There was a time when a stylus meant a phone for executives, a gadget with a case and a leather holster that cost more than a laptop. Motorola has spent years flipping that idea, and the Moto G Stylus 5G 2024 is the current proof. This unlocked phone pairs a built in stylus with a 6.7 inch 120Hz display, a 50MP camera, 8GB of RAM, and 256GB of storage, all for the price of a mid range phone. The real question is whether the stylus still earns its place in 2026, when everyone carries a phone and most people have never touched a digital pen. I made this phone my daily driver for a month, carrying it everywhere, taking hundreds of photos, and sketching in meetings. Here is the honest verdict.
Before the details, the standard note. This article contains affiliate links, and if you buy through one of them the site earns a small commission at no extra cost to you. That commission never changes what I test or what I recommend.
Design and Build
The Scarlet Wave finish is the first thing you notice. It is a deep red that shifts to a lighter coral in sunlight, with a soft matte texture on the back panel that resists fingerprints and gives the phone a more expensive feel than its price tag suggests. The frame is plastic but rigid, and the phone has a water repellent coating that shrugs off light rain and spills without pretending to be fully waterproof.
The display is a 6.7 inch P-OLED panel running at 120Hz, which is remarkable at this price point. Text is crisp, colors are saturated but natural, and the 120Hz refresh rate makes scrolling feel smooth in a way that was once reserved for flagship phones. The panel punches above the mid range class, and it is the single biggest reason this phone feels faster than its processor should allow.
The stylus sits tucked into the bottom right corner of the phone, flush with the frame, and slides out with a satisfying click. It needs no charging, no pairing, and no setup, which is the entire trick. The phone is comfortable to hold for long sessions, and the fingerprint reader in the power button is fast and reliable, unlocking the phone before the screen finishes waking.
Key Features
The stylus is the reason this phone exists, so it gets top billing. Slide it out and the phone offers quick actions, including a screen off note that lets you jot ideas on the blank display without unlocking, and the Moto Note app for full note taking and sketching. The stylus is accurate enough for handwritten notes and simple drawings, and the palm rejection means you can rest your hand on the screen while writing.
The 50MP camera system is the other headline. The main sensor captures sharp, detailed photos in good light, and it is joined by an ultrawide lens and a macro camera for close ups. The front facing camera handles video calls and selfies with a wide enough angle for groups. For a current look at pricing and carrier compatibility, the Amazon listing for the unlocked Moto G Stylus 5G 2024 is a useful reference.
Under the hood sits a Snapdragon 6 Gen 1 chip paired with 8GB of RAM and 256GB of storage. That is not flagship silicon, but it is more than enough for daily apps, social media, and casual games, and the 120Hz display hides the occasional slowdown. The 5000 mAh battery rounds out the package, and the phone supports 30W wired fast charging to fill it quickly.
Real-World Performance
Daily performance is smooth in a way that surprises people who expect budget phones to feel cheap. Apps open quickly, the launcher scrolls at 120Hz without stutter, and multitasking with 8GB of RAM keeps several apps alive in the background. I ran a session of a popular racing game at high settings, and it stayed playable with only occasional frame drops, which is respectable for a phone at this price.
The camera performed well beyond my expectations for a mid range phone. In daylight, the 50MP main sensor produces images with genuine detail and pleasant color, and the ultrawide holds up well with a slight falloff in the corners. Low light is the weak point, as it always is in this class, with soft detail and occasional noise, but the night mode salvages usable shots in dim conditions. The macro camera is a fun addition for close ups of flowers and textures, though it demands a steady hand.
Battery life is excellent. A full day of heavy use, including navigation, streaming, and a couple of hours of photos, left the phone at around thirty percent by bedtime, and lighter days stretched into a second day comfortably. The 30W charger took the phone from empty to a usable level in under an hour. The unlocked model worked cleanly across the major US carriers, and calls and 5G data stayed reliable throughout the test.
