Motorola Moto G Stylus 2023
Specifications
Secondary Camera: 8 MPix f/2.0
Price comparison
Average of 12 scores (from 17 reviews)
Reviews for the Motorola Moto G Stylus 2023
Source: Zdnet.com
Ultimately, you're getting a lot for how little you're paying for the newest Moto G Stylus. We're seeing an influx of well-rounded, more-than-enough smartphones in this sub-$500 price range that I can easily recommend three to four picks that were released within the past three months alone. And within that list, the Moto G Stylus 5G (2023) -- I promise this will be the last time I type the full name out -- sits at the top if you're shopping for a phone for less than $400.
Single Review, online available, Short, Date: 11/24/2023
Source: Zdnet.com
With the Moto G Stylus 5G (2023), the company is committing to the usual one OS version upgrade (from Android 13 to Android 14) and three years of security support. That's a tier below what Samsung and Google offer for their mid-rangers, but if access to the latest software features and a year or two less of security patches means little to you, then I digress. Ultimately, you're getting a lot for how little you're paying for the newest Moto G Stylus. We're seeing an influx of well-rounded, more-than-enough smartphones in this sub-$500 price range that I can easily recommend you three to four picks that were released within the past two months alone. And within that list, the Moto G Stylus 5G (2023) -- I promise this will be the last time I type the full name out -- sits at the top if you're shopping for a phone for less than $400.
Single Review, online available, Short, Date: 08/12/2023
Source: Android Police
If you need a good smartphone that will put a nearly unnoticeable dent in your budget, the Motorola G Stylus is it. At $200, you’re going to have a hard time finding a more affordable device that still holds its own as far as functionality is concerned. The body doesn’t feel cheap, the specs are in line with more expensive phones, and the stylus experience from Motorola continues to be one of the best. Yes, the display isn’t perfect but the refresh rate kind of makes up for it, the camera will get the job done, but not much else, and the battery life will easily get you through a day or two, but it’s not as good as the Moto G Power, obviously. If you have a bit more money, we’d urge you to explore some other options, but if $200 is your cutoff, there’s a lot to like about the Moto G Stylus.
Single Review, online available, Very Long, Date: 08/04/2023
Rating: Total score: 75%
Source: The Verge
I really want to like your new Moto G Stylus 5G. And I do, on a lot of levels. It has a lot for $399: plenty of storage, 6GB of RAM, a good Snapdragon processor, even a charger and a headphone jack! Who even does that anymore? But the G Stylus suffers from one serious problem I can’t get over: bloatware. Bloatware is littered throughout the software and onboarding experience. As you set up the phone and go about arranging your homescreen, you will meet multiple prompts to download more apps. Apps, apps, apps. Have you tried apps? Do you like ‘em? Download more of them! There are the so-called “folders.” They’re named innocuous things like “entertainment” and “shopping.” That’s thoughtful to automatically sort your streaming apps into one place, right? But why does it show an icon for an app you’ve never downloaded? Tap on the folder, and that’s when you’ll find out: it’s not really a folder at all. It is, in fact, an app itself.
Single Review, online available, Long, Date: 07/20/2023
Rating: Total score: 50%
Source: Tom's Guide
Fighting in a somewhat crowded arena, the Moto G Stylus 5G (2023) is in a tough position because while it does capture attention for its affordable cost, there are better phones available for just a little bit more. There’s also the concern about how long your investment would last here, mainly because Motorola doesn’t offer the same software support that other Android makers offer with their devices. Yes, you could just live with Android 13 (or Android 14 when it’s made available) for an indefinite period of time, but the more pressing matter are those security updates. Three years isn’t a whole lot, so once that’s up, you may be opening yourself to potential hurdles that could compromise the phone’s security.
Single Review, online available, Long, Date: 07/04/2023
Rating: Total score: 60%
Source: Android Police
The entire experience of using the stylus on the Moto G Stylus 5G is both well thought out and intuitive, making it easily the best reason to opt for this phone over any other in its price range. The 120Hz screen is also compelling, but it’s mostly there to power the writing experience; its usefulness for gaming is hampered a bit by the lower-specced Snapdragon 6 Gen 1 chip. Even if you’re not entirely sold on the idea of a stylus, the Moto G Stylus 5G is worth a serious look for anybody who does a lot of sketching or note-taking on their phone. The stylus isn’t a mandatory feature — it stays nicely tucked out of the way and can be safely ignored when you don’t need it — but it is by far the best reason to opt for the Moto G Stylus 5G over other phones in this price range. You’ll likely find it extremely handy if you’re the sort of person who is always reaching for a pen and notepad.
