Motorola G96 Review: Motorola has launched its new Moto G96, and this phone specifically targets the mid-range market. Moto has always emphasized on clean software and no-nonsense experience, and the same strategy seems to be in place this time as well. The question is – will the Moto G96 be able to make its mark in a crowded market or will it get lost among the rest of the phones?
Design and Display
The Motorola G96 shines in the design department. It comes with a sleek and lightweight polycarbonate build that feels premium in the hand and resists fingerprints. The vegan leather finish on some colour variants makes it even more classy and grippy.
The display is also a major highlight of this phone. You get a 6.67-inch FHD+ 3D curved pOLED panel with 144Hz refresh rate, which makes scrolling and multimedia viewing super smooth. It also has Corning Gorilla Glass 5 protection and IP68 rating, which is a rare feature at this price point.
Performance and Software
Under the hood, the Moto G96 packs a Qualcomm Snapdragon 7s Gen 2 chipset with 8GB of RAM. For daily tasks like social media, browsing and texting, the phone feels quite smooth and responsive. The software experience is also a plus point – it runs on near-stock Android 15 (Hello UI), has very little bloatware, and Motorola’s unique gestures (like the “chop-chop” flashlight) are fun to use.
But it falls a bit short in terms of performance. Casual gaming runs smoothly, but there is a slight stutter in heavy graphically demanding games. The Snapdragon 7s Gen 2 feels a bit weak compared to rivals like Realme or iQOO.
Camera Performance
The Moto G96 comes with a dual-camera setup – a 50MP Sony LYT-700C primary sensor with OIS and an 8MP ultrawide lens that doubles up as a macro shooter.
The main camera takes sharp and detailed photos in daylight with vibrant colours, but can sometimes seem oversaturated. Performs well in low-light but exposure struggles near light sources.
The ultrawide sensor is functional in daylight, but low-light shots tend to be soft and grainy.
The selfie camera is 32MP which takes quite crisp selfies and also supports 4K video recording – an impressive feature for this segment.
Battery and Charging
Battery life is also a strong point. It has a 5,500mAh battery, which easily lasts a day in moderate to heavy use. There is 33W fast charging support for charging, which fully charges the phone in about 1.5 hours.
Verdict: Can It Stand Out?
The Motorola G96 creates its own identity, but with some limitations.
It clearly stands out due to its premium lightweight design, 144Hz curved pOLED display, clean Android experience and IP68 rating. But weaker performance compared to rivals and limited OS updates can be its drawbacks.
Overall, the Moto G96 is a well-rounded smartphone for users who value design, display, and clean software experience more than raw gaming power.
