Reincarnation of the absolute champion by Autonomy Moto Z play.

A bit of Moto history

Last year, I told you about one extremely interesting Android smartphone, which, of course, cannot compete with last year's one in any way. Except one - autonomy. Last year's one with average characteristics simply killed any smartphone with its survivability thanks to a capacious 3500 mAh battery, system and hardware optimization, as well as a special modular system with the ability to connect an external battery.

A year later, Lenovo, which owns the Moto mobile division, released the second generation of its popular smartphone. Serious changes are striking - the body has become metal instead of glass, the thickness of the smartphone has fallen to a minimum, the camera has improved. All in all, there are a lot of improvements. It would seem that here it is - perfect balanced smartphone, with which you do not need to run from outlet to outlet. Is it really? Let's figure it out together.

Get ready for the fact that the review will be subjective, that is, the author's. In it, I will share with you my impressions, taking into account my tastes and preferences. If you have a different opinion, friends, I will be happy to discuss it with you in the comments to this post.

Short video review of Moto Z2 Play for those who don't like to read:

Buy Moto Z2 Plus

thin piece of metal

Last year's Moto Z Play, which I already told you about, was outwardly an extremely attractive “tube”. Large, glass, with a metal rim and a fairly decent weight. In a word, they were a pleasure to use. In addition to two nuances - the glass of the back cover was covered with scratches (although it turned out later that there was a powerful factory film) plus the body was thick enough, which made the phone itself look like a brick.

In Moto Z2 Play, they decided to fix all these omissions in one fell swoop - now there is a metal case with a thin plastic strip along the rim for the normal operation of wireless modules and a thickness of 7 millimeters.

No, really, the Z2 Play is just some kind of critically thin, nothing makes it related to last year's brother in this parameter. In this form, it looks more like an even thinner Moto Z flagship. The smartphone has become much more convenient to use, although it has not ceased to be “two-handed”. With one hand, 5.5-smartphones, if they are not frameless, are difficult to use. I used to carry a smartphone in one hand, and with the first Z Play it was difficult - in size it looked a lot like an iPhone 7 Plus. But with Z2 Play, due to its thickness, this problem is no longer there. Plus, the metal is not soft, scratches on it do not remain from normal use, and it does not slip on the table from the word at all.

So he's perfect? Take a look at this washer on the back cover! That is, a round protrusion for the camera and flash. It doesn’t really bother me personally, I got used to it back in the days of last year’s model. But here this ledge is even larger, so some may not like it. Although, I repeat, in my active life with him there was no discomfort. Otherwise, this is a familiar Moto smartphone with cool ergonomics for lovers of large smartphones. Don't expect major design changes to the Moto Z lineup anytime soon. The design efforts of Lenovo employees are severely limited by the modular system, which in the Z2 Play, for example, is no different from that in the Z Play. Thanks to this, last year's magnetic pads fit the new smartphone.

AMOLED screen in the middle

There is not much to say about the screen. Not from the fact that he is some kind of mediocre, no, but from the fact that he has not changed much compared to last year's model. This is a 5.5-inch display with FullHD resolution, that is, 1920 by 1080 pixels. The matrix is ​​​​AMOLED, so there is a high contrast ratio classic for such screens, excellent visibility in the sun and true black color, which no iPS matrix will give. Yes, the screen is a little dimmer than in flagship smartphones with the same matrix, but for most cases it was enough for me.

In the display settings, by the way, you can change the contrast if you are closer to softer iPS screens. The oleophobic coating on the screen is excellent - although fingerprints remain, they are quickly removed using microfiber or raglan sleeves. It is also worth remembering about another feature of AMOLED matrices. They consume the battery charge extremely positively, which positively affects the overall autonomy. In general, I was satisfied with the display, an absolutely normal screen for such a smartphone.

Performance? Quite.

Moto Z2 Play is a classic middle class, it has a corresponding mobile chipset. This is a Qualcomm Snapdragon 626 with 8 cores clocked at 2.2GHz. It differs from the Z Play with the 625th "dragon" only by a 10% increased clock speed. RAM - 4 GB, built-in - as much as 64 GB. The figures are decently higher than last year's model.

In everyday life, Z2 Play is an extremely nimble device that does not have the slightest problem with performance. If you do not immediately run 20 "heavy" applications at the same time, it may even seem that you are using flagships. The system works flawlessly and without glitches, switching between running programs happens quite quickly and without significant delays, nothing lags and slows down. Seriously, just a trouble-free machine, and all thanks to the "naked" Android and excellent hardware optimization.

