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The best Motorola phones you can buy: Expert tested
While iPhones remain a popular pick, if you decide to move over to the other side of the phones, Android phones offer variety -- both with hardware and software. The best Motorola phones feature an unbeatable balance between the two. The user interface is like the Google Pixel phones but with more customizations and one of the best implementations of always-on display.
Also: Best Android phones: Expert tested
Whether you want a foldable phone, a phone for battery life, or one that sports a stylus -- Motorola has you covered.
What's the best Motorola phone right now?
At ZDNET, we spend weeks testing phones to help you find the best one. Our pick for the best Motorola phone overall is the newly-launched Motorola Razr Plus (2024), which folds in half. It's pocketable while still offering the benefits of a slab smartphone, including good cameras and a powerful processor. Read on to find the best Motorola phone for your needs and budget.
The best Motorola phones of 2024
- OLED display
- Excellent battery
- Good hardware
- AI features are yet to ship
The Razr Plus (2024) features a 4-inch pOLED display on the outside, so you don't have to unfold the phone for quick tests. You can reply to notifications, check essential information, and more on the bigger cover screen. When unfolded, you are greeted by a 6.9-inch pOLED screen. Both displays support a 165Hz refresh rate for smooth transitions and scrolling and a bright 3,000 nits display. The displays won't disappoint you.
The presence of Qualcomm Snapdragon 8s Gen 3 means you get a slew of AI features. Motorola is rolling out new Moto AI capabilities in the coming months, which will let you say things like "catch me up" for summarizing notifications, "remember this" to capture what's on screen and store for future recall, and "pay attention" to start a voice recording with transcriptions and summarization.
Review: Motorola Razr Plus (2023) review: The best flipping foldable right now
The Moto Razr Plus (2024) packs plenty of storage and RAM to last for a few years. It packs a 4,000mAh battery, which is likely to give you a full day's worth of use. You can pre-order the phone starting July 10, and it'll go on sale on July 24.
Moto Razr Plus (2024) specs: Display: 4 inches (cover screen), 6.9 inches foldable display | Processor: Qualcomm Snapdragon 8s Gen 3 | Cameras: 50MP primary, 50MP telephoto with 2x optical zoom | RAM: 12GB | Storage: 256GB | Battery: 4,000mAh
- Great design
- Good performance
- All-day battery life
- Weak ultrawide camera
The Motorola Edge (2024) is a $550 phone that features a 144Hz big OLED display, 256GB of storage, and more. If you watch a lot of videos on your phone or like your screen to be sharp and vivid, the new Motorola Edge is a great option. The device goes up against the likes of Google Pixel 8a and Samsung Galaxy A35 5G without breaking a sweat.
The 6.6-inch display features thin bezels and the design is very comfortable to hold with a vegan leather backing. The 360Hz touch sampling rate and presence of a powerful enough processor means it's good for the mobile gamers out there, too. You also get a new Quick Button on the side of the phone that can be mapped to any app or function within an app, making it more versatile than the Action Button on the iPhone 15 Pro.
Also: The new $549 Motorola Edge may secretly be the best mid-range Android this year
The Motorola Edge sports a 50MP primary camera, which clicks decent photos for a mid-tier phone. The Pixel 8a would better serve if you are looking for a mid-range camera phone, but if you want an all-rounder, the Motorola Edge is a good phone to consider.
Motorola Edge (2024) specs: Display: 6.6 inches | Processor: Qualcomm Snapdragon 7s Gen 2 | Cameras: 50MP primary, 13MP ultrawide | RAM: 8GB | Storage: 256GB | Battery: 5,000mAh
- Big cover screen
- Bright display
- Good in-hand feel
- Average ultrawide camera
The Moto Razr (2024) is our pick for the best compact Motorola phone for the screen estate it offers, despite its size. It features a bigger cover screen now: a 3.6-inch pOLED display with a 90Hz refresh rate. The phone no longer feels less functional than its more expensive sibling, the $999 Moto Razr Plus (2024).
