5G connectivity has undoubtedly changed the way we look for things on the internet. Still, a sizeable Indian population is yet to experience the new technology, with price being the entry barrier for most. But with smartphone manufacturers now targeting the budget segment and launching devices like the Moto G35 and the Poco C75, millions of people in the country may be finally making the transition to 5G. If you are confused about which budget 5G phone to buy, here’s a quick comparison that should help you make the decision.
Budget smartphones are often known for their plastic build, but both newly launched devices offer a premium look and feel that should make them stand out from the competition. While the Moto G35 has a vegan leather back, the Poco C75 has a plastic back with what the company calls “Marble Flow design.”
The back of the Moto G35 has a minimal camera island on the top left of the device which houses the dual camera setup. On the other hand, the Poco C75 has a flashy big circular camera island that takes cues from the likes of the OnePlus 12 and Realme 12 series.
While both phones have a 120Hz FHD+ LCD screen, the Moto G35’s screen measures 6.72-inch whereas the Poco C75 has a slightly bigger 6.88-inch display, so if you are looking for a big screen device, the Poco C75 is an easy recommendation. However, one thing to note here is that the Moto phone has a punch-hole notch while Poco’s affordable 5G phone comes with the dated waterdrop notch, which is pretty common on phones priced under Rs 10,000.
Performance and storage
In terms of raw performance, the Moto G35, powered by the Unisoc T760 chipset has a clear advantage over the Poco C75, the first phone in India which features the Snapdragon 4s Gen 2 chipset. Benchmark figures do sound good on paper, but when it comes to everyday performance, both phones are pretty quick and rarely lag when multitasking.
While both devices cannot run the latest titles at the highest settings, you can easily play games like BGMI, Garena Free Fire Max and others at the lowest possible settings. However, graphically demanding titles like Genshin Impact, Wreckfest and Zenless Zero are still a no-go.
The Moto G35 and the Poco C75 both come with 4GB RAM, but the former offers 128GB storage while the latter is only available with 64GB storage, which may not be enough for some. However, both phones have a microSD card slot, allowing users to expand the storage up to 1TB.
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Also, both devices run on Android 14 out of the box, but the Moto G35 offers a near-stock Android experience whereas the Poco C75 comes with Xiaomi’s HyperOS skin.
Camera and battery
Once again, the Moto G35 and the Poco C75 have a 50MP primary camera on paper, but in real life, these two sensors differ in terms of image quality. The Moto phone comes with an unspecified 50MP camera while Poco says its newest budget 5G phone features a 50MP Sony shooter. Also, the Moto G35 features an 8MP ultrawide shooter, which is missing from the significantly cheaper Poco C75. However, we will have to wait for reviews to know the full picture.
Both phones support 18W wired charging, but compared to the Moto G35’s 5,000mAh battery, the Poco C75 has a slightly bigger 5,160mAh battery. But since the Poco phone features a larger display, both phones may have a similar battery life.
5G connectivity
One might presume that all 5G phones support major network operators like Airtel, Jio and Vodafone Idea, but that’s not true. The Moto G35 supports both standalone and non-standalone 5G networks, meaning it will work on both Airtel and Jio networks. However, the Snapdragon 4s Gen 2 supports only Standalone 5G networks, so you will be restricted to Jio if you want to experience 5G speeds.
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Moto G35 vs Poco C75: Which budget 5G phone is worth buying?
The Moto G35 and the Poco C75 are shaking up the smartphone industry by offering 5G connectivity without cutting corners on display and build quality. And while Motorola G35, with its price tag of Rs 9,999 is significantly much more expensive than the Poco C75, which starts from Rs 7,999, the vegan leather finish bundled with support for both SA and NSA 5G networks, clean software experience and double storage makes it an easy recommendation. However, if you already have a Jio SIM and want to save some money, we recommend the Poco C75 as it offers great value for money.
