High-end budget phone
As a budget phone, the Samsung Galaxy A25 is packed with features that are typically reserved for premium models. Among these is a 5,000 mAh battery, up to 8GB RAM, octa-core processor, and a sizeable Super AMOLED screen. If you’re looking for a new phone at a steal, this is a wonderful option to consider.
For
- Affordable
- Long battery life with super fast charging
- Years of software and security updates
- Better quality, brighter screen
Against
- Fingerprint sensor is on the side
- Plastic frame isn't as durable as others
- No water or dust resistance rating
- Does not support wireless charging
It’s good, not great
The Moto G Power 5G 2024 is a decent enough phone with a lovely and large edge-to-edge screen, nice textured vegan leather back, and support for fast and wireless charging. But when it comes to performance, there’s still some work to do. Still, for those looking for a simple solution, the price is definitely right.
For
- Affordable
- Long battery life with fast charging
- Supports wireless charging
Against
- Fingerprint sensor is on the side
- Limited software and security updates
- No official water resistance rating
- Doesn't handle gaming well
- Screen isn't as nice, bright
Looking for a new phone that hovers around the $300 price range? You’re looking in the budget category, and when it comes to entry-level phones, the Samsung Galaxy A25 and Moto G Power 5G 2024 are two that fall into this range. They both combine premium features with won’t-break-the-bank pricing. But which one should you choose?
Samsung Galaxy A25 vs. Moto G Power 5G 2024: The looks
The Samsung Galaxy A25, one of many in the A series line, might be a “budget” phone, but some of its specs suggest otherwise. It has a sizeable 6.5-inch FHD+ Super AMOLED screen that offers 1,080 x 2,340 resolution and up to 1,000 nits peak brightness, along with Samsung’s Vision Booster to assist in bright sunlight.
Eye Comfort Shield helps protect your peepers from harmful blue light. The screen also boasts a 120Hz refresh rate, which you wouldn’t expect in a phone of this price, confirming that it can keep up with everything from video streaming to gaming.
Available in black, blue, light blue, and yellow (though colors may vary by country), it has a plastic back, which is to be expected given the price, along with a plastic frame and glass front. A fingerprint sensor is on the side, a departure from the typical on-screen optical sensor you see in the latest, more premium phones. You can also use face unlock.
It comes with either 128GB or 256GB storage, but you can expand this to up to 1TB via microSD card. That’s a big plus because most premium phones only come with built-in storage, and you need to rely on cloud storage after that (or be diligent about how much of a packrat you are with apps, files, photos, and more).
The 5,000mAh battery will keep the Samsung Galaxy A25 powered for up to two days per charge, and the phone supports super-fast wired charging at 25 watts with an optional adapter. However, there is no support for wireless charging.
One thing worth noting is that the Samsung A25 does not have a water-resistant rating, so you’ll need to be mindful of where you use it. You’ll not only want a protective case, but you might even want to consider a waterproof case if you plan to take this phone with you to the beach or even use it by the pool.
Other features include dual SIM, USB-C, Wi-Fi Direct, Bluetooth 5.3, and NFC. You don’t get Samsung DeX support, though this phone likely won’t be used for heavy productivity anyway. One interesting inclusion is a 3.5mm headphone port for wired headphones and earbuds when you want to enjoy private listening. There are also stereo speakers.
The Moto G Power 5G 2024 has an even larger 6.7-inch full HD FHD+ edge-to-edge display, but it’s just an LCD, so don’t expect it to be as bright and clear as the AMOLED or OLED screens in other phones, including the Samsung Galaxy A25. In his Moto G Power 5G 2024 review, Android Central’s Derrek Lee confirms this, saying color and contrast aren’t as good as it is with phones that have OLED screens, but the display is still sharp.
The resolution is on par with the Samsung Galaxy A25 at 2,400 x 1,080, but the peak brightness taps out at about 500 nits. Keep this in mind if you live somewhere that’s sunny or you often raise screen brightness to see better in certain situations. Lee says it can be difficult to see the screen outdoors. On the plus side, the phone offers 120Hz refresh rate.
The Moto G Power 5G 2024 comes in just two finish options, Midnight Blue or Pale Lilac, and has a nice, tactile feel to it. This is thanks, in large part, to the vegan leather back that’s typically reserved for higher-end phones, so the phone looks a little more expensive than it actually is, though the leather can be easily scuffed, says Lee.
He does say, however, that the phone feels warmer and more comfortable in his hand when compared to glass or plastic, though it still has a plastic frame. Like with the Samsung Galaxy A25, this phone has a fingerprint sensor on the side, and you can glance at the camera to leverage face unlock.
The Moto G Power 5G 2024 steps up its design with a more premium vegan leather back.
Storage-wise, there’s only a single 128GB variant, but the Moto G Power 5G (2024) does have a microSD card slot that can accommodate an optional card up to 1TB in size, so you can add more.
It has the same all-day 5,000mAh battery but supports faster TurboPower wired charging at 30 watts, which Motorola says will get you an extra day in just 40 minutes. You’ll need to buy that charger separately in most cases or one that supports faster charging than what’s provided in the box. It also supports 15W wireless charging, a worthwhile feature if you prefer using wireless chargers; maybe you already have one on your desk. It’s rare to find wireless charging in a phone at this price point.
While the Moto G Power 5G 2024 is supposedly water-repellent, it does not have an official water-resistance IP rating. So, you still need to be careful when using it around water or even walking in the rain. Keep it tucked away as a precaution.
With Bluetooth 5.3, NFC, Wi-Fi, USB, stereo speakers, and a 3.5mm headphone jack, this phone is comparable to the Samsung Galaxy A25 in many ways.
