Moto Z2 Play received additional modules and slightly improved hardware. Review and tests of Motorola Moto Z2 Play. Smartphone swiss army knife

In 2016, the Moto Z and Moto Z Force smartphones appeared - both modular, but the latter looked thicker, albeit with a larger battery. Review of the updated Moto Z2 Force.

Previously, it was more practical and profitable to purchase an ultra-thin Moto Z and connect external battery-module via universal connector Moto Mods, so the updated Z2 Force smartphone has a smaller battery and a more compact body.

Let's find out if the manufacturer managed to find a middle ground this time?

The kit includes:

• The smartphone itself
• Turbo Power Adapter
• Cable USB Type-C and Type-A
• USB headphone adapter
• Quick Guide
• Warranty card
• Safety card
• SIM Card Removal Tool

Phone design

The new Moto Z2 Force is almost no different from last year's models Moto series Z. There is an even greater similarity with the Z2 Play - the same elongated fingerprint scanner below the 5.5-inch screen with gesture support.

The thickness of the original Moto Z is 5.19 mm, Z Force is 7 mm, Z2 Play is 6 mm, Z2 Force is 6.1 mm. The main differences between the Z2 Play and Z2 Force are not in design, but in price and features. Weighing 143 grams, the updated Z2 Force is 20 grams lighter than the original - for a modular smartphone this is very important.

The edges are smoothly rounded, and the unibody aluminum body of the phone fits comfortably in the hand. The rear panel with a smooth surface houses the Moto Mods connector and the main camera module. Instead of protecting the entire design, Motorola used a nano-coating on the internal circuits of the smartphone, so the Z2 Force will withstand brief submersion under water, and is not as waterproof as the Galaxy S8 and LG G6.

Z2 Force screen

The main feature of the Moto Z2 Force is the 5.5-inch OLED display with a resolution of 2560x1440 (Quad HD) - unbreakable plastic instead of glass. The maximum brightness is 500 nits, but this figure is only achievable in automatic mode, at manual setting it is very limited. The minimum brightness is only 9 nits, color temperature is 7263 K, gamma is 2.01.

Despite the shortcomings, the image quality here is at the flagship level. ShatterShield technology allows you to survive falls and impacts, however, the plastic screen will quickly become covered with scratches and scuffs. Accidental impacts that would not leave a mark on the glass will ruin the Moto Z2 Force; you will have to handle the phone very carefully.

On a glass screen, when turned off, the reflection is visible as in a mirror, but on a plastic screen it will be greatly distorted. When pressed, the plastic creaks and bends, and the display does not correspond to the high price of the smartphone.

Interface and functionality

The user interface of the Moto Z2 Force is not much different from stock Android- Motorola did not change the menus and icons. Gesture controls have been expanded, all of them are available in the application on the home screen.

The Z2 Force's onscreen buttons can be disabled, using the fingerprint scanner below instead. Memorizing the gestures for going back and opening the multitasking menu will take time, but you'll end up with an elegant and functional system.

The Moto Display feature allows you to view notifications on a locked smartphone and automatically activate the screen when your hand approaches. Although modern ultrasonic sensors are better than infrared ones.

The Moto Voice app is here to voice control system. Just say “Show me the calendar” or “Show me the weather” to get the information. Before use, you need to speak a few phrases - this is how the smartphone will learn to recognize your voice.

Processor and memory in tests

Moto Z2 Force phone revealed best performance among all smartphones on Android based. The Snapdragon 835 processor, 4 GB of RAM and 64 GB of storage allowed the device to score higher than its competitors in most benchmarks. The system works very quickly, freezes are noticeable only in some camera modes.

Here is a comparison table:

On the back of the Z2 Force there are two 12-megapixel sensors: full color and monochrome. Each has more pixels than the sensors on last year's Z and Z Force.

