Moto Z2 Play and Moto Mods replaceable modules enter the Russian market. Moto Z2 Play review: the long-awaited update of Motorola's new smartphone z2

As expected, today the Moto Z2 Play smartphone was introduced, the successor to , which came out unexpectedly successful and managed to achieve good sales around the world.

The new Moto Z2 Play continues the ideas laid down in last year's model, both externally (with the exception of a few minor changes) and internally. Like the first generation model, the second generation Moto Z Play is a solid mid-ranger with a 5.5-inch screen and support for MotoMods. But the new model is thinner and lighter than its predecessor.

To be more precise, the thickness has decreased to 5.99 mm, and the weight is now 145 g. Recall that for the original model, these parameters were 6.99 mm and 165 g, respectively.

In addition, the new Moto Z2 Play received a new processor, more RAM and an improved camera.

We have collected all the technical characteristics of the Moto Z2 Play smartphone in the table below:

As for the camera improvements mentioned above. Compared to its predecessor, it received a more light-sensitive lens with a maximum aperture of F / 1.7, a Dual Pixel auto focus system, as well as an improved laser autofocus assistant with more advanced low-light capabilities.

We have known for a long time that the battery capacity will decrease. The manufacturer claims 30 hours in mixed mode (Moto Z Play had 50 hours). This should be compensated by fast charging technology - in just 15 minutes, the device can be charged enough to last for eight hours of operation. In addition, there is a new Moto TurboPower Pack with an additional 3490 mAh battery that also supports fast charging (15 W) - 0 to 50% battery charge in 20 minutes.

In addition to the Moto TurboPower Pack, other modules were also presented. Perhaps the most interesting is the Moto GamePad, which turns the smartphone into a full-fledged portable console. It has dual control sticks, a D-Pad and four navigation buttons. An additional battery built into the module has a capacity of 1035 mAh.

The updated JBL SoundBoost 2 speaker module can play music continuously for 10 hours and is compatible with the new JBL EQ app. It is now splash-proof and available in three color options - red, blue and black.

And finally, Moto Style Shell is a module that supports wireless charging technology (up to 10W). It is available in multiple designs and colors.

Note that this year the manufacturer will release at least a dozen new MotoMods. In addition, there are several more smartphones in the manufacturer's lineup awaiting updates.

The Moto Z 2 Play runs stock Android 7.1.1 Nougat with Google Assistant virtual assistant. The smartphone is available in colors: Lunar Gray and Fine Gold. Estimated date of the start of sales in Ukraine is August 2017. The Ukrainian price of the device has not yet been announced, for the US market the price is $499.

Motorola in 2017 updated its sub-flagship modular Moto Z Play line and released the Moto Z2 Play smartphone. Galagram managed to attend the presentation of new items and even get this device for a test. And so - in this review, everything you need to know about Moto Z2 Play.

Specifications

Contents of delivery

The phone is sold in a bright red cardboard box. Inside, in addition to the Z2 Play, there is also a black TurboCharger charger, a USB cable of the same color and one interchangeable socket on the back. The equipment is the most common, there are no cheap headphones, silicone cases and other unnecessary things.

Design, assembly and body materials

The design of the Moto Z2 Play shows many positive changes compared to the 2016 Moto Z Play. For example, the scanner under the screen is now oval instead of square, which was not to the taste of many last year. In the left corner of the front face, there is already a double LED flash for selfie shots in the dark. The main speaker is combined with the front speaker.

The device still comes in a gold or gray metal case, as in our review. Moto Z2 Play is a very thin smartphone, in the best tradition of Motorola: its thickness is only 5.99 mm. True, on the back side there is a recognizable round protrusion with a camera and LED flash, which protrudes 3 mm beyond the edge of the case.

Below is a USB Type-C port and a 3.5 mm audio output, on the upper edge is a full-fledged SIM tray with the ability to install two Nano SIM cards and one microSD memory card at the same time. The left side is empty, and on the right side there are three small control keys: two volume controls and one lock key with a corrugated coating for recognition.

Well, on the back side, in addition to the camera, there is a corporate logo of the company and a 16-pin pad on the bottom side for connecting special modules - Moto Mods, but we will talk about them a little later in this review. The smartphone is assembled perfectly and solidly, I personally liked its design: a nice gray color, polished edges and a super-thin body that you need to get used to.

Display and controls

The Moto Z2 Play has a very high-quality Super AMOLED matrix with a diagonal of 5.5 inches and Full HD resolution (1920 × 1080p, 401 ppi). The screen shows deep blacks and has excellent color reproduction. The AuTuTu test confirmed support for 10 simultaneous taps on multi-touch. Protects the display glass Gorilla Glass 3: for three weeks, not a single scratch.

Of course, due to the peculiarity of the AMOLED matrix, the viewing angles here are not as wide as those of the IPS display. Somewhere at an angle of 150-160 degrees, interference patterns begin to appear on the screen - popularly known as rainbows. But this happens only at large viewing angles on a white background, in everyday work it is imperceptible.

Among the special features of the screen is the "Moto Screen" mode. It works like this: you just reach for the display, and it activates without physical touch. This screen will display top notifications and quick access to them. At your discretion, you can also set the time for activating and turning off the night mode (yellow filter) by timer.

Processor, memory and performance

Compared to the previous model, the 2017 Moto Z2 Play received a slight processor upgrade. It uses the Qualcomm Snapdragon 626 chip, which differs from the popular Snapdragon 625 in an increased operating frequency from 2.0 GHz to 2.2 GHz and the presence of Bluetooth 4.2 (not 4.1, like the SD 625). The chip received 8 Cortex A53 cores, Adreno 506 GPU graphics and 14 nm process technology.

The Z2 Play offers exactly twice as much memory as the Z2: 4 GB of RAM and 64 GB of flash memory on board. After 3 weeks of using and installing various applications, about 1.6 GB of RAM remains free for your tasks, which is good enough. The drive can be expanded by another 2 terabytes using a microSD memory card and a SIM slot.

