Motorola Moto G96 5G specifications and in-depth review

Motorola Moto G96 5G

Manufacturer: Motorola

The Motorola Moto G96 5G is a mid-range smartphone built around a 6.67″ OLED panel that runs at 144Hz, offering smooth scrolling and an Always-On Display mode alongside Gorilla Glass 5 protection. It carries an IP68 rating, meaning it can handle submersion up to 1.5 metres, and its slim 7.9 mm profile keeps the overall form factor relatively compact at 178 g.

Under the hood, the Moto G96 5G runs on a Qualcomm Snapdragon 7s Gen 2 built on a 4 nm process, paired with 8 GB of LPDDR5 RAM and 256 GB of internal storage. The rear camera system combines a 50 MP main sensor with an 8 MP secondary lens, optical image stabilisation, and 4K 30fps video recording, while a 32 MP front camera handles selfies. The 5500 mAh battery supports 30W wired fast charging, and connectivity includes 5G, Bluetooth 5.2, Wi-Fi 5, dual SIM support, and USB Type-C.

Pros
  • IP68 rating with a 1.5-metre waterproof depth offers reliable protection against water damage in everyday situations
  • The 144Hz OLED display with Always-On Display support and Gorilla Glass 5 provides a smooth, well-protected screen experience
  • A 5500 mAh battery paired with 30W fast charging means extended use between charges with reasonably quick top-up times
  • The dual-lens rear camera includes optical image stabilisation, phase-detection autofocus, and a broad set of manual controls for flexible shooting
  • Stereo speakers enhance media playback without needing external accessories
  • Bluetooth 5.2 and dual SIM 5G support make it well-suited for modern connectivity needs
Cons
  • No wireless charging or reverse wireless charging limits charging flexibility
  • NFC is absent, ruling out contactless payments and related functionality
  • The 3.5 mm headphone jack is missing, requiring an adapter or USB-C headphones for wired audio
  • No external memory slot means storage cannot be expanded beyond the built-in 256 GB
  • Bluetooth audio codec support is absent across aptX, aptX HD, aptX Adaptive, aptX Lossless, and LDAC, restricting high-quality wireless audio options
  • Wi-Fi support is capped at Wi-Fi 5, with no Wi-Fi 6 or higher available
Who is this for?

This phone suits users who spend long hours away from a power source, as the 5500 mAh battery with 30W fast charging supports extended use with reasonably quick recovery times. The IP68 waterproof rating and Gorilla Glass 5 make it a practical choice for people in active or outdoor environments where accidental exposure to water or minor impacts is a real concern. Those who enjoy mobile photography will appreciate the manual camera controls, optical image stabilisation, and 4K video recording, while everyday media consumers will benefit from the 144Hz OLED display with stereo speakers and the Always-On Display functionality. Dual SIM 5G support also makes it well suited to frequent travellers or users who manage separate personal and work lines.

Who is this NOT for?

Users who rely on contactless payments or NFC-based workflows will find this device unsuitable, as NFC is absent entirely. Those who prefer wired audio through a standard headphone jack will face inconvenience, since the 3.5 mm socket is not included and no high-resolution Bluetooth codecs such as aptX HD or LDAC are supported — making it a poor fit for audiophiles or users with wired headphone collections. The lack of an external memory slot means users with large media libraries or storage-intensive workflows are confined to the built-in 256 GB, with no option to expand. Additionally, users who require the latest wireless networking standards will be limited by the absence of Wi-Fi 6 support.

Design:

water resistance Waterproof
weight 178 g
thickness 7.9 mm
width 73.3 mm
height 161.9 mm
volume 93.751433 cm³
Ingress Protection (IP) rating IP68
waterproof depth rating 1.5 m
has a rugged build
can be folded

The Motorola Moto G96 5G measures 161.9 mm tall, 73.3 mm wide, and 7.9 mm thick, with a total volume of 93.75 cm³ and a weight of 178 g. It holds an IP68 rating, confirming full waterproof protection with a submersion depth tolerance of 1.5 metres. The phone does not feature a rugged build and cannot be folded.

