Moto Z2 Play Review: Long-Awaited Update
Hello friends! In June, Motorola unveiled the new Moto Z2 Play, a mid-range smartphone that has a surprisingly slim body and an interesting modular system. The device will soon be on sale, and why it is worth paying attention to - we will tell.
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First of all, attention is attracted by the small thickness of Moto Z2 Play - only six millimeters. This is less than most of the flagships of the current year, and in fact the smartphone refers only to the middle segment. The previous model, Moto Z Play, was also slim (7 mm), but the updated model stands out in this respect.
Under the screen there is a touch button with a built-in fingerprint scanner, at the same time it can be configured to recognize gestures. In the upper area, in addition to the window of the front camera and the sensor eye, there is a flash note - selfie lovers will be pleased. Some manufacturers make imitation of the face light through a white screen, but the flash is still much more effective.
On the right side we see the separate volume buttons and the power key, and the left side is completely deaf. Interestingly, the power button is ribbed - it feels immediately to the touch. Tray for SIM-cards and microSD-drive is available at the top.
Very pleased with the presence of two slots for SIM-cards and flash drives: as a rule, smartphones have to choose between two SIM or SIM + microSD, and here you don’t have to compromise. Below is a USB Type-C standard 3.1, as well as a 3.5-mm headphone jack.
The main photo module is enclosed in a beautiful ring, but it is not even this block that attracts attention, but the panel with golden dots in the lower area of ​​the back cover. This is an interface for connecting external modules. The company offers separate fixtures called Moto Mods, which will be discussed in more detail later.
The smartphone is available in three colors - silver, gold and dark gray. Note that the colors are not flashy and look restrained, so even the golden version can be bought without fear.
The Moto Z2 Play uses a 5.5-inch screen, made by technology Super AMOLED. The ratio of the display area to the front panel is quite decent - 70%. The resolution is FullHD, the pixel density is 401 ppi. You can not worry about the fragility of the glass: it is protected by Corning Gorilla Glass 3, which provides good scratch resistance. Oleophobic coating, of course, is also there.
To see the pixels under normal use cases is impossible. Even bringing the smartphone close to the eyes, not immediately able to distinguish between "squares". The display has good brightness, and the colors are juicy - thanks for that AMOLED. The tones, by the way, are not vyglashlaznye that met like matrices several years ago. The problem has long been solved, and the advantages of technology over IPS are tangible.
Moto Z2 Play has a more powerful hardware than its predecessor. The Moto Z Play model had a Snapdragon 625 chip, and the new product uses a more advanced and powerful version of the Snapdragon 626. The eight-core processor runs at 2.2 GHz against 2.0 GHz from the previous version. The graphic module is the same, Adreno 506. For the Russian market, only the top version is offered - with 4 GB of RAM and 64 GB of internal storage.
In the benchmarks, the updated iron proved to be more than worthy. Yes, the results are more modest than the flagship devices - but Moto Z2 Play is in a different niche and performs in a different price range.
Testing, by the way, showed that the system copes well with strong loads: in "heavy" games, such as Real Racing 3, the smartphone behaves decently. Then it is time to ask whether it is worth to overpay twice as much for the flagships, which are better only on paper, but in reality show a comparable speed of work.
Moto Z2 Play is equipped with an NFC chip. The device works fine with the Android Pay service supports contactless Mifare cards - you can replenish Trojka's banals without standing in a queue, as well as pay for travel in public transport using a smartphone.
The smartphone, which is nice, immediately works on the current version of Android 7.1.1 Nougat. A distinctive feature is that the system is “clean” - no shells. Android is presented here in the form in which it was conceived by its developers, and this is the best option.
During the device setup, the system offers to install a number of applications, but if you do not want, you can simply refuse - no obligation. This is very encouraging against the background of some manufacturers who immediately litter a new user’s phone with a mass of programs of dubious necessity.
Motorola has added an app with the straightforward name Moto to Moto Z2 Play. It contains a number of additional features that simplify the work with the smartphone. In practice, they make everyday operations more comfortable and enjoyable. For example, when an incoming call, you can take the gadget in hand, and the melody will die out - because you already saw the call, so you do not need to ring them. Or turn on the flashlight by shaking the phone - it turns out not only quickly, but also effectively.
Another beautiful feature is called Moto Display. She is responsible for viewing notifications on a locked display. The screen will flash, if you just hold your hand over it, at the same time you can quickly reply to the message.