The smartphone is fast and plays games like Asphalt 8 Airborne, Gangstar Vegas and others. Personally, I have no complaints about performance, but for a reserve, the company could install a more powerful chipset in a $ 500 smartphone: at least the Snapdragon 660, as a maximum of last year's Snapdragon 820.

For those who are interested in performance in numbers, AnTuTu Moto Z2 Play scores 68461 points, and Geekbench 4: 914 points in the single-core test and 4609 points in the all-core test.

Operating system

The Motorola Moto Z2 Play has a relatively fresh version of Android 7.1.1 Nougat installed as an OS. The firmware has slightly modified shortcuts for some apps, but in general it looks like native Android on Google's Pixel devices.

On this smartphone, you can run multiple apps at once in split-screen mode, manage your notifications, and store all your apps in one place — the bottom curtain. For navigation, there are three touch screen keys that you can turn off and control your phone using gestures on the scanner.

All the best of Android can be found on Z2 Play. In addition, by the end of 2017, this device should receive an update to Android 8.0 Oreo. Here is everything. True, the company has not yet confirmed the exact release date of the firmware, but you can be sure that you will receive almost stock Android 8.0 with all its main features and chips.

Interfaces and communication

But what really pleased me about the smartphone is the presence of an NFC module and the possibility of contactless payments via Android Pay and special banking applications. At the presentation, I thought that the Z2 Play cannot have an NFC module, because the smartphone's body is completely metal and it simply will not let the signal through. But no, NFC works, apparently there is a loophole for it, in the form of an antenna strip along the perimeter of the rear edge of the case.

Other interfaces include standard Wi-Fi a/b/g/n, Bluetooth 4.2 and USB Type-C with OTG support. Another interface for data entry and protection is the fingerprint scanner. With it, you can block access to your smartphone and confirm contactless payments in stores. The scanner is very accurate and during testing, the percentage of failures was close to zero.

Cameras and sample shots

The Moto Z2 Play didn't get a dual camera this year, but its main camera has a well-established 12MP sensor with Dual Pixel autofocus like the Samsung Galaxy S7. The camera has a phase (PDAF) and laser autofocus and can record video in maximum quality 4K (UHD) 30 fps and Full HD 60 fps.

The camera in the Z2 Play is quite good, it quickly and accurately focuses on the subject, has several modes, including manual mode and a powerful LED flash. Despite the lack of a second lens, the bokeh effect can be traced in some photos. If you point the camera at a QR code, it will scan it, just like a regular barcode.

Photos taken with Moto Z2 Play

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The front camera is set at 5 megapixels with a powerful dual flash with warm and cold LEDs. Among the video opportunities offered shooting Slo-Mo videos. And the last thing about the camera: a gesture of rotating the smartphone in your hand allows you to almost instantly launch the camera, and a swipe gesture launches a flashlight. Personally, I found these Moto gestures very useful and convenient.

Battery and autonomy

The battery capacity of the Z2 Play is only 3000 mAh, but do not forget about the body thickness of 5.99 mm. At the very beginning, I thought that a battery of a much smaller capacity would fit inside, so I was happy with 3000 mAh. The smartphone keeps under load for about 20 hours and it is enough for 1 full day of use without respect for the charge.

In the settings, you can activate the power-saving mode, typical for all Android smartphones, which adds a little autonomy to the phone. The device is charged through the stock TurboCharger charging unit, the total charge time is approximately 1.5 hours.

Moto Mods

At the time of this review, Galagram had only 3 first-generation Moto Mods for testing: Insta-Share projector, JBL Soundboost speaker, and Hasselblad True Zoom camera. Let's go through each of them briefly.

insta-share projector- connects via a 16-pin connector and can play video from the smartphone screen. It can be a movie, an online YouTube video, or just a game stream from the Z2 Play screen. Best of all, the picture is visible in complete darkness, during the day the visibility drops sharply.

Among the pluses: does not require anything but a 16-pin pad, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth remain free to play video over Wi-Fi and audio through wireless headphones via Bluetooth. Among the minuses - the module does not work well on a single charge, somewhere around 40-60 minutes, so this is not enough to watch one long movie.

JBL Soundboost speaker- plays music from your smartphone when connected to the back. Everything is cool, the sound is clear, loud, and for convenience there is a special stand. Among the minuses - without a modular smartphone from the Moto Z line - this is a useless thing. The second generation JBL Soundboost 2 already comes with Bluetooth (connects to any phone, not just Moto Z) and splash protection. If you need this acoustics, it is worth taking the second generation.

Hasselblad True Zoom- an interesting thing, in fact it is not just a camera attachment, but a separate camera with a 10x optical zoom and a powerful xenon flash. Another interesting feature: this module takes photos in the maximum RAW format. There is a classic retractable lens, which provides a 10x optical zoom.

Modules are not cheap, but they are really interesting and functional. Once again, I am convinced that only Motorola has managed to create a real modular smartphone. We hope that in the future we will be able to test second-generation modules: a battery, a gamepad and a new JBL speaker. In the meantime, you can see a list of all modules here -.

Ease of use and recall

I've never been a fan of Motorola, but I was very pleased with the Z2 Play. It is interesting in terms of design and stuffing, and the modules really work as expected. What's more, you have ample personalization options: you can choose from one or more interchangeable back covers to freshen up the look of your smartphone.

Among the minuses: traditionally the cost of all this stuff. The Moto Z2 Play is a cool phone, but the manufacturer is asking around $500 for it. I'm sure many will look towards the OnePlus 5 on almost stock Android with a Snapdragon 835 on board for the same money.

Price and where to buy

Estimated cost of Moto Z2 Play now is about $499. You can buy a smartphone at official points of sale in your city. There is only one 4/64 GB memory configuration on sale and two body colors to choose from: gray and gold.

And Moto Mods accessories were the most practical approach to the concept of modular smartphones in existence, but even they failed to generate hype.

One of the best smartphones of last year, the mid-priced Moto Z Play, could be overlooked amid all the hype around the modules. It was not the most stylish smartphone, it did not have the fastest processor and not the best camera, the screen resolution was also far from the record. But he had a record time of work, and the rest of the components were good enough that the whole device was better than the sum of its parts. was the hit of 2016, even if you didn't need any modules.

