First Impressions
In a market where manufacturers seem to release new mid-range devices with alarming frequency, Motorola continues to push its G-series lineup forward. The Moto G87 arrives as one of the more premium options in this segment for 2026, positioning itself between budget-friendly models and true flagship killers. It promises a blend of high-end aesthetics and respectable internal specs, including a new 200-megapixel main camera.
At first glance, the device feels familiar yet refined. The design language shares strong similarities with its predecessor, the Moto G77, but introduces subtle improvements in durability and visual appeal. For consumers looking for a reliable daily driver that doesn't break the bank, the G87 presents an intriguing case. However, as we dig deeper into its performance metrics and connectivity features, some areas of compromise become apparent.
Design and Build Quality
The Moto G87 sports a 6.78-inch display housed in a surprisingly slender frame for its class. Motorola has opted for a completely flat screen, which many users prefer over the curved edges found on competitors, though some might argue that slight curvature could have improved hand feel.
Aesthetic Choices and Materials
The back of the phone features Motorola’s signature soft-touch finish, providing excellent grip and a pleasant tactile experience. The camera bump is minimal, blending seamlessly into the rear panel rather than protruding aggressively. Users can choose between two Pantone-certified colors: "Blue Atoll," a bold bright blue, or "Overture," a sophisticated dark bluish-gray.
The construction relies on plastic for both the edges and the back, which is standard practice at this price point to keep costs down while maintaining durability. The device has passed 13 military-grade MIL-STD-810H tests, ensuring resilience against extreme temperatures, drops, and other environmental stresses.
Durability Upgrades
A significant upgrade over the previous G77 model is the inclusion of IP68 and IP69 ratings for water and dust resistance. This makes the phone suitable for beach holidays or poolside use without immediate worry about moisture damage. The display is protected by Gorilla Glass 7i, which offers reasonable scratch resistance.
However, Motorola has not included a pre-applied screen protector. Given that other devices with similar glass have shown minor scratches after weeks of normal use, users are advised to apply their own protection immediately if they wish to maintain pristine condition.
Display and Audio Experience
The 6.78-inch Extreme AMOLED display delivers a resolution of 2772 by 1272 pixels. While the visual output is crisp, it lacks HDR streaming capabilities, which may disappoint viewers accustomed to high-dynamic-range content on flagship devices.
Visual Performance
The screen boasts a 120Hz refresh rate and flicker prevention technology, making scrolling smooth and reducing eye strain for sensitive users. Brightness levels are impressive; even under direct studio lighting or harsh sunlight, the display remains legible due to its high peak brightness.
Users can toggle between natural color profiles and a "Vivid" mode that enhances saturation and coolness in tones. The default settings generally strike a good balance, offering natural colors without excessive processing artifacts.
Stereo Speakers
The phone features a stereo speaker setup, though the top channel utilizes the earpiece rather than a dedicated secondary driver. Consequently, audio output at maximum volume can become tinny with noticeable distortion and a lack of bass response. For media consumption or gaming, connecting headphones or an external Bluetooth speaker is highly recommended.
Bluetooth 5.4 support ensures stable wireless connectivity for audio devices, complemented by Dolby Atmos processing. Users can access a custom 10-band equalizer within the Smart Audio settings to tailor sound output to their preferences.
Software and User Interface
The Moto G87 runs on Android 16 with Motorola’s mostly stock user interface. This approach avoids heavy bloatware, offering a clean experience similar to Google Pixel devices in terms of notification panels and app drawer design.
Updates and Security
Motorola promises three guaranteed OS updates and four years of security patches for UK and European models. However, the timeliness of these updates has been inconsistent. For instance, during testing, the device was still running a March security patch despite being June, suggesting that users should not expect monthly or even quarterly timely rollouts.
Bloatware and Pre-installed Apps
While the core Android experience is clean, Motorola has included several third-party applications such as Booking.com, Amazon, Facebook, LinkedIn, and Temu. Users will need to spend time uninstalling or disabling these apps if they prefer a clutter-free environment.
On the positive side, Motorola includes its own useful utilities like the Moto app hub for personalization, Moto Secure for additional protection layers, and Smart Connect tools that allow file sharing with laptops and using the phone as a webcam.
