The premium mid-range smartphone segment has become more competitive than ever. A few years ago, if you spent an extra Rs 10,000 on a smartphone, you guaranteed a better phone. You would get a faster processor, a better camera system, and a brighter display. But that gap has started to shrink because of the chip shortage. Today’s smartphones are much closer than they used to be, and brands are focusing on different strengths rather than relying on a single category. Some brands prioritise cameras, others focus on battery life, while a few try to deliver serious raw performance without increasing the price too much.
And now we have the two interesting phones in this segment, the Redmi Turbo 5 and the Motorola Edge 70 Pro Plus. On paper, these two devices shouldn’t even be this close. The Redmi Turbo 5 starts at around Rs 38,000, while the Motorola Edge 70 Pro Plus costs roughly Rs 48,000. That’s a difference of nearly Rs 10,000. Normally, the price gap would suggest a noticeable difference in performance, but here that’s not the case.
Both phones are powered by the MediaTek Dimensity 8500 platform. Redmi calls its version the Dimensity 8500 Ultra, while Motorola uses the Dimensity 8500 Extreme. Now, if both phones deliver nearly the same level of performance, what exactly are you paying the extra Rs 10,000 for? After using both phones side by side, here’s how they compare.
Straight out of the box, when I hold the Motorola Edge 70 Pro Plus, it feels more expensive. At just 7.19mm thick and weighing 190g, it’s seriously lightweight considering it has a 6,500mAh battery. The balance feels right, the curved frame sits comfortably in the hand, and the silk-inspired finish on the back gives it a unique texture that doesn’t attract fingerprints. Motorola sent us the Pantone Zinfandel that stands out without looking flashy.
The Redmi Turbo 5 takes a different approach. It has a glass back that feels solid, while the subtle red accents around the camera module add a bit of personality. Redmi has also included a Matrix lighting ring inside the camera module. It lights up during music playback, notifications and it glows during different functions as well. Although you can also cutomise it further in the phone settings.
In terms of durability, the Turbo 5 comes with IP66, IP68, IP69 and IP69K certifications, along with SGS certification. Motorola offers IP68 and IP69 ratings alongside MIL-STD-810H certification.
You get stereo speakers on both devices, and both support Dolby Atmos. Redmi’s speakers, however, offer slightly better bass,
The Redmi Turbo 5 features a 6.59-inch AMOLED display with a 120Hz refresh rate, while the Motorola Edge 70 Pro Plus comes with a larger 6.8-inch Extreme AMOLED panel with a 144Hz refresh rate.
Both displays feel responsive. Scrolling through social media, switching between apps and gaming feels smooth on either device. There are no noticeable stutters, and both maintain a consistent experience throughout daily use.
Outdoor visibility is also impressive on both. During our testing, the Motorola reached at 3,110 nits of peak brightness, while the Redmi peaked at around 2,860 nits. Both remain easy to read under direct sunlight.
If you look at the specifications, the Redmi is better on paper. It supports HDR10, HDR Vivid and Dolby Vision, while Motorola supports HDR10+.
In real word usage, I felt something different. Watching HDR content on Netflix and YouTube, I found myself preferring Motorola’s display more often. Colours looked more balanced, contrast felt stronger and the quad-curved panel made videos feel more immersive.
The Redmi display is not disappointing at all. It’s bright, vibrant and enjoyable for everyday use. But when comparing them side by side, Motorola’s display feels slightly more polished overall.
Now both devices are powered by MediaTek’s Dimensity 8500 platform. Redmi brands it as the Dimensity 8500 Ultra, while Motorola calls it the Dimensity 8500 Extreme. The names are different, but both chips are built on the same architecture.
To see if there was any major difference, I ran some benchmark tests.
In Antutu, the Redmi Turbo 5 scored around 2.08 million, while the Motorola Edge 70 Pro Plus finished with around 1.40 million.
In Geekbench, the Redmi scored 1,604 in the single-core and 6,359 in the multi-core. On the other hand, the Motorola scored 1,749 in single-core and 6,741 in multi-core.
CPU throttling test favoured Redmi. It sustained around 81 per cent, while Motorola’s CPU throttled to 71 per cent.
In the 3DMark Wildlife Extreme test, both phones delivered almost identical scores. Redmi Turbo 5 got an overall score of 4,429 and the Motorola Edge 70 Pro Plus got an overall score of
Both phones are quick in daily use. Apps launch instantly, multitasking is smooth, and animations remain fluid whether you’re browsing, juggling between apps, or editing photos or videos.
In terms of gaming, both phones support BGMI up to 120fps and Call of Duty Mobile also runs at 120fps. Frame rates remain stable even during longer sessions and both phones handle demanding games with ease.
The only difference I noticed was heat management. The Redmi Turbo 5 gets warmer during extended gaming sessions and also heats up more while running benchmark tests. But you’ll never feel uncomfortable while holding the device.