This year it will be replaced by the Moto Z2 Play smartphone for $499. In it, the developers tried to eliminate the weaknesses of the previous version without destroying the charm. It has become thinner, lighter, improved camera, updated design and new software features. This smartphone supports all modules released by Motorola, such as additional batteries, projectors, cameras, speakers, etc. The new smartphone can be called a combination of Moto Z Play 2016 and the flagship Moto Z at an average price between them.

The thinness and lightness of the design of the Moto Z2 Play at the expense of battery capacity?

The Moto Z2 Play is better than the original in almost every way, except for battery life. However, as a result of this, it does not get worse, which became clear after a week of testing.

Those familiar with last year's smartphone will immediately notice that the new one has become much thinner and lighter. It cannot be called a small smartphone, the screen diagonal is 5.5 inches, the aspect ratio is 16:9, so it belongs to the large models. At the same time, it has a case thickness of only 6 mm, the device weighs 145 g. The Moto Z2 Play is almost as thin as the flagship Moto Z, an additional 0.7 mm gives room for a headphone jack, which the Moto Z lacks. As a result, the smartphone has become more pleasant to hold in your hand.

The device has become lighter and thinner, among other things, due to a 15% more compact battery. As already mentioned, the last year's device's strongest point was battery life, now this advantage has become less noticeable. Despite this, the smartphone lasts longer than most others.

Moto Z2 Play can be used without problems at a high level of activity throughout the day. In this case, the operating time with the screen on can be about 6 hours; you do not need to connect the device to a power outlet in the middle of the day. Many other smartphones require recharging after 3-4 hours of use, so the Z2 Play is much better than the average. If you do not use the smartphone constantly, it can easily work for two days.

Thus, the operating time was not critically affected, but the smartphone became more elegant. Support for Moto Mods accessories allows you to install the new TurboPower Pack with a built-in battery and extend the life of the device.

Motorola has also made other hardware improvements. The look of the smartphone is not much different from last year, as Moto Mods require consistency in smartphone design, but the Moto Z2 Play still feels more polished and refined. The glass back, which was often scratched and damaged, has been replaced with a more durable and attractive metal finish, and the fingerprint scanner on the front has become larger.

The developers also improved the cameras, they got better lenses and faster focusing. Despite this, the level of image processing does not reach the capabilities of Pixel, iPhone or smartphones. The camera on the Z2 Play may experience issues with high contrast levels, and the lack of optical image stabilization degrades quality in low light. The camera is good, but not great.

Performance, camera and display - "it's great"

In the app space, Motorola has been using an almost pure version of Android for a long time, with only minor changes to it. The Moto Z2 Play supports a range of gestures, like double-tap to turn on the flashlight or double-tap to activate the camera. The Moto Display feature displays the time and notifications when you pick up your smartphone or wave your palm in front of it, there is also a battery indicator and the ability to respond to notifications without having to unlock the screen. You can reply to a text message with text or voice directly through the Moto Display.

The new voice control is great, the fingerprint scanner is a little less

Slightly less useful are the new gestures on the fingerprint scanner, which are designed to replace the on-screen Home, Back, and Recent apps buttons. Pressing the scanner takes you to the home screen, swiping left means Back, right opens the application list. Everything would be fine if these gestures were easy to perform. Often you want to make one gesture, but another works. For this reason, these gestures are disabled by default and traditional on-screen buttons can be used. Developers could use the areas next to the fingerprint scanner for back buttons and recent apps, as some other manufacturers do.

Last year's Moto Z Play was so compelling as it offered solid performance, good software, and a decent camera in addition to great battery life. In the new smartphone, this ratio has changed slightly. The duration of work has decreased, the camera has improved, but in general, all the advantages of the smartphone have remained the same. This is a smartphone with a high level of performance, all the basic components work as they should, there are no frills and the price is at an acceptable level.

On the other hand, there are other interesting options for $500. You can’t call a budget smartphone in any way, rather it is closer in price to flagship models that have better screens and appearance. This is especially noticeable when buying in installments, when the amount of the monthly payment between the Moto Z2 Play and the Galaxy S8 does not differ much.

Regardless, the Moto Z2 Play delivers a great mix of quality components and no frills. It has more battery life than flagship smartphones. For most users this will be enough.

Pros of Moto Z2 Play

1. Slim and lightweight design;
2. Battery life;
3. Software improvements.

Cons of Moto Z2 Play

1. The camera does not have optical stabilization;
2. Uncomfortable fingerprint scanner gestures.

Hello friends! In June, Motorola introduced the new Moto Z2 Play, a mid-range smartphone that has a surprisingly thin body and an interesting modular system. The device will soon be on sale, and why you should pay attention to it - we will now tell.

Appearance

The first thing that attracts attention is the small thickness of the Moto Z2 Play - only six millimeters. This is less than most flagships of the current year, but the smartphone belongs only to the middle segment. The previous model, Moto Z Play, was also slim (7 mm), but the updated model stands out in this regard.

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 front camera window and the eye for sensors, there is a flash note - selfie lovers will be pleased. Some manufacturers make a fake face light through a white screen, but the flash is still much more effective.

On the right side, we see separate volume buttons and the power key, while the left side is completely blank. Interestingly, the power button is ribbed - you immediately feel it by touch. The SIM card and microSD tray is accessible from the top.

I am 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, but here there is no need to compromise. At the bottom is a USB Type-C 3.1 standard, as well as a 3.5mm headphone jack.

The main photomodule is enclosed in a beautiful ring, but it is not even this unit that attracts attention, but a panel with golden dots in the lower area of ​​the back cover. This is an interface for connecting external modules. The company offers standalone attachments called Moto Mods, which we'll cover in more detail below.

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

You can't see the pixels in normal use cases. Even bringing the smartphone close to the eyes, it is not immediately possible to distinguish the “squares”. The display has good brightness, and the colors are juicy - thanks to AMOLED for this. The tones, by the way, are not vyryglazny, which was encountered in similar matrices several years ago. The problem has long been resolved, and the advantages of technology over IPS are palpable.