Yes, suddenly you are interested in the results of synthetic tests, I also have them. Predictably mediocre and traditionally not showing the real situation with performance:

Perfect Android 7.1.1

The Moto Z2 Play runs on unmodified Android 7.1.1, much like the one found on the Google Pixel. Without taking into account a couple of Moto-chips, which I will tell you about in the next block. The system works smoothly, looks dignified and is not burdened with unnecessary add-ons and "trinkets".

Just 2 weeks ago, a security update came to my smartphone, and very soon Z2 Play will be updated to Android 8 Oreo. Yes, when buying this smartphone, you should safely count on timely system updates, which other players in the mobile phone market cannot boast of.

Additional Moto-chips and modules

When I talk about Moto features, I mean software and hardware features. The first includes quickly turning on the flashlight with a double twitch of the smartphone and activating the camera, which turns on if you quickly twist the smartphone from side to side. Extremely convenient features that you get used to and difficult to wean. The second includes overlay modules that cling to the back cover of the smartphone using powerful magnets on its back cover. This includes a Hasselblad external photo module, a TurboPower fast charging battery, an external gamepad, and many protective and decorative covers. I personally actively used the first generation JBL speaker with extremely powerful sound and decent bass.

I left the fingerprint scanner under the screen as a separate item, which is also the only button to control the system. The fact is that in the smartphone settings there is an item where you can disable the classic on-screen control buttons of smartphones on this very touch button. Here everything happens with the help of swipes - swipe to the right and go back, swipe to the left and open running applications, normal pressing and get to the main screen.

An interesting feature, but I'm used to the on-screen buttons. Actually, the fingerprint scanner itself works perfectly, while unlocking and even blocking the Z2 Play with a long press.

Seriously improved camera

The camera is the first thing that made me switch from last year's Z Play to the Z2 Play. Here, in this parameter, everything has been improved a lot. There is a decent 12-megapixel module with an f / 1.7 aperture with hybrid autofocus and dual flash. In the daytime, the pictures from this camera are wonderful. With excellent color reproduction (there could be more contrast, though), good detail and a generally pleasing picture, below are examples:

At night, everything is a little worse, despite the excellent aperture ratio, due to the fact that the device does not have optical stabilization. Although in general, if you try hard and get used to it, you can get normal shots in poor lighting:

Video is recorded in the maximum resolution of 4K at 30 fps, but it cannot boast of anything special. Ordinary average. But the front camera is 5 megapixels, without autofocus, but with a dual (!) LED flash. Evaluate an example of the work of the front camera yourself, as for me everything is fine:

Another longevity?

For the sake of the minimum thickness of the smartphone, the manufacturer was forced to reduce the battery capacity of the Moto Z2 Play. Instead of 3510 mAh, as in last year's model, there is only 3000 mAh. This is definitely so-so, because I didn’t succeed in squeezing uber-autonomy out of the Z2 Play. Although, weeks after unpacking, the phone's battery swayed and already showed about 6 hours of active screen.

On average, my smartphone worked for about a full day, plus or minus. Even in such scenarios, this is a serious result, which not all smartphones can boast of. Do not forget about the possibility of fast charging thanks to TurboPower technology. More than once, only 15-20 minutes saved me when the phone was on charge, after which I could use it for an average of 4-5 hours.

So take it or not?

As for me, Moto Z2 Play was a success. Yes, there were some ambiguous moments, as in the case of a reduced battery capacity, but in general, Lenovo managed to maintain a cool balance between hardware, cost, autonomy and functions. This is still the same ideal workhorse for every day with a unique feature - the ability to connect replaceable modules. In fact, this is the only modular mid-range smartphone in the world. What other alternatives might there be? The question, of course, is rhetorical.

Back in early summer, Motorola introduced the flagship smartphone Moto Z2 Force, which stands out from the competition with an unbreakable screen, as well as support for modules. Let's see what else is interesting in this smartphone.

Contents of delivery

In the box with the Moto Z2 Force, you can find a charger with a USB Type-C cable, as well as an adapter for a 3.5 mm headphone jack.

In addition, the kit includes a magnetic fabric pad that protects the back and removes the camera protrusion.

Design

Externally, the Moto Z2 Force is not far from the Z2 Play, with which they were announced at the same time.

