Lenovo Moto Z Play Smartphone Review

The Moto Z Play finds the current location quickly and with an accuracy of 3 meters (~10 ft) both indoors and outside. However, our bike test shows that the smartphone does not log the driven route quite as accurately as Garmin's Edge 500 GPS computer. Clear deviations become visible particularly in the area where we cross the bridge with the Moto Z Play. Overall, the deviations only add up to approximately 2% when looking at the entire route so that the accuracy should absolutely suffice for navigation purposes.

While the Moto Z is equipped with 4 microphones, Lenovo has reduced these to 3 in the Moto Z Play. However, this does not affect the call quality via the earpiece. Like the higher-priced model, it is very good although a minor noise is audible at both ends. If at all, differences between the Moto siblings are only determinable in a direct comparison. The speaker's balanced sound of the Moto Z Play is pleasing in hands-free mode. However, it should not be turned up too high because the sound could distort slightly - depending on the contact's voice. A few syllables were dropped at sentence endings at the other end, but the Moto user was generally well understood.

Lenovo also relies on an unmodified standard Android design for the phone app. Thus, a screen for favorites, call list, keypad, and direct access to contacts is present. A search bar is also situated in the upper area.

The front-facing camera in the Moto Z Play is identical to that of the one in the more expensive Moto Z. It has a resolution of 5 megapixels and an aperture of f/2.2, which produces decent selfies. The LED flash on the smartphone's front brightens up faces effectively in low-light situations. Videos can be recorded in Full HD resolution and convince with a good image quality that does not decrease too much in the indoors.

Lenovo uses a larger sensor than in the Moto Z for the primary camera of the Moto Z Play. Thus, the resolution climbs to 16 megapixels without affecting the image quality. The opposite is true: Daylight photos present far more details and show a much lower decrease in sharpness at the corners than the photos made with the high-end model (scene 1). Thus, the inevitable question of why is this camera not installed in the Moto Z arises. Besides the particularly slim build, the lack of an optical image stabilizer in the review sample is probably responsible for this. Photos recurrently blur in low-light situations. Furthermore, an extreme image noise is sometimes noticed in zoomed photos, which is filtered at the expense of details in the rivals. The camera's biggest shortcoming is seen when focusing objects: Despite the combination of laser and phase detection auto-focus, photos regularly blur (scene 2), which often cannot be resolved by determining a focal point on the smartphone's screen. If an impeccable result is required, the sharpness will have to be adapted manually in the camera app's professional mode.

The primary camera records videos at a maximum of 3840x2160 pixels and 30 frames per second. A mode for 60 frames per second is not present in any resolution. The image quality is very decent and can compete with that of the sister model. Although the electronic image stabilizer does not function as well as in the Moto Z, the auto-focus has been placed in a better position.

The smartphone's camera app can be launched directly from standby with a fast rotating motion of the hand. Besides the always preset full automatic, a manual mode is also present. It allows adapting diverse parameters, such as white balance, ISO values, and focal point. In addition it is also possible to record slow-motion videos and panned panoramas.

With a resolution of 1920x1080 pixels, the 5.5-inch screen in the review sample offers a slightly lower pixel density than the more expensive Moto Z. However, this difference is hardly visible to the naked eye, even in a direct comparison. The visible, thin color edges are at most sometimes more evident at the edges of objects on the smartphone.

Ehen the brightness is set manually, the Moto Z Play remains slightly below its potentials with a brightness of 356 cd/m² on a completely white screen. Enabling the ambient light sensor changes this to a top rate of 532 cd/m² under the same conditions. Up to 422 cd/m² is achieved when dark and bright areas are realistically distributed over the screen (Average Picture Level/APL50) with and without the sensor.

The underlying AMOLED screen technology also results in a black level of 0 cd/m². Consequently, the screen makes a very high-contrast impression. As mentioned in the review of the Moto Z, it is accompanied by flickering that is very perceptible for sensitive users. In the review sample this appears at a frequency of 243.9 Hz in a brightness setting of below 20%. However, flickering is still measurable at full brightness. The amplitude response is very flat so that fewer problems should occur despite the lower frequency of 60 Hz.

The screens of the Moto Z Play and Moto Z look absolutely identical at first glance when placed directly beside each other. Thus, it is not surprising that our CalMAN diagrams present similar rates. The average DeltaE deviation (grayscale) is 2 and (colors) 2.2 in the standard color mode - both are very good results that are within the ideal range (<3). The color temperature of 6768 K is also increased only slightly (ideal: 6500 K). The reproduction shifts marginally into the blue range when switching to the intensive mode, which results in a color temperature of 7210 K. The DeltaE deviations increase at the same time.

Although the screen in the Moto Z Play can hardly be discerned from the considerably more expensive Moto Z, there is a difference in direct comparison. The review sample's screen absorbs dark image details at a low screen brightness much faster than is the case in the sister model.

As known from the Moto Z, the speaker in the Moto Z Play is also incorporated in the earpiece. In line with its name, the review sample plays music in good quality and at a fairly high volume. We measure up to 88.13 dB(A) in the Pink Noise test, which is considerably more than in the higher-priced sister model. Furthermore, tones ranging from 200 to 400 Hz are rendered somewhat better, which results in a relatively balanced sound for smartphone conditions. If this is not adequate, the user can attach the JBL Sound Boost module to the Moto Z Play's back. It is much louder at up to 95.2 dB(A).

The 3.5-mm jack transmitted an impeccable audio signal without static in the test.

As with the Moto Z, one of the main features of the Moto Z Play is its expandability via Moto Mods. According to Lenovo, these modules will be supported for at least three device generations. However, buyers have to dig deeper into their pockets first. Even if this might be considered senseless, looking at the Moto Z Play is recommended: With its power efficient and yet sufficiently fast Snapdragon 625 SoC, it achieves a very long battery life, the screen convinces with high contrasts and good viewing angle stability, and the casing made of a metal-glass composition feels first-rate. Furthermore, the review sample offers almost everything that smartphone buyers desire with dual-SIM functionality, NFC, USB Type-C port, and fast fingerprint scanner - even a 3.5-mm jack is integrated. One of the few real shortcomings of the review sample is the primary camera's unreliable auto-focus.

In view of the big price difference of over 200 Euros (~$222) between the Moto Z and Moto Z Play, the minor deficits of the cheaper model in some aspects are surprising. Buyers who can forgo the last bit of screen sharpness, an extremely slim design, and high power reserves in favor of almost twice the battery life will be well-advised with the Moto Z Play.

An interesting alternative based on a Snapdragon 625 SoC would be Asus ZenFone 3. The device's build is high-quality and it comes with an extensive software bundle ex-factory. However, unlike the Moto Z Play, it does not feature NFC or modular expandability. Buyers who want high-end power at mid-range prices will be curious about our review of ZTE's Axon 7 coming soon.