Motorola Moto Z Play smartphone test: battery monster. Moto Z Play review: practical and convenient For those who want to know more
Motorola Moto Z Play is a modern analogue of the MotoMaker program, an excellent solution previously unavailable to consumers on the domestic market. The revived Motorola company is showing significant results in the development of modular phones and the popularity of models from this brand is increasing every year. In the article you will learn about Motorola specifications Moto Z Play and the capabilities of its modules.
Motorola, a company with a significant history, began its work in 1928 with only 5 employees. The founders are the Galvin brothers. In 1930 Motorola was documented as a brand. The company announced the first pager in 1956, and sold the first cell phone in the 1980s. mobile phone. In 2018, Motorola was acquired by Lenovo.
The first company to make an excellent version of a modular gadget is Motorola again.
A good development, such a large company as Google did not succeed, it froze its Project Ara, but it was quite promising. The main argument was the fact that most people do not need this modularity at all and the phone is purchased for other basic purposes. Also, LG did not provide a decent modular gadget; users also do not praise Lenovo Moto very much. As a result, with the introduction of modularity into the device best manufacturers failed. Next, it’s worth figuring out how high-quality a product Motorola has released in the new alliance.
Main characteristics
| Options | Specifications |
|---|---|
| Class | Average |
| Form factor | Monoblock |
| operating system | Android 6.0 |
| Net | 2G/3G/LTE (800/1800/2600) |
| Platform | Qualcomm Snapdragon 625 |
| Video accelerator | Adreno 506 |
| Inner memory | 32 GB |
| RAM | 3 GB |
| WiFi | Yes, a/b/g/n/ac, dual-band |
| Bluetooth | Yes, 4.0 LE, A2DP |
| NFC | Eat |
| Screen diagonal | 5.5 inches |
| Screen resolution | 1920x1080 |
| Matrix type | AMOLED |
| Main camera | 16 MP, f/2/0 |
| Front-camera | 5 MP, f/2.2 |
| Navigation | GPS, A-GPS, GLONASS |
| Battery | Non-removable, Li-Ion 3500 mAh |
| Dimensions | 156.4x76.4x6.99 |
| Weight | 165 grams |
Operating system and processor
Works under Android control 6.0 with applications from Google, thanks to which the device has a nice design and user-friendly interface. Among the extraneous ones are the application for operating the modules and the Moto program, which is responsible for additional functions, for example, launching the camera by turning the wrist or turning on the flashlight with a sharp movement. If you place the device face down, it will turn on do not disturb mode.
Hardware – reliable Qualcomm Snapdregon 625. Despite the low model number, the processor has certain advantages. High-performance eight-core chipset with Cortex-A53 cores, which clock frequency 2 GHz, ensures fast operation with minimal discharge of the smartphone. The technical process of Snapdregon 625 is 14 nanometers, like the popular Snapdregon 820/821, but it is not as fast, but excellent battery life makes up for this drawback. Good advantage– thanks to the Snapdregon 625 base, the case practically does not heat up during long games and the use of heavy programs. Adreno 506 video accelerator works well at medium graphics settings, optimal for games.
Memory
Motorola Moto Z Play has 3 GB of RAM and 32 GB of storage. Not the coolest device in terms of these characteristics. The processor uses the LPDDR3 standard, supporting a frequency of 933 MHz, in single-channel mode. The speed of the eMMC 5.1 drive is enough for high-quality work. There is a slot for a memory card up to 2048 GB.
Camera
The Qualcomm platform has two ISP cores for working with images, this suggests good opportunities; the quality of Motorola Moto Z Play photos is not inferior to flagship devices.
The new Moto now has a shooting key and manual settings in the camera. Rear camera with 16 MP optics, f/2.0 aperture, autofocus, dual LED flash. She takes beautiful pictures outdoors and indoors. Example photo:
The camera provides a minimal noise level and picture clarity; image sharpness is not very noticeable. With night photography, things are average, and if there are several objects of different brightness in the frame, then focusing will not cope and the picture will turn out blurry. How to photograph at night:
Therefore, to view it, it is better to take several pictures at once. The front camera has a resolution of 5 megapixels, f/2.2 aperture, flash and increased pixel size. It will take pretty average selfie photos. The flash and shooting quality are optimal, but not the best possible.
Screen
Display: a good color AMOLED matrix, 5.5 inches diagonal and FullHD resolution, is included in the rating of high-quality displays. It is covered with protective glass Garilla Glass 3 with a good oleophobic coating and rounded edges that are almost invisible. Thanks to the processor, the display refresh rate can reach 60 fps.
There are no problems with brightness and readability in the sun; you can choose one of two color rendering modes. One useful feature is Active display, which allows you to display important settings, such as the time or notifications, on the gadget's turned off screen without pressing the activation key. This function is triggered by holding your palm over the top or picking up the device.
Communication and charging
Supports 2G, 3G and LTE (800/1800/2600). Navigation – GPS, A-GPS, GLONASS. Dual-band Wi-fi, NFC, FM radio, fast charging support and storage tray dual sim. SIM cards work alternately. Built-in battery Moto Z Play 3510 mAh, thanks to the new 14 nm hardware platform, the phone lasts longer than Moto X Play.
The type of charging connector is modern USB Type-C. With a light load, you can count on 2 days of work and 8 hours of lit screen. Charges in approximately 1.5 hours from the included 15W hardware device. Processor includes Qualcomm Quick Charge 3.0 technology, which theoretically allows you to charge your phone by 68 percent in 0.5 hours, is a very convenient feature for active games.
The Moto has only one speaker, but this does not affect the quality; it copes well with call audio and multimedia functions. Headphone jack 3.5 mm. The device combines external and conversational speakers.
additional characteristics
Sensors
An accelerometer performs similar functions to a gyroscope, but they are not the same thing. It provides an auto-rotate function, controls some types of games, recognizes gestures (knock on the body, shaking, positioning the device on the surface with the screen down), identifies the user in space and displays him in programs such as Google maps, and also tracks the user’s physical parameters, used for example in a pedometer.
It also has standard light sensors, proximity sensors, a gyroscope, a magnetometer and a fingerprint scanner. Unlocking using a scanner works great without using additional buttons.
Equipment
The package includes the Moto Z Play itself, Charger, back panel, paper clip and headphones. The cord length is standard.
Design
Traditionally for Motorola, the mobile has large dimensions 156.4x76.4x6.99, weighs 165 grams, the body is made of aluminum alloy and glass, comfortable and pleasant to the touch. An aspect ratio of 16:9 is optimal. During use, the smartphone performed well, despite the variety of elements on the front panel, protruding edges of the body and camera. The sides are smoothed out, the optics don’t stand out as much when inserted into back complete cover. The volume buttons are spaced apart and are the same size.
Moto Mods
The advent of modularity is an attempt by Motorola to differentiate its products from its competitors. Previously, the company focused on changing the appearance, but now it has added simple and convenient way expand hardware capabilities. All modules are attached using magnets to the back of the gadget.
