Moto E40 vs Redmi 9 Activ: Which budget phone to buy?

The Motorola Moto E40 has joined the sub- ₹10,000 segment battle fought between Xiaomi and Realme. How does it compare to the Redmi 9 Activ?

The Moto E40 competes directly with the Redmi 9 Activ in the sub- ₹10,000 smartphone category.

There's a new Moto E in town and similar to its ancestors, this one focuses solely on value. The Motorola Moto E40 commands a price of ₹9,499 and going by its spec sheet, it has got everything its rivals don't. A unique Unisoc chip along with Moto G levels of features and specs make the Moto E40 highly desirable. But can it hold itself against the Redmi 9 Activ?

The Redmi 9 Activ launched a few weeks ago and at ₹8,799, it has the same set of features as the Moto E40. Which one of these phones makes the most sense then?

Moto E40 vs vs Redmi 9 Activ comparison

Design

Moto E40 (Motorola via Flipkart)

Moto E40 (Motorola via Flipkart)

Both utilise plastic unibody designs and have different design ethos. The Moto E40 has a gradient-like contours whereas the Redmi 9 Activ has a plain design with lighter gradient shades. Both look modern.

Display

The Moto E40 has an edge over here with a 6.5-inch HD+ display with a 90Hz refresh rate and a more modern-looking punch-hole cutout with an 8MP camera inside. The Redmi 9 Activ has a similar 6.5-inch HD+ display but only a 60Hz refresh rate.

Internal specs

The Redmi 9 Activ uses the MediaTek Helio G35 chip and comes with up to 6GB RAM and 128GB storage. It runs on MIUI 12 based on Android 11. The Moto E40 uses a faster Unisoc T700 chipset with 4GB RAM and 64GB storage. Motorola ships with a near-stock version of Android 11 onboard. Both phones have a fingerprint sensor on the rear.

Cameras

Redmi 9 forms the base for the Redmi 9 Activ (Xiaomi)

Redmi 9 forms the base for the Redmi 9 Activ (Xiaomi)

The Moto E40 has an easy advantage here, having a 48MP main camera along with a 2MP macro, 2MP depth camera and 8MP front camera. The Redmi 9 Activ only offers a 13MP main camera and a 2MP depth camera on the rear, and a 5MP front camera.

Battery

Both the Moto E40 and Redmi 9 Activ feature a 5000mAh battery with support for 10W charging. However, the Redmi 9 Activ relies on a micro-USB port whereas the Moto E40 relies on a USB-C port.

Prices

The Motorola Moto E40 comes in only a single variant with 4GB RAM and 64GB storage, costing ₹9,499. The Redmi 9 Activ starts at a lower price of ₹8,799 for the base variant with 4GB RAM and 64GB storage. There's a 6GB RAM + 128GB storage variant that costs ₹10,999.

Our take: The Moto E40 for a little more over the Redmi 9 Activ offers a more promising package with a faster chip and a clean Android experience.