Are you searching for a budget phone that is under $200 and has decent features? You’re in the right place as today we will look at two phones from the well-known manufacturer, Motorola. Get ready to learn which phone is better between the Moto G Power and Moto G Play.
The specific models we will be looking at are the Motorola Moto G Power 2022 and the relatively new Motorola Moto G Play 2023, which was released December 8th, 2022.
Let’s break down these two phones below!
Moto G Power: Overview
The 2022 Motorola Moto G Power is a low-cost smartphone with a 6.5-inch HD+ display, a central punch-hole camera, a MediaTek Helio G37 processor, up to 4GB of RAM and 128GB of storage, and a 5,000mAh battery.
The phone runs Android 11, and an update to Android 12 with two years of security patches is planned. The rear triple camera system includes a 50MP primary camera, and the phone has an official IP52 water resistance rating. It has a Dark Grove back panel with raised ridges and a fingerprint reader on the back. The charging speed is limited to 10W, resulting in a two-hour charge time. The Moto G Power is available unlocked from Motorola, Amazon, and Best Buy, and it competes with other low-cost smartphones such as the Samsung Galaxy A13 5G and the OnePlus Nord N20.
Moto G Play: Need-to-Knows
The 2023 Motorola Moto G Play is a low-cost phone with good call quality and a large 90Hz display, but it lacks 5G and performs poorly with a low-resolution screen and a lackluster speaker. The design is appealing, and the plastic material is durable. The device is reasonably sized with a screen-to-body ratio of 86.45%. It has a 6.5-inch screen with a resolution of 1,600 x 720 pixels (HD+), which is rather small for the price. The phone’s back has three vertically aligned cameras, a fingerprint reader, and a SIM/microSD card slot on the left edge. The device is IP52 rated for dust and light splash protection. In tests, the Moto G Play delivered solid LTE speed and reliability, however the phone’s Wi-Fi 5 support provides adequate but not spectacular speeds.
- 6.5" HD+ display, 5000mAh battery
- 16MP triple camera system
- 32GB built-in storage (up to 512GB more with a microSD card)
- Water-repellent design
- Fingerprint reader
Motorola Moto G Power vs. Moto G Play: How are They Similar?
These two devices share many features, such as the same dimensions of 6.5 x 3.01 x 0.37 inches and a powerful 5000mAh battery that can last for 2 to 3 days easily with light use, and this longevity is a massive plus. They also both have a 79.7% screen-to-body ratio, a 20:9 aspect ratio, a 720 x 1,600 resolution, and 3.5mm headphone jacks. Both phones have great call quality, so you can clearly hear the person on the other end of the line and they can also hear you well also.
Both devices have the same audio, chipset, and GPU, as well as octa-core processors that run at 2.3GHz. Both phones appear to be very similar, and their designs are quite nice. Both phones have the same dimensions and even weigh the same amount at 203 grams, so they are not too unwieldy or heavy and still feel durable despite being plastic.
If you put either phone next to a mid-range smartphone that costs hundreds of dollars, it would be difficult to tell the difference.
Let’s break it all down in further detail.
Motorola Moto G Power vs. Moto G Play: Side-by-Side Comparison
| Motorola Moto G PlayMotorola Moto G Power | ||
|---|---|---|
| Aspect Ratio | 20:9 | 20:9 |
| Thickness | 0.37 inches | 0.37 inches |
| Resolution | 720 x 1,600p | 720 x 1,600p |
| PPI Density | 270 PPI | 270 PPI |
| Screen-to-Body Ratio | 79.7% | 79.7% |
| Camera | 16MP wide 2MP macro 2MP depth | 50MP wide 2MP depth 2MP macro |
| Videomax FPS | 1080p 30 FPS | 1080p 60 FPS |
| Sound | Mono Loudspeaker | Mono Loudspeaker |
| 3.5mm Jack? | Yes | Yes |
| Chipset | Mediatek Helio G37 | Mediatek Helio G37 |
| RAM | 3GB | 4GB |
| Internal Memory | 32GB | 64GB, 128GB |
| GPU | PowerVR GE8320 | PowerVR GE8320 |
| CPU Clock Speed | 2.3GHZ octa-core | 2.3GHZ octa-core |
| Card Slot | Micro SDXC | Micro SDXC |
| OS | Android 12 | Android 11 |
| Charging Speed | Wired 10W | Wired 10W |
| Battery | 5000mAh | 5000mAh |
| Release Date | December 8th, 2022 | November 17th, 2021 |
| Price | $149.99 on Amazon | 64GB $199.99 on Amazon, 12GB $249.99 on Amazon |
©Muhammad Hassan 4592/Shutterstock.com
Motorola Moto G Power vs. Moto G Play: What’s the Difference?
Let’s discuss how the G Power and G Play are different, looking at factors like cost, performance, and memory.
Cost
The Motorola G Play is much cheaper than the Motorola G Power, costing between $150 to $170 on Amazon for the 3GB model with an internal memory of 32GB. The Moto G Power comes in two offerings — both have 4GB RAM but one has 64GB of internal memory, which costs about $199, and the other has 128MB, costing around $249 on Amazon.
Performance
The Motorola has better storage, frames per second (FPS), and RAM compared to the Moto G Play, making it slightly faster and better overall.
Internal Memory
The Moto G Power has two superior models with the first model having double the internal memory of the Moto G Play at 64GB. The second model has four times the internal memory at 128GB.
Motorola Moto G Power vs. Moto G Play: 5 Must-Know Facts
- They both are the same size at 6.5 inches in length, 3.01 inches in width, and with a thickness of 0.37 inches.
- Both have a screen-to-body ratio of 79.7%
- Both the Moto G Power and the Moto G Play do not have 5G or NFC.
- The Moto G Power has better features like a more advanced camera, and it has models with larger internal memory.
- The Moto G Power is more expensive than the Moto G Play but this is because it has a slight edge in performance.
- 6.5" HD+ display, 5000mAh battery
- 16MP triple camera system
- 32GB built-in storage (up to 512GB more with a microSD card)
- Water-repellent design
- Fingerprint reader
Motorola Moto G Power vs. Moto G Play: Which One is Better?
While the Motorola Moto G Power and Moto G Play share some similarities, the Moto G Power is the superior option. They are both low-cost budget phones that offer a lot despite their low price, but the Moto G Power has a better camera with higher resolution and frame rate capabilities, as well as more storage and RAM.
However, the Moto G Power has the same dimensions, battery, screen-to-body ratio, sound chipset, GPU, aspect ratio, and resolution as the Moto G Play, so you won’t be missing out on any essential features if you go with the Moto G Play.
While the Moto G Power is slightly more expensive than the Moto G Play, its superior specifications and features make up for the difference, so we strongly recommend the Motorola Moto G Power as the superior option.
The image featured at the top of this post is ©Framesira/Shutterstock.com.
