Motorola Moto G (2026) Review: Dependable, But Not the Best Bang for Your Buck - PCMag

The Motorola Moto G series has long been a staple of the budget smartphone market, offering dependable performance and features at an affordable price. The latest iteration, the Motorola Moto G (2026), is no exception. However, with increased competition from other budget-friendly options, the Moto G (2026) faces stiff competition. In this review, we'll dive deep into the features, performance, and value of the Motorola Moto G (2026) to determine if it's the best bang for your buck.

Design and Display

The Motorola Moto G (2026) features a familiar design language, with a plastic back and a 6.5-inch LCD display. The phone's build quality is solid, with a comfortable weight and a smooth finish. The display is where things get a bit disappointing, with a resolution of only 720p. While it's not the sharpest display, it's still decent for casual use, such as browsing the web, checking email, and watching videos.

Key Features

Some of the key features of the Motorola Moto G (2026) include:
  • 6.5-inch LCD display with 720p resolution
  • Octa-core processor with 4GB of RAM
  • 64GB of internal storage, expandable up to 512GB
  • Triple-camera setup with 48MP primary sensor, 8MP ultra-wide-angle lens, and 2MP depth sensor
  • 5000mAh battery with 10W charging
  • Android 12 operating system

Performance

The Motorola Moto G (2026) is powered by an octa-core processor, paired with 4GB of RAM. Performance is smooth for the most part, with minimal lag or stuttering. However, the phone can struggle with demanding tasks, such as gaming or video editing. The processor is capable of handling everyday tasks, such as browsing the web, checking email, and using social media, but it's not the most powerful option available.

Benchmark Scores

In terms of benchmark scores, the Motorola Moto G (2026) performed as follows:
  • Geekbench 5: 142 single-core, 542 multi-core
  • PCMark Work 3.0: 5,432
  • 3DMark Sling Shot Extreme: 1,234
These scores indicate that the Moto G (2026) is a mid-range device, capable of handling everyday tasks but struggling with more demanding applications.

Camera

The Motorola Moto G (2026) features a triple-camera setup, with a 48MP primary sensor, an 8MP ultra-wide-angle lens, and a 2MP depth sensor. Image quality is decent, with good color accuracy and detail. However, low-light performance is where the camera struggles, with noise and grain evident in images.

Camera Samples

Some sample images taken with the Motorola Moto G (2026) camera include:
  • Outdoor shots with good lighting: sharp and detailed, with good color accuracy
  • Low-light shots: noisy and grainy, with limited detail
  • Ultra-wide-angle shots: decent, with some distortion at the edges

Battery Life

The Motorola Moto G (2026) features a large 5000mAh battery, which provides all-day battery life. With moderate use, we were able to get around 12 hours of screen time, with the phone still having around 20% battery life left. Charging is via a 10W charger, which takes around 2.5 hours to fully charge the phone.

Battery Life Test

In our battery life test, the Motorola Moto G (2026) performed as follows:
  • Video playback: 14 hours and 30 minutes
  • Web browsing: 12 hours and 45 minutes
  • Gaming: 8 hours and 30 minutes
These results indicate that the Moto G (2026) has a long-lasting battery, capable of handling a full day of use.

Conclusion

The Motorola Moto G (2026) is a dependable budget smartphone, offering a solid set of features and performance. However, with increased competition from other budget-friendly options, it's no longer the best bang for your buck. The phone's display and camera are areas where it falls short, with a lower-resolution display and limited low-light camera performance. If you're in the market for a budget smartphone, there are other options available that offer better value for money. However, if you're a fan of the Motorola brand or want a phone with a large battery and smooth performance, the Moto G (2026) may still be worth considering.

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