Moto G Play ZDNET's key takeaways The Moto G Play (2026) is Motorola's latest budget phone, priced at just $180.
It offers bright, colorful visuals, an impressive battery life, and powerful speakers that make the phone great for movie watching.
However, its low-resolution screen and weak camera performance in low-light environments hold it back. View now at Motorola View now at Amazon more buying choices
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Even though we're still in 2025, Motorola isn't slowing down. The company has kicked off its 2026 lineup, starting with the Moto G Play. I previously covered the announcement of these budget handsets and noted how much they resembled last year's lineup. After spending a week testing the Play, it's clear to me that similarities run deeper than appearances.
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Internally, the Moto G Play has much of the same hardware as the 2025 Moto G, while introducing only a few meaningful improvements. Sharing certain strengths isn't necessarily a bad thing, but in this case, the overlap feels excessive because many of the same weaknesses are back. Although I will say that it is priced better.
If it ain't broke, don't fix it
Similar to the 2025 Moto G, the Moto G Play features a 6.7-inch touchscreen and a thin layer of faux leather on the back, providing a soft, premium feel. This material, combined with the rounded edges, makes the mobile device a well-built phone that's comfortable to hold. The screen itself is a mixed bag. It runs at a modest HD+ resolution (1,604 x 720 pixels). As a result, on-screen items appear slightly blurry around the edges, and games lack fine detail.
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