Motorola z2 with replaceable panels. Moto Z2 Play received additional modules and slightly improved hardware
The package includes a smartphone, a fast charging hub, a USB Type-C cable, a decorative panel, a set of instructions and a paper clip for removing the SIM card cradle.
On the Internet we found photos of different packaging of the Moto Z2 Play, as well as sets with headphones. Apparently, the manufacturer has provided for variability in configuration.
Design and ergonomics
On the front of the Moto Z2 Play, everything is pretty standard. The manufacturer's name is displayed under the speaker; all other elements have a functional purpose.
The smartphone is catastrophically thin: its thickness is only 6 mm. If we consider the Moto Z2 Play as a standalone device, this solution does not benefit it: the sharp edges of the device feel unpleasant in the palm, and the camera cheekily protrudes an additional 2-3 mm.
This nuance is forgivable, because we have a construction set in our hands, and the smartphone body is just the basic filling. We try to try on the decorative socket that comes with the kit - and here we are faced with a mistake from the developers. She wobbles and fidgets.
Above the screen there is a flashlight, speaker, camera and motion sensor. According to the creators, the sensor should identify the user’s approach to the gadget and turn on the backlight on the locked screen. In fact, it works haphazardly and without obvious patterns. On the top edge there is a cradle for two SIM cards and microSD. You don’t have to choose between a memory card and a SIM card; you can connect everything at once.
Let's go lower: on the right side there are three mechanical keys. The power button is ribbed and easy to touch.
Below the screen there is a black dot microphone and a One Button Nav touch key - a multifunctional and customizable analogue of Home.
On the back of the smartphone there is a contact pad for modules, the Motorola logo and a seemingly gigantic camera eyepiece. But the solution with the antenna looks quite stylish: it beautifully and unobtrusively frames the body. On the bottom edge there is a Type-C socket and a mini-jack.
The Moto Z2 Play is available in two colors: Lunar Gray and Fine Gold. Both options look decent and are suitable for both men and women.
technobugg.com Display
The smartphone has a 5.5-inch Super AMOLED screen with a resolution of 1,920 × 1,080 pixels. There were no complaints about the display: it does not give off much green tints (which is a problem with many AMOLED screens) and is bright enough for use in the sun.
The smartphone is protected from scratches and grease stains by third-generation Gorilla Glass with an oleophobic coating.
Camera
The main camera with a 12 megapixel matrix resolution is equipped with a dual CCT flash that adjusts to the color temperature of the environment. In the previous version of the designer from Motorola, the rear camera had a resolution of 16 megapixels, but had worse aperture performance. The aperture value of the Moto Z2 Play lens is f/1.7 versus f/2.0 for the predecessor camera.
Operating the camera is quite simple even in manual mode. Sometimes it comes in handy: the automatic white balance periodically misses the mark. There were no other complaints about the operation of the automation. Sometimes there is a software glitch found in Android devices.
The front camera with a resolution of 5 megapixels and an f/2.2 aperture allows you to take good pictures, and a powerful flashlight will help in low light. A nice bonus: the selfie camera can take slo-mo videos and photos in manual mode.
The video capabilities of the Moto Z2 Play are not far behind the flagship ones: the smartphone can shoot FullHD video at 60 FPS and 4K at 30 FPS. There is a stabilization function.
Performance and memory
The Moto Z2 Play is powered by an octa-core Snapdragon 626 processor with clock frequency 2.2 GHz and Adreno 506 graphics module with a frequency of 650 MHz. The Geekbench 4 performance test showed a weak score of 914 points in single-core mode and an average score of 4,628 points in multi-core mode, beating similar indicators Meizu Pro 6 Plus and Google Pixel XL.
We tried playing heavy games on the Moto Z2 Play: several versions of Asphalt and Modern Combat. No lags or FPS drops were noticed.
Moto Z2 Play smartphones are available with two storage and RAM options: 32/64 GB and 3/4 GB, respectively. The microSD slot supports cards up to 2 TB, so the amount of internal memory is not so important here.
Battery
The battery capacity has decreased compared to the previous version of the device and is now 3,000 mAh, which is equivalent to two days of operation with moderate use of the smartphone.
Charger included with Moto Z2 Play increased power TurboPower, which charges the gadget from zero to 50% in half an hour. In addition, among the “mods” there are several options portable batteries, easily attached to the body of the smartphone. All this makes the Moto Z2 Play an ideal phone in terms of battery life.
Moto and One Button Nav
The smartphone runs on bare Android 7.1.1. Nougat. Pleased with the absence of unnecessary add-ons and minimum set applications, most of which are really needed. All the individual features of the gadget lie in one of them - the Moto application.
Moto features are divided into three segments: Actions, Display and Voice. “Display” lets you customize lock screen notifications and evening screen colors, while “Voice” is an advanced version of OK Google.
