Smartphone Comparison: Motorola One 5G Ace vs. Honor 90
1. Specifications Comparison
| Feature | Motorola One 5G Ace | Honor 90 | Practical Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Design | |||
| Dimensions | 166.1 × 76.1 × 9.9 mm | 161.9 × 74.1 × 7.8 mm | The Honor 90 is more compact, thinner, and easier to handle, especially with one hand. The Motorola is bulkier and less pocketable. |
| Weight | 212g | 183g | Honor 90 is significantly lighter, making it more comfortable for extended use, reducing hand fatigue. |
| Display | |||
| Size | 6.7" | 6.7" | Both have the same screen size. |
| Resolution | 1080x2400 | 1200x2664 | Honor 90 has a noticeably sharper display, resulting in clearer text and more detailed images, making it better for consuming visual content. |
| Pixel Density (PPI) | 393 | 435 | Honor 90 will have slightly crisper visuals compared to Motorola One 5G Ace. |
| Technology | IPS LCD | AMOLED | Honor 90's AMOLED provides deeper blacks, higher contrast, more vibrant colors, and is more power-efficient when using dark modes or dark themes. |
| Refresh Rate | 60Hz | 120Hz | Honor 90 provides much smoother scrolling and animations, a significant difference noticeable in everyday use and gaming. |
| Brightness | 0 nits | 1600 nits | The Honor 90 offers vastly superior outdoor visibility, making it usable in bright sunlight, unlike Motorola One 5G Ace which lacks sufficient brightness. |
| Performance | |||
| Chipset | Snapdragon 750G (8 nm) | Snapdragon 7 Gen 1 (4 nm) | Honor 90's chipset provides significantly faster processing, leading to snappier app launches and better overall performance for intensive tasks and gaming. |
| AnTuTu Score | 330,000 | 701,227 | Honor 90 offers a more fluent and overall better performance, making it better for gaming and multitasking. |
| GPU | Adreno 619 | Adreno 644 | Honor 90 has a more powerful GPU, which translates into better graphics performance for gaming. |
| Camera | |||
| Standard Camera | 48MP, f/1.7, 0.8µm | 200MP, f/1.9, 1/1.4", 0.56µm | Honor 90 has a vastly higher resolution, allowing for more detailed photos and better digital zoom. The slightly wider aperture on Motorola could allow for slightly better low light performance, however is minimal compared to the Honor 90 sensor capabilities. |
| Selfie Camera | 16MP, f/2.2, 1.12µm | 50MP, f/2.4 | Honor 90 will have much more detailed selfie shots. |
| Wide Angle Lens | 8MP, f/2.2, 1.12µm | Not Available | Motorola One 5G Ace provides wide angle shots, but the quality may not match the primary lens quality. |
| Depth Sensor | Not Available | 2MP, f/2.4, 2.24µm | Honor 90 supports dedicated portrait mode images |
| Macro Lens | 2MP, f/2.4, 1.75µm | Not Available | Motorola One 5G Ace allows for basic macro shots. |
| Wide Angle + Macro | Not Available | 12MP, f/2.2, 1.12µm | Honor 90 has a combined sensor for wide-angle and macro shots, offering more versatility. |
| Video Recording | 4K@30fps, EIS | 4K@30fps, EIS | Both phones offer the same maximum recording resolution and electronic stabilization (EIS). |
| Slow Motion | 60fps | 960fps | Honor 90 offers significantly higher slow-motion capture for detailed slow-motion shots. |
| DxOMark Score | Not Available | 122 (Mobile), 128 (Photo), 126(Video) | Honor 90 has been tested by DxOMark, providing a benchmark for the camera quality and performance, which is not available for Motorola One 5G Ace. |
| Battery | |||
| Capacity | 5000 mAh | 5000 mAh | Both have the same battery size, however, Honor 90's more efficient chipset may lead to slightly better battery life. |
| Charging | 15W Fast Charging | 66W Fast Charging | Honor 90 charges much faster, reducing downtime and allowing for quicker top-ups. |
| Software | |||
| OS | Android 10 | Android 13 | Honor 90 comes with a much newer Android version, providing access to the latest features, security updates and performance improvements. |
| Connectivity | |||
| Wi-Fi | Wi-Fi 5 | Wi-Fi 6 | Honor 90 offers faster speeds, lower latency, and better performance in crowded networks. |
| Bluetooth | 5.1 | 5.2 | Honor 90 has a newer Bluetooth version, along with support for more audio codecs. |
| SIM | Single SIM | Dual SIM | Honor 90 allows for the use of two SIM cards simultaneously, useful for managing work and personal numbers. |
| Storage | |||
| Internal | 64GB or 128GB | 256GB or 512GB | Honor 90 offers significantly more storage space, suitable for users with large media libraries and many apps. |
| RAM | 4GB or 6GB | 8GB, 12GB or 16GB | Honor 90 allows for smoother multitasking, particularly with demanding apps. |
| Expandable Storage | Not Available | Not Available | Neither device supports expandable storage. |
| Audio | |||
| Microphones | 2 microphones | Noise Cancellation microphone | Honor 90 should be able to offer slightly clearer phone calls. |
| Security | |||
| Fingerprint Sensor | Rear-mounted | Basic fingerprint sensor | Both offer basic biometric security through a fingerprint sensor, though actual performance and speed can differ. |
| Sensors | |||
| Sensors | Accelerometer, Compass, Gyroscope, Proximity, Fingerprint | Accelerometer, Compass, Proximity, Fingerprint | Motorola One 5G Ace includes the Gyroscope sensor, which may be relevant for specific games. Honor 90 includes RGB sensor. |
2. Key Differences Analysis
Motorola One 5G Ace Advantages:
- Wider Aperture Main Camera: The main camera has a slightly wider aperture (f/1.7 vs f/1.9) which could result in slightly better low-light performance, however, this is minimal compared to the Honor 90 sensor.
