Motorola’s 2026 Moto G series is a boring update even by budget phone standards

Ben Schoon | Nov 4 2025 - 6:00 am PT

Motorola is announcing its first two Moto G phones for 2026, with the latest Moto G and Moto G Play using MediaTek chips, starting under $200, and going on sale starting this month.

The short version of the 2026 Moto G series is that, well, it’s very similar to the 2025 model, right down to the chipset.

The Moto G (2026) carries the same $199 price tag, the same 6.7-inch 120Hz LCD display, the same 4GB of RAM, and the same MediaTek Dimensity 6300 chipset. The camera setup is also largely identical with a 50MP main sensor and 2MP macro sensor paired with a 32MP front-facing camera – that last one being up from 16MP on the prior model.

What’s actually new? As far as we can tell, just a large 5,200 mAh battery (up from 5,000 mAh), that new selfie camera, Android 16 out of the box, and that this one says “2026” on the receipt. All-in-all, it’s a very minor year-over-year upgrade, even by budget phone standards.

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Moto G (2026) will be available in “Slipstream” and “Cattleya Orchid” colors.

The Moto G Play (2026) replaces the 2024 model and comes in at $169. Those $30 savings don’t change much in terms of what you’re getting, though, as these two phones are built on the same platform. The same display, processor, battery, and core specs. Even hte design is identical.

What’s the difference? Charging speeds drop from 30W on the standard Moto G to just 18W on the Play, and you also lose a lot in the camera department. The main rear camera is a 32MP sensor without a secondary sensor to back it up, and the front-facing camera is 8MP. As for the design that still has all of those cutouts, they’re not for cameras. The “second camera” back there is just an ambient light sensor.

Moto G Play (2026) will be available solely in a teal “Tapestry” color.

The Moto G (2026) won’t be available under December 11 – of 2025, if that’s not clear – when it will launch on Motorola’s website, and it will then expand to Best Buy, Amazon, and other retailers and carriers in time.

Meanwhile, the Moto G Play (2026) launches on November 13 across retailers and carriers in the US.

As mentioned, these phones are far from exciting, but they’ve never really been chasing after specs and big upgrades each year. And for a budget-focused smartphone under $200, these seem at least pretty decent.