The most interesting thing lies in the “Actions” tab: gesture commands are included here, some of which are really convenient. For example, you can program the camera to turn on when you swipe your smartphone twice, or set the flashlight to turn on when you swipe twice.
Deserves special attention One button Button Nav. Firstly, it has a correctly working fingerprint sensor built into it. It works instantly and always - there is no need to resort to a classic password code. Secondly, the button can be programmed to command Back, Home and Multitasking, which means that the classic navigation bar at the bottom of the screen can be abandoned.
Modules
The smartphone itself may seem inconvenient, ugly and unreasonably expensive. But if you know about all the potential Moto capabilities Z2 Play, then it becomes clear why it is too thin, why the developers allowed themselves to make such a protruding camera and, in the end, why it costs $500.
Verdict
It’s difficult to formulate a clear opinion about the Moto Z2 Play. It is quite expensive, not the most convenient and in terms of characteristics it is clearly not flagship. But there is a reason why the Moto Z family of smartphones find their users. This is the fascination of operation.
Gadgets are purely utilitarian products that help us solve problems. We do not seek to explore them, reducing the process of use to a set of simple learned actions. Modular system Moto Z offers an alternative and many scenarios: today you are a semi-professional photographer, tomorrow you are the center of a music party, and the day after tomorrow you are the owner of your own cinema.
Smartphones from the Moto Z series are capable of awakening the passion of a collector in the user and making him feel the joy of buying a device not at once, but over and over again with the acquisition of each new module.
And finally, the Moto Z2 Play is a decent smartphone that offers all the key features of modern devices. If you don't like phones with the letter i and their countless clones, take a look at the Moto Z2 Play - a smartphone from people who know how to take risks, for people who know how to have fun.
Modular smartphones are an intriguing concept to say the least. Since different smartphones are not similar to each other and have different sizes, it makes sense to let users choose which components are more important to them. By selling these components separately, developers give customers the opportunity to save on buying a new smartphone every time they want a change.
An attractive idea is one thing, but implementation in life is another. Even such giants as Google company, were unable to cope with bringing the idea of modular smartphones to life.
Last year, Motorola, owned by the Chinese company Lenovo, did the impossible and released not just a modular smartphone, but a whole line of modular devices and the modules for them called Moto Mods. It was promised that this would not be a one-time event, and this year the promise was kept, as a new smartphone and new modules appeared.
Will these devices convince skeptics? Or is the quality of the devices not high enough for this? Let's try to understand this in a review of the Moto Z2 Play smartphone and three modules for it.
Contents of delivery
- Smartphone Moto Z2 Play;
- Motorola Turbo Charge Adapter;
- Cable > USB-A;
- SIM card removal tool;
- Safety leaflet;
- User guide.
Design
Support for Moto Mods can be not only a plus, but also a minus. On the one hand, users can expand the functionality of the smartphone with an improved camera, an additional battery or a digital projector. On the other hand, the smartphone must be certain size and shapes so that the modules fit it. Developers can experiment with the thickness of the case, but other aspects of the design, such as the completely flat back surface and the camera bump in the center, should remain unchanged.
As a result, the Moto Z2 Play looks and feels like its predecessor, although there are differences from the original Moto Z Play. The smartphone has become thinner; without modules, the thickness is 5.99 mm versus 6.99 mm in the first generation. As a result, the battery also decreased.
At the front there is a 5.5-inch diagonal screen, below it is a fingerprint scanner, above it is the front camera and a rare dual flash. Hybrid SIM card slot also supports microSD memory and is located on top. On the right is the power button and volume rocker. Below is USB connector type C and an analog headphone jack, which is missing in many Moto Z smartphones.
On the back is a camera that looks similar to the cameras on previous models, but there are changes on the inside. At the bottom at the back is the Moto Mods interface.
The smartphone is thin and light, weighing 145 g. You just attach the modules and this lightness goes away.
Screen
From the very first boot, the Moto Z2 Play makes a good impression thanks to the contrasting Motorola logo. The smartphone attracts attention and emphasizes the advantages of the AMOLED screen.
A resolution of 1080 x 1920 at this size will be sufficient, but with the default settings the device does not show all available pixels; text and other elements are displayed larger than necessary. Fortunately, this is easy to fix.
Although the screen initially impresses with the richness and vibrancy of the colors, the joy does not last long. The default color rendering mode is Vibrant, but even in the standard mode the colors did not seem realistic. The color magenta is especially inaccurate, causing the smartphone to display a bluish tint.
The disappointment continues when it comes to screen brightness, which can reach just over 400 nits. This is significantly less than most modern smartphones and much less than the more affordable Moto price G5 Plus with 600 nits brightness.
Overall the screen offers great detail and rich colors, but lacks in key areas. At this price, you expect more from smartphone screens.