Single Review, online available, Very Long, Date: 06/23/2023
Rating: Total score: 70%
Source: Android Authority
Motorola has had a tough couple of years, but it’s riding high in 2023 with a fantastic flagship phone and stunning foldables. It’s budget phones in the G series that kept Moto going through it all, though, and there are new releases there as well. The 2023 model of the Moto G Stylus 5G starts with the established Moto G formula, upgrades a few specs, and slots in a stylus. The result is a solid phone for doodling and note-taking at a much lower price than Samsung’s stylus-equipped phones. However, the shadow of the very best cheap phones — especially the Pixel 7a — looms large over Moto’s most premium G phone. The latest Moto G Stylus 5G looks almost identical to the non-5G version of the phone, but it gets a few notable upgrades that make it a much better device.
Single Review, online available, Short, Date: 06/21/2023
Rating: Total score: 60%
Source: Digital Trends
If you are looking for an affordable Android phone that has an integrated stylus and is actually decent in terms of performance, then the Moto G Stylus 5G fits the bill. It’s one of the few Android phones out there with a stylus, and it’s much more affordable than something like the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra. I was afraid that the Moto G Stylus 5G wasn’t going to be good, considering my only other experience with a Moto G phone was the Moto G Play (2023), which I only gave a 4/10 rating. But I’ve been pleasantly surprised so far with the Moto G Stylus 5G. The Snapdragon 6 Gen 1 chip gives a respectable performance, the 6.6-inch LCD display with 120Hz refresh rate actually looks good, and the massive battery easily gets you through an entire day without worrying about plugging in. And as long as you’re in well-lit environments, the cameras are pretty good. Plus, it’s compatible with 5G networks.
Single Review, online available, Long, Date: 06/19/2023
Rating: Total score: 80%
Source: Android Central
After being pretty impressed by last year's Moto G Stylus 5G (2022), I wasn't sure how or if Motorola would top its best mid-range smartphone. Thankfully, a combination of good design and a much-improved Snapdragon chipset has made this one of the best cheap Android phones money can buy. Sure, you won't get the picture quality of a Pixel phone or the software support of a Galaxy, but Motorola brings a lot to the table with performance and audio that could rival even some higher-end devices. Not to mention the novelty of a built-in pen, no matter how basic it is, still makes this a compelling choice, even if it means you miss out on those Pixel-exclusive features. For a phone on the higher end of Motorola's midrange, the Moto G Stylus 5G (2023) is still cheaper than much of the competition, and it punches above its weight class. I would have no problem recommending this phone to anyone.
Single Review, online available, Medium, Date: 06/15/2023
Rating: Total score: 80%
Source: PC Mag
The Motorola Moto G Stylus 5G meets expectations but doesn’t do much to exceed them. It packs solid specs, a long-lasting battery, and a built-in stylus. It’s a fine option if you’re looking for an affordable device with a stylus, as long as the underwhelming software-upgrade roadmap and middling cameras don’t bother you. If you’re not dead-set on a stylus, however, we recommend spending $50 more on the Editors’ Choice-winning Pixel 7a for its superior cameras, cleaner Google software, and better upgrade path.
Single Review, online available, Long, Date: 06/15/2023
Rating: Total score: 70%
Source: Android Central
Despite my reservations about using a phone powered by a non-5G MediaTek Helio chipset, the Moto G Stylus (2023) is a surprisingly decent phone for its class. No, you can't expect much from any cheap Android phone under $200, and the Moto G Stylus (2023) definitely comes with its fair share of shortcomings. No 5G connectivity may be a deal-breaker for some, but the phone does not seem to struggle with its LTE connection, which is more than I can say for my 5G phones when they switch to LTE. Gaming performance is also not the best, but you also should not rely on a $200 phone for gaming... you'll want to splurge for something better. The Moto G Stylus (2023) presents you with the basics and does it fairly well while adding the extra benefit of having a built-in stylus to go with it. Whether or not you'll find that stylus useful is up to you, but it's never a bad thing to have. All in all, if you want a basic smartphone with basic connectivity and basic performance at a basic price point, the Moto G Stylus (2023) isn't the worst phone you can go with.
Single Review, online available, Medium, Date: 05/30/2023
Rating: Total score: 70%
Source: Tom's Guide
It's far from an alternative to the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra. But the Moto G Stylus 5G (2023) is shaping up to be a value choice for those note-takers who revel in the feedback of pressing a pen to paper — er, stylus to screen.
Single Review, online available, Short, Date: 05/30/2023
Source: Android Headlines
The next Moto G Stylus is set to take on the other buget phones on the market. Let's see if it can stack up. Motorola just released its next budget-friendly device with a built-in pen. The Moto G Stylus 2023 is here to carry the torch from its 2022 predecessor. Its trademark is the built-in stylus pen. Is the Moto G Stylus 2023 something of note, or is the writing on the wall for this phone? Let’s find out in this review. If you’re curious about other Motorola content that we have on the site, you can check out our Motorola page. It has information on other Motorola products that you might want to check out. Also, you’ll see news about Moto devices set to come out. It’s for all of you Motorola fans.
