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Hands-on with the Moto One and Moto One Power
At IFA 2018 several OEMs introduced new Android One devices, with the LG G7 One arguably getting the most attention from the media. We also had the opportunity to go hands-on with the new Moto One and Moto One Power. So what’s new here? Let’s take a quick look.
At first glance, the two handsets might come off as pretty similar, mostly following the same aesthetic as we’ve seen with other recent Moto devices. Still, there are some notable differences in both design and specifications.
Design
Despite packing wide notch-toting displays and glass/metal designs, the Moto One has a cheaper texture on the rear that honestly feels a lot like plastic (we had to ask because we were that unsure). In contrast, the One Power’s matte texture feels much more premium. Both appear to be fingerprint magnets, but that’s pretty much the norm with glass phones.
The Moto One Power is the better choice.. if you can actually buy it
The Moto One is a smaller device than the Power, sporting a 5.9-inch display with a resolution of just 720 x 1520, It’s powered by a Snapdragon 625 with 4GB of RAM, and offers 64GB of storage with microSD for expansion. Other specs include a dual camera and a 3,000 mAh battery.
Hardware
The Moto One Power takes things up a notch, packing in a Snapdragon 636 with 4GB of RAM and 64GB of storage with microSD support for further expansion. We’re told there may be a few other configuration options, but the details are still kind of hazy. There’s also a bigger display here, at 6.2-inches and with full HD (1080 x 2246). For those that love big batteries, the One Power’s 5,000 mAh battery is also sure to please.
It’s worth mentioning that even though both phones have dual camera configurations, the Moto Power One is said to be the better performer of the two, though we obviously haven’t used the phone enough to say whether this claim is true or not. The Power One’s camera also physically looks a bit different, with the Power One’s setup looking quite similar to modern iPhones.
Software
The Moto One and Moto One Power run Android One software, meaning a stock Android experience that’s promised timely security patches and full OS updates. Given that Moto’s standard skin is already pretty stock-ish, the software really won’t feel that much different from a standard Moto phone. Of course, it will be missing a few of the extras that Lenovorola brings to devices like the Moto Z series, for better or worse.
So which Moto One is the better choice? As long as you don’t mind the massive display, the Power One is the better choice in almost every way. Unfortunately, you may not even get any say in the matter, as the Moto One Power is said to be launching exclusively in India – at least for now. That means the Moto One will be the global variant. Neither is expected to make it to the states, so those in the USA will have to turn to the Moto X4 for their Android One fix.
We have to admit that the Moto One and Moto One Power after going after two different types of users, but we’re not sure why. Moto could have easily made the two phones identical in nearly every way, save for the display size. Instead, the Power One is the more interesting choice, but also the one fewer markets will get the chance to own.
What do you think of Moto’s latest Android One offerings? Let us know in the comments.