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Motorola Moto G Stylus vs Moto G Pure

A battle of budget-friendly phones: Which Moto G Reigns Supreme?
By
March 22, 2023
Motorola Moto G Stylus (2022)
MSRP: $299.99
Check price
Positives
Built-in stylus
Decent budget cameras
Clean, smooth Android skin
Negatives
No NFC
Slow wired charging
Aggressive beauty filtering on selfies
The Bottom Line.
This version of the Moto G Stylus is at a weird crossroads. The 5G version is a much better phone that’s still within touching distance price-wise, and there are only moderate improvements over the previous 4G LTE model. The larger battery is nice, but it’s held back by weak 10W charging. Motorola boosted the base RAM, but the processor is technically a step down from its predecessor. A 90Hz refresh rate makes a nice display, but this budget phone has no NFC and a poor software guarantee. Overall a solid phone, just the awkward middle-child in Motorola's 2022 lineup.Read full review...
Motorola Moto G Pure (2021)
MSRP: $139.00
Check price
Positives
Near-stock Android software
Attractive design
Solid battery life
Super affordable
Negatives
Limited cameras
Slow charging speeds
Limited long-term support
No NFC
The Bottom Line.
The Moto G Pure is another solid budget phone from the minds at Motorola. It's eye-catching and performs well enough for the price, but for overall value it sits too close to the ever-reliable Moto G Play for its own good. Still, it's tough to top a price of just $159.Read full review...

Motorola has brought a range of reliable and budget-friendly devices to the market over the years. In this article, we’ll look at two popular contenders: the Moto G Stylus and the Moto G Pure. Whether you’re an aspiring digital artist in need of a stylus or a user who values a pure Android experience, our Moto G Stylus vs Moto G Pure comparison will clarify which of these smartphones should be your next pocket companion.

Motorola Moto G Stylus vs Moto G Pure: At a glance

Here's a quick look at the most significant differences between the Motorola Moto G Stylus and the Moto G Pure:

  • The Moto G Pure is $150 cheaper than the Moto G Stylus.
  • The Moto G Stylus has twice the RAM and four times the storage as the Moto G Pure.
  • The Moto G Stylus has a more versatile camera system than the Moto G Pure.
  • The Moto G Stylus has a more powerful processor than the Moto G Pure.

Motorola Moto G Stylus vs Moto G Pure: Specs

Moto G StylusMoto G Pure
Display
Moto G Stylus
6.8-inch IPS LCD
FHD+ (2,460 x 1,080)
90Hz refresh rate
Moto G Pure
6.5 inches IPS LCD
1,600 x 720 (20:9)
Processor
Moto G Stylus
MediaTek Helio G88
Moto G Pure
MediaTek Helio G25
Memory / Storage
Moto G Stylus
6GB / 128GB (expandable up to 512GB)
Moto G Pure
3GB / 32GB
Power
Moto G Stylus
5,000mAh battery
10W wired charging
Moto G Pure
4,000mAh
10W wired charging
Cameras
Moto G Stylus
Rear:
- 50MP wide (0.64μm, ƒ1.9)
- 8MP ultrawide (1.12μm, ƒ2.2, 118-degree FoV)
- 2MP depth (1.75μm, ƒ2.4)

Front:
- 16MP wide (1.0μm, ƒ2.2)

Video:
Rear: 1080 at 60 fps

Front: 1080p at 30 fps
Moto G Pure
Rear:
13MP wide (f/2.2)
2MP depth (f/2.4)

Front:
5MP (f/2.4)

Video:
Rear: 1080p at 30 fps

Front: 1080p at 30 fps
Connectivity
Moto G Stylus
Wi-Fi 802.11
Bluetooth 5.0
Moto G Pure
Wi-Fi 802.11
Bluetooth 5.0
Dimensions and weight
Moto G Stylus
170.21 x 75.9 x 9.45mm
216g
Moto G Pure
167.4 x 75.6 x 8.8mm
188g
Colors
Moto G Stylus
Metallic Rose
Twilight Blue
Moto G Pure
Deep Indigo

Motorola Moto G Stylus vs Moto G Pure: Size comparison

Of the two, the Moto G Stylus is the bigger phone giving you a 6.8-inch canvas to draw on with your stylus pen. In comparison, the Moto G Pure has an easily pocketable 6.5 inches display. However, the Moto G Pure has some pretty chunky bezels along the top and bottom, making it feel like it could have been even smaller.

