The Moto G Play makes a comeback with an updated display, three-day battery life

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Motorola brings some upgrades to its sub-$200 Moto G Play.

Moto G Play (2023) on a table
(Image credit: Motorola)

What you need to know

  • Motorola is launching the new Moto G Play (2023).
  • The phone sports a MediaTek chipset, upgraded camera, and a 90Hz HD+ display.
  • The Moto G Play (2023) will be available in January and retails for under $200.

It's been a while since we've had a new Moto G Play from Motorola as the company skipped a 2022 launch. However, the company is back with a new model that is set to arrive at the top of the new year.

The Moto G Play (2023) sports an updated design with a hole-punch HD+ display measuring 6.5 inches. The display also gets a bit of an upgrade, thanks to the new 90Hz refresh rate, so scrolling and animations should appear a bit smoother.

On the back, the phone gets a new triple camera array with an improved 16MP camera sensor. It's accompanied by a 2MP depth sensor for portrait images and a 2MP macro sensor for extreme close-ups. On the front is a 5MP selfie camera. The setup isn't particularly impressive, but as budget Android phones go, this is par for the course.

Moto G Play (2023) taking a picture of waffles

(Image credit: Motorola)

The device will run Android 12 out of the box. To power the Moto G Play (2023), Motorola chose to swap out a Qualcomm chipset for a MediaTek Helio G37 along with 3GB of RAM. You won't find much storage at only 32GB, but the phone supports microSD cards up to 512GB. There's no 5G or NFC support.

You will find a 5,000mAh battery that Motorola says can last up to three days on a single charge, which is pretty impressive. Some of our favorite Motorola phones from this year, like the Moto G Stylus 5G (2022), sport remarkable battery life that matches the company's claims, so we're inclined to believe Motorola here. However, you'll have to make do with 10W wired charging to top up that large battery.

Moto G Play (2023) in hand

(Image credit: Motorola)

The Moto G Play (2023) will launch in North America on January 12 and retails for $169.99. It will launch first through Motorola.com, Amazon, and Best Buy, followed by carriers such as Metro by T-Mobile and Dish. You can also enter to win this device and more by visiting Motorola's Instagram account as part of the company's "12 Days of Moto" giveaway, which lasts until December 16. However, the Moto G Play (2023) giveaway only lasts today, December 8, so you'll need to act fast.

Derrek Lee
Derrek Lee
Managing Editor

Derrek is the managing editor of Android Central, helping to guide the site's editorial content and direction to reach and resonate with readers, old and new, who are just as passionate about tech as we are. He's been obsessed with mobile technology since he was 12, when he discovered the Nokia N90, and his love of flip phones and new form factors continues to this day. As a fitness enthusiast, he has always been curious about the intersection of tech and fitness. When he's not working, he's probably working out.