When writing text on the go, holding the smartphone with one hand, it is possible with one flick of your finger (from the bottom up) to reduce the displayed surface of the application to make the message more convenient.
Finally, the camera is activated by a spectacular gesture - you need to rotate the brush twice while holding Moto Z2 Play.
Moto Z2 Play got a different photo module in comparison with the previous version of the smartphone. The camera has fewer megapixels - 12 vs. 16. But, more importantly, the aperture value has improved: f / 1.7 against f / 2.0. Laser autofocus remained, pointing to the desired object occurs almost instantly. Now recording Full HD-video occurs at a speed of 60 frames per second, and 4K, as it was, is written at 30 fps.
Shooting in daylight is excellent: the system chooses the color balance well, almost never need to get into the settings. You can even play around with macro photography: the smartphone quickly focuses on objects that are practically “in front of it”.
The front camera also became better: it still has 5 megapixels, but the luminosity is already equal to f / 2.0 instead of f / 2.2. The flash is equipped with two diodes.
The 3000 mAh battery will give up to two days of work, which can be considered an excellent indicator compared to other smartphones. Also, the device supports fast charging, and the bundled TurboPower adapter comes immediately - you don’t need to buy it separately. About 30% of the battery will fill up in 30 minutes - that is, consider a light day. The smartphone receives energy via USB Type-C, this explains the high speed of the charge.
If you change the sparing mode of use to a more active one, you will get about a day of work. With the “all money” scenario, from morning to evening, the smartphone should suffice anyway. Of course, there are craftsmen who will land a battery in five to six hours, but in real life, we’ll postpone a smartphone for other things, at least for a while.
But Motorola took care of users who are constantly working with the smartphone. One of the additional modules is the Moto Turbopower Pack with an additional 3490 mAh battery. Attaching it in a second to your smartphone, you will receive approximately a day of additional battery life. Let Moto Z2 Play become thicker because of this device, but it will also ask for an outlet every 2.5-3.5 days with moderate use.
Replaceable modules are becoming more and more, and they significantly expand the capabilities of the device - in fact, for this purpose Moto Mods were created.
Moto Gamepad turns your smartphone into a full-fledged pocket-sized game console, such as a PlayStation Portable or a fresh Nintendo Switch. There are two sticks, a cross, a set of buttons for action and "bumpers" on the top face. And since the games require quite a lot of energy, a 1035 mAh battery is built into the mod so that additional controls do not take charge of the smartphone. Batteries Moto Gamepad will last up to eight hours of play - conveniently on long trips.
Mod-column JBL Soundboost 2 eliminates the need to buy a portable speaker. Music of excellent quality (JBL, after all) will fill the room in a rather large size, and if you are going on a picnic, then the mod will not take up much space: you hooked it up to the smartphone with one touch and you're done. In addition, for active recreation JBL Soundboost 2 is well prepared - the column is not afraid of sudden rain or spray from the pool. Built-in battery will last for 10 hours of playback. At the same time, the device can be used for hands-free conversations.
In Moto Z2 Play, high-quality optics are used, but if you really take a great interest in photography, you need something more impressive than a standard camera. For example, the Hasselblad True Zoom mod. The gadget provides a tenfold optical zoom and has a xenon flash. Pictures can be saved in RAW-format - what you need for further processing in graphic editors. With an attached mod, the smartphone feels in your hand like a real camera - ergonomics is at a high level, you can hold the device with your palm, and not hold it on thin edges, as usually happens during mobile shooting.
Perhaps the most unusual mod is the projector. It transfers the image to any surface at an angle of up to 70 degrees, and the built-in battery will provide an additional hour of use of the most interesting fashion. There are plenty of opportunities: from a spectacular presentation of presentations to atmospheric gatherings over a fire for watching films displayed on the wall of a tent or hut.
In addition, there are many panels with beautiful prints (under wood or leather) that will help make Moto Z2 Play more individual.
The smartphone will enter the Russian market in August. The recommended price is 34,990 rubles. With all the features - two SIM and microSD, 4 GB of RAM, excellent camera, good autonomy and “pure” Android - the cost is reasonable. The smartphone can only nominally be attributed to the middle segment. If you look at the characteristics - yes, this is not the top level. However, with real use, the difference between this iron and the more powerful will almost never be noticed.
Is it worth while to overpay for one and a half times for flagship tubes? When, say, an improved camera is needed, you can spend several thousand rubles for an additional module to Moto Z2 Play, and not choose a more expensive smartphone. Motorola allows you to customize the gadget for your specific needs. But more importantly, without modules, the smartphone is perceived as a separate device, and not a blank for installing additional units.