Samsung Galaxy A25 vs. Moto G Power 5G 2024: Specs
Before diving into the performance and cameras, let’s take a look at how these two phones compare on specs alone.
Samsung Galaxy A25 vs. Moto G Power 5G 2024: Performance basics
In the end, it comes down the performance. The Samsung Galaxy A25 is loaded with an Exynos 1280 processor and 6GB RAM though you can upgrade to 8GB RAM with the 256GB storage variant (this may be country dependent).
Running Android 14, you get Samsung’s One UI 6.1 on top as well for further personalization of the phone’s home screen and functions. The phone also supports up to four generations of OS upgrades and five years of security updates. This isn’t as much as Samsung offers with its newest premium phones, but it’s still decent for a phone you might only want for a few years until you’re ready to upgrade. Chances are you’re getting this phone for a teen or tween who will use it for a few years before needing something higher-end.
Along with stereo speakers, you also get Dolby Atmos immersive audio, a surprising feature given that this is a budget phone. We can’t speak to how it sounds since we haven’t yet reviewed this phone. But you should experience pleasurable sound whether listening from the built-in speakers or a good pair of wireless (or wired!) headphones.
By comparison, the Moto G Power 5G 2024 is powered by a MediaTek Dimensity 7020 processor, and Lee says it is more than capable with regular use. This is also thanks to the 8GB RAM along with the RAM Boost that can provide up to 8GB of additional virtual RAM if needed (he didn’t find that he did). This is sufficient for most everyday tasks, and you won’t experience slowdowns. However, it might not be powerful enough to handle more intense gaming sessions. Lee says the phone struggled to run some Android games. He experienced issues like dropped frames, which was a frustrating experience for gamers.
It comes with Android 14 out of the box as well, but keep in mind that Motorola doesn’t offer as much long-term support. You only get one major OS upgrade and security updates for three years, so this isn’t a phone you can hold onto for years and years to come.
The stereo speakers also offer Dolby Atmos support. A neat inclusion is Moto Secure, a place where you can manage security, control app permissions, and create a secret folder. Ideal for using this as a shared phone, or one you can hand off to your kids from time to time, there’s also something called Family Space. With this feature, you can create individual user profiles, limit screen time, and control app access to ensure a safe experience for young ones while still enjoying a full, unfiltered experience yourself.
Samsung Galaxy A25 vs. Moto G Power 5G 2024: Taking pictures
Given its low price, you get a pretty good set of cameras with the Samsung Galaxy A25. It has a 50MP main camera with optical image stabilization (OIS). There’s also VDIS for video capture, with a 500Hz motion sampling rate for better capture when capturing footage in rougher terrain, like a moving vehicle or while on a hike.
This is combined with an 8MP ultra-wide camera and 2MP Macro camera, which is likely more of a novelty than a useful camera that will yield quality photos. There’s also a 13MP front camera for taking selfies.
The Moto G Power 5G 2024 has a 50MP main camera with an expanded frame, optical image stabilization (OIS), and an 8MP ultrawide lens with Macro Vision. The 16MP front camera is good enough for selfies, and the phone has an auto-enhanced Face Retouch feature.
Lee was able to get decent shots in good lighting with the main cameras on the Moto G Power 5G 2024, but don’t expect much detail in photos, especially when it comes to low-light photos. It’s nothing to write home about, but decent enough for photos and videos to share via social media.
Another cool camera feature is the ability to show your palm to the camera to start a countdown timer. It will then capture four different poses in four photos so you can choose the best one. This isn’t quite as advanced as features like Best Take in the Google Pixel 8 series or Apple iPhone’s Live Photos. But it’s a fun to have feature, especially for kids who want to take phone booth-inspired selfies with friends.
Samsung Galaxy A25 vs. Moto G Power 5G 2024: Which should you buy?
The Samsung Galaxy A25 is one of the best prepaid cell phones you can buy. It’s ideal for a teen and tween, an elderly person who just needs something simple to keep in touch, or anyone who doesn’t require the best of the best when it comes to features. Indeed, we name this phone among the best phones for students. It’s a reliable device that you can use for the basics, plus capture decent photos, play games, stream videos, and more.
When it comes to the Samsung Galaxy A25 and Moto G Power 5G 2024, the Samsung Galaxy A25 is the better all-around choice. They both come in at around the same price point, but with the Samsung Galaxy A25, you get the option for more built-in storage if desired (tacked onto the 1TB card you’ll likely buy as well). You’ll get better gaming performance and presumably better cameras. Plus, it’s supported with OS and security updates for much longer.
The only upsides with the Moto G Power 5G 2024 are wireless charging and the potential to withstand light rain or water droplets better with its “water-repellent” design. It also has a larger screen, but as an LCD with low peak brightness and issues viewing it outdoors in bright sunlight, size might not matter here.
The safer bet is the Samsung Galaxy A25, which you can use for several years and then trade up to something more premium. Since it’s supported for longer, you could even hand it down to your second kid or another young family member or friend who can continue using the phone until they’re ready for something more feature-rich down the line.
If you want to save even more, check out our picks for the best Android phones under $300, including models that are even less than these two devices.
Tremendous value
Sure, there are some trade-offs to be expected with a budget phone. But overall, the Samsung Galaxy A25 provides great value. It’s a perfect phone for a young child as their first to test the waters. It’s also great for students on a budget, or to finally get your elderly parent or grandparent into the world of mobile technology.
Needs some work
The Moto G power 5G 2024 will get you through the day if you’re just looking to cover the basics, like checking e-mail, surfing the web, messaging, and taking some snapshots. The vegan leather is a stylish touch, too. But for the price point, you might want to look at other options with better cameras, water-resistant designs, and OLED screens.