The fact is that support for modules in Motorola smartphones imposes certain restrictions in terms of design. For example, the company cannot move the fingerprint scanner to the rear panel, otherwise it will be covered by modules. Because of this, the Moto Z2 Force has rather large bezels at the top, and especially at the bottom of the screen, where the fingerprint scanner is located, as well as the Moto logo.

The back side of the Moto Z2 Force case is covered with a polished metal plate, along the perimeter of which there is a plastic insert. Here you can also see the dual camera unit, in which the flash is inserted in an original way.

The thickness of the smartphone case is only 6.1 mm, and the weight is 143 grams, but the device does not feel flimsy, on the contrary, it lies pleasantly in the hand.

In general, the design of the Moto Z2 Force looks dated compared to this year's "frameless" flagships, but it can be slightly diversified by lining with different coatings. Otherwise, the body of the smartphone is well assembled, it is comfortable to use.

Display

The Moto Z2 Force uses a 5.5-inch P-OLED display with a resolution of 2560x1440 pixels. According to our measurements, its maximum brightness is 356 cd/m2, and the minimum is 9 cd/m2. Traditionally for matrices of this type, the image is colorful, and the viewing angles are maximum. At the same time, the display provides a color gamut of more than 100% sRGB, but its color temperature goes to the “cold” 7000K, and the gamma is not uniform.

In the screen settings, you can change the display of colors, replacing bright ones with more natural ones.

In addition, in the Moto application, you can change the color temperature, making it "warmer". But it only works on schedule.

The main feature of the Moto Z2 Force screen is that it is covered not with glass, but with a special ShatterShield plastic, on top of which a protective film is additionally glued. Thus, if the smartphone falls on a hard surface, the screen in it will not break. The top protective film is quite easily scratched, but it can be replaced. In the US, it is changed for $30, while in Ukraine the company plans to complete the smartphone with another protective film. It is also worth noting that, unlike similar Motorola displays of past years, the company managed to achieve high degree transparency of plastic, it does not affect the quality of the picture and it is difficult to distinguish it from glass.

Platform and Performance

Moto Z2 Force is built on Qualcomm's flagship platform - Snapdragon 835 processor, running at 1.9 and 2.35 GHz, as well as Adreno 540 graphics. In addition, the device is equipped with 6 GB of RAM and 64 GB of internal memory. The latter can be expanded with microSD cards. It is worth noting here that, unlike the Moto Z2 Play, only one SIM card can be used in the Force, the second slot is used only for memory cards.
Given the flagship platform, 6 GB random access memory and pure Android, the Moto Z2 Force is very fast and has plenty of headroom.

It is worth noting that the smartphone comes with the Android 7.1.1 operating system, Motorola often emphasizes that they do not use their own shell. This should allow the company to release updates to its smartphones faster. But as you can see in the Moto Z2 Force, which hasn't received the update to Android 8.0 yet, this doesn't always work. I hope that at the beginning of next year the company will correct its oversight. Moreover, the smartphone uses Bluetooth 5.0, but before updating to Android 8.0, it works in Bluetooth 4.2 mode.

Camera

The Moto Z2 Force uses two 12-megapixel cameras with f/2.0 aperture and no optical stabilization: one in color and one in black and white. Due to the lack of an RGB filter, the black-and-white camera has greater light sensitivity and a wider dynamic range. If you organize the exchange of data between cameras, then in low light conditions or in backlight, you can improve the quality of color images. But how does it work in Moto Z2 Force in practice?

In good light, the smartphone camera provides good detail and a wide dynamic range, it perfectly renders both small branches of trees and clouds.

In low light, the detail of the pictures drops noticeably, it is eaten up by aggressive noise reduction. Also affected by the f/2.0 aperture, which for some reason has become smaller than it was in last year's Moto Z, and the lack of optical stabilization. Because of the latter, night shots are sometimes blurry. However, the black-and-white module partly compensates for these shortcomings.

In addition, the second camera is used for portrait mode, and generally allows you to blur the background. As in others modern smartphones with this function, the second module is used to measure the distance, and the software is responsible for blurring the background itself. And he is not always able to correctly determine the edges of the subject. However, this is a problem for all smartphones this year that have a portrait mode.

In general, the Moto Z2 Force cameras take good pictures, but when shooting in low light conditions, you have to take several photos in a row to choose the best one from them.

Audio

The Moto Z2 Force has one external speaker, it is combined with the speaker and is located above the display. Despite the relatively small size, the speaker sounds loud, but it lacks volume.