Camera module
The body of the Altek Hasselblad True Zoo camera module hides a mod with a resolution of 12 megapixels, a xenon flash and a lens with 10x optical zoom and 4x digital zoom, allowing macro photography from 5 to 1.5 cm. Aperture f/3.5-6.5, two microphones, optical stabilization and electronic for video, it is possible to record in RAW. There is no built-in battery, there is a separate activation button, it weighs 145 grams, dimensions 152.3x72.9x9.0 - 15.1 mm. Due to its compactness, it is almost unnoticeable how the gadget takes photos and is perceived in a person’s hands as a regular phone.
Video shooting is carried out in FullHD (1920x1080) with 30 frames per second. There is a shooting and start button, a zoom control, and an autofocus illuminator. Optical characteristics are comparable to an ordinary digital device. The advantage is Zoom and xenon flash, which provides uniform illumination of the subject being photographed. However, the Altek Hasselblad module will not turn the device into a full-fledged and high-quality camera.
Acoustic system
Next device - acoustic system Moto JBL Soundboost. It turns the device into a mini boom box thanks to its powerful and compact speaker. It is attached in the form of a thin panel on the back. It has two speakers, 27 millimeters in size and 3 W each, from 200 Hz to 20 kHz, with a volume of up to 80 dB.
The mod is also equipped with a 1000 mAh battery, which will allow the system to work 10 hours in autonomous mode. A special stand will allow you to comfortably place your smartphone for better sound quality. In the room the sound is perceived quite loudly. On the street it is only suitable for background. Weight - 147.3 grams, thickness - 13 mm. This is the largest module of all presented.
Portable projector
There is also a module - a portable Moto InstaShare projector, it has a stated brightness of 500 lumens and a resolution of 854x480 pixels, the projection diagonal can reach 70 inches, it works using DLP technology. With its help, it becomes possible to display any image or video on the surface. The brightness and tilt parameters of the displayed image can be changed to suit your needs.
It is also equipped with its own 1100 mAh battery and Type-C for charging. The projector is capable of operating offline for about an hour; it comes with a special stand. When the battery runs out, the module will operate from the device. If you use Moto InstaShare in a dark room, the image is quite clear, comparable to the output Lenovo tablet Yoga. The service life of the lamps in the projector is 10,000 hours; if you use the gadget every day for about 2-3 hours, then the service life will be about 9-12 years. The only negative is that with the purchase of a projector, only a large picture is realized; the module does not affect the sound quality in any way.
Battery cover
The Moto Z Play comes with an optional removable Incipio offGRID Power Pack. Battery capacity 2,220 mAh, thickness from 6.2 mm, weight from 83.3 grams. Allows you to increase operating time by 22 hours. The convenience is obvious - you don’t need to carry a charger with you and depend on the presence of a nearby outlet. At any moment, the case thickens for a while and automatically continues to work in the usual mode, without requiring connection to a USB module. In general, the operating period from using such a charger increases approximately 2 times.
Decorative modules
There are 5 interchangeable Moto Mods covers: three plastic ones with a wood pattern, a nylon one and a leather one. Their dimensions are 154x72x2, depending on the material used, the weight of the lids ranges from 25 to 32 grams. Changing them is very convenient; the lid, thanks to magnets, snaps into place on its own. We can say that the modules replace the need for the previously unavailable MotoMaker service - the appearance and functionality can be selected depending on the consumer’s preferences. It is likely that Motorola releases new models based on data from this service.
Price
The average price of Moto Z Play in stores is about 28,000 rubles. We will also give you an idea of the price of replacement modules. The covers are inexpensive, costing about 1,000-2,000 rubles apiece, an additional battery will cost 4,000 rubles, a speaker will cost 7,000 rubles, a camera module will cost 20,000 rubles, and a mini-projector will cost about 23,000 rubles. It’s not difficult to calculate how much the entire set of modules costs; the pleasure will cost about 85,000 rubles.
By modern standards, this is not a budget expense, but the manufacturer assumed that smartphone users would purchase exactly the mod that they needed most, to suit their personal needs. Therefore, the modules are of fairly high quality, but not cheap even at 2018 prices. Online stores such as M Video or DNS are the places where it is profitable to buy a gadget at this moment.
Motorola Moto Z Play
Comparison with Motorola Moto X Play
The new improved version of Motorola has qualitatively changed its parameters compared to its predecessor. Next we will consider popular models Moto Z Play and Moto X Play by main characteristics.
The main selection criteria for the Motorola Moto Z Play model are better performance, hardware and higher data transfer speeds. The Moto Z Play has a slightly larger screen and is thinner, the materials being aluminum alloy and glass versus polycarbonate in the Moto X Play. The screen type is higher in quality (AMOLED instead of LCD IPS). The resolution and image density settings are the same, but only the Z Play has physical buttons.
The operating system has been slightly improved, in updated smartphone Android 6.0.1 instead of Android 6.0. The processor in the Moto Z Play is more powerful and has a higher clock speed: 2 GHz versus 1.7 GHz. The Adreno video accelerator is also higher class. A fingerprint scanner, gyroscope, Hall and magnetometer have been added.
The data transmission range has expanded from 2G to LTE. Sim cards became two. Bluetooth and satellite communication settings remained unchanged. The battery capacity has decreased slightly (3510 versus 3630 mAh in the Moto X Play).
Overall, we can say that the new Moto Z Play has improved in every way important characteristics as a modular telephone. And after reading the article, the question will not arise which company is better to buy the optimal modular gadget.
Advantages:
- Modularity;
- Active display;
- Optimization and high-level hardware;
- LTE support.
Flaws:
- Front and rear cameras are of average quality;
- The battery capacity is too small for additional functions;
- The price of a smartphone and additional modules is quite high.
The new Moto Z Play does not look like the usual Motorola, but inside everything remains the same: high-quality Android, good optimization, excellent hardware and the Active display function. With each new version Lenovo alliance devices show qualitative improvements in almost all parameters. Customer reviews in online stores equally praise the smartphone for its good hardware, performance, and the ability to customize the phone to suit your needs. Now users will not worry about which model is better to buy, because they choose the design and specialization of the device themselves.
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The new Moto Z Play and its “big brother” Moto Z. What are these smartphones interesting about, who might like them, their features, strengths and weak sides. About all this - in the review of Digital Moscow.
Specifications of Moto Z Play and Moto Z
- Dimensions: Moto Z Play - 156.4 x 76.4 x 7 mm; Moto Z - 153.3 x 75.3 x 5.2 mm
- Weight: Moto Z Play - 165 g, Moto Z - 136 g
- Screen: Moto Z Play - 5.5 inches, 1080 x 1920 resolution, Moto Z - 5.5 inches, 1440 x 2560 resolution
- CPU: Moto Z Play - Qualcomm Snapdragon 625, Moto Z - Qualcomm Snapdragon 820
- Memory: Moto Z Play - main 32 GB, RAM 3 GB; Moto Z - main 32/64 GB, RAM 4 GB.