The camera's images have balanced exposure, vibrant colors, and sharp focus. Thanks to the monochrome sensor, which captures light better, the quality in low light does not drop much. Best photos are obtained in the Auto HDR mode - landscape objects and the sky with clouds look great, although the mode is not available when shooting in black and white.

System dual camera Moto Z2 Force allows you to use special effects, including background blur. You can make only the image in focus color, and everything else in black and white, or remove the background completely. The separation of focus and background, while neat, is imperfect in all modes.

The 12MP camera has enough pixels to optical stabilization provide electronic, even when shooting video in 4K or 1080p / 60 fps. Few smartphones can boast the same. Stabilization smoothes out camera movements, but sometimes there is noticeable jerking, especially when shooting in black and white. The sound in the video is clear and intelligible, background noise is suppressed.

Multimedia and speaker sound

The bright (in automatic mode) screen is great for viewing media content, but the single front speaker does not produce decent sound. The lower range has the same problems as the Moto Z2 Play. The maximum speaker volume of the Moto Z2 Force is 76.8 dB.

Connecting the JBL SoundBoost 2 module will not fix the problem - competitors offer more high quality sound. There are no headphones included, nor is there a 3.5 mm jack for older headsets - in this regard, the Z2 Force is inferior to the budget Z2 Play; there is a connection for them USB adapter Type-C.

Voice calls

During phone calls there are no problems with the speakers and microphone; the interlocutor can be heard well. The Z2 Force doesn't have the 18:9 aspect ratio of 2017 flagships, so it's much less comfortable to hold against your ear during voice calls.

The battery has become smaller

Due to the reduction in thickness, the battery capacity has decreased from 3500 mAh for the Z Force to 2730 mAh for the Z2 Force. Only energy-efficient components, such as the Snapdragon 835 processor, allowed the battery life to decrease slightly.

With the screen always on, the Moto Z2 Force smartphone lasted 7-8 hours - this is Samsung level Galaxy S8 and longer than LG G6. From 0 to 100%, using the supplied adapter - Motorola Turbo Power, the phone charges in 80-110 minutes, which is not bad. Built-in wireless charging no, just like an external battery, it can be added using Moto Mods.

Moto Z2 Force Modules

The entire range of Moto Mods is supported. Let's look at the Moto 360 Camera module, released simultaneously with the Z2 Force - a wide-angle camera system.

Moto's system captures images and video from one or two lenses at a time, stitching them together to create a panoramic picture. It consists of two 13 MP cameras and four microphones to capture sound from different angles. On the back, under the recess with the Motorola logo, there is physical button shutter release.

In addition to taking photos and recording videos, the 360 ​​Camera mod allows you to broadcast live social media. For some compact cameras 360 degrees drains the battery faster and has a less stable connection, although there are more placement options.

The captured content can be easily edited, including cutting off unnecessary fragments. Starting up a panoramic camera takes much longer than the one built into a smartphone. You can switch between cameras, but when you enter the application, the 360 ​​Camera will always open first; I advise you to disable it if you are going to shoot with a regular camera.

The Moto 360 Camera mod costs $300 (17,000 rubles), so the purchase will be justified only for owners of a Motorola smartphone who want to shoot panoramic video; in other cases, I advise you to choose the Gear 360 camera.

Bottom line

The Moto Z2 Force 2017 smartphone is not a direct continuation of the Moto Z or Moto Z Force 2016, but combines almost all the best from both models. The gadget costs $720 (41,000 rubles).

The most significant drawback is the ShatterShield technology. Anti-crack protection is pointless if the screen can be scratched with a fingernail. Due to Moto Mods, the smartphone's aspect ratio is not reduced to 18:9 like other modern flagships - the new Z2 Force seems too wide in comparison. The lack of a 3.5 mm headphone jack is also disappointing here.

Superior performance, long lasting battery, fast recharge and good camera making Moto Z2 Force great smartphone- you can also buy a projector or several other modules for it.

