Moto G Stylus (2026) review

Introduction

The Moto G Stylus is back with its yearly refresh, and it once again brings affordable note-taking on the go. Unfortunately, the Moto G Stylus (2026) availability hasn't been widened, and the phone is still exclusive to the North American markets.

It's an easy-to-like midranger for its durable body, attractive design, a grippy textured back, and for the two new cool Pantone colors.

The new Stylus packs a 6.7-inch AMOLED with 1,220p resolution and 120Hz refresh rate. Then there is the Snapdragon 6 Gen 3 chip with 8GB RAM and UFS 3.1 storage. Oh, and microSD expansion is available. And it's also among the few phones to still offer an audio jack - how about that!?

The camera department is quite alright with a 50MP OIS primary (1x-2x shots) and a 13MP ultrawide secondary with autofocus for closeups. There is also a 32MP front camera with a wide-angle lens and 4K video capturing.

The Moto G Stylus (2026) is powered by a 5,200mAh battery capable of 68W wired and 15W wireless charging. It boots Android 16 with two guaranteed major OS updates down the road.

Of course, let's not forget the showstopper - the integrated active stylus with a hardware button and a lovable clicker on the top.

Motorola Moto G Stylus (2026) specs at a glance:

• Body: 162.2x74.8x8.3mm, 192g; Glass front (Gorilla Glass 3), silicone polymer (vegan leather) back, plastic frame; Stylus, IP68/IP69 dust-tight and water-resistant (immersible up to 1.5m for 30 min), MIL-STD-810H compliant.
• Display: 6.70" AMOLED, 1B colors, 120Hz, HDR, 5000 nits (peak), 1220x2712px resolution, 20.01:9 aspect ratio, 444ppi.
• Chipset: Qualcomm SM6475-AB Snapdragon 6 Gen 3 (4 nm): Octa-core (4x2.4 GHz Cortex-A78 & 4x1.8 GHz Cortex-A55); Adreno 710.
• Memory: 128GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 8GB RAM; UFS 3.1; microSDXC (dedicated slot).
• OS/Software: Android 16, up to 2 major Android upgrades.
• Rear camera: Wide (main): 50 MP, f/1.8, 24mm, 1/1.56", 1.0µm, multi-directional PDAF, OIS; Ultra wide angle: 13 MP, f/2.2, 16mm, 120˚, 1/3.0", 1.12µm, PDAF.
• Front camera: 32 MP, f/2.2, 25mm (wide), 1/3.14", 0.7µm.
• Video capture: Rear camera: 4K@30fps, 1080p@30/60/120fps; Front camera: 4K@30fps, 1080p@30/60fps.
• Battery: 5200mAh; 68W wired, 15W wireless.
• Connectivity: 5G; eSIM; Wi-Fi 6; BT 5.4; NFC; 3.5mm jack.
• Misc: Fingerprint reader (under display, optical); stereo speakers (with Dolby Atmos).

The new Moto G Stylus (2026) seems like a nicely balanced $500 phone, but it's just a minor step above the 2025 model that goes for $300 these days. That's not to say that there are no updates at all. The 2026 version brings an IP69 rating next to IP68, there is faster UFS 3.1 storage (vs. UFS 2.2), and it adds 200mAh more battery on top of the 5,000mAh cell inside the 2025 model. The stylus got an update too, and it's an active one now.

Anyway, let's get down to business, shall we?

Unboxing the Motorola Moto G Stylus (2026)

The Moto G Stylus (2026) ships inside a thin white box accompanied by a USB-C cable and a SIM ejection pin.

That's all. There is no charger, no screen protector, or case. The phone is rated to charge at up to 68W, but you can achieve that with any USB Power Delivery charger - it doesn't have to be Motorola-made.