ZDNET’s key takeaways
- Motorola’s 2026 Moto G is on the market for $200.
- It has a greater digital camera, 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 carefully mirrors final yr’s mannequin. On one hand, that is a great factor. I preferred the 2025 Moto G quite a bit — it is an awesome machine with a long-lasting battery and options that made it a “pocket-sized theater”.
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The draw back to adhering so carefully 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 vital noticeable modifications 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 further heft does not make a lot of a distinction, because it’s nonetheless modern and light-weight. It is also snug to carry, due to its rounded corners and delicate vegan leather-based backing, which provides it a particular look.
Motorola made some daring design decisions, too. The cellphone 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 screen is not 1080p, it nonetheless impresses with its vivid and correct colours, sturdy peak brightness of 1,000 nits, and a clean 120Hz refresh fee. 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 once I kicked again and watched House 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 digital camera
Across the again of the cellphone, one can find a two-camera system consisting of a 50MP foremost and a 2MP ultrawide lens. Considered one of my largest points with earlier fashions was their tendency to oversaturate colours. That downside has largely been fastened.
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Just like the 2026 Moto G Play (the opposite presently out there 2026 mannequin), colours seem extra balanced, leading to higher images — 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. Beneath 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 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 photographs taken by the digital camera. They will 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 yr’s mannequin, delivering the identical nice expertise. Leaping between a number of apps, streaming motion pictures on Netflix, and shopping the web all felt seamless, helped alongside by the 120Hz refresh fee and RAM Increase function.
For individuals who could not know, RAM Increase 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 must also point out which you could broaden the quantity as much as 1TB through a microSD card. Nevertheless, lots of the similar limitations stay. It nonetheless struggles beneath heavier workloads. Graphically demanding video games like “Honkai: Star Rail” and “Genshin Affect” nonetheless set off stuttering and temporary freezes on the machine.
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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 screen brightness till the battery gave out. And I managed to get a great 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 consumers searching for a dependable low-to-midrange cellphone — particularly for those who want the daring pink end. If the colour is simply too garish, it is also out there in Slipstream blue.
In comparison with the Moto G Play, this mannequin gives extra storage, a greater digital camera 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 digital camera upgrades are necessary to you, or contemplate final yr’s Moto G for $150 for those who’re on a price range.
