Smartphone Comparison: Motorola One 5G Ace vs. Honor Magic6 Pro
1. Specifications Comparison
Here's a detailed comparison of the key specifications, highlighting the practical impact of the differences:
Feature | Motorola One 5G Ace | Honor Magic6 Pro | Practical Impact |
---|---|---|---|
Design | |||
Dimensions | 166.1 x 76.1 x 9.9 mm | 162.5 x 75.8 x 8.9 mm | Honor Magic6 Pro is slightly shorter, narrower, and thinner, potentially more comfortable for single-hand use. Motorola is larger and thicker. |
Weight | 212g | 225g | Motorola is lighter by 13g, potentially more comfortable to hold for longer durations. |
Display | |||
Size | 6.7" | 6.8" | Negligible difference in screen size. Both are large and suitable for media consumption. |
Resolution | 1080x2400 | 1280x2800 | Honor Magic6 Pro has a sharper display with significantly more pixels, resulting in clearer text and images. |
Pixel Density (PPI) | 393 | 453 | Honor Magic6 Pro has a noticeably sharper screen, making it a more pleasurable experience to view detailed content. |
Technology | IPS LCD | OLED | Honor Magic6 Pro’s OLED provides better contrast, deeper blacks, and more vibrant colors compared to Motorola's LCD. |
Refresh Rate | 60Hz | 120Hz | Honor Magic6 Pro offers smoother scrolling and animations, making the phone feel more responsive. |
Brightness | 0 nits | 0 nits | Both phones have identical peak brightness at 0 nits - Note: this value is not realistic and likely missing. |
Performance | |||
Chipset | Qualcomm SM7225 Snapdragon 750G 5G (8 nm) | Qualcomm SM8650-AB Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 (4 nm) | Honor Magic6 Pro’s chip is significantly faster, leading to better performance in all tasks, especially gaming and demanding apps. |
AnTuTu Score | 330,000 | 2,069,877 | Honor Magic6 Pro offers a drastically superior overall performance, handling heavy workloads with ease and providing smooth user experience. |
GPU | Adreno 619 | Adreno 750 | Honor Magic6 Pro's GPU is much more powerful, providing significantly better graphics rendering for games and other GPU-intensive tasks. |
Camera | |||
Standard Camera | 48MP, f/1.7, 0.8µm | 50MP, f/1.4, 1.2µm, 1/1.3" sensor, OV50H | Honor Magic6 Pro's standard camera has a wider aperture, larger sensor, and bigger pixels, capturing more light and detail, especially in low-light scenarios. |
Telephoto + Portrait Camera | N/A | 180MP, f/2.6 | Honor Magic6 Pro offers a dedicated telephoto lens for optical zoom and portrait photos, offering increased versatility over the Motorola which lacks it. |
Selfie Camera | 16MP, f/2.2, 1.12µm | 50MP, f/2.0, 0.64µm, 1/2.51" sensor, Sony IMX816 | Honor Magic6 Pro has much higher resolution and a wider aperture, resulting in sharper and clearer selfies, especially in low-light conditions. |
Wide Angle Lens | 8MP, f/2.2, 1.12µm | N/A | Motorola offers a dedicated ultra-wide lens for capturing wide landscapes or group photos, while Honor lacks it. |
Macro Lens | 2MP, f/2.4, 1.75µm | N/A | Motorola offers a macro lens for detailed close-up photography, while Honor lacks a dedicated macro lens. |
Wide Angle + Macro Lens | N/A | 50MP, f/2.0, 0.61µm, 1/2.88" sensor, OV50D40 | Honor Magic6 Pro combines the functions of wide and macro cameras into a single versatile lens. |
Video | Up to 4K@30fps with EIS | Up to 4K@60fps with HDR, OIS, EIS | Honor Magic6 Pro records higher quality videos with better stabilization, HDR capabilities, and higher frame rates. |
DxOMark (Mobile) | N/A | 158 (Photo: 160, Video: 150) | Honor Magic6 Pro has a high DxOMark score, demonstrating excellent image quality. |
DxOMark (Selfie) | N/A | 151 (Photo: 149, Video: 155) | Honor Magic6 Pro's selfie camera is also highly ranked, indicating better performance. |
