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7.5 / 10 Score Cnet Score CNET provides expert, unbiased reviews of products and services. When we assign a score, we use a scale of 1-10. Each product we score is evaluated by criteria specific to its category with most assessing pricing, quality, features and performance. Read more on: How we test Moto G Stylus (2026) Pros Revamped stylus helps a lot
Bright 5,000-nit display
Fast 68-watt charging Cons Big price jump over last year
Limited software support
After being delighted by last year's Moto G Stylus, especially given its 68-watt fast charging and 256GB of storage for $400, I was eagerly awaiting Motorola's 2026 follow-up. The Stylus phones have a nice blend of features and camera quality, but the stylus pen has mostly felt like a decorative extra.
Motorola's revamped Stylus phone now feels quite useful, reviving a number of features that Samsung used to include in its Galaxy Ultra line.
The 2026 Moto G Stylus puts particular focus on the active pen. Joseph Maldonado/CNET
The updated stylus pen has several perks that make the phone feel a little bit more like a computer. A small cursor that appears while I hover the pen over the screen provides a mouselike feel, and some apps will highlight themselves as I "mouse over" them.
When taking a quick note of my to-dos for the day, the pen's pressure sensitivity and palm rejection (ignoring when my hand touches the screen because the stylus was near) make it easier to write on the screen. It seems like it could be really useful for people who have thumb arthritis or thicker digits that make it harder to tap precisely.
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