The Motorola One 5G and the Samsung Galaxy A71 5G both offer solid specs and 5G connectivity at a relatively low price. But which one is the better smartphone?
5G is the next big thing in cellular connectivity, and it’s not only expensive flagships that support the new standard. The Samsung Galaxy A71 5G and Motorola One 5G are both, as their names suggest, compatible with 5G networks out of the box, and while they may boast a handful of premium features, neither comes at a premium price. They’re both affordable Android smartphones that combine 5G connectivity with attractive displays, sleek designs, great battery life, and solid performance. Each smartphone is considerably better than its price would suggest, but which one is better overall? We answer this question by comparing the two Androids over several rounds, looking at their displays, designs, performance, batteries, cameras, software, and prices. This should help you decide which budget 5G Android device to buy. The Galaxy A71 5G is almost as beautiful as more expensive Samsung devices, such as the Galaxy S20 and Note 20. It features a generously large edge-to-edge display with a hole-punch selfie at the top-center, with the very thin bezels around the display making the screen look very tidy. By contrast, the Motorola One 5G isn’t quite as sleek and sophisticated, since while it also offers an edge-to-edge display, its bezels are noticeably thicker (particularly at the top and bottom), something which makes it look a little cheap and underwhelming. On the other hand, the actual screens of both devices are evenly matched. The Galaxy A71 5G packs a 6.7-inch Super AMOLED Plus display with a resolution of 2400 x 1080, while the Motorola One 5G houses a 6.7-inch LTPS IPS LCD capacitive touchscreen, with a resolution of 2520 x 1080 pixels. The One, therefore, manages a few more pixels per inch, although its use of an LCD screen means that it doesn’t quite provide the same vibrant colors and deep blacks of the A71, which uses an AMOLED panel. The Motorola One 5G supports a 90Hz refresh rate, while the A71 only goes as high as 60Hz. This results in smoother motion for the One, which handles video more seamlessly than its Samsung rival. One area where both phones let themselves down is durability. Neither comes with an official IP rating, so neither Motorola nor Samsung can offer any guarantee that they’ll survive exposure to dust or immersion in shallow water. Still, they both make use of plastic casing on their rears and sides, which potentially means you won’t get any cracking after falls, like you do with glass (which admittedly looks better). This round is close, but with a more attractive design, the Galaxy A71 5G narrowly wins it. Winner: Samsung Galaxy A71 5G The Motorola One 5G and the Samsung Galaxy A71 5G both keep the Qualcomm Snapdragon 765G under their hoods.