- Main camera: Moto Z Play - 16 MP, f/2.0, laser and phase detection autofocus; Moto Z - 13 MP, f/1.8, laser autofocus, optical stabilization
- Front-camera: Moto Z Play/Moto Z - 5 MP, f/2.2
- Battery: Moto Z Play - 3510 mAh, Moto Z - 2600 mAh
Russian fans of Motorola smartphones, and there are still some of them despite the fact that the company has been absent from our market for a long time, have been eagerly awaiting the appearance of new smartphones in the flagship Moto Z series. By the way, since 2014, Motorola has been a division of the Chinese company Lenovo. At the same time, the Moto brand itself was preserved.
The most important
The main thing about the Moto Z series is, of course, its modular design and unusual design. Time will tell how much modular smartphones will be in demand on the market, but Motorola engineers have great respect for their bold attempt to bring something new to the rather monotonous world of smartphones.
The very concept of modular smartphones is very simple in appearance. The back surface has a contact group and a magnetic lock, and Moto Mods are attached to it. You can see what it looks like in the photo.
Moto Z Play
Moto Z Play and Moto Mods
Moto Z Play with decorative back panel
You can remove one module and attach another within a few seconds.
The following Moto Mods are currently offered:
- Hasselblad True Zoom photo module with its own 12-megapixel matrix and 10x optical zoom,
- Mobile projector Moto Insta-Share with a resolution of 854x480 and a brightness of 50 lumens,
- Incipio OffGRID Power Pack 2200 mAh battery,
- Speaker JBL Soundboost, power 6 W,
- Style CAP back panels.
Of course, it is very important how many companies can be negotiated with on the development and production of modules, since Lenovo alone is unlikely to be able to provide a truly wide range of Moto Mods on its own.
As for the appearance, the heroes of the review are quite unusual devices. Their design is specific. He is, so to speak, an amateur, but his originality cannot be taken away. Both the Moto Z Play and especially the ultra-thin Moto Z without decorative overlays, with their protruding camera and contact group They look impressive, although in appearance they look a little like an engineering sample, and not a ready-made commercial device. However, there is a certain charm in this, but if you don’t like technological extremes, then all you have to do is add a decorative rear trim, and the device immediately becomes quite civilized.
Let's take a closer look at the Moto Z Play. Its differences from the more expensive Moto Z are more significant than it seems at first glance.
The first thing that catches your eye is the thickness. The Moto Z Play has 7mm, while the Moto Z has 5.2mm (excluding the protruding camera). By the way, today Moto Z is the thinnest smartphone in the world. It looks very impressive, especially without modules that add thickness.
Moto Z
Naturally, for this we had to sacrifice a battery capacity of 2600 mAh (miracles do not happen), but nevertheless, the battery is enough for a day of intensive use. As for the Moto Z Play, with its 3510 mAh battery, even with all modules turned on (GPS, wifi, Bluetooth), during testing it worked quietly for two days without recharging, and when installing the rear battery panel Incipio offGRID Power Pack, it worked for autonomous time Another day of work is added.
In other words, with this configuration, the Moto Z Play turns into a super-long-lasting smartphone. 3 days without recharging is truly impressive. Of course it's such a time battery life- this is not only a capacious battery, but also optimization of the hardware and software of the smartphone and processor. Moto Z Play runs on a new, not the most powerful, but very energy-efficient Qualcomm Snapdragon 625 platform with an Adreno 506 graphics chip and 3 GB of RAM.
Moto Z, in turn, is equipped with one of the most powerful chips to date - Qualcomm Snapdragon 820 and 4 GB of RAM.
Without going into technical details, we note that even the power of the Snapdragon 625 is enough to easily play all new games for at least another year. The power of the Snapdragon 820 will be enough for the foreseeable future, and for any use scenario, including mobile VR headsets that are demanding on smartphone performance.
As for the Moto Z, in addition to a less capacious battery and more powerful processor, the AMOLED screen with a very high Quad HD resolution (1440 x 2560) contributes to the shorter battery life. The Moto Z Play screen is also made using AMOLED technology, but its resolution is lower - the usual Full HD (1080 x 1920). Both screens have a diagonal of 5.5 inches, but of course, with the same manufacturing technology and size, a display with a lower resolution consumes less energy.
There are still debates about whether a 5.5-inch screen requires such a high resolution as Quad HD, but with the advent of VR helmets they have subsided, since even 1440 x 2560 is not enough for a high-quality VR image.
Let's now take a closer look at the cameras of both smartphones.
The Moto Z Play has a 16-megapixel camera with an f/2.0 lens, while the Moto Z has a 13-megapixel camera with an f/1.8 lens and optical stabilization. Despite smaller size The matrices, optical stabilization and large aperture of the Moto Z camera in theory allow you to get better images in low light conditions, but in good light the Moto Z Play camera should shoot a little better.
As for night shooting, our field tests confirmed the theory. Moto Z shoots noticeably better in the dark, this also applies to color rendition and autofocus and stabilization, which is especially important when shooting in low light conditions.
Moto Z Play (top) vs Moto Z
During daytime shooting, we did not find any advantages of the Moto Z Play over the Moto Z camera. Moreover, we liked the autofocus performance and dynamic range of the Moto Z camera more.
Moto Z Play (top) vs Moto Z
We can say that the Moto Z Play camera is very demanding in terms of light levels, but when good light You can take quite good pictures.
Moto Z Play
The front cameras in both smartphones are the same and there are no special complaints about it. The level is above average, but inferior to top-end smartphones.
If we compare the performance of the main cameras of Moto Z and Moto Z Play with one of the reference mobile cameras, for example Samsung Galaxy S7, then the difference in class, especially with the Moto Z Play, becomes quite noticeable.
Moto Z Play (top) vs Samsung Galaxy S7
Nuances
In conclusion, I would like to dwell on the not the most important, but still significant features of the Moto Z and Moto Z Play.
Both devices have an almost “pure” graphical interface. Android versions 6.0.1, which they promise to update to version 7. The tradition of installing original Android on Moto smartphones apparently dates back to the times when Motorola belonged to Google. On the one hand, the lack third party applications and the brevity of “pure” Android is captivating. On the other hand, company engineers developing their own graphical interfaces, it’s also not in vain that they eat their bread, coming up with interesting and useful options. Some people may find stock Android too minimalistic and boring.
We also note the original slot for SIM and memory cards on the Moto Z Play. Unlike standard hybrid slots, where you can insert either two SIM cards, or one SIM card and one memory card, the Z Play slot can simultaneously insert two SIM cards and a memory card. microSD memory(up to 256 GB). As for the Moto Z, it comes with a regular hybrid slot. The point here is the thickness of the smartphone, where the combined slot and audio jack simply do not fit. The Moto Z doesn't have one (neither does the new iPhone), and the headphones are connected to the USB Type-C connector. The adapter is included.
Both smartphones support turbo charging (included in both smartphones).
Unfortunately, both the Moto Z and Moto Z Play have a few minor and annoying flaws. For example, the USB Type-C cable is tightly attached to the charger, and in order to connect the smartphone to a laptop or external battery, a second USB will have to be purchased separately.
