Motorola’s Moto G Stylus 5G has all the things you need from a sub-$500 cellphone at first look. At $500 (which roughly converts to £320 and AU$560) it has higher-end options usually discovered on costlier telephones, together with a 6.8-inch display with a 120Hz refresh charge and a 50-megapixel digicam with optical picture stabilization. You additionally get a built-in stylus, a characteristic that Samsung is now solely offering for its luxe $1,200 Galaxy S22 Extremely. The cellphone has nice battery life besides. All of it sounds nice for the cash, however there are some vital particulars to remember should you go together with this cellphone.

Motorola sells the Stylus 5G unlocked with a roomy 256GB of storage and 8GB of RAM. It additionally features a Qualcomm Snapdragon 695 chip, which is usually extra highly effective than the MediaTek one included within the $300 4G-only Moto G Stylus from earlier this 12 months. Its 5G assist consists of sub-6 and C-band frequencies. A Verizon model can even assist millimeter-wave 5G.

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Moto G Stylus 5G Evaluation: A Good $500 Cellphone That May…

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LikeOptical picture stabilizationDolby Atmos and a headphone jackBuilt-in stylus with software program options

Do not LikeOnly one promised software program upgradeVideo high quality is not nearly as good because the photosTall display could also be awkward

All this makes the cellphone match proper in with midrange rivals such because the $450 Galaxy A53 and final 12 months’s $449 Pixel 5A with 5G. However not like Samsung and Google, which each decide to years of software program updates, Motorola solely guarantees one main software program replace to its G line of telephones. Which means whereas the Stylus 5G is transport proper now with Android 12 and can ultimately get Android 13, you may solely obtain three years of safety updates as a substitute of any extra characteristic upgrades.

Motorola says this may very well be a perk, providing stability and consistency with its menus and interface. However even should you purchase a less expensive cellphone, you should not must sacrifice updates since you in all probability need it to final so long as doable.

This makes the Moto G Stylus 5G price contemplating if you wish to maintain onto the cellphone for 2 or three years, however it’s a more durable promote if you need a cellphone that’ll be viable for longer. It has lots of the finest Android 12 options, together with the choice to customise menus to your favourite shade, and a long-lasting battery. And if a stylus is vital to you on prime of that, this cellphone may very well be one of the best decide for you.

The Moto G Stylus 5G has just a few totally different apps optimized for the stylus.

Mike Sorrentino/CNET
Tall cellphone with an enormous battery

The Moto G Stylus 5G is a tall and skinny cellphone, making it simple to carry and even textual content with one hand. I am usually a fan of telephones with screens longer than 6.5 inches as a result of it is simpler to look at movies and browse. However the form of the cellphone leaves its prime half uncovered, which might make it simpler for a thief to grab should you’re not paying consideration.

I can alleviate this by utilizing the stylus and the cellphone’s handwriting recognition keyboard as a substitute, which will get me a greater grip on the physique. But that comes on the expense of velocity and accuracy in comparison with contact typing and autocorrect. Placing the cellphone in a case paired with a PopSocket, or one thing related, may additionally assist with that security concern.

In any other case the display is nice for watching and studying content material, particularly because it offers the choice to spice up the refresh charge as much as 120Hz. Motorola additionally offers choices for utilizing a dynamic refresh charge relying on the way you’re utilizing the cellphone or a 60Hz possibility, each of which devour much less energy on the battery.

The Moto G Stylus 5G has a 5,000-mAh battery.

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But with a beefy 5,000-mAh battery inside, the cellphone simply made it by just a few full days of heavy utilization with 120Hz on always. I watch a variety of YouTube, play video games, take video calls, seize images and movies and even on my longest day it nonetheless had 30 to 50% capability after I was able to go to mattress. I averaged simply over three hours of display time every day however with much less intensive utilization patterns I am positive the cellphone may simply final nicely right into a second day.

