Too little, too quickly
The brand new Moto G Energy 2026 will get the identical $299 price ticket as its predecessor, together with a couple of extras like a bigger battery, higher-res selfie digital camera, and new colours.
Execs
- Stronger scratch safety for the show
- Strong IP69 ranking and MIL-STD-810H certification
- Ships with Android 16
- 32MP selfie digital camera
- Bigger battery than earlier than
Cons
- Similar SoC as 2025 mannequin, which wasn’t nice
- No modifications to different cameras or show tech
- Drops wi-fi charging
Epic worth after worth drop
The 2025 Moto G Energy prices simply $200 now, making it $100 cheaper than the 2026 mannequin. With just about the identical specs, this one is even higher worth now and will probably be eligible for 2 OS upgrades.
Execs
- Stable design with standout Leaf Inexperienced colorway
- Surprisingly powerful construct
- Improved software program replace promise
- Stable battery life and charging specs
- Has 15W wi-fi charging
Cons
- MediaTek chip can really feel sluggish at occasions
- Software program is fairly unexciting
- Bloatware
- Digicam is fairly meh
With the brand new mannequin now right here, evaluating the Moto G Energy 2026 vs. Moto G Energy 2025 is one thing you do not need to miss.
Moto G Energy 2026 vs. Moto G Energy 2025: Design and show
The Moto G Energy 2026 seems to be similar to the 2025 mannequin. There is a minor design tweak to the rear digital camera bump, however all the pieces else, like the load and dimensions, is seemingly similar. I would not be shocked if the earlier gen’s instances would match this new mannequin too. The Moto G Energy 2025 was extraordinarily effectively constructed and appeared nice, and I think about it will be the identical for the 2026 mannequin.
You get IP68 and IP69 certifications for water safety, which is similar as what the Moto G Energy 2025 supplied. Motorola claims the 2026 mannequin has been examined towards “16 classes and 14 MIL-STD-810H assessments,” so it is licensed to face up to excessive temperatures, drops, and humidity.
The show’s scratch safety has been bumped as much as Corning Gorilla Glass 7i, from Gorilla Glass 5 on the older mannequin. The 2026 Moto G Energy is available in new shades known as Pantone Pure Cashmere and Pantone Night Blue. The show is similar 6.8-inch IPS LCD with a Full-HD+ decision and a 120Hz refresh price.
The 2025 Moto G Energy set the toughness commonplace for a $300 smartphone in early 2025. The IP68/ IP69 ranking, coupled with the MIL-STD-810H certification, makes it one of many greatest rugged telephones to personal on a finances. The construct high quality was glorious, it got here in two enjoyable colours, and it merely felt like a stable telephone whenever you held it.
The 2025 mannequin had a stable show too, coming in on the similar measurement because the 2026 Moto G Energy. Most brightness stage was just one,000 nits, however daylight legibility wasn’t a problem after we examined it. On paper, the Moto G Energy 2026 and 2025 editions are just about similar when it comes to design, show, and construct high quality, so that you’re probably not sacrificing something going with the older mannequin.
Moto G Energy 2026 vs. Moto G Energy 2025: {Hardware} & specs
I believe Motorola did the Moto G Energy 2026 a little bit of disservice by utilizing the very same SoC because the 2025 mannequin. The MediaTek Dimensity 6300 works decently effectively for normal duties in addition to a little bit of gaming, however we did really feel a little bit of sluggishness at occasions when utilizing the 2025 mannequin. This might be right down to the software program optimizations made by Motorola (or lack thereof), so this might enhance with Android 16.
The brand new Moto G Energy solely is available in a single variant with 8GB of RAM and 128GB of storage. Fortunately, Motorola continues to supply a microSD card slot for storage enlargement. Kudos to Motorola for growing the battery capability however not the load of the telephone. You now get a 5,200mAh battery, which is claimed to supply “two days of energy.”
There’s additionally 30W wired charging like earlier than, however Motorola has eliminated wi-fi charging, in all probability to compensate for any weight enhance. I am positive there are some wi-fi charging followers on the market that might be dissatisfied by this.