Interface and functionality
Motorola's software shell is one of the lightest versions of Android and always offers various settings options. There are no big, eye-catching features here, instead the changes are not that noticeable. For example, the auto-rotate screen switch allows you to lock the device in portrait mode, but Motorola has also added the ability to lock in landscape mode. Although it's a small thing additional choice never hurts.
Much attention is again paid to gesture support; you can quickly launch the camera or flashlight. The smartphone can detect when you reach for it, it turns on and shows Moto Display notifications without even having to touch the screen.
The fingerprint scanner navigation gestures found on the Moto G5 Plus are back. No one is forcing you to use them, but some will find this option for working with the interface more convenient once they get used to it.
As always with Moto Mods, the smartphone offers helpful tutorials the first time you connect them to the device.
Processor and memory
For some time now, the Snapdragon 625 processor has been best choice to provide sufficient performance with low power consumption, which allows smartphones to work for a long time. This processor was used in the first Moto Z Play, but Motorola has now switched to the more modern Snapdragon 626.
In almost all respects it is the same processor, only about 10% faster. As a result, the new smartphone does not look noticeably faster compared to the previous one. There are other reasons to buy a new model, but it's frustrating that speed isn't one of those reasons. The device is no faster than the Moto G5 Plus, but it costs significantly more.
This puts it in a difficult position in the market: it uses average components, but at the same time the price is high. Purchasing additional modules makes it even higher, as a result, you may have questions about whether to buy a full-fledged flagship without any modules?
This review examined the version of the smartphone with 3 GB of RAM; there are also options with 4 GB. There were no problems when working with multiple applications at the same time.
Connection
For wired connection USB-C interface is used. Many smartphones use the slower USB 2.0 protocol with it, but in this case Full USB 3.1 is used. The main connector at the rear is designed for installing additional modules.
Cameras
The smartphone has a main camera with a resolution of 12 megapixels and f/1.7 aperture, as well as Dual Pixel laser autofocus. Apart from the laser guidance, this is the same camera as the Moto G5 Plus. Overall the camera is not bad, but there are a few problems with it.
Photo quality
The shooting results resemble photos from the Moto G5 Plus. The quality is usually good, but about one in ten photos may have exposure problems or other issues that require them to be deleted. The quality in low light leaves much to be desired, despite the advanced autofocus, it also occasionally experiences problems.
The main advantages of this camera are not the lenses or the sensor itself, but the Motorola software. Auto mode works very well, it optimizes exposure for each scene, and the presence of special gestures allows you to quickly launch the camera even without a hardware button to do so.
On the front there is a 5 MP camera with dual LED flash. Some apps like Snapchat have problems using this flash, but it still doesn't hurt.
Video recording
The video quality is mixed. There are many settings options, 4K, HDR, stabilization, although you cannot use all of them at the same time. They provide enough variety and you can find something to your liking. HDR video is especially good.
As on the Moto G5 Plus, artifacts are observed when strong compression, which reduces image quality. These artifacts are especially noticeable at 1080p resolution at 60 frames per second.
Multimedia
The disadvantages of the screen have already been mentioned above. Its advantages in the form of bright, saturated colors allow you to comfortably watch videos. However, video still requires high-quality sound, and there are problems here. The smartphone has a front speaker, which also doubles as an auricle; it is not helped by the speaker at the bottom, like on many other smartphones.
The sound is loud enough, but it lacks bass and comes out with a tinny tone, which can be corrected by connecting a JBL SoundBoost speaker. You can also improve the sound when connecting headphones.
Call quality
Since the auricle is used as the only speaker, the developers had to pay special attention to it. That's right, the sound quality is telephone conversation is at a high level. You hear your interlocutors well and your interlocutors hear you well.
Autonomous operation
The original Moto Z Play smartphone had amazing battery life and the developers just had to not spoil anything. However, the smartphone has become thinner and the battery has been reduced to 3000 mAh. With almost the same processor, this means that the operating time has decreased.
If earlier it was 14 hours, now it has dropped to 9 and a half. This is still a good result, although some users would prefer the smartphone to remain thicker, but still use a 3510 mAh battery.
Another disadvantage of the smartphone is its above-average charging time. It takes more than two hours, whereas recently you can find smartphones with a recharging time of one and a half hours.
Moto Mods
Along with the smartphone, three new accessories are presented. The first of these is the Wireless Charging Style Shell. Last year there were already similar cases, only without wireless charging. It would be better if charging was built into the smartphone itself, but the developers decided that it deserves additional payment.
The case looks and works well, although you'll need a Qi-compatible 10W adapter. The case has an attractive textured surface, but it wears out quickly around the edges. The case will go on sale at the end of July for about $40.
The battery capacity of the smartphone is doubled by the Moto Turbo PowerPack module, which contains a 3490 mAh battery. This module has a rubberized coating that collects dust and dirt. The module can be charged directly through the connector USB type On the side, a button on the back allows you to quickly check the charge level using four LEDs.
