MOTO Z2 PLAY PRELIMINARY REVIEW: THIN AND POWERFUL
Table of Contents
- 1 Motorola Moto Z2 Play – Release date and price
- 2 Motorola Moto Z2 Play – Design & Build Quality
- 3 Motorola Moto Z2 Play – Screen
- 4 Motorola Moto Z2 Play – Software
- 5 Motorola Moto Z2 Play – Performance
- 6 Motorola Moto Z2 Play – Camera
- 7 Motorola Moto Z2 Play – Battery
- 8 Motorola Moto Z2 Play – Technical Specifications
Motorola Moto Z2 Play – Release date and price
There aren’t any release date rumors yet, but the Moto Z was announced on June 9 and new models of phones tend to be launched around a year later, so a June 2017 announcement is likely. in the manufacturer’s official store, and I suggest the starting price of $1,999.00 for the most basic version. These are the prices in conjunction with Moto Snaps:
- Moto Z2 Play + Power Pack: $ 2,199.00
- Moto Z2 Play + JBL SoundBoost: $ 2,199.00
- Moto Z2 Play + Moto Insta-Share Projector: $ 2,699.00
- Moto Z2 Play + Hasselblad True Zoom: $ 2,699.00
Sales are now starting in Brazil, and soon Motorola will announce availability for more Latin American and European countries. In the US, it is possible to buy the device for $499 by the Verizon operator.
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Motorola Moto Z2 Play – Design & Build Quality
Motorola has made some changes to the new model compared to Moto Z Play. These changes were welcomed, such as the replacement of glass by aluminum. Despite not making any significant changes to the front edges of Moto Z2 Play, thus failing to follow the market trend, the company has reduced the thickness of the device.
Regarding design, I honestly do not care much about the thickness of smartphones, as this always means replacing other features for a leaner design. The Moto Z, released last year, had to give up a better battery for a more elegant look. The same has happened now with the Z2 Play, which comes with a smaller battery.
It can be said that, despite the square appearance, the new model has a good footprint due to the curved lines of the frame. I have good news regarding support for Moto Snaps, Motorola has maintained the magnetic connector pattern of last year’s models as promised.
A good change was the revision in the design of the physical start button, which also works as a digital print reader, which is now similar to the Moto G5 Plus. You can then use it to navigate between the system screens.
Motorola Moto Z2 Play – Screen
The device’s panel remained the same as its predecessor, with 5.5 inches and Full HD resolution. Now we have a Super AMOLED panel in Moto Z2 Play, but the experience I had today was very similar to what I had with the first generation of the line, that is, even level of detail and color intensity. In this way, the user experience should not be very different from the one we already have in the Z Play line.
Motorola Moto Z2 Play – Software
The Moto Z2 Play runs on Android 7.1.1 Nougat, which follows the same pattern we found throughout the Moto Z series. The Moto application is still the central unit that commands the smart device features such as the Moto Screen and the new Physical gesture navigation button.
Through this application we can configure the gestures of the new button. When deactivated, the virtual buttons are redisplayed on the screen. In the time I had to test the new Z2 Play, the experience with the system was fluid, without gagging or crashes, as is usual in Moto smartphones.
Moto Screen now recognizes voice and executes basic commands, which allows the software to respond to messages. The user can use a voice command to open the calendar or show the weather forecast, these results will be displayed almost instantly. This requires the registration of the voice and an activation command, such as “Hello, Moto” or “Ok, friend”. Honestly, the device already has support for the Google Assistant.
Motorola Moto Z2 Play – Performance
The processor that packs the model is the Snapdragon 626, which offers optimal power management, has eight cores and reaches the maximum speed of 2.2 GHz. RAM has been upgraded here, now with 4GB.
The internal storage of the Moto Z2 Play is 64GB, and can be expanded through a microSD card. Z2 Play hardware does not disappoint in theory, and I very much doubt it will disappoint in practice, since we have a well optimized and clean software. The big question here is the battery, of 3,000 mAh, because we do not know yet if the new model could beat its predecessor that had autonomy.
Motorola Moto Z2 Play – Camera
The camera was not the strong point of Moto Z Play, and for that generation, Motorola made some modifications. The sensor went from 16MP to 12MP, now counts with pixel autofocus and laser focus, which help in image quality and focus agility. Like the Moto G5 Plus, Z2 Play records videos in 4K.
The front camera has remained at 5MP, the lens has an open angle of 85º and without many changes. The front flash has been maintained and promises to help users in low light conditions.
Motorola Moto Z2 Play – Battery
The Moto Z2 Play comes with a 3000 mAh battery which represents a reduction of 510 mAh compared to its predecessor. According to Lenovo product manager, this reduction was necessary so that the device could be thinner and more pleasant to use along with the Moto Snaps.
According to a survey conducted by the company, about 80% of users carry their smartphones daily, regardless of whether or not they are charged at the end of the day. Due to this, Motorola decided to invest in a capacity that was sufficient for a full day of conventional use, falling below the autonomy delivered by the predecessor model. According to the executive, advanced users who identify the need for more cargo can count on the Moto Snap with extra battery.
Motorola has decided to invest in a capacity that is sufficient for a full day of conventional use
Lenovo product manager also reinforces that the autonomy of 12 hours (working hours of a full day) is the result of tests done in laboratories of Motorola. The executive also said that his predecessor, Moto Z Play, was able to reach up to 45 hours in tests made under ideal conditions within the same laboratories. To find out if this was a good change, however, we will have to do an appropriate test.
Motorola Moto Z2 Play – Technical Specifications
| DIMENSIONS: | 156.2 x 76.2 x 5.99 mm |
|---|---|
| WEIGHT: | 145 g |
| BATTERY SIZE: | 3000 mAh |
| SCREEN SIZE: | 5.5 inches |
| SCREEN TECHNOLOGY: | AMOLED |
| SCREEN: | 1920 x 1080 pixels (401 ppi) |
| FRONTAL CAMERA | 5 megapixels |
| BACK CAMERA | 12 megapixels |
| FLASH: | Dual-LED |
| ANDROID VERSION: | 7.1.1 – Nougat |
| INTERFACE: | Android Stock |
| RAM: | 4GB |
| INTERNAL MEMORY: | 64GB |
| REMOVABLE MEMORY: | micro SD |
| CHIPSET: | Qualcomm Snapdragon 626 |
| NUMBER OF CORES: | Referring to Fig. |
| MAX SPEED | 2.2 GHz |
| CONNECTIVITY | HSPA, LTE, NFC, Dual-SIM, Bluetooth |
[letsreviewunique title=”Final Verdicts” conclusion_title=”Final Verdicts” accent=”#444″ final_score=”84″ format=”1″ skin=”1″ animation=”1″ design=”1″]The Moto Z Play line had one goal: to offer more battery life to users, as well as a great experience with Moto Snaps. The fact that Motorola has launched the device exclusively in the Brazilian market shows that, at least here, this strategy worked. Now we have a new model on the market, which comes at the price of last year’s version and with few modifications, except for the one that made it unique: the battery.[/letsreviewunique]
For those who own a Moto Snap, the good news is that the manufacturer kept its word and did not change the way of connecting these. However, the daily use of the device is telling us if the changes will be worth it.
So, do you think the changes on the line were positive?
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