Motorola Moto G86 specifications and in-depth review

Motorola Moto G86

Manufacturer: Motorola

The Motorola Moto G86 is a mid-range smartphone built around a 6.67″ OLED/AMOLED panel that runs at 120Hz and reaches a peak brightness of 4500 nits, making it well-suited for varied lighting conditions. Protected by Gorilla Glass 7i and rated IP68 for dust and water resistance, the device carries a relatively slim 7.8 mm profile and weighs 185 g, balancing durability with a manageable form factor. It ships with Android 15 and includes a broad set of privacy and customization options out of the box.

Under the hood, the Moto G86 is driven by the MediaTek Dimensity 7300, a 4 nm chipset paired with 8 GB of LPDDR5 RAM running at 6400 MHz and 256 GB of internal storage, with expansion available via a microSD slot. The main camera system combines a 50 MP primary sensor with an 8 MP secondary lens, optical image stabilization, and 4K video recording at 30 fps, while a 32 MP front camera handles selfies. Connectivity covers 5G, Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth 5.3, NFC, and a hybrid SIM tray supporting one physical SIM alongside one eSIM. The 5200 mAh battery supports 30W wired fast charging, though wireless charging is not available on this model.

Pros
  • IP68 waterproofing provides solid protection against dust and water immersion without requiring a ruggedized build
  • The 6.67-inch OLED display reaches 4500 nits of brightness with a 120Hz refresh rate and HDR10+ support, making it well-suited for outdoor visibility and media consumption
  • A 5200 mAh battery paired with 30W fast charging offers a substantial capacity with reasonably quick replenishment
  • The dual rear camera system includes optical image stabilization, phase-detection autofocus, 4K video recording, and a broad set of manual controls including ISO, exposure, focus, and white balance
  • 5G connectivity, Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth 5.3, and NFC are all present, covering a wide range of modern wireless use cases
  • An external memory slot allows storage to be expanded beyond the built-in 256GB
Cons
  • Wireless charging is not supported, limiting charging flexibility
  • No 3.5mm headphone jack is present, requiring an adapter for wired audio
  • Bluetooth audio codec support is limited, with no aptX, aptX HD, aptX Adaptive, aptX Lossless, or LDAC available
  • The USB port runs on USB 2.0 despite the Type-C connector, which restricts wired data transfer speeds
  • OS updates are not delivered directly from the vendor, which may affect the timeliness of software and security patches
  • There is no optical zoom on the rear camera system
Who is this for?

This device suits everyday users who want a reliable all-rounder with strong display quality and solid environmental resilience. The IP68 waterproofing and Gorilla Glass 7i protection make it a practical choice for people who use their phone outdoors, in varied weather, or in physically demanding settings. Those who consume a lot of media will appreciate the large OLED panel with 120Hz refresh rate, 4500 nits brightness, and HDR10+ support, while the 5200 mAh battery caters well to users who need their device to last through a full day of heavy use without anxiety about finding a charger. The broad camera manual controls, OIS, and 4K video recording also make it a reasonable fit for hobbyist photographers and video creators who prefer hands-on control over automated shooting modes.

Who is this NOT for?

Users who rely heavily on wired headphones will find the absence of a 3.5mm audio jack inconvenient, and those invested in high-quality wireless audio through codecs like LDAC or aptX will find no support for any of those standards. The USB 2.0 interface, despite the Type-C connector, makes it a poor fit for users who regularly transfer large files between their phone and a computer. Photography enthusiasts who prioritize versatility will be limited by the lack of optical zoom, and videographers needing HDR10 or Dolby Vision recording will need to look elsewhere. The absence of wireless charging also makes this device less suited to users who have built their workflow around cable-free power top-ups.

Design:

water resistance Waterproof
weight 185 g
thickness 7.8 mm
width 74.7 mm
height 161.2 mm
volume 93.924792 cm³
Ingress Protection (IP) rating IP68
has a rugged build
can be folded

The Motorola Moto G86 has a standard, non-folding form factor measuring 161.2 mm tall, 74.7 mm wide, and just 7.8 mm thick, with a total volume of 93.92 cm³ and a weight of 185 g. One of its standout physical attributes is its IP68 ingress protection rating, classifying it as fully waterproof against dust and water immersion. While it does not feature a rugged build in the traditional hardened sense, the IP68 certification still provides a solid level of environmental resilience for everyday use.

