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Motorola Moto G7 Play Smartphone Review

Powerful, yet affordable. Motorola has released its G7 series and now it is time for us to test the Moto G7 Play, a budget smartphone that incorporates a Qualcomm Snapdragon 632 SoC, 2 GB of RAM, 32 GB of internal storage and a 5.7-inch IPS display. The G7 Plus scored highly in our recent review, but how it does its considerably cheaper sibling compare? Read on to find out how the Moto G7 Play performs in our tests and how it fares against other entry-level smartphones.
Motorola Moto G7 Play
Motorola Moto G7 Play

The Motorola G series is known for being excellent value for money, which the Moto G7 and Moto G7 Plus underlined in our recent reviews. What about the cheapest 7th generation model, the Moto G7 Play though? Motorola promises that the device will be 60% more powerful than its predecessor, while having a bright Max Vision display, decent cameras and a long lasting battery with fast charging support.

The above sounds promising for just €150 (~$170), but the G7 Play has strong competition from other budget smartphones. We have chosen to compare our review unit against the HTC Desire 12, the Motorola Moto G6 Play, the Nokia 5.1, and the Wiko View 2 Plus.

Moto G7 Play (Moto G7 Series)
Processor
Qualcomm Snapdragon 632 8 x 1.8 GHz, Kryo 250
Graphics adapter
Memory
2048 MB 
Display
5.70 inch 19:9, 1512 x 720 pixel 294 PPI, Capacitive touchscreen, IPS, glossy: yes
Storage
32 GB eMMC Flash, 32 GB 
, 18.7 GB free
Connections
1 USB 2.0, Audio Connections: 3.5 mm, Card Reader: up to 512 GB microSD cards, 1 Fingerprint Reader, Brightness Sensor, Sensors: Accelerometer, Proximity sensor
Networking
802.11 b/g/n (b/g/n = Wi-Fi 4/), Bluetooth 4.2 LE, 2G: 850, 900, 1,800, 1,900. 3G: B1, B2, B4, B5, B8. 4G: B1, B2, B3, B4, B5, B7, B8, B20, B28, B38, B40, B41., Dual SIM, LTE, GPS
Size
height x width x depth (in mm): 7.99 x 147.3 x 71.5 ( = 0.31 x 5.8 x 2.81 in)
Battery
0 Wh, 3000 mAh Lithium-Ion
Operating System
Android 9.0 Pie
Camera
Primary Camera: 13 MPix , ƒ/2.0, PDAF, 1.12 μm pixels, LED flash
Secondary Camera: 8 MPix , ƒ/2.2, 1.12 μm pixels, Display flash
Additional features
Speakers: Mono speaker at the top of the display, Keyboard: Virtual, Keyboard Light: yes, 24 Months Warranty, SAR values: Body – 0.854 W/kg, Head - 0.836 W/kg. LTE: Cat.7 downloads, Cat.6 uploads, fanless
Weight
149 g ( = 5.26 oz / 0.33 pounds), Power Supply: 62 g ( = 2.19 oz / 0.14 pounds)
Price
149.99 Euro
Note: The manufacturer may use components from different suppliers including display panels, drives or memory sticks with similar specifications.

 

Case

The first compromise that we noticed Motorola had made is its choice of materials. The G7 Play has a plastic back compared to the more stylish glass backs with which Motorola equipped the Moto G7, the G7 Plus and the G7 Power. The use of plastic is not necessarily a bad thing though, as it is lighter and less brittle than glass. It is easier to scratch though. The back cover has a swirling ribbed texture that adds grip and makes the device less susceptible to fingerprints and other dirt.

The G7 Play has rounded edges like its G7 siblings but feels better in hand in our opinion because it is smaller and lighter. Our review unit also has a smaller footprint than most of our comparison devices, although the HTC Desire 12 is around 12 g (~0.4 oz) lighter than the G7 Play. The latter is also a hair thinner than the Desire 12 and the Nokia 5.1 at 7.99 mm (~0.31 in). What is more, our review unit does not look cheap, as the gaps between materials are even and tight, while its narrow screen bezels give the device a comparatively high screen-to-body ratio. The G7 Play does have a large notch though, which may put off some people.

Motorola Moto G7 Play
Motorola Moto G7 Play
Motorola Moto G7 Play
Motorola Moto G7 Play
Motorola Moto G7 Play
Motorola Moto G7 Play

Motorola has covered the touchscreen in 2.5D glass, which gives the effect of the display seamlessly contouring into the back case. The company has equipped the G7 Play with a circular rear-facing camera housing too, but it is slightly smaller and protrudes less than its G7 siblings. The classic Batwing Motorola logo sits below the rear-facing cameras, which is also the fingerprint reader.

The G7 Play is available in Deep Indigo, Fine Gold and Starry Black. The indigo version is a deep blue that looks almost black, while the gold variant has a bright, yellow gold finish.

Size Comparison

154.4 mm / 6.08 inch 72.2 mm / 2.84 inch 9 mm / 0.3543 inch 175 g0.3858 lbs153.4 mm / 6.04 inch 73.2 mm / 2.88 inch 8.6 mm / 0.3386 inch 166 g0.366 lbs151.1 mm / 5.95 inch 70.7 mm / 2.78 inch 8.2 mm / 0.3228 inch 151 g0.3329 lbs148.5 mm / 5.85 inch 70.8 mm / 2.79 inch 8.2 mm / 0.3228 inch 137 g0.302 lbs147.3 mm / 5.8 inch 71.5 mm / 2.81 inch 7.99 mm / 0.3146 inch 149 g0.3285 lbs148 mm / 5.83 inch 105 mm / 4.13 inch 1 mm / 0.03937 inch 1.5 g0.00331 lbs

Connectivity

The G7 Play has 32 GB of internal memory, which can be expanded with up to 512 GB with a microSD card. The device has a dedicated card reader, and two nano-SIM card slots, which provides better functionality than the Hybrid second SIM slot with which many manufacturers equip their smartphones.

Motorola has also equipped the G7 Play with a comparatively powerful SoC. While it is not as potent as the Qualcomm Snapdragon 636 in the G7 Plus, the Snapdragon 632 should deliver better performance than the SoCs in our comparison devices. We shall cover this in greater detail in our Performance section. Incidentally, Motorola also equips the more expensive Moto G7 with a Snapdragon 632, which underlines how good value for money the G7 Play is. The latter has 2 GB of RAM to the 4 GB in the Moto G7, but 2 GB of RAM should still be powerful enough for most tasks.

All our comparison devices have micro USB ports, as do many budget smartphones. However, Motorola has equipped the G7 Play with a USB 2.0 Type-C port, which is reversible and should allow the device to be charged faster than those with micro USB ports. The company has included a 3.5 mm headphone jack too, which is always welcome. There is no NFC though, which is a shame as it prevents people from using services such as Google Pay. Overall, the G7 Play is better equipped than our comparison devices and is on par with more expensive devices in this regard.

Software

The Moto G7 Play ships with Android 9 Pie, which is the latest version of Android at the time of writing. Motorola promises to deliver regular security patches and at least one system update to Android Q. Unfortunately, our review unit arrived with December 2018 security patches, which were a few months outdated at the time of our tests. Motorola claims to release new security patches every 2/3 months, so the G7 Play should soon see a new security patch update, according to the company’s update schedule.