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Whereas all that additional energy is nice, it is price noting that the Stylus 5G does cost extra slowly than rival telephones. You get an influence adapter — one thing that is disappearing from most cellphone packing containers currently — however it’s a 10W charger with a USB-A to USB-C cable. Motorola stated that you need to use a distinct energy adapter with the cellphone, however the most velocity it could cost is 15W. By comparability the Galaxy A53 additionally has a 5,000-mAh battery and might cost at as much as 25W, however you want to purchase an influence adapter individually. After I ran the Stylus 5G right down to 0%, it took roughly 2.5 hours to cost it as much as 95% utilizing the included charger.

Shockingly, there is a headphone jack included, one thing that is virtually nonexistent for telephones on this value vary. Motorola consists of Dolby Atmos, which might be utilized to particular headphones and audio system that you just join.

The stylus contained in the Moto G Stylus 5G.

Mike Sorrentino/CNET
Stylus options are good, however lack impression

The Moto G Stylus 5G features a stylus, however one of the best factor about it’s its devoted slot within the cellphone. If you take away the stylus, you may see a menu of shortcuts together with an choice to take a screenshot to annotate, take a be aware or open a coloring e book app. 

Motorola can also be launching a Reside Message characteristic, which helps you to create an animated drawing and ship it out by a favourite messaging app. I used to be simply capable of make these, and ship them to associates the way in which I would ship a GIF. My associates discovered the animations amusing however this is not one thing I would do day by day.

The stylus is neat, however it’s laborious for me to think about utilizing it frequently. If you want to signal a digital doc, it is now simple to get that carried out with a service like DocuSign, Microsoft Workplace or Google Docs. Until you completely want a stylus, you would be higher off contemplating the sub-$500 telephones that do not embody one. 

The Moto G Stylus 5G has a 50-megapixel essential digicam, an 8-megapixel ultrawide digicam and a 2-megapixel depth sensor digicam.

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Steady pictures

The largest enchancment on the Moto G Stylus 5G over final 12 months’s model is with the inclusion of optical picture stabilization. This reduces hand shake whereas taking images, serving to forestall movement blur.

The primary 50-megapixel digicam on the again of the cellphone is accompanied by an 8-megapixel ultrawide and a 2-megapixel depth sensor digicam. On the entrance is a 16-megapixel selfie digicam.

I took the cellphone to a canine park, the place I wanted to maneuver shortly to get images of the puppies. I shot loads of nice canine images, together with of my good friend’s canine Mel who acquired significantly aggressive with a soccer toy.

Picture taken on the Moto G Stylus 5G.

Mike Sorrentino/CNET

Mel, the canine pictured right here, would not let every other canine close to this soccer. Picture taken on the Moto G Stylus 5G.

Mike Sorrentino/CNET

I additionally took the cellphone to a Korean barbecue restaurant in addition to to a karaoke night time, the place I used the cellphone’s Night time mode to assist seize extra element in darker indoor settings. It captured the entire particulars of the meal, however on the theater the outcomes have been extra saturated. There is a noticeable blur on objects that have been farther away.

Night time mode on the Moto G Stylus 5G.

Mike Sorrentino/CNET

Night time mode on the Moto G Stylus 5G.

Mike Sorrentino/CNET

Picture taken on the Moto G Stylus 5G’s front-facing digicam.

Mike Sorrentino/CNET

The front-facing digicam additionally captured a variety of element whereas I made faces on the digicam.

Video is not the cellphone’s sturdy go well with. You possibly can select between 30 and 60 frames per second, however in any other case it is restricted to 1080p for seize. Final 12 months’s Stylus 5G consists of 4K video recording, so I used to be stunned that characteristic did not stick round. 

The footage I took on the canine park was OK, however wasn’t significantly detailed even in good lighting. I would not anticipate to seize something greater than quick video clips that may very well be shared with associates or household.

Restricted software program assist hurts an in any other case good cellphone

Despite the fact that the cellphone’s stylus, good pictures, bigger display and better refresh charge all suggest it, it is laborious for me to disregard Motorola’s dedication to only one main Android replace.