Benefits of Moto Z2 Force

• High performance
• Thinner, lightweight body
• Long battery life
• Great camera

Disadvantages of Z2 Force

• Fragile plastic screen
• Problems with video stabilization
• The battery is worse than the previous model

Updated flagship phone Moto Z2 Force - video review

If you find an error, the video does not work, please select a piece of text and click Ctrl+Enter.

The brand has been confirming its competitiveness for several years thanks to technical features devices and unique design finds. Interest in the company's products did not subside even during a forced break of several years, when its activities practically came to a standstill.

After they made the decision to purchase, many experts feared for the future fate of the brand.

Contrary to their guesses about the closure of the company, Motorola models not only continued the previously started series of smartphones, but also borrowed some technical solutions from their buyer, which made it possible to introduce new, previously unused improvements into the development process.

Motorola Moto Z2 Play came into our hands - modular smartphone medium-high price segment, providing the user with the opportunity to customize and selectively improve the functions of the device, which is currently a rare phenomenon in the field smart technology. There are really a lot of modules and each of them, comparable in cost to stand-alone smartphones, has special functions.

Specifications Motorola Moto Z2 Play

The main feature of the smartphone is modular retrofitting. The company's arsenal includes a projector, speaker, camera, joystick, additional battery and more budget-friendly cosmetic pads with wireless charging function.

In addition to this feature, the device is far from the weakest Qualcomm processor Snapdragon 626, support for memory cards up to 2 terabytes and a built-in 3,000 mAh battery. The positioning of the model allows us to judge it as a confident mid-ranger, almost a flagship with attractive features and a good list of characteristics, which can be found below:

Packaging and equipment Motorola Moto Z2 Play

Getting to know a device, as you know, begins with its packaging, which in our case immediately evokes a pleasant impression thanks to the thick cardboard and bright design. On the front of the box there is a company designation and an indication of the model, supplemented by an image of some crystals inscribed in a contour circle with the Moto logo. The interior of the box, which protrudes outward a couple of centimeters, is also made in the style of the latter. On the removable part there is a Lenovo logo, which reminds of the owner of the brand.

All information related to specific device, that is, serial numbers, is located in the form of a sticker on the bottom edge. On the opposite side is the company logo. On the back of the packaging there is again the "M" logo.

After the moving part is removed, the gaze involuntarily concentrates on the device in a special cardboard niche.

Underneath is a cardboard envelope with the slogan “HelloMoto,” familiar to users since the company produced push-button phones.

Inside the envelope there is documentation and a paper clip for opening. SIM tray. Also in the box are:

• Charger;
• USB cable.

As for the quality of all accessories, there is not even the slightest complaint about it. Everything is made extremely carefully and pleases the eye.

Note that along with the smartphone we received an additional cover with a 360-degree lens. The materials of the box are similar to those of the hero of the review.

On the front and back sides, the manufacturer conveys to the buyer basic information about the advantages of the additional device.

The only thing we can immediately note is the high quality of the accessory, as well as the presence of an additional rubber lens cover.

For now, let's move on to studying the smartphone itself.

Specifications

• Android 7.1.1
• Display 5.5 inches, AMOLED, 1080x1920 pixels, 401 ppi, automatic brightness adjustment, Corning Gorilla Glass 3
• Battery Li-Ion 3000 mAh, operating time in mixed mode up to 40 hours, 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, eight-core Cortex A53 with a frequency of up to 2.2 GHz, GPU Adreno 506
• Front camera 5 megapixels, dual-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 options – Lunar Gray, Fine Gold, Nimbus Blue
• Dimensions – 156.2x76.2x6 mm, weight – 145 grams

Scope of delivery

• Smartphone
• Charger supporting fast charging
• Wired stereo headset
• SIM tray eject tool
• Additional panel for back wall
• Instructions

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 noticeable, almost twofold. The issue of positioning the Z2 Play is complex, since based on the cost of 400 euros in Europe (35,000 rubles in Russia), this is a mid-segment model, 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 operating time on a single charge, clean and the most up-to-date Android without add-ons and additional functions, 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 on each charge. At the same time, such a buyer does not require the most top-end characteristics; for example, it is not important for him to have the most powerful processor, and 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, control elements

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

The phone is easily recognizable, but for example I don't like it too much slim body, its thickness is 6 mm! It digs into your hand, and the camera window protrudes a lot and constantly clings to various objects if you carry the phone that way.

