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Phone Comparisons: HTC One mini 2 vs Motorola Moto G

Phone Comparisons: HTC One mini 2 vs Motorola Moto G

By Cory McNutt
May 22, 2014

Introduction

This is an interesting comparison of two new models – the HTC One mini 2 versus the Motorola Moto G. These two devices have much in common until you come down to the price and the targeted market.  They both have 4.5-inch displays, the same Snapdragon 400 quad-core processor clocked at 1.2GHz, the same 1GB of RAM, a 16GB of internal storage model, about the same size, even the batteries are close in size, and they are both running Android 4.4 KitKat, the mini 2 out of the box and the Moto G has received its KitKat upgrade. Both devices look great, although the metal on the One mini 2 certainly outshines the Moto G’s plastic shell, but they do both feel great in the hand – the sculptured backs offer a nice grip.

Please look at the specs below and see just how close theses two devices really are, and then we will look and see how each smartphone is different from one another as we try and pick a clear-cut winner.

 

Specifications

 

HTC ONE mini 2

The HTC One mini 2, like its big brother, is a beautiful smartphone with curved metal that fits nicely in your hand. It comes with the dual stereo speakers for great sound as well. The specifications are certainly mid-range, but then it was not designed to be a flagship device, although the price says differently. It does have a microSD Card slot to add up to an additional 128GB of memory on top of the base 16GB. The mini 2 does have NFC and DLNA built-in, whereas the Moto G does not feature those items – probably because they are not needed in its target market or price range. The camera is a major step up from the Moto G – with a 16MP main shooter and a full 5MP front-facing camera for great video chatting and terrific selfies. I am glad that HTC decided to abandon the 4MP UltraPixel camera design on the mini 2 – possibly a sign of things to come on future One’s. One bad thing is the price, which has not been officially announced, but based on what it is selling across the ocean, it looks to be in the $715 range…certainly not the mid-range price it should have.

 

Motorola Moto G

It is hard to get excited about a device that has unexciting specifications, but then why are we intrigued with the HTC One mini 2, that has the SAME display, the SAME processor, and the SAME amount of RAM of the Moto G…a good question. Could it simply be because of the price difference or the the target market. Rather than be so jaded while thinking that the Moto G is so cheap, we should be shouting at what a bargain it is…especially now that a Moto G LTE 8GB version is being released with a microSD card slot for the SAME price. The real downside to the Moto G is in the camera area when compared to the One mini 2 – with only a 5MP main camera and a 1.2MP front-facing camera…barely good enough for video chatting and strictly okay for an occasional selfie. The battery is almost as large, 2070mAh versus 2110mAh, but the Moto G has excellent battery management.

 

…and the Winner is…

Summary

I know, this one surprises me too – but I think it comes down to the value of these two devices. The main workings that make a smartphone fast, smooth, and reliable are all the same. No, the Moto G is not made of metal, yet it has a great feel in you hand. The Moto G does not have dual stereo speakers, but certainly sounds good enough for use as a speakerphone. The Moto G does not have the camera capabilities of the One mini 2, and I think that is where the mini 2 wins. I’ll even give you the metal body – yes it is pretty, but at the end of this comparison, you have to ask yourself…does a metal body, dual speakers and a great camera warrant a $715 price tag versus $179? If those three things mean over $500 to you, or you can get a good buy on a two-year contract, then go for the HTC One mini 2. However, if you like a great bargain and a well-built smartphone, can use earbuds for listening to your music and can live without fantastic photos, then the Moto G LTE might be just what you are looking for – besides, most people do not buy this type of device as their main driver, but as a secondary or backup phone – and $179 is a great price for that purpose.