I used a Moto Z2 Play as my private cellphone again in 2018. When it developed bugs, the slower software program updates meant I could not be assured these points could be resolved.

Motorola pledges safety updates for 3 years, which is able to at the least be certain the Stylus 5G is not weak to most malicious threats. However Samsung pledged to assist Galaxy A telephones for 4 years whereas Google gave the Pixel 6 three years of software program updates and 5 years of safety updates. Motorola is woefully behind as compared.

Until you crave the stylus and need a cellphone for $500 or much less, I counsel ready just a few extra weeks till after Google I/O. It is rumored Google will announce a less expensive Pixel 6A, probably within the $450 to $500 value vary. Motorola’s $400 Moto G 5G, sans stylus, can even launch within the coming weeks. As soon as these telephones are launched, we’ll have a greater total concept which is one of the best cellphone on this value vary. 

Motorola Moto G Stylus 5G (2022) vs. Samsung Galaxy A53 5G, Google Pixel 5A with 5G, Motorola Moto G Stylus 5G (2021)

Motorola Moto G Stylus 5G (2022)

Samsung Galaxy A53 5G

Google Pixel 5A with 5G

Motorola Moto G Stylus 5G (2021)

Show measurement, decision

6.8-inch LTPS LCD FHD Plus; 2,460 x1,080 pixels; 120Hz

6.5-inch AMOLED 2,400×1,080 pixels; 120Hz

6.34-inch OLED; 2,400×1,080 pixels; 60Hz

6.8-inch LCD FHD Plus; 2,400×1,080 pixels; 60Hz

Pixel density

TBD

405ppi

413ppi

386ppi

Dimensions (Inches)

6.65×2.98×0.37 in

6.28×2.94×0.32 in

6.1×2.9×0.three in

6.67×3.05×0.39 in

Dimensions (Millimeters)

168.9×75.8×9.three mm

159.6×74.8×8.1 mm

156.2×73.2×8.Eight mm

169.54×77.48×9.35 mm

Weight (Ounces, Grams)

7.58 oz; 215 grams

6.67 oz; 189 grams

6.45 oz; 183 grams

7.67 oz; 217.5 grams

Cellular software program

Android 12

Android 12

Android 11

Android 11

Digicam

50-megapixel (huge), 8-megapixel (ultrawide/macro), 2-megapixel (depth)

64-megapixel (huge), 12-megapixel (ultra-wide), 5-megapixel (macro), 5-megapixel (depth)

12-megapixel (huge), 16-megapixel (ultrawide)

48-megapixel (wide-angle), 5-megapixel (macro), 8-megapixel (ultra-wide angle), 2-megapixel (depth sensor)

Entrance-facing digicam

16-megapixel

32-megapixel

8-megapixel

16-megapixel

Video seize

1,080p

4K

4K

4K

Processor

Snapdragon 695 5G

Exynos 1280

Snapdragon 765G

Snapdragon 480 5G

Storage

256GB

128GB

128GB

256GB

RAM

8GB

6GB

6GB

6GB

Expandable storage

As much as 1TB

As much as 1TB

None

As much as 1TB

Battery

5,000 mAh (10W wired charger included)

5,000 mAh (charger not included)

4,680 mAh (18W wired charger included)

5,000 mAh (10W wired charger included)

Fingerprint sensor

Aspect

In-display

Again

Again

Connector

USB-C

USB-C

USB-C

USB-C

Headphone jack

Sure

None

Sure

Sure

Particular options

5G-enabled; OIS for essential digicam; NFC for Google Pay, Stylus

5G-enabled; IP67 score; helps 25W wired quick charging, Samsung Pay

5G-enabled, IP67 water score, Twin Sim

5G-enabled, Stylus,

Worth off-contract (USD)

$500

$450

$449

$400

Worth (GBP)

Converts to £320

£399

Converts to £345

Converts to £285

Worth (AUD)

Converts to AU$560

AU$699

Converts to AU$620

Converts to AU$515

Moto G Stylus 5G: $500 Cellphone Will get Greater-Finish Options at a Midrange Worth

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