The 2026 Moto G Power offers a stylish design and impressive battery life for $300, but falls short of delivering meaningful upgrades over its cheaper counterparts. While the phone remains a solid choice for budget-conscious consumers, Motorola’s decision to remove wireless charging while retaining an older processor raises questions about its value proposition.
Design and Build Quality
The Moto G Power stands out with its premium aesthetic. The Pantone pure cashmere vegan leather back, coupled with champagne-colored metal sides, gives the phone a classy look rarely seen in this price range. This design choice is a welcome departure from typical plastic builds, although the removal of wireless charging – a feature available in previous models – feels like a step backward.
Performance: Stuck in Neutral
Motorola’s decision to use the same processor as last year’s model, and even the $200 Moto G, is the phone’s biggest drawback. Despite having 8GB of RAM, the device struggles with basic multitasking, requiring users to enable Motorola’s RAM Boost feature to avoid sluggishness. Benchmark tests confirm this: the MediaTek Dimensity 6300 performs similarly to the cheaper Moto G Play, undermining the $100 price difference.
Why this matters: In a crowded market, consumers expect incremental improvements with each generation. The lack of performance gains makes it harder to justify the higher price tag.
Battery Life and Display
The 5,200-mAh battery is the standout feature. The Moto G Power easily lasts two days on moderate use, a significant advantage over competitors. The 6.8-inch 1080p display with a 120Hz refresh rate provides smooth visuals, though colors aren’t particularly vibrant. The phone supports 30-watt wired charging, reaching 56% in 30 minutes.
Cameras: Functional, Not Impressive
The camera setup—a 50-megapixel main lens paired with an 8-megapixel ultrawide—is identical to last year’s model. Daytime photos are decent, but low-light performance suffers from blurriness. The 32-megapixel front-facing camera produces smoothed-over selfies, lacking detail. While adequate for casual use, the cameras won’t satisfy those seeking high-quality photography.
Software Updates and Support
The Moto G Power offers two years of software updates and three years of security patches, which is standard for this price point but falls behind Samsung’s six-year commitment for its budget models. This limited support may concern users who plan to keep the device long-term.
Is it Worth the Upgrade?
The 2026 Moto G Power is a competent budget phone with a strong battery life and attractive design. However, the lack of meaningful performance improvements and the removal of wireless charging make it a questionable upgrade for owners of previous models. If you prioritize longevity and don’t need the latest features, it’s a decent choice. But for $300, consumers may find better value in competing devices with faster processors or longer software support.
Bottom line: The Moto G Power (2026) is a solid, but not groundbreaking, budget phone. Its strengths – battery life and design – are offset by stagnant performance and questionable omissions.