The Moto G Pure is also much lighter than the Moto G Stylus, weighing 188g compared to 216g. If you favor a smaller, lightweight phone, that is enough to feel the difference in hand.

Motorola Moto G Stylus vs Moto G Pure: Cameras

The difference in cameras is pretty significant. The Moto G Stylus sports a triple camera setup on the backside, while the Moto G Pure only has two rear cameras. The Moto G Stylus has a 50MP wide which takes decent everyday shots, an 8MP ultrawide for extreme close-ups, and a 2MP depth sensor. On the other hand, the Moto G Pure has a 13MP wide shooter with poor low-light and zoom performance and the same 2MP depth sensor.

On the front, the Moto G Stylus has a 16MP selfie shooter centered in a punch hole cutout, while the Moto G Pure has a meager 5MP selfie camera placed in a V-shaped notch. While the Moto G Pure’s selfie camera can capture faces well enough, it pretty much gives up on background details entirely. Overall, you get a better camera setup with the Mot G Stylus.

As for video recording, the Moto G Stylus can shoot at 1080p up to 60 fps with the rear cameras, while the Moto G Pure is limited to 1080p at 30 fps, which isn’t the best even for a budget phone. Both smartphones are restricted to 1080p at 30 fps with the selfie shooters.

Motorola Moto G Stylus vs Moto G Pure: Battery and charging

The Moto G Stylus has a 5,000mAh battery, while the Moto G Pure has a smaller 4,000mAh battery. Both phones can push through roughly two days of regular use, but the Moto G Stylus will have an easier time doing so with a little more charge remaining when you get home.

Both smartphones have relatively slow charging speeds, however. They are limited to 10W wired charging, so you’ll be waiting a little over two hours to fill a depleted cell. Neither phone supports wireless charging, either.

Motorola Moto G Stylus vs Moto G Pure: Price

  • Motorola Moto G Stylus (6GB/128GB): $299.99
  • Motorola Moto G Pure (3GB/32GB): $159.99

The Moto G Pure was the first to launch in the fall of 2021 for only $159.99. The Moto G Stylus wasn’t too far behind, releasing early in 2022 for $299.99 – nearly double the price. Aside from including a stylus, it did have more RAM, storage, and a better display and cameras to justify the price difference.

Currently, Motorola is selling the Moto G Stylus for $179.99 and the Moto G Pure for $109.99 on their US website. The price drop makes both smartphones an enticing buy for bargain hunters.

Motorola Moto G Stylus vs Moto G Pure: Which should you buy?

These mid-rangers from Motorola offer decent value for shoppers on a tight budget. Each one comes with Android 11 out of the box but can be upgraded to Android 12, and Motorola’s My UX is as light and smooth as they come.

However, considering you can pick up both phones for less than $200 right now, we recommend going with the Moto G Stylus. It delivers more robust performance with more RAM, and the MediaTek Helio G88 chipset has a higher GPU frequency and scored better in our benchmark results than the MediaTek Helio G25. It also gives you a more versatile camera setup with a third ultrawide lens. Not to mention you get the stylus for fun and a cleaner-looking glossy backside that better disguises the plastic materials.

Regardless of whether or not you need a stylus, the Moto G Stylus is a better phone overall.

Still, for only $110, the Moto G Pure is an ultra-affordable small, lightweight phone that performs well enough in everyday use. If you want slightly more power, the larger 5,000mAh battery, and upgradeability to Android 13, consider the newer Moto G Play for $149.99.

Would you rather buy the Moto G Stylus or the Moto G Pure?

6 votes
See price at Amazon
Motorola Moto G Stylus (2022)
65%off
Motorola Moto G Stylus (2022)
Built-in stylus
Decent budget cameras
Clean Android skin
See price at Amazon
Motorola Moto G Pure (2021)
12%off
Motorola Moto G Pure (2021)
Near-stock Android software
Attractive design
Solid battery life

FAQs

No, neither the Moto G Stylur nor the Moto G Pure support wireless charging.

Both the Moto G Stylus and the Mot G Pure have a water-repellent coating and an IP52 rating for essential splashproof and dust ingress protection.

No, neither the Moto G Stylur nor the Moto G Pure has NFC support.

No, both the Moto G Stylur and the Moto G Pure have a single Nano-SIM.