It comes pre-installed with the Google Gemini app, accessible via a long press of the power button. You get Gorilla Glass Victus protection, IPX8 dust resistance, a powerful processor and plenty of storage. Motorola hasn't cut down on features to bring the price down. You still get wireless charging, a fully functional cover screen, a good primary camera, three operating system upgrades, and 4 years of security updates.
Review: Motorola's $699 Razr phone is the mainstream foldable we've been waiting for
The Motorola Razr (2024) is the way to go if you are in the market for a flip phone but don't want to spend $1,000.
Moto Razr (2024) specs: Display: 3.6 inches (cover screen), 6.9 inches foldable display | Processor: MediaTek Dimensity 7300X | Cameras: 50MP primary, 13MP ultrawide | RAM: 8GB | Storage: 256GB | Battery: 4,200mAh
- Stylus included
- Great battery life
- Up to 2TB microSD card support
- Wireless charging
- No dust and water resistance
The Motorola G Stylus 5G (2024) is one of the few phones in 2024 that supports a microSD card slot. It comes with 256GB of storage, but you can expand the storage, which comes in handy for people who download TV shows, songs and movies on their phone. It is also the only phone that comes equipped with a stylus under $500.
The Motorola G Stylus 5G (2024) features a big and sharp display. It's made for people who like note-taking on their phones. The stylus is easy to hold, slim, and charges within the device. You can also pull out the stylus when the phone is off, which triggers a new note pop-up for quickly jotting down thoughts. It's a very convenient feature.
Review: Motorola Moto G Stylus 5G review: Exactly as advertised
The Motorola G Stylus 5G (2024) works fine in everyday use. Its efficient processor and 5,000mAh battery combine to offer an all-day battery life. The 50MP primary camera is one of the good ones in its price range.
Moto G Stylus 5G (2024) specs: Display: 6.7 inches | Processor: Qualcomm Snapdragon 6 Gen 1 | Cameras: 50MP primary, 13MP ultrawide | RAM: 8GB | Storage: 256GB | Battery: 5,000mAh
The Moto G Power 5G (2024) is our pick for the best budget phone because a lot of buyers in this price segment want great battery life on their devices. This phone can last you up to two days, and when needed, you can charge it at 30W with a wired charger and at 15W with a wireless charger.
The Moto G Power 5G (2024) features a big LCD, which isn't as vivid as the other models on this list but is plenty good for day-to-day usage. It is powered by the MediaTek Dimensity 7020 SoC, which is powerful and efficient. The 50MP primary camera clicks good photos in daylight, while the 8MP macro camera is passable.
Review: I switched to this $300 Motorola phone for two weeks and was pleasantly surprised
You should buy the Moto G Power 5G (2024) if you are looking for a long-lasting phone for under $300.
Moto G Power 5G (2024) specs: Display: 6.7 inches | Processor: MediaTek Dimensity 7020 | Cameras: 50MP primary, 8MP macro | RAM: 8GB | Storage: 128GB | Battery: 5,000mAh
What is the best Motorola phone?
The Razr Plus (2024) is the best Motorola phone in 2024 right now. It's their flagship offering, which offers the best of Moto AI capabilities, a folding screen with the biggest cover screen on a flip phone, great cameras and an all-day battery.
But if the $1000 Razr Plus (2024) doesn't suit your fancy, here are some other Motorola phones to consider:
| Motorola Phone | Price | Where to Buy | Screen Size | Battery | Storage | Cameras | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Moto Razr Plus (2024) | $999 | Motorola | 4.0 and 6.9 inches | 4,000mAh | 256GB | 50MP primary, 50MP telephoto | |
| Motorola Edge (2024) | $550 | Amazon, Walmart, Motorola | 6.6 inches | 5,000mAh | 256GB | 50MP primary, 13MP ultrawide | |
| Moto Razr (2024) | $699 | Amazon, Best Buy | 3.6 and 6.9 inches | 4,200mAh | 256GB | 50MP primary, 13MP ultrawide | |
| Moto G Stylus 5G (2024) | $399 | Amazon, Best Buy | 6.7 inches | 5,000mAh | 256GB | 50MP primary, 13MP ultrawide | |
| Moto G Power 5G (2024) | $280 | Amazon, Best Buy | 6.7 inches | 5,000mAh | 128GB, expandable up to 2TB with microSD | 50MP primary, 8MP macro |
Which is the best Motorola phone for you?