Another annoying thing is that the fingerprint scanner that acts as a button is not a Home button, like many smartphones. Its virtual counterpart is located above it. Moreover, the panel with virtual buttons eats up the bottom of the screen in most applications, which, of course, is annoying.
Compare how the control buttons are implemented on both Moto and the Samsung Galaxy S7 edge. Alas, the comparison here is not in favor of Moto.
Moto mods
As we already wrote, the number of Moto Mods is not very large yet. What we found most interesting was the Incipio OffGRID Power Pack battery panel (very compact) and decorative trims. The ability to extend the life of your smartphone without external battery or radically changing the external device is expensive.
As for the JBL audio module, for the same money (7 thousand rubles) you can buy almost the same compact, but louder and better-sounding wireless speaker, for example Harman/Kardon Esquire Mini. What's funny is that the JBL brand is also owned by Harman.
The Moto Insta Share projector and Hasselblad True Zoom photo module are certainly unique additions, but the price - 23 and 20 thousand respectively - may scare off many potential buyers.
Summary
Moto Z Play and MotoZ - unusual and interesting smartphones, designed for lovers of original devices. Compared to hundreds of gadgets of the same type, they clearly stand out with a fresh and bold approach to both the concept of a smartphone and the design, and the thickness of MotoZ - only 5.2 millimeters - is a masterpiece of engineering art. It’s also worth noting the Moto Z Play’s outstanding battery life.
In general, both smartphones have their very strong points.
On the other hand, they certainly cannot be called technically flawless, especially with regard to the operation of the Z Play camera, and given their price and the highest competition in the market, it will be, to put it mildly, to occupy any significant niche in the segment of flagship devices Moto Z Play and Moto Z , not easy. Price in Russia: Moto Z Play - 34,990 rub. Moto Z - 49,990 rub.
If we compare both smartphones with each other, if not for the difference in camera performance, we would definitely recommend the Moto Z Play as a more balanced device. But the Moto Z's outstanding design plus a higher-quality photo module make choosing between them difficult, even taking into account the 15 thousand difference in price.
Dmitry Bevza
In the fall, sales of the Moto Z line of smartphones with the Moto Mods modular interface began in Russia. We tested the youngest model in the series - Lenovo Moto Z Play. The device received a 5.5-inch FullHD screen, an eight-core processor, 3 GB of RAM, support for two SIM cards, a fingerprint scanner, a high-quality camera and OS Android opportunity update to Android 7 Nougat. We will find out whether the new product is worth attention during our test review.
Moto Z Play is the cheapest smartphone in the current Moto brand product line. However, the price balances on the border between middling and flagship. Moto Z Play, as well as the flagship Moto Z and Moto Z Force, can be equipped with Moto Mods: an additional battery, modules with filters for the camera, an external speaker or bright panels.
IN technically the new product boasts an eight-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 625 processor and 3 GB of RAM. It is also worth noting the excellent 5.5-inch AMOLED screen with a resolution of 1920x1080 (403 ppi) with Gorilla Glass 3. The battery capacity is an impressive 3510 mAh. There is also a 3.5 mm headphone jack. The main camera has a resolution of 16 megapixels. There is laser and phase detection autofocus, aperture - f/2.0. Front camera 5 megapixels, f/2.2 aperture and flash for selfies. Moto Z Play also received protection from moisture due to a special nano-coating of the case.
The device supports all modern wireless services, including LTE cat. 6, dual-band Wi-Fi, NFC.
Technical parameters of Motorola Moto Z Play
id="sub0">| Characteristic | Description |
| Case materials: | aluminum, glass, plastic |
| Operating system: | Android 6.0, upgradable to Android 7.0 |
| Display: | Touch AMOLED, 5.5-inch diagonal, resolution 1080x1920 pixels (403 ppi), recognition of up to ten simultaneous touches, oleophobic coating |
| CPU: | Qualcomm Snapdragon 625 MSM8953, 8 Cortex-A53 cores at 2.0 GHz each |
| GPU: | Adreno 506 |
| RAM: | 3 GB |
| Flash memory: | 32 GB + microSD card slot |
| SIM card type: | two nanoSIM |
|
Mobile connection: |
EDGE/GPRS/GSM (850, 900, 1800, 1900 MHz), 3G (850/900/1900/2100 MHz), LTE 800/1800/2600 Cat.6 (300/50 Mbit/s) |
| Communications: | Dual-band Wi-Fi 802.11 ac/b/g/n, Bluetooth 4.0, USB Type-C (USB 2.0) connector for charging/syncing, NFC, 3.5 mm headset jack |
| Navigation: | GPS, AGPS, GLONASS |
| Sensors: | Light sensor, proximity sensor, accelerometer/gyroscope, magnetometer (digital compass), fingerprint scanner |
| Main camera: | 16 MP, f/2.0, laser and phase detection autofocus, dual LED flash |
| Front-camera: | 5 MP without autofocus, f/2.2, front flash |
| Battery: | non-removable, 3510 mAh |
| Dimensions, weight: | 156.4 x 76.4 x 7 mm, 165 g |
Delivery package and first impressions
id="sub1">Moto Z Play comes in a fairly massive classic box. On the front side is the name of the smartphone, and on the back are the main technical specifications. The delivery set is minimal: the smartphone itself, a charger, a master key for the SIM card tray. What’s most interesting is that here you won’t find a USB Type C cable for connecting to a computer and charging from a PC. This is a very big minus. There are also no headphones or any other headset included. Considering the price of the device, this is surprising!
Moto Z Play Contents:
Smartphone
Mains charger with USB connector Type C
Master key for SIM card tray
Replaceable Moto Mods Backplate
Instructions
Warranty card
The dimensions of the Moto Z Play are typical of most existing smartphones with a 5.5-inch screen. However, the dimensions seemed excessive to me; the device was very large and bulky. Apparently, this is due to the presence of a capacious battery and quality camera. In addition, I will note the rather large edges around the display. As a result, the dimensions of the smartphone are 156.4 x 76.4 x 7 mm, weight 165 grams.
Holding the phone in your hands is not very comfortable. The width of the device is excessive even for a man's hand. It is also worth mentioning the discomfort when carrying a phablet in the pockets of tight clothes. You can’t just sit down and get up. It is necessary to position the device so that it does not hinder movement. Meanwhile, there are no such shortcomings in loose clothing.
Design and appearance
id="sub2">The Moto Z Play doesn't have an interesting design. Appearance The model is very technocratic and simple. The device is framed on both sides by Gorilla Glass 3. On the sides there is a metal frame with plastic inserts that house the module antennas. mobile communications, Wi-Fi, navigator and NFC.
The kit includes an overlay for back cover, with the help of which the contacts are safely closed, a glass cover that collects prints, and the camera becomes flush with the body.
The smartphone body and its components are treated with a water-repellent liquid. The developer claims compliance with the IP52 standard. This means that the smartphone cannot be drowned, but it should easily withstand splashes.