Pros and Cons
Pros:
- Built in stylus with screen off notes and no charging
- 6.7 inch 120Hz P-OLED display is excellent for the price
- 5000 mAh battery easily lasts a full day
- 50MP main camera takes sharp, colorful daylight photos
- 256GB of storage expandable with a microSD card
- Unlocked and compatible with major US carriers
Cons:
- Mid range chip shows limits in demanding games
- Low light photography is soft and noisy
- Only one major Android OS update promised
- No wireless charging
How It Compares
At this price, the Moto G Stylus 5G competes with other sub flagship Androids, and the stylus is its unique advantage. I compared it against the Samsung Galaxy A35 and the Google Pixel 7a to see how it stacks up for value.
| Feature | Moto G Stylus 5G 2024 | Galaxy A35 | Google Pixel 7a |
|---|---|---|---|
| Stylus | Built in | None | None |
| Display | 6.7 inch 120Hz P-OLED | 6.6 inch 120Hz OLED | 6.1 inch 90Hz OLED |
| Storage | 256GB expandable | 128GB expandable | 128GB, not expandable |
| Battery | 5000 mAh | 5000 mAh | 4385 mAh |
| Camera | 50MP triple | 50MP triple | 64MP dual |
| Price | Lowest | Mid | Mid |
Against the Galaxy A35, the Moto wins on storage, stylus, and price, while Samsung wins on software update policy and a slightly more polished camera app. Against the Pixel 7a, the Pixel takes better low light photos and receives updates first, but it costs more, has less storage, and offers no stylus. For someone who actually uses the pen, the Moto G Stylus 5G has no real rival at this price, and for everyone else it is simply a very good value with a bonus feature.
Who Should Buy It
Buy this phone if you take notes by hand, sketch, annotate documents, or sign forms on your phone, because the stylus turns those tasks into something natural instead of a fight with your fingertip. It is also an excellent pick for students on a budget who want a big screen, long battery, and enough camera for everyday life without spending flagship money.
Skip it if you take most of your photos at night and want a class leading low light camera, if you plan to keep the phone for more than two years and care about long term software updates, or if you simply never want a stylus and would rather save a little more. For everyone else, this is one of the smartest buys in the mid range. You can check the current price for the unlocked Moto G Stylus 5G on Amazon when you are ready to upgrade.
How We Test
I used the Moto G Stylus 5G 2024 as my primary phone for four weeks, carrying it on a trip that included city walking, indoor events, and evening dinners. I took several hundred photos across daylight, low light, and macro scenes, wrote dozens of notes with the stylus, and ran a full battery drain cycle to measure real endurance.
I tested gaming performance on a demanding title, checked 5G connectivity on multiple carriers, and ran the 30W charger through repeated top ups. For broader perspective on how this phone fits the budget market, independent coverage such as PCMag's review of the Moto G Stylus 5G offers a second opinion on its value. The Moto G Stylus 5G 2024 listing on Amazon shows the current price and available colors.
Motorola Moto G Stylus 5G 2024: Questions People Ask
What is the difference between the Moto G Stylus and the Moto G Stylus 5G?
The 5G model adds 5G connectivity, a faster Snapdragon chip, a 120Hz display, and 256GB of storage, while the standard model keeps a 90Hz screen and a slower processor. If you want the best version of the stylus phone, the 5G model is the one to buy.
How does the built in stylus work?
The stylus tucks into the bottom corner of the phone and slides out for note taking, sketching, and quick edits in the Moto Note app. It needs no charging or pairing, and the screen off note feature lets you write on the blank display without unlocking the phone.
How long does the battery last?
The 5000 mAh battery delivers a full day or more of heavy use, and lighter use can stretch into a second day. The 30W wired charging brings the phone back to a usable level in under an hour.
Does the Moto G Stylus 5G support expandable storage?
Yes. The 256GB of internal storage can be expanded with a microSD card, so you have plenty of room for photos, video, and downloaded content without worrying about filling the phone.
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