Hardware and system

In benchmarks, the updated hardware 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 acts in a different price range.

Testing, by the way, showed that the system copes well with heavy loads: in "heavy" games, such as Real Racing 3, the smartphone behaves decently. Here it’s time to ask yourself whether it’s worth paying twice as much for flagships that are better only on paper, but in reality show a comparable speed.

Moto Z2 Play is equipped with an NFC chip. The device works perfectly with the Android Pay service and supports Mifare contactless cards - you can top up Troika's banals without standing in line, as well as pay for public transport using your smartphone.

The smartphone, which is nice, immediately runs 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 its developers intended, and this is the best option.

When setting up the device, the system offers to install a number of applications, but if you do not want, you can simply refuse - no obligation. This is very pleasing compared to some manufacturers who immediately litter the user's brand new phone with a mass of programs of dubious necessity.

Motorola has added an app called Moto to the Moto Z2 Play. It contains a number of additional features that make it easier to work with a smartphone. In practice, they make everyday operations more comfortable and enjoyable. For example, with an incoming call, you can take the gadget in your hand, and the melody will fade away - after all, you already saw the call, so you don’t need to ring. Or turning 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 the locked display. The screen will flash if you just swipe your hand over it, at the same time you can quickly reply to a message.

When you write text on the go, holding your smartphone with one hand, you can use one finger swipe (from bottom to top) to reduce the displayed surface of the application to make typing a message more convenient.

Finally, the camera is activated with a spectacular gesture - you need to turn the brush twice while holding the Moto Z2 Play.

Camera

Shooting in daylight is excellent: the system picks up the color balance well, you almost never need to get into the settings. You can even play around with macro photography: the smartphone quickly focuses, including on objects that are practically “in front of its nose”.

The front camera has also become better: it is still 5 megapixels, but the aperture is already equal to f / 2.0 instead of f / 2.2. The flash is equipped with two diodes.

Working hours

If you change the sparing mode of use to a more active one, you will get about a day of work. In the scenario "for all the money" from morning to evening, a smartphone should be enough in any case. Of course, there are craftsmen who will land the battery in five or six hours, but in real life, we put the smartphone away for other things at least for a while.

But Motorola has taken care of users who constantly work with a smartphone. One of the additional modules is Moto Turbopower Pack with an additional 3490 mAh battery. Attaching it to your smartphone in a second, you will get about a day of additional battery life. Let the 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

Moto Gamepad turns your smartphone into a full-fledged pocket-sized game console - like, for example, the PlayStation Portable or the latest Nintendo Switch. There are two sticks, a D-pad, a set of buttons for actions and "bumpers" on the top edge. And since games require quite a lot of energy, a 1035 mAh battery is built into the mod so that additional controls do not take the charge of the smartphone. The Moto Gamepad's battery lasts up to eight hours of play - handy for long trips.

The JBL Soundboost 2 mod-speaker eliminates the need to buy a portable speaker. Music of excellent quality (JBL, after all) will fill a fairly large room, and if you are going for a picnic, then the mod will not take up much space: you attach it to your smartphone with one touch, and you're done. In addition, JBL Soundboost 2 is well prepared for outdoor activities - the speaker is not afraid of sudden rain or splashes from the pool. The built-in battery will last for 10 hours of playback. At the same time, the device can be used for hands-free conversations.

The Moto Z2 Play uses high-quality optics, but if you are serious about 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 the mod attached, the smartphone feels like a real camera in the hand - ergonomics are at a high level, you can grab the device with your palm, and not hold it on thin edges, as is usually the case with mobile shooting.

Perhaps the most unusual mod is the projector. It transmits the image to any surface at an angle of up to 70 degrees, and the built-in battery will provide an additional hour of using the most interesting mod. A lot of opportunities open up: from spectacular presentations to atmospheric gatherings around the fire while watching films displayed on the wall of a tent or hut.

In addition, there are many panels with beautiful prints (wood or leather) to help make the Moto Z2 Play more personal.

Conclusion

Is it worth it then to overpay one and a half times for flagship handsets? When, say, you need an improved camera, you can spend several thousand rubles on an additional module for the Moto Z2 Play, rather than choosing a more expensive smartphone. Motorola allows you to customize the gadget for your specific needs. But it is much more important that without modules, a smartphone is perceived as an independent device, and not a blank for installing additional blocks.

Slim device with a spectacular appearance, good autonomy and replaceable modules

Lenovo, which owns the rights to the Motorola brand, introduced this summer an updated version of its "modular" smartphone - Moto Z2 Play, which is able to use a variety of interchangeable panels from the Moto Mods series. Modules add new functions and capabilities to the device. For example, you can turn your smartphone into a digital camera with optical zoom or into a projector. There are a lot of changes compared to the previous model (Moto Z Play), and not all of them are exclusively progressive: the battery, for example, has decreased in volume. Read about all the details in our review of the Moto Z2 Play smartphone.

Moto Z2 Play Key Features

• SoC Qualcomm Snapdragon 626, 8 cores Cortex-A53 @ 2.2 GHz
• GPU Adreno 506 @650 MHz
• Operating system Android 7.1.1, Moto Experience
• Super AMOLED 5.5″ touchscreen, 1920×1080, 401 ppi
• Random access memory (RAM) 3/4 GB, internal memory 32/64 GB
• Support Nano-SIM (2 pcs.)
• microSD support up to 2TB
• GSM/GPRS/EDGE networks (850/900/1800/1900 MHz)
• WCDMA/HSPA+ networks (850/900/1700/1900/2100 MHz)
• LTE networks (B1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 13, 17, 20, 25, 26, 28, 29, 30, 38, 41, 66)
• Wi-Fi 802.11a/b/g/n/ac (2.4 and 5 GHz)
• Bluetooth 4.2LE+EDR
• GPS, A-GPS, Glonass
• USB Type-C, USB OTG
• Main camera 12 MP, autofocus, f/1.7, 4K video
• Front camera 5 MP, f/2.2, fixed focus
• Proximity sensor, light sensor, magnetic field sensor, fingerprint sensor, accelerometer, gyroscope
• Battery 3000 mAh
• Dimensions 156×76×6 mm
• Weight 145 g

