I’ve always had a soft spot for the Moto G series. It’s a line of phones that proves you don’t have to spend a fortune to get a decent device. These phones cater to people who just need something reliable—whether it’s for basic communication, social media, or binge-watching YouTube.
When Motorola announced the Moto G (2025), I was hopeful that it would offer meaningful improvements over last year’s model. At $200, it’s still one of the most affordable unlocked smartphones around, but does it bring enough to the table?
The phone features a large 5,000mAh battery, a smooth 120Hz refresh rate display, and a vegan leather back for a premium feel at an affordable price. The phone offers a familiar design with a vegan leather back, a large battery, and a few minor upgrades over its predecessor. However, its performance issues, low-resolution display, and lackluster camera experience make it a touch difficult to recommend over competitors.
Design and Build Quality
The Moto G (2025) has a sturdy frame with a vegan leather back available in Forest Gray and Sapphire Blue. The leather-like texture provides a comfortable grip, though it does attract dust. The phone features a square camera bump that integrates well with the back panel.
Measuring 6.58 by 3.0 by 0.32 inches and weighing 6.81 ounces, the Moto G (2025) is slightly larger than its predecessor. It includes a USB-C charging port, a 3.5mm headphone jack, and a side-mounted fingerprint scanner that also serves as the power button. The phone has an IP52 rating, meaning it can withstand light splashes but do note that is not waterproof.
Display
The phone sports a 6.7-inch LCD panel with a 720p resolution, offering a 120Hz refresh rate for smoother scrolling. While the refresh rate is an improvement, the low resolution results in a less crisp display compared to rivals.
The brightness levels are adequate for indoor use but struggle under direct sunlight. Competitors typically offer a sharper 1080p AMOLED display, even around this price point, thus making Motorola’s choice of LCD feel dated.
Performance and Software
Powered by the MediaTek Dimensity 6300 processor with 4GB of RAM and 128GB of storage (expandable via microSD), the Moto G (2025) delivers just average performance. Apps take longer to open, and multitasking can feel sluggish. A software feature called RAM Boost allows users to allocate up to 8GB of virtual memory, but it only marginally improves the experience.
It’s worth noting that this is largely noticeable because most of the devices I’ve been using employ 8GB and 12GB RAM. Handing the phone off to others and watching their reactions and gauging their feedback, however, they don’t seem as bothered.
On the software side, Motorola ships the Moto G (2025) with Android 15 and promises two years of major updates and three years of security patches. The interface remains clean and close to stock Android, which is a plus for those who prefer a minimalistic experience without excessive bloatware. Motorola does include a few of its signature features, such as quick gestures like chopping twice to turn on the flashlight and twisting the phone to launch the camera, which add some convenience.
However, bloatware is will still be present on carrier-locked versions, where pre-installed apps like Candy Crush and random third-party tools clutter the experience. Thankfully, most of these can be uninstalled. The phone lacks any meaningful AI-powered enhancements that are becoming more common even in budget phones, which means no fancy photo processing or intelligent battery optimizations.
While performance is serviceable for basic tasks, expect occasional stuttering when juggling multiple apps. It’s a software experience that gets the job done, but without much polish or extra value beyond the stock Android baseline. While an improvement over previous models, it still lags behind Samsung’s six-year software support for budget devices.
Cameras
The Moto G (2025) retains a dual-camera setup with a 50MP main sensor and a practically useless 2MP macro lens. AI-enhanced scene optimization and a Night Vision mode try to help, but in dim lighting, expect more noise than a rock concert. The absence of an ultrawide lens limits versatility. In daylight, photos appear decent but lack sharpness when zooming in. Low-light photography struggles with image noise and poor detail preservation.
The 16MP selfie camera is a minor improvement over last year’s 8MP sensor. While it captures clearer images in good lighting, background elements often appear blurry. Video recording is limited to 1080p at 30fps, with stabilization performing adequately in well-lit conditions.
Battery Life and Charging
Battery life remains a strong point for the Moto G series, outperforming pretty much all competitors in endurance tests, making it one of the longer-lasting budget phones available. The 5,000mAh battery provides all-day life, lasting over 15 hours in video playback tests I’ve found. Motorola has increased wired charging speeds to 30W, but not all carrier editions include a power adapter in the box. Charging from 0 to 100% takes approximately two hours with a 20W charger.
Audio and Connectivity
The Moto G (2025) features stereo speakers with Dolby Atmos support, delivering decent audio quality for a budget device. The inclusion of a 3.5mm headphone jack is a welcome feature. Sure, I have pretty much come to live without having one on my phone, but I do always appreciate it when there’s one present.
The phone supports sub-6GHz 5G and NFC for contactless payments but is stuck somewhat in the past without Wi-Fi 6. Future-proofing is overrated, anyhow, right? Sarcasm aside, I don’t necessarily think the target user knows that Wi-Fi 6 and its successors are even a thing. Network speeds are reasonable, but the absence of mmWave 5G means users won’t experience ultra-fast data speeds.
Pros and Cons
Pros:
- Large 5,000mAh battery with long endurance
- 120Hz refresh rate for smooth scrolling
- Vegan leather design for a premium feel
- Android 15 with two years of major updates
- Stereo speakers with Dolby Atmos support
- NFC for contactless payments
- Expandable storage via microSD card
Cons:
- Low 720p resolution display
- Sluggish performance with only 4GB RAM
- Limited camera versatility, no ultrawide lens
- Poor low-light photography performance
- Charging adapter not included with all models
- Lacks Wi-Fi 6 support
Final Verdict: A Decent Deal at the Right Price
I have a soft spot for phones in the sub-$200 range as they’re often more than enough for what consumers need. Sure, there’s plenty we might want, but when it comes down to it, most folks could get something like this to last a year or two. We’ve seen considerably lesser-quality experiences at higher prices over the years so I dig where the Moto G (2025) fits.
The Moto G (2025) offers a budget-friendly option with a large battery, vegan leather design, and Android 15 out of the box. However, its low-resolution display, sluggish performance, and somewhat limited camera capabilities make it a bit less competitive.
I love where Motorola’s heart is with the G series but I might suggest it checks in with its head on future models. At $200, the Moto G (2025) is still a decent value proposition for an unlocked phone, but I’d feel a lot more confident recommending it if you could snag it for around $175. At that price, the compromises would feel a lot easier to swallow.