The OS is the same almost stock Android experience that we liked during our Moto G7 and G7 Plus tests. In short, even Android newcomers should quickly acclimatise to using and navigating through the OS. The company continues to include Moto Actions, which integrates additional functions that are not present in stock Android. Moving the G7 Play down swiftly twice in a chopping motion enables the flashlight while twisting your wrist quickly twice turns on the default camera app. The G7 Play also has an always-on display (AOD) feature that allows you to preview the battery percentage, date, time, and notifications or missed calls. The AOD can be customised within the overhauled Moto app.

Device information
Device information
Default app drawer
Default app drawer
Default home screen
Default home screen

Communication & GPS

Motorola has made further compromises on the G7 Play compared to other G7 models with LTE and Wi-Fi connectivity. The G7 Play supports up to IEEE 802.11 n Wi-Fi, which means that it can only connect 2.4 GHz networks; 5 GHz networks are not supported. Likewise, the device supports LTE Cat.7 for downloads and Cat. 6 for uploads, which is slower than the LTE support in the G7 Plus but faster than what the Moto G7 manages, surprisingly. Equally, the G7 Play has limited LTE coverage and can only connect to LTE networks in Europe and a few other countries. Our review unit maintained decent network reception throughout our tests in Germany though.

Moreover, the G7 Play scored poorly in our iperf3 Client Wi-Fi tests. Our review unit finished dead last in our comparison tables and averaged just 11.6 MBit/s in our transmission Wi-Fi test. By contrast, the G7 Plus averaged 288 MBit/s in the same test, while the Moto G7 averaged 112 MBit/s. In short, it may be worth shelling out more for the Moto G7 or G7 Plus if you value Wi-Fi performance.

Networking
iperf3 transmit AX12
Nokia 5.1
Mali-T860 MP2, Helio P10 MT6755, 16 GB eMMC Flash
111 (87min - 129max) MBit/s +857%
HTC Desire 12
PowerVR GE8100, MT6739, 32 GB eMMC Flash
81.8 MBit/s +605%
Wiko View 2 Plus
Adreno 506, SD 450, 64 GB eMMC Flash
53.3 (42min - 60max) MBit/s +359%
Motorola Moto G6 Play
Adreno 505, 430, 32 GB eMMC Flash
46.8 MBit/s +303%
Motorola Moto G7 Play
Adreno 506, SD 632, 32 GB eMMC Flash
11.6 (2min - 36max) MBit/s
iperf3 receive AX12
Average of class Smartphone
  (last 2 years)
376 MBit/s +980%
Nokia 5.1
Mali-T860 MP2, Helio P10 MT6755, 16 GB eMMC Flash
111 (98min - 119max) MBit/s +219%
HTC Desire 12
PowerVR GE8100, MT6739, 32 GB eMMC Flash
61.1 MBit/s +76%
Wiko View 2 Plus
Adreno 506, SD 450, 64 GB eMMC Flash
52 (26min - 54max) MBit/s +49%
Motorola Moto G6 Play
Adreno 505, 430, 32 GB eMMC Flash
44.7 MBit/s +28%
Motorola Moto G7 Play
Adreno 506, SD 632, 32 GB eMMC Flash
34.8 (27min - 44max) MBit/s
0102030405060708090100110120Tooltip
Motorola Moto G7 Play Qualcomm Snapdragon 632, Qualcomm Adreno 506; iperf3 receive AX12; iperf 3.1.3: Ø34.8 (27-44)
Nokia 5.1 Mediatek Helio P10 MT6755, ARM Mali-T860 MP2; iperf3 receive AX12; iperf 3.1.3: Ø110.2 (98-119)
Motorola Moto G7 Play Qualcomm Snapdragon 632, Qualcomm Adreno 506; iperf3 transmit AX12; iperf 3.1.3: Ø11.9 (2-36)
Nokia 5.1 Mediatek Helio P10 MT6755, ARM Mali-T860 MP2; iperf3 transmit AX12; iperf 3.1.3: Ø110.5 (87-129)
GPS test: Inside
GPS test: Inside
GPS test: Outside
GPS test: Outside

The G7 Play performed much better in our GPS tests though. Our test device found a satellite fix with up to 3 metres (~10 ft) accuracy outdoors, which dropped to 30 metres (~98 ft) when we went inside. The device also took around 30 seconds to find a sat fix inside compared to the two or three seconds that it took to locate us outdoors.

The device also performed well on our bike ride where we compared its location accuracy to a Garmin Edge 520, a professional navigation device. Our review unit deviated by 390 metres (~427 yd) compared to the route that the Garmin plotted and took a few extra shortcuts to keep up with us, but overall the G7 Play should be accurate enough for most general navigation tasks.

GPS test: Garmin Edge 520 - Overview
GPS test: Garmin Edge 520 - Overview
GPS test: Garmin Edge 520 - Loop
GPS test: Garmin Edge 520 - Loop
GPS test: Garmin Edge 520 - Bridge
GPS test: Garmin Edge 520 - Bridge
GPS test: Motorola Moto G7 Play - Overview
GPS test: Motorola Moto G7 Play - Overview
GPS test: Motorola Moto G7 Play - Loop
GPS test: Motorola Moto G7 Play - Loop
GPS test: Motorola Moto G7 Play - Bridge
GPS test: Motorola Moto G7 Play - Bridge

Telephone Features & Call Quality

Motorola pre-installs the Google suite of telephony apps just like it does with the Moto G7 and the G7 Plus. The app functions just as well as it does on other devices that we have tested.

Calls are intelligible at both ends, but they do not sound as clear as they do on other G7 devices. Likewise, the earpiece gets loud enough for making calls in most environments, but the microphone picks up too much background noise for our liking. Additionally, our review unit struggles to pick up our voice if we speak quietly. The other G7 devices that we have tested do a better job in this regard, so we suspect that Motorola has equipped the G7 Play with a cheaper microphone.

The speaker gets loud enough to make calls from a quiet environment, but our call partner’s voice sounded too thin for our liking. Again, we would recommend standing close to your device on hands-free; otherwise the microphone will struggle to pick out your voice.

Cameras

Taking a selfie with the Motorola Moto G7 Play
Taking a selfie with the Motorola Moto G7 Play

The G7 Play has an 8 MP front-facing camera and a 13 MP rear-facing sensor. There is no secondary rear-facing camera to help create depth of field shots as we saw with the G7 Plus. The device also has a rear-facing LED flash to help in low-light conditions, but do not expect miracles. Overall, the G7 Play has decent cameras for the money that take passable photos and videos.

Photos generally do not look that sharp, but our test shots look particularly blurry and washed in poor lighting conditions. Image noise also dominates pictures shot in low-light. Our review unit tries to compensate for its narrow aperture rear-facing camera by setting a longer exposure, but this only adds motion blur. In short, you will need a steady hand, or a tripod, to take passable pictures at night or in low light.

Likewise, the front-facing camera is good enough for taking the occasional selfie. However, it will overexpose bright areas in a scene to the point where they are blown out, as demonstrated by our selfie. Photos generally look sharp though.