In this way, incoming call you are unlikely to miss it, but the smartphone speaker is not suitable for listening to music.

You can connect headphones to Moto Z2 Force either via an adapter from USB Type-C to 3.5 mm jack, or via Bluetooth wireless protocol.

autonomy

The manufacturer managed to fit a 2730 mAh battery into the slim body of the Moto Z2 Force. Considering that the thickness is only 6.1 mm, this is quite a decent capacity. However, here we see another limitation that modules impose. To make it comfortable to use a smartphone with them, it must have a thin body, as well as not very heavy weight. The Moto Z2 Force fits in well with these requirements, but it has less battery capacity than other flagships. However, in practice, the duration of work from a single charge at an average load is a day. In the Geekbench 4 Pro autonomy test with a screen brightness of 200 cd / m2, the smartphone worked under high load for 5.5 hours.

The smartphone supports TurboPower fast charging, which is compatible with Qualcomm Quick Charge 2.0.

Site score

Pros: relatively light weight, unbreakable display, thin metal body, module support, screen quality, high performance, camera shots

Minuses: the design looks outdated compared to other flagships, there is no optical stabilization in the camera

Output: Moto Z2 Force is the flagship smartphone from Motorola, which is equipped with a high-quality display, a productive platform and a good camera. But all this is already difficult to surprise, even mid-range models have similar characteristics today. And if you leave out the support for modularity, which is also equipped with other Motorola models, the only unique feature of the Moto Z2 Force is the shatterproof screen. And this, in fact, is quite a weighty argument in favor of a smartphone, especially for those users who often drop their devices and have already had time to replace the display.

Smartphone

Specifications

• Android 7.1.1
• Display 5.5 inches, AMOLED, 1080x1920 pixels, 401 ppi, automatic brightness adjustment, Corning Gorilla Glass 3
• 3000 mAh Li-Ion battery, up to 40 hours mixed mode, fast charging
• Version for one nanoSIM card, two nanoSIM cards, separate memory card slot in the tray
• 3/32 GB memory or 4/64 GB memory, memory cards up to 256 GB
• Qualcomm Snapdragon 626 chipset, octa-core Cortex A53 up to 2.2GHz, GPU Adreno 506
• Front-camera 5 megapixels, two-section flash
• Main camera 12 megapixels, f/1.7, phase detection autofocus
• Noise reduction system, three microphones
• Fingerprint sensor
• FM radio
• USB Type C, USB OTG, Bluetooth 4.2, Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n, NFC
• GPS/GLONASS
• Color solutions - Lunar Gray, Fine Gold, Nimbus Blue
• Dimensions - 156.2x76.2x6 mm, weight - 145 grams

Contents of delivery

• Smartphone
• Charger supporting fast charging
• Wired stereo headset
• SIM eject tool
• Additional panel for rear wall
• Instruction

Positioning

In 2017, the Z line becomes premium for Motorola, in fact, these are the company's flagships, but with one caveat - there is an expensive, top-end flagship with the Force prefix, which uses an unbreakable ShutterShield screen, and a more affordable Z2 Play. The difference between these models in cost is tangible, almost twofold. The issue of positioning Z2 Play is complicated, because based on the cost of 400 euros in Europe (35,000 rubles in Russia), this is a model of the middle segment, and the filling corresponds to this segment. In my opinion, this device meets a couple of requirements from potential buyers, namely, it has a long battery life, clean and latest Android without add-ons, and additional features, good body materials. In fact, we have a device for those who choose a phone for a couple of years and want it to work for a long time from each charge. At the same time, such a buyer does not require the most top-end features, for example, it does not matter to him that there is the most powerful processor, but the balance of the device comes to the fore. For fans of the brand that still exist, this is also an interesting decision.

Design, dimensions, controls

The model is available in three colors, which color suits you best, I don’t know, they are all interesting in some way.

The phone is easily recognizable, but, for example, I don't like too thin body, its thickness is 6 mm! It crashes into the hand, and the camera window protrudes strongly, constantly clinging to various objects, if you wear the phone that way.

But the device comes with an additional overlay, a kind of panel that removes this “defect”, the device becomes a couple of millimeters thicker, but there are no problems with ergonomics.

Please note that there are contacts on the rear panel, they are intended for Moto Mods, with the help of these accessories you can expand the functionality of the device, the company has released a fairly large number of “mods”, here is an external JBL speaker, and a battery, and a camera.

