Moto G6 Plus vs. Xiaomi Redmi Note 5 Pro: Spec comparison

Here’s an early look at how the Moto G6 Plus compares to Xiaomi’s budget behemoth.

Xiaomi extended its lead in the budget segment with the launch of the Redmi Note 5 Pro earlier this year, which demonstrated the brand’s ability to offer incredible value for money. Featuring a Snapdragon 636, up to 6GB of RAM, 64GB of storage, overhauled cameras, and a 4000mAh battery, there really isn’t much wrong with the device.

Motorola will be looking to take a slice out of Xiaomi’s market share in India with the launch of the upcoming Moto G6 series. India is Motorola’s second-largest market after Brazil, and its Moto G series was always well-received in the country. The Moto G6 Plus has key improvements over its predecessor, including a more premium design that sees a glass back, USB-C, Wi-Fi ac, and the switch to an 18:9 form factor.

The Moto G6 series fields three phones — the Moto G6 Play, Moto G6, and the Moto G6 Plus — and given that India is a key market for Motorola, all three devices will likely make their debut in the country. There’s no mention of when the phones will be launched in the subcontinent, but it’s likely we’ll see an announcement at the end of May.

Here’s an early look at how the Moto G6 Plus compares to Xiaomi’s budget behemoth, and what you can look forward to from Motorola’s budget phone.

Moto G6 Plus vs. Xiaomi Redmi Note 5 Pro: Specs

As you can see from the specs above, the Moto G6 Plus shares a lot of similarities with the Redmi Note 5 Pro. Both have similar-sized displays, but the Moto G6 Plus is taller as it has a fingerprint sensor located at the front. Motorola says it retained the fingerprint sensor at the front to facilitate One Button Nav, the home button-based navigation system it rolled out on last year’s phone.

The Snapdragon 630 may not be as powerful as the Snapdragon 636 on the Redmi Note 5 Pro, but it shouldn’t pose many problems in day-to-day use. And while the 3200mAh battery isn’t as large as the huge 4000mAh unit on the Redmi Note 5 Pro, it should still be able to deliver a day’s worth of use comfortably.

Motorola needs to crush it with the camera and deliver timely updates.

The success of the Moto G6 Plus hinges on two key areas: camera quality and software updates. Xiaomi overhauled the camera experience on its phones this year, and the Moto G6 Plus needs to have a camera that’s as good — if not better — than the one on the Redmi Note 5 Pro. Same goes for software updates: Motorola isn’t the leader in this area anymore, and it needs to make sure it rolls out timely updates or risk losing further ground to Android One devices like the Mi A1.

The Moto G6 Plus is set to retail for €299 ($365), which comes out to ₹24,250. That is a non-starter for the Indian market, as that would put the device in the vicinity of the Moto X4, which is available for ₹24,999.

In a sense, the Moto G6 Plus is essentially a Moto X4 with an 18:9 screen, but the Moto G series is associated with the budget segment, and as such it’s possible we’ll see a price point that’s around the ₹18,000 figure. Anything beyond that and the Moto G6 Plus won’t be able to compete effectively against the likes of the Redmi Note 5 Pro or even the Mi A1.

What price point do you think the Moto G6 Plus will retail for in India?

Moto G6 series hands-on preview