Both cameras can record video in up to 1080p at 30 FPS. Unfortunately, neither camera has image stabilisation as the G7 Plus does, so panning shots are ruined by motion blur and jerky movements.

Image Comparison

Choose a scene and navigate within the first image. One click changes the position on touchscreens. One click on the zoomed-in image opens the original in a new window. The first image shows the scaled photograph of the test device.

Scene 1Scene 2Scene 3

We also subjected our review unit to further camera tests under controlled lighting, which confirmed our initial impressions about the G7 Play’s camera. While photos generally look good, the lack of sharpness means that details are lost when you look closely. In short, we would not recommend making any large printouts of photos that you have taken with the G7 Play. The rear-facing camera reproduces colours surprisingly naturally, but almost all tones apart from dark grey are much brighter than ColorChecker Passport reference colours. Overall, the G7 Play is good enough for taking occasional snapshots, but little else.

A photo of our test chart
A photo of our test chart
Our test chart in detail
Our test chart in detail
ColorChecker Passport: The lower half of each area of colour displays the reference colour
ColorChecker Passport: The lower half of each area of colour displays the reference colour

Accessories & Warranty

Motorola includes few accessories in the box, but there is a silicone cover that should protect against most drops. There is a USB Type-A to Type-C cable, a 5-W charger and a SIM tool. There are headphones in the box, but this is also the case with other G7 devices.

The G7 Play comes with 24 months manufacturer’s warranty. Please see our Guarantees, Return policies and Warranties FAQ for country-specific information.

Input Devices & Operation

The capacitive touchscreen in our review unit is responsive into the edges of the display and reproduces our inputs accurately. Likewise, the accelerometer worked perfectly throughout our tests. The fingerprint sensor takes longer to authenticate our fingerprint than more expensive smartphones, but it works reliably, and its speed should be of no issue during everyday use.

The power and volume buttons have decent pressure points and sufficiently crisp strokes for a budget smartphone. Motorola also pre-installs Google Gboard as the default keyboard.

Using the default keyboard in portrait mode
Using the default keyboard in portrait mode
Using the default keyboard in landscape mode
Using the default keyboard in landscape mode

Display

Sub-pixel array
Sub-pixel array

The G7 Play has a 5.7-inch display that operates natively at 1,512x720 in a 19:9 aspect ratio. The device also has a broad notch that is impossible to miss and houses the earpiece, front-facing camera and some sensors.

The notch is often camouflaged by software during daily use, especially when watching videos that have been shot in 16:9. The taller aspect ratio allows the G7 Play to display more content onscreen though, such as when web browsing in portrait mode.

489
cd/m²
469
cd/m²
467
cd/m²
489
cd/m²
479
cd/m²
467
cd/m²
498
cd/m²
490
cd/m²
482
cd/m²
Distribution of brightness
tested with X-Rite i1Pro 2
Maximum: 498 cd/m² (Nits) Average: 481.1 cd/m² Minimum: 7.54 cd/m²
Brightness Distribution: 94 %
Center on Battery: 479 cd/m²
Contrast: 1295:1 (Black: 0.37 cd/m²)
ΔE Color 4.91 | 0.5-29.43 Ø5
ΔE Greyscale 6.4 | 0.57-98 Ø5.3
95.7% sRGB (Calman 2D)
Gamma: 2.108
Motorola Moto G7 Play
IPS, 1512x720, 5.70
Nokia 5.1
IPS, 2160x1080, 5.50
HTC Desire 12
IPS, 1440x720, 5.50
Motorola Moto G6 Play
IPS, 1440x720, 5.70
Wiko View 2 Plus
IPS, 1512x720, 5.93
Screen
26%
15%
16%
5%
Brightness middle
479
447
-7%
502
5%
614
28%
503
5%
Brightness
481
451
-6%
499
4%
593
23%
493
2%
Brightness Distribution
94
88
-6%
84
-11%
90
-4%
84
-11%
Black Level *
0.37
0.16
57%
0.2
46%
0.29
22%
0.3
19%
Contrast
1295
2794
116%
2510
94%
2117
63%
1677
29%
Colorchecker dE 2000 *
4.91
4.5
8%
5.4
-10%
5.9
-20%
5.71
-16%
Colorchecker dE 2000 max. *
9.47
7.9
17%
10.8
-14%
9.6
-1%
9.04
5%
Greyscale dE 2000 *
6.4
4.5
30%
6.2
3%
5.5
14%
5.8
9%
Gamma
2.108 104%
2.31 95%
2.07 106%
2.32 95%
2.775 79%
CCT
7292 89%
7517 86%
7660 85%
7822 83%
7279 89%

* ... smaller is better

Screen Flickering / PWM (Pulse-Width Modulation)

To dim the screen, some notebooks will simply cycle the backlight on and off in rapid succession - a method called Pulse Width Modulation (PWM) . This cycling frequency should ideally be undetectable to the human eye. If said frequency is too low, users with sensitive eyes may experience strain or headaches or even notice the flickering altogether.
Screen flickering / PWM detected 100 Hz ≤ 20 % brightness setting

The display backlight flickers at 100 Hz (worst case, e.g., utilizing PWM) Flickering detected at a brightness setting of 20 % and below. There should be no flickering or PWM above this brightness setting.

The frequency of 100 Hz is very low, so the flickering may cause eyestrain and headaches after extended use.

In comparison: 53 % of all tested devices do not use PWM to dim the display. If PWM was detected, an average of 18100 (minimum: 5 - maximum: 3846000) Hz was measured.

Unfortunately, the G7 Play uses pulse-width modulation (PWM) to regulate display brightness. Our tests determined that our review unit has a 100 Hz PWM frequency at 20% brightness and below, which may cause eye strain or headaches for people who are PWM sensitive.

The display also reached an average maximum brightness of 481 cd/m² according to X-Rite i1Pro 2, which is a decent value. However, it puts the G7 Play fourth in our comparison table and is 23% darker than the display in the Moto G6 Play.

CalMAN: Colour Space
CalMAN: Colour Space
CalMAN: Greyscale
CalMAN: Greyscale
CalMAN: Colour Accuracy
CalMAN: Colour Accuracy
CalMAN: Colour Saturation
CalMAN: Colour Saturation

Display Response Times

Display response times show how fast the screen is able to change from one color to the next. Slow response times can lead to afterimages and can cause moving objects to appear blurry (ghosting). Gamers of fast-paced 3D titles should pay special attention to fast response times.
       Response Time Black to White
26 ms ... rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined↗ 11 ms rise
↘ 15 ms fall
The screen shows relatively slow response rates in our tests and may be too slow for gamers.
In comparison, all tested devices range from 0.1 (minimum) to 240 (maximum) ms. » 57 % of all devices are better.
This means that the measured response time is worse than the average of all tested devices (21.6 ms).
       Response Time 50% Grey to 80% Grey
34 ms ... rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined↗ 9 ms rise
↘ 25 ms fall
The screen shows slow response rates in our tests and will be unsatisfactory for gamers.
In comparison, all tested devices range from 0.2 (minimum) to 636 (maximum) ms. » 40 % of all devices are better.
This means that the measured response time is similar to the average of all tested devices (33.9 ms).