As for the placement of individual elements, almost the entire front part of the device is occupied touchscreen with a diagonal of 5.5 inches. Above the display are located: proximity and light sensors, a single speaker slot. The speaker provides sufficient volume for calls and system messages; its volume is sufficient for watching videos or listening to music. The sound is clear and clearly distinguishable.
You can see the lens next to the speaker front camera and a flash. Below the screen there is a square fingerprint scanner area, to the left of which there is a microphone hole with an integrated light sensor that responds to palm gestures. I note that the scanner is not combined with the Home button. All control keys on a smartphone are virtual and take up space on the screen.
The Gorilla Glass 3 protective glass has a good quality oleophobic coating. Dust and dirt are almost invisible.
The control buttons are located on the right side, and to make it easier to find them blindly, the volume button is smooth, and the power button is notched.
The phone has two microphones and a noise reduction system that improves voice quality. The microphones are located on the top end and on the front side next to the fingerprint scanner. On the top edge of the device you can see a slot for two nanoSIM-sized SIM cards and a microSD memory card. You can insert one or two SIM cards on one side of the tray, and a memory card on the other side. It's quite convenient. The USB Type C connector is located at the bottom. There is also a 3.5 mm headphone jack.
The back surface of the Moto Z Play is made entirely of tempered glass from Corning. At the top there is a fairly large 16 megapixel camera block. In the center is the lens itself, to the left of it is an autofocus laser rangefinder, and below is a two-tone LED flash. The area around the lens is made of durable metal. If something happens, it will take the brunt of the blow and protect the lens.
At the bottom of the rear panel there is a block of magnetic contacts for connecting Moto Mods, plus a third microphone located just below.
Moto Z Play is available in two colors - white and black. It is noteworthy that in the white version the side edge is gold, in the black version it is silver. I tested the white version.
There are no questions about assembling the smartphone. During my two-week testing as my main phone, I did not find any creaks in the case or any gaps. The only thing that caught my eye was that the SIM card tray was a little loose. The rest is in perfect order.
Moto Mods
id="sub3">It is worth recalling that the Moto Z line of smartphones received support for universal modules that are attached to the device body using magnets. All Moto Mods are fully compatible not only with older models, but also with Moto Z Play. There are currently five different modules available:
Camera Hasselblad True Zoom — 20,000 rubles
Moto Insta-Share Projector — 23,000 rubles
Battery Incipio offGRIDtm Power Pack - 4,000 rubles
Speaker JBL SoundBoost - 7,000 rubles
Replacement panels for Moto Z (Z Play) - 2,000 rubles
I consider the battery cover to be the most interesting module from the above list. It is relatively inexpensive and will allow the smartphone to work for two to three days. The module from JBL is also good, it produces great sound. But the photo module and projector module, although they look impressive, are expensive and of little interest to anyone. These are more like toys for geeks.
Screen. Graphics capabilities
id="sub4">The screen diagonal of the Moto Z Play is 5.5 inches with a resolution of 1080x1920 pixels (403 ppi). The frames are quite wide. The screen is made using AMOLED technology.
The image is very clear and detailed, there are no problems with small fonts. As for the colors, they are very bright. In some places it’s annoying, but users like bright pictures. Viewing angles are maximum here. Colors that deviate from the normal do not fade or change their tone. There are anti-reflective and oleophobic coatings. In the sun, the display is easy to read, and fingerprints on the protective glass are weak. Viewing angles are maximum.
Multi-touch technology here allows you to process 10 simultaneous touches. When you bring the smartphone to your ear, the display is locked using the proximity sensor.
The ambient light sensor correctly detects the backlight, although it sometimes does not do it as quickly as we would like. If something happens, you can turn off the automation and set your own backlight brightness option.
The screen of the Moto Z Play gives the impression of being of very high quality. It is comfortable to watch movies, photographs, and multimedia presentations.
Hardware platform: processor, memory, performance
id="sub5">Moto Z Play is equipped with an octa-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 625 MSM8953 (8 x Cortex-A53 2.0 GHz) chip with Adreno 506 graphics co-processor. Random access memory 3 GB. The device has 32 GB of internal memory (24 GB available to the user). This volume can be expanded using microSD cards up to 128 GB.
The performance of the chip used is average. But it’s quite difficult to notice. According to subjective impressions, the speed of the smartphone is high. The fingerprint scanner removes the lock in a split second, there are no lags in the menu or browser, and at the end of the day you can return to the program you started in the morning without rebooting.
Watching Full HD videos on YouTube does not cause any complaints, and everything is played wonderfully through MX Player, both in Full HD and in 4K resolution.
Overall, the Moto Z Play's performance is commendable.
Communication capabilities
id="sub6">The smartphone supports all modern mobile networks: both 2G, 3G and 4G, including all frequencies used in Russia. The phone worked without any problems with test SIM cards from MTS, MegaFon, Tele2.
The device confidently receives the signal and does not lose it for no apparent reason. Talking on the phone is comfortable. The speaker volume is high. You don't have to be afraid to talk in noisy conditions. The interlocutor will be heard, and the interlocutor will hear you.
The device has two slots for nanoSIM, but there is only one radio module. You cannot talk on two numbers at the same time. The limitation is normal.
The device can work with all modern wireless networks. Among them are dual-band Wi-Fi 802.11 ac/b/g/n, Bluetooth 4.1 LE, Wi-Fi Direct, you can organize wireless point access via Wi-Fi or Bluetooth channels. There is a built-in LTE modem and NFC. Connection to a computer is carried out using a USB Type C 2.0 connector.
Among the additional communication tools, it is worth noting GPS, A-GPS (standard cartography is built into the smartphone Google Maps). The navigation error radius during testing was about 5 meters, which is very little. The gadget copes well with the role of a navigator.
Duration of work
id="sub7">The Moto Z Play has a 3,510mAh Li-ion battery. Under testing conditions, with a number of calls of 35-40 minutes per day, browsing the Internet for about 2 hours via 4G, listening to an mp3 player through a headset for about 2 hours a day, the device worked for about 2 days. When watching videos, the smartphone worked for 8 hours, in navigator mode - about 5 hours. If you use the device as a dialer, then on one charge it will last 4 days, and maybe even more.
The autonomy results of the Moto Z Play are very good, but we still can’t talk about maximum performance.
The model received support for QuickCharge 2.0 fast charging. From the included fast charge, from zero to hundred, it charges within 70 minutes, while a third-party charger will require about 3.5 hours of time. The smartphone has a power saving mode. In this scenario, the operating time will increase by at least 20%. In addition, you can activate the device to turn off according to a schedule at night. This will also have a positive effect on battery life.
User Interface and Operating System
id="sub8">The smartphone runs Android 6.0.1 with an identical reference OS. The changes are extremely minor. The menu organization is familiar to Android.
Among the features of the work I can include the Activity Display function. It shows event notifications and time on the locked screen of your smartphone. Due to this, Moto Z Play even does without a notification indicator on the front panel. You take your smartphone out of your pocket or take it from the table, and the time, date and number of missed notifications are displayed on the display for 2-3 seconds. The function is related to the movement of the mobile phone in space. By the way, such automation works perfectly, but it cannot do without false positives. I liked this feature.
