µm | 54MP, f/1.6, 1/1.49", 1.00 µm | The Nubia Z50S Pro has a slightly higher resolution main sensor with larger pixels, potentially capturing more light and detail, especially in low light. |
| Telephoto Camera | None | 8MP, f/2.4, 1.00 µm | The Nubia Z50S Pro has a dedicated telephoto lens for optical zoom and portrait shots, which the Motorola lacks. |
| Wide Angle Lens | None | 50MP, f/2.0, 1/2.88", 0.61 µm | The Nubia Z50S Pro has a wide-angle lens for capturing more of the scene, whereas the Motorola does not offer this functionality. |
| Front Camera | 8MP, f/2.0, 1.12 µm | 16MP, f/2.5, 1/3.06", 1.00 µm | The Nubia Z50S Pro offers a higher resolution selfie camera, while the Moto G Power has a slightly wider aperture. |
| Portrait Mode (Depth) | 2MP, f/2.4, 1.75 µm | None | The Moto G Power includes a dedicated depth sensor for portrait mode. |
| Macro Lens | 2MP, f/2.4, 1.75 µm | None | The Moto G Power has a dedicated macro lens for very close-up shots. |
| Video | 1080p@30/60fps, EIS | 8K@30fps, 4K@30/60/120fps, EIS | The Nubia Z50S Pro offers significantly higher video recording quality, including 8K resolution and higher frame rates, plus more sophisticated stabilization (with 'Yes'). |
| 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 | Flicker sensor, 4K Video, 8K Video, Digital zoom, Optical zoom, Triple camera, Digital image stabilization, Optical Stabilization (OIS), Ultra stable video, Gimbal, Autofocus, Touch focus, Continuous autofocus, Manual focus, Phase detection autofocus (PDAF), Continuous shooting, Geotagging, Panorama, HDR, Face detection, White balance settings, ISO settings, Exposure compensation, Scene mode, Self-timer, RAW, Night Mode | The Nubia Z50S Pro offers advanced features like OIS, 8K video, and RAW capture, making it a much more versatile camera system. |
| Battery | |||
| Capacity | 5000mAh | 5100mAh | Both phones have similar battery capacities, suggesting comparable battery life in regular use. |
| Charging | 15W fast charging | 80W fast charging | The Nubia Z50S Pro charges significantly faster, minimizing downtime. |
| Charger In-box | 10W charger | Not explicitly mentioned | The Moto G Power includes a charger, while it's unclear if the Nubia includes one, though it's quite probable. |
| Software | |||
| OS | Android 10 | Android 13 | The Nubia Z50S Pro comes with a much newer version of Android, offering access to the latest features, security patches, and performance improvements. |
| Connectivity | |||
| Wi-Fi | 802.11a/b/g/n/ac | 802.11a/b/g/n/ac/ax/be | The Nubia Z50S Pro supports Wi-Fi 6 and Wi-Fi 7 offering faster speeds and better performance on compatible networks. |
| Bluetooth | 5.0 LE | 5.3 LE | The Nubia Z50S Pro offers the latest Bluetooth standard, providing a more stable and efficient connection. |
| GPS | GPS, A-GPS, GLONASS, SUPL, Galileo | A-GPS, GLONASS, Beidou, QZSS, Galileo, GPS (L1+L5), GLONASS (L1), BeiDou (B1), Galileo (E1+E5a), BeiDou (B2), NavIC System, QZSS (L1 + L5) | The Nubia Z50S Pro supports more satellite systems, which translates to faster and more precise location tracking, especially in challenging environments. |
| SIM | Single SIM | Dual SIM | The Nubia Z50S Pro supports dual SIM functionality, useful for separating work and personal lines or when travelling. |
| Storage | |||
| Internal | 32/64GB | 256/1024GB | The Nubia Z50S Pro has substantially more storage space, allowing users to keep more photos, videos, and apps. |
| RAM | 3/4GB | 12/16GB | The Nubia Z50S Pro has much more RAM, leading to better multitasking performance. |
| Expandable Storage | No | No | Neither phone supports external storage. |
| Audio | |||
| Quality | Basic audio features | DTS / DTS X, Stereo Speakers | The Nubia Z50S Pro offers stereo speakers and enhanced DTS audio for better sound quality. |
| Security | |||
| Features | side-mounted fingerprint sensor | basic fingerprint sensor | The Moto G Power has a side-mounted fingerprint scanner. Nubia's sensor is not specified. |
| Build Quality | |||
| Protection | Unknown | Unknown | Both phones have unknown screen protection, making it difficult to compare. |
| Sensors | |||
| Sensors | Fingerprint, Proximity, Accelerometer, Compass, Gyroscope | Fingerprint, Accelerometer, Compass, Gyroscope, Ultrasonic proximity virtual | Both phones have comprehensive sensor suites, but with slight variations. |
2. Key Differences Analysis
Motorola Moto G Power (2021) Advantages:
- Lighter Weight: At 206.5g, it's noticeably lighter than the Nubia Z50S Pro, making it more comfortable for prolonged use.
- Side-Mounted Fingerprint Sensor: Potentially more convenient access to unlock.
- Lower Price: The Moto G Power is an older budget phone, likely much cheaper.
- Macro lens: Dedicated lens for closeup shots.
- Portrait Mode (depth): Dedicated sensor for improved bokeh effect.
- Included Charger: The box contains a 10W charger.
ZTE Nubia Z50S Pro Advantages:
- Superior Display: Larger, higher-resolution AMOLED screen with a 120Hz refresh rate and much greater brightness for better viewing in all conditions.
- Significantly Better Performance: The Snapdragon 8+ Gen 2 chipset offers vastly superior processing power, handling intensive tasks, and gaming much better.