The software of this module provides high level customization. You can choose turbo mode, when energy is transferred to the smartphone as quickly as possible, or a more energy-efficient mode, when the smartphone’s charge level is maintained at 80%.
This module is thicker than the wireless charging module and significantly increases the weight of the smartphone, but the shape makes it more convenient than additional third-party batteries. Sales will begin at the end of July at a price of $80.
Finally, there are the JBL SoundBoost 2 speakers, which replace the first generation from last summer. The arrangement of the elements remains the same: a pair of stereo speakers are separated by a stand. This stand improves the video viewing experience and makes the module attractive compared to external Bluetooth speakers.
Sound quality is at good level, appearance Also attractive, the module is now protected from water. Attaching it to a smartphone makes the device thick, so you hardly want to carry it with you in this form. The speaker contains its own battery, which is charged separately from the smartphone and provides about 10 hours of playback.
Conclusion
The Moto Z2 Play is an important smartphone as it continues to push the concept of modular devices to the masses. The project has already lasted longer than many expected; many large manufacturers, like Google, couldn’t stand it that long.
This smartphone has many advantages. It has good performance for this price category, high battery life, and a reasonable price. However, some steps back have been taken. Among them there are not enough bright screen and a weak speaker. It doesn't look like a full-fledged successor to the original Moto Z Play. It's not noticeably better and feels less like a continuation and more like an offshoot.
If you look at other Motorola smartphones, comparison must be made with the Moto G5 Plus. It has similar performance and costs almost half the price. Buyers will have to decide whether they want the ability to install modules, which cost the smartphone $150 more plus the price of the modules themselves.
If you like the idea of modular devices, thin smartphones, rich screen colors instead high brightness The Moto Z2 Play doesn't disappoint. This is a quality device and its modules help eliminate some of its shortcomings. However, there is still a lot of room for improvement, so we hope for the next Moto Z smartphone that will be even better.
pros
- Attractive slim design;
- Good operating time;
- High-quality Android shell;
- Satisfactory camera;
- Modules expand functionality.
Minuses
- Insufficiently bright screen with inaccurate color reproduction;
- The sound quality leaves much to be desired;
- Long-term charging;
- Performance has hardly increased compared to the first model;
- Modules increase the cost of the device.
Moto Z is the top series of the product line Motorola Moto, which first appeared last year. It is logical that this year the time has come for the heirs of last year's models. In this review, we introduce you to the Moto Z2 Play, the successor to the Moto Z Play, which was the most available model in the line. The Moto Z2 Play has gone up a bit in price, bringing the device closer to top models On the market. The changes compared to its predecessor lie primarily in the design, which is now based entirely on metal. In addition, the device has a thinner profile. The overall dimensions and 5.5-inch screen were retained because, like all other products in the Moto Z line, the Moto Z2 Play is compatible with the so-called Moto Mods, which we will talk about below. The smartphone also has new processor, a new camera and new battery, and all this, of course, will pass our tests.
Motorola Moto Z2 Play price
The current average price of a smartphone is 27,000 - 28,000 rubles. More expensive than the Samsung Galaxy A5, but also more interesting.Construction and design
At first glance it looks similar to its predecessor from last year, but in fact has some key design differences. For example, the glass back has been replaced with metal. Glass or metal is of course a matter of taste (I personally am for metal), but in any case, the Moto Z2 Play looks stylish and, unlike glass, does not collect fingerprints on the body. The thickness of the smartphone is reduced and is only 6 millimeters. The reduction also affects the weight of 145 grams, which is unusual for a 5.5-inch smartphone.
Some people might not like that the rear camera is sticking out again, and it's quite noticeable. However, if you add a Moto back cover, that camera protrusion won't bother you much. Also on the back of the smartphone there is a dual LED flash, a Moto logo and a 16-pin area at the bottom, which is needed to connect Moto modules. On the front side there is a dual LED flash, which should appeal to selfie lovers. Next to the flash are the front camera, proximity and light sensors, a speaker and a small inscription below it. Also in front, but at the bottom, there is a fingerprint sensor and a conversational microphone. 
Although the smartphone is very thin, everything you need is on the sides. On right side There are three identical physical buttons, the first two are for audio control, and the third is the power button, which has a rough surface that makes it different from the others. They all provide convenient control device. Below you'll find a standard headphone jack, as well as a USB Type-C charging port. There are two slots at the top nano SIM and a separate slot for microSD memory cards. There is a second built-in microphone on this side. 
