Motorola is one of the oldest and most recognizable phone brands in the world, and while it may not have the same dominance in the market that it once did, the company still kicks out some truly excellent products, often at great prices. If your heart is set on one of these solid devices, here are the best Motorola phones that are out right now.
Best of the bunch
Moto G Power (2020)
Staff Pick
When it comes to the best Motorola phones, the Moto G Power (2020) is the way to go. Motorola’s G-series has always been about delivering quality phones at great prices, and the G Power (2020) is an exceptional example of that goal. The star of the show is the 5,000 mAh battery, offering up to three days of use per charge. Rounding out the experience is a great 6.4-inch Full HD+ display, reliable performance thanks to the Snapdragon 665, and a trio of rear cameras that are solid for the price.
$220 at Amazon
$220 at Best Buy
$227 at Walmart
The one with a stylus
Moto G Stylus (2021)
Looking for an upgraded Moto G experience? The Moto G Stylus (2021) is well worth your attention. There’s a larger 6.8-inch display for more immersive content consumption, and thanks to a Full HD+ resolution, it still looks plenty sharp. Powering the phone is a more capable Snapdragon 678 chipset, there’s 128GB of storage, and a 4,000 mAh battery allows for up to two days of use on a single charge. You also get the built-in stylus, which can be used for drawing, taking notes, and more.
$300 at Amazon
$300 at Best Buy
$300 at B&H
Hard-to-beat price
Moto G Fast
We think the Moto G Power (2020) delivers a near-perfect mix of specs and features at a very reasonable price, but should you find yourself needing to spend even less money, there’s the Moto G Fast. It keeps the G Power’s design, Snapdragon 665 processor, and rear camera setup, but it makes a few notable compromises. The display is only HD+, there’s less RAM and internal storage, and stereo speakers are replaced by a chintzy mono one. If you really need to save that extra cash, the G Fast may be worth a look.
$150 at Best Buy
Affordable 5G
Motorola One 5G Ace
5G is the next big thing for smartphones, and if you want to make sure your next handset supports the latest generation of wireless data, the Motorola One 5G Ace is worth a look. In addition to sub-6 5G support, the Snapdragon 750G processor also allows for great performance across the board. Rounding out the experience is a large 5,000 mAh battery, a 6.7-inch Full HD+ display, and 6GB of RAM with 128GB of storage. As far as Motorola phones go, it’s a good mid-tier option.
$400 at Amazon
$400 at Best Buy
$400 at B&H
Only for AT&T
Motorola One 5G
If you’re looking for a capable phone for less than $500, the Motorola One 5G is certainly worth a look. It’s considerably more impressive than its 5G Ace sibling, featuring a faster Snapdragon 765G chipset and a smooth 90Hz display. You’re also treated to two front-facing cameras and a side-mounted fingerprint sensor that allows for some really useful shortcuts. The biggest problem, unfortunately, is that you need to be an AT&T customer to buy it.
$550 at AT&T
Powerful mid-ranger
Motorola One Fusion+
Should you find yourself wanting something more powerful than a Moto G but aren’t willing to spend Motorola Edge money, there’s a great option right in the middle with the One Fusion+. Right off the bat, the phone impresses with a 6.5-inch Full HD+ display with no notch or cutout. This is because the selfie camera pops up out of the top, allowing for a futuristic design. You also get a Snapdragon 730 processor, 4GB of RAM, 128GB of storage, and a 5,000 mAh battery.
$250 at Motorola
The flagship returns
Motorola Edge+
It’s been a hot minute since Motorola released a proper flagship, but with the Edge+, the company has finally returned to that market. This is a premium Android handset through and through, and it brings a lot to the table. Its 6.7-inch display is quite the looker, featuring an AMOLED panel, Full HD+ resolution, and 90Hz refresh rate. Powering the Edge+ is the Snapdragon 865 processor, 12GB of RAM, and a massive 5,000 mAh battery. The only downside? It’s exclusive to Verizon.
$1000 at Motorola
Edge for less
Motorola Edge
If you like what the Edge+ has to offer but can’t justify its high price (or Verizon exclusivity), check out the regular Motorola Edge. It offers a very similar experience in a lot of ways, all while shaving off a few hundred dollars and being available universally unlocked. The Motorola Edge has the same curved display with a 90Hz refresh rate, a very capable Snapdragon 765 processor, 5G support, and a 4,500 mAh battery that allows for great endurance. We also love that you get 256GB of internal storage!
$700 at Amazon
$700 at Best Buy
$700 at B&H
Flip out
Motorola RAZR (2nd Gen)
The first Motorola RAZR was a bit of a dud, but with the second-generation model, the company found its footing and created something pretty magical. The design is much more refined, the specs are plenty powerful, and it actually costs less than the first generation. Not everyone needs to (or should) spend this much money on a folding flip phone, but if this looks like the kind of smartphone you’ve been waiting for, the RAZR (2nd Gen) is worth a look.
$1,161 at Amazon
$1,200 at Best Buy
$1,200 at B&H
Why the Moto G Power (2020) is our top pick
Out of all the Motorola phones currently available, the Moto G Power (2020) continues to shine as the best overall package the company has to offer. The balance of specs, features, and price are darn-near perfect given how affordable the phone is, making it a clear winner in our eyes.
But hold on a second, isn’t the Moto G Power (2021) now available? It certainly is, but there’s a reason it’s not featured on this list. While the new G Power spices things up with a refreshed design and a higher-resolution 48MP rear camera, the rest of the experience is actually a downgrade compared to the 2020 variant. The Moto G Power (2021) has a much lower-resolution HD+ display, loses the ultra-wide camera, drops stereo speakers, and ships on the same Android 10 software despite coming out almost a full year after the Moto G Power (2020). It’s very rare that a phone is worse than its predecessor, but that’s what we’re dealing with in the case of the 2021 G Power.
The Moto G Fast delivers incredible value
There’s no denying that the Moto G Power (2020) has incredible value, but what if you just can’t afford it right now? In that case, we’d recommend picking up the Moto G Fast. It has a couple of downgrades compared to the G Power, but if all you need is an Android phone for running your favorite apps, making calls, and watching videos, it fits the bill perfectly.
The biggest downgrade for the Moto G Fast is its display, which is dropped down to an HD+ resolution. That means everything on the screen will look fuzzier and softer compared to the Moto G Power (2020), resulting in an experience that’s less pleasing on your eyes. You’ll also need to put up with less RAM and storage, but thanks to microSD card support, adding more room for digital files is a piece of cake.
Those are compromises you’ll certainly want to factor in before buying, but given how dirt cheap the Moto G Fast is selling for these days, we consider it to be one of the best budget phones available.
Don’t sleep on the Motorola Edge
Budget-shoppers will be treated incredibly well by the Moto G Power (2020) and Moto G Fast, but what about those that can afford something a little nicer? That, ladies and gentlemen, is where the Motorola Edge comes into play.
The Motorola Edge had a pretty botched launch in mid-2020, but thanks to a substantially lower price these days, it’s worth bringing back into the conversation here in 2021. We have a 90Hz curved OLED display, the Snapdragon 765G processor, a 5,000 mAh battery, and 6GB of RAM. I only had a few weeks to use the Motorola Edge, but all this time later, I still find myself missing it every now and then. The design is stunning, it’s every bit as fast as you could hope for, and that display with its drastic curves and smooth animations is truly a sight to behold.
I understand if a lot of people completely ignored the Motorola Edge at its release, but I’d strongly urge you to reconsider it here in 2021. Currently available for under five Benjamins, it’s a shockingly great package.