But the device comes with an additional cover, 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 back 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”, including an external JBL speaker, a battery, and a camera.

In my opinion, the most optimal thing is to use an 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 record holder, 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 side you can install microSD card. That is, the slot allows you to use up to two SIM cards and a memory card at the same time.

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

Above the screen there is a front camera and an 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 lists on this button.

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

The dimensions of the device are 156.2x76.2x6 mm, weight - 145 grams. It's quite wide, but with an extra pad or some Moto Mods it fits well in the hand, it shouldn't be used 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 adjustment, Corning Gorilla Glass 3. As for me, automatic brightness adjustment often darkens the screen too much, this is done so that the device works longer. And if in normal modes this is not so noticeable, then when shooting with a camera on the street on a not very sunny day it becomes a problem; you have to peer into the screen. Exactly for this reason I turned off automatic brightness adjustment.

But if you manually set the screen brightness, then in most cases it will be comfortable for you. After the flagships from Samsung, I did not have enough display brightness, it seemed dim, but this is typical for most models in this price segment, both with AMOLED and TFT screens. For example, Huawei uses exactly the same aggressive brightness reduction algorithms for most use cases.

For ordinary person The screen on the Z2 Play will be more than sufficient, especially if you have not used devices with QHD displays, otherwise you will definitely not have enough of it.

Battery

Built-in Li-Ion battery 3000 mAh capacity, according to Motorola, can provide up to 40 hours of phone operation in mixed mode, which means that you can easily do different things on the phone for two days. As a rule, the stated and real time Motorola's are the same, 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 playback time for unconverted video is a little more than 16 hours at maximum brightness, this is a very decent result.

Considering what you can buy external battery in the form of a mod (3000 mAh), you will 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 captivate many.

Fast charging is supported, the complete charging time with 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 quite enough for most typical tasks. Look at the results synthetic tests below.

USB, Bluetooth, communication capabilities

Version BT 4.2, all profiles are supported, which can be considered a nice feature of the device. Depending on the model number, different frequencies are supported for LTE, there are always the following bands: 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, it is not strong point device, however, look 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 superfluous.

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

The Moto app shows you how you can swipe your wrist to activate the camera, how you can 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, there is no need to delete anything.

Impressions

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

With a Russian price 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 Honor 9 that just went on sale has the same battery size (almost the same), a 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.

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

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

P.S. A full review will appear in August, after studying not a prototype, but a commercial sample. Commercial samples will have a better camera, the operating speed will change a little, but overall the idea is clear to you at first glance.

The package includes a smartphone, fast charging hub, USB cable Type-C, decorative socket, set of instructions and a 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.

Display

The smartphone has a 5.5-inch screen Super AMOLED with a resolution of 1920 × 1080 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 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 easy even in manual mode. Sometimes it comes in handy: 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 in low light a powerful flashlight will help. 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 has an octa-core Snapdragon 626 processor clocked at 2.2 GHz and Adreno 506 graphics at 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 the Meizu Pro 6 Plus and Google Pixel XL.

We tried playing on Moto Z2 Play in hard games: 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 connecting cards up to 2 TB, so the capacity internal memory not so important here.

Battery

Battery capacity compared to previous version The battery capacity of the device has decreased and is now 3,000 mAh, which is equivalent to two days of operation with moderate use of the smartphone.

The Moto Z2 Play includes a TurboPower high-power charger that 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.

