Why I prefer this $200 Motorola phone over Google and Samsung’s cheaper models

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“If it ain’t broke, do not repair it” — that easy phrase appears to have been Motorola’s mantra with the 2026 Moto G, a midrange smartphone that intently mirrors final 12 months’s mannequin. On one hand, that is an excellent factor. I appreciated the 2025 Moto G loads — it is a fantastic gadget with a long-lasting battery and options that made it a “pocket-sized theater”. 

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The draw back to adhering so intently to the unique system, nevertheless, is that it retains most of the similar points. Let’s check out the 2026 refresh of this eye-catching $200 Android smartphone. 

Glossy and daring

Some of the noticeable adjustments within the 2026 Moto G is its barely bigger type issue, measuring 167.15 x 76.40 x 8.44 mm (6.58 x 3 x 0.33 inches) and weighing 202 grams. This further heft does not make a lot of a distinction, because it’s nonetheless glossy and light-weight. It is also comfy to carry, due to its rounded corners and gentle vegan leather-based backing, which supplies it a particular look.

Motorola made some daring design decisions, too. The telephone boasts a putting Cattleya Orchid pink end, a way more eye-catching shade scheme in comparison with the Forest Grey of the 2025 mannequin. I additionally respect the inclusion of a headphone jack in an period dominated by Bluetooth earbuds.

Return of the pocket theater

The Moto G homes a 6.7-inch HD+ show with a decision of 1,604 x 720 pixels. Whereas the display is not 1080p, it nonetheless impresses with its brilliant and correct colours, robust peak brightness of 1,000 nits, and a easy 120Hz refresh fee. It is a strong mixture of options, enabling vibrant video playback and fluid scrolling.

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Just like the older mannequin, the 2026 Moto G has a sturdy speaker system fine-tuned by Dolby Atmos. Audio output is wealthy, detailed, and immersive. Certainly one of my favourite moments testing the smartphone was once I kicked again and watched House Jam on YouTube for the primary time in years. The film highlighted the speaker’s potential to churn well-balanced audio, from the soundtrack to character voices, with nothing feeling overshadowed or undertuned.

Improved digital camera

Across the again of the telephone, you will see that a two-camera system consisting of a 50MP foremost and a 2MP ultrawide lens. Certainly one of my largest points with earlier fashions was their tendency to oversaturate colours. That downside has largely been fastened.

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Much like the 2026 Moto G Play (the opposite presently accessible 2026 mannequin), colours seem extra balanced, leading to higher images — for me, anyway. Some folks like the additional saturation. Moreover, not like the Play mannequin, the Moto G holds up higher in low-light conditions. Beneath is a picture I took with my smartphone, which I imagine successfully illustrates its high quality. You’ll be able to see the squirrel within the shade pretty clearly. That is one thing that the G Play would’ve struggled to seize.

I like to recommend importing your images to Google Drive or one other cloud storage service and viewing them on a pc monitor. The Moto G’s HD show does not do justice to the pictures taken by the digital camera. They’ll look much less detailed than they really are.

Light-weight efficiency

The efficiency of Motorola’s 2026 Moto G is a well-recognized story. The smartphone runs on the identical MediaTek Dimensity 6300 chipset as final 12 months’s mannequin, delivering the identical nice expertise. Leaping between a number of apps, streaming films on Netflix, and looking the web all felt seamless, helped alongside by the 120Hz refresh fee and RAM Enhance function.

For many who could not know, RAM Enhance converts unused storage into digital reminiscence. It is extra helpful right here than on the Moto G Play, due to the larger 128GB storage drive. I also needs to point out that you may increase the quantity as much as 1TB by way of a microSD card. Nonetheless, most of the similar limitations stay. It nonetheless struggles below heavier workloads. Graphically demanding video games like “Honkai: Star Rail” and “Genshin Influence” nonetheless set off stuttering and transient freezes on the gadget.

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Battery life is one other robust level. Motorola advertises as much as two days of steady utilization. To check this, I ran a YouTube livestream at 720p nonstop at a low display brightness till the battery gave out. And I managed to get an excellent 24 hours out of it. Not fairly the claimed two days, however nonetheless superb.

ZDNET’s shopping for recommendation

Motorola’s 2026 Moto G is presently accessible on the Motorola web site for $200, making it a simple advice for customers searching for a dependable low-to-midrange telephone — particularly if you happen to favor the daring pink end. If the colour is just too garish, it is also accessible in Slipstream blue.

In comparison with the Moto G Play, this mannequin presents extra storage, a greater digital camera system, and barely stronger efficiency, making it the higher purchase between the 2 for my part. Selecting between it and the 2025 mannequin is trickier, since they’re largely the identical telephone other than a number of refreshes. Go for the newer telephone if digital camera upgrades are essential to you, or contemplate final 12 months’s Moto G for $150 if you happen to’re on a finances.