Upgrade time, G4 or G5

[davidcburton]

As the title says, it's upgrade time this coming Sunday, I am planning sticking with Motorola (now lenovo)
Both the G4 and G5 are coming in at the same cost per month (Tesco)
The G5 looks nicer but the G4 has a faster chipset, the camera is the same on both.
Recommendations anyone? & Why

 

[Aquila]

G5 if they're the same price/storage options. Moto/Lenovo currently has a horrible track record for keeping their devices up to date, so buying the newest one is the far better bet for resistance to obsolescence and for better security.

 

[enb123]

As the title says, it's upgrade time this coming Sunday, I am planning sticking with Motorola (now lenovo)
Both the G4 and G5 are coming in at the same cost per month (Tesco)
The G5 looks nicer but the G4 has a faster chipset, the camera is the same on both.
Recommendations anyone? & Why

Wow, I was going to suggest the newer one because of what I thought were better specs, but you say the chipset is faster in the G4.

I have a G4, and it's decent but a bit underpowered compared to top tier phones. Is the G5 really something of a step back?

In that case, I guess the G4 is a good buy, because of the larger screen, lower total cost, and it's on Nougat, even if that turns out to be the end of the line for updates.

 

[Lucy Davies]

When these G4 phones come out pretty sure Moto said that these phone will get upgraded to Android N & Android O. I remember seeing it on Facebook.

 

[cal60]

Yes - I definitely got the N upgrade a while back .

As for the G4 / G5 issue personally I would go for the smaller screen as I have found the 5.5 screen just too big for comfortable day-to-day use both in terms of one-hand use and also carrying around it in ones pocket

 

[geekeedee]

My G4 got Nougat upgrade on the Easter weekend. The upgrade went well, and I notice a slight improvement in battery life.

As for G4 vs G5, I would personally pick the G5 if I don't already have a G4, for the better multi-purpose fingerprint button in the G5. A smaller 5.2 screen is non-issue for me because my requirement has always been between 5.0 to 5.5 (5.5 is max I will accept).

Since I already have the G4 Plus, the difference between the two is not mind-blowing enough for me to switch. I will hold out for next year or for a significant better one, ... whichever comes first.

 

[turbo93]

If you use someone else's WiFi like work or college the 5 plus has some rather embarrassing WiFi issue. Motorola has known about it for months and no fix so far.

Build quality wise the 5 plus is very good. Haven't loaded Angry Birds 2 for overheating test but the 4 I have is still running warm.

I'd say wait. And read reviews.

 

[Felix Wong]

G4's advantages:

• 5.5" screen vs. 5.0"
• Snapdragon 617 chipset instead of 430
• Removable back cover - allows swapping out for different color (I really like my red one), putting a metal plate underneath for use with magnetic car phone mounts, and access to the battery in case you want to replace it after a few years due to battery degradation (requires removing a lot of screws, though).

G5's Advantages

1. Metal build. Probably won't have the G4's issue of metal-colored paint easily chipping off plastic frame.
2. Fingerprint scanner. Personally I wouldn't use this as I prefer the convenience of keeping the phone unlocked (I just never allow phone to be stolen), but it is an important advantage for most people.

I prefer the G4 over the G5 for the above advantages. I probably would prefer the G5 Plus, however, since its screen is only 0.3" smaller (5.2") than the G4's and the camera is better with an aperture of 1.7 (vs. 2.0 of the G4 and G5).