The Moto G Power 2026: A New Mid-Range Contender for Budget-Conscious Consumers
Motorola has launched its latest addition to the popular Moto G Power series, the Moto G Power 2026. Priced at $299.99, the new model promises improved toughness, better battery life, and crisper selfies. However, the question remains: Is it worth the upgrade over its predecessor, the 2025 Moto G Power, now available at a reduced price of $200?
Design and Display: A Tale of Similarities
At first glance, the Moto G Power 2026 appears to be a minor upgrade over its predecessor, with only a minor design tweak to the rear camera bump. Both models share the same weight and dimensions, and it's likely that the previous generation's cases would fit the new model as well.
Both the Moto G Power 2026 and 2025 editions offer IP68 and IP69 certifications for water protection. Motorola claims that the 2026 model has been tested against "16 categories and 14 MIL-STD-810H tests," making it certified to withstand extreme temperatures, drops, and humidity. The display's scratch protection has been bumped up to Corning Gorilla Glass 7i, from Gorilla Glass 5 on the older model.
The displays of both models are the same 6.8-inch IPS LCD with a Full-HD+ resolution and a 120Hz refresh rate. On paper, the design, display, and build quality of the two models are pretty much identical, so consumers are not really sacrificing anything by going with the older model.
Hardware & Specs: A Mixed Bag
Motorola opted to use the same MediaTek Dimensity 6300 SoC in the Moto G Power 2026 as in the 2025 model. While the chipset works decently well for regular tasks and a bit of gaming, it did feel a bit sluggish at times when using the 2025 model. This could be due to the software optimizations made by Motorola (or lack thereof), so this could improve with Android 16.
The new Moto G Power only comes in a single variant with 8GB of RAM and 128GB of storage, but Motorola continues to provide a microSD card slot for storage expansion. Motorola increased the battery capacity to 5,200mAh, which is said to provide "two days of power." There's still 30W wired charging, but Motorola has removed wireless charging, which may disappoint some users.
Software and Cameras: Room for Improvement
The Moto G Power 2026 runs Android 16 out of the box and comes bundled with Motorola's signature apps. The software update promise is the same as that of the 2025 model, with two OS upgrades and three years of security updates. However, a longer software upgrade commitment would have been appreciated.
Selfie lovers should have better luck with the 2026 Moto G Power, as it now has twice the resolution as before. The rest of the cameras seem to be the same, with a 50MP main sensor and an 8MP ultrawide camera. Motorola claims that users can use the RAW Night Vision Mode to take "crisper cityscapes or a dimly-lit night out."
Which One Should You Buy?
For those on a tight budget, the Moto G Power 2025 remains a strong choice, offering many features that most phones don't, and for that alone, it's a steal at its current price. The Moto G Power 2026 does not do enough to justify the $100 premium over the 2025 model, and it's not worth buying while the 2025 model is still available.
In the competitive mid-range smartphone market, the Moto G Power series continues to offer solid value for money. However, with Samsung's recent A-series phones offering longer software upgrade commitments, Motorola may need to step up its game to remain competitive in the long run.