Motorola Motorola G Stylus XT2517-2 PANTONE Gibraltar Sea 128GB

The battery life is the real hero here, scoring in the 92nd percentile and easily lasting over 40 hours. The built-in stylus is a unique and useful feature you won't find on any other new phone for $295. Just know that the camera is a major weak point, so this phone is best for people who prioritize battery and note-taking over photography.

The Snapdragon 6 Gen 3 chipset with 8GB of RAM puts this phone right in the 51st percentile for performance, which is exactly what you'd expect for the price. It's not going to set any speed records, but it handles the basics without breaking a sweat. Scrolling through social media, streaming video, and juggling a few apps at once all feel smooth. The stylus integration is also lag-free, making note-taking feel natural and responsive. Just don't expect to crank up the graphics settings on demanding games like Genshin Impact.

The real star of the show is the 5000mAh battery. A score of 65.1 out of 100 puts it in the 92nd percentile, meaning it outlasts the vast majority of phones we've tested. Motorola claims over 40 hours of battery life, and in our testing, that's not far off the mark. The 68W wired charging is another huge plus, taking the battery from zero to full in well under an hour. For a phone under $300, this combination of endurance and charging speed is almost unheard of.

Stacked against the competition, the Moto G Stylus carves out a very specific niche. The Google Pixel 10a will absolutely demolish it in camera quality and software support, but it lacks a stylus and won't match this battery life. The OnePlus 15 offers far superior raw performance for gaming and multitasking, but it costs significantly more. Even against a flagship like the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra, which has its own S Pen, the Moto G Stylus is a fraction of the price. You're giving up the S24 Ultra's incredible cameras, top-tier performance, and brilliant display, but for basic stylus tasks and all-day battery, the Motorola is a shockingly competent budget alternative.

At $295, the value proposition here is heavily skewed toward the stylus and battery life. You're getting a unique productivity tool and flagship-rivaling endurance for less than a typical mid-range phone. The display is also a pleasant surprise at this price. However, you're making a clear sacrifice in camera performance. If you don't care about photography and just want a phone that lasts forever on a charge and has a pen, this is a steal. If you snap a lot of photos, you'll feel every dollar you saved.

The Motorola G Stylus XT2517-2 is a bit of an oddball in the best way. Its battery life is a genuine standout, landing in the 92nd percentile of our database. You're looking at over 40 hours of use on a single charge, and the 68W TurboPower charging means you can top it up in a hurry. That's flagship-level endurance for a fraction of the price. The built-in stylus is the other headliner, a feature you simply won't find on any other new phone in this price bracket. It's a niche, but if you're a note-taker or doodler, it's a real productivity booster.

But you have to accept some trade-offs for that $295 price tag. The camera system is the weakest link here, scoring a 39.8 out of 100 in our photography tests. The 50MP main sensor with OIS sounds capable on paper, but in practice, it's just okay in good light and struggles when things get dim. Performance from the Snapdragon 6 Gen 3 is solidly middle-of-the-pack, handling daily tasks without complaint but not built for heavy gaming. The 6.7-inch pOLED display is a nice surprise at this price, though, with a sharp 2712 x 1220 resolution and over a billion colors.

Anyone who cares about camera quality should look elsewhere. A photography score of 39.8 out of 100 puts it well behind competitors like the Pixel 10a. If you take a lot of photos of your kids, pets, or nights out, this phone will frustrate you. Gamers should also steer clear, as the middling performance won't keep up with the latest titles. And if you don't see yourself ever using a stylus, you're paying for a feature you won't use while still getting a sub-par camera.

The Motorola G Stylus XT2517-2 is a purpose-built phone that knows exactly what it is. It's not trying to be the best at everything, and it's all the better for it. If you're a student, a serial note-taker, or someone who just misses the feel of a pen, the built-in stylus is a genuine delight. The combination of a fantastic battery, fast charging, and a lovely OLED screen makes it easy to recommend at this price, as long as you can live with a camera that's merely adequate. For the right person, this is one of the best deals around.