ZDNET’s key takeaways
- Motorola’s 2026 Moto G is on the market for $200.
- It has a greater digicam, and retains standout options like loud Dolby Atmos audio system and a long-lasting battery.
- It additionally retains the identical {hardware} as earlier than, so the cellphone nonetheless struggles with heavier workloads.
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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 yr’s mannequin. On one hand, that is an excellent factor. I preferred the 2025 Moto G loads — it is a terrific system 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 formulation, nevertheless, is that it retains most of the identical points. Let’s check out the 2026 refresh of this eye-catching $200 Android smartphone.
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Glossy and daring
One of the vital noticeable modifications 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 would not make a lot of a distinction, because it’s nonetheless modern and light-weight. It is also comfy to carry, because of its rounded corners and delicate vegan leather-based backing, which supplies it a particular look.
Motorola made some daring design decisions, too. The cellphone boasts a placing Cattleya Orchid pink end, a way more eye-catching coloration scheme in comparison with the Forest Grey of the 2025 mannequin. I additionally recognize 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, sturdy peak brightness of 1,000 nits, and a clean 120Hz refresh price. This can be 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. One in every of my favourite moments testing the smartphone was once I kicked again and watched Area Jam on YouTube for the primary time in years. The film highlighted the speaker’s means to churn well-balanced audio, from the soundtrack to character voices, with nothing feeling overshadowed or undertuned.
Improved digicam
Across the again of the cellphone, you will see a two-camera system consisting of a 50MP important and a 2MP ultrawide lens. One in every 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 out there 2026 mannequin), colours seem extra balanced, leading to higher photographs — for me, anyway. Some folks like the additional saturation. Moreover, in contrast to the Play mannequin, the Moto G holds up higher in low-light conditions. Under is a picture I took with my smartphone, which I imagine successfully illustrates its high quality. You may 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 photographs to Google Drive or one other cloud storage service and viewing them on a pc monitor. The Moto G’s HD show would not do justice to the pictures taken by the digicam. They will 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 yr’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 price and RAM Enhance characteristic.
For individuals who might not know, RAM Enhance converts unused storage into digital reminiscence. It is extra helpful right here than on the Moto G Play, because of the larger 128GB storage drive. I also needs to point out that you would be able to increase the quantity as much as 1TB by way of a microSD card. Nevertheless, most of the identical limitations stay. It nonetheless struggles underneath heavier workloads. Graphically demanding video games like “Honkai: Star Rail” and “Genshin Influence” nonetheless set off stuttering and transient freezes on the system.
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Battery life is one other sturdy 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 excellent.
ZDNET’s shopping for recommendation
Motorola’s 2026 Moto G is presently out there on the Motorola website for $200, making it a simple suggestion for buyers in search of a dependable low-to-midrange cellphone — particularly when you choose the daring pink end. If the colour is just too garish, it is also out there in Slipstream blue.
In comparison with the Moto G Play, this mannequin provides extra storage, a greater digicam system, and barely stronger efficiency, making it the higher purchase between the 2 in my view. Selecting between it and the 2025 mannequin is trickier, since they’re largely the identical cellphone apart from a couple of refreshes. Go for the newer cellphone if digicam upgrades are vital to you, or contemplate final yr’s Moto G for $150 when you’re on a funds.