Moto Mods
One of the highlights of the entire Moto Z line is the ability to add various Moto modules, and this is done extremely simply thanks to the already mentioned 16 pins on the back of the smartphone and powerful magnets. You can attach or remove modules with absolute ease, and there is no serious danger of them accidentally falling out. These modules can be either different back panel covers to change the appearance of your smartphone or various improvements, such as an additional speaker, a projector(!) or an additional 360-degree camera. Motorola promises that it will create more modules that will be compatible with all Moto Z models, including future ones. However, each of them costs a lot, so creating a superphone will not particularly please your wallet. Below we offer you a short video in which you can see how Moto Mods are connected to last year’s Moto Z, and how simple and fast it is.
Screen
The screen size of the Motorola Moto Z2 Play is 5.5 inches, just like other Moto Z models. The resolution is 1920 x 1080 pixels, which, despite the screen size, will give you a good picture. The pixel density is around 403 pixels per inch. Another notable advantage of a smartphone is Super matrix AMOLED, which guarantees a high level of contrast and great job outside under the sun. Plus, the screen can boast wide viewing angles as expected. In the display settings menu, in addition to the standard ones, you will also find the ability to switch to a more saturated color mode.Specifications Motorola Moto Z2 Play
| operating system | Android 7.1.1 (Nougate), planned update to Android 8.0 (Oreo) |
|---|---|
| CPU | Qualcomm Snapdragon 626 MSM8953-Pro (8-core, 2.20 GHz, Cortex-A53) |
| RAM | 4 GB |
| Inner memory | 64 GB |
| GPU | Adreno 506 |
| Screen | 5.5" Super AMOLED capacitive multi-touch screen with Corning Gorilla Glass 3 and 1920 x 1080 pixel resolution |
| Connection | Bluetooth v4.0, A2DP, LE, Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n, GPS, A-GPS |
| Cameras | main 12-megapixel with autofocus, dual LED flash, front 5-megapixel |
| Additionally |
|
| Battery | 3000 mAh |
| Dimensions | 76.2 x 156.2 x 6 mm |
| Weight | 145 g |
Battery
Unsurprisingly, the battery in the Motorola Moto Z2 Play has a slightly lower capacity than its predecessor, since the smartphone is thinner. In the case of the 2017 model, we are talking about a 3000 mAh battery, compared to 3510 mAh for last year's model. However, this does not always guarantee a big difference in battery life. To test the smartphone's battery life, we conducted five endurance tests that include phone calls, Wi-Fi and 3G surfing, video viewing and 3D gaming. To make a fair comparison with other competing models, we also set the following settings: screen brightness 120 cd/m2, Wi-Fi disabled, GPS, 3G and Bluetooth disabled (except for the 3G surfing test).Battery testing, comparison with Samsung Galaxy A5 2017 and Moto Z Play
Phone conversation
Internet surfing with Wi-Fi
For testing, we use our script, which automatically turns over 70 web pages. Internet surfing with 4G
In this test we are using the same script again, but this time we are connecting via a 4G connection. Watch video
Here we are using HD 720p movie. 3D games
We play Epic Citadel. In general, as you can see, the Motorola Moto Z2 Play “can”. In almost all cases, it outperformed last year’s model, and what’s most interesting, it confidently outperformed its competitor in the 2017 Samsung Galaxy A5 (also very interesting phone, but more "conservative") Software
Motorola Moto Z2 Play runs operating system Android 7.1 Nougat and comes with a clean version without an additional proprietary shell. However, there are many additional applications besides standard package Google.Performance
The Motorola Moto Z2 Play is powered by the Snapdragon 626, which boasts a 14nm process (not the most advanced in 2017, but not the oldest either). It has eight Cortex-A53 cores clocked at 2.2GHz, which is the main difference from the Snapdragon 625-based Moto Z Play. The chip has an X9 modem that powers Cat. 7 LTE, or in other words, download speeds of up to 300 Mbps and upload speeds of up to 150 Mbps. Snapdragon 625 also supports Wi-Fi technology 802.11ac, NFC, Quick Charge 3.0 Fast Charge Technology, Full HD, up to 24 megapixel camera and 4K video recording. Graphics are processed by the Adreno 506 chip. RAM is 3 GB. In terms of battery life, the chip appears to be quite efficient based on battery test results. The internal memory is 32 GB, with 13 GB occupied by operating system files. There is also a microSD slot supporting cards up to 256 GB.CPU testing
Geekbench 3.0 (multi-core)
Geekbench 3 is a cross-platform benchmark from Primate Labs designed to measure chip performance in real-world scenarios, loading both single-threaded and multi-threaded processes. Vellamo 3 Metal
Vellamo is a qualitative test developed by Qualcomm specifically to test the computing capabilities of chips. Vellamo 2 Metal
What can we say about the processor testing results? Nothing incredible, it’s clear that this is a medium-power chip, which is far from the flagships, even last year’s. Graphics chip testing
GFXBench 2.7 (T-Rex, Offscreen)
GFXBench 2.7 is a heavy-duty cross-platform 3D benchmark test that supports Android, iOS and even Windows operating systems. GFXBench 3.0 (Manhattan, Offscreen)
The Manhattan 3.0 benchmark is based on ES 3.0/GL 4.1 and uses deferred rendering and multi-resistant target (MRT). It also includes complex effects such as shadow depth map, masking effect, post-processing effects, occlusion query and animated volumetric light shafts. 3DMark (Ice Storm Unlimited)
3DMark uses fixed interval frames and displays the same frames for each test on each device. It runs at 720p resolution (regardless of the specific device resolution). Graphics testing is similar to CPU testing. The results are average, even far from last year’s flagships, but the Motorola Moto Z2 Play is not inferior to competitors such as the 2017 Samsung Galaxy A5. Operating temperature
After testing compute and graphics performance, we measure case temperature, which shows how hot the device gets after heavy 3D gaming workload. After several hours of play we check maximum temperatures in three different areas on the back of the smartphone. The hottest spot was in the chamber area, where the temperature reached 32.1 degrees. This, of course, is nonsense. Let me remind you that the body temperature is 36 degrees and the phone could simply be heated by hands. Thus, we can safely say that the Moto Z2 Play does not have any overheating problems. This is also facilitated by the metal body of the smartphone.
