Highlights

• Moto G96 5G was recently launched with sales starting from July 16 via Flipkart and the Motorola India website.
• The price of the phone in India starts at Rs. 17,999 for the 8GB + 128GB memory variant.
• It is available in Ashleigh Blue, Dresden Blue, Cattleya Orchid and Greener Pastures colour options.

The sale for the newly launched Moto G96 5G starts from July 16. This means you still have some time to decide about the phone. However, in the meantime, to help you decide, we are here with our full hands-on Moto G96 review after spending a good amount of time with it. So, here it goes.

Moto G96 5G – Key Features

• 67-inch FHD+ 10-bit OLED Display, HDR10+, 144Hz refresh rate
• Snapdragon 7s Gen 2 4nm Mobile Platform with Adreno 710 GPU
• 8GB LPDDR4X RAM
• 128GB / 256GB (UFS 2.2) storage
• 50MP rear camera with Sony LYT-700C sensor with 8MP ultra-wide camera
• 32MP front camera
• Stereo speakers, Dolby Atmos
• IP68 Rated Dust and Splash resistant
• 5500mAh battery with 68W fast charging
• Android 15

Moto G96 5G – Pros and Cons

Moto G96 5G – Unboxing

Moto G96 5G – Design and Build Quality

Design-wise, the Moto G96 5G looks and feels familiar. It follows Moto’s classic design language that we have now repeatedly seen in its devices. But maybe the reason Moto is referring to the same designer notes again and again because it ticks every box and has been widely accepted by customers. It gives a super premium vibe.

The smooth 3D curved display is complemented with a vegan leather back and sleek ultra-thin profile. It’s just 7.93mm thick and weighs only 178g, making it one of the slimmest and lightest phones in its category. We found it really easy to hold and use with one hand, even for longer periods.

We have been using the Greener Pastures finish, which is one of four trendy Pantone-curated colour options. The soft vegan leather back not only feels great to the touch but also adds a nice grip, so you’re less likely to drop it. It definitely stands out in a crowd of plastic backs we usually see in smartphones.

The camera module sits neatly in the top left corner, housing two lenses and a flash with the sensor details subtly printed beside them. It’s minimal, clean, and doesn’t stick out awkwardly. The iconic Moto logo sits right in the centre of the back panel.

Build quality feels solid too. Even though the phone has a polycarbonate frame, but it doesn’t feel delicate at all. In fact, it feels sturdy and well put together. And with IP68 water and dust resistance, it adds to the durability. We had no problem using it in light rain and it should hold up fine if you accidentally drop it in water or sand.

Moto G96 5G – Display

The display on the Moto G96 5G is easily one of its biggest highlights of the phone. You’re getting a massive 6.67-inch 3D curved pOLED screen here and it just feels premium the moment you look at it. That edge-to-edge design gives off a true flagship vibe. It is a perfect display for watching videos or scrolling through apps, which basically sums up an average smartphone user’s day.

The colours pop beautifully, thanks to Display Color Boost and the 10-bit color depth. It covers 100% of the DCI-P3 color gamut, so everything looks rich and vibrant.

And we have to talk about the smoothness since the 144Hz refresh rate is segment-leading. It makes a big difference in gaming, browsing, or just flipping through apps. The phone feels snappy and fluid. The adaptive refresh rate helps in adjusting the setting depending on what you’re doing, so it saves battery when it can.

We tried using the phone in bright sunlight and the screen stays decently visible thanks to the up to 1600 nits of peak brightness. There is also SGS Eye Protection tech, so your eyes won’t feel strained after long hours of use.

What we really found impressive about this display is its durability features. It’s protected by Corning Gorilla Glass 5, which helps keep scratches and minor drops in check. There is also Smart Water Touch 2.0 support, which allows you to use the screen with wet hands.

Moto G96 5G – Hardware, Software and Performance

The Moto G96 5G has the Snapdragon 7s Gen 2 processor built on a 4nm architecture. It’s one of the fastest in this segment and it shows. We are definitely impressed with how smooth the phone feels. Jumping between apps, streaming or just browsing all day, the phone doesn’t slow down.

Our review unit was 8GB RAM and a generous 256GB of storage, which is plenty for multitasking and storing all your photos, videos and apps. There is also the RAM Boost 3.0 feature in case you need it. The phone uses UFS 2.2 storage, which might feel dated but Moto claims it’s been AI-optimised to perform for everyday use smoothly.

It might not be the best phone for gaming but it can definitely handle all your popular games. If you are into graphics-heavy games, we suggest keeping it all at medium settings and you should be good to go. We tested the phone on different benchmarking platforms and the results were mostly in line with what you would expect from a phone in this segment. We also didn’t notice any heating issues even after continuous usage.

It even scored up to 584082 on AnTuTu during our test, which is decent for a mid-range device. Geekbench 6 CPU score was 1016 on the single-core test and 2922 on the multi-core test. Here are the benchmark results for reference.

