Newer and better
The Moto G 2025 is the newer of the two phones, but it isn’t a huge step up. Still, as an entry-level phone that you’ll use for a few years, it’s a good option and the better of the two for a few crucial reasons.
For
- Double the resolution of the front camera
- Slightly bigger screen
- Support for faster wired charging
- Expandable storage
Against
- MediaTek vs. Snapdragon processor
- No wireless charging
- Only IP52 rated
Limited life left
The Moto G 5G 2024 was a great entry-level phone when it launched, but with limited software support left, it will be outdated sooner than you expect. If you are buying new, don’t go with this one. If you’re upgrading, wait or go with the step-up Moto G power 2025 instead.
For
- Snapdragon processor
- Has many of the same features
- Expandable storage
Against
- No wireless charging
- Slower wired charging rate
- No official IP rating
- Very limited software support left
- Front camera is half the resolution
As far as affordable yet feature-rich phones go, Motorola is at or near the top of the list. The brand has tons of great phones you can get for less, albeit with concessions when it comes to features, power, and construction. Two models to consider are the Moto G 2025 and Moto G 5G 2024. One is brand new, while the other launched less than a year ago. What makes them different, and which should you get? Or should you upgrade if you have already invested in the Moto G 5G 2024?
We’re here to help you make that decision in this Moto G 2025 vs. Moto G 5G 2024 comparison.
Moto G 2025 vs. Moto G 5G 2024: The design and basic features
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The Moto G 2025, introduced in late January 2025, comes in Forest Gray or Sapphire Blue with a 6.7-inch super bright ultra-wide HD+ LCD that boasts 1,604 x 720 resolution and a 120Hz refresh rate. That’s nothing to write home about but will suffice for those who just want a simple phone they can use for communicating and web surfing as well as watching videos and even light gaming. In fact, Android Central’s Phone editor, Nicholas Sutrich, calls the display “eye-friendly,” particularly for anyone with PWM sensitivity.
With a vegan leather back, the screen is covered by Corning Gorilla Glass 3 and employs an IP52 water-repellent design, which means it can withstand light exposure to splashes, but it cannot be submerged.
Equipped with a 5,000mAh battery, it is capable of wired charging at up to 30W and supports faster charging speeds. You’ll get more than a day of use per charge, says Motorola. However, this phone doesn’t support wireless charging.
It only comes with 128GB storage, but the good news is that it supports additional storage via microSD card up to 1TB in size. Even when factoring this into the cost, you’re still coming out ahead by being able to store tons of apps, photos, videos, documents, and more in the device with this small add-on investment.
Another appreciated inclusion is a 3.5mm jack, something that’s rare in new phones nowadays. This allows you to connect a favorite pair of wired headphones or even a backup pair of wired earbuds to use when your wireless ones aren’t working, or the battery is dead (or for those who simply prefer it). It has three microphones and stereo speakers with Dolby Atmos support and Bass Boost.
With access to Google Assistant, the thin and lightweight phone includes other useful features, too, like a fingerprint reader, face unlock, ThinkShield security, NFC, GPS, and dual SIMs. While it isn’t in the name, this is indeed a 5G phone as well.
Last year’s version, the Moto G 5G 2024, comes in only one finish option, Sage Green. It has a vegan leather back that Sutrich says in his Moto G 5G 2024 review “looks as good as it feels,” along with a slightly smaller 6.6-inch HD+ LCD with 1,612 x 720 resolution and 120Hz refresh rate, so there’s no huge upgrade there with the newer phone.
The screen is the same Gorilla Glass 3 and it has a water-repellent description but no official water-resistance rating. The battery is the same 5,000mAh, but it charges much more slowly at a max rate of 18W, though it does support TurboCharging, and Motorola says it can last for over a day. It does not support wireless charging either.
It, too, comes with 128GB built-in storage with the option to expand up to 1TB via an optional microSD card. It also has a 3.5mm jack, so you don’t have to curse on the airplane when you realize you forgot to charge your wireless headphones and want to enjoy the seatback entertainment system.