The One Button Nav button deserves special attention. 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 the full potential of the Moto Z2 Play, 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. The modular system of 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 closer look at the Moto Z2 Play - a smartphone from people who know how to take risks, for people who know how to have fun.

Boring! Nothing new! Just iPhone clones! In principle, this is how we can describe the state of affairs on the smartphone market - manufacturers no longer really know how to attract attention. Finding the perfect one from a bunch of faceless Chinese smartphones is like accomplishing a feat.

One has a low price, but the reliability is confusing. The other one seems to be good for everyone, but everyone I know uses the same Xiaomi, but I want something similar. At the very least, find original device maybe if there was money.

Moto Z2 Play is just the right option for connoisseurs of pure Android and fashionable ideas. I’ll say right away that Moto doesn’t skimp on prices; the Z2 Play costs 34,990 rubles, so you can go to the comments right now and write what you think about this. Well, I’ll tell you what he can do and why he’s special.

Modules

There is a contact pad on the bottom of the case - it is necessary for working with external Moto modules Mods. You can buy a projector, a speaker, a camera with optical zoom, an external battery - there is a wide choice. Moreover, this year Moto also updated the accessories, but the mount remained the same, so you can move them from the old phone to the new one.

I got a battery and a speaker to study. Well, you can’t say much about the 2200 mAh battery cover, a battery is just that, a battery, the phone receives a backup power source, and the cover is also quite thin. It is held on by magnets, fixed firmly and tightly - it will not fall off, no matter how you shake the phone in your hand.

The second thing is a JBL speaker, it is powered by a 1000 mAh battery, the unit turned out to be healthy and weighty. Of course, music sounds much better than through the built-in speaker, but this comes at the cost of size. But connecting such a speaker case is quite simple - stick it to the phone, and go right away powerful sound, there is no need to call Bluetooth for help. Yes, and not every speaker can be stuffed into your pocket, but here ready-made solution with a foot stand.

The idea of ​​the modules is great, but they need to be purchased separately. I didn’t see prices for accessories on the Russian website, so I looked at how much they cost on Amazon. The speaker costs around $80, and the battery cover costs the same. But there are also mods with a camera and a projector - each costs $300, so a full set of bells and whistles will cost a pretty penny.

Thin and bright screen

The thin smartphone does not bend, it is assembled tightly and looks good, the fingerprint scanner is located under the screen and quickly responds to touches, it works perfectly and without errors. Mechanical buttons The volume and power controls have been moved to the right side, everything is at hand, it’s convenient to control - you quickly get used to the Moto Z2 Play.

A 5.5-inch screen with small frames and Full HD resolution under protective 2.5D glass with an excellent oleophobic coating and a rich picture. AMOLED was chosen for Moto Z2 Play for a reason - it’s more modern technology unlike LCD panels, so they were able to make a thin smartphone where every millimeter counts.

On the other hand, AMOLED is still not an acquired taste; my eyes began to ache after long periods of reading or watching videos on the phone screen. Judging by my friends, some people also suffer from this problem, others don’t care about it, it’s a subjective matter. But during normal use, when you don’t stare at your phone for hours, you don’t notice it.

Fast and pure Android

In terms of hardware, this is a typical “average” device - 4/64 GB of memory and Qualcomm Snapdragon 626. The phone runs games normally, does not overheat, there are no lags - everything is good and this is enough for a comfortable life. The only question is what geeks should do: geeks know that for the same money you can buy a Xiaomi with top-end hardware or last year’s Galaxy S7, which is very good. Why does Moto save money and not want to offer a “tasty” solution for its part? Well, Lenovo had an experimental brand ZUK, but the brand-discounter did not bring success in business, they closed the enterprise. So if you can’t wait to say that for the same money you can buy a top-end Xiaomi, you’ll be right, you can.

On the other hand, if we discard all this marketing fun and simply evaluate the device based on how it works, I have no questions about the Moto Z2 Play. Smartphone with pure Android 7.1, it is fast and without annoying third-party software. For its part, Moto has added a useful application of the same name.