Fingerprint Sensor and Unlocking
The optical in-display fingerprint sensor is positioned low on the screen, requiring an awkward stretch for some users. Despite this placement, it offers reliable recognition even with moist or dirty fingers. Face unlock serves as a backup method but lacks the security depth of facial recognition systems found on higher-end devices.
Performance and Gaming
Under the hood, the Moto G87 is powered by MediaTek’s Dimensity 6400 chipset paired with 8GB of RAM. This platform is known for energy efficiency rather than raw power, which aligns with Motorola's strategy to prioritize battery life over peak performance.
Daily Usability
In everyday tasks such as web browsing, social media scrolling, and app switching, the phone performs adequately. Occasional judders or stutters may occur when multitasking heavily, but for most users, these moments are minor inconveniences rather than deal-breakers.
Gaming Capabilities
The device struggles significantly with graphically intensive games. Titles like Wuthering Waves run poorly even on the lowest graphic settings, often dipping into single-digit frame rates despite enabling "Turbo Performance Mode." This makes the G87 unsuitable for serious mobile gamers.
However, optimized titles such as Call of Duty run smoothly at low graphics settings. For those seeking better gaming performance in this price range, competitors like Poco devices may offer superior chipset options.
Battery Life and Charging
The 5,200 mAh battery is a standout feature for the Moto G87. Combined with the energy-efficient Dimensity chipset and stock Android software, it delivers impressive endurance.
All-Day Endurance
Users can expect double-digit screen-on time even with heavy usage patterns. In testing, playing demanding games like Wuthering Waves on low settings lasted over five hours, while less intensive apps extended this further. This battery capacity exceeds that of many flagship phones, including the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra.
Charging Speeds
The trade-off for long-lasting battery life is slow charging. The Moto G87 supports only 30W wired charging, taking over an hour to fully recharge from empty. There is no wireless charging support at all. At a price point around £300, many consumers might expect faster charging capabilities as standard.
Camera System
The most significant hardware upgrade in the G87 is its new 200-megapixel main camera sensor. This allows for high-resolution photography with detailed cropping potential, though results vary depending on lighting conditions.
Main Camera Performance
In well-lit environments, the 200MP mode captures vibrant colors and good detail. However, pinching in to zoom does not yield the ultra-crispy results one might expect from such a high megapixel count. The phone defaults to 12.6-megapixel shots for better dynamic range and processing speed.
There is no dedicated telephoto lens; all zoom functionality relies on digital cropping, which limits optical quality at distance. The ultra-wide-angle sensor is an 8MP unit that performs adequately for everyday snapshots but lacks the detail of premium counterparts.
Low Light and Video
Low-light photography produces reasonably clean images with minimal grain, though post-processing tends to brighten scenes significantly, sometimes at the cost of natural authenticity. Portrait mode works well for casual use.
Video recording is limited compared to stills. The rear cameras can shoot 2K video at 30fps or Full HD at 60fps. Stabilization is decent for home videos, and audio pickup is clear in calm environments but suffers in windy conditions. There is no 4K video option.
Selfie Camera
The front-facing 32MP camera supports up to 2K resolution at 30fps. It provides sufficient quality for video calls and selfies, with acceptable stabilization and audio clarity in non-gusty conditions.
Connectivity Issues
A notable drawback of the Moto G87 is its Wi-Fi performance. During testing, large file downloads were exceptionally slow compared to other devices on the same network. For example, while a competitor phone downloaded data at 10MB/s, the G87 crawled along at approximately 100KB/s.
This issue does not appear to affect streaming services like Spotify or Netflix, which play smoothly thanks to efficient buffering and good display output. However, for users who rely on fast Wi-Fi speeds for gaming updates or large file transfers, this connectivity flaw is a significant inconvenience.
Storage and Expansion
The Moto G87 comes with 256GB of internal storage as standard, which is generous for the mid-range segment. Crucially, it retains support for microSD cards, allowing expansion up to 2TB. This feature is increasingly rare in modern smartphones but remains valuable for users who store大量 media locally.
eSIM support is also included, facilitating easier travel and dual-SIM management without needing physical SIM trays.
Latest Related News
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