Appearance
')
First of all, attention is attracted by the small thickness of Moto Z2 Play - only six millimeters. This is less than most of the flagships of the current year, and in fact the smartphone refers only to the middle segment. The previous model, Moto Z Play, was also slim (7 mm), but the updated model stands out in this respect.
Under the screen there is a touch button with a built-in fingerprint scanner, at the same time it can be configured to recognize gestures. In the upper area, in addition to the window of the front camera and the sensor eye, there is a flash note - selfie lovers will be pleased. Some manufacturers make imitation of the face light through a white screen, but the flash is still much more effective.
On the right side we see the separate volume buttons and the power key, and the left side is completely deaf. Interestingly, the power button is ribbed - it feels immediately to the touch. Tray for SIM-cards and microSD-drive is available at the top.
Very pleased with the presence of two slots for SIM-cards and flash drives: as a rule, smartphones have to choose between two SIM or SIM + microSD, and here you don’t have to compromise. Below is a USB Type-C standard 3.1, as well as a 3.5-mm headphone jack.
The main photo module is enclosed in a beautiful ring, but it is not even this block that attracts attention, but the panel with golden dots in the lower area of ​​the back cover. This is an interface for connecting external modules. The company offers separate fixtures called Moto Mods, which will be discussed in more detail later.
The smartphone is available in three colors - silver, gold and dark gray. Note that the colors are not flashy and look restrained, so even the golden version can be bought without fear.
Display
The Moto Z2 Play uses a 5.5-inch screen, made by technology Super AMOLED. The ratio of the display area to the front panel is quite decent - 70%. The resolution is FullHD, the pixel density is 401 ppi. You can not worry about the fragility of the glass: it is protected by Corning Gorilla Glass 3, which provides good scratch resistance. Oleophobic coating, of course, is also there.
To see the pixels under normal use cases is impossible. Even bringing the smartphone close to the eyes, not immediately able to distinguish between "squares". The display has good brightness, and the colors are juicy - thanks for that AMOLED. The tones, by the way, are not vyglashlaznye that met like matrices several years ago. The problem has long been solved, and the advantages of technology over IPS are tangible.
Hardware component and system
Moto Z2 Play has a more powerful hardware than its predecessor. The Moto Z Play model had a Snapdragon 625 chip, and the new product uses a more advanced and powerful version of the Snapdragon 626. The eight-core processor runs at 2.2 GHz against 2.0 GHz from the previous version. The graphic module is the same, Adreno 506. For the Russian market, only the top version is offered - with 4 GB of RAM and 64 GB of internal storage.
In the benchmarks, the updated iron proved to be more than worthy. Yes, the results are more modest than the flagship devices - but Moto Z2 Play is in a different niche and performs in a different price range.
Testing, by the way, showed that the system copes well with strong loads: in "heavy" games, such as Real Racing 3, the smartphone behaves decently. Then it is time to ask whether it is worth to overpay twice as much for the flagships, which are better only on paper, but in reality show a comparable speed of work.
Moto Z2 Play is equipped with an NFC chip. The device works fine with the Android Pay service supports contactless Mifare cards - you can replenish Trojka's banals without standing in a queue, as well as pay for travel in public transport using a smartphone.
The smartphone, which is nice, immediately works on the current version of Android 7.1.1 Nougat. A distinctive feature is that the system is “clean” - no shells. Android is presented here in the form in which it was conceived by its developers, and this is the best option.
During the device setup, the system offers to install a number of applications, but if you do not want, you can simply refuse - no obligation. This is very encouraging against the background of some manufacturers who immediately litter a new user’s phone with a mass of programs of dubious necessity.
Motorola has added an app with the straightforward name Moto to Moto Z2 Play. It contains a number of additional features that simplify the work with the smartphone. In practice, they make everyday operations more comfortable and enjoyable. For example, when an incoming call, you can take the gadget in hand, and the melody will die out - because you already saw the call, so you do not need to ring them. Or turn on the flashlight by shaking the phone - it turns out not only quickly, but also effectively.
Another beautiful feature is called Moto Display. She is responsible for viewing notifications on a locked display. The screen will flash, if you just hold your hand over it, at the same time you can quickly reply to the message.
When writing text on the go, holding the smartphone with one hand, it is possible with one flick of your finger (from the bottom up) to reduce the displayed surface of the application to make the message more convenient.
Finally, the camera is activated by a spectacular gesture - you need to rotate the brush twice while holding Moto Z2 Play.