Pluggable modules

The Moto Z2 Play goes on sale, of course, without replaceable modules. They are quite expensive and will have to be purchased separately. By this time, the manufacturer had come up with even more various modules of the Moto Mods line, here are the most notable of them. The $300 Moto insta-share projector lets you turn your smartphone into a 70-inch projector, while the $300 Hasselblad True Zoom turns it into a digital camera with 10x optical zoom. There is a JBL SoundBoost overhead speaker for $70, there is even a module with joysticks that can turn a smartphone into a gamepad. There's also a TurboPower Pack accessory battery pack and Moto Style pads that add wireless charging functionality. Support for old modules is retained, that is, those purchased for Moto Z Play are quite suitable for Moto Z2 Play.

Appearance and usability

The design of the Moto Z2 Play is almost the same as that of its predecessor, however, due to some details, the appearance of the smartphone as a whole has changed so much that now we can really talk about a stylish and decent-looking modern device without any discounts.

The button with a fingerprint scanner on the front panel has become not square, as before, but standardly elongated, this instantly transformed the front panel. The rear panel, instead of glass, received a matte metal surface, which also ennobled the appearance of the hero of the review, gave reliability. By the way, the antenna inserts here are not made in the form of separate strips at the top and bottom, but are put along the perimeter along the entire panel, it looks fresh and stylish.

You can, of course, wear this smartphone without pads, but in this form, few will like the rounded camera module that sticks out strongly outward and the large Moto Mods Connector contact block located at the bottom of the rear panel. On the other hand, without overlays, the device is so thin that you don’t want to thicken it at all.

The smartphone is not small in size, but thanks to a thin profile, very rounded corners and smoothed ends, the smartphone is comfortable in the hand and fits quite comfortably in the pockets of clothes. Matte metal surfaces are not easily soiled, the device does not slip in the hands, it is held securely.

The side buttons are quite small and thin, but they have a nice distinct and elastic move, they are convenient to use. The usual volume rocker is divided in two here.

The entire front panel is covered with 2.5D Gorilla Glass with barely noticeable sloping edges. Sensors and a front camera peephole with its own flash are usually installed above the screen, and from two LEDs. However, there is no event LED on the front panel.

There are no touch hardware buttons under the screen, it is suggested to use the navigation button bar on the screen itself. However, their functions can be duplicated using the central button, drawing gestures on it that perform the same standard navigational actions: return to the previous screen, to the home screen, open the list of running programs. “Swiping” on a small button left and right is not very convenient, but there will definitely be those who want it.

The main speaker here is not brought out to the bottom end or to the rear panel, but is combined with the speaker, that is, the sound in any case comes out of the slot at the top of the front panel above the screen.

At the bottom there is a USB Type-C connector that supports connecting external devices in USB OTG mode. A 3.5 mm headphone jack is also installed here – it’s nice that they didn’t sacrifice it even in such a thin case.

The top end is given over to the card slot, and the fact that, again, even in this ultra-thin case, the manufacturer has found a place for three cards (two Nano-SIM and one microSD) without the notorious "hybridity" and the need to sacrifice anything .

It turns out that everything is quite possible to place and combine, it's just that manufacturers such as Huawei, which was one of the first to start practicing a "hybrid" connector, have no particular desire to take care of user comfort. Here, everything is much more convenient: on one side of the sled, both SIM cards are installed, and on the other, a memory card is quietly placed, and hot-swappable cards are supported.

The Moto Z2 Play comes in just two color options: Lunar Gray, which we tested, and Fine Gold with a white front, which also looks quite attractive.

Screen

The Moto Z2 Play features a Super AMOLED display covered by 2.5D Corning Gorilla Glass with sloping edges. The physical dimensions of the screen are 68×121 mm with a diagonal of 5.5 inches. The resolution is 1920×1080, the dot density is about 401 ppi. The frame around the screen, taking into account the rounding of the end parts of the case, is not very narrow: it is almost 4 mm on the sides, 17 mm on the bottom and top.

The display brightness can be adjusted manually or you can use automatic settings based on the operation of the ambient light sensor. The AnTuTu test diagnoses support for 10 simultaneous multitouch touches.

A detailed examination using measuring instruments was carried out by the editor of the sections "Monitors" and "Projectors and TV" Alexey Kudryavtsev. Here is his expert opinion on the screen of the test sample.

The front surface of the screen is made in the form of a glass plate with a mirror-smooth surface, resistant to scratches. Judging by the reflection of objects, the anti-glare properties of the screen are no worse than those of the Google Nexus 7 (2013) screen (just Nexus 7 below). For clarity, here is a photo in which a white surface is reflected in the off screens (on the left is Nexus 7, on the right is Moto Z2 Play, then they can be distinguished by size):

The screen on the Moto Z2 Play is a little darker (brightness in photos is 111 versus 112 on the Nexus 7). The ghosting of reflected objects in the screen of the Moto Z2 Play is very weak, which indicates that there is no air gap between the layers of the screen. Due to the smaller number of borders (glass/air type) with very different refractive indices, such screens look better in conditions of intense external illumination, but their repair in case of cracked external glass is much more expensive, since the entire screen has to be changed. On the outer surface of the screen there is a special oleophobic (grease-repellent) coating (very effective, noticeably better than Nexus 7), so fingerprints are removed much easier, and appear at a slower rate than in the case of ordinary glass.

