Motorola Moto Z2 Play 64GB smartphone - advantages and disadvantages

Residents of our country associate the word "motorola" with old and long gone from the market push-button telephones, the so-called "bricks". Once a world leader, Motorola ceased to exist in 2011, effectively splitting into two new firms. Motorola Mobility LLC is now a division of the Lenovo Group, which is also engaged in the creation of smartphones, tablets, smart watches and a wide variety of software.

Developers Motorola and Lenovo together continue to delight their fans by releasing increasingly popular smartphones. At the moment, Moto Play phones are on sale, the first version received the Z prefix, the second, respectively, Z2. Both versions turned out, in fact, interesting and noteworthy. In this article, we will analyze in detail all the advantages and disadvantages of the newer Motorola Moto Z2 Play and compare it with its predecessor.

In fact, by purchasing a modular phone, the buyer gets a real designer for use, further purchasing additional interesting details in the form of a wide variety of cases that improve the characteristics of the device. Easy-to-use modules are attached by means of ordinary magnets and do not require additional manipulations, since the connection takes place automatically, instantly supplying the phone with new "chips". A camera, a projector, a portable speaker, an external rechargeable battery, a game console - all this can be easily carried with you in your pocket, because Moto Z2 Play can be transformed into any other gadget at the user's request.

First sight and equipment

• Smartphone;
• Charger supporting fast charging;
• Wired stereo headset;
• A clip for removing the SIM tray;
• Additional panel for the back wall;
• Instruction.

The smartphone entered the markets in three colors: Lunar Gray, Fine Gold, Nimbus Blue.

At the first glance at the device, you just want to say "WOW!" Manufacturers rarely create unique and unusual phones, because such risks are not profitable for the company, so most modern devices are made in a classic style, which is guaranteed to appeal to the user, because familiar = good.

Even many state employees and flagships do not differ much from each other and are similar to the cloning results, but Motorola was able to surprise.

The first thing that catches your eye is the ultra-thin body (6 millimeters) and the low weight of the device (145 grams). Physical dimensions are 156.2x76.2x6 mm.

In the hand Moto Z2 Play lies quite confidently, in general, it is quite pleasant to the touch, and the design immediately attracts the eye. The metal matte body looks very high quality and reliable.

However, the camera window protrudes too much, which can introduce some inconvenience, but this drawback is easily masked when using a cover-overlay.

The Moto Z2 Play features Gorilla Glass (3rd generation) covered with a decent oleophobic coating that has successfully passed the test and is guaranteed to protect against fingerprints and greasy marks.

Under the glass is a fingerprint scanner connected to the One Button Nav button (which we will talk about a little later) and a microphone. The scanner works quickly and flawlessly, and a long press activates the device lock mode. The center button also supports gesture functionality, allowing you to perform simple actions such as returning to the previous window or returning to the home screen. This is not to say that the navigation mode turned out to be particularly convenient (the button still has a modest size), but reviews suggest that the function can be quickly learned to use, which speeds up some tasks.

There is also a Type-C charging socket and a standard 3.5 mm mini-jack input at the bottom.

Above the screen are a motion sensor, a front camera with flash and a speaker. There is also a compartment on the top that supports 2 Nano SIM cards and a MicroSD card. There is no backlight indicator, which will be a significant drawback for some.

On the back panel of the phone there is a Moto Mods Connector contact block, which will be used for attaching pads, purchased by the user.

The physical buttons are located on the right side edge. They are small in size, rather thin. The keys respond well to pressing, do not sink. The volume rocker is divided into 2 parts, and the on / off button has a ribbed surface, which eliminates the possibility of confusion and pressing it by mistake. Quite a good solution.

Main characteristics

Display

Motorola has equipped the smartphone with a Super AMOLED display with parameters of 68 × 121 mm with a diagonal of 5.5 inches. Resolution 1920 × 1080, dot density 401 ppi.

The brightness is set manually or through automatic settings based on a light sensor. The display supports up to ten clicks at a time.

The color balance is quite good, however, sometimes you will notice a faint flicker, which will make your eyes noticeably tired. The black color is saturated, but the white goes a little into yellowness.

AMOLED is not suitable for all people due to its oversaturation of colors, so the developers added a function that makes them more subdued.

The screen does not have the highest maximum brightness, however, the anti-glare properties are quite good. The phone is comfortable to use both in a dark room and outdoors on a sunny day.

Some reviews say that the phone is not suitable for lovers of e-books, as with prolonged reading, some of them have significantly tired eyes or dizziness.

Camera

Front camera Moto Z2 Play has a matrix with a resolution of 5 megapixels, pixel size 1.4 microns. Aperture f / 2.2. There is support for slow motion for video.

The main camera has a 12-megapixel sensor, f / 1.7 aperture. There is also a dual LED flash.

In general, the pictures are detailed and bright. Camera settings allow the user to adjust white balance, light sensitivity, manual focus.

Video recordings are of high quality, without noise and with good quality. Resolution 4k (30fps) / 1080 (60fps).

Battery

The built-in Li-Ion battery with a capacity of 3000 mAh can withstand up to 40 hours of phone operation with an average backlight setting.