It runs on Hello UI based on the latest Android 15, which is clean, minimal, and bloat-free. There’s no unnecessary clutter. Motorola has promised 1 major OS upgrade and 3 years of security updates.

There are also some handy features onboard like the Smart Connect 2.0 to wirelessly connect your phone to a TV or PC, Moto Secure powered by ThinkShield to offer business-grade data protection and Family Spaces to manage screen time or remotely control another user’s phone.

Moto G96 5G – Camera Performance

The Moto G96 5G camera system comes with a 50MP Sony LYTIA 700C main sensor and an 8MP ultrawide sensor. The camera performance is better than what we expected from an under-20k segment Moto G series phone.

We tested the camera in different conditions and the photos came out quite sharp, bright, and full of detail even when the lighting isn’t ideal. Low-light shots look clean with less noise. Some shots did appear saturated or soft. We believe it probably needs editing to make it look natural. But overall, the camera system gets you good dynamic range and good bokeh. The skin tone and colours look quite close to real.

Moto G96 5G – Camera Daylight Samples

Moto G96 5G – Camera Night Samples

The 8MP rear sensor is surprisingly versatile. It handles ultrawide, macro, and depth shots from one lens. And then there is the 32MP front camera, which honestly felt sharper than the predecessor G85 model.

The camera supports 4K video recording from all front and back lenses, something you rarely see in this price range. Moto has added Optical Image Stabilisation (OIS) to the mix and it works quite well. We tried shooting while walking in low light and the footage still looked stable enough to post without edits.

Moto G96 5G – Camera Daylight Video

Moto G96 5G – Camera Night Video

Moto has also included a bunch of AI features that assist in enhancing your overall experience with the G96 camera system. For example, the AI Photo Enhancement Engine really boosts the photos and the AI Super Zoom helps in getting sharper zoomed-in shots. There s also AI Auto Smile Capture feature, Tilt Shift mode and more.

Moreover, there are Google-powered AI features too. These include Magic Eraser, AI Photo Unblur and Magic Editor.

Moto G96 5G – Battery and Charging

The battery is an upgrade from the predecessor. In Moto G96, you get a large 5500mAh battery. Now, while many brands are taking the battery specs a notch up, this is a standard in this segment. It is quite sufficient for average users.

During our usage, we barely felt the need to reach for the charger even after a full day of mixed use. Whether streaming videos, taking photos, scrolling through social media, or hopping between apps, the battery held up really well. Motorola claims up to 42 hours of runtime with up to 119 hours of nonstop music, 35 hours of talk time, or 32 hours of video playback. This may be based on an ideal scenario, but we easily got through two full days on light to moderate use.

The phone supports 33W TurboPower fast charging and fortunately, Motorola includes the charger in the box. In our testing, about a 20-minute top-up was enough juice to last for hours. And it takes around 1 hour 15 mins to fully charge the phone.

Verdict – Should You Buy Moto G96 5G?

If you want a phone that offers the perfect mix of style, performance and value, the Moto G96 5G checks all the right boxes. It’s got a stunning 3D curved pOLED display with buttery-smooth 144Hz refresh rate, a premium ultra-thin design with vegan leather finish and a powerful Snapdragon 7s Gen 2 chip.

The camera setup is super versatile and AI-packed with crisp photos, 4K video from all lenses. Battery life is pretty standard too with fast charging support and a bundled adapter.

For its price, the Moto G96 5G feels like a complete package that’s hard to beat.

Reasons To Buy

• Good display
• Good performance
• Long battery life
• Versatile camera

Reasons Not to Buy

• Only 1 year of OS support
• No NFC or HDR support

Alternatives

• OPPO K13 – ₹17,705

• POCO X7 – ₹17,990

• Realme P3 – ₹15,999

FAQs

Q1. What kind of display does the Moto G96 5G offer?

Answer. The Moto G96 5G features a 6.67-inch FHD+ 10-bit OLED display with HDR10+ support and a 144Hz refresh rate.

Q2. Which processor powers the Moto G96 5G?

Answer. It is powered by the Snapdragon 7s Gen 2 4nm Mobile Platform, paired with an Adreno 710 GPU.

Q3. What are the camera specifications of the Moto G96 5G?

Answer. The phone includes a 50MP rear camera with a Sony LYT-700C sensor and an 8MP ultra-wide camera, along with a 32MP front-facing camera.

Q4. How much RAM and storage does the Moto G96 5G have?

Answer. It comes with 8GB LPDDR4X RAM and offers two storage options: 128GB and 256GB (UFS 2.2).

Q5. What are the battery and charging capabilities of the Moto G96 5G?

Answer. The device is equipped with a 5500mAh battery and supports 68W fast charging.

Also Read: Moto G96 5G First Impressions and Unboxing

Also Read: Moto G96 5G launched in India with 144Hz curved display, Snapdragon 7s Gen 2 and IP68 rating, price starts at ₹17,999