Motorola has a cleaner portfolio in 2024, but still has a wide variety of options. There's no true Snapdragon 8 Gen 3-powered flagship, but the Razr Plus (2024) dominates as our favorite Motorola phone this year. One size doesn't fit all, and there's a chance that it might not be the best Motorola phone for you personally.
Before you buy, consider these recommendations based on my research to help ensure you find the best phone for your needs.
Choose this best Motorola phone... | If you want... |
Moto Razr Plus (2024) | A Motorola phone with the latest AI smarts and flagship processor, which will last you a while. |
Motorola Edge (2024) | The best value for money Motorola phone with a balanced set of features |
A Moto Razr (2024) | A flip phone but don't want to spend upwards of $700 |
Moto G Stylus 5G (2024) | A stylus. The Moto G Stylus 5G is one of the few phones that has a built-in stylus. |
Moto G Power 5G (2024) | A budget phone that lasts long. |
Factors to consider when choosing a Motorola phone
To find the best Motorola phones, we looked at several factors, including processor, storage, battery life, camera suites and stylus integration, and overall user experience.
- Processor: This determines how much power your phone will have and how fast it will work. It is especially useful if you stream a lot of content or use your phone for gaming.
- Storage: It is critical that your phone has enough storage space to accommodate your growing collection of data and media.
- Battery: A phone is hardly helpful if it's dead all the time. Consider the size of the battery to determine how much life you can expect from your phone each day.
- Features: From a powerful camera to a larger display, there are many special features you will find with the best Motorola phones. For example, the Moto G Stylus 5G incorporates a stylus, while the Razr boasts a unique folding design.
- User experience: I've used a lot of Motorola phones in my career. I find Moto UI to be the cleanest Android user interface while offering a bunch of useful customizations, like Moto Actions, the best always-on display implementation and more.
How we test phones
ZDNET's review team spends upwards of a year testing the ins and outs of every major phone release, evaluating the day-to-day performance, camera quality, battery life and endurance, and special features. Here's a breakdown of every factor we consider before we make recommendations:
- Design and ergonomics: How good a phone looks and feels plays a big role in many users' buying journeys, so we consider these aspects heavily when testing.
- Performance: Several factors affect a phone's performance, including LTE/5G signal, battery life, and background tasks. Therefore, we typically begin our evaluations with a fully charged handset, with all background tasks closed, and with as stable of a mobile connection as possible.
- Camera quality: ZDNET tests phone cameras by capturing hundreds of photos and videos of various subjects and in various lighting conditions. We also compare the output to that of older models.
- Battery life and charging: It's also important for us to evaluate how long phones last under light, moderate, and heavy usage, how long they take to recharge, and how they do it (wired, wireless, or both).
- Special features: These features distinguish tested devices from a bustling smartphone market and hopefully bring added value to users, not the opposite.
- Pricing and availability: Beyond budget considerations, we also note if a phone is available in the US or only internationally.
For a more extensive breakdown, check out our comprehensive phone testing methodology page.
Why should I buy a Motorola phone?
Motorola is one of the few legacy phone makers that's still in the market and kicking. All phones on this list offer wireless charging, which isn't the norm throughout the portfolio for other phone manufacturers.
I recommend buying a Motorola phone for the great in-hand feel (they make some of the thinnest and slimmest phones) and an amazing user interface.
How much do the best Motorola phones cost?
Currently, the best Motorola phones run from around $270 to $999, depending on the model you choose.
How do I buy a Motorola phone?
Motorola phones are extremely popular, so they are not too hard to find. Your cell phone service provider likely has an inventory available for sale, but it may not be the cheapest place to buy. Consider buying through a trusted retailer like Amazon or Best Buy to save extra money on the best Motorola phones.
We supply shopping links for your convenience, so you can buy your new Motorola phone quickly and without complications.