In my opinion, the best way is to use external battery, its capacity is 3000 mAh, which gives you about 1.5 times more energy, and the device will work not for two days, but for all three days. In this aspect, the phone is a champion, but we will talk about this later.

At the top end you see a tray for SIM cards, depending on the market there may be two or one (nanoSIM format), on the other hand you can install a microSD card. That is, the slot allows you to use up to two SIM-cards and simultaneously a memory card.

On the right side there are two volume keys, an on/off button. The phone has three microphones and a well-implemented noise reduction system.

Above the screen are the front camera and LED flash, a proximity sensor, but the central key is a fingerprint sensor, pressing is not supported, but you can enable gesture support in the settings and scroll through the lists on this button.

The device has a 3.5 mm jack, on the bottom there is a standard USB Type C connector for charging the phone.

Dimensions of the device - 156.2x76.2x6 mm, weight - 145 grams. It is quite wide, but with an extra pad or some Moto Mods, it fits well in the hand, it is not worth using it without them, although it is possible. The case is made of metal, the front panel is covered with Corning Gorilla Glass 3, the oleophobic coating is good.

There are no complaints about the build quality, it's still the same good old Motorola.

Display

Screen 5.5 inches, AMOLED, 1080x1920 pixels, 401 ppi, automatic brightness control, Corning Gorilla Glass 3. As for me, automatic brightness control often darkens the screen too much, this is done to make the device work longer. And if in normal modes this is still not so noticeable, then when shooting with a camera on the street on a not very sunny day, this becomes a problem, you have to peer into the screen. Exactly for this reason, turned off automatic brightness control.

But if you manually set the screen brightness, then in most cases it will be comfortable for you. After the flagships from Samsung, I lacked a margin of display brightness, it seemed dull, but this is typical for most models in this price segment, both with AMOLED screens and TFT. For example, Huawei uses exactly the same aggressive brightness reduction algorithms for most use cases.

For the average person, the screen on the Z2 Play will be more than enough, especially if you haven't used QHD-display devices, otherwise you definitely won't have enough.

Battery

The built-in 3000 mAh Li-Ion battery, according to Motorola, can provide up to 40 hours of mixed-mode operation, which means that you can easily do different things on the phone for two days. As a rule, Motorola's declared and real time coincide, and so it happened in my case, the device worked on average for about two days with 5-6 hours of display operation (60% backlight).

The unconverted video playback time is just over 16 hours at maximum brightness, which is a very worthy result.

Considering what can be bought external battery in the form of a mod (3000 mAh), you can easily get three days of work. And if you play on the device, then it will be 15 hours of pure time with such a battery, that is, a full day from morning to sunset. In terms of operating time, this device is very good, which will bribe many.

Fast charging is supported, the full charging time of the complete device is about 1 hour 35 minutes.

Memory, RAM, chipset and performance

The phone has 4 GB of RAM, you can choose 64 GB of internal memory (there is an option for 3/32 GB), but there is also support for cards microSD memory up to 256 GB.

The chipset inside the phone is Snapdragon 626, 8 Cortex A53 cores up to 2.2 GHz, graphics accelerator - Adreno 506. The performance of this solution is not maximum, but it is enough for most typical tasks. Take a look at the synthetic test results below.

USB, Bluetooth, communication capabilities

Version BT 4.2, all profiles are supported, which can be considered a nice feature of the device. Supported by model number different frequencies for LTE, there are always the following gangs: 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 13.

For Wi-Fi, there is support for 802.11a/b/g/n/ac. The phone has NFC, but the USB version is 3.1 (Type C).

Camera

The front camera is 5-megapixel, it has a two-section (!) flash. The pictures are of average quality. The main camera has a rather interesting interface.

The characteristics of the main camera are as follows: 12 megapixels, f / 1.7, phase detection autofocus. Unfortunately, the shooting quality is very average, this is not a strong point of the device, however, see for yourself.

Software Features

Just like other devices from Motorola, this one is built on pure Android 7.1.1, no add-ons and nothing more.

From the point of view of multimedia, I liked this device, it plays music well, and, comparing it with classmates of predominantly Chinese origin, I prefer it, the sound is reproduced cleaner and better.

The Moto app shows you how to use a brush to activate the camera, how to record a voice tag to wake up your phone, and introduce you to night mode.

The implementation of FM-radio is normal, it works with a headset.

When you turn it on for the first time, you are prompted to install additional programs, including from Yandex, but you can safely refuse them. That is, the preset here is delicate, you do not need to delete anything.

