Moto G 5G vs OnePlus Nord: Battle of Affordable 5G Phones in India

While the Western countries and China enjoy an influx of 5G smartphones at various price points, we haven’t seen a lot of 5G devices launch in India. It’s only a handful of flagship phones, including the latest iPhone 12 series, in the premium segment while the mid-range segment has a sole contender, the OnePlus Nord, at the moment. Well, Motorola is challenging the status quo with the launch of the Moto G 5G in India.

Priced starting at under Rs. 25,000 in India, both of these 5G smartphones have a lot to offer to the consumers. But, if you’re confused between the two, let me help you out by giving you a detailed look at how the Moto G 5G and OnePlus Nord compare:

Moto G 5G vs OnePlus Nord

• Design

There are two major things that we need to talk about on the design front here. First, the OnePlus Nord offers you a glass sandwich design with Gorilla Glass 5 both on the back and front. It includes a plastic mid-frame. Moto G 5G, on the other hand, has a plastic back panel, and not just that, it is also close to 10mm in thickness and weighs 212 grams dude to a massive battery under the hood. OnePlus Nord is slimmer, with 8.2mm thickness, and weighs just 184 grams in total. Thus, the OnePlus Nord should be more comfortable to grip and use with one hand.

Further, the OnePlus Nord includes a vertical camera array on the rear, a dual-camera punch-hole cutout, and an in-display fingerprint scanner. This also enables the device to have a cleaner look and feel. Moto G 5G sports a square camera island on the rear, a centered punch-hole cutout, and a physical fingerprint sensor baked inside the Moto logo.

Also, the Moto G 5G has the much-loved 3.5mm headphone jack while it is missing in action on the OnePlus Nord. You will need to rely on wireless earbuds or USB Type-C earphones to take calls or listen to music.

• Display

We have already seen a lot of debate over LCD vs AMOLED panels and this would be one of the biggest factors for your purchase decision. The newly launched Moto G 5G features a bigger 6.7-inch Full-HD+ LCD panel with a standard 60Hz refresh rate. The display boasts a 2400 x 1080-pixel resolution, HDR10 certification, and a punch-hole cutout, housing a 16MP selfie camera, at the center.

The OnePlus Nord, on the other hand, is on everyone’s radar for offering a 6.44-inch Full-HD+ AMOLED panel with a 90Hz refresh rate. I mean, we had never seen a high refresh rate AMOLED display being offered under Rs. 30,000 before. It was one of the key features that drove me to buy this smartphone for myself. The display boasts a 2400 x 1080-pixel resolution, 180Hz touch response rate, HDR10 support, and more.

I would any day pick a 90Hz AMOLED display over a 60Hz LCD panel, so the OnePlus Nord takes the cake for me in the display department.

• Processor

The OnePlus Nord is powered by the Snapdragon 765G chipset whereas the Moto G 5G comes backed by the Snapdragon 750G chipset. The latter can be seen as the younger sibling of the former chipset.

While Snapdragon 765G follows the 1+1+6 architecture based on Kryo 475 cores, the Snapdragon 750G follows a 2+6 architecture based on Kryo 570 cores. The former is based on the 7nm process node whereas the latter is based on the 8nm process node. Snapdragon 765G includes the Adreno 620 GPU while the 750G includes the Adreno 619 GPU, which means OnePlus Nord might offer users minor performance gains as compared to the Moto G 5G.

We will, however, have to get our hands on the Moto G 5G to see how well it performs in everyday use and gaming scenarios. Until then, you can check out the key specs of Snapdragon 750G SoC right here. We are currently working to benchmark both the 5G chipsets and will bring you a detailed comparison very soon.

• Software

There’s not much to talk about in the software department. Both the Moto G 5G and OnePlus Nord are backed by stock Android 10 out-of-the-box. While the former is a lot closer to Google’s version of the software, OnePlus has tweaked the experience a bit to its liking – more so with the Android 11-based OxygenOS 11 update. Both the Android skins are littered with add-on features and you shouldn’t have complaints with either of the two.

• Cameras

Starting off with the rear, Moto G 5G includes a square triple-camera island while the OnePlus Nord packs a vertical quad-camera array.

The Moto G 5G is helmed by a 48MP (f/1.7) primary sensor, paired with an 8MP ultra-wide lens with a 118-degree FOV, and a 2MP macro lens. On the other hand, OnePlus Nord is also led by a 48MP (f/1.8) primary sensor but it is optically stabilized. It is coupled with an 8MP ultra-wide lens with a 119-degree  FOV, a 5MP depth sensor, and a 2MP macro lens.

Turning our attention to the front, Moto G 5G sports only a single 16MP selfie shooter inside a centered punch-hole cutout at the top. The OnePlus Nord, however, provides more versatility with its dual selfie-camera punch-hole cutout. It includes a primary 32MP camera and a secondary 8MP ultra-wide lens with a 105-degree FOV. This will make it simpler for users to click group selfies (or groupie).

• Battery & Charging

The Moto G 5G and OnePlus Nord 5G stack up pretty well in the battery department. While the former houses a bigger 5,000mAh with slower 20W TurboPower charging support, the latter is equipped with a 4,115mAh battery with faster 30W Warp Charge technology.

Motorola does not clearly specify the time taken to juice up the battery but claims to offer up to 2-days of battery life on a single charge. OnePlus Nord, on the other hand, boasts it can fill up 70% battery in just 30 minutes. Also, I have been using the Nord since launch and can confirm that it easily lasts a day (with close to 6-odd hours of screen-on time) on moderate use.

• IP Rating

Both the Moto G 5G and OnePlus Nord don’t have an official IP rating. Motorola says that the device has a water-repellent design, which simply means it can survive splashes, accidental spills. You should not try to dunk the Moto G 5G in water.

As for the OnePlus Nord, the company claims that it has internally tested the device by submerging it in up to 30 meters of water for 30 minutes. There is, however, a lack of an official IP rating and we don’t suggest you dunk the smartphone in water.

Moto G 5G vs OnePlus Nord: Specifications

Before we deliver a final verdict, let’s compile everything we have discussed above and present you with a quick specs comparison between Moto G 5G and OnePlus Nord:

Moto G 5G vs OnePlus Nord: Which Phone Should You Buy?

If you have a budget of Rs. 20,000 with no leeway and are hell-bent on buying a 5G smartphone, then the Moto G 5G is a no-brainer. It should serve you as a powerful all-rounder, with great performance, faster data speeds, and a massive battery. The display, however, is lacking as compared to other phones at this price point. Both the Poco X3, as well as Realme 7 Pro, can prove to a better deal if you forgo your need for 5G connectivity.

OnePlus Nord, on the other hand, is more expensive and starts at Rs. 24,999 in India as opposed to the Rs. 20,999 price tag of the Moto G 5G. It, however, brings you a 90Hz AMOLED panel, a slimmer profile, and an equally good performance, along with faster 30W Warp Charge technology.

Once we got our hands on the new Moto G 5G, we will be sure to bring you a detailed real-life comparison with the OnePlus Nord. Keep your eyes peeled for this affordable 5G phone comparison on our YouTube channel, coming very soon.

• Buy Moto G 5G from Flipkart (Rs. 20,999)
• Buy OnePlus Nord from Amazon (starts at Rs. 24,999)