Battery | |||
Capacity | 5000mAh | 5600mAh | Honor Magic6 Pro has a larger battery, providing longer battery life. |
Charging | 15W Fast Charging | 80W Fast Charging, 66W Wireless Charging | Honor Magic6 Pro charges much faster with both wired and wireless charging. |
Features | 10W Charger Inbox | 80W fast charge, 66W wireless, reverse and reverse wireless, E1 Power Efficiency Chip, No charger inbox | Honor Magic6 Pro offers much more flexible and faster charging options, including wireless charging. Motorola includes a 10W charger in the box. |
Software | |||
OS | Android 10 | Android 14 | Honor Magic6 Pro ships with a much newer version of Android, with more features and security updates. |
Connectivity | |||
Wi-Fi | 802.11a/b/g/n/ac | 802.11a/b/g/n/ac/ax/be/6E | Honor Magic6 Pro supports more advanced Wi-Fi standards for faster and more reliable connections. |
Bluetooth | 5.1 LE | 5.3 LE, aptX, LDAC, SBC, AAC | Honor Magic6 Pro has a newer Bluetooth version with support for higher quality audio codecs. |
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) | Honor Magic6 Pro supports more GPS systems for more accurate location data. |
SIM | Single SIM (Nano SIM) | Dual SIM Dual Standby (Nano SIM + Nano SIM / eSIM) | Honor Magic6 Pro offers dual SIM capabilities, allowing for more flexibility with carriers. |
Storage | |||
Internal Storage | 64GB or 128GB | 256GB, 512GB, or 1024GB | Honor Magic6 Pro offers significantly more storage options, more suitable for users who take many photos/videos or have many apps. |
RAM | 4GB or 6GB | 12GB or 16GB | Honor Magic6 Pro has much more RAM, which is better for multitasking and demanding apps. |
Expandable Storage | No | No | Neither phone allows for storage expansion. |
Audio | |||
Quality | 2 microphones | Stereo speakers, DTS / DTS X | Honor Magic6 Pro offers superior audio quality, thanks to stereo speakers and DTS support, resulting in more immersive experience. |
Security | |||
Features | Rear-mounted fingerprint sensor | basic fingerprint sensor | Both phones use fingerprint sensors. |
Sensors | |||
Sensors | Accelerometer, Compass, Gyroscope, Fingerprint, Proximity | Accelerometer, Compass, Gyroscope, Fingerprint, Proximity, Barometer | Honor Magic6 Pro includes a barometer sensor that is not available on the Motorola. |
2. Key Differences Analysis
Motorola One 5G Ace Advantages:
- Lighter: Weighing 212g, it's noticeably lighter than the Honor Magic6 Pro (225g), potentially more comfortable for extended use.
- Dedicated Macro Lens: It features a dedicated 2MP macro lens for close-up photography, a feature not found on the Honor Magic6 Pro.
- Dedicated Wide Angle Lens: It features a dedicated 8MP ultra-wide angle lens, a feature not found on the Honor Magic6 Pro.
- In-Box Charger: Includes a 10W charger in the box
Honor Magic6 Pro Advantages:
- Superior Display: OLED panel with higher resolution and refresh rate for a much better visual experience.
- Significantly Faster Performance: The Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chip and Adreno 750 GPU provide drastically better performance for gaming and intensive tasks.
- Enhanced Camera System: Features a more versatile camera system with superior resolution, better low-light performance, a dedicated telephoto lens, better selfie camera and higher video recording capabilities.
- Much Better Audio Quality: Boasts of much better audio quality, thanks to stereo speakers and DTS support, resulting in more immersive experience.
- Faster Charging: Supports much faster 80W wired and 66W wireless charging, as well as reverse wireless charging.
- Larger Battery: Has a larger battery for longer battery life and better longevity.
