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.

  • 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.

Design

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.

  • 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.

Processor

Software

  • 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.

Cameras

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.

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.