Camera Motorola Moto Z2 Play
The main camera of the Motorola Moto Z2 Play now has a resolution of 12 megapixels, as opposed to the 16 megapixels of its predecessor. However, it has an f/1.7 aperture that provides 25% more light. There's also dual-LED flash and laser autofocus to consider. When it comes to modes and settings on the Moto Z2 Play, there aren't many, but you will find HDR, Panorama, a few standard settings, and a Pro mode that lets you customize things like white balance, ISO, and other settings that will appeal to enthusiasts. Last but not least, the smartphone can record 4K videos at 30fps as well as slow-motion videos. The front camera has a resolution of 5 megapixels (which is not a lot by modern standards, take the same) and is equipped with a dual LED flash. It has an f/2.2 aperture and video recording high definition 1080p. Examples of photos taken on Motorola Moto Z2 Play
Conclusion - does it make sense to buy?
Moto Z2 Play is a worthy successor to the Z Play smartphone. It will amaze you with its extremely thin profile and all-metal construction. The main camera protrudes noticeably, but this is to some extent understandable given the thickness of 6 mm. It is also possible to add Moto Mods, which can change the appearance of the smartphone or give it capabilities that cannot be obtained from other smartphones, such as a projector or a 360-degree camera. This is a 2017 model, so it is not surprising that the smartphone is equipped with a USB Type-C port, a fingerprint sensor and an operating system. Android system 7.1 Nougat, and an update to Android 8 Oreo is also planned. Also available special applications Moto with various features that improve and facilitate the use of the device. The model's battery is 3000 mAh, but the smartphone surprised us with its rather good battery life. The smartphone has good performance thanks to the Snapdragon 626 mobile chip, it maintains a low body temperature after prolonged use. The camera has an upgrade of 12 megapixels and an f/1.7 aperture. Photos taken with a smartphone are quite good.Pros of Motorola Moto Z2 Play
- Stylish metal design and 6mm thickness
- Ability to add various Moto Mods
- Fingerprint sensor and USB Type-C port
- Long battery life
- Pure Android 7.1 Nougat + several additional Moto features
- Low temperature body after prolonged load
- 12-megapixel camera with f/1.7 aperture, laser autofocus and 4K video recording
Minuses
- Very protruding camera
- Increased cost compared to its predecessor
Review from the owner of Motorola Moto Z2 Play, opinion about Moto Mods
Finally, we suggest you look at this interesting review from the owner and his opinion about Moto Mods.Motorola Moto Z2 Force is a combination of reliability, elegance and top-end performance. In addition to the gadget's extensive functions, you can add new features to it using add-on modules.
A screen that cannot be broken
A bright and contrasting 5.5-inch AMOLED display with a resolution of 2560 × 1440 is assembled using proprietary ShatterShield technology. The screen module consists of 5 layers:
- plastic;
- flexible glass;
- sensor;
- the screen itself;
- durable aluminum base.
This makes the display incredibly durable. You can throw your smartphone on the floor from a height of up to 2 meters, drop heavy objects on it - not a scratch will remain on the screen!
Control with your voice
The smartphone received a proprietary Moto shell, in which special emphasis is placed on advanced controls. For example, switching to previous page, opening the settings menu, activating the screen - all this can be programmed with gestures.
And the Moto Voice system utility allows you to control the gadget using voice commands. Just speak a few phrases into the speaker, and the smart smartphone will remember your voice. After that, just ask to show the calendar or weather widget, and Moto Z2 Force will instantly execute the command.
Ahead of time
In its class, the Moto Z2 Force, equipped with an octa-core Snapdragon 835 processor with 4 GB of RAM, demonstrates perhaps the best performance figures. The gadget responds to commands with lightning speed, works excellent in multitasking mode and maintains high frame rates in graphically advanced games.