With manual brightness control and with a white field displayed in full screen, the maximum brightness value was approximately 415 cd / m², the minimum was 3.3 cd / m². The maximum brightness is not very high, but you need to take into account the good anti-glare properties of the screen and the fact that with a decrease in the white area, the brightness of the white areas increases slightly. As a result, readability during the day in the sun is at a fairly good level, and a reduced brightness level allows you to use the device without problems even in complete darkness. There is an automatic brightness control according to the light sensor (it is located to the right of the front speaker slot). In automatic mode, when the ambient light conditions change, the brightness of the screen both increases and decreases. This function depends on the position of the brightness slider. If it is at 100%, then in complete darkness, the automatic brightness adjustment function reduces the brightness to 110 cd / m² (a bit too much), in an office lit by artificial light (about 550 lux), it sets it to 280 cd / m² (normal), in a very bright environment (corresponds to lighting on a clear day outdoors, but without direct sunlight - 20,000 lux or a little more) increases to a maximum - up to 415 cd / m² (to the maximum, it should be). If the brightness slider is at 50%, the values ​​are as follows: 13, 120, 415 cd/m² (suitable), if at 0% - 3.3, 15, 415 cd/m² (the first two values ​​are low). From our point of view, the automatic brightness adjustment function works adequately.

Only at the low brightness level is there a significant modulation at 239.7 Hz. The figure below shows the dependence of brightness (vertical axis) on time (horizontal axis) for several brightness values:

It can be seen that at maximum and medium brightness, the modulation amplitude is small, so there is no visible flicker. However, with a strong decrease in brightness, modulation with a large relative amplitude appears. Therefore, at low brightness, the presence of modulation can already be seen in the test for the presence of a stroboscopic effect or simply with rapid eye movement. Depending on individual sensitivity, such flickering can cause increased fatigue.

This screen uses an AMOLED matrix - an active matrix on organic light-emitting diodes. A full-color image is created using subpixels of three colors - red (R), green (G) and blue (B), but there are half as many red and blue subpixels, which can be referred to as RGBG. This is confirmed by a fragment of a microphoto:

For comparison, you can see the gallery of microphotographs of screens used in mobile technology.

On the fragment above, you can count 4 green subpixels, 2 red (4 halves) and 2 blue (1 whole and 4 quarters), while repeating these fragments, you can lay out the entire screen without gaps and overlap. For such matrices, Samsung introduced the name PenTile RGBG. The manufacturer considers the screen resolution based on green subpixels, on the other two it will be two times lower. The location and shape of the sub-pixels in this variant is similar to the variant in the case of the Samsung Galaxy S4 screen and some other newer Samsung devices (and not only) with AMOLED screens. Of course, there is some uneven contrasting borders and other artifacts. However, due to the very high resolution, they have minimal effect on image quality.

The screen has excellent viewing angles. True, the white color, when deviated even at small angles, acquires a slight blue-green tint, and at some angles it turns a little pink, but the black color remains black at any angle. It is so black that the contrast parameter is simply not applicable in this case. When viewed perpendicularly, the uniformity of the white field is good. For comparison, here are photographs in which the same images are displayed on the screens of the Moto Z2 Play and the second participant in the comparison, while the brightness of the screens was initially set to about 200 cd / m², and the color balance on the camera was forcibly switched to 6500 K.

White field perpendicular to the screens:

Note the good uniformity of brightness and color tone of the white field.

And a test picture:

According to the visual assessment, the colors of the tested screen are oversaturated and unnatural, the color balance of the screens differs markedly. Recall that the photo can not serve as a reliable source of information about color quality and is provided for illustrative purposes only. The photo above was taken for a profile Bright in the screen settings (it is selected by default), there are two of them:

What happens when choosing the second one is shown below.

Color saturation has become closer to normal.

Now at an angle of about 45 degrees to the plane and to the side of the screen:

It can be seen that the colors have not changed much on both screens and the brightness of the Moto Z2 Play at an angle is noticeably higher.

And the white box:

The brightness at an angle on both screens has noticeably decreased (in order to avoid severe darkening, the shutter speed is increased compared to the previous two photos), but in the case of the Moto Z2 Play, the drop in brightness is much less pronounced. As a result, with formally the same brightness, the Moto Z2 Play screen visually looks much brighter (compared to LCD screens), since you often have to look at the screen of a mobile device at least at a slight angle.

Switching the state of the elements of the matrix is ​​\u200b\u200bpractically instantaneous, but at the on edge (and less often off) there may be a step about 17 ms wide (which corresponds to the screen refresh rate). For example, the dependence of brightness on time looks like this when moving from black to white and vice versa:

In some conditions, the presence of such a step can lead to plumes trailing behind moving objects, but in normal use it is difficult to see these artifacts. Rather, on the contrary, dynamic scenes in films on OLED screens are distinguished by high clarity and even some “twitchy” movements.

The gamma curve constructed from 32 points with an equal interval according to the numerical value of the shade of gray did not reveal a blockage either in the shadows or in the highlights. The exponent of the approximating power function is 2.22, which is close to the standard value of 2.2, while the real gamma curve almost does not deviate from the power dependence:

By default, the color gamut is very wide:

The spectra of the components (that is, the spectra of pure red, green, and blue colors) are very well separated:

Note that on screens with a wide color gamut without proper color correction, normal images optimized for sRGB devices look unnaturally saturated.

When choosing a profile Usual coverage shrinks to sRGB borders:

The balance of shades on the gray scale is acceptable. The color temperature is slightly above the standard 6500 K, and the deviation from the black body spectrum (ΔE) in most of the gray scale remains below 10 units, which is considered normal for a consumer device. At the same time, the color temperature and ΔE change little from hue to hue (except for the darkest ones) - this has a positive effect on the visual assessment of the color balance. However, profile selection Usual the balance worsens, as the spread of ΔE values ​​increases:

(The darkest areas of the gray scale in most cases can be ignored, since there the color balance does not matter much, and the measurement error of color characteristics at low brightness is large.)

Let's summarize. The screen has a not very high maximum brightness, but it has good anti-glare properties, so the device can be used outdoors without any problems even on a sunny summer day. In complete darkness, the brightness can be reduced to a comfortable value. It is acceptable to use the mode with automatic brightness adjustment, which works adequately. The advantages of the screen include an effective oleophobic coating and an acceptable color balance. At the same time, let's recall the general advantages of OLED screens: true black color (if nothing is reflected on the screen), good white field uniformity, noticeably smaller than that of LCDs, a drop in image brightness when viewed from an angle. The disadvantages include excessively wide color gamut and screen flicker, which appears at low brightness. Users who are particularly sensitive to flicker may experience fatigue as a result. The color gamut can be brought closer to the standard, but at the expense of color balance deterioration. However, overall the screen quality is high.