- Macro Lens: Dedicated macro lens for close-up photography which the Honor 90 doesn't offer.
- Wide Angle Lens: Dedicated wide-angle lens, which the Honor 90 doesn't offer.
- Gyroscope: Includes a gyroscope sensor, relevant for some games and AR applications.
- Laser Autofocus: Offers Laser autofocus which may help in some situations.
Honor 90 Advantages:
- Superior Display: Significantly higher resolution, AMOLED technology, 120Hz refresh rate, and vastly higher brightness provide a much better visual experience.
- Much Faster Performance: The Snapdragon 7 Gen 1 chipset offers notably better performance in daily tasks and demanding applications, including gaming.
- Far Superior Main Camera: 200MP main sensor allows for higher resolution images with better digital zoom quality.
- Better Selfie Camera: Significantly better selfie camera with higher resolution.
- Significantly Faster Charging: 66W charging allows much faster top-ups, convenient for users on the go.
- More Storage and RAM: Comes with much larger storage and RAM options.
- More Advanced Connectivity: Supports newer Wi-Fi 6 and Bluetooth 5.2 standards and more GPS constellations for improved connectivity.
- Dual SIM: Allows the use of two SIM cards simultaneously.
- More recent OS: Android 13 compared to Android 10.
- Better DxOMark Camera Scores Honor 90 has a high DxOMark score which is a great indicator of quality.
- Noise Cancellation Microphone: For improved call quality.
Significant Trade-offs:
- The Motorola One 5G Ace has a dedicated Macro and Wide Angle lens, while the Honor 90 uses a combined wide-angle + macro lens.
- The Motorola One 5G Ace has a gyroscope sensor, the Honor 90 does not.
- The Honor 90 lacks laser autofocus compared to the Motorola One 5G Ace.
- The Honor 90 does not include a 3.5mm headphone jack.
3. User Profiles & Recommendations
Motorola One 5G Ace:
- Ideal User: Users on a tight budget who prioritize basic smartphone functionality with a large screen. Suitable for those who don't need high performance, camera quality, or screen experience.
- Use Cases: Basic daily use, web browsing, media consumption (lower visual quality), and some gaming.
- Price-to-Value: Offers a more budget-friendly option.
Honor 90:
- Ideal User: Users who prioritize performance, display quality, camera, and advanced connectivity features and are willing to pay more for a premium experience.
- Use Cases: Demanding tasks, gaming, photography/videography, media consumption, and extended use where smooth performance is important.
- Price-to-Value: While more expensive, offers a superior experience for its price range.
4. Decision Framework
Key Questions for Buyers:
- Budget: How much are you willing to spend on a new phone?
- Primary Use: What will you primarily use your phone for? (basic communication vs. heavy multitasking, gaming, photography)
- Importance of Features: How important are display quality, camera capabilities, and performance to you?
Scenario-Based Recommendations:
- Budget User: If your primary focus is a basic smartphone for essential functions and budget is a major concern, the Motorola One 5G Ace may be a suitable option. However, be prepared for the reduced display quality, performance and camera quality.
- Performance and Camera Focused User: If you value performance, high-quality visuals, and an advanced camera system, the Honor 90 is the better choice. It will provide a better experience for demanding tasks and multimedia consumption, at a higher price.
- Multimedia Enthusiast: If you watch a lot of videos, game, or browse images, the superior display and performance of the Honor 90 will be a much better choice.
My Choice
I would choose the Honor 90.
Here’s why:
While the Motorola One 5G Ace has a few advantages like a dedicated macro and wide-angle lens, and a gyroscope sensor, these are outweighed by the sheer number of advantages offered by the Honor 90. The Honor 90 excels in all areas that matter most to me in a smartphone: display quality, performance, camera, and charging speed.
The AMOLED display with its 120Hz refresh rate is a massive leap from the Motorola's IPS LCD. This alone elevates the daily user experience to a significant extent, making content consumption much more enjoyable. The vastly superior processing power of the Snapdragon 7 Gen 1 ensures smooth multitasking, and a responsive user experience even when the phone is loaded with various apps. The camera system of the Honor 90 is also far more impressive. The 200MP main camera offers significantly higher detail than the Motorola's 48MP, and the improved selfie camera is another big win. The 66W fast charging is also a feature that is hard to overlook when compared to 15W.
The only features I would miss from the Motorola are the dedicated macro lens, a wide angle lens and a gyroscope sensor. However, the sheer number of upgrades on the Honor 90 outweighs the loss of those features.
Therefore, for anyone who values a modern, fast, and high-quality smartphone experience, the Honor 90 is the better choice, despite its higher price point.