Single Review, online available, Medium, Date: 05/30/2023
Rating: Total score: 80%
Source: Tom's Guide
The Motorola Moto G Stylus 5G 2023 looks to improve on the original Moto G Stylus 5G 2022, but with a newer chipset, improved stylus latency and a 120Hz display refresh rate. The 6.8-inch FHD+ screen, 256GB of storage and 5,000 mAh battery capacity also make the Moto G Stylus 5G's specs sound strong. Here is our hands-on Moto G Stylus 5G review, including our first impressions, plus everything you'll want to know about availability, battery life, cameras and more.
Hands-On, online available, Very Short, Date: 05/30/2023
Source: Slashgear
Are you a disciplined notetaker that doesn't see much value in mobile gaming, video streaming, powerful phone photography, or modern 5G connection? Shaving off so many critical features in lieu of a stylus makes this phone a tough sell for quite a few consumers, but the feature will appeal to a niche few. On the other hand, if you're a busy professional that wants a workhorse phone which will last five years, the Moto G Stylus' short support schedule again takes this phone out of the running for you. The Moto G Stylus 2023 is a good phone, and certainly provides a little beefing up to last winter's release, the Moto G Play, which offers a weaker processor and less RAM. For all the testing I put the phone through, it ran as expected. I didn't feel hindered when trying to execute any one task or application. So while the Moto G Stylus is a perfectly fine phone in the short-term, keep an eye on the short-term update schedule, lack of 5G connectivity, and less-than-perfect set of cameras.
Single Review, online available, Medium, Date: 05/18/2023
Rating: Total score: 60%
Source: OI Spice Tech News
The Motorola Moto G Stylus 2023 doesn’t provide anything out of the box, except the Stylus support. Aside from this, you won’t get any special selling points for this smartphone. But, the phone got a legacy since it features a stylus pen. But for instance, if we remove the pen aspect of this phone, it is just a regular entry-level phone with average specs and features. We will only recommend purchasing this phone if you prefer a clean UI experience and like to doodle or draw. Aside from this, you can check out other options like Realme 10T 5G, which will render almost everything you can expect from the budget-friendly mid-range phone.
Single Review, online available, Short, Date: 05/17/2023
Source: Android Authority
Overall, the Motorola Moto G Stylus (2023) is a case of a couple of steps forward with several steps back, with the most evident cost-cutting measures hitting the cameras. Personally, I wouldn’t take a weaker processor, less memory and storage, a lower resolution display, and only one good camera on the rear in order to save $100. But here’s the biggest kicker; you actually wouldn’t be saving money, since you can frequently grab the LTE version of Moto G Stylus (2022) ($169.99 at Amazon) for around $170 on sale — $30 less than the “cheaper” new model. The Moto G Stylus (2023)'s predecessor offers more bang for the buck, as do competitors in this price range. Still, the lighter matte design and smaller size lend themselves better to this iteration of the Moto G Stylus, which is still the most affordable option for a smartphone with a built-in stylus at MSRP.
Single Review, online available, Long, Date: 05/17/2023
Rating: Total score: 50%
Comment
ARM Mali-G52 MP2: Integrated mid range graphics card with 2 clusters. ARM states that the G52 series is 30% faster and 15% more efficient compared to the G51 series on the same process node.
Non demanding games should be playable with these graphics cards.
» Further information can be found in our Comparison of Mobile Graphics Cards and the corresponding Benchmark List.
Helio G85: ARM based octa-core SoC with 2x big ARM Cortex-A75 cores at up to 2 GHz and 6x small and power efficient ARM Cortex-A55 cores at up to 1.8 GHz. Integrates a Cat-7 (DL) / Cat-13 (UL) LTE Modem (4G), ARM Mali-G72 MP3 GPU and a ARM Mali G52 MC2 with up to 950 MHz.» Further information can be found in our Comparison of Mobile Processsors.
6.50":
It is a small display format for smartphones. You shouldn't be severely defective in vision, and you won't see much detail on the screen and only have a small resolution available. For that, the device should be small and handy, easy to transport.
» To find out how fine a display is, see our DPI List.Motorola: Founded in 1928, the US-based company mainly focuses on communication technology such as smartphones. The original company Motorola Inc was split up in 2011. Motorola Mobility got the smartphone division and was taken over by Google in 2012 and Lenovo in 2014.
The company is known for its cell phones and other electronic devices such as smartwatches, tablets and accessories. Motorola was one of the first companies to produce cell phones, and in recent years has also innovated in the areas of 5G technology and modular smartphones (Moto Mods). Motorola is also active in public safety and professional communications, providing solutions for government agencies, businesses and other organizations. The company has operations in North America, Europe, Asia and Latin America and employs more than 10,000 people worldwide.
67.08%: This rating is poor. More than three quarters of the models are rated better. That is rather not a purchase recommendation. Even if verbal ratings in this area do not sound that bad ("sufficient" or "satisfactory"), they are usually euphemisms that disguise a classification as a below-average laptop.
» Further information can be found in our Notebook Purchase Guide.