In addition, Moto Z2 Force demonstrates impressive capabilities when working with mobile networks. When the 4G LTE module is running throughput smartphone reaches 1 GB per second, so the gadget is quite ready for the advent of ultra-high-speed fifth-generation networks.
Build your smartphone
Motorola Moto Z2 Force is modular smartphone, so you can upgrade the function you need.
The capabilities of the 22 megapixel dual main camera with optical stabilization? Install the wide-angle Moto 360 Camera module, which also allows you to broadcast online.
You - avid gamer and are you ready to spend hours playing your favorite game? A module in the form of a gamepad with familiar controls is provided for you. Connoisseurs of high-quality and strong sound can install a JBL speaker, and to watch movies, a projector module is connected to the smartphone.
With overlays, you can even change the appearance of your smartphone, for example, use a panel made of wood or corrugated metal. And to extend battery life, simply install the TurboPower Pack plug-in battery.
Please note that in our online store you can only buy the smartphone itself. To purchase additional modules, please visit the manufacturer's website.
Chinese Lenovo company continues to delight consumers with new models of smartphones from the Moto brand (read: Motorola). And sometimes you’re amazed at how different the devices turn out to be. For example, the Moto C Plus model came out as a budget model, and everyone noted the 10 mm thickness of its case. However, Lenovo has shown that they can make very thin smartphones, which is clearly demonstrated by the Motorola Moto Z2 Play Dual XT1710-07 smartphone with a body thickness of only 6 mm. We will talk about it in this review.
Review of the Motorola Moto Z2 Play Dual smartphone. A smartphone is a delicate matter
Introduction
Motorola Moto Z2 Play Dual XT1710-07 turned out really original smartphone, and it's not just its sleek, slim body. In addition to the device, you can purchase Moto Mods modules, which significantly expand the capabilities of the latter.
In particular, smartphone light With the movement of your hand, it turns into a projector, gamepad or professional digital camera with optical zoom.
Appearance
The incredibly thin thickness is immediately noticeable. The frames around the edges are thin, but the 5.5-inch display occupies approximately 70.1% of the front panel, that is, not much, because there is quite a lot of space left above and below the screen. It is used to good effect - for example, above the display there is a front camera, dual LED flash, speaker and sensors.
But under the screen there is an oval-shaped multifunctional fingerprint scanner, which we usually see on the back panel of smartphones from other manufacturers.
Three Android touch buttons are displayed directly on the screen. The front panel is entirely covered with protective 2.5D Gorilla Glass 3. There are two color options for the smartphone - Fine Gold and Lunar Gray. We tested the first option.
The back panel has a matte metal surface, so the smartphone does not slip in your hands. The antenna inserts are located in a very innovative way - not at the bottom and top, but along the entire perimeter of the panel.
Another feature - contact block Moto Mods Connector at the bottom of the back cover. And since the main camera lens also rises above the back panel, it is no coincidence that the Motorola Moto Z2 Play Dual XT1710-07 offers beautiful replacement panels, in addition to modules that expand the capabilities.
On the right side there is a ribbed power button and, also interestingly, two separate keys for adjusting the sound volume (instead of the so-called “rocker”). We also note the fact that the buttons are quite miniature, so it’s not always possible to get to them right away.
The bottom end has not only a modern universal USB Type-C port, but also a classic 3.5 mm audio output, where it is convenient to connect headphones.
If the manufacturer limited itself to only USB Type-C, then many users would have to look for an adapter to use their “outdated” headphones. Let us note in passing that the USB Type-C port supports USB OTG technology, that is, connection external devices, for example, portable storage devices.
The top end is no less remarkable, quite the contrary. In addition to the noise reduction microphone, you can see a slot for two SIM cards and a microSD memory card.
However, it is not combined at all! The owner of a smartphone has the right to immediately and simultaneously use two Nano-SIMs (on one side of the retractable slide) and one microSD (on the other side).
Screen
The matrix used is Super AMOLED. It is not a frequent guest in displays; we usually deal with IPS matrices. Therefore, it would be useful to recall that AMOLED is an active matrix of thin-film transistors on organic light-emitting diodes. Super AMOLED integrates touch sensors with a glass panel, thus eliminating the air layer.
The screen diagonal is 5.5 inches. Its resolution is 1080x1920 pixels. Pixel density - 401 ppi. On the front panel, the display occupies approximately 70.1%. Supported touch control(up to ten touches). The screen is reliably protected by 2.5D Gorilla Glass 3, as mentioned above. Brightness is adjusted automatically and manually.
Software and interface
The operating system is Android 7.1.1. Nougat. There is a proprietary Moto Experiences shell.
However, this interface is very close to “pure” Android versions, so there is no need to talk about it for a long time.
