Motorola has two compelling mid-range smartphones to choose between: the Moto G Fast and Moto G 5G. Both devices offer excellent value with smooth performance, capable camera systems and long battery life. However, there are some noticeable differences between these two phones that are important to weigh when deciding which model better suits your needs and budget.
In this comprehensive guide, we’ll compare the Motorola Moto G Fast and Moto G 5G across a range of key criteria to highlight the advantages and disadvantages of each device. Focusing on display quality, camera specs, battery performance, storage capacity and overall processing power, we’ll break down how these two Motorola phones stack up.
Display and Design
First, let’s examine the displays on the Moto G Fast and Moto G 5G…
Display Resolution
- Moto G Fast: 720 x 1,560 pixels
- Moto G 5G: 1,080 x 2,400 pixels
Right off the bat, we see a discrepancy in resolution, sometimes known as pixel density. The Moto G 5G’s display crams many more pixels into a sharper screen.
With a pixel density of approximately 393 pixels per inch (PPI), the visuals on the Moto G 5G will look significantly more crisp and detailed than its 720p counterpart on the Moto G Fast. Text will appear sharper, images will showcase finer details and videos will avoid pixelation at higher resolutions.
For users who frequently stream high-quality content or play mobile games, the upgrade to a 1080p display makes quite an impact on the viewing experience. The difference is especially noticeable when watching videos or viewing photos side-by-side on these two devices.
Screen Size
- Moto G Fast: 6.4-inches
- Moto G 5G: 6.7-inches
The Moto G 5G also boasts a slightly larger overall display size at 6.7 inches diagonally compared to 6.4 inches on the Moto G Fast. This allows for even more screen real estate for watching videos, playing games and multitasking with apps on the device.
However, the larger display also makes the overall device footprint much bigger as well, reducing portability and one-handed use for some buyers. The Moto G Fast’s screen is still quite generous in size though and more akin to “phablet” dimensions from earlier smartphone generations.
Final Verdict
The Moto G 5G is the undisputed winner when it comes to display quality and enjoyment. With its sharp 1080p resolution and expansive 6.7-inch size, the visuals outmatch its lower-priced sibling by a fair margin.
Casual users may not notice the difference in resolutions during daily use, but media consumers and gamers will appreciate the sharper image quality, better video fidelity and heightened level of detail across the board. Well worth the increased cost.
Camera
Mobile photographers and selfie lovers will also want to consider the divergence in camera quality…
Rear Camera
- Moto G Fast: 16MP Main + 8MP Ultrawide + 2MP Macro
- Moto G 5G: 48MP Main + 8MP Ultrawide + 2MP Macro
Right off the bat, megapixel counts show a huge advantage towards the Moto G 5G and its 48MP primary sensor. More megapixels translate into higher resolution photos with enhanced details and clarity. When capturing landscapes, portraits and standard smartphone shots, the Moto G 5G develops noticeably better images.
Dynamic range also improves on the Moto G 5G, making it easier to balance shadows and highlights in challenging high-contrast scenes. This leads to more true-to-life color representations across lighting environments.
The supporting 8MP ultrawide and 2MP macro lenses are comparable between models though. So only the main snapper sees a true upgrade here.
Front Camera
- Moto G Fast: 8MP
- Moto G 5G: 16MP
Similarly, the Moto G 5G doubles the output of its selfie camera sensor to 16 megapixels over the Moto G Fast’s 8MP front-facing lens. Those social media selfies and video call portraits will appear much cleaner as a result.
Final Verdict
The camera quality sees a monumental upgrade by choosing the Moto G 5G over its lower-priced alternative. For casual photographers, shutterbugs and selfie takers alike, the improved sharpness, clarity, detail and resolution provided by the 48MP main sensor is a huge asset.
If camera performance is your top priority, the added cost translates directly into markedly better mobile image capture across the board.
