I’ve been using the Motorola G86 Power for a few days now, and it’s a phone that comes with a tempting spec sheet for its ₹17,999 price. A huge battery, a sharp high-refresh-rate display, durability ratings that you usually don’t see in this segment, and all of it sounds impressive on paper.
But once you look beyond the hardware, there are a few areas where it doesn’t fully live up to the hype. With only one OS upgrade promised and some compromises in performance and charging, the question is: does the real-world experience match the promise of the specs? Here’s my quick review of what I liked about the G86 Power and what could’ve been better.
What I Liked
1. Excellent Display
The 6.7-inch POLED panel is sharp, with a resolution of 1220 x 2712 and a smooth 120 Hz refresh rate. Outdoor visibility is strong, thanks to the high brightness levels, and Corning Gorilla Glass 7i protection adds peace of mind. Bezels are fine, and the punch-hole design gives it a modern look. For watching videos or scrolling through apps, this is easily one of the best displays in the segment.
2. Strong Durability
The G86 Power comes with both IP68 and IP69 ratings, making it resistant to dust and water. This adds a level of assurance that’s not common at this price point, and it makes the phone feel a bit more dependable in daily use.
3. Battery Capacity
The 6,720 mAh battery is the real highlight. I consistently got around 10 to 12 hours of screen-on time, which means it can comfortably last two days for a lot of people. This is one of the biggest reasons to buy the phone if endurance is your priority.
4. Decent Primary Camera and Selfie Camera
The 50 MP Sony LYT-600 sensor produces decent photos, especially in daylight. Colors look fine and detail is good enough for casual use. The selfie camera is also solid, with good sharpness for stills. For the price, I would say the main and front cameras do their job well.
5. Manageable Size for the Battery Inside
Despite the massive battery, the phone weighs 198g and measures 8.65 mm thick. It’s not the slimmest, but it feels well balanced in the hand compared to what you might expect from a device with this much capacity.
What Could’ve Been Better
1. Charging Speed
The battery size is impressive, but charging is not. The 33W charger takes around 1 hour 45 minutes to fully charge the device, which feels slow compared to other brands in the same range that are offering 65W or even 90W charging.
2. Secondary Camera Performance and Videos
The 8 MP ultrawide lens is a letdown. It lacks detail, struggles with dynamic range, and produces noticeably weaker results compared to the main sensor. Video recording is another weak spot, as the stabilization isn’t smooth, the colors are not consistent, and there’s the EIS jerk issue in low light.
3. Storage Type
While the phone uses a Dimensity 7400 chipset paired with 8 GB RAM, the storage type is UFS 2.2, which is outdated at this point. It affects app loading and overall responsiveness, and over time it will likely feel slower compared to competitors using faster storage.
4. Average Haptics and Responsiveness
The haptic feedback feels hollow and doesn’t provide the premium click you get on competition devices like the CMF Phone 2 Pro or the Infinix GT 30. The UI animations also feel less polished, with occasional stutters. It’s not unusable, but it takes away from the overall experience.
5. Software and Updates
The software has some bloat but it’s mostly smooth for everyday use. However, optimization isn’t perfect. Some animations are missing polish, and Motorola’s update policy for this phone is probably the worst in the segment. For a phone in 2025, one OS upgrade is very disappointing.
6. Lack of AI Features
This is another area where Motorola lags behind. While competitors like the Infinix GT 30, iQOO Z10R, OPPO K13, and realme P4 are packing in multiple AI tools for photography, editing, and productivity, the G86 Power only has Circle to Search and Gemini (not counting the Google Photos features since those are available on any device). It feels barebones in comparison and makes the software experience less exciting.
Should You Buy the Motorola G86 Power?
The Motorola G86 Power can deliver a decent experience if your focus is on battery life, display quality, and durability. It’s a decent pick for someone who needs a phone for long hours of usage without worrying about recharging frequently.
But then you have other better options with the same great display quality, battery life, and durability, like the realme P4. It has a better 144 Hz display with both better HBM and peak brightness, 7,000 mAh battery + 80W charging, and IP66 + IP68 + IP68 ratings. It even has UFS 3.1 with Dimensity 7400 + Hyper Vision AI chip for superior performance.
The G86 Power compromises with slow charging, average video performance, UFS 2.2 storage, weak AI integration, and just 1 OS update. So, for the best value, you might be better served by options like the Infinix GT 30, OPPO K13, or realme P4.
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