Impression

Motorola always has everything in order with speech transmission, and no Chinese even came close to their noise reduction system, it is excellent. The volume of the call is above average, it can be heard in noisy places quite well, the vibrating alert is average or slightly muffled, you just can't feel it.

With a Russian cost of 34,990 rubles, this device did not turn out to be a win-win option, since for this money you can choose many alternatives among the “Chinese”. For example, the just-released Honor 9 has the same battery size (almost the same), 5.15-inch screen (IPS), fast charging, and a price of 27,990 rubles. The difference in cost is quite noticeable, and not in favor of the device from Motorola. And this is a famous Chinese.

And you can remember such a device as OnePlus 3T, which costs about 34,000 rubles today (27 thousand on the gray market). A good model in all respects, which looks like a bargain.

In the segment of about 35,000 rubles, there are a huge number of models, and they are very different, these are former flagships and current devices from Chinese manufacturers. Against this background, Motorola Z2 Play stands out only for its brand and unusual appearance. How much this will be enough, it is difficult to say. What do you think about this device and its cost?

P.S. Full Review will appear in August, after studying not a prototype, but a commercial sample. In commercial samples, the camera will be better, the speed of work will change slightly, but in general, the idea is clear to you at a glance.

Perhaps exactly Motorola Moto The Z2 Play is the most geeky-pre-geeky smartphone right now. If you look at the dry characteristics, then this is a typical mid-ranger with a 5.5-inch SuperAMOLED screen and a Snapdragon 626 processor (a version of the 625 overclocked by 200 MHz). Better than others except that the case thickness is 6 mm versus 7 for most analogues.

For film lover, music lover and photographer

But the Moto Z2 Play still has its trump card, one might even say a full bag of trump cards. At the bottom of the back cover of the smartphone is a port for connecting various external modules. The most interesting of them are: the Moto Insta-Share projector ($300), capable of producing an image with a diagonal of 70 inches; Hasselblad True Zoom Camera ($300) with 10x optical zoom; JBL SoundBoost audio speaker ($70) and optional 3500 mAh TurboPower Pack battery. Moto Style Shell trims in leather, fabric or wood are also supported. At the same time, compatibility with modules for Moto Z of the first generation is observed, and the number of new modules is gradually growing (gamepad, wireless charging, etc.).

Overpayment for modularity

Moto Z2 Play can also be praised for a camera with a large Sony IMX362 (1/2.55") sensor, fast f/1.7 aperture and Dual Pixel fast autofocus technology. Its only drawback is that it protrudes too much from the body to be able to shoot normally with attached modules.The front camera has its own flash.However, if you are only interested in a good camera, then it is cheaper to buy Moto G5 Plus with a similar sensor.We can advise Moto Z2 Play to buy only if you plan to buy and actively use modules .

Although Motorola Moto Z2 Play leaves a good impression on the results of tests, despite partly better equipment, this smartphone in our rating is slightly lower than the previous model. That's because the first Z Play has an excellent runtime. battery life, and Z2 is just good. The manufacturer took a step back in terms of photo quality. The shots are still okay, but there is a noticeable lack of detail. As in the case of its predecessor, the capabilities of the second generation Z Play, if desired, can be easily expanded using modules, which opens up new possibilities for users, above all entertainment.

Advantages

partly practical modular system
good workmanship
android updates for 2 years

disadvantages

mediocre camera
high entry price for a mid-range smartphone

Motorola Moto Z2 Play 32GB Test Results

• Price-quality ratio
  Fine

• Value for money: 75
• Performance and management (35%): 84.4
• Equipment (25%): 80.9
• Battery (15%): 89.6
• Display (15%): 90.3
• Camera (10%): 69.9

Editorial rating

User rating

You have already rated

Moto Z2 Play: Moto Mod makes music

On the back of the Moto Z2 Play are several small pins through which the Moto Mods are connected to the smartphone. For fastening, a magnet hidden under the cover is used here, as a result of which the modules can be changed without using any tool. And although there is something in this idea itself, its perception in the end depends heavily on the quality of the modules.

To market this distinctive feature, in Europe, for example, Motorola sells the Moto Z2 Play complete with a module that is a branded JBL speaker. It is called Soundboost 2 and costs about 7,000 rubles separately. We really liked its sound - as was the case with its predecessor, which we also tested earlier.