Battery and Charging
Let’s examine the battery performance between models next…
Battery Size & Life
- Moto G Fast: 4,000 mAh (Up to 2 days)
- Moto G 5G: 5,000 mAh (Up to 2 days)
Motorola is well-known for excellent battery life, and both these models deliver on that promise. However, the upgraded Moto G 5G does manage to squeeze in a larger 5,000 mAh cell versus the 4,000 mAh battery found in the Moto G Fast.
In real-world usage scenarios, most buyers should expect about 1.5-2 days of runtime on a full charge from either device when using it moderately. But when push comes to shove, the G 5G can stream and surf longer off each charge thanks to that higher capacity rating.
Charging Speed
- Moto G Fast: 10W charging
- Moto G 5G: 20W TurboPower charging
Despite the similar expected battery life, charging performance does vary wildly different between these two. The Moto G 5G supports blazing-fast 20W TurboPower charging, while the Moto G Fast maxes outs at just 10W.
In practical use, this means the Moto G 5G can juice back up to 50% in about 30 minutes. The Moto G Fast will take nearly double that time to reach half capacity again.
Final Verdict
The battery and charging differences come down to capacity versus charging times. In essence, the batteries last about the same on both models, but the Moto G 5G charges staggeringly fast thanks to its TurboPower support.
For buyers who don’t regularly rapid charge throughout the day, the minor bump in battery size likely won’t impact real-world experience much either. But the option for crazy-fast charging certainly creates far more flexibility in keeping the Moto G 5G powered on when needed most.
Storage and Memory
Now onto internal storage capacity and memory performance…
Storage
- Moto G Fast: 32GB
- Moto G 5G: 128GB
Once again, the spec sheets showcase a massive divide between these two models when it comes to onboard storage. The Moto G Fast comes with a rather limited 32GB storage drive, while the Moto G 5G offers a whopping 128GB right off the bat.
Power users who install a lot of apps, download media content or capture photos/video will need expansion with the Moto G Fast very quickly. However, the Moto G 5G provides ample room for even robust use cases without reaching capacity limits for quite some time.
Fortunately, both devices do allow for microSD card expansion though. So savvy owners can augment storage somewhat cost-effectively if absolutely needed.
Moto G Fast maximum capacity: 1TB
Moto G 5G maximum capacity: 512GB
Memory
- Moto G Fast: 3GB RAM
- Moto G 5G: 6GB RAM
Similarly, we see the Moto G 5G’s superiority continue in memory, with 50% more RAM allocated over its cheaper sibling. 6GB allows for excellent multi-tasking capabilities and smooth operations when jumping between multiple apps.
However, budget-focused buyers may scoff at the need for that much memory on a smartphone. The pared back 3GB RAM on the Moto G Fast still completes most common tasks without noticeable slowdowns for the majority of buyers.
Unless you’re a hardcore mobile gamer or constantly flipping between a ton of open apps, the differences in memory likely won’t impact real-world use that substantially. But technically speaking, the extra RAM does provide more breathing room for demanding software.
Final Verdict
The storage and memory upgrades on the Moto G 5G make complete sense given its premium price point. With over 4x more onboard capacity and 50% extra RAM, its a far more future-proof purchase for saturating owners.
That said, casual users who don’t install many apps or house giant media collections can certainly still get by with the Moto G Fast. Just don’t expect blazing speeds when pushing the phone’s limits if opting for lower memory and storage specs to save money upfront.
Performance & Connectivity
Now let’s examine the processing capabilities and connectivity options between the Moto G Fast and Moto G 5G…
Chipset & CPU
- Moto G Fast: Qualcomm Snapdragon 665, 2.0GHz octa-core
- Moto G 5G: Qualcomm Snapdragon 750G, 2.2GHz octa-core
The Moto G 5G once again leads in processing power, boasting the superior second-generation Snapdragon 750G over the entry-level 600-series chip inside its sibling.
With its cutting-edge 7nm architecture and faster clock speeds, the 750G outperforms virtually every metric when benchmarked head-to-head. That means noticeably better response times when launching apps, juggling multiple tasks and playing intensive 3D games.
