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Motorola Moto G 4G vs Huawei Ascend P7: Which is best?

We compare these two feature-packed High-Def 4G phones, the Motorola Moto G 4G and the Huawei Ascend P7, to see which offers the best value for money.

They’re both 4G phones, they both offer sharp HD visuals and the latest Android, but the Motorola Moto G 4G and the Huawei Ascend P7 are very different beasts. The first is immensely affordable at just £150, with a merry and colourful design, while the latter dishes up a sleek frame and an insane selfie cam, for a lot more cash. So, which is better value for money?

Huawei Ascend P7 vs Motorola Moto G 4G which is best comparison review

Huawei Ascend P7 vs Motorola Moto G 4G: Design

The difference in cost between these two phones is most evident when you stick them side-by-side. While the Ascend P7 looks all slinky with its premium uber-thin glass finish, the Moto G 4G goes for a fun n’ friendly approach, same as the other cut-price Motorolas, rocking a chunky, colourful body.

We like both designs, but while the vibrant, interchangeable covers of the Moto G give it a stand-out quality, there’s something about the Ascend P7’s more premium look and feel that makes us dribble a little.

Huawei Ascend P7 vs Motorola Moto G 4G which is best comparison review

It feels great in the hand, with just enough weight to make it feel like a serious bit of kit, and the curved bottom edge is both distinctive and funky. And when we slip it in our pocket, it’s completely unobtrusive. The Moto G 4G is almost twice as thick so it’s a lot more obvious, poking you in the hip as you wander about.

Huawei Ascend P7 vs Motorola Moto G 4G which is best comparison review

This round has to go to Huawei, although we still love the colourful Moto G 4G, which feels solid and rugged enough to take a few knocks.

Huawei Ascend P7 vs Motorola Moto G 4G: Ease of use and general experience

The Ascend P7 is a full 5-incher, yet doesn’t feel much bigger than the 4.5-inch Moto G 4G, thanks to its impressively slim bezels. The Moto G 4G is still marginally easier to use one-handed, but we didn’t suffer any cramp or accidental droppages when fiddling one-handed with the Ascend P7.

Both phones sport Android 4.4 KitKat, and yet they look very different when you’re zooming through the menus. The Moto G 4G opts for a vanilla Android approach, with clean menus and desktops, while the Ascend P7 tries for a more cartoony look.

Huawei Ascend P7 vs Motorola Moto G 4G which is best comparison review

Which you prefer will be very much down to personal preference, although we don’t like the way you can’t hide apps away on Huawei’s phone – they all have to sit there on your desktop, much like on Apple’s iPhone.

We’re giving this round to the Moto G 4G, but we highly recommend trying both phones in a mobile store to get a feel for them first.

Huawei Ascend P7 vs Motorola Moto G 4G: Screen and media

The Moto G 4G packs a sharp and colourful 720p screen, but the Ascend P7 is the winner with its Full HD 1080p display. It’s bigger, it enjoys brighter whites, and it’s every bit as vibrant as the little Moto. But even though the Huawei is our choice for taking in a movie on the go, the Motorola really is something special for the price, and a perfectly good device for staying entertained on the road.

Huawei Ascend P7 vs Motorola Moto G 4G which is best comparison review

Both phones pack 4G for speedy internet browsing, so you can stream movies and TV shows without any stuttery nonsense, provided of course that you’re in an LTE area.

The built-in speakers do a decent job if you’re chilling at home for enjoying video without earphones, but of course you’ll want to use some ‘phones to really enjoy music.

This round to the Huawei, but it’s a lot closer than you might expect given the difference in price.

Huawei Ascend P7 vs Motorola Moto G: Cameras

If you’re after a solid and dependable camera, or are obsessed with taking selfies, the Ascend P7 is the phone for you.

We were really impressed with the 13-megapixel rear camera, which captured bright, sharp shots in pretty much any condition you’d hope for, even with sharp lighting contrast. You aren’t overwhelmed with features, but instead presented with a decent range such as Best Photo and your usual filters. You can even quickly add your own watermark to any shots you take, for preserving your rights even when uploading direct to social media.

Huawei Ascend P7 vs Motorola Moto G 4G which is best comparison review

And selfie fans will probably wet themselves with glee at the 8-megapixel front-facing lens. Yeah, that’s not a typo. Your glorious mug is captured in full HD glory, and you can even take a group selfie using the ‘groufie’ option (ugh).

The Moto G 4G’s 5-megapixel rear-facing camera does a decent job on the whole, but can’t boast the same crisp results of the Huawei’s lens. Likewise, the selfie cam results in grainier, murkier shots.

Huawei Ascend P7 vs Motorola Moto G 4G: Performance and battery life

Both phones enjoy smooth performance courtesy of the quad-core chips stashed within, even though the Ascend P7 sports a more powerful chip (1.8GHz Cortex-A9 versus 1.2GHz Cortex-A7), and twice the RAM. This means the Ascend P7 should deliver better performance as these phones age, although of course nothing is guaranteed.

The Huawei boasts a more customisable power saving mode, which allows you to choose between Normal, Smart and Ultra saver modes, and run checks to see if your phone’s set up efficiently. Meanwhile, the Motorola just has a single ‘battery saver ‘ mode. Still, the Moto G 4G enjoyed slightly better everyday life, despite the Ascend P7’s bigger battery.

Huawei Ascend P7 vs Motorola Moto G 4G which is best comparison review

If you look at current performance, these phones are neck-and-neck. But the Ascend P7 should deliver smoother performance over time, so it just edges out the Moto.

Huawei Ascend P7 vs Motorola Moto G 4G: Price and value for money

The Motorola Moto G 4G wins this round with total ease.

At just £150, the dinky Moto is less than half the cost of the Ascend P7. It offers most of the same features, including Android KitKat, 4G support and HD visuals, and while we prefer the style of the Ascend P7 and the rear camera is far superior, for us it’s not enough to justify the extra cost.

Huawei Ascend P7 vs Motorola Moto G 4G: Verdict

The Ascend P7 is the better looking phone here, with a crisper screen and future-proof performance, but those upgrades aren’t enough to justify the gulf in asking price between these two phones.

The real difference is in camera quality. If you demand a sharp shooter for taking bright, colourful snaps, the Ascend P7 is going to satisfy you more. If you’re happy to make do with a more basic 5-megapixel camera for taking simple shots, with occasionally mixed results, then the Moto G 4G is everything you need, at less than half the cost of the Ascend P7.

Now check out how the Moto G 4G can take on any £500 smartphone

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