We also subjected our review unit to further tests with the CalMAN analysis software to assess its colour accuracy. The tests determined that the display is 94% evenly lit, which is much better than our comparison devices. The display is also relatively colour accurate, but it has a strong blue tint to it. Fortunately, Motorola includes its Nightlight feature that reduces the amount of blue light emitted and makes the display look much warmer. Viewing angles are also stable, but reflections can restrict the angles from which you can read the display.

Using the Moto G7 Play outdoors
Using the Moto G7 Play outdoors
Using the Moto G7 Play outdoors with reflections onscreen
Using the Moto G7 Play outdoors with reflections onscreen
Viewing Angles
Viewing Angles

Performance

The G7 Play performed surprisingly well in synthetic benchmarks considering its price. The Qualcomm Snapdragon 632 SoC and its integrated Adreno 506 GPU do not perform miracles, but they are significantly more powerful than the SoCs in our comparison devices like the Snapdragon 430, Snapdragon 450 and the MediaTek MT6739. In short, you will struggle to find a more powerful smartphone than the G7 Play for less than €150 (~$170).

Geekbench 4.4
64 Bit Single-Core Score (sort by value)
Motorola Moto G7 Play
Qualcomm Snapdragon 632, Adreno 506, 2048
1194 Points
Nokia 5.1
Mediatek Helio P10 MT6755, Mali-T860 MP2, 2048
825 Points -31%
Motorola Moto G6 Play
Qualcomm Snapdragon 430 (MSM8937), Adreno 505, 3072
643 Points -46%
Wiko View 2 Plus
Qualcomm Snapdragon 450, Adreno 506, 4096
787 Points -34%
Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 632
  (1194 - 1256, n=5)
1236 Points +4%
Average of class Smartphone
  (800 - 9574, n=90, last 2 years)
5063 Points +324%
64 Bit Multi-Core Score (sort by value)
Motorola Moto G7 Play
Qualcomm Snapdragon 632, Adreno 506, 2048
4179 Points
Nokia 5.1
Mediatek Helio P10 MT6755, Mali-T860 MP2, 2048
3225 Points -23%
Motorola Moto G6 Play
Qualcomm Snapdragon 430 (MSM8937), Adreno 505, 3072
2322 Points -44%
Wiko View 2 Plus
Qualcomm Snapdragon 450, Adreno 506, 4096
4010 Points -4%
Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 632
  (4179 - 4765, n=5)
4497 Points +8%
Average of class Smartphone
  (2630 - 26990, n=90, last 2 years)
13549 Points +224%
Compute RenderScript Score (sort by value)
Motorola Moto G7 Play
Qualcomm Snapdragon 632, Adreno 506, 2048
3628 Points
Nokia 5.1
Mediatek Helio P10 MT6755, Mali-T860 MP2, 2048
2396 Points -34%
Motorola Moto G6 Play
Qualcomm Snapdragon 430 (MSM8937), Adreno 505, 3072
2224 Points -39%
Wiko View 2 Plus
Qualcomm Snapdragon 450, Adreno 506, 4096
3374 Points -7%
Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 632
  (3628 - 4058, n=5)
3860 Points +6%
Average of class Smartphone
  (2053 - 18432, n=70, last 2 years)
10590 Points +192%
PCMark for Android
Work performance score (sort by value)
Motorola Moto G7 Play
Qualcomm Snapdragon 632, Adreno 506, 2048
7321 Points
Nokia 5.1
Mediatek Helio P10 MT6755, Mali-T860 MP2, 2048
4234 Points -42%
Motorola Moto G6 Play
Qualcomm Snapdragon 430 (MSM8937), Adreno 505, 3072
4590 Points -37%
Wiko View 2 Plus
Qualcomm Snapdragon 450, Adreno 506, 4096
5252 Points -28%
Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 632
  (6566 - 7498, n=6)
7099 Points -3%
Average of class Smartphone
  (10884 - 19297, n=2, last 2 years)
15091 Points +106%
Work 2.0 performance score (sort by value)
Motorola Moto G7 Play
Qualcomm Snapdragon 632, Adreno 506, 2048
5930 Points
Nokia 5.1
Mediatek Helio P10 MT6755, Mali-T860 MP2, 2048
3350 Points -44%
HTC Desire 12
Mediatek MT6739, PowerVR GE8100, 3072
3320 Points -44%
Motorola Moto G6 Play
Qualcomm Snapdragon 430 (MSM8937), Adreno 505, 3072
3624 Points -39%
Wiko View 2 Plus
Qualcomm Snapdragon 450, Adreno 506, 4096
4611 Points -22%
Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 632
  (5785 - 6076, n=6)
5942 Points 0%
Average of class Smartphone
  (9101 - 12871, n=4, last 2 years)
10872 Points +83%
3DMark
1280x720 offscreen Ice Storm Unlimited Score (sort by value)
Motorola Moto G7 Play
Qualcomm Snapdragon 632, Adreno 506, 2048
15000 Points
Nokia 5.1
Mediatek Helio P10 MT6755, Mali-T860 MP2, 2048
11557 Points -23%
HTC Desire 12
Mediatek MT6739, PowerVR GE8100, 3072
4188 Points -72%
Motorola Moto G6 Play
Qualcomm Snapdragon 430 (MSM8937), Adreno 505, 3072
9585 Points -36%
Wiko View 2 Plus
Qualcomm Snapdragon 450, Adreno 506, 4096
12774 Points -15%
Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 632
  (14577 - 15000, n=6)
14826 Points -1%
1280x720 offscreen Ice Storm Unlimited Graphics Score (sort by value)
Motorola Moto G7 Play
Qualcomm Snapdragon 632, Adreno 506, 2048
14603 Points
Nokia 5.1
Mediatek Helio P10 MT6755, Mali-T860 MP2, 2048
11324 Points -22%
HTC Desire 12
Mediatek MT6739, PowerVR GE8100, 3072
3597 Points -75%
Motorola Moto G6 Play
Qualcomm Snapdragon 430 (MSM8937), Adreno 505, 3072
9713 Points -33%
Wiko View 2 Plus
Qualcomm Snapdragon 450, Adreno 506, 4096
12497 Points -14%
Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 632
  (14395 - 14741, n=6)
14546 Points 0%
1280x720 offscreen Ice Storm Unlimited Physics (sort by value)
Motorola Moto G7 Play
Qualcomm Snapdragon 632, Adreno 506, 2048
16576 Points
Nokia 5.1
Mediatek Helio P10 MT6755, Mali-T860 MP2, 2048
12452 Points -25%
HTC Desire 12
