Moto G96 5G at ₹13,999: Better Than Redmi or Realme?

Moto G96

Motorola is back at it again — this time with the G96 5G. And before you roll your eyes thinking “just another budget phone,” wait. This one caught me off guard… in a good way.

Let’s start with the basics: it’s priced around ₹13,999 (depending on offers), which already puts it in the sweet under-15K category. You know, where every brand is trying to outdo each other but ends up cutting corners? Yeah, Motorola somehow didn’t.

Design that doesn’t scream “cheap”

Okay, I didn’t expect much here, but Motorola went with a matte finish back that feels nice. No glossy fingerprint magnet nonsense. It has that clean Moto look — subtle, classy. And no weird camera bump either. Thank you, Motorola.

Oh, and it’s got an IP52 rating. Sure, it’s not full waterproofing, but a little splash protection? At this price? That’s rare.

That 5G tag isn’t just for show

Let’s be real — most budget 5G phones are just “5G” on paper and struggle with literally everything else. But the G96 is running the MediaTek Dimensity 6100+ chipset, which honestly isn’t bad. Daily tasks? Smooth. Swiping through Instagram, switching apps, even a bit of BGMI on medium — no laggy drama.

It’s not a gaming beast, but for a regular user who wants a reliable, responsive phone without heating up like a toaster, this works.

Display: Not AMOLED, but good enough

Here’s where it’s a bit of a trade-off. It’s got a 6.6″ FHD+ LCD with a 120Hz refresh rate. No AMOLED, so don’t expect punchy colors or true blacks. But it’s very usable outdoors, and that 120Hz does make things feel zippy. I didn’t miss AMOLED as much as I thought I would.

And bonus — no crazy thick bezels. It looks modern.

Battery + charging? Solid combo

5,000mAh with 33W fast charging. Nothing revolutionary, but it’s a combo that just works. You get around a full day and a half with regular use. Charges in a little over an hour, which is… fine. Not blazing fast, not slow.

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Cameras – surprisingly not trash

Here’s the part I was skeptical about. But the 50MP main sensor delivers. In daylight, shots are sharp, and colors are mostly natural. Night shots? Eh, noisy. Don’t expect Pixel magic. But again, this is a ₹14K phone, not a DSLR.

The 2MP depth sensor is just filler, let’s be honest. Selfie cam is 8MP and okay. Not Insta-influencer ready, but usable.

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Should you buy it?

Honestly? Yeah, if you’re looking for a dependable 5G phone under ₹15K that feels more refined than its price, the Moto G96 5G is a legit option. No ads, clean UI (hello, near-stock Android), and no bloatware drama.

If you hate MIUI or are tired of laggy budget Samsungs, you’ll probably like this one. It’s not flashy, but it’s not dumbed-down either. Just a solid, honest phone that does its job without annoying you.

And let’s be real — that’s rare these days.

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