In addition to the Activity Display mode, the Moto Z Play software differs from the reference Android 6 in the redrawn “Galleries”. In addition, a program has appeared for connecting with smart watch and advanced voice assistant“Voice of Moto”, which, however, does not support the Russian language.
In the settings section, all items are grouped in a classic way, which makes it much easier to find items of interest. Setting up and learning gestures is in the Moto app, where you can learn a dozen different gestures, including bringing up notifications and silencing sounds.
Also in the main settings you can set fingerprints for the scanner. The fast and accurate sensor makes it really easy to use. To unlock the device, just touch the scanner with light force, and if you hold your finger for a second, the screen will lock.
Music and video viewing
id="sub9">To play music on a smartphone, a standard player is used. If you wish, you can install any other application, this is Android after all. One of the advantages is the presence of a built-in FM radio application.
As for the sound quality, everything is fine. When paired with quality headphones, you will get excellent sound. The package does not include a headset. Thanks to the 3.5 mm jack, you can choose any headphones.
Camera and video recording
id="sub10">Moto Z Play has two cameras. The main one is 16 megapixels with f/2.0 aperture (OmniVision OV16860 with a pixel size of 1.3 microns). It is neatly built into the body, protruding 3 mm above the surface. Below the lens there is a focusing system and a dual flash. The camera takes good pictures, but not perfect. In difficult lighting, at dusk, the photos turn out to be quite good, but the same Samsung shoots are much better. In HDR mode, pictures are not always clear.
When shooting during the day in cloudy weather, the camera accurately selects the optimal exposure and accurately sets the white balance, producing a good photo on the first try.
Besides automatic mode Manual settings are also provided. To do this, Motorola used its proprietary camera application. I frankly didn't like it. The settings are meager and incomprehensible from a logical point of view. For example, by default you cannot set dynamic focus. Instead, when you touch an object, a photo is taken. Autofocus is slow, often fails, and focuses on the wrong subjects.
Maximum video quality is 4K, 30 frames per second. Focusing here also fails, often the picture becomes blurred when you move the camera or it thinks that such a movement has occurred.
The 5 megapixel front camera is built on the OmniVision OV5693 sensor with a pixel size of 1.4 microns and a fixed lens with f/2.2 aperture. The camera handles video calls and selfies well.
Results
id="sub11">Moto Z Play is a typical representative of smartphones for geeks. It contains a modular ideology that allows you to change the capabilities of the device depending on the circumstances. Thanks to the replaceable Moto Mods panels, the device can be turned into an audio system, a projector, a professional camera, or simply equipped with an additional battery. This gadget stands out among the large number of smartphones with a 5.5-inch screen.
An excellent screen, a decent camera, a long operating time on a single charge, support for two SIM cards, LTE - all this can be considered an asset. But the device also has disadvantages, which include the minimum delivery set, which does not include USB cable Type C, not the most user-friendly camera interface and very slow focus. There are also questions about the dimensions of the device, especially regarding the width of the case.
Currently, Moto Z Play can be purchased at an average price of 35,000 rubles, which looks unreasonably expensive. For this money you can buy a much more functional and compact device, for example, the Samsung Galaxy A7 (2016). However, at a cost below 26,000 rubles, you might think about buying a Moto Z Play.
Advantages
id="sub12">Great screen
Dual SIM support
High quality build
Long battery life
Moto Mods
Flaws
id="sub13">High price
Minimum delivery set
Average quality camera
On the day of publication of this test review, a Moto Z Play with 32 GB of internal memory could be purchased for 29,990 rubles.
After Motorolla came under the wing of Lenovo, the iconic brand faced a difficult task - not to lose the army of the company’s fans, who were always perceived as fresh blood among countless identical devices from other manufacturers.
And the new products from Lenovo really turned out to be interesting. The main feature of the Play series smartphones is the modular interface, which allows you to improve the functionality of the smart phone using separately sold accessories. Moto Z Play, the review of which we bring to your attention, is the junior model in the Play line, which costs less than flagships, but at the same time offers all the advantages of a modular design. Let's test the new product and decide whether it can establish itself in the world of smartphones, where numbers and the pursuit of technical characteristics rule.
Price and main characteristics
In terms of cost, Moto Z Play balances on the line between expensive mid-rangers and flagships; its current price today is 32 thousand rubles.
Specifications:
- display: 5.5”, Super AMOLED FHD 1920*1080 px;
- processor: Snapdragon 625 + Cortex A53 video accelerator;
- RAM: 3 GB;
- internal memory: 32 GB + micro SDXC memory cards up to 256 GB;
- camera: main – 16 MP + dual flash, front – 5 MP;
- communication: Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 4.1, GPS, LTE;
- battery: 3510 mAh.
The dimensions of the smartphone are 156*76*7 mm, weight – 165 grams.
Equipment and appearance
The smartphone is packaged in a simple but neat box made of thick cardboard, inside which, in addition to the phone, is:
- a paperclip for removing a tray with cards (has an increased needle length, so it will not be possible to open the tray using another paperclip);
- charging adapter with non-removable cable;
- textile lining on the back of the case.
Let's blame the manufacturer for not including it USB-C cable, which will need to be purchased separately.
Externally, Moto Z Play is practically no different from the flagship of the Z line. The entire front part of the smartphone is covered protective glass Gorilla Glass 3, which has an excellent oleophobic layer.
Above the screen there is a selfie camera module, a flash, a set of sensors and a speaker hole (protrudes slightly above the surface).
Under the screen there is a fingerprint scanner, which is designed in the form of a square area. The sensor key does not function Home buttons– all control buttons on the Moto Z Play are on-screen. The fingerprint sensor works perfectly, unlocking the phone is quick and error-free. You can also use the scanner to turn off the screen, which in practice is much more convenient than using a mechanical lock key.
The back of the Moto Z Play is made of Corning glass. The glass easily collects fingerprints, but can be easily wiped off with any cloth. On the surface there is a camera block, which has an impressive size; the lens itself occupies only a small part of it. The camera eye protrudes quite strongly, but if you put on the included textile cover, the surface of the back will be leveled.
At the back there is also a block of magnetic contacts through which Moto Mods are connected to the phone. The included textile cover is needed just to protect the contacts; the manufacturer strongly recommends putting it on the smartphone in cases where the modules are not in use.
The side ends of the smartphone are made of metal and have two small plastic inserts for antennas. On the top edge there is a tray for cards; it has a two-sided hybrid design, and allows you to use two SIM cards and a flash drive at the same time.
At the bottom there is a 3.5 mm headphone jack, which is missing on the older model of the Moto Z series, and a USB-C port.
The left side is empty, while on the right there is a volume rocker (which, by the way, is small and not very convenient) and a raised button to turn off the smartphone. Build quality is excellent, nothing to complain about
Screen
The display in the Moto Z Play is not bad, but there are many complaints about it. This is a 5.5-inch Super AMOLED matrix with Full HD resolution and a pixel density of 403 ppi. According to the manufacturer, the smartphone uses a screen matrix from Samsung, however, due to software optimization, its quality is inferior to the screens of the flagships S7 and S7 Edge
The viewing angles are almost maximum; when there are deviations, the colors are not inverted, only the brightness drops slightly. The maximum brightness is 361 kDa, which is enough for comfortable use of a smartphone under the sun. Auto brightness correction works adequately.
