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Motorola takes the wraps off the budget-friendly Moto G Power (2026) with a 5,200mAh battery

That's a bigger battery than all previous Moto G Power generations, but it's not as large as you may have expected.

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By Adrian Diaconescu

Published: Dec 16, 2025, 8:00 AM

Official Moto G Power (2026) images in two colors

More than a month after the first two members of the 2026 Moto G family were unveiled and a couple of months on the heels of several different mid-rangers with huge batteries for markets like China and India, the next big Moto G Power edition is seeing daylight ahead of a January 8 release in North America.

Unfortunately, far too many Moto G Power (2025) characteristics seem to have gone unchanged, and the Moto G Power (2026) is incapable of coming close to the mind-blowing cell capacity of the likes of the Moto G57 Power, G67 Power, G86 Power, or G100.

Haven't we seen this spec sheet before?

6.8-inch LCD screen with 2388 x 1080 pixel resolution and 120Hz refresh rate technology;
MediaTek Dimensity 6300 processor;
8GB memory expandable up to 24GB with RAM Boost;
128GB internal storage space;
microSD card slot supporting storage expansion up to 1TB;
Android 16;
50MP primary rear-facing camera with f/1.8 aperture, OIS, and Quad Pixel technology;
8MP secondary ultra-wide-angle lens with f/2.2 aperture;
32MP front-facing camera with f/2.2 aperture and Quad Pixel technology;
5,200mAh battery;
30W TurboPower charging support;
IP68 and IP69 water and dust resistance;
MIL-STD-810H military-grade durability;
Corning Gorilla Glass 7i screen protection;
3.5mm headphone jack;
Bluetooth 5.4;
Stereo speakers with Dolby Atmos;
Pantone Evening Blue and Pantone Pure Cashmere color options;
166.62 x 77.10 x 8.72mm dimensions;
208 grams weight.

To call the above specifications and features familiar would probably be the understatement of the century holiday season. The Moto G Power (2026) is not just similar to its predecessor, with the exact same dimensions, weight, memory count, internal storage, and perhaps most disappointingly, an unchanged Dimensity 6300 processor under the hood.

Moto G Power (2026) in Pantone Evening Blue color

That's a VERY familiar-looking phone. | Image Credit -- Motorola

At first glance, you might even wonder what the point of this "upgrade" is, with the answer coming in the form of a small but potentially notable battery size bump. Yes, the newest Moto G Power generation adds 200mAh of juice to the 2025 edition's 5,000mAh cell, actually setting a record in that department for Motorola's popular mid-range handset family.

The great thing about this 5,200mAh battery is that it squeezes into the exact same body as that of the Moto G Power (2025). The not-so-great thing about it is... that it's not a 7,000mAh cell.

Do you think you'll buy the Moto G Power (2026)?

Almost certainly Maybe, but only after its reviews come out Maybe, but only after it gets a discount Probably not Definitely not

The other significant improvement sees the 16MP camera on the front of the Moto G Power (2025) jump to 32 megapixels for the 2026 edition (and gain fancy Quad Pixel technology), which actually sounds pretty major. Oh, and the pre-loaded software is (predictably) bumped up from Android 15 to Android 16. Also, the "evening blue" and "pure cashmere" colorways look undeniably prettier than last year's "leaf green" and "slate gray" hues.

What's the competition?

At $299.99, the Moto G Power (2026) is naturally just as affordable as its forerunner in the US, as well as a cool 100 bucks cheaper than something like the Galaxy A36 5G.

Moto G Power (2026) in Pantone Pure Cashmere color

The new Moto G Power is certainly not very special, but it's definitely not ugly either. | Image Credit -- Motorola

While Samsung's 6.7-inch mid-ranger comes with a faster chipset, faster charging, thinner profile, three rear-facing cameras instead of two, and most likely, better long-term software support, Motorola's latest budget-friendly battery champion does have a small advantage on the cell capacity front, as well as from an apparent durability standpoint.

Yes, the Moto G Power (2026) is IP68, IP69, and MIL-STD-810H-rated, which means that it's not only tougher than most other phones in its price bracket, but (much) costlier devices too, at least on paper.

Should you look forward to next month's release?

If you're a fan of the smartphone roster and you're due for an upgrade, absolutely. The Moto G Power (2026) will be released in the US at Verizon on January 8 and a host of other carriers (including AT&T, Visible, and Cricket Wireless) in "the coming months", which is always a big plus for a lot of consumers.

At the end of the day, this is an undeniably handsome, almost surprisingly robust, reasonably powerful, and decidedly affordable device that doesn't have a lot of direct competitors stateside with an equally lengthy list of key strengths. So, yes, if you don't already own the Moto G Power (2025), I believe you should give the 2026 edition a chance... right after we review the product and ideally once Motorola reduces the $299.99 list price to $249.99, which history suggests will happen sooner or later.

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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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