- Advanced Camera System: Includes a telephoto lens, ultrawide lens, 8K video recording, OIS, and more advanced features, offering far greater versatility in photography.
- Faster Charging: 80W fast charging drastically reduces charging times, more practical for heavy users.
- Newer Software: Comes with a much more up-to-date version of Android (Android 13), providing the latest features and security.
- Dual SIM: Supports the use of two SIM cards simultaneously, convenient for travel or separating personal/work contacts.
- Superior Audio: Stereo speakers with DTS/DTS X provide a richer and more immersive sound experience.
- More Storage and RAM: Provides far more internal storage and RAM, leading to smoother multitasking and more space for apps and media.
- Improved connectivity: Supports newer wifi and Bluetooth standards.
Trade-offs:
- Motorola Moto G Power (2021): Trades performance, display quality, camera capabilities, and software for a lower price, lighter weight, and some niche camera features (macro and depth).
- ZTE Nubia Z50S Pro: Trades weight and some minor sensor variations for a significant upgrade in nearly every other aspect of the phone.
3. User Profiles & Recommendations
Motorola Moto G Power (2021) Ideal User:
- Budget-Conscious Users: Those who prioritize affordability over high-end performance and features.
- Light Smartphone Users: Individuals who primarily use their phones for basic tasks like calls, texts, browsing, and casual social media.
- Users Who Value Battery Life: Those who want a device that can last a full day on a single charge, with some unique camera capabilities (macro and depth).
Use Cases:
- Basic everyday tasks, browsing, email, calls, and texts.
- As a backup phone.
- For users who don't need high-end gaming or camera features.
- Users who prioritize battery life over display quality and performance.
ZTE Nubia Z50S Pro Ideal User:
- Power Users: Users who demand high performance for gaming, multitasking, and intensive applications.
- Photography Enthusiasts: Those who want a versatile and high-quality camera system with multiple lenses, advanced features, and 8K recording capability.
- Multimedia Lovers: Users who consume a lot of video content and desire a vibrant, high-resolution display with a fast refresh rate and stereo speakers.
- Users Who Want the Latest Technology: Individuals who want the latest versions of Android, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, with all the modern features.
- Travelers: Those who benefit from dual SIM support and the most accurate GPS.
Use Cases:
- High-end mobile gaming.
- Professional-quality photo and video capture.
- Watching videos and movies with high fidelity.
- Multitasking with demanding applications.
- Users who want the best possible display for media consumption.
- Users who need fast charging, the most accurate GPS, and dual SIM capabilities.
Price-to-Value Ratio:
- The Moto G Power (2021) is a budget-friendly option that offers basic smartphone functionality. It excels at providing a long-lasting battery life but is quite dated and falls short compared to other modern smartphones in every other category.
- The ZTE Nubia Z50S Pro is a premium device with a higher price tag. It provides a top-tier display, performance, and camera system, offering great value for users who can take advantage of all of its premium features.
4. Decision Framework
Key Questions for Buyers:
- What is your budget? The Moto G Power is a much older, budget-focused phone, while the Nubia Z50S Pro is positioned as a higher-end device.
- What do you primarily use your phone for? Do you need a high-performance gaming and photography device, or a basic phone for calls, texts, and occasional browsing?
- What features are most important to you? Is it display quality, camera versatility, performance, or long battery life?
Scenario-Based Recommendations:
- Scenario 1: Casual User with Budget Constraints: Choose the Motorola Moto G Power (2021). It meets basic requirements, offers long battery life, and is likely to be far more affordable. However, be aware of the performance limitations and outdated display and cameras.
- Scenario 2: Performance and Camera Focused User: Choose the ZTE Nubia Z50S Pro. It offers a significantly superior user experience across the board with its premium display, powerful processor, versatile camera system, and fast charging. The only major drawbacks are the higher price and additional weight.
- Scenario 3: Balanced User Who Needs High Battery Life, but also a Good Display: The ZTE Nubia Z50S Pro is a superior choice, as it provides great battery life, but also features an excellent, modern display. While the Motorola excels at battery life, it falls behind by far in every other aspect. If you can afford the Nubia, there is no reason to consider the Moto G Power.
My Choice and Why
Given the information available, I would choose the ZTE Nubia Z50S Pro. While the Motorola Moto G Power (2021) is lighter and includes a charger in the box, the Nubia Z50S Pro is far superior in virtually every other meaningful aspect, and will provide a more enjoyable experience.
My reasoning is based on several factors:
- Future-Proofing: The Nubia's modern chipset, larger storage and RAM, higher resolution display, and advanced features will ensure it remains relevant and performs well for years to come. The Moto G Power, with its dated specs, is already starting to show its age and won't be able to handle many demanding tasks.
- Daily Enjoyment: The better screen, superior performance, and advanced camera are key components for daily use. The Nubia has all of these, offering an overall significantly improved experience compared to the Moto G Power.
- Versatility: The telephoto and ultrawide cameras, combined with 8K video, give the Nubia immense versatility when it comes to content creation, something the Moto G Power simply cannot match.
- Value: Although the ZTE Nubia Z50S Pro will have a higher price tag, it delivers a far superior experience. I believe the extra investment would be worthwhile.
- Battery Life: Both devices have similar battery capacities, with the Nubia Z50S Pro having a slight edge. The Nubia also has much faster charging, which is extremely helpful for daily use.
While the Moto G Power (2021) might serve for basic needs, the ZTE Nubia Z50S Pro is a vastly superior smartphone that provides a far better experience. As a smartphone analyst, I would prioritize the cutting-edge display, significantly faster performance, more advanced camera and overall superior functionality of the ZTE Nubia Z50S Pro. The slight increase in weight does not justify such a massive downgrade in the user experience.