Pentile is practically invisible, only when viewing the picture from a distance of less than 10 cm there is some graininess in the transitions between white and other colors. Contrast and color saturation, as expected for AMOLED, are excellent.
Now about the disadvantages. We didn't like the factory color calibration. There is a clear bias with cold tones, which is why white has a bluish tint. Colors overall look a little muddy, which is unlikely to be noticeable to casual users, but photographers will definitely be disappointed by the Moto Z Play's display. We give the screen a well-deserved 4/5.
Performance
The smartphone is equipped with a Snapdragon 625 processor paired with an Adreno 506 video accelerator. This combination has proven itself in all devices of 2016, it is characterized by good performance and almost complete absence of heating.
Moto Z Play is no exception - the shell flies, there is not even the slightest stutter when surfing the Internet, resource-intensive applications and 3D games work without problems. No bugs were noticed with smartphones when playing 4K video. In the Moto Z Play benchmark, it scores 62.5 thousand parrots. For everyday tasks, 3 GB of RAM is sufficient, and the internal storage of 32 GB can be expanded with flash drives up to 256 GB.
Camera
Both cameras of the Moto Z Play – the main and the front – are equipped with flashes, two-tone and one-tone, respectively. The front uses a 5 MP OmniVision OV5693 module with an aperture of 2.2. Despite the presence of a flash, which can be regarded as an emphasis on selfie capabilities, the pictures are not of the highest quality - there are problems with detail and sharpness.
The main camera (13 MP OmniVision OV16860 sensor, 2.0) produces good pictures. Exposure and white balance are determined accurately, detail is decent, and there are no problems with autofocus (it’s laser-based).
The Moto Z Play also performs well when shooting indoors with insufficient lighting. The automatic system correctly sets the shutter speed and light sensitivity, so you can take a good photo on the first try.
The standard camera app does not have manual mode, however, there is good HDR and panorama shooting. Using third-party apps, Moto Z Play can shoot in RAW format. Video shooting is possible with 4K resolution (bitrate 50 Mbit/s, 30 fps), the quality of the videos is simply excellent and comparable to the flagships of the market.
Speaker, sound quality
The main speaker of the Moto Z Play is really good. It is loud, clear in sound and has a very noticeable level low frequencies, so you can listen to music with pleasure. Speaker It’s also not bad, the interlocutor’s speech is clearly audible, and the sound is not flat; you can even distinguish the timbre of the voice and other nuances.
The sound from the headphones does not disappoint. There is no dedicated DAC, but the 625 Dragon provides decent sound, which requires high-quality headphones from the mid-price category to reveal. As a player, Moto Z Play can work continuously for 30 hours on a single charge.
Battery
The autonomy of the Moto Z Play deserves extremely positive reviews - with moderate use of the phone, the 3510 mAh battery lasts for 2 days. Tests show the following results: 15 hours of watching HD video and 27 hours of reading at 30% screen brightness; an hour of playing tanks drains the battery by 18%.
The smartphone supports QuickCharge 2.0 fast charging; it can be charged from zero in 70-75 minutes; in normal mode, charging takes about 3 hours. It is also worth considering that you can purchase a mod for the phone in the form of a 2200 mAh battery, which will further increase the already good battery life.
Communication and Internet
The advantage of Moto Z Play is the ability to fully use two SIM cards and a flash drive. There is only one radio module in the smartphone, the quality of the prima network is not satisfactory. On a cold start, the smartphone detects navigation satellites (GLONASS and GPS) within 20 seconds.
The device works with Wi-Fi interfaces (max. data transfer speed 57 Mb/sec), Bluetooth 4.1 and NFC, but the latter does not support Mifare Classic, which does not allow it to read metro transport cards. It is possible to connect peripheral devices to a smartphone with via USB-C, the cable itself is not included in the package.
Video review of Moto Z Play
Competitors, conclusion
The Moto Z Play is a mixed bag. For 33 thousand rubles, it offers an interesting design, excellent battery life, a decent camera, an average display and, importantly, pure Android. The performance of the smartphone is good, it is enough for any tasks, but it is not record-breaking for the money. In this price category there are many Chinese (,) with Snapdragon 820, which will be an order of magnitude more powerful in synthetic tests. The question is, do you need it?
Instead of excessive performance, we are offered the opportunity to use mods. The mentioned battery has already been presented (price - 4 thousand rubles), a camera module with optical zoom from Hasselblad (20 thousand rubles), a mini-projector that produces a picture with a diagonal of 70 inches (23 thousand rubles) and a speaker from JBL (7 thousand ).
Moto Z Play is undoubtedly one of the most interesting devices last year. If its price doesn’t bother you and you’re not looking for hardware power, then this is a really good smartphone option for long-term use.
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Developing a modular concept different from LG's, Lenovo introduced new line Moto Z smartphones that support replaceable accessories. The flagships of the new series are the Z Force and Z Droid, announced in June. But the Moto Z Play, presented in September, has become a more affordable and mass-produced device.
The smartphone differs from its “big brothers” in simplified characteristics, but it also costs noticeably less. You can buy a Moto Z Play now for about $500. In Ukraine, the official declared price of Moto Z Play at the start of sales is the equivalent of $480 or 13,000 UAH; in Russia it sells for about 34,000 rubles.
What exactly did the manufacturer save on, is the new product much inferior to the flagships, and is it worth buying a smartphone? The Moto Z Play review will help you figure it out.
The characteristics of the smartphone allow us to classify it as middle class, but in some ways the device is superior to its rivals.
Design, case materials, dimensions and weight
Taking into account the modular concept, which involves installing functional accessories on the rear panel, the design of all devices in the series is designed in the same style. The same applies to their sizes: Moto Z Play has dimensions of 156x76 mm, and its thickness is 7 mm. These numbers are not much different from the flagships of the line. The device weighs 165 grams.
From the front, the Moto Z Play has a typical Motorola appearance; it is slightly rounded, but does not have pronounced “soapy” outlines. On the glass panel below there is a square fingerprint scanner (you can also lock the device and perform other functions), above the display there is a dual speaker, camera, sensors and front flash.
The back panel is made of glass. It features a protruding circle with a camera, a logo in the form of the corporate letter M and a contact pad for plug-in modules. Regarding the back panel, the public was divided into 2 camps. Some people think this design is stylish and futuristic, while others think that without decorative overlays (fortunately, there are quite a few of them), the back of the device looks ridiculous. 
The smartphone frame, made of metal, has an unusual design. It is divided by plastic inserts in the middle of the upper and lower ends. The insert on the top is narrow; on either side of it there is a card slot and a microphone hole. 
At the bottom, the plastic island is wider and houses a hole for the USB Type C port. 