Mediatek MT6739, PowerVR GE8100, 3072
9856 Points -41%
Motorola Moto G6 Play
Qualcomm Snapdragon 430 (MSM8937), Adreno 505, 3072
9162 Points -45%
Wiko View 2 Plus
Qualcomm Snapdragon 450, Adreno 506, 4096
13850 Points -16%
Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 632
  (15123 - 16647, n=6)
15916 Points -4%
GFXBench (DX / GLBenchmark) 2.7
T-Rex Onscreen (sort by value)
Motorola Moto G7 Play
Qualcomm Snapdragon 632, Adreno 506, 2048
37 fps
Nokia 5.1
Mediatek Helio P10 MT6755, Mali-T860 MP2, 2048
17 fps -54%
HTC Desire 12
Mediatek MT6739, PowerVR GE8100, 3072
9.7 fps -74%
Motorola Moto G6 Play
Qualcomm Snapdragon 430 (MSM8937), Adreno 505, 3072
26 fps -30%
Wiko View 2 Plus
Qualcomm Snapdragon 450, Adreno 506, 4096
33 fps -11%
Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 632
  (23 - 37, n=6)
32.2 fps -13%
Average of class Smartphone
  (22 - 165, n=177, last 2 years)
83.6 fps +126%
1920x1080 T-Rex Offscreen (sort by value)
Motorola Moto G7 Play
Qualcomm Snapdragon 632, Adreno 506, 2048
24 fps
Nokia 5.1
Mediatek Helio P10 MT6755, Mali-T860 MP2, 2048
19 fps -21%
HTC Desire 12
Mediatek MT6739, PowerVR GE8100, 3072
5.9 fps -75%
Motorola Moto G6 Play
Qualcomm Snapdragon 430 (MSM8937), Adreno 505, 3072
16 fps -33%
Wiko View 2 Plus
Qualcomm Snapdragon 450, Adreno 506, 4096
22 fps -8%
Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 632
  (24 - 25, n=6)
24.2 fps +1%
Average of class Smartphone
  (19 - 791, n=177, last 2 years)
243 fps +913%
GFXBench 3.0
on screen Manhattan Onscreen OGL (sort by value)
Motorola Moto G7 Play
Qualcomm Snapdragon 632, Adreno 506, 2048
20 fps
Nokia 5.1
Mediatek Helio P10 MT6755, Mali-T860 MP2, 2048
7.7 fps -61%
HTC Desire 12
Mediatek MT6739, PowerVR GE8100, 3072
5.4 fps -73%
Motorola Moto G6 Play
Qualcomm Snapdragon 430 (MSM8937), Adreno 505, 3072
14 fps -30%
Wiko View 2 Plus
Qualcomm Snapdragon 450, Adreno 506, 4096
17 fps -15%
Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 632
  (9.9 - 20, n=6)
16.1 fps -19%
Average of class Smartphone
  (6.8 - 165, n=178, last 2 years)
71.3 fps +257%
1920x1080 1080p Manhattan Offscreen (sort by value)
Motorola Moto G7 Play
Qualcomm Snapdragon 632, Adreno 506, 2048
10 fps
Nokia 5.1
Mediatek Helio P10 MT6755, Mali-T860 MP2, 2048
8.22 fps -18%
HTC Desire 12
Mediatek MT6739, PowerVR GE8100, 3072
2.7 fps -73%
Motorola Moto G6 Play
Qualcomm Snapdragon 430 (MSM8937), Adreno 505, 3072
7.1 fps -29%
Wiko View 2 Plus
Qualcomm Snapdragon 450, Adreno 506, 4096
9.4 fps -6%
Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 632
  (10 - 11, n=6)
10.3 fps +3%
Average of class Smartphone
  (9.2 - 363, n=178, last 2 years)
137.9 fps +1279%
GFXBench 3.1
on screen Manhattan ES 3.1 Onscreen (sort by value)
Motorola Moto G7 Play
Qualcomm Snapdragon 632, Adreno 506, 2048
15 fps
Nokia 5.1
Mediatek Helio P10 MT6755, Mali-T860 MP2, 2048
5.2 fps -65%
HTC Desire 12
Mediatek MT6739, PowerVR GE8100, 3072
3.5 fps -77%
Motorola Moto G6 Play
Qualcomm Snapdragon 430 (MSM8937), Adreno 505, 3072
10 fps -33%
Wiko View 2 Plus
Qualcomm Snapdragon 450, Adreno 506, 4096
12 fps -20%
Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 632
  (6.5 - 15, n=6)
11.8 fps -21%
Average of class Smartphone
  (3.7 - 158, n=178, last 2 years)
60.2 fps +301%
1920x1080 Manhattan ES 3.1 Offscreen (sort by value)
Motorola Moto G7 Play
Qualcomm Snapdragon 632, Adreno 506, 2048
6.9 fps
Nokia 5.1
Mediatek Helio P10 MT6755, Mali-T860 MP2, 2048
2.8 fps -59%
HTC Desire 12
Mediatek MT6739, PowerVR GE8100, 3072
1.6 fps -77%
Motorola Moto G6 Play
Qualcomm Snapdragon 430 (MSM8937), Adreno 505, 3072
4.6 fps -33%
Wiko View 2 Plus
Qualcomm Snapdragon 450, Adreno 506, 4096
6.1 fps -12%
Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 632
  (6.9 - 7, n=6)
6.93 fps 0%
Average of class Smartphone
  (6.2 - 279, n=178, last 2 years)
97 fps +1306%
GFXBench
on screen Car Chase Onscreen (sort by value)
Motorola Moto G7 Play
Qualcomm Snapdragon 632, Adreno 506, 2048
7.9 fps
Nokia 5.1
Mediatek Helio P10 MT6755, Mali-T860 MP2, 2048
2.8 fps -65%
HTC Desire 12
Mediatek MT6739, PowerVR GE8100, 3072
1.5 fps -81%
Motorola Moto G6 Play
Qualcomm Snapdragon 430 (MSM8937), Adreno 505, 3072
5.3 fps -33%
Wiko View 2 Plus
Qualcomm Snapdragon 450, Adreno 506, 4096
6.6 fps -16%
Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 632
  (3.6 - 7.9, n=6)
6.4 fps -19%
Average of class Smartphone
  (5 - 117, n=178, last 2 years)
42.9 fps +443%
1920x1080 Car Chase Offscreen (sort by value)
Motorola Moto G7 Play
Qualcomm Snapdragon 632, Adreno 506, 2048
3.9 fps
Nokia 5.1
Mediatek Helio P10 MT6755, Mali-T860 MP2, 2048
2.7 fps -31%
HTC Desire 12
Mediatek MT6739, PowerVR GE8100, 3072
0.91 fps -77%
Motorola Moto G6 Play
Qualcomm Snapdragon 430 (MSM8937), Adreno 505, 3072
2.6 fps -33%
Wiko View 2 Plus
Qualcomm Snapdragon 450, Adreno 506, 4096
3.5 fps -10%
Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 632
  (3.9 - 3.9, n=6)
3.9 fps 0%
Average of class Smartphone
  (2.9 - 166, n=178, last 2 years)
58.6 fps +1403%
on screen Aztec Ruins Normal Tier Onscreen (sort by value)
Motorola Moto G7 Play
Qualcomm Snapdragon 632, Adreno 506, 2048
6.8 fps
Nokia 5.1
Mediatek Helio P10 MT6755, Mali-T860 MP2, 2048
2.3 fps -66%
Wiko View 2 Plus
Qualcomm Snapdragon 450, Adreno 506, 4096
6 fps -12%
Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 632
