Don’t buy this $300 Motorola phone, get this other one instead

Motorola introduced two new budget phones this year: the Moto G Stylus 5G (2024) and the Moto G Power 5G (2024). The Moto G Stylus 5G (2024) is a slightly more expensive model with a built-in stylus. It is the most feature-rich phone among Motorola’s G series, released in 2024. The Moto G Power 5G (2024) is a little bit easier on the wallet, focusing on long battery life.

If you’re shopping for a new Android phone on a budget, chances are these are two you’re considering. Which one is ultimately the best purchase? Let’s compare them to find out.

Moto G Stylus 5G (2024) vs. Moto G Power 5G (2024): specs

Moto G Stylus 5G (2024) vs. Moto G Power 5G (2024): design and display

The Moto G Stylus 5G (2024) features a plastic frame with a vegan leather back. As noted in our review, the phone feels robust, and the leather backing offers excellent grip. It is available in vibrant Scarlet Wave (aka red) and Carmel Latte colors.

This phone, priced at $400, has a 6.7-inch OLED panel that delivers vibrant colors, deep blacks, and great viewing angles. It boasts Full HD+ resolution and an impressive 120Hz refresh rate. The display is protected by Gorilla Glass 3.

The Moto G Power 5G (2024) is $100 less than the other version. Similar to its predecessor, the phone has a plastic frame, which we found nice and sturdy. We were particularly impressed with the phone’s “vegan leather” back. Although it’s made of plastic, it provides an excellent grip. Currently, there are two available colors: Midnight Blue and Pale Lilac.

The Moto G Stylus 5G (2024) and Moto G Power 5G (2024) both have a 6.7-inch display. However, while the Moto G Stylus 5G (2024) has an OLED display, the Power has an LCD. Despite still offering Full HD+ resolution and a 120Hz refresh rate, the display on the Moto G Power did not impress us. In particular, the screen performed poorly when viewed from a slight angle, and it was nearly impossible to see it in direct sunlight.

Although both phones have a solid construction, the Moto G Stylus is the phone to get if display quality matters at all to you.

Moto G Stylus 5G (2024) vs. Moto G Power 5G (2024): performance and battery

Neither of these phones uses the best chip on the market. The Moto G Stylus 5G (2024) is powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 6 Gen 1, which is almost two years old. However, when paired with the phone’s 8GB of RAM, it works just fine on this handset — not great, but fine.

The Moto G Power 5G (2024) is powered by the MediaTek Dimensity 7020 octa-core chipset, which is also paired with 8GB of RAM. It works fine for everyday tasks such as surfing the web or scrolling through X posts. However, it struggles with more intensive tasks.

Both phones have a 5000mAh battery that can last up to two days between charges. Those charges can be performed wired or wirelessly, with both phones offering 30W wired charging and 15W wireless charging.

Moto G Stylus 5G (2024) vs. Moto G Power 5G (2024): cameras

The performance of budget phones’ camera systems can vary widely. In the case of these two Moto G handsets, one impressed us while the other fell short.

Let’s start with the positive. The newest Moto G Stylus boasts a 50MP primary camera, a 13MP ultrawide camera with a 120-degree field of view (FOV), and a 32MP selfie camera. Its ultrawide camera also supports Macro Vision, functioning as a pseudo-macro camera. Surprisingly, the phone can capture quite decent photos, and we were particularly impressed with the sharp and attractive images taken by its 50MP primary camera.

On the other hand, the latest Moto G Power 5G disappoints in the camera department. The ultrawide camera was deemed “quite bad” overall, and the cameras on this phone were not up to par, especially when compared to the Moto G Stylus. It gets the job done, but the Stylus very much has the upperhand in this department.

Moto G Stylus 5G (2024) vs. Moto G Power 5G (2024): software and upgrades

Both phones come with Android 14 as the pre-installed operating system. However, it’s important to note that they are only guaranteed to receive updates up to Android 15 and three years of bimonthly security updates.

In comparison, the Samsung Galaxy S24 and Google Pixel 8 series promise up to seven years’ worth of updates, providing users with an extended period of software support and security updates. This difference — one year versus seven years — is significant. In the long run, it could prove costly.

Moto G Stylus 5G (2024) vs. Moto G Power 5G (2024): the stylus

The Moto G Stylus 5G (2024) is the only model in the G series that features a stylus. Like previous Moto G Stylus phones, the stylus is stored in the bottom-right frame and remains completely concealed when not used.

To use the stylus for taking handwritten notes, drawing, doodling, etc., you need to press the top of it and slide it out. It works as intended and is a very nice add-on for a $400 phone.

Moto G Stylus 5G (2024) vs. Moto G Power 5G (2024): price and availability

You can purchase the Moto G Stylus 5G (2024) and Moto G Power 5G (2024) right now. The former is $400, while the latter is $300. They’re available from Motorola’s website, Amazon, Best Buy, and various carriers in the U.S.

It’s also important to note that this is before discounts, which Motorola often offers on its smartphones.

Moto G Stylus 5G (2024) vs. Moto G Power 5G (2024): a clear winner

The Moto G Stylus 5G (2024) and Moto G Power 5G (2024) are both categorized as budget smartphones. As budget phones, they offer fewer features compared to some of the best phones on the market.

Despite its budget status, the Moto G Stylus 5G (2024) is recommended for anyone looking to save money on their next smartphone. It offers an excellent display, a durable design, and a camera system that is more than adequate. It also provides a terrific battery, a suitable chip for daily smartphone activities, and much more. And don’t forget: It also comes with a stylus.

By contrast, the Moto G Power 5G (2024) lacks too many features for us to recommend, including an inferior display and camera system. And when there’s only $100 separating the two, we’d strongly advocate for spending a little bit more money and getting the Stylus over the Power. We don’t think you’ll regret it one bit.