Display:

Display type OLED/AMOLED
screen size 6.67"
pixel density 395 ppi
resolution 1080 x 2400 px
refresh rate 144Hz
has branded damage-resistant glass
Gorilla Glass version Gorilla Glass 5
supports HDR10
supports HDR10+
Always-On Display
supports Dolby Vision
Has a secondary screen
has a touch screen

The Motorola Moto G96 5G features a 6.67″ OLED/AMOLED touchscreen with a 1080 x 2400 px resolution and a pixel density of 395 ppi, delivering a sharp and vivid visual experience. The panel supports a 144Hz refresh rate and includes an Always-On Display mode, while Gorilla Glass 5 provides reliable scratch and impact resistance. The screen does not support HDR10, HDR10+, or Dolby Vision, and there is no secondary display.

Performance:

internal storage 256GB
RAM 8GB
Chipset (SoC) name Qualcomm Snapdragon 7s Gen 2
GPU name Adreno 710
CPU speed 4 x 2.4 & 4 x 1.95 GHz
Geekbench 6 result (multi) 2970
Geekbench 6 result (single) 1015
GPU clock speed 940 MHz
Has integrated LTE
RAM speed 3200 MHz
semiconductor size 4 nm
Supports 64-bit
DirectX version DirectX 12
Has integrated graphics
OpenGL version 3.2
OpenGL ES version 3.2
Uses big.LITTLE technology
CPU threads 8 threads
Uses HMP
Has TrustZone
maximum memory bandwidth 25.6 GB/s
OpenCL version 2
memory channels 2
maximum memory amount 16GB
uses multithreading
Thermal Design Power (TDP) 5W
DDR memory version 5
turbo clock speed 2.4GHz

The Motorola Moto G96 5G is powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 7s Gen 2, a 4 nm chipset with an octa-core CPU arranged in a big.LITTLE configuration running at up to 2.4 GHz across 8 threads, with HMP support enabling efficient workload distribution. The Adreno 710 GPU clocks at 940 MHz and supports DirectX 12, OpenGL 3.2, OpenGL ES 3.2, and OpenCL 2, with integrated graphics handling visual processing on-chip. The device comes with 8 GB of LPDDR5 RAM at 3200 MHz across two memory channels, delivering a maximum bandwidth of 25.6 GB/s, alongside 256 GB of internal storage and a maximum supported memory amount of 16 GB. The chipset includes integrated LTE, TrustZone security, and 64-bit support, and scores 1015 in Geekbench 6 single-core and 2970 in multi-core testing, operating within a 5W TDP envelope.

Cameras:

megapixels (main camera) 50 & 8 MP
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) 2.2 & 1.9f
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 Motorola Moto G96 5G features a dual-lens rear camera system combining a 50 MP main sensor and an 8 MP secondary lens, both using a CMOS sensor without back-illumination. The main camera supports optical image stabilisation, phase-detection autofocus, touch autofocus, continuous autofocus during video, and a manual control set covering exposure, ISO, focus, and white balance, though manual shutter speed is not available. It can record video at 2160p 30fps, supports slow-motion recording, HDR mode, burst mode, timelapse, and in-camera panoramas, but does not offer optical zoom, laser autofocus, 360-degree panorama, HDR10 or Dolby Vision recording, or 3D capture. A single LED flash is present on the rear, with no dual-tone or RGB flash option. On the front, a 32 MP single-lens camera sits in a standard position above the display — not under it — with dual aperture values of f/2.2 and f/1.9, and no dedicated flash.

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 Motorola Moto G96 5G runs Android 15, an open-source platform that supports multi-user access, voice commands, offline voice recognition, on-device machine learning, and device tracking. Privacy controls cover clipboard warnings, location access, and camera and microphone permissions, though Mail Privacy Protection and cross-site tracking blocking are not included. Customisation options extend to dynamic theming, theme customisation, dark mode, an extra dim mode, home screen widgets, and customisable notifications, while focus modes and Wi-Fi password sharing are absent. The OS supports split-screen multitasking, Picture-in-Picture, full-page screenshots, a media picker, sharing intents, app offloading, a child lock, and the ability to play games while they are still downloading. Battery health monitoring and Live Text are also available, but direct OS updates from the vendor and Quick Start are not supported.