Display:

Display type OLED/AMOLED
screen size 6.67"
pixel density 446 ppi
resolution 1220 x 2712 px
refresh rate 120Hz
brightness (typical) 4500 nits
has branded damage-resistant glass
Gorilla Glass version Gorilla Glass 7i
supports HDR10
supports HDR10+
Always-On Display
supports Dolby Vision
Has a secondary screen
has a touch screen

The Moto G86 features a 6.67″ OLED/AMOLED touchscreen with a resolution of 1220 x 2712 px and a pixel density of 446 ppi, delivering a sharp and detailed image across its panel. It runs at a 120Hz refresh rate and reaches a typical brightness of 4500 nits, providing smooth motion and strong visibility. The display supports both HDR10 and HDR10+, though Dolby Vision is not included, and it is protected by Gorilla Glass 7i for added scratch and impact resistance. There is no secondary screen and no Always-On Display functionality, but the panel does carry full touch input support.

Performance:

internal storage 256GB
RAM 8GB
AnTuTu benchmark score 675000
Chipset (SoC) name MediaTek Dimensity 7300
GPU name Mali G615 MC2
CPU speed 4 x 2.5 & 4 x 2 GHz
Geekbench 6 result (multi) 2932
Geekbench 6 result (single) 1026
GPU clock speed 1047 MHz
Has integrated LTE
RAM speed 6400 MHz
semiconductor size 4 nm
Supports 64-bit
DirectX version DirectX 12
Has integrated graphics
Uses big.LITTLE technology
CPU threads 8 threads
Uses HMP
maximum memory amount 16GB
number of transistors 6200 million
DDR memory version 5
supported displays 1

The Moto G86 is powered by the MediaTek Dimensity 7300, a 4 nm chipset built around an 8-thread big.LITTLE configuration running at 4 x 2.5 GHz and 4 x 2 GHz, with Heterogeneous Multi-Processing (HMP) support and integrated LTE. It comes with 8 GB of LPDDR5 RAM clocked at 6400 MHz and 256 GB of internal storage, with the platform supporting up to 16 GB of memory. Graphics are handled by the integrated Mali G615 MC2 GPU running at 1047 MHz, which supports DirectX 12 and drives a single display. The chipset contains 6,200 million transistors and is fully 64-bit compatible. In benchmarks, the device scores 675,000 on AnTuTu, 1,026 on Geekbench 6 single-core, and 2,932 on Geekbench 6 multi-core, giving a reliable indication of its processing headroom for everyday tasks and moderate workloads.

Cameras:

megapixels (main camera) 50 & 8 MP
wide aperture (main camera) 2.2 & 1.8f
Has a dual-lens (or multi-lens) main camera
megapixels (front camera) 32MP
has built-in optical image stabilization
video recording (main camera) 2160 x 30 fps
Has a dual-tone LED flash
number of flash LEDs 1
has a BSI sensor
has a CMOS sensor
has continuous autofocus when recording movies
Has phase-detection autofocus for photos
supports slow-motion video recording
has a built-in HDR mode
has manual exposure
has a flash
optical zoom 0x
has manual ISO
has a serial shot mode
has manual focus
has a front camera
Has laser autofocus
Shoots 360° panorama
has manual white balance
has touch autofocus
has manual shutter speed
can create panoramas in-camera
wide aperture (front camera) 2.2f
Has timelapse function
Has a front-facing LED flash
has a dual-lens (or multi-lens) front camera
supports HDR10 recording
supports Dolby Vision recording
has a front-facing camera under the display
Has a RGB LED flash
has 3D photo/video recording capabilities

The Moto G86 features a dual-lens rear camera system combining a 50 MP sensor at f/1.8 and an 8 MP sensor at f/2.2, both using a CMOS configuration without a back-illuminated sensor. Optical image stabilization is built in, and autofocus options include phase-detection and touch autofocus for stills, as well as continuous autofocus during video recording, though laser autofocus is not present. The main camera captures video at up to 2160p at 30 fps and supports slow-motion recording, while HDR10 and Dolby Vision recording are not available. Manual controls extend to ISO, exposure, focus, and white balance, though manual shutter speed is absent. Shooting modes include burst, panorama, and timelapse, but 360-degree panorama and 3D capture are not supported. A single LED flash is included on the rear — not dual-tone or RGB — while the front camera has no flash of its own. On the front, a 32 MP single-lens camera with an f/2.2 aperture handles selfies and is mounted above the display rather than beneath it.