The left side is empty, there is nothing on it. 
On right side There is a power key and separate volume up/down buttons.
CPU
The Moto Z Play is equipped with the Qualcomm Snapdragon 625 chipset, the most modern mid-range solution from this manufacturer (not counting the 626 model, which is not available anywhere at the time of writing this review). It consists of 8 Cortex A53 cores, with frequencies up to 2 GHz, and an Adreno 506 graphics accelerator. The SoC is manufactured using a thin 14 nm process technology.
The chipset's capabilities are more than enough for everyday activities. You can also play on it, although some demanding games will only run fine on medium settings. In AnTuTu, the device scores about 63 thousand points, which corresponds to the flagships of 2015.
Memory
The Moto Z Play has 3 GB of RAM, it is equipped with LPDDR3 933 MHz chips. At system start, about 2 GB of system memory is available. This is quite enough to run any applications and normal multitasking. The smartphone has 32 GB of internal memory, and there is a separate slot for a flash drive up to 256 GB.
Battery
The battery capacity is 3510 mAh, which doesn’t seem like much for such a diagonal. However, the smartphone demonstrates very good battery life. Of course, it won’t produce a day of video playback, as indicated by some sources (except in “spherical in a vacuum” conditions). But you can fully count on 15 hours of active screen, and this is comparable to the Vibe P2, which has 5000 mAh. In moderate use mode, you can expect 5 days of operation without recharging. Display technology and chipset production technology play an important role in such autonomy.
The smartphone is equipped with QuickCharge charging (here it is called TurboPower) with an energy output of up to 15 W. You can charge up to 40% in half an hour, and 100% in about 100 minutes.
Cameras
The Moto Z Play has a main camera based on the OV16860 matrix with a resolution of 16 MP. The same one is used in G4 Plus. The matrix has dimensions of 1/2.4", which means a pixel size of 1.3 microns. The aperture of the optics is f/2. The camera supports a hybrid phase-laser autofocus system and is equipped with a dual flash.
Photo with flash
Despite the fact that the camera was not very warmly received by some users, objectively it takes very, very decent pictures. The Samsung Galaxy A7-16 takes photos in approximately the same way, and the equivalent Galaxy C7 is not at all a rival to the Moto Z Play, as it loses ground considerably in the evening. The pictures come out great during the day, worse in the evening, but still quite decent. Here are some examples of photos taken with the main camera: 
The front camera has a resolution of 5 MP and is based on the OV5693 matrix. The sensor size is 1/4", the optical aperture is f/2.2. There is a flash, which really helps (it’s more useful than the Galaxy J5, not to mention its purely formal presence in budget Chinese, like UMI Rome) The only nitpick about the front camera is that it doesn’t have autofocus, otherwise this camera is pretty good.
The main camera can record video in a resolution of 3840x2160 pixels, with 30 FPS, and also records slow-mo in HD. Thanks to the abundance of microphones, the video is shot with decent stereo sound. The front camera shoots videos in 1080p at 30 frames per second.
Screen
The smartphone display is built on a Super AMOLED matrix with a resolution of 1920x1080 pixels and a diagonal of 5.5 inches (401 PPI). It copes well with color reproduction (although some users may find bright colors oversaturated), has maximum viewing angles and good contrast. The display settings are quite modest, so aesthetes will not be able to calibrate the gamma or color temperature to suit their eyes. 
The display is covered with high-quality glass with a normal oleophobic layer. Stains remain, but are easily wiped off (this also applies to the back panel). Multi-touch supports up to 10 touches.
Communications
The smartphone is available in versions with 1 (for America) and 2 SIM cards. GSM, 3G HSPA and CDMA (for America and China) and LTE networks are supported. European models have no problems with LTE Band 1, 3, 7 and 20, everything works. Wi-Fi supports 2.4 and 5 GHz networks, including the new ac standard. The navigator supports GPS and GLONASS systems; it finds satellites confidently and quickly. There is an NFC module on board, which is nice.
Sound
The smartphone is equipped with a speaker located above the screen. Its quality can be called quite good, the volume is sufficient, but it is nothing more than a smartphone speaker. But another thing is good: unlike the ultra-thin flagship, Moto Z Play has a headphone jack, so you don’t have to part with your proven Zennheiser, Sony or Koss headphones and don’t have to weave a network of adapters. The Qualcomm WCD9335 DAC is responsible for audio processing, which is actually capable of working with uncompressed formats (that is, good Hi-Fi ears will show the difference between FLAC and MP3, albeit insignificant).
operating system
Moto Z Play runs on Android 6 OS, and you can already upgrade to OS version 7. The system is almost clean, differs little from stock Android, even the icons of standard programs are not redrawn. The OS works stably, there are no crashes. There are no pre-installed applications; they are replaced by standard tools.
Peculiarities
Branded control features have become a tradition for Moto Z. There is an Active Display function (the date and time and notifications are displayed on the screen), and by turning the smartphone in your hand you can launch the camera. By waving the device (the main thing is not to drop it, without the overhead panels it is slippery), you can start the flashlight, and by placing the gadget with the screen down, you can turn it on silent mode. By twisting the smartphone in your hand, the camera turns on.
Among the features of a smartphone, we should also not forget modules - accessories that expand capabilities. Currently available are a Hasselblad camera with optical zoom, a projector, a music box with speaker and a battery. Other modules should appear in the future.
There is a choice of various panels that, if unfastened incorrectly, scratch the rear window. One black nylon pad is included in the kit, the rest can be purchased (from 10 to 20 usd). 
Pros and cons of Moto Z Play
- good screen;
- good camera;
- plug-ins;
- excellent autonomy;
- good sound.
Flaws:
- the body is slippery and easily soiled;
- Dimensions are not the most ergonomic.
Who is a smartphone suitable for?
The smartphone is designed for fans of stylish devices that require modern functionality. With the help of replaceable panels, the back of the Moto Z Play can be customized to suit any taste. The smartphone is universal, and is quite competitive with the flagships of last year. It has everything that demanding users need: normal screen, good camera, decent chipset and good battery life.
The smartphone is not suitable only for those who think that $500 for a Snapdragon 625 is a lot. However, in this case, the choice comes down only to the Chinese, who do not have modules, worse camera, the screen is not so bright or not everything is so rosy with the music. In general, you will definitely have to pay for the savings.
Our review of Moto Z Play
Moto Z Play is a smartphone that can be considered the “golden mean” of the new Moto series. It has almost all the features of its more expensive brothers, but belongs to the average category, and the Moto Z Play review did not reveal any critical disadvantages for the current price tag. There is nothing special to compare the smartphone with.
If we discard modularity, the Galaxy A7-2016 and C7 suggest themselves as competitors, but the first has weaker hardware and a less capacious battery, and the second is also considerably behind in terms of autonomy, and in terms of camera it completely falls short. Xiaomi Mi5S Plus with two cameras does not shoot better than the hero of the review with one. Sony has competitors, but they are inferior either in price or hardware. Only Huawei Mate 8 and P9 can seriously compete with it, but they also do not have impressive autonomy.