  (3.6 - 7, n=5)
5.56 fps -18%
Average of class Smartphone
  (3.6 - 123, n=218, last 2 years)
43.3 fps +537%
1920x1080 Aztec Ruins Normal Tier Offscreen (sort by value)
Motorola Moto G7 Play
Qualcomm Snapdragon 632, Adreno 506, 2048
3.8 fps
Nokia 5.1
Mediatek Helio P10 MT6755, Mali-T860 MP2, 2048
2.7 fps -29%
Wiko View 2 Plus
Qualcomm Snapdragon 450, Adreno 506, 4096
3.4 fps -11%
Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 632
  (3.8 - 3.9, n=5)
3.88 fps +2%
Average of class Smartphone
  (2.3 - 229, n=218, last 2 years)
62.9 fps +1555%
on screen Aztec Ruins High Tier Onscreen (sort by value)
Motorola Moto G7 Play
Qualcomm Snapdragon 632, Adreno 506, 2048
4.3 fps
Nokia 5.1
Mediatek Helio P10 MT6755, Mali-T860 MP2, 2048
fps -100%
Wiko View 2 Plus
Qualcomm Snapdragon 450, Adreno 506, 4096
3.6 fps -16%
Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 632
  (2 - 4.3, n=5)
3.36 fps -22%
Average of class Smartphone
  (2.8 - 105, n=218, last 2 years)
32.2 fps +649%
2560x1440 Aztec Ruins High Tier Offscreen (sort by value)
Motorola Moto G7 Play
Qualcomm Snapdragon 632, Adreno 506, 2048
1.3 fps
Nokia 5.1
Mediatek Helio P10 MT6755, Mali-T860 MP2, 2048
fps -100%
Wiko View 2 Plus
Qualcomm Snapdragon 450, Adreno 506, 4096
1.2 fps -8%
Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 632
  (1.2 - 1.3, n=5)
1.28 fps -2%
Average of class Smartphone
  (0.85 - 94, n=218, last 2 years)
25 fps +1823%
AnTuTu v7 - Total Score (sort by value)
Motorola Moto G7 Play
Qualcomm Snapdragon 632, Adreno 506, 2048
97294 Points
HTC Desire 12
Mediatek MT6739, PowerVR GE8100, 3072
46366 Points -52%
Motorola Moto G6 Play
Qualcomm Snapdragon 430 (MSM8937), Adreno 505, 3072
58511 Points -40%
Wiko View 2 Plus
Qualcomm Snapdragon 450, Adreno 506, 4096
71638 Points -26%
Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 632
  (97294 - 108408, n=5)
103607 Points +6%
AnTuTu v6 - Total Score (sort by value)
Motorola Moto G7 Play
Qualcomm Snapdragon 632, Adreno 506, 2048
76724 Points
Nokia 5.1
Mediatek Helio P10 MT6755, Mali-T860 MP2, 2048
56750 Points -26%
HTC Desire 12
Mediatek MT6739, PowerVR GE8100, 3072
36253 Points -53%
Motorola Moto G6 Play
Qualcomm Snapdragon 430 (MSM8937), Adreno 505, 3072
46267 Points -40%
Wiko View 2 Plus
Qualcomm Snapdragon 450, Adreno 506, 4096
59354 Points -23%
Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 632
  (76724 - 87883, n=4)
83178 Points +8%
BaseMark OS II
Overall (sort by value)
Motorola Moto G7 Play
Qualcomm Snapdragon 632, Adreno 506, 2048
1465 Points
Nokia 5.1
Mediatek Helio P10 MT6755, Mali-T860 MP2, 2048
230 Points -84%
HTC Desire 12
Mediatek MT6739, PowerVR GE8100, 3072
637 Points -57%
Motorola Moto G6 Play
Qualcomm Snapdragon 430 (MSM8937), Adreno 505, 3072
923 Points -37%
Wiko View 2 Plus
Qualcomm Snapdragon 450, Adreno 506, 4096
1221 Points -17%
Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 632
  (1465 - 1800, n=6)
1676 Points +14%
Average of class Smartphone
  (411 - 11438, n=158, last 2 years)
5704 Points +289%
System (sort by value)
Motorola Moto G7 Play
Qualcomm Snapdragon 632, Adreno 506, 2048
3865 Points
Nokia 5.1
Mediatek Helio P10 MT6755, Mali-T860 MP2, 2048
2589 Points -33%
HTC Desire 12
Mediatek MT6739, PowerVR GE8100, 3072
1526 Points -61%
Motorola Moto G6 Play
Qualcomm Snapdragon 430 (MSM8937), Adreno 505, 3072
1531 Points -60%
Wiko View 2 Plus
Qualcomm Snapdragon 450, Adreno 506, 4096
2850 Points -26%
Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 632
  (3865 - 4430, n=6)
4245 Points +10%
Average of class Smartphone
  (2376 - 16475, n=158, last 2 years)
9621 Points +149%
Memory (sort by value)
Motorola Moto G7 Play
Qualcomm Snapdragon 632, Adreno 506, 2048
1068 Points
Nokia 5.1
Mediatek Helio P10 MT6755, Mali-T860 MP2, 2048
144 Points -87%
HTC Desire 12
Mediatek MT6739, PowerVR GE8100, 3072
984 Points -8%
Motorola Moto G6 Play
Qualcomm Snapdragon 430 (MSM8937), Adreno 505, 3072
741 Points -31%
Wiko View 2 Plus
Qualcomm Snapdragon 450, Adreno 506, 4096
1084 Points +1%
Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 632
  (1068 - 2049, n=6)
1742 Points +63%
Average of class Smartphone
  (670 - 12306, n=158, last 2 years)
6230 Points +483%
Graphics (sort by value)
Motorola Moto G7 Play
Qualcomm Snapdragon 632, Adreno 506, 2048
1069 Points
Nokia 5.1
Mediatek Helio P10 MT6755, Mali-T860 MP2, 2048
762 Points -29%
HTC Desire 12
Mediatek MT6739, PowerVR GE8100, 3072
18 Points -98%
Motorola Moto G6 Play
Qualcomm Snapdragon 430 (MSM8937), Adreno 505, 3072
737 Points -31%
Wiko View 2 Plus
Qualcomm Snapdragon 450, Adreno 506, 4096
974 Points -9%
Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 632
  (1069 - 1091, n=6)
1076 Points +1%
Average of class Smartphone
  (697 - 58651, n=158, last 2 years)
13900 Points +1200%
Web (sort by value)
Motorola Moto G7 Play
Qualcomm Snapdragon 632, Adreno 506, 2048
1045 Points
Nokia 5.1
Mediatek Helio P10 MT6755, Mali-T860 MP2, 2048
10 Points -99%
HTC Desire 12
Mediatek MT6739, PowerVR GE8100, 3072
591 Points -43%
Motorola Moto G6 Play
Qualcomm Snapdragon 430 (MSM8937), Adreno 505, 3072
866 Points -17%
Wiko View 2 Plus
Qualcomm Snapdragon 450, Adreno 506, 4096
738 Points -29%
Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 632
  (820 - 1078, n=6)
1009 Points -3%
Average of class Smartphone
  (10 - 2145, n=158, last 2 years)
1487 Points +42%