The sound here is loud and clear, with pleasant bass, and in terms of sound quality, this module surpasses the speakers of any smartphone. Of course, the Moto Z2 Play with the Soundboost 2 connected becomes quite bulky and can no longer fit comfortably in a tight pants pocket.

The functionality of the Moto Z2 Play can be expanded by replacing the modules connected to the back

Disadvantages of expansion modules

Alternatively, plug-ins are offered in the form of a 3490 mAh battery (Moto TurboPower Pack, 69 euros - 4800 rubles) or with Qi wireless charging. A gamepad should also be on sale. Those who love simplicity can choose the back cover without any module, just to vary appearance smartphone. Motorola's home site has an overview of all available modules.

The modular system does not entail any disadvantages, except for some industrial design of the smartphone. However, some extravagant modules increase the dimensions of the device so much that users will have to carry the smartphone in a bag rather than in a trouser pocket.

In addition, some modules, such as a speaker, could theoretically connect to a smartphone via Bluetooth as an external accessory, so in our eyes such a system becomes not so valuable compared to the ability to use separate Bluetooth speakers. In addition, the modules fidget a little back and forth relative to the smartphone, spoiling the otherwise pleasant tactile sensations from the Z2 Play.

The speaker can only be connected to the back of the smartphone. It is held by a magnet and automatically connects through the contact pad

Moto Z2 Play thin and high quality

Regarding the quality of performance in Moto Z2 Play, there is practically nothing to complain about. The smartphone (without connected modules) is very thin and looks expensive thanks to the metal back surface. Of course, if someone wants, he can use it without modules, but then the appearance of the device will give the impression of incompleteness or excessive industrialism, since contacts will be clearly visible on the reverse side, and the camera protrudes beyond the plane of the case very much.

Unfortunately, Motorola has decided to drop the certification this device to IP-67 or IP-68 standards to ensure protection against prolonged immersion in water. In an informal conversation, we were assured that the smartphone could survive short baths, but users should not rely on these words.

Data transfer is carried out through the USB Type-C port according to the USB 3.1 standard. Headphone jack Motorola still continues to use. At the same time, there is even an LED photo flash for selfies on the front side, which is rather a rarity. The wireless charging function without the corresponding module is not supported by the device.

Wired connection via USB 3.1 Type-C

Z2 Play: a step back in terms of battery and camera

One of the "advertising signs" of the former was its excellent battery life of almost 12 hours. Since in the successor the manufacturer has reduced the battery capacity by 15 percent, to 3000 mAh, users of the Moto Z2 Play will not see the same endurance of the smartphone.

During our online tests, the device was able to last 9 hours and 16 minutes. Thanks to the support of the fast charging function, the battery restores its energy reserves in just 96 minutes. Those who need a more solid battery life should purchase Moto Mod with an additional battery.

During our test run, we were more than surprised by the fact that the Moto Z2 Play scored lower than the previous model in the Camera category. The effective resolution of the 12-megapixel camera (measured in the number of line pairs per frame height) turned out to be lower than that of its 16-megapixel predecessor, which is not surprising.

At the same time, we intend to high level noise, and in the subjective part of the test, we were very disturbed by a pronounced blur, which smoothes the textures, but does it too hard. This effect is especially pronounced in low light conditions. Unfortunately, there is no optical stabilizer here either. As a result, the quality of the photographs, although still “okay”, nevertheless, there is a certain regression in this direction.

Moto Z2 Play is very thin - but it also has a noticeably smaller battery than its predecessor

Moto Z2 Play has a good display

With its 5.5-inch full-HD display, the Moto Z2 Play is geared towards big screen lovers. With its 460 cd / m 2 it does not shine sensationally, but brightly enough. As long as the sunlight does not begin to fall directly on the front side of the smartphone, you can use it absolutely hassle-free. Thanks to AMOLED technology, you can enjoy rich colors and almost perfect blacks.

Inside the phone is a mid-range processor with eight cores called Snapdragon 626 and offers solid performance. The system responds to commands promptly, there are no jerks in the browser when scrolling either - however, for gamers there are models that are more powerful, for example Snapdragon 835.

Quickly responds to touches and a fingerprint scanner, which does not serve as a Home button with standard settings, since Motorola uses a software control panel in accordance with Google. In this case, we regret it a little, because there is enough space on the case to accommodate capacitive buttons, and the software panel, when enabled, reduces the effective area for displaying an image.

Despite its size, the Z2 Play still feels good in the hand.

