Motorola announced four smartphones in its latest Moto G7 family comprising the G7 Plus, standard G7, G7 Power and G7 Play. 

Top of the range is the Moto G7 Plus which we've compared to the flagship Moto G of last year - the Moto G6 Plus. How much has changed in a year and what does the new G7 bring over its predecessor?

Moto G7 Plus vs G6 Plus design

  • Moto G7 Plus: 157 x 75.3 x 8.3mm, 176g
  • Moto G6 Plus: 160 x 75.5 x 8mm, 167g

The Motorola Moto G7 Plus and Moto G6 Plus feature the same design language but the Moto G7 Plus has made several improvements over its predecessor. 

Both have Corning Gorilla 3D contoured glass backs, coupled with a metal frame for a premium look and they both have a dual rear camera in a circular housing. They are also both water repellant coating with neither offering official IP ratings.

The Moto G7 Plus changes things up in terms of display firstly though - it has a tear drop notch like the OnePlus 6T, allowing for more screen in a smaller footprint than its predecessor. It also features a rear-mounted fingerprint sensor within the "M" on the back.

The Moto G6 Plus meanwhile, has bezels at the top and bottom of its display and it opts for a front-mounted fingerprint sensor, positioned below the display. It too has an "M" on the rear but this is only branding with no other specific purpose.

Moto G7 Plus vs G6 Plus display 

  • Moto G7 Plus: 6.2-inches, 19:9 ratio, 2270 x 1080, 403ppi,
  • Moto G6 Plus: 5.9-inches, 18:9 ratio, 2160 x 1080, 409ppi

The main visible difference between the Moto G7 Plus and the Moto G6 Plus comes in the form of the display. Last year's model opts for an 18:9 aspect ratio, meaning it has both a forehead and a chin.

This year's model meanwhile, has a 19:9 aspect ratio, pushing the display into more of the footprint available. The tear drop notch at the top of the display houses the front camera, while the bottom bezel is slimmer than last year thanks to the repositioning of the fingerprint sensor.

The result is the G7 Plus has a 0.3-inch larger display than its predecessor but it achieves this in a body that is 3mm smaller and 0.2mm narrower. Resolution remains at Full HD+ for both models and both models opt for IPS LCD too.

Moto G7 Plus vs G6 Plus camera

  • Moto G7 Plus: 16MP/5MP rear, 12MP front, OIS
  • Moto G6 Plus: 12MP/5MP rear, 8MP front

Though not visible in terms of design, Motorola has significantly improved the camera on the Moto G7 Plus compared to the Moto G6 Plus, while also adding new features.

The Moto G7 Plus has a 16-megapixel f/1.7 1.22µm main sensor on the rear, coupled with a 5-megapixel secondary depth sensor. The Moto G6 Plus meanwhile, has a 12-megapixel f/1.7 main camera with a 5-megapixel death sensor.

Along with the higher resolution main sensor though, the G7 Plus also adds optical image stabilisation. New features include an Auto Capture feature that will automatically take a photo when the G7 Plus detects a smile, as well as an Auto Composition feature that uses the rule of thirds to create an additional image with a better composition.

The Moto G7 Plus has a 12-megapixel front camera, while the Moto G6 Plus has an 8-megapixel front camera.

Hardware and software 

  • Moto G7 Plus: SD636, 4GB RAM, 64GB storage, microSD, 3000mAh
  • Moto G6 Plus: SD630, 4GB RAM, 64GB storage, microSD, 3200mAh

The Motorola G7 Plus packs in a more advanced processor than the Moto G6 Plus, but otherwise the specifications remain largely the same. Both devices have 4GB of RAM and both come with 64GB storage with microSD expansion.

The Moto G6 Plus has a larger battery capacity than the Moto G7 Plus but the G7 Plus comes with a 27-watt charger in its box, allowing for 12 hours of battery in 15 minutes of charging.

The Moto G7 Plus also has stereo speakers, while the G6 Plus has a front port loud speaker instead. Both devices run on Android Pie though, offering a clean version of Android with very little bloatware.

Price and conclusions

The Motorola Moto G7 Plus starts at the same price as the G6 Plus did, though the G6 Plus is available for less now. 

The Moto G7 Plus brings several improvements over last year's model though, including a larger screen in a smaller footprint, optical image stabilisation and additional camera features, as well as a more advanced processor and the inclusion of the 27W charger in the box. The stereo speakers are another plus too.

The Moto G6 Plus is still a great device for its price, especially if you can find a deal on it but the Moto G7 Plus offers enough good upgrades to consider an update or the extra money.