Camera

The front camera of the Moto Z2 Play remains the same: the matrix has a resolution of 5 megapixels, the size of an individual pixel is 1.4 microns. A wide-angle f/2.2 lens with a fixed focus noticeably distorts proportions, making it difficult to capture an undistorted self-portrait at arm's length. But this is a tribute to fashion, selfie cameras are now being made so that a group fits into the frame, and not just one person. But on the front panel there is its own multi-colored dual LED flash. And the resulting image is quite detailed and sharp.

The main camera uses a module with a 12-megapixel sensor and a lens with a maximum aperture of f / 1.7, equipped with fast laser and phase detection autofocus with Dual Pixel technology for faster focusing. A new type of laser autofocus allows you to focus at a distance of up to 5 meters. The pixel size is still the same 1.4 microns. There is a bright double multi-colored LED flash.

The camera is rich in possibilities: there are gesture controls, and manual mode, and the ability to adjust the exposure while shooting. Professional mode displays arc-shaped sliders with adjustable shutter speed, ISO (up to ISO 3200), manual focus, white balance, exposure compensation scale.

The camera can shoot video at a maximum resolution of 4K (30 fps), as well as 1080p at 60 fps, just keep in mind that stabilization in these two modes does not work - only in the usual 1080p (30 fps) and below. In general, the camera copes with video shooting with dignity: sharpness, color reproduction and detailing are normal, there are no artifacts in the image, the video sequence is smooth, without noticeable jerks. The sound is also recorded with high quality, the noise reduction system copes with its tasks.

• Video #1 (30 MB, 3840× [email protected] fps, H.264, AAC)
• Video #2 (23 MB, 3840× [email protected] fps, H.264, AAC)
• Roll #3 (40 MB, 1920× [email protected] fps, H.264, AAC)
• Movie #4 (40 MB, 1920× [email protected] fps, H.264, AAC)
• Video №5 (40 MB, 1280×720, slo-mo)

	The car numbers are clearly visible.
	The camera copes with macro photography.
	Good detailing on the field of the frame and on the plans.
	Good long-range sharpness.
	You can see slight sharpening on the branches.
	The text is well done.
	A small blur is noticeable on the left side of the frame.
	Good sharpness and moderate dynamic range in HDR mode.

The camera came out good, almost flagship. It has moderate software processing, an excellent HDR mode, and a clearly good module: the matrix works out small details, the optics almost do not spoil the edges of the image, although periodically the pictures come out blurry for some reason. That is why the camera falls slightly short of the flagship, but otherwise there is practically nothing to complain about. It can be argued that the camera will cope well with various scenes.

Telephone part and communications

The Qualcomm X9 LTE ​​modem supports LTE Cat.13 (maximum download speed up to 300 Mbps) and LTE Cat.7 (maximum upload speed up to 150 Mbps). A lot of 4G LTE FDD and TD bands are supported (B1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 13, 17, 20, 25, 26, 28, 29, 30, 38, 41, 66), in their including all 3 ranges used in Russia (3, 7 and 20). Within the city limits of the Moscow region, the device behaves confidently, the quality of signal reception does not cause any complaints.

The smartphone also supports both Wi-Fi bands (2.4 and 5 GHz), there is Bluetooth 4.2. You can organize a wireless access point via Wi-Fi or Bluetooth channels. There is NFC with support for Mifare Classic, that is, the device works with an application for travel documents. The USB Type-C connector supports connecting external devices in USB OTG mode.

The navigation module works with both GPS (with A-GPS) and domestic Glonass, but without the support of Chinese Beidou. The first satellites during a cold start are detected within the first minute. Positioning accuracy is average. A magnetic compass, necessary for the operation of navigation programs, is present.

The platform can support both SIM-cards in 3G/4G simultaneously in active standby mode. That is, the second SIM card can work in 3G for voice communication, even if a card from another slot is assigned for data transmission in 4G. The interface allows you to select a specific SIM card for voice calls and SMS in advance. The cards work in Dual SIM Dual Standby mode, there is only one radio modem. Also, for the convenience of users, the manufacturer has added several ready-made modes of two cards.

Software and multimedia

As a software platform, the Android OS of the latest version 7.1.1 is used with the proprietary Moto Experiences interface, which is closer to the stock version of Android, both in appearance and organization, than all variants of Lenovo's own shell. Lenovo Moto smartphones resemble pure Google phones more than most competitors.

Added support for gestures, the ability to reduce the entire working area of ​​the screen for ease of control with fingers of one hand, multi-window operation. When you stretch your hand to the device lying on the table, it immediately displays basic information in monochrome on the locked screen (date, time, remaining charge percentage). The interface as a whole is simple and calm in design, easy and fast in work. There are practically no third-party programs, everything you need is implemented using Google Apps.

To listen to music, a regular Google Music player with equalizer settings is used. Both in headphones and in the dynamics the device sounds good: the sound volume is enough for any environment, the sound is clear and loud, but not of the highest quality.

There is an FM radio. It is curious that you can try to use it without headphones connected as an external antenna, but you will not be able to catch anything in this way. There was no built-in voice recorder in the device.

Performance

The Moto Z2 Play hardware platform is based on a Qualcomm Snapdragon 626 single-chip system, made using 14-nanometer technology. Recall that the previous Moto Z Play worked on the Snapdragon 625. The Snapdragon 626 includes eight 64-bit ARM Cortex-A53 cores with a frequency of up to 2.2 GHz, the Adreno 506 video accelerator with a core frequency of up to 650 MHz is responsible for graphics processing. The amount of RAM is 4 GB, and the built-in flash memory is 64 GB. Of these, about 50 GB of storage and approximately 2.5 GB of RAM are initially free. There is also a version of the smartphone with 3 GB of RAM and 32 GB of flash memory.

