Does it come with a charger in the box?

In most regions in 2026, no. Motorola has followed the industry trend toward eco-friendly packaging. You’ll need to buy a 68W TurboPower brick separately to get the fastest speeds.

How does the camera perform in low light?

It uses a Sony LYTIA sensor with OIS (Optical Image Stabilization). It is significantly better than the 2023 model, but it still struggles with moving subjects in dark rooms compared to a Pixel.

Is the stylus active or passive?

It is a passive stylus, meaning it doesn't have a battery or Bluetooth. You can't use it as a remote shutter for the camera, but you also never have to worry about charging it.

Can I use the stylus from an older model?

Yes, but the 2025/2026 models have a slightly different internal silo shape. An older stylus might not click into place securely.

Is the "Vegan Leather" durable?

Actually, yes. One year into the 2024/2025 lifecycle, we’ve seen that the vegan leather back hides scratches much better than glass or cheap plastic. It’s a dirt magnet, though, so stick to the darker Gibraltar Sea color if you’re worried about stains.

Motorola

Mukarram Majid

January 24, 2026

Motorola Moto G Stylus 5G Review

Motorola Moto G Stylus 5G Review: Still the Best "Pen on a Budget" in 2026?

In the fast-moving world of January 2026, where foldable screens and $1,500 "Ultra" phones dominate the headlines, Motorola has quietly carved out a kingdom for the practical user. The Moto G Stylus 5G remains one of the few devices on the market that offers a built-in pen without requiring a four-digit investment.

Whether you are looking at the 2025 model (currently at its best price) or the newly launched 2026 edition, the Moto G Stylus series has evolved from a budget compromise into a genuine mid-range powerhouse. Here is our deep-dive review into how this stylus-toting Android holds up in 2026.

1. The Display: A 3,000-Nit Revelation

If you haven't looked at a Moto G in a few years, the screen will shock you. Gone are the dim, washed-out LCD panels of the past.

The latest models feature a 6.7-inch pOLED display with a 120Hz refresh rate. But the real kicker is the brightness. In 2025, Motorola bumped the peak brightness to a staggering 3,000 nits.

In the Sun: You can read a spreadsheet or sketch a drawing in direct midday sunlight without squinting.
The Color: Because it’s an OLED, the blacks are infinite and the colors (validated by Pantone) are incredibly punchy.

For a phone that often retails for under $400, this display rivals the base iPhone 17 and Samsung S25 in sheer visibility.

2. The Stylus: More Than Just a Plastic Stick

While the stylus is still passive (it doesn't have Bluetooth like the Galaxy S25 Ultra's S-Pen), Motorola has dramatically improved the software experience. In 2026, the stylus is 6.4 times more responsive than the versions from two years ago.

New AI Features for 2026:

Sketch to Image: You can doodle a rough shape, and Moto’s AI will transform it into a high-quality illustration.
Circle to Search: Motorola has fully integrated Google’s "Circle to Search," making the stylus the perfect tool for precise highlighting.
Optical Character Recognition (OCR): Handwriting-to-text is now remarkably accurate, even for those of us with doctor's handwriting.

3. Performance: The Snapdragon 6 Gen 3 Edge

Under the hood, the 2025/2026 models move to the Snapdragon 6 Gen 3. Coupled with 8GB to 12GB of RAM, the phone feels snappy.

Daily Use: Swiping through TikTok, managing 20+ Chrome tabs, and taking notes happens without lag.
Gaming: It handles Genshin Impact and Call of Duty: Mobile on medium settings quite well.
Durability: A massive win for the 2025+ models is the IP68 rating. For years, Moto phones were only water-repellent. Now, it can actually survive a drop in the pool.

4. Battery and The "Turbo" Charge

Motorola has always been the king of battery life, and the 5000mAh cell here doesn't disappoint. In 2026, even with the higher-resolution "Super HD" screen, you can easily get two days of light use.

The real upgrade, however, is the charging speed. Motorola finally moved to 68W TurboPower wired charging.

The 15-Minute Rule: You can plug this phone in for 15 minutes and get enough juice to last you until the next morning. It also supports 15W wireless charging, a feature still missing from many other mid-range competitors.

A Brief Tangential Thought

I’ve noticed a trend in 2026: "Feature Nostalgia." People are tired of losing the Headphone Jack and the MicroSD slot on expensive flagships. The Moto G Stylus keeps both. It feels almost rebellious to be able to plug in my old wired headphones and pop in a 2TB SD card for my 4K videos. (Rhetorical question: Why did we let the $1,000 phones convince us that these features were obsolete?) Compare Moto G Stylus 5G (2023) vs (2025)

The Verdict: Is it worth your money?

YES, buy it if:

You are a student or professional who takes a lot of handwritten notes.
You want a stunning screen and long battery life without paying flagship prices.
You still value the headphone jack and expandable storage.

NO, skip it if:

You are a hardcore mobile photographer. While the 50MP main camera is decent, it lacks a telephoto lens for high-quality zoom.
You care about long-term software updates. Motorola has improved, but they still only offer 2 major OS upgrades compared to Google or Samsung’s 7 years.

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