Moto G7 vs. Moto G6: Should you upgrade?
We use dozens of budget phones over the course of a year here at Android Central, and are here to help you make the right choice when upgrading to a new device.
Moto G7
Latest and greatest
Pros
- Great design
- Solid build quality
- Powerful internals
- Works on all four U.S. carriers
Cons
- No NFC
- Lack of software updates
Motorola is fully embracing the cutout with the Moto G7 series, with the phone sporting a waterdrop notch up front. While the exterior hasn't changed all that much from last year, the innards have been overhauled, and the phone is now powered by a Snapdragon 632 chipset. Combine that with the immersive screen and it's a decent budget phone in 2019.
Moto G6
Still going strong
Pros
- Excellent value for money
- All-day battery
- Works on all four U.S. carriers
Cons
- Still on Oreo
- Aging hardware
A year on, the Moto G6 is still a pretty solid phone. The hardware isn't quite the fastest you'll find in this segment, but the arrival of the Moto G7 has discounted the G6 to $200, and at that price you get a lot of value for your money. The one downside is that the phone won't receive any further updates past Pie — it's still running Oreo for that matter.
Motorola is the king of budget phones, and the Moto G7 series comes with a new design aesthetic and more robust internals. But what hasn't changed is the clean software experience, making the Moto G7 one of the best budget phones of the year.
The Moto G7 has better specs and a gorgeous new display
Right off the bat, there are two key changes in the Moto G7 that make it stand out from last year's G6: the screen has significantly thinner bezels thanks to the switch to a 19:9 form factor, and the Snapdragon 632 offers better performance. The changes up front are particularly noteworthy, as the Moto G6 had huge bezels with a fingerprint sensor on the bottom bar.
The Snapdragon 632 chipset offers a step up in performance over the Moto G6 .
The Moto G7 in comparison looks cleaner up front, and the fingerprint sensor has been moved to the back, where it now sits under Motorola's iconic batwing logo. The back is still made out of glass, but the frame is now polycarbonate instead of metal. The design at the back hasn't changed all that much from last year, with Motorola focusing its attention on the display.
The internal hardware has picked up a boost in the form of a Snapdragon 632 chipset. The platform has more grunt than the aging Snapdragon 450 on the G6, and you immediately notice better performance in day-to-day tasks. That said, the Adreno 506 is the same GPU used in the Moto G6, and in 2019 it's starting to show its age. You're not going to see issues with lightweight titles, but load up Fortnite or PUBG and you'll notice lag.
Elsewhere, the Moto G7 has the same foundation as the G6. It also has a 3000mAh battery with 15W fast charging, and comes with 4GB of RAM and 64GB of storage as standard. It also works on all four major U.S. carriers, a key consideration for a phone in this category.
| Category | Moto G7 | Moto G6 |
|---|---|---|
| Operating system | Android 9.0 Pie | Android 8.1 Oreo |
| Display | 6.2-inch IPS LCD, 2270x1080 (19:9) Gorilla Glass 3 |
5.7-inch IPS LCD, 2160x1080 (18:9) Gorilla Glass 3 |
| Chipset | Snapdragon 632 4 x 1.8GHZ Kryo 250 Gold 4 x 1.8GHz Kryo 250 Silver Adreno 506 |
Snapdragon 450 8 x 1.0GHz Cortex A53 Adreno 506 |
| RAM | 4GB | 4GB |
| Storage | 64GB | 64GB |
| MicroSD slot | Yes (up to 512GB) Dedicated slot |
Yes (up to 256GB) Dedicated slot |
| Rear camera 1 | 12MP f/1.8 PDAF | 12MP f/1.8 PDAF |
| Rear camera 2 | 5MP f/2.2 | 5MP f/2.2 |
| Front camera | 8MP f/2.2 | 8MP f/2.2 |
| Connectivity | Wi-Fi 802.11a/b/g/n Bluetooth 4.2 LE GPS FM radio |
Wi-Fi 802.11a/b/g/n Bluetooth 4.2 LE GPS FM radio |
| Audio | 3.5mm jack Single speaker |
3.5mm jack Single speaker |
| Battery | 3000mAh Non-removable |
3000mAh Non-removable |
| Charging | USB-C 15W |
USB-C 15W |
| Water resistance | No rating | No rating |
| Security | Fingerprint sensor | Fingerprint sensor |
| Dimensions | 157 x 75.3 x 8mm 172g |
153.8 x 72.3 x 8.3mm 167g |
| Colors | Ceramic Black, Clear White | Silver, Blush, Black, Deep Indigo |
Similar software, but updates are still a sore point
Motorola's software story is one that's beset with issues. The skin itself is one of the best around thanks to a clean interface that has thoughtful customizations in the form of Moto Display, but the update situation leaves a lot to be desired.
Motorola doesn't have the best track record when it comes to updates.
Motorola has consistently lagged behind the field when it comes to rolling out platform and security updates, with the Moto G6 still on Oreo. It's unlikely the phone will get any further updates once the Pie build arrives.
As for the Moto G7, you get Pie out of the box, and while Motorola is committing to bi-monthly security updates, its track record doesn't fill me with confidence.
If you purchased the Moto G6 last year, there's little reason to upgrade to the Moto G7. The display has thinner bezels, but the screen quality hasn't changed all that much, and the rest of the updates aren't meaningful enough to warrant a switch. The Moto G6 is still plenty capable in 2019, and you can hold off until next year to see what Motorola has to offer.
Moto G7
Latest and greatest
Sexy new design, same great software
The Moto G7 offers a great new design at the front, and the tweaks to the internal hardware means you'll get better performance in day-to-day tasks. The software is unchanged from last year, and although the rest of the updates are iterative, it's still a great option for $300.
Moto G6
Still going strong
90% of the phone for 67% of the price
The Moto G6 still has a lot to offer. If anything, it's a smart idea to forgo the Moto G7 and get your hands on the G6 if you're in the market for a new budget phone in 2019. You'll save $100 in the process and get a device that's 90% identical to the Moto G7.
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