The same also applies to browser benchmarks, in which our review unit consistently outperforms our comparison devices. The G7 Play performs on par with the average of Snapdragon 632 powered devices that we have currently tested, but it scores around 50% more in browser benchmarks than our most powerful comparison devices.

JetStream 1.1 - Total Score
Average of class Smartphone (66.1 - 104.3, n=2, last 2 years)
85.2 Points +100%
Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 632 (42.6 - 45.5, n=5)
44.5 Points +4%
Motorola Moto G7 Play
42.63 Points
Wiko View 2 Plus (Chrome 71)
22.67 Points -47%
Nokia 5.1 (Chrome 70)
22.52 Points -47%
Motorola Moto G6 Play (Chrome 66)
18.14 Points -57%
HTC Desire 12 (Chrome 66.0.3359.158)
15.79 Points -63%
Octane V2 - Total Score
Average of class Smartphone (4633 - 89112, n=202, last 2 years)
33355 Points +308%
Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 632 (8185 - 8420, n=6)
8287 Points +1%
Motorola Moto G7 Play
8185 Points
Nokia 5.1 (Chrome 70)
4042 Points -51%
Wiko View 2 Plus (Chrome 71)
4016 Points -51%
Motorola Moto G6 Play (Chrome 66)
3296 Points -60%
HTC Desire 12 (Chrome 66.0.3359.158)
2930 Points -64%
Mozilla Kraken 1.1 - Total
HTC Desire 12 (Chrome 66.0.3359.158)
17134 ms * -257%
Motorola Moto G6 Play (Chrome 66)
13730 ms * -186%
Wiko View 2 Plus (Chrome 71)
11360 ms * -136%
Nokia 5.1 (Chrome 70)
11043 ms * -130%
Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 632 (4806 - 5037, n=5)
4899 ms * -2%
Motorola Moto G7 Play
4806 ms *
Average of class Smartphone (388 - 9999, n=165, last 2 years)
1658 ms * +66%

* ... smaller is better

The G7 Play has 32 GB of eMMC storage, which is generally faster than the storage in our comparison devices. Its sequential write speeds are slower than the speeds achieved by the Moto G6 Play and the Wiko View 2 Plus, but the G7 Play consistently outscored the class average in AndroBench 3-5 and those smartphones that also have 32 GB of eMMC storage. The same applies to the transfer speeds of the G7 Play’s microSD card reader, which we tested with our reference Toshiba Exceria Pro M501 card.

Motorola Moto G7 PlayNokia 5.1HTC Desire 12Motorola Moto G6 PlayWiko View 2 PlusAverage 32 GB eMMC FlashAverage of class Smartphone
AndroBench 3-5
-41%
-35%
-5%
-5%
-28%
443%
Sequential Read 256KB
289
264.5
-8%
211.4
-27%
243.7
-16%
272
-6%
242 ?(25.8 - 452, n=247)
-16%
1468 ?(215 - 4512, n=210, last 2 years)
408%
Sequential Write 256KB
111
25.96
-77%
103.8
-6%
135.8
22%
199.7
80%
100.5 ?(14.8 - 196, n=247)
-9%
1078 ?(57.5 - 3678, n=210, last 2 years)
871%
Random Read 4KB
74
44.24
-40%
16.69
-77%
65.9
-11%
70.6
-5%
43.2 ?(3.59 - 117.2, n=247)
-42%
242 ?(22.2 - 543, n=210, last 2 years)
227%
Random Write 4KB
73
4.93
-93%
7.54
-90%
61.7
-15%
6.6
-91%
22.4 ?(0.75 - 91, n=247)
-69%
266 ?(13 - 709, n=210, last 2 years)
264%
Sequential Read 256KB SDCard
84.7 ?(Toshiba Exceria Pro M501)
72.6 ?(Toshiba Exceria Pro M401)
-14%
81.8 ?(Toshiba Exceria Pro M501)
-3%
83.2 ?(Toshiba Exceria Pro M501)
-2%
83.6 ?(Toshiba Exceria Pro M501)
-1%
71.8 ?(8.2 - 96.5, n=178)
-15%
Sequential Write 256KB SDCard
64.1 ?(Toshiba Exceria Pro M501)
55.5 ?(Toshiba Exceria Pro M401)
-13%
61.1 ?(Toshiba Exceria Pro M501)
-5%
60.7 ?(Toshiba Exceria Pro M501)
-5%
61.1 ?(Toshiba Exceria Pro M501)
-5%
52.9 ?(3.4 - 87.1, n=178)
-17%

Games

The Adreno 506 GPU can handle most modern games, but it is not powerful enough to play complex games such as "Asphalt 9: Legends" or "PUBG Mobile" smoothly. It did generally average around 30 FPS in the former though. Less complex games such as "Shadow Fight 3" play much more smoothly and offer a better gaming experience in our opinion. The accelerometer and touchscreen performed perfectly during our gaming tests too.

Shadow Fight 3
Shadow Fight 3
Temple Run 2
Temple Run 2

Emissions

Temperature

The G7 Play feels cool to the touch even when pushed hard. Our review unit reached only a maximum of 33 °C (~91 °F) under sustained load and 29 °C (~84 °F) at idle. In short, the G7 Play should not thermal throttle even during a long gaming session.

Max. Load
 33 °C
91 F
31.8 °C
89 F
31.6 °C
89 F
 
 32.6 °C
91 F
31.6 °C
89 F
31.5 °C
89 F
 
 32.3 °C
90 F
31.6 °C
89 F
31.8 °C
89 F
 
Maximum: 33 °C = 91 F
Average: 32 °C = 90 F
30.2 °C
86 F
31.5 °C
89 F
33 °C
91 F
30.3 °C
87 F
31.2 °C
88 F
31.9 °C
89 F
30.9 °C
88 F
31.3 °C
88 F
31.9 °C
89 F
Maximum: 33 °C = 91 F
Average: 31.4 °C = 89 F
Power Supply (max.)  37.9 °C = 100 F | Room Temperature 21.5 °C = 71 F | Voltcraft IR-260
(±) The average temperature for the upper side under maximal load is 32 °C / 90 F, compared to the average of 32.7 °C / 91 F for the devices in the class Smartphone.
(+) The maximum temperature on the upper side is 33 °C / 91 F, compared to the average of 35 °C / 95 F, ranging from 21.9 to 56 °C for the class Smartphone.
(+) The bottom heats up to a maximum of 33 °C / 91 F, compared to the average of 33.8 °C / 93 F
(+) In idle usage, the average temperature for the upper side is 25.3 °C / 78 F, compared to the device average of 32.7 °C / 91 F.
Heatmap of the front of the device under load
Heatmap of the front of the device under load
Heatmap of the bottom of the device under load
Heatmap of the bottom of the device under load

Speakers

Pink noise speaker test
Pink noise speaker test

The G7 Play has a single speaker that is also its earpiece. Audio sounds tinny at maximum volume, but we did not notice any distortion. The speaker is passable for a budget smartphone, but we doubt that it will win any awards. Our review outputted audio cleanly and powerfully via Bluetooth and the 3.5 mm jack though throughout our tests.