|
Class |
Moto G Energy 2026 |
Moto G Energy 2025 |
|---|---|---|
|
OS |
Android 16 (Hey UX) |
Android 15 (Hey UX) |
|
Colours |
Pantone Pure Cashmere, Pantone Night Blue |
Pantone Night Blue, Pantone Pure Cashmere |
|
Display screen Dimension |
6.8 inches |
6.8 inches |
|
Display screen Decision |
2,388 x 1,080 |
2,388 x 1,080 |
|
Display screen Sort |
FHD+ |
FHD+ |
|
Refresh Fee |
120Hz |
120Hz |
|
Processor |
MediaTek Dimensity 6300 |
MediaTek Dimensity 6300 |
|
RAM |
8GB |
8GB |
|
Storage |
128GB (expandable as much as 1TB) |
128GB (expandable as much as 1TB) |
|
Cameras |
50MP important with Quad Pixel expertise, 8MP ultra-wide, macro imaginative and prescient lens, 32MP entrance |
50MP important with Quad Pixel expertise, 8MP ultra-wide, macro imaginative and prescient lens, 16MP entrance |
|
Audio system |
Stereo Audio system (Hello-Res Audio, Dolby Atmos) |
Stereo Audio system (Hello-Res Audio, Dolby Atmos) |
|
Battery |
5,200mAh |
5,000mAh |
|
Wi-fi Charging |
No |
Sure (15W) |
|
Bluetooth |
5.4 |
Sure |
|
Water Resistance |
IP68, IP69 |
IP68, IP69 |
|
Mobile |
5G |
5G |
|
Dimension |
166. 62 x 77.1 x 8.72 mm |
166. 62 x 77.1 x 8.72 mm |
|
Weight |
208 grams |
208 grams |
The 2025 Moto G Energy has the very same RAM and chipset because the 2026 mannequin. Common efficiency is sweet so long as you handle your expectations. In fact, do not count on to play graphically demanding video games on the highest high quality settings, however firming issues down helps even heavy video games run effectively. Battery life can be stable, as you may stretch utilization as much as two days if you happen to’re a bit frugal together with your utilization.
The truth that you get 15W wi-fi charging is an enormous feather within the 2025 Moto G Energy’s cap. It is a disgrace Motorola determined to take away it from the brand new model. It is actually not the quickest wi-fi charging pace, however for a now $200 telephone, it is actually onerous to complain.
Moto G Energy 2026 vs. Moto G Energy 2025: Software program
The Moto G Energy 2026 runs Android 16 out of the field and comes bundled with Motorola’s signature apps. There’s Moto Safe, Moto Unplugged, Household Area, ThinkShield, and extra. There aren’t actually any homegrown AI options or apps, although, however you do get a few of them from Google, like Circle to Search and Gemini. We hope Motorola has executed away with a few of the bloatware apps it bundled with the 2025 Moto G Energy.
The 2025 Moto G Energy was promised two OS upgrades and three years of safety updates, and we assume the identical holds true for the 2026 mannequin as effectively. We might have appreciated an extended software program improve dedication to be trustworthy, because it falls severely behind Samsung’s replace promise for its current A-series telephones.
Moto G Energy 2026 vs. Moto G Energy 2025: Cameras
Selfie lovers ought to have higher luck with the 2026 Moto G Energy, because it now has twice the decision as earlier than. The 16MP shooter on the 2025 mannequin was alright, however pictures had been often noisy and lacked element. The 32MP sensor on the brand new mannequin ought to hopefully fare higher.
Sadly, the remainder of the cameras appear to be precisely the identical. There is a 50MP important sensor and an 8MP ultrawide digital camera. Motorola claims that customers can use the RAW Evening Imaginative and prescient Mode to take “crisper cityscapes or a dimly-lit night time out.” We’ll understand how a lot fact there may be to those claims as soon as we have had a go at it.
In my expertise, I would not count on a world of distinction in picture high quality between the 2 fashions. At most, we might count on some tweaks to the software program post-processing as a result of newer model of Android, however these enhancements ought to ideally additionally trickle right down to the 2025 mannequin as soon as up to date to Android 16.
Moto G Energy 2026 vs. Moto G Energy 2025: Which one must you purchase?
For me, the selection is fairly straightforward. I might save the $100 and seize the Moto G Energy 2025 whereas I nonetheless can. You are not actually shedding out on something main by going with this older mannequin. The truth is, you acquire wi-fi charging, which has been dropped within the newer mannequin. I do not see a lot of an incentive in selecting the 2026 mannequin for $100 extra.
I believe Motorola rushed the launch of the 2026 Moto G Energy for causes solely it is aware of greatest. At $300, it nonetheless has many options that almost all telephones do not, and for that alone, you may possibly contemplate it. However not whereas the 2025 mannequin remains to be in circulation.
What had been they pondering?
I am a bit of stumped on the 2026 Moto G Energy, because it doesn’t do sufficient to justify the $100 premium over the 2025 mannequin. I do not assume it is price shopping for when the 2025 mannequin remains to be obtainable.
Seize it whereas shares final
That is arguably one of the best $200 telephone you may discover proper now. It has options that make even $1,000 telephones cower in disgrace, making it a steal at its present worth.
