Moto G4 Plus vs Moto G4 vs Moto G (2015) specs comparison

Instead of releasing just one device in the Moto G line this year, Lenovo decided to do something a little different. We now have three new Moto G phones for 2016 — the Moto G4 Plus, Moto G4 and Moto G4 Play. The G4 Plus is definitely the highest-end device out of the three, while the G4 proper is still a great option but features slightly lesser specs. And while the G4 Play is the lowest-end device of the three, it still comes with specs and features that seem to be mostly in-line with last year’s Moto G.

Today we’re going to talk about how the two higher-end versions compare with 2015’s Moto G. What are the major differences? Let’s find out!

Starting out with the display, it’s clear that Lenovo is focusing on bringing solid specs to the Moto G line this time around. Both the G4 and G4 Plus sport 5.5-inch Full HD panels, while the 2015 Moto G has only a 5.0-inch 720p screen. In our full Moto G (2015) review, we noted that the screen was one of our least favorite parts about the device, so we’re happy Lenovo decided to include bigger and better displays on this year’s models.

One other huge improvement this time around is in the processor department. Last year’s Moto G sported a 1.4GHz quad-core Snapdragon 410 CPU with either 1 or 2GB of RAM. The G4 and G4 Plus both come with a 1.5GHz octa-core Snapdragon 617 processor with at least 2GB of RAM. There’s also a 4GB of RAM variant of the G4 Plus if you need something with a little more power, as well. We didn’t really have a ton of issues with performance on the 2015 Moto G (we did test the 2GB of RAM option, however), so we’re assuming the G4 and G4 Plus will be as smooth as ever.

In terms of on-board storage, the Moto G (2015) came with only 8 or 16GB. It did have expandable storage up to 32GB, though compared to other low-to-mid-range devices on the market, these storage options could have been better. The Moto G4 and G4 Plus both come with 16 or 32GB of on-board storage, while the Plus also sports a 64GB variant. Both new devices also come with microSD expansion up to 128GB. I don’t even need to explain why this is a good thing… bigger is always better when it comes to storage options.

Read more: Motorola Moto G (2015) review

The G4 Plus seems to outshine the rest on the camera front. It comes with a 16MP OmniVision rear camera with laser and phase detection autofocus, as well as an f/2.0 aperture. The G4 proper has the same camera specs as the Moto G (2015): 13MP rear camera with an f/2.0 aperture. And while all three devices come with 5MP front-facing cameras, Lenovo has decided to include wide-angle sensors on the G4 and G4 Plus.

There’s one other major difference between the G4 Plus and the other two devices. Lenovo has included a fingerprint sensor on the G4 Plus, which sits right below the display on the front. The company claims it will be able to unlock the device in around 750 milliseconds, which is quite fast. For comparison, the Nexus 6P’s fingerprint sensor is rated for around 600 milliseconds. Neither the Moto G4 nor the Moto G (2015) come with fingerprint sensors.

One of the best things about having a large smartphone is that there’s room for a bigger battery. While still not removable, both the Moto G4 and G4 Plus come with 3000mAh batteries, while the 2015 Moto G comes with a 2470mAh cell.

All in all these two new devices seem to be solid upgrades from last year’s Moto G, and we’re really excited to get some hands-on time with them in the near future.

Thoughts? Feelings? Tell us what you think about these new devices in the comments below!