Lenovo-owned Motorola recently added a new member to its budget segment by introducing the Moto G5 smartphone in India. The smartphone comes with a price tag of Rs 11,999 and with this, the company is aiming to increase its market share in the budget segment. However, the specs sheet it is carrying is not par with the likes of Redmi Note 4, Honor 6X even Lenovo Z2 Plus. But, there is one device that proves to be a worthy competitor—the Xiaomi Redmi 3S Prime. The budget offering from Xiaomi is giving almost similar specifications but comes with a more affordable price tag of Rs 8,999. Both of them will fight to regain the top position in the budget segment. But will the Moto G5 will be able to outlast the Redmi 3s Prime? Let’s find out.
Design and Display
Starting with the design department, both the devices are inspired from their elder sibling. The Moto G5 looks identical to the Moto G5 Plus, while the Redmi 3s Prime resembles Mi Max. Both of them sports a metal body, however, it is Redmi 3s Prime that has a unibody design. The Moto G5 is thicker, with 9.5mm thickness than the Redmi 3s Prime (8.5mm thick), though, both of them weighs almost similar. The latter is slightly curved at the back, making it more comfortable to hold, while the former has a solid look. Interestingly, both of them sports a fingerprint scanner, but Moto G5 has a slight EDGE over Redmi 3s Prime with a dedicated SIM slot. But still, if you ask us, then we would go with the Redmi 3s Prime as it has compact look, which looks more premium than the Moto G5.
Coming to the display, both the devices sport a 5-inch screen, but the Moto G5 has a Full HD display, while the Redmi 3s Prime comes with an HD screen. The Moto G5 emerges as a clear winner here as it sports a high-resolution display and higher Pixel density as compared to the Redmi 3s Prime.
Hardware and Software
This is where it gets real close. The Moto G5 and Redmi 3s Prime is powered by the same Qualcomm Snapdragon 430 Processor clocked at 1.4GHz and both of them sports a 3GB RAM and 32GB of internal storage, which can be further expanded up to 128GB via micro SD slot. If you ask us, then we will go for the Redmi 3s Prime as the device is Rs 3000 cheaper than the Moto G5, which is a pretty respectable difference.
On the software department, both the devices run on the different flavours of Android. The Moto G5 runs on the latest Android 7.0 Nougat, while the Redmi 3s Prime is still stuck with an older Android 6.0 Marshmallow. The former has a near-stock experience, while latter is a highly customised user interface and it all boils down to the consumer preference, as those who prefer for stock(ish) Android experience will opt for Moto G5, while those love customization will go for Redmi 3s Prime. However, Moto G5 still has an edge over Redmi 3s Prime as it comes with the latest Android version.
Camera
Again, both the devices boast almost similar camera specifications as well. Both of them sports a 13-megapixel rear camera with LED flash and both of them have a similar Aperture f/2.0. For the front, both the devices come loaded with a 5-megapixel shooter with aperture f/2.2. The Moto G5 has different modes including Drag to focus and exposure, Quick Capture, Tap (anywhere) to capture, Best Shot, Professional mode, Burst mode, Auto HDR, Panorama and slow-motion video. Redmi 3s Prime, on the other hand, features 5-piece lens, PDAF, HDR, Panorama, Straighten, 12 real-time filters, countdown timer and manual mode.
Both the devices can record maximum at 1080p which is a standard recording feature at this price point. As a final call, we would recommend you stay updated for our detailed camera test of Moto G5 before getting to any kind of judgment. But if you look at the sheer specs sheet, then Xiaomi Redmi 3s Prime emerges as a winner as you are getting same camera specs at a more affordable price tag.
Battery and Connectivity
One of the major selling points of the Redmi 3s Prime was it mammoth 4100mAh battery, which considering its price tag, is a pretty sweet deal for anyone. On the other hand, the Moto G5 comes with a 2800mAh battery, which clearly stands nowhere near to the Redmi 3s Prime. The latter wins this device with even breaking a sweat.
For connectivity, both the devices offer Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n, dual-SIM, 4G, GPS, and Micro USB port. The Moto G5 has a higher version of Bluetooth 4.2, while the Redmi 3s Prime sports Bluetooth 4.1. But the latter comes equipped with an Infrared blaster through which one can control different home appliances.
Wrapping up
To wrap up, the Motorola Moto G5 and Xiaomi Redmi 3s Prime boasts a tad similar specifications. The Moto G5 comes with the latest version of Android and a full HD screen, while the Redmi 3s Prime boasts a larger battery backup, metal unibody and not to forget an IR blaster. Leaving the camera part out of the equation, the Xiaomi Redmi 3s Prime seriously looks a much better and compelling deal than the Moto G5, especially when you are getting similar specs at a much lower price.