Is it a good time to buy a phone right now?

[AC Question]

With new phones getting more and more ridiculous (overkill, imo) specs and hardware like QHD screens, I'm thinking that that this is the prime time for me to get an affordable android smartphone that has decently good specs and a good camera that is perhaps a "mid-range" phone or a last-gen flagship. I've done much research and price comparisons (as I'm on a budget up to around $200-300 USD).
It seems like the Zenfone 2 (2 GB RAM version) would have been an excellent option for the price, but the Zen UI and reviews of the dim screen and poor battery life are turn offs.

The Moto G 2nd gen seems to be good, but a 1.2 Ghz quad-core processor and 1 GB RAM isn't quite enough for me (especially to be a bit more future-proof).

I'm a bit iffy about the Oneplus one service, and am not too keen on lesser known companies. I know LG and Motorola are fairly good. Samsung is too expensive and I dont like touchwiz.
I heard of the 3rd gen Moto G coming out this year, so I'm trying to decide whether to wait for the 3rd gen Moto G or just buy the LG G2. The G2 right now is $190-210, and I expect the Moto G 3rd gen to be around the same price.

Pros of Moto G: New hardware, stock android, gorilla glass 3, Stock android is a big plus.
Cons of Moto G: Less powerful processor-1.7 Ghz quadcore and GPU-Adreno 405 (supposed leaked specs..)

Pros of LG G2: Big screen without going into phablet territory, Fairly decent (and tested) camera, 2.2 Ghz quadcore processor, and Adreno 330.
Cons of LG G2: No removable battery or micro sd slot (I can live with those since it has good battery life and 32 GB), Gorilla glass 2.

Both will get lollipop (but Motorola may have updates for longer than LG will for the G2). To me, it seems like the Moto G is a better long term investment, but the LG G2 still has the more powerful processor and GPU. But I don't think I'm going to be doing a TON of gaming, but I do want fast performance and multitasking.
Sorry for the long explanation. I'm sort of tech saavy but not super knowledgeable in the giant realm of android phones. Any suggestions or advice?

 

[B. Diddy]

Welcome to Android Central! I have the top-of-the-line Zenfone 2 with the 2.3 GHz quad core Atom, 4 GB RAM, and 64 GB internal storage, and it is definitely an excellent value. I was initially ambivalent about it due to some battery concerns, but they seem to be improving, and I'm hopeful that the 5.1 update (which is rumored to be coming soon) will make it even better. The screen is fine when used outdoors, as long as it's turned up all the way. For $299, it's hard to beat the performance.