Qualcomm Snapdragon 626 is a platform designed for mid-range smartphones. This is a fairly recent chip, introduced in October 2016 and replacing Snapdragon 625. In essence, the difference lies in the increased core frequency (from 2.0 to 2.2 GHz), but there are also less noticeable changes - for example, a radio signal amplifier has appeared. for the TruSignal antenna. Thanks to the 14 nm process technology, this SoC has good performance at low power consumption.

Both in complex and in graphics tests, SoC Snapdragon 626 demonstrates not top-end, but quite satisfactory results for any tasks. The performance is sufficient for recording and playback of videos up to 4K UHD resolution and demanding games. Mortal Kombat X is played by a smartphone without the slightest slowdown.

Testing in comprehensive AnTuTu and GeekBench tests:

For convenience, we have summarized all the results obtained by us when testing a smartphone in the latest versions of popular benchmarks in tables. Several other devices from different segments are usually added to the table, also tested on similar latest versions of benchmarks (this is done only for a visual assessment of the obtained dry numbers). Unfortunately, within the framework of one comparison, it is impossible to present the results from different versions of benchmarks, so many worthy and relevant models remain “behind the scenes” due to the fact that they once passed the “obstacle course” on previous versions of test programs.

Testing the graphics subsystem in 3DMark gaming tests, GFXBenchmark and Bonsai Benchmark:

When testing in 3DMark for the highest performing smartphones, it is now possible to run the application in Unlimited mode, where the rendering resolution is fixed at 720p and VSync is disabled (due to which the speed can rise above 60 fps).

Browser cross-platform tests:

As for benchmarks for evaluating the speed of the javascript engine, you should always make allowances for the fact that the results in them depend significantly on the browser in which they are launched, so that the comparison can only be truly correct on the same OS and browsers, and this possibility is available when testing not always. In the case of Android OS, we always try to use Google Chrome.

AndroBench memory performance test results:

thermal images

Below is a thermal image rear surface obtained after 10 minutes of running a battery test in the GFXBenchmark program:

The heating is higher in the upper right side of the machine, which apparently corresponds to the location of the SoC chip. According to the heat chamber, the maximum heating was only 35 degrees (at an ambient temperature of 24 degrees), which is relatively little.

Video playback

To test the "omnivorous" when playing video (including support for various codecs, containers and special features, such as subtitles), we used the most common formats, which make up the bulk of the content available on the Web. Note that for mobile devices it is important to have support for hardware video decoding at the chip level, since it is most often impossible to process modern versions using processor cores alone. Also, you should not expect everything from a mobile device to decode everything, since the leadership in flexibility belongs to the PC, and no one is going to challenge it. All results are summarized in a table.

According to the test results, the smartphone played all the test files in the MX player without any problems - however, in SW mode. The smartphone does not have its own video player, and the device plays videos through the gallery without AC3 support, that is, without sound. But hardly anyone will watch videos on a smartphone in this way, you still have to download a third-party player.

Further testing of video playback performed Alexey Kudryavtsev.

We could not test the hypothetical support for MHL or SlimPort (Mobility DisplayPort) adapters due to the lack of an adapter option that connects to the USB Type C port. Therefore, we had to limit ourselves to testing the output of video files on the screen of the device itself. To do this, we used a set of test files with an arrow and a rectangle moving one division per frame (see “Methodology for testing video playback and display devices. Version 1 (for mobile devices) Red marks indicate possible problems associated with playback of the corresponding files.

According to the criterion for displaying frames, the quality of playing video files on the screen of the smartphone itself is good, since in most cases frames (or groups of frames) can (but are not required) to be displayed with more or less uniform alternation of intervals and without frame drops. When playing video files with a resolution of 1920 by 1080 (1080p) on a smartphone screen, the image of the video file itself is displayed exactly along the border of the screen, one to one in pixels, that is, in its original resolution. On the test worlds, the features of PenTile screens appear: the vertical world through a pixel is in a grid, and the horizontal one is slightly greenish. At the same time, the described artifacts are absent on real frames. The brightness range displayed on the screen corresponds to the standard range of 16-235: all gradations of shades are displayed in the shadows and in the highlights.

Battery Life

The non-removable battery installed in the Moto Z2 Play received a smaller capacity than that of the Moto Z Play, only 3000 mAh. Nevertheless, even with such a battery, the smartphone demonstrates more than worthy, very impressive autonomy results. And this is surprising, because the thin handsome man initially does not at all create the impression of a device capable of long-term operation without recharging. In real conditions, Moto Z2 Play, even with a high level of load, can easily hold out for a whole day without recharging.

Testing was traditionally carried out at the usual level of power consumption without using power saving functions, although these are naturally available in the device.

Continuous reading in the FBReader program (with a standard, light theme) at the minimum comfortable brightness level (the brightness was set to 100 cd / m²) lasted more than 18 hours until the battery was completely discharged, and with continuous viewing of video in high quality (720p) with the same brightness level through the home Wi-Fi network, the device operates for almost 14.5 hours. In the 3D gaming mode, the smartphone was able to exceed the mark of 8 hours, but this result is highly dependent on the specific game.

From an incomplete network adapter with a maximum output current of 1.5 A 5.2 V, the smartphone is charged for 2 hours and 10 minutes with a current of 1.5 A at a voltage of 5.2 V. Wireless charging is not initially supported, but there is a corresponding overlay from Moto Mods series.

Outcome

Not the brightest, but large and economical AMOLED display, satisfactory speaker sound, good cameras, wide communication capabilities, quite decent fresh mid-range Qualcomm hardware platform and a very decent level of autonomy, unexpected for such a thin and light device with an elegant appearance - these are the main advantages new items called Moto Z2 Play. A smartphone priced at about $500 belongs more to the top segment, and there is someone to compete with - there are both better screens and more powerful processors. However, what cannot be taken away from the hero of the review is charm: a very thin metal case with pleasant dimensions and a comfortable weight simply does not want to let go. Well, fans of experiments and upgrades are provided with such a wide field of activity in the form of a whole set of replaceable modules that there is simply no alternative to it on the mobile market now.