Solid equipment

However, the situation can be corrected through the Moto app by assigning all control functions to the fingerprint scanner button. At the same time, once again, in its current models, Motorola refuses to use an LED status indicator to signal missed notifications. Instead, you need to touch the smartphone or take it in your hand to turn on the so-called "activity display". In this state, the screen briefly displays the time and important information.

In WLAN networks, Z2 Play works only in accordance with the n standard and can receive data from LTE networks at speeds up to 300 Mbps. We find the dimensions of the built-in storage really quite good, which offers almost 51 GB of free space for efficient use by the user. In addition, it can be expanded with memory cards. For traveling outside of Europe or using a smartphone for work purposes, a slot with support for the Dual SIM function may come in handy.

With a module in the form of a speaker, the smartphone becomes quite bulky, but the sound is really good

Android 7.1 with promised updates

As it has become typical for smartphones of recent years from Motorola, a practically unchanged operating system Android. Thus, there is no extravagantly modified user interface or dozens of additional functions hidden directly in the firmware.

Instead, users get a neat and responsive system that Motorola wants to keep up to date for two years or two new "major" versions. In addition, monthly security updates will be released. It's great.

Motorola (and, by extension, parent company Lenovo) sells the Moto Z2 Play in European stores at the time of launch, complete with a speaker module, priced at 519 euros (36,000 rubles). Thus, the cost turns out to be quite high when you think about the fact that the previous model as of July 2017 is priced at an average of 26,600 rubles.

Alternative: Motorola Moto Z Play

Anyone who likes Motorola's modular system and who wants to get a more solid battery life even without an additional module can, with a clear conscience, take the first one, which during our tests proved to be better than the successor, and it costs less. As of July 2017, it is estimated at approximately 26,600 rubles - but you can find offers for 19,500 he,ktq. This is a very good price.

Specifications and test results of Motorola Moto Z2 Play 32GB

Price-quality ratio	75
OS in testing	Android 7.1.1
Current OS	Android 7.1.1
Is there an OS update planned?	Android 8 (date tbc)
App Store
Weight	144
Length x Width	156 x 76 mm;
Thickness	8.8mm;
Design expertise	very good
Expert evaluation of the speed of work	Okay
Download speed: PDF 800 KB over WLAN	3.8 s
Download speed: main chip.de over WLAN	0.4 s
Download speed: chip.de test chart over WLAN	10.7 s
Sound quality (hands-free)	very good
CPU	Qualcomm Snapdragon 626
Processor architecture
CPU frequency	2.200 MHz
Number of CPU cores	4+4
RAM	4.0 GB
Battery: capacity	3.000 mAh
Battery: easily removable	-
Battery: surf time	9:16 h:min
Battery: charging time	1:36 h:min
Quick charge function	Yes
Charger and fast charging cable included
Battery: Discharging time / Charging time	5,8
Wireless charging function	-
WLAN	802.11n
Voice over LTE
LTE: Frequencies	800, 1.800, 2.600 MHz
LTE: Cat. 4	up to 150 Mbps
LTE: Cat. 6	up to 300 Mbps
LTE: Cat. nine	-
LTE: Cat. 12	-
Screen: type	OLED
Screen: Diagonal	5.5 inches
Screen: size in mm	68 x 121mm;
Screen: Resolution	1.080 x 1.920 pixels
Screen: dot density	403 ppi
Screen: max. brightness in a dark room	460.2 cd/m²
Screen: checkerboard contrast in a bright room	37:1
Screen: checkerboard contrast in a dark room	147:1
Camera: resolution	12.2 MP
Camera: measured resolution	1.553 line pairs
Camera: expert assessment of image quality	Okay
Camera: VN1 noise	2.0 VN1
Camera: minimum focal length	4.3mm;
Camera: minimum shooting distance	8 cm;
Camera: Shutter time with autofocus	0.72 s
Camera: optical stabilizer	-
Camera: autofocus	Yes
Camera: flash	Double LED, LED
Video Resolution	3.840 x 2.160 pixels
Front camera: resolution	5.0 MP
LED indicator	-
Radio	Yes
SIM card type	Nano SIM
Dual SIM	Yes
Protection against dust and moisture (IP certified)
The fingerprint scanner
User accessible memory	49.7 GB
Memory card slot	Yes
USB connector	Type-C-USB 3.1
Bluetooth	4.2
NFC	Yes
Headphone output	3.5mm;
HD Voice	Yes
SAR	0.67 W/kg
Firmware version during testing	NPS26.74-38
Test date	2017-07-13