If its efficiency was a smidge higher, this Moto could be a house run. It is value contemplating if cash’s tight, however spring for the Moto G Stylus in case you can (even in case you do not look after the stylus). Bear in mind, Motorola will seemingly announce a brand new model early in 2026.
Different Motorola Telephones to Contemplate
I recommend you follow the telephones above, however listed below are different alternate options in case you’re unhappy.
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{Photograph}: Julian Chokkattu
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{Photograph}: Julian Chokkattu
Motorola Edge 2025 for $430: Motorola is among the few corporations nonetheless making smartphones with waterfall shows, the place the sides of the display screen mix into the cellphone’s body for a cool, nearly bezel-less impact. Widespread just some years in the past, the development fell out of trend as a result of it was simply more durable to make use of the cellphone (bezels might be good!). I have never had as many points with the touchscreen on this mannequin, and whereas I feel the general aesthetic is good with the vegan leather-based again, the Edge does not impress as a lot because the stiff competitors with its $550 MSRP. Efficiency is just a little too uneven (I seen lots of lag within the digicam app). The principle digicam is stable, however the lackluster software program replace coverage makes it arduous to suggest. It is a a lot better deal when it dips throughout main sale occasions.
Motorola Razr+ (2025) for $700: The Razr+ is an identical to the Razr+ (2024), besides it employs Motorola’s titanium-reinforced hinge for improved sturdiness. The specs are in any other case the identical, but it surely sits in an odd middle-ground the place it does not provide an enormous enchancment over the Razr 2025, however does not sit too removed from the Razr Extremely. You would possibly discover the shortage of an ultrawide digicam annoying, particularly for group selfies, and the battery right here is the smallest of the present lineup. You possibly can at all times avoid wasting money and purchase 2024’s Razr+ (7/10, WIRED Recommends), which has good efficiency and stable cameras, however I extremely suggest ready for a sale. This cellphone has dipped as little as $580, which is improbable for a folding cellphone.
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{Photograph}: Julian Chokkattu
Moto G 5G 2026 for $200: The Moto G 2026 is almost an identical to the Moto G Play 2026 beneath, besides it has double the storage (expandable by way of microSD), helps barely quicker wired charging, and the entrance and rear cameras pack extra megapixels. It is a $20 distinction, so in case you’re eyeing both one, you actually ought to go for the Moto G 5G 2026. Efficiency is equally sluggish, although completely usable everyday (in case you’re affected person). Even with extra megapixels, do not count on a lot from the cameras; they will take satisfactory pictures in good lighting, however wrestle so much in low gentle. I used to be capable of hit practically two days of battery life with common use, and I like that this cellphone nonetheless has the headphone jack. Nonetheless, remember the fact that it should solely obtain two Android OS updates and three years of safety updates. I feel you are higher off shopping for the 2025 Moto G Energy or ready for the 2026 Moto G Energy and catching it on sale.
Moto G Play 5G 2026 for $180: Motorola’s most cost-effective cellphone at all times sits in an ungainly spot. Sure, for beneath $200, this can be a serviceable handset that now options 5G connectivity. You get two-day battery life, a headphone jack, expandable storage, and a reasonably good design. However the MediaTek Dimensity 6300 chip with 4 GB of RAM could be very sluggish—prepare to attend a second or two, typically extra, for an app to launch or a webpage to load. Photograph high quality is satisfactory; most of my photos have lackluster colours. I took a number of calls, and the folks on the opposite finish typically complained about my audio high quality, which is not nice. It is good that this ultra-budget cellphone will get two Android OS updates, however when the Moto G Energy 2025 is on sale for $200 on Amazon and customarily affords quicker efficiency, double the storage, and higher digicam high quality, the Play is hard to justify.
What Motorola Telephones to Keep away from
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Motorola telephones diminish in worth pretty rapidly. You need to keep away from shopping for Moto G telephones from 2024 or earlier. They seemingly received’t get any extra Android model updates, and the costs aren’t drastically completely different from the newest fashions. I additionally do not suggest shopping for the Moto G 2025 anymore since its successor is right here. Final yr’s Motorola Edge 2024 or the aforementioned Razr+ 2024 are the oldest I might go, so do not think about the rest.
The Competitors
{Photograph}: Julian Chokkattu
Motorola’s high competitors comes from Google, Nothing, and Samsung. In case you requested me what cellphone to purchase, I’d level you to the Google Pixel 9a ($499). It has a lot of the options of us need in a smartphone, together with wi-fi charging. Nothing additionally has new gadgets, the Cellphone (3a) and the Cellphone (3a) Professional. They’re enticing, elegant, and reasonably priced handsets, although service compatibility shouldn’t be as simple. Nothing’s sub-brand CMF additionally has an equally glorious $279 cellphone, the CMF Cellphone 2 Professional.