Through its settings, you can activate the camera by turning the hand or turn off the ringtone when you take the smartphone in your hand. Another scenario: the phone is lying on the table, you pick it up, the backlight on the screen turns on for a few seconds, notifications are visible. It seems like little things, but convenient. You especially get used to shaking your phone before taking a photo, then you take another one and wonder why it can’t do that. Oh, sorry, this is not Moto.

The SIM card tray is located on the top end, and you don't have to sacrifice the second SIM card compartment if you decide to put a memory card in the phone. A separate slot for microSD is also provided, for which Moto is honored and praised, thank you.

While Apple talks about what a cool wireless world we have come to, where there is no need for a headphone jack, Moto looks at it differently. If you want to listen to music, here's a regular 3.5 mm jack on the bottom. Comfortable!

Good camera with features

Following the fashion for selfies, Moto did not add a sophisticated front camera, there are only 5 megapixels, but the phone has a front flash. For my taste, this is an acquired taste - photos in low light definitely come out brighter and without so much noise, but the face comes out overexposed. The cheeks and nose shine, the skin becomes reddish. On the other hand, if you decide to go to the sea and take a romantic selfie with a girl on the beach, you will get cool photo. Regular phone Without a front flash, he simply can’t shoot like that.

The main camera is 12 megapixels, the lens protrudes very much from the body, the edges wouldn’t peel off over time when you put the phone on a surface. Does aesthetics suffer from such a design? For my taste, no, the smartphone itself is thin, they simply couldn’t fit the module in for technical reasons.

True, when you put on some fancy “motomod”, the camera simply gets lost inside, such a combination of design and technology.

The Moto Z Play takes decent pictures, here are some examples of what its camera is capable of. From useful functions there is laser focusing, high-aperture optics with f/1.7, video recording at 4K@30fps.

Thin but lasts a long time

Since the phone is thin, it means it dies in half a day and you live near the outlet? Don't make hasty decisions! I was pleased with the operating time - Moto Z Play can easily withstand a working day with active use: maps for navigation, communication on Telegram, searching for something on the Internet, a couple of hours of online music on Spotify a day, a dozen photos on the camera. I went with Beeline, then I switched MTS - the phone began to work longer, so the choice of operator and the quality of the coverage area also seriously affects autonomy. Is it really possible to squeeze out 2 days? Yes, in the background there is no battery, the phone hardly discharges if there are no problems with receiving the communication signal.

The phone comes with a high-power charger - the TurboPower unit is healthy, larger than a large iPad charger. But it charges the phone by 50% in half an hour, very convenient while you wash your face and get ready to leave home for work, Moto Z2 Play already ready for work and fun. It’s 2017 and fast charging is no longer a new thing, but you still enjoy the practical function, especially when an iPhone 7 Plus with a battery of the same capacity is lying nearby and slowly charging.

Opinion

I tried to describe why the Moto Z2 Play is good and why they are asking 34,990 rubles for it. From the buyer’s point of view, the situation is this: the phone costs like a top-end one chinese smartphone or like last year's Korean flagship, so why should I buy it?

Slim body, bright screen, good autonomy, clean and fast Android with regular updates, excellent ergonomics, and a bunch of mods for the body kit.

Moto is not captivating with its top-end hardware, no, the phone pleases with its balance of qualities, and it is not in vain that they are asking $500 for it. Although for the same money you can buy OnePlus 5 or Xiaomi Mi 6 - the choice is quite large, especially if you don’t get hung up on buying additional motorcycle mods, the main feature of the Moto Z2 Play. Accessory mods need to be purchased separately, the concept is interesting, but requires additional costs, you have to pay for everything good in our world.

Last year I liked the Moto X Play, this year I can say the same about the Moto Z2 Play. And even though Moto are more expensive than their analogues, they are made with love, you can feel it when you walk around with the phone and get inspired by its idea.

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