Motorola moto g power (2026) review

Display & Performance

The large screen gives captions, recipes and maps plenty of space. Indoors, the high refresh rate can make lists feel smooth. Tom’s Guide found the screen difficult to read outside. If a phone will spend hours on a bike mount or a dashboard, test that use before putting display size at the top of your list. ¹

The Dimensity 6300 also appeared in the previous model. Reducing graphics quality is a more realistic route to a playable demanding game than enabling extra virtual memory. Motorola’s larger RAM Boost figure includes storage used as working space. The US unlocked phone has 8GB of physical RAM. ¹

Battery & Charging

Tom’s Guide recorded 18 hours and 22 minutes with the phone in its default Smart & Balanced mode. That is encouraging for a day with no convenient place to charge. A navigation app with the screen lit, mobile data active and poor reception places a different demand on it. ¹

Motorola increased capacity over the 2025 version, but owners with charging pads on the bedside table lose something practical. The 2026 phone charges by cable. A small capacity increase is a weak reason to replace last year’s phone if wireless charging fits your routine. ¹

Cameras & Storage

The main camera handles most shots, and the ultrawide fits a group around a table. Neither supplies the reach of a dedicated telephoto. Tom’s Guide found that backlighting could cost the ultrawide shadow detail. In a beach photo taken into the setting sun, the camera picked up color in the sky but left the cliffs and sand too dark. ¹

A microSD card up to 1TB gives a large local music or photo library somewhere to live. It doesn’t add working memory, and some apps still require internal storage. For someone carrying downloaded audio between home and a patchy cell signal, the card slot and headphone socket solve two real problems together.

Design & Durability

The g power measures 77.1mm across and weighs 208g before a case. Those figures matter if you use the large screen for directions with one hand or carry it in a light jacket. Motorola gives it IP68 and IP69 ratings. They describe resistance to dust and water under test conditions, while the side fingerprint reader lets you unlock the phone as you pick it up.

Connectivity

The US unlocked phone accepts a nano-SIM or an eSIM and uses sub-6GHz 5G. Its USB-C port runs at USB 2.0 data speeds, a consideration if you plan to empty a large video library over a cable. For smaller everyday transfers there is Wi-Fi 5, and the headphone jack leaves USB-C available for power during a long listening session.

Software & Support

If you keep a phone for several years, the update policy matters. The g power ships with Android 16, and Tom’s Guide reports two version upgrades, through Android 18. ¹ Security patches have their own end date. Motorola lists January 2029. ²

Alternatives

Keep the 2025 g power if it is meeting your needs and your home is set up for wireless charging. If sunlight visibility matters more than carrying a large media library, compare screens outdoors before deciding. A longer spec sheet will not make a street name easier to read.

Verdict

The g power is easy to recommend for wired listening, downloaded media and long stretches away from a charger. Daylight legibility and demanding games are the reasons to look elsewhere. I’d buy it for the battery and the ports it keeps.