The battery is really good here, the phone can easily manage two days without charging, which is an excellent result. With constant video playback at the highest brightness, the device will work for about 17 hours. An hour spent playing will drain the battery by about 8% with average screen brightness.

The kit comes with a TurboPower high-power charger that can charge the device from 0 to 50 percent in half an hour.

The full charge time of the battery averages a little less than an hour and a half, there is support for fast battery charging.

Communication

• 2G, 3G, 4G (bands: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 13, 17, 20, 25, 26, 28, 29, 30, 38, 41)
• 2 x Nano SIM
• Wi-Fi (2.4 GHz, 802.11 a / b / g / n), Bluetooth 4.2, NFC
• navigation: GPS, A-GPS, GLONASS

The call quality in the gadget is excellent, the interlocutor is heard clearly and distinctly, thanks to the excellent noise reduction system.

Wi-Fi and Bluetooth work flawlessly. Separately, we note the presence of an NFC module, which is mandatory for a modern phone.

Performance and system

Qualcomm Snapdragon 626 (eight ARM Cortex-A53 cores, 2.2 GHz), Adreno 506 graphics module (650 MHz). Moto Z2 Play allows you to play the most modern games without worrying about performance and speed.

The work takes place without freezes and slowdowns, the movement between programs is fast and stable. In this regard, Moto stands alongside popular flagships, not inferior to them in performance.

Memory is also in order here. RAM 4 GB, ROM 64 GB, Micro-SD up to 2 TB - all your files and documents will fit in the gadget.

Pure Android 7.1 Nougat has a nice and simple interface, updates come regularly, which guarantees the protection of the device.

Sound

Music lovers will be pleasantly surprised by the sound of the gadget. The sound, both from the speaker and from the headphones, sounds voluminous, bright, the dynamic range is quite wide, which allows you to listen to your favorite tracks anytime, anywhere.

Bass, middle, top - none of the components is lost in the recordings, the sound is pretty good without crackling and noise.

Modules

We should also talk about the optional Moto Z2 modules. Each of them is unique, they all provide the gadget with new "superpowers", each user can choose what he likes. Although the price for the pads will be quite high, you should still think about buying at least a couple of them, because it is really unusual and functional.

• JBL SoundBoost 2

A module that is ready to turn a smartphone into an excellent portable speaker with very good sound quality. SoundBust will delight music lovers up to 10 hours of continuous work. The interface allows you to change sound settings using an equalizer. The cover itself is stylish and pleasant to the eye, and the stand will allow you to conveniently place the phone on a flat surface.

• Moto Style Shell

A module that has a simple but important function - it makes the phone look more prestigious and more expensive. The cover is presented in different colors and materials (plastic or noble wood).

• Hasselblad True Zoom

The module will appeal to beginners and experienced photography enthusiasts, turning your phone into a powerful camera. The 10x zoom lets you capture crisp, detailed shots wherever you are. The shutter button, flash, eyepiece - everything is just like in a real camera.

• Moto InstaShare Projector

For fans of movies and TV shows, Motorola has made a wonderful gift in the form of a portable projector. The idea is excellent, you will no longer need a laptop on a trip, because you can now watch new movies on the wall. A comfortable stand will fix your smartphone, allowing you to project an image onto any surface. The resolution is 480p, but this is not so important, the picture will still be pretty good. Blur adjustment is made using the wheel (on the right of the module).

• Moto TurboPower Pack 3490 mAh

Extra charge never hurts! TurboPower has a capacity of 3490 mAh, which will allow you not to charge your phone for up to 4 days. The model has a warning light and a Type-C socket for charging. No need to worry that on a long trip you will be left without connection, this smart case will help out at any time.

• Moto GamePad MOD

Your gadget can turn into an excellent game console, which will delight not only an adult user, but also a child. It is inconvenient to play on the touch screen, but GamePad MOD solves this problem in a couple of minutes. Convenient cross-piece, buttons and levers will allow you to enjoy your favorite game. Don't worry that the game will not support the case, this is impossible. All modern developers support this game mode in their products.

• Moto 360 MOD

Now you can shoot in 360 degrees. Take panoramic shots, all files will be saved on your smartphone and will remind you of the happiest moments of your life.

• Moto Style Shell with wireless charging

The module allows the phone to support charging mode wirelessly. The case turned out to be a little larger than its colleagues, but it has a pleasant design and will be generally useful for customers.

Outcome

What about the new Motorola? The phone turned out to be quite interesting, it will certainly appeal to sophisticated users, because its system of modules is new and unique.Design, reliability and ergonomics - Lenovo and Motorola care about users, so smartphones are not inferior to many modern flagships released in 2018.

The company managed to make a device that will suit almost any category of people. Gamers, music lovers, amateur photographers, just fans of everything unusual - everyone can appreciate the Moto Z2 Play and provide himself with a reliable companion for many years.

• Interesting module system;
• Good iron;
• Unique design.

• Screen flickering;
• Colors are too saturated;
• Expensive replacement linings.

And finally, a comparative table of parameters Motorola Moto Z2 Play and Moto Z.