dB(A) 0102030405060708090Deep BassMiddle BassHigh BassLower RangeMidsHigher MidsLower HighsMid HighsUpper HighsSuper Highs2027.6392527.2373130.4294028.434.85028.133.4632527.28017.721.91001823.112518.32416015.134.72001646.925015.753.831513.755.640013.355.650013.657.463012.465.380013.166.4100013.869.2125011.570.4160011.772.7200010.873.5250011.169.5315010.669.240001167.3500011.863.563001261.180001166.3100001170.31250010.769.71600011.158.4SPL63.260.524.981.1N15.712.10.547.7median 12.4median 63.5median 12.7median 64.4Delta3.310.312.216.730.738.4252526.820.626.326.429.833.327.425.42124.919.524.118.821.919.220.417.625.816.936.115.844.11550.71558.714.76414.868.914.671.714.372.113.471.814.473.614.473.114.872.11574.414.878.114.773.91569.414.967.215.267.915.757.626.884.80.957.3median 15median 67.90.613.1hearing rangehide median Pink NoiseMotorola Moto G7 PlayNokia 5.1
Frequency diagram (checkboxes can be checked and unchecked to compare devices)
Motorola Moto G7 Play audio analysis

(±) | speaker loudness is average but good (81.1 dB)
Bass 100 - 315 Hz
(-) | nearly no bass - on average 64.4% lower than median
(+) | bass is linear (0% delta to prev. frequency)
Mids 400 - 2000 Hz
(-) | nearly no mids - on average 64.4% lower than median
(+) | mids are linear (0% delta to prev. frequency)
Highs 2 - 16 kHz
(-) | nearly no highs - on average 64.4% lower than median
(+) | highs are linear (0% delta to prev. frequency)
Overall 100 - 16.000 Hz
(-) | overall sound is not linear (116.4% difference to median)
Compared to same class
» 85% of all tested devices in this class were better, 6% similar, 9% worse
» The best had a delta of 12%, average was 38%, worst was 134%
Compared to all devices tested
» 95% of all tested devices were better, 2% similar, 3% worse
» The best had a delta of 4%, average was 25%, worst was 134%

Nokia 5.1 audio analysis

(+) | speakers can play relatively loud (84.8 dB)
Bass 100 - 315 Hz
(-) | nearly no bass - on average 39.1% lower than median
(±) | linearity of bass is average (8.9% delta to prev. frequency)
Mids 400 - 2000 Hz
(±) | reduced mids - on average 6.1% lower than median
(±) | linearity of mids is average (7.1% delta to prev. frequency)
Highs 2 - 16 kHz
(+) | balanced highs - only 4.9% away from median
(+) | highs are linear (5% delta to prev. frequency)
Overall 100 - 16.000 Hz
(±) | linearity of overall sound is average (26.9% difference to median)
Compared to same class
» 64% of all tested devices in this class were better, 6% similar, 30% worse
» The best had a delta of 12%, average was 38%, worst was 134%
Compared to all devices tested
» 79% of all tested devices were better, 4% similar, 17% worse
» The best had a delta of 4%, average was 25%, worst was 134%

Power Management

Power Consumption

The G7 Play has a 3,000 mAh battery that is 1,000 mAh smaller than the battery in its predecessor. Our review unit consumes a minimum of 1 W at idle, which is rather high. Likewise, the device consumes a maximum of 6.5 W under sustained load and averages 4.1 W when pushed hard. Overall, the Snapdragon 632 consumes more than the Snapdragon 430 and Snapdragon 450, but it is more efficient than the MediaTek Helio P10 MT6755 and the MT6739.

Power Consumption
Off / Standbydarklight 0.05 / 0.19 Watt
Idledarkmidlight 1 / 1.7 / 2.6 Watt
Load midlight 4.1 / 6.5 Watt
 color bar
Key: min: dark, med: mid, max: light        Metrahit Energy
Currently we use the Metrahit Energy, a professional single phase power quality and energy measurement digital multimeter, for our measurements. Find out more about it here. All of our test methods can be found here.
Motorola Moto G7 Play
3000 mAh
Nokia 5.1
2970 mAh
HTC Desire 12
2730 mAh
Motorola Moto G6 Play
4000 mAh
Wiko View 2 Plus
4000 mAh
Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 632
 
Average of class Smartphone
 
Power Consumption
-11%
6%
17%
21%
2%
0%
Idle Minimum *
1
1.38
-38%
1.13
-13%
0.68
32%
0.8
20%
0.924 ?(0.42 - 1.1, n=5)
8%
0.894 ?(0.42 - 2.37, n=157, last 2 years)
11%
Idle Average *
1.7
2.14
-26%
2.03
-19%
1.8
-6%
1.5
12%
1.748 ?(1.64 - 1.9, n=5)
-3%
1.452 ?(0.69 - 4.26, n=157, last 2 years)
15%
Idle Maximum *
2.6
2.2
15%
2.05
21%
1.83
30%
2
23%
2.36 ?(1.69 - 2.8, n=5)
9%
1.632 ?(0.79 - 4.45, n=157, last 2 years)
37%
Load Average *
4.1
4.21
-3%
3.68
10%
3.38
18%
3.2
22%
4.18 ?(3.3 - 5.19, n=5)
-2%
5.55 ?(2.4 - 16.5, n=157, last 2 years)
-35%
Load Maximum *
6.5
6.81
-5%
4.52
30%
5.67
13%
4.7
28%
6.6 ?(5.6 - 7.2, n=5)
-2%
8.23 ?(4.32 - 20.8, n=157, last 2 years)
-27%

* ... smaller is better

Battery Life

Perhaps predictably, the G7 Play needed recharging sooner than the G6 Play and View 2 Plus, both of which have lower power consumption and larger batteries than the G7 Play. Our review unit lasted for 11:40 hours in our Wi-Fi battery life test, which puts it third in our comparison table.

Battery Runtime
WiFi Websurfing
11h 30min
Motorola Moto G7 Play
3000 mAh
Nokia 5.1
2970 mAh
HTC Desire 12
2730 mAh
Motorola Moto G6 Play
4000 mAh
Wiko View 2 Plus
4000 mAh
Battery Runtime
-24%
-36%
29%
32%
WiFi v1.3
690
523
-24%
440
-36%
887
29%
913
32%
Reader / Idle
1021
H.264
631
Load
175

Pros

+ excellent performance for the money
+ decent touchscreen
+ good value for money
+ fingerprint sensor

Cons

- slow Wi-Fi performance
- supports few LTE bands
- call quality could be better

Verdict

The Motorola Moto G7 Play smartphone review. Test device courtesy of Motorola Germany.
The Motorola Moto G7 Play smartphone review. Test device courtesy of Motorola Germany.

The Motorola Moto G7 Play is excellent value for money. It offers much of what its more expensive G7 siblings do but at half the cost. The G7 Play is also considerably more powerful than its competitors and has modern features such as USB Type-C, which many budget smartphones lack. The device is well built too, and feels like it should cost more than €150 (~$170).

It is not all good news, but Motorola had to compromise somewhere. The camera is good by budget smartphone standards, but it cannot compete with the sensors in the G7 Plus. Likewise, the