If you’re looking for a smartphone with a stylus in 2025, the first option that people will recommend to you is the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra. To be honest, there’s no better recommendation than that one, but the biggest issue is that the phone is a top-of-the-line flagship and will set your bank account back by an uncomfortable amount.
For those who need the stylus but want to pay a lot less, the Moto G Stylus is the best option, and even better is the fact that this year’s model brings a bunch of very solid upgrades to the table. Faster charging, a better screen, improved build quality, and more? It’s hard to ignore this option.
This Moto G Gets Even Better, Even With the Space Limitations of an Inbuilt Stylus
Besides perceived demand limitations, there’s one major reason why most phones with stylus support don’t find ways to incorporate physical slots for them. Having a chamber for the pen means getting rid of some of the internal volume that could be used for a bigger battery or better hardware. Somehow, the Moto G Stylus (2025) embraces those limitations and gets even better than last year’s model.
The Design
The Moto G Stylus (2025) still looks a lot like its predecessor, but the big change that it makes is the more square camera bump. It looks like it does so to include a third camera, but that’s just a light sensor. It does make the phone look a little more high-end, though. It will also bring that familiar textured vegan leather finish that Motorola feels comfortable with.
The device will be available in two Pantone colors: Gibraltar Sea and Surf the Web. You might be a little annoyed by this, though, as both colors are just shades of blue. They look pretty, regardless. Oh, and despite the relatively elegant look, the phone is IP68 and MIL-STD-810H certified, so it is very tough, and objectively tougher than its predecessor.
The Screen
The screen is one of many places where the Moto G Stylus upgrades. Sure, it is still a pOLED unit with a 6.7-inch diagonal and 120Hz refresh rate. However, it gets a higher 1220p resolution and is much brighter at 3,000 nits. So yeah, a better screen in the places where it matters.
The Hardware
Inside, you can also be sure of improved performance. From the Snapdragon 6 Gen 1 last year, we get the Snapdragon 6 Gen 3, which is better in every way that matters. It will be available in up to an 8/256GB configuration, which, for a low-cost smartphone, is good enough. Even better is that you still have the option to expand the storage.
You will also get NFC, Bluetooth 5.1, and Wi-Fi 5. There’s an optical fingerprint reader under the screen, and of course, you can’t talk about the phone without mentioning the stylus that tucks into the device from the bottom edge. That’s 6.4 times more responsive than it was last year.
The Battery and Charging
The battery capacity stays unchanged, at 5,000mAh. That’s not a bad capacity to be at, though current trends in that department might make it seem otherwise. What is really cool is that Motorola has brought in a major upgrade in charging speed, from 30W on last year’s model to 68W wired charging. That’s highly impressive. You will still get 15W wireless charging, but its presence alone is a good thing.
The Cameras
The main camera here is a 50MP unit that is just a little improved over last year. The 13MP ultrawide is entirely unchanged, though. A 3-in-1 light sensor helps out a little bit, and then the flash completes the quartet on the back. On the front side is an improved 32MP selfie camera with a larger aperture.
The Software
The Moto G Stylus (2025) comes with Android 15 and Motorola’s usual Hello UX slapped on top of that. You also get access to AI features like Circle to Search, Sketch to Image, and plenty of AI features for editing pictures in Google Photos.
The Pricing
The Moto G Stylus will go on sale starting from April 17th, at a price of $399.99. You’ll be able to buy it from online retailers like Amazon, Best Buy, and Motorola’s own website, as well as almost all major carriers.