Camera
Moto Z2 Play got a different photo module in comparison with the previous version of the smartphone. The camera has fewer megapixels - 12 vs. 16. But, more importantly, the aperture value has improved: f / 1.7 against f / 2.0. Laser autofocus remained, pointing to the desired object occurs almost instantly. Now recording Full HD-video occurs at a speed of 60 frames per second, and 4K, as it was, is written at 30 fps.
Shooting in daylight is excellent: the system chooses the color balance well, almost never need to get into the settings. You can even play around with macro photography: the smartphone quickly focuses on objects that are practically “in front of it”.
The front camera also became better: it still has 5 megapixels, but the luminosity is already equal to f / 2.0 instead of f / 2.2. The flash is equipped with two diodes.
Working hours
The 3000 mAh battery will give up to two days of work, which can be considered an excellent indicator compared to other smartphones. Also, the device supports fast charging, and the bundled TurboPower adapter comes immediately - you don’t need to buy it separately. About 30% of the battery will fill up in 30 minutes - that is, consider a light day. The smartphone receives energy via USB Type-C, this explains the high speed of the charge.
If you change the sparing mode of use to a more active one, you will get about a day of work. With the “all money” scenario, from morning to evening, the smartphone should suffice anyway. Of course, there are craftsmen who will land a battery in five to six hours, but in real life, we’ll postpone a smartphone for other things, at least for a while.
But Motorola took care of users who are constantly working with the smartphone. One of the additional modules is the Moto Turbopower Pack with an additional 3490 mAh battery. Attaching it in a second to your smartphone, you will receive approximately a day of additional battery life. Let Moto Z2 Play become thicker because of this device, but it will also ask for an outlet every 2.5-3.5 days with moderate use.
Moto Mods Family
Replaceable modules are becoming more and more, and they significantly expand the capabilities of the device - in fact, for this purpose Moto Mods were created.
Moto Gamepad turns your smartphone into a full-fledged pocket-sized game console, such as a PlayStation Portable or a fresh Nintendo Switch. There are two sticks, a cross, a set of buttons for action and "bumpers" on the top face. And since the games require quite a lot of energy, a 1035 mAh battery is built into the mod so that additional controls do not take charge of the smartphone. Batteries Moto Gamepad will last up to eight hours of play - conveniently on long trips.
Mod-column JBL Soundboost 2 eliminates the need to buy a portable speaker. Music of excellent quality (JBL, after all) will fill the room in a rather large size, and if you are going on a picnic, then the mod will not take up much space: you hooked it up to the smartphone with one touch and you're done. In addition, for active recreation JBL Soundboost 2 is well prepared - the column is not afraid of sudden rain or spray from the pool. Built-in battery will last for 10 hours of playback. At the same time, the device can be used for hands-free conversations.
In Moto Z2 Play, high-quality optics are used, but if you really take a great interest in photography, you need something more impressive than a standard camera. For example, the Hasselblad True Zoom mod. The gadget provides a tenfold optical zoom and has a xenon flash. Pictures can be saved in RAW-format - what you need for further processing in graphic editors. With an attached mod, the smartphone feels in your hand like a real camera - ergonomics is at a high level, you can hold the device with your palm, and not hold it on thin edges, as usually happens during mobile shooting.
Perhaps the most unusual mod is the projector. It transfers the image to any surface at an angle of up to 70 degrees, and the built-in battery will provide an additional hour of use of the most interesting fashion. There are plenty of opportunities: from a spectacular presentation of presentations to atmospheric gatherings over a fire for watching films displayed on the wall of a tent or hut.
In addition, there are many panels with beautiful prints (under wood or leather) that will help make Moto Z2 Play more individual.
Conclusion
The smartphone will enter the Russian market in August. The recommended price is 34,990 rubles. With all the features - two SIM and microSD, 4 GB of RAM, excellent camera, good autonomy and “pure” Android - the cost is reasonable. The smartphone can only nominally be attributed to the middle segment. If you look at the characteristics - yes, this is not the top level. However, with real use, the difference between this iron and the more powerful will almost never be noticed.
Is it worth while to overpay for one and a half times for flagship tubes? When, say, an improved camera is needed, you can spend several thousand rubles for an additional module to Moto Z2 Play, and not choose a more expensive smartphone. Motorola allows you to customize the gadget for your specific needs. But more importantly, without modules, the smartphone is perceived as a separate device, and not a blank for installing additional units.
Source: https://habr.com/ru/post/370647/
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