Both chipsets technically offer “octa-core” CPUs though, meaning eight physical cores for improved efficiency across workloads. But the speed and bandwidth advantages of the 750G will be extremely noticeable for power users coming from older devices.
Connectivity
- Moto G Fast: 4G LTE
- Moto G 5G: 5G Sub-6Hz
Lastly, in the connectivity department, only the aptly named Moto G 5G supports next-generation wireless networks for dramatically faster data throughput speeds.
5G connectivity unlocks staggering improvements over 4G LTE across both download and upload performance metrics. We’re talking 10-100x speed improvements under the best conditions.
Of course, 5G networks remain sparsely available globally as infrastructure continues growing each month. So don’t expect blazing speeds in most suburb or rural regions quite yet. But investing in a 5G-capable device futureproofs yourself well for the next 3-5 years as availability expands.
And even when not connected to 5G networks, the Moto G 5G still outclasses its sibling with better 4G/LTE bandwidth via carrier aggregation technologies on the 750G chipset.
Final Verdict
The boosted processor and 5G connectivity provides two more feathers in the Moto G 5G’s cap compared to the Fast model. Both deliver smooth all-around performance for most buyers, but media junkies, multitaskers and mobile gamers will squeezing every last bit of power from the upgraded chipset.
And investing in a 5G-compatible smartphone, even with sparse networks today, keeps your device relevant and primed for even faster wireless speeds down the road.
Which Model Reigns Supreme?
Given the thorough side-by-side analysis above, we can safely crown the Moto G 5G as the superior phone across the board when evaluating critical features like the display, camera system, battery tech, storage capacity, memory allotment, processing clout and connectivity standards.
The Moto G Fast remains a very competent device given its sub-$200 price point. There are certainly some corners cut back on memory, storage, display pixel density and cameras. But most casual users will still appreciate the acceptable performance and battery life without breaking the bank.
However, for buyers who can stretch the budget closer to $400, the across-the-board improvements packed into the Moto G 5G make it the must-buy option this year. No contest.
You simply gain way more advanced functionality like a gorgeous 1080p display, phenomenal 48MP triple camera system, speedy processor, ample onboard storage and future-proofed 5G connectivity that won’t be matched at cheaper tiers.
In summary, the Moto G Fast is best suited for budget shoppers happy with just the smartphone essentials. But anyone wanting a truly well-rounded device capable of advanced media capture, gaming, streaming and multitasking will need to step up to the similarly-priced yet vastly superior Moto G 5G instead.
FAQs
Q: Which phone has a better battery?
A: The Moto G 5G packs in a slightly larger 5,000 mAh battery for incrementally longer runtimes. But both models deliver around 1.5-2 days moderate usage on a single charge. The bigger difference lies with charging speed — the Moto G Fast maxes out at just 10W, while the Moto G 5G supports blazing fast 20W TurboPower charging for 50% capacity in just 30 minutes.
Q: Is the camera quality better on the Moto G Fast or Moto G 5G?
A: The Moto G 5G wins the camera quality contest hands down. Its 48MP main sensor captures photos with stunning levels clarity detail versus the lower 16MP primary shooter on the Moto G Fast. Megapixel count is not everything, but the sheer resolution gap gives the Moto G 5G a sizable advantage here for photography enthusiasts.
Q: Which phone has more RAM and internal storage?
A: The premium Moto G 5G leads once again here, with 6GB RAM and 128GB onboard storage out of the box. That‘s 50% more memory and 4x greater capacity than the entry-level Moto G Fast‘s 3GB RAM and 32GB storage allotment. Power users will greatly appreciate the extra memory headroom and storage space.
Q: Does the Moto G Fast support 5G networks?
A: Unfortunately no, only the Moto G 5G appropriately supports 5G connectivity. The cheaper Moto G Fast maxes out at 4G LTE speeds only. So budget-focused buyers must be willing to sacrifice next-gen wireless support.