- More Storage and RAM: Offers much more storage and RAM, with more flexibility for heavy users.
- Newer Software: Runs on a much newer version of Android.
- More Advanced Connectivity: Supports more advanced WiFi standards and newer Bluetooth with higher quality audio codecs, providing a better overall connectivity experience.
- Dual SIM Support: Supports Dual SIM, eSIM, Dual Standby, allowing for flexibility with carriers.
- Additional Sensors: Includes a barometer that the Motorola does not have.
Trade-offs:
- The Motorola One 5G Ace is lighter but performs significantly worse in almost every other metric, making it a low-budget phone with few modern features.
- The Honor Magic6 Pro is heavier and lacks dedicated wide-angle and macro lenses but offers much more versatile and higher quality camera system. It is a high-end phone, boasting the latest tech.
3. User Profiles & Recommendations
Motorola One 5G Ace Ideal User:
- Budget-Conscious Users: Individuals looking for a basic, functional smartphone at a low cost.
- Light Users: Those who primarily use their phone for calls, texts, browsing and social media.
- Users Who Value a Lighter Phone: People who need a phone that is as light as possible, with more focus on ergonomics and less emphasis on performance.
- Users Who Value In-Box Charger: People who prefer having a charger in-box rather than purchasing one separately.
Use Cases:
- Basic web browsing and social media.
- Casual gaming.
- Daily communication via calls and texts.
- Occasional photos/videos with the dedicated macro and wide angle lenses.
Honor Magic6 Pro Ideal User:
- Power Users: Those who need a top-tier performance smartphone for demanding tasks and gaming.
- Photography Enthusiasts: Users who prioritize high-quality photos and video.
- Multimedia Consumers: Individuals who watch a lot of video content and enjoy high-quality audio.
- Multitaskers: Users who constantly switch between applications.
- Users Who Value Wireless Charging: Users who prefer convenience of wireless and fast-charging options.
Use Cases:
- High-end mobile gaming.
- Professional photography and videography.
- Demanding application usage.
- Seamless multitasking.
- Immersive media consumption, thanks to high quality display and audio.
4. Decision Framework
Key Questions for Buyers:
- What is my budget? The Motorola One 5G Ace is a budget-friendly option, while the Honor Magic6 Pro is a high-end phone with a corresponding price.
- How important are performance and display quality? The Honor Magic6 Pro is significantly better for demanding applications and high quality media consumption.
- Do I need the best camera quality and versatility, or can I settle for a basic camera system? The Honor Magic6 Pro’s camera is superior in almost every way.
Scenario-Based Recommendations:
- Scenario 1: Tight Budget, Basic Needs: If your budget is very limited and your needs are basic, the Motorola One 5G Ace might suffice. However, consider its limitations in performance and overall quality.
- Scenario 2: Prioritize Performance and Features: If you need a phone for gaming, demanding apps, and high-quality media consumption, the Honor Magic6 Pro is the clear choice.
- Scenario 3: Photography Focus: If photography is important, the Honor Magic6 Pro offers significantly better image quality and more versatile features, despite lacking the dedicated macro lens of the Motorola.
- Scenario 4: Balance of Features and Budget: If you seek a balance, you will need to make a compromise. The Honor Magic6 Pro offers a significantly better experience in nearly every aspect (display, performance, camera, and battery), but it comes at a higher price.
Personal Choice
If I were choosing between these two phones, I would definitely choose the Honor Magic6 Pro. While I appreciate the lighter weight and inclusion of a charger in the box of the Motorola One 5G Ace, the performance and features of the Magic6 Pro are overwhelmingly superior. The drastically better display, vastly more powerful processor, superior camera system, larger battery, and significantly faster charging, paired with high-quality stereo audio, make it a far more enjoyable and versatile device.
My priority is a smooth, responsive device that excels at photography and gaming. The Honor Magic6 Pro ticks all these boxes, and is well worth the additional cost for the quality of the experience it delivers. The lack of a charger in the box is not a big deal for me as I tend to reuse chargers, and the dual sim option is a bonus for when I travel.