Battery:

battery power 5500 mAh
has wireless charging
Supports fast charging
charging speed 30W
has reverse wireless charging
has a removable battery
has a battery level indicator
has a rechargeable battery

The Motorola Moto G96 5G houses a 5500 mAh rechargeable battery with a battery level indicator, and supports 30W fast charging for quicker top-ups. The battery is non-removable, and the device does not support wireless charging or reverse wireless charging.

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
Has a radio

The Motorola Moto G96 5G includes stereo speakers but omits a 3.5 mm headphone jack, so wired audio requires an adapter or USB-C headphones. There is no radio, and Bluetooth audio codec support is limited — aptX, aptX HD, aptX Adaptive, aptX Lossless, and LDAC are all absent.

Connectivity & Features:

has 5G support
Wi-Fi version Wi-Fi 4 (802.11n), Wi-Fi 5 (802.11ac)
SIM cards 2 SIM
Bluetooth version 5.2
has an external memory slot
Has USB Type-C
USB version 2
has NFC
download speed 2900 MBits/s
upload speed 1500 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 Motorola Moto G96 5G supports 5G connectivity with a cellular module, dual SIM capability, and peak download and upload speeds of 2900 Mbits/s and 1500 Mbits/s respectively. Wireless networking covers Wi-Fi 4 (802.11n) and Wi-Fi 5 (802.11ac), while Bluetooth 5.2 handles short-range connections; NFC, ANT+, and DLNA are not supported. The phone uses a USB Type-C port running USB 2.0, and there is no external memory slot, HDMI output, or built-in projector. Navigation is handled by GPS and Galileo, complemented by a gyroscope, accelerometer, and compass, though a barometer, heart rate monitor, infrared sensor, and motion or optical tracking are absent. A fingerprint scanner manages biometric authentication, while 3D facial recognition and an iris scanner are not present, and no stylus is included. Emergency SOS via satellite and crash detection are also not available.

Miscellaneous:

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

The Motorola Moto G96 5G features a curved display and includes a video light for recording in low-light conditions. It does not use sapphire glass for screen protection, nor does it incorporate an e-paper display.

Final Verdict

The Motorola Moto G96 5G presents a well-rounded specification set aimed at everyday users who value endurance, display quality, and dependable build integrity. Its IP68-rated waterproof design paired with a 5500 mAh battery and 30W fast charging forms a strong practical core, while the 144Hz OLED panel and stereo speakers make it a capable device for daily media consumption and general use. The absence of NFC, a 3.5 mm headphone jack, high-resolution Bluetooth codec support, and expandable storage does narrow its appeal for certain user groups, and those with more demanding wireless or audio requirements may find the feature set limiting. Overall, the Moto G96 5G is a solid choice for users who prioritise screen smoothness, water resistance, and battery reliability over connectivity breadth.

Popular Comparisons

Motorola Moto G96 5G
Motorola Moto G96 5G
VS
Motorola Moto G86 Power
Motorola Moto G86 Power
Motorola Moto G96 5G
Motorola Moto G96 5G
VS
CMF Phone 2 Pro
CMF Phone 2 Pro
Motorola Moto G96 5G
Motorola Moto G96 5G
VS
Motorola Edge 60 Fusion
Motorola Edge 60 Fusion
Motorola Moto G96 5G
Motorola Moto G96 5G
VS
Infinix Note 50s 5G
Infinix Note 50s 5G
Motorola Moto G96 5G
Motorola Moto G96 5G
VS
Honor X9b 5G
Honor X9b 5G
Motorola Moto G96 5G
Motorola Moto G96 5G
VS
Samsung Galaxy M17 5G
Samsung Galaxy M17 5G
Motorola Moto G96 5G
Motorola Moto G96 5G
VS
Xiaomi Redmi Note 15 5G
Xiaomi Redmi Note 15 5G
Motorola Moto G96 5G
Motorola Moto G96 5G
VS
Xiaomi Poco X7 Pro
Xiaomi Poco X7 Pro
Motorola Moto G96 5G
Motorola Moto G96 5G
VS
Oppo Reno13 5G
Oppo Reno13 5G
Motorola Moto G96 5G
Motorola Moto G96 5G
VS
Realme P3 Ultra 5G
Realme P3 Ultra 5G