Operating system:

Android version Android 15
has clipboard warnings
has location privacy options
has camera/microphone privacy options
has Mail Privacy Protection
has theme customization
can block app tracking
blocks cross-site tracking
has on-device machine learning
has notification permissions
has media picker
Can play games while they download
has dark mode
has Wi-Fi password sharing
has battery health check
has an extra dim mode
has focus modes
has dynamic theming
can offload apps
Has customizable notifications
has Live Text
has full-page screenshots
supports split screen
gets direct OS updates
has PiP
Can be used as a PC
Has sharing intents
has a child lock
Supports widgets
Is free and open source
Has offline voice recognition
has voice commands
Tracks the current position of a mobile device
is a multi-user system
has Quick Start

The Moto G86 runs Android 15 and comes with a well-rounded set of privacy controls, including clipboard warnings, location privacy options, camera and microphone access management, and the ability to block app tracking, though cross-site tracking blocking and Mail Privacy Protection are not included. On the customization side, the OS supports dark mode, dynamic theming, theme customization, widgets, and an extra dim mode, while focus modes and Quick Start are absent. Productivity is covered through split-screen multitasking, Picture-in-Picture, full-page scrolling screenshots, a media picker, sharing intents, and the ability to play games while they are still downloading. The system also supports on-device machine learning, offline voice recognition, voice commands, live text selection from images, app offloading, customizable notifications, a child lock, multi-user support, and device tracking. OS updates are not delivered directly from the vendor, and the device cannot function as a PC, nor does it offer Wi-Fi password sharing.

Battery:

battery power 5200 mAh
has wireless charging
Supports fast charging
charging speed 30W
has a removable battery
has a battery level indicator
has a rechargeable battery

The Moto G86 is equipped with a 5200 mAh rechargeable, non-removable battery that supports 30W wired fast charging, allowing for quicker top-ups compared to standard charging speeds. Wireless charging is not available on this model. A battery level indicator is built in, giving users a straightforward way to monitor remaining charge at a glance.

Audio:

has a socket for a 3.5 mm audio jack
has stereo speakers
has aptX
has LDAC
has aptX HD
has aptX Adaptive
has aptX Lossless

The Moto G86 includes stereo speakers but omits a 3.5 mm headphone jack, so wired audio accessories require an adapter or a USB-C connection. On the wireless audio side, the device does not support aptX, aptX HD, aptX Adaptive, aptX Lossless, or LDAC, meaning high-resolution and enhanced-quality Bluetooth audio codecs are not available on this model.

Connectivity & Features:

has 5G support
Wi-Fi version Wi-Fi 4 (802.11n), Wi-Fi 5 (802.11ac), Wi-Fi 6 (802.11ax)
SIM cards 1 SIM, 1 eSIM
Bluetooth version 5.3
has an external memory slot
Has USB Type-C
USB version 2
has NFC
download speed 3270 MBits/s
upload speed 3270 MBits/s
Has a fingerprint scanner
has emergency SOS via satellite
has crash detection
is DLNA-certified
has a gyroscope
supports ANT+
Has a heart rate monitor
has GPS
has a compass
supports Wi-Fi
Has an infrared sensor
has an accelerometer
has a cellular module
Has a barometer
has an HDMI output
Uses 3D facial recognition
Has an iris scanner
Stylus included
supports Galileo
Has motion tracking
Has optical tracking
Has a built-in projector

The Moto G86 supports 5G connectivity alongside Wi-Fi 4, Wi-Fi 5, and Wi-Fi 6, with download and upload speeds reaching up to 3270 MBits/s. It accommodates one physical SIM and one eSIM, and connects via a USB Type-C port running USB 2.0, with no HDMI output available. Bluetooth 5.3 and NFC are both present, while ANT+ and DLNA certification are not supported. For navigation and positioning, the device includes GPS with Galileo support, and its sensor suite covers a gyroscope, accelerometer, and compass, though a barometer, heart rate monitor, infrared sensor, and motion or optical tracking are all absent. Biometric security is handled by a fingerprint scanner; 3D facial recognition and an iris scanner are not included, and no stylus comes in the box. The device also features an external memory slot for storage expansion, but does not offer emergency SOS via satellite, crash detection, or a built-in projector.

Miscellaneous:

has a video light
Has sapphire glass display
Has a curved display
Has an e-paper display

The Moto G86 includes a video light for illumination during video recording, while its display is flat rather than curved and uses neither sapphire glass nor an e-paper panel.

Final Verdict

The Motorola Moto G86 presents a well-rounded package for users who prioritize display quality and physical durability in a slim, everyday smartphone. Its IP68-rated OLED display with 4500 nits brightness and 120Hz refresh rate stands out as a genuine strength, complemented by a 5200 mAh battery and 30W fast charging that keep endurance firmly in its favor. The camera system offers meaningful manual control and OIS, though the lack of optical zoom and absent HDR video recording set natural boundaries on its creative ceiling. Connectivity is current, with 5G, Wi-Fi 6, and NFC all on board, though the USB 2.0 interface and missing wireless charging reflect deliberate trade-offs. For users seeking a dependable daily device with a strong screen, solid build protection, and lasting battery life, the Moto G86 delivers on the areas that matter most in regular use.

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