The user can manage wallpapers and widgets, and among the pre-installed applications there are standard calculator, calendar, camera, translator, tables, maps, presentations, etc.
Hardware and Performance
The manufacturer chose the eight-core 64-bit Qualcomm Snapdragon 626 MSM8953 Pro, produced using a 14 nm process technology, as the chipset. Its ARM Cortex-A53 cores operate at a frequency of 2.2 GHz.
| Geekbench 4.1.1 (Single core / Multi core) | 912 / 4658 |
| AnTuTu Benchmark v6.2.7 | 67272 |
| 3D Mark Ice Storm Unlimited | 14033 |
Source: ZOOM.CNews
The Qualcomm Adreno 506 video chip is responsible for graphics output. There is a lot of RAM installed - 4 GB of LPDDR3 standard. Built-in memory is 64 GB, but 52 GB will be available to the user. However, the memory is easily expandable by installing a microSD card (HC/XC) with a capacity of up to 256 GB.
The configuration of the smartphone is quite powerful, as evidenced by the tests carried out.
Camera
The main camera has a 12.2 megapixel sensor (pixel size 1.4 µm). It is capable of shooting at a maximum resolution of 4032x3024 pixels. And it records video in 4K UHD resolution (3840x2160 pixels) at 30 frames per second - excellent performance!
The lens aperture is also excellent - f/1.7. Laser and phase detection autofocus, with Dual Pixel technology for faster focusing. Built-in digital stabilization. LED lights double Zoom is digital only. There is an HDR mode. The software is able to recognize a face and a smile in a frame. The “Professional” mode allows you to “play” with the values of white balance, shutter speed, light sensitivity (up to ISO 3200), manual focus and exposure compensation scale.
The front camera of the smartphone is 5 megapixel (pixel size 1.4 µm), with a wide-angle lens so that a group of people can fit into the frame, not just one person. It takes photos in a maximum resolution of 2592x1944 pixels, and records video in a maximum resolution of Full HD (1920x1080 pixels). It also comes with dual LED flash and fixed focus. Its aperture value is f/2.2. In general, an ideal camera for selfies, including group ones.
Battery
The battery in the smartphone is lithium-ion and non-removable. Its capacity is 3000 mAh. At an average load level, the smartphone can last almost a whole day on a fully charged battery - this is a decent indicator for such a thin device.
But if the battery runs out at the wrong time, it doesn’t matter, because the device supports fast charging Quick Charge 3.0. In just half an hour, the smartphone is able to restore its battery charge by 50%. By the way, there is a battery module with a capacity of 3490 mAh.
Communications
The smartphone supports 2G, 3G and 4G cellular networks, including LTE Cat.13 with a maximum download speed of up to 300 Mbit/s, and LTE Cat.7 with a maximum transfer speed of up to 150 Mbit/s. There is only one radio module, so SIM cards operate in Dual SIM mode Dual Standby. But both cards are in active standby mode in 3G/4G networks simultaneously. It is proposed to access the Internet using dual-band Wi-Fi module(2.4 GHz and 5 GHz). You can use it to share files bluetooth module 4.2. Organization of a wireless point is available. There is even NFC with support for Mifare Classic contactless smart cards to pay for transport services.
Such cards are very common in Russian megacities. USB Type-C port supports connectivity external drives, gamepads and other devices (USB OTG technology). The navigation module extremely quickly searches for satellites both in the GPS system and in the domestic GLONASS system. Geotagging is supported - leaving the geographic GPS coordinates of the point where the photo was taken.
Total
The Motorola Moto Z2 Play Dual XT1710-07 smartphone is capable of surprising even seasoned users. Among the host of twin devices this model stands out not only with its very thin body, but also with simultaneous support for two SIM cards and a microSD memory card in one retractable slot, water-repellent nano-coating and, of course, support for a variety of modules. The latter are capable of turning a smartphone into a gamepad, projector, professional digital camera with optical zoom, etc.
Specifications Motorola Moto Z2 Play Dual XT1710-07
| Screen |
Super AMOLED, 5.5”, 1080x1920, 401 ppi |
| CPU | Qualcomm Snapdragon 626, 8x 2.2 GHz |
| Graphic arts | Adreno 506 |
| RAM | 4 GB |
| Persistent memory | 64 GB |
| Replaceable memory | microSD(XC/HC) up to 256 GB |
| Cameras |
front: 5 MP; rear: 12.2 MP |
| USB port | USB 3.1 Type-C |
| Wireless interfaces |
Bluetooth 4.2 + A2DP |
| Battery | 3000 mAh |
| OS | Android 7.1.1 Nougat |
| SIM | Dual Nano SIM support |
| Dimensions | 156.2 x 76.2 x 6 mm |
| Weight | 145 g |
| Price (Yandex Market) | i 34,990 |