This $400 Motorola stylus phone shouldn't be this good, but I'm seriously impressed

They say good things come in threes, and after living with the Moto G Stylus, I’m starting to believe it. I’ve reviewed all three of Motorola’s mid-range smartphone lineup: the base model Moto G, the Moto G Power, and now, the Moto G Stylus, which is the best of the three in my opinion. 

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As the name suggests, it comes with its very own stylus, but there’s a lot more to the phone than the accessory, and it all starts with the screen. Let’s take a look. 

Multimedia master

It’s the same size as the base Moto G, measuring 6.7 inches, but swaps out the LCD with an AMOLED Super HD display. The quality is stunning and feels like something that should be on a more powerful phone. Colors are so vibrant that they almost leap out. Plus, it runs at a refresh rate of 120Hz, perfect for mobile games or watching action movies on Netflix. 

Visual media isn’t the only beneficiary of the extra speed, however, as scrolling through web pages is noticeably smooth, and navigating the UI in general contributes to an enjoyable experience. 

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I should also point out that the device’s brightness peaks at 3,000 nits. To put this into perspective, the iPhone 16 Pro Max, which is the latest high-end iPhone model, can only reach 2,000 nits. That’s bright enough to maintain clear visibility under the sun – at least it would if it wasn’t for the glass. The Moto G Stylus has a glossy screen, so reflections can make it difficult to see the display clearly.

All these display specs work wonderfully in tandem with the two Dolby Atmos speakers. Together, they allow the smartphone to function as a mini-movie theater. Audio output is loud and crisp. All the 2025 Moto G models are marketed as personal cinemas, but the Stylus model does it the best.

Powered by AI

As its name suggests, the phone’s stylus is one of its standout features. It’s located at the bottom inside its own slot, and pushing the pen releases it from its lock. Once the stylus is removed, a side menu appears on the phone with access to features that support the accessory, including Moto Note, Free-form crop, and Sketch to Image. I was curious to see if the stylus provided a better experience than using my own fingers, but for me, it didn’t.

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I had more difficulty drawing straight lines with the pen. Lines would swivel back and forth a little. With my index finger, inputs were much cleaner. I’m harping on the accuracy because it affects certain features.

Sketch to Image is a generative AI tool that turns rudimentary sketches into fully colored pictures. To test it, I drew two little Gundam robots: one with the stylus and one using my finger. The screenshots below showcase the difference in accuracy. The phone took more liberties with the stylus sketch, while it stuck more closely to the original doodle in the finger sketch.

High-def camera

Regarding its design, the Moto G Stylus is a bit smaller than the Moto G Power, measuring 162.15 x 74.78 x 8.29mm. It sports a faux leather back surrounded by a smooth metal frame. Each of the models comes in vibrant colors. My review unit was in “Surf the Web”, which is similar to periwinkle blue and it is, by far, my favorite color from Motorola’s 2025 series. It’s lovely.

Around the back is a 50MP Sony LYTIA 700C sensor, next to a 13MP ultrawide-angle lens, a 3-in-1 light sensor, and a flash bulb. Photo quality is excellent. Below is an unaltered picture I took with the mobile device.

As you can see in the image above, the camera system significantly boosts image saturation. That bowl of poke was not that colorful when I bought it. The other two Motorola models had the same habit. Photos look great, but as I stated in my Moto G review, I prefer cameras with a nuanced color balance. 

While its camera system is similar to the others, the Moto G Stylus delivers the best performance thanks to the Snapdragon 6 Gen 3 chipset. I immediately felt the difference in performance when I booted “Honkai Star Rail”, a mobile game that the other two models struggled to run. This phone had zero issues, with no dip in graphic fidelity. 

Regarding battery longevity, the Moto G Stylus lasted just under 17 hours on a single charge during testing. This means the model has the worst battery life of the three phones, both of which lasted several days. Still, 17 hours is a solid charge time, especially if you’re used to an iPhone. 

ZDNET’s buying advice

The Moto G Stylus is on sale for $400 at Motorola’s website, making it the most expensive model of the 2025 trio. Two color options are available: the aforementioned Surf The Web, and Gibraltar Sea, a darker shade of blue. This phone is great for people who want a midrange device but are willing to pay a little extra for a premium experience. I’ve tested all three, and can say that this is easily my favorite of Motorola’s 2025 series.