Moto G 5G Plus vs iPhone SE 2: Should you go for Android or iOS affordable champion?

Need a new phone but can’t afford to shell out £1000 for the latest Galaxy S20 Ultra or iPhone 11 Max Pro? Then you’ll likely be considering the new Moto G 5G Plus and iPhone SE 2 as potential options.

Every entry into Motorola’s Moto G line has always earned a place as one of, if not the best, affordable Android phone on the market each year. And from what we’ve seen so far this will likely continue with Motorola’s newest Moto G 5G Plus handset.

But on the other side of the fence, there’s Apple super swish, and surprisingly affordable iPhone SE 2. Though it’s small in size, the SE 2 is full of cutting edge tech and the cheapest new iPhone we’ve seen since the colourful iPhone 5C, making it a pretty sweet choice for any buyer.

Here to help make sure you get the phone that’s right for your specific needs we’ve broken down how the Moto G 5G Plus and iPhone SE 2 compare.

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Moto G 5G Plus vs iPhone SE 2: specs and features

Comparing iOS and Android handsets is always tricky from software perspective. For starters both offer access to different marketplaces and are completely different ecosystems. Then there’s the differing UIs and app offering.

But as a rule of thumb iOS is usually easier to navigate and a better option for people embedded in Apple’s wider ecosystem. Android is more open and better for people that want deeper customisation options and use competing services from Google, or third party OEMs, such as Samsung and Microsoft. This remains the case with the Moto G 5G Plus and iPhone SE 2.

However, if you’re a spec head things get a little more interesting as the Moto G 5G Plus and iPhone SE 2 both have a few key selling points differentiating them from one another. You can see a quick breakdown of the two phones’ core specs in the table below.

Looking at that you’ll see the Moto G 5G Plus has two key bits of technology that are yet to make their way to any iPhone. The first is 5G connectivity.

5G is a new networking technology that’s currently rolling out across the globe. It offers users gigabit-per second speeds that outright smoke 4G and open the door for new services, like triple A game streaming on GeForce Now and 4K HDR streaming on mobile.

It also is the only one of the two with a high refresh rate screen, which on paper, will make it smoother to use and more responsive than the iPhone SE 2’s display, which is locked at 60Hz.

So the Moto G 5G Plus is the clear winner on specs? Sadly not. Based on our experience testing other Snapdragon 765-powered phones, the SE 2 will be faster, running off Apple’s cutting edge A13 Bionic chipset. The SE 2 is also the only one of the two to have an IP water resistance rating, which will be a key assurance for accident prone users.

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Moto G 5G Plus vs iPhone SE 2: Price

There’s also not as big of a disparity in price as you’d expect between the two phones. The Moto G 5G Plus price starts at £299 for the base model. Meanwhile the lowest storage capacity 64GB iPhone SE retails for £419. £120 may sound like a lot, but you also have to take into account software support.

Despite Motorola being one of the best OEMs when it comes to Android software updates, Apple is undeniably better at continuing support for its hardware. The Moto G 5G Plus will likely receive at most two updates to new versions of Android. The iPhone SE 2 will meanwhile continue being updated to new versions of iOS so long as its hardware can handle it.

Apple devices also don’t depreciate in value as quickly as Android phones, so if you plan to sell your phone when you finally do upgrade, you’ll get a lot more for a year old SE 2 than you will for a similarly aged Moto G 5G Plus.

Moto G 5G Plus vs iPhone SE 2: Early verdict

The lure of 5G and a 90Hz screen, coupled with a lower price tag, make the Moto G 5G Plus an enticing package for any buyer not embedded in Apple’s ecosystem. It also stacks up surprisingly well when it comes to core specs, on paper.

But for Apple fans in the tech firm’s walled garden the iPhone SE 2 is still a very enticing handset, offering blisteringly fast performance, excellent build quality and a formal water resistance rating.