ZDNET’s key takeaways
- Motorola’s 2026 Moto G is accessible 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 telephone 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 12 months’s mannequin. On one hand, that is factor. I preferred the 2025 Moto G loads — it is an amazing 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 components, nevertheless, is that it retains lots of the similar points. Let’s check out the 2026 refresh of this eye-catching $200 Android smartphone.
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Smooth and daring
One of the crucial noticeable adjustments within the 2026 Moto G is its barely bigger kind issue, measuring 167.15 x 76.40 x 8.44 mm (6.58 x 3 x 0.33 inches) and weighing 202 grams. This additional heft does not make a lot of a distinction, because it’s nonetheless modern and light-weight. It is also snug 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 telephone boasts a putting Cattleya Orchid pink end, a way more eye-catching coloration scheme in comparison with the Forest Grey of the 2025 mannequin. I additionally admire 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 screen is not 1080p, it nonetheless impresses with its brilliant and correct colours, robust peak brightness of 1,000 nits, and a easy 120Hz refresh price. This can be a stable 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. Considered one of my favourite moments testing the smartphone was after I kicked again and watched Area Jam on YouTube for the primary time in years. The film highlighted the speaker’s capability to churn well-balanced audio, from the soundtrack to character voices, with nothing feeling overshadowed or undertuned.
Improved digicam
Across the again of the telephone, you’ll find a two-camera system consisting of a 50MP fundamental and a 2MP ultrawide lens. Considered one of my greatest points with earlier fashions was their tendency to oversaturate colours. That drawback has largely been fastened.
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Just like the 2026 Moto G Play (the opposite at the moment obtainable 2026 mannequin), colours seem extra balanced, leading to higher pictures — for me, anyway. Some individuals 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 consider 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 pictures 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 digicam. They’ll look much less detailed than they really are.
Light-weight efficiency
The efficiency of Motorola’s 2026 Moto G is a well-known 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 shopping the web all felt seamless, helped alongside by the 120Hz refresh price and RAM Enhance characteristic.
For many 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 must also point out you could develop the quantity as much as 1TB through a microSD card. Nonetheless, lots of the similar limitations stay. It nonetheless struggles underneath heavier workloads. Graphically demanding video games like “Honkai: Star Rail” and “Genshin Impression” nonetheless set off stuttering and temporary 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 screen brightness till the battery gave out. And I managed to get 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 at the moment obtainable on the Motorola website for $200, making it a straightforward advice for buyers looking for a dependable low-to-midrange telephone — particularly in case you desire the daring pink end. If the colour is simply too garish, it is also obtainable in Slipstream blue.
In comparison with the Moto G Play, this mannequin gives extra storage, a greater digicam 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 digicam upgrades are necessary to you, or take into account final 12 months’s Moto G for $150 in case you’re on a funds.
