Despite the widely advertised and universally praised diversity of Android's hardware ecosystem, global users aren't exactly swimming in choice when it comes to shopping for a pen-wielding smartphone nowadays.
If you can't afford the likes of Samsung's Galaxy Note 10 or Note 20-series device, let alone paying for a Galaxy S21 Ultra powerhouse and an optional S Pen, you're basically left with two somewhat mediocre possibilities stateside.
Not a flagship
On the bright side, that number could grow to a whopping... three before long, as Motorola seems just about ready to release the first 5G-enabled member of the mid-range Moto G Stylus family. Unsurprisingly, this will simply and fittingly be named the Moto G Stylus 5G, at least according to Nils Ahrensmeier, who is a lesser-known leaker than the likes of Roland Quandt or Steve Hemmerstoffer, but almost just as reliable as those heavyweights.
That's probably because the other phone is this 5G-capable variant, which will purportedly hit the US market exclusively... at some point in the near future with no less than 256 gigs of storage on deck. Before getting too excited at the mere thought of a Galaxy Note 20 or Note 20 Ultra-rivaling flagship of sorts, you should note (pun intended) that the middling specs of the Moto G Stylus 5G may have already been disclosed as well by several rock-solid sources.
Codenamed "Denver", this does at least look like a decent contender for the title of best budget 5G phone available in 2021... on paper. In addition to a built-in pen that can come in handy for a variety of tasks and use cases, as well as the aforementioned 256GB local digital hoarding room, the Moto G Stylus 5G is also expected to have a grand total of four rear-facing cameras going for it.
Said quad lens setup could include a 48MP primary shooter, 8MP ultra-wide-angle snapper, 2MP depth sensor, and 5MP macro cam, which doesn't sound all that different from what the "standard" G Stylus (2021) offers in a reverse L-shaped arrangement of sorts.
Decent overall spec sheet and reasonable price expectations
The square-shaped camera system positioned in the top left corner, of course, looks a lot like the imaging sensor arrangement on the back of several other recently released Motorolas, including the G100 and Edge S.
Unlike those Snapdragon 870 high-enders, the Moto G Stylus 5G (aka Denver) has long been rumored to pack a modest Snapdragon 480 processor. That's not even as powerful as the Snapdragon 678 found inside the non-5G Moto G Stylus (2021) edition, but it does give us hope of a similarly reasonable price point, at least in an entry-level 128GB storage configuration.
The rest of the expected specifications shouldn't make that too difficult, including a 5,000mAh battery, 4GB RAM (most likely to start with), and the same 6.8-inch 60Hz display with a resolution of 2400 x 1080 pixels as the 4G LTE-only Moto G Stylus.
It remains to be seen if the Moto G Stylus 5G will be able to undercut the likes of the $400 Motorola One 5G Ace and $445 Motorola One 5G, which come packing faster Snapdragon 750 and 765 processors respectively while obviously not including any writing accessory as standard.
Unfortunately for everyday smartphone buyers who like competition and choice, a 5G-enabled LG Stylo device will almost certainly never happen, leaving Motorola all alone in an admittedly small market segment.
Adrian, a mobile technology enthusiast since the Nokia 3310 era, has been a dynamic presence in the tech journalism field, contributing to Android Authority, Digital Trends, and Pocketnow before joining PhoneArena in 2018. His expertise spans across various platforms, with a particular fondness for the diversity of the Android ecosystem. Despite the challenges of balancing full-time parenthood with his work, Adrian's passion for tech trends, running, and movies keeps him energized. His commitment to mid-range smartphones has led to an eclectic collection of devices, saved from personal bankruptcy by his preference for 'adequate' over 'overpriced'.
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