The 2026 Motorola Moto G Play offers dependable everyday performance and long battery life at a low price, but its unimpressive screen, cameras, and limited storage keep it from standing out.
The 2026 edition of the Motorola Moto G Play is an affordable Android phone with features that match its low $179.99 price. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing; it handles basic tasks like browsing, light gaming, and media playback well. But its screen and cameras don’t impress. Moreover, with a meager 64GB of storage, it all but demands you spend extra money on a memory card. For just $20 more, the Samsung Galaxy A16 5G ($199.99) easily surpasses the Moto G Play in value thanks to its sharper screen, better cameras, generous storage, and more software updates, making it our Editors’ Choice for affordable Android phones.Design: Big, Textured, and Hard to Hold
The Moto G measures 6.58 by 3.01 by 0.33 inches (HWD) and weighs 7.13 ounces, making it wider and heavier than its predecessor, the 2024 Moto G Play (6.45 by 2.95 by 0.33 inches, 6.53 ounces). Meanwhile, the Galaxy A16 is close in size and shape to the updated Moto (6.47 by 3.07 by 0.31 inches, 7.05 ounces).
Most of the front is dedicated to the screen, with noticeable bezels on three sides and a thick chin below the screen, a common design trait across low-priced devices. The screen is protected by 2013-era Corning Gorilla Glass 3, the same material used in last year’s model. Textured vegan leather (a soft-to-the-touch plastic) covers the rear panel, including the raised camera bump, in a single continuous piece. It adds visual interest to the phone, though I do wonder how well it’ll wear over time. Motorola offers the G Play in only one color: Pantone Tapestry (darkish green).
The vegan leather feels nice to the touch and provides a grippy surface, but the phone’s sides are smooth, hard plastic. I have large hands and had trouble getting a secure grip on the phone because of its width and slippery sides. It would be easier to hold and use if the side edges had a touch more grip, or if the phone were not as wide.
Like last year’s model, the G Play has an IP52 rating to protect it from dust and dripping water. It is not fully dust or waterproof. The Galaxy A16, in comparison, is rated IP54, making it more water-resistant than the G Play, although still not 100% waterproof. It can handle sweat and rain, but not submersion.
A combined microSD/SIM tray is on the left side, while a 3.5mm headphone jack, USB-C port, and speaker are on the bottom edge. Two volume keys and a combined power button/fingerprint scanner are on the right side. The location of the volume keys makes it difficult for me to reach them, but I didn’t experience the same issue with the fingerprint sensor, which proved reliable and responsive during testing.Display: Smooth Motion, Soft Detail
The G Play features a 6.7-inch LCD with a resolution of 1,604 by 720 pixels, a maximum refresh rate of 120Hz, and a peak brightness of 1,000 nits. In size, refresh rate, and brightness, the updated version improves upon the 2024 model, which has a 6.5-inch display with 1,600 by 720 pixels, a fixed 90Hz refresh rate, and a maximum brightness of 500 nits. But it’s disappointing that Motorola didn’t boost the resolution along with the refresh rate and brightness for the 2026 model.