Out of the box, Redmi Turbo 5 runs HyperOS 3 based on Android 16, while the Motorola Edge 70 Pro Plus comes with Hello UI based on Android 16.
By the way, for years, Motorola has built its reputation on offering one of the cleanest Android experiences, but this time, Motorola has started shipping more pre-installed apps than before. Newsroom, recommended games and apps suggestions now come preloaded, although everything can be removed if you don’t need it.
That said, Motorola’s Hello UI feels simple, responsive and stays close to stock Android. Navigation is simple and animations are smooth.
Redmi’s HyperOS also comes with bloatware, but most of it can be uninstalled. In terms of UI, the interface is feature-rich and offers a lot of customisation.
Personally, I still prefer Motorola’s UI. Motorola promises three years of Android updates and six years of security patches. Redmi on the other hand, promises four Android updates along with six years of security patches.
The Redmi Turbo 5 features a 50MP Sony IMX882 primary camera with an 8MP ultrawide sensor. Selfies are handled by a 20MP front camera.
Motorola comes with a triple camera setup. It includes a 50MP Sony LYT-710 main camera, a 50MP ultrawide camera and a 50MP 3.5x periscope telephoto camera. On the other hand, it also gets a 50MP selfie camera.
Starting with the main camera, both phones capture good images in daylight.
However, after comparing dozens of shots, the Motorola Edge 70 Pro Plus consistently gives more balanced results. Colours look more natural, exposure is slightly more consistent, and skin tones appear closer to real life. While capturing the human subject, the Redmi Turbo 5 tends to sharpen the facial textures, which sometimes look slightly artificial.
HDR performance is fairly similar on both devices. I would say none of them is perfect, but Motorola generally handles difficult lighting situations a little better.
In portrait photography, the Redmi Turbo 5 performs surprisingly well with its primary camera. Portraits have good edge detection, stronger contrast, and they look more eye-pleasing.
In Motorola’s case, it brightens up the face, and it clicks softer portraits. However, the dedicated telephoto camera gives Motorola an advantage. It offers flexibility for portraits and zoom photography, although the results aren’t always consistent.
In good lighting, the images look excellent. But in tricky lighting conditions, image quality can vary.
Now Motorola’s 50MP ultrawide sensor is in a completely different league compared to Redmi’s 8MP camera. Images contain noticeably more detail, the dynamic range is also better, and colours remain much more consistent with the primary camera.
In terms of selfies, the Motorola Edge 70 Pro Plus 50MP front camera captures more detail and renders more natural-looking skin tones. Portrait selfies also favour Motorola because of cleaner edge detection.
The Redmi selfie camera is perfectly usable, but it simply can’t match Motorola’s consistency.
The Redmi Turbo 5 put up a tough fight in the battery department. The phone packs a massive 7,540mAh battery with 100W fast charging, while the Motorola Edge 70 Pro Plus uses a 6,500mAh battery with 90W fast charging.
In daily usage, the larger Redmi’s battery makes a noticeable difference. In our PCMark battery test, the Redmi Turbo 5 lasted 18 hours and 2 minutes. The Motorola Edge 70 Pro Plus finished at 15 hours and 55 minutes.
Despite the difference in battery capacity, charging speeds are almost identical. The Redmi Turbo 5 took 1 hour and 11 minutes to charge fully from zero per cent, while the Motorola took 1 hour and 12 minutes.
The Redmi lasts longer, especially for users who spend a lot of time consuming content, playing games or using mobile data throughout the day.
Both devices target two very different audiences. The Redmi Turbo 5 focuses on delivering maximum value. For around Rs 38,000, it offers flagship level performance, excellent battery life, long software support and one of the strongest gaming experiences available in the segment. The fact that it shares almost the same chipset as a phone costing Rs 10,000 more makes its value proposition even stronger.
The Motorola Edge 70 Pro Plus, however, isn’t trying to win on specifications. Instead, it focuses on delivering a more complete smartphone experience. Instead, it focuses on delivering a more complete smartphone experience.
The slimmer design, more refined display, cleaner software, better camera system and stronger overall build quality make it feel closer to a flagship device. So, should you spend the extra ₹10,000?
If your priorities are gaming, battery life, performance and long-term software support, the answer is probably no. The Redmi Turbo 5 delivers almost everything most users need while saving a significant amount of money.
But if cameras, display quality, software experience and overall refinement matter more, the Motorola Edge 70 Pro Plus justifies its higher price.
Personally, if I were spending my own money, I’d lean towards the Redmi Turbo 5 simply because of the value it offers. It’s difficult to ignore just how much phone you’re getting for the price. The Motorola Edge 70 Pro Plus is the better all-round smartphone. The Redmi Turbo 5 is the better value. And that’s ultimately what this comparison comes down to.