Also thin and lightweight with access to Google Assistant, you get the same fingerprint reader, face unlock, and stereo speakers with Dolby Atmos support. It only has two mics versus three but also includes NFC, dual SIM, GPS, and, of course, 5G connectivity. Note that this phone, however, has the older Bluetooth 5.1 spec, so you might not enjoy as reliable a connection with other devices like headphones and speakers.
Moto G 2025 vs. Moto G 5G 2024: The specs
Let’s look at the specs of these two phones in a side-by-side comparison.
| Header Cell – Column 0 | Moto G 2025 | Moto G 5G 2024 |
|---|---|---|
| OS | Android 15 | Android 14 |
| Colors | Forest Grey, Sapphire Blue | Sage Green |
| Screen Size | 6.7 inches | 6.6 inches |
| Screen Resolution | 1,604 x 720 | 1,612 x 720 |
| Screen Type | HD+ LCD | HD+ LCD |
| Refresh Rate | 120Hz | 120Hz |
| Processor | MediaTek Dimensity 6300 | Snapdragon 4 Gen 1 |
| RAM | 4GB | 4GB |
| Storage | 128GB (expandable up to 1TB) | 128GB (expandable up to 1TB) |
| Cameras | 50MP main, 16MP front, 2MP Macro | 50MP main, 8MP front, Macro Vision Camera |
| Speakers | Stereo Speakers, Dolby Atmos, Bass Boost | Stereo Speakers, Dolby Atmos |
| Battery & charging | 5,000mAh, 30W wired | 5,000mAh, 18W wired |
| Wireless Charging | No | No |
| Bluetooth | 5.3 | 5.1 |
| Water Resistance | IP52 | Water-Repellent |
| Cellular | 5G | 5G |
| Size | 167.05 x 76.3 x 8.16mm | 164.39 x 74.96 x 8.23mm |
| Weight | 193 grams | 194 grams |
Moto G 2025 vs. Moto G 5G 2024: What can these phones do?
Now that you have an idea of how these two phones compare when it comes to specs let’s look at how they compare when it comes to performance.
The Moto G 2025 comes equipped with a MediaTek Dimensity 6300 processor, which may seem like a downgrade from the Snapdragon processor found in the previous generation model. Sutrich says it works well, but it has a tendency to feel sluggish whenever you do anything on the phone for the first time. It has 4GB RAM that you can expand to up to 8GB when using RAM Boost, which can actually improve performance a bit. This leverages the phone’s storage, converting it to additional RAM as needed. A feature like this is fairly hit or miss, based on Sutrich’s observations with the Moto G 5G 2024, noted below.
Running on the latest Android 15 OS, you get features like audio sharing, enhanced accessibility (ideal for aging grandparents), and smart connect. There are also two years of major software updates and three years of security updates. This is not nearly as good as you’ll get with more premium phones from brands like Samsung and Google. But given the price of this device as an affordable alternative, chances are you’ll be upgrading within the two years anyway. But this means it doesn’t have a high resale value.
By comparison, the Moto G 5G 2024 runs on a Snapdragon 4 Gen 1 processor and affords 4GB RAM, expandable up to 8GB, with the RAM Boost option as well. But Sutrich advises not to use it, noting that it results in a worse overall experience. He found that turning on RAM Boost made switching among apps unreliable, even unstable. That said, his experience with RAM Boost the Moto G 2025 was much better, suggesting improvements on Motorola’s end on how it handles this feature.
The Moto G 5G 2024 runs on Android 14 out of the box, and you only get one major software upgrade and three years of security. That means once you update it to Android 15, that’s it. While you’ll still be able to securely use this phone for several more years, you won’t be able to update it to Android 16.
This is an important thing to note because it means the phone has a much more limited life. If you’re getting it for a killer deal as a first phone for a teen, for example, or to test the waters with grandma or grandpa before investing in something more expensive, it might be worth it. Otherwise, this phone may have run its operational course. Indeed, Sutrich says that this phone’s performance is already lacking, so within a few years, once support ends, it will likely feel “painfully sluggish.”
On the plus side, Sutrich loves some of the cool navigation features of the Moto G 5G 2024, like double-chopping to toggle the flashlight and other similar gesture controls. You can also find these on the newer phone, which Sutrich also notes as a plus.
Moto G 2025 vs. Moto G 5G 2024: Capturing and editing photos and videos
Neither of these phones is going to capture images and videos that hold a candle to more premium smartphones that have more advanced cameras and camera-related features. But you will still be able to get decent images from them.
The Moto G 2025 has a 50MP main camera, an ambient light sensor, and a 2MP Macro camera for getting up close with subjects. On the front is a 16MP selfie camera. You’ll get features like night vision, portrait, and Pro mode, and the phone can capture HD video at 30fps. There are also neat features like selfie animation and gesture selfies, perfect for teens wanting to take pics with their besties.
The Moto G 5G 2024 has the same 50MP main camera but its front selfie camera is half the resolution at 8MP. That’s almost laughable by today’s standards. You’ll be able to get fun Instagram-worthy shots or shoot passable TikTok videos. But this isn’t an advanced camera capture device.
There’s a similar suite of photo features as well with the Moto G 5G 2024, including portrait, pro mode, auto smile, and gesture selfie. For videos, you can capture the same HD videos at 30fps.
You can see some comparisons between the cameras below:
Image 1 of 4
Sutrich says Motorola, unfortunately, oversells the cameras on the Moto G 5G 2024, and you won’t get “flawless shots day or night” as promised. You will get decent shots, but he found them all to be soft, even ones taken during the day. He adds that the 2MP Macro camera is basically useless, nothing more than a gimmick, while the selfie camera is weak, delivering similarly soft images in every situation.
By comparison, Sutrich says the camera on the Moto G 2025 “has significantly improved quality over last year’s” model, improving aspects such as dynamic range, fine details, noise in low light, white balance, and even capture speed. However, he laments the lack of an ultrawide camera and wishes Motorola would switch it for an ultrawide.
Moto G 2025 vs. Moto G 5G 2024: Which should you choose?
Considering these phones cost the same, it’s a no-brainer to go for the Moto G 2025 if you’re buying new. While it moves from a Snapdragon to a MediaTek Dimensity processor, the performance is still enough to meet entry-level needs. Plus, you get faster wired charging, a more durable design, a slightly bigger screen, and a selfie camera that is double the resolution.
If you’re upgrading, however, the decision between the Moto G 2025 vs. Moto G 5G 2024 is a more difficult one. If you already own the Moto G 5G 2024, you probably don’t need to upgrade to the Moto G 2025 unless you really love it and want something you can hang onto for a few more years beyond Android 15.
Your best bet is to hold onto the Moto G 5G 2024 for another year, save up, and get something a bit more expensive. If you really want to upgrade now and want to stick with the Motorola brand, go with the Moto G Power 2025 instead, which was launched alongside the Moto G 2025. It’s a much bigger step up that will afford additional benefits and features. And it’s not much more in price.
Still, the Moto 5 2025 may rank among the best Android phones under $300, given Sutrich’s glowing review of the phone, so it’s well worth looking at for your next phone. But if you want something a little more robust and prefer to stick with Motorola, we do name the Moto G Stylus 5G (2024) on that list after it received some steep discounts. Otherwise, it might be worth exploring other options if you’re on a tight budget, or wait, save up, and go with something that requires a bit more coin.
A great entry phone
For a teen, grandma or grandpa, or someone who wants a simple primary or secondary phone, you’ll get some life out of the Moto G 2025, which will meet all your basic needs. It’s a solidly priced device with fairly impressive specs for what you pay for it.
Clock is ticking
The clock is ticking on the Moto G 5G 2024, which only has one more software update left to the current Android 15. It’s not worth buying now because of that. If you have one, hold onto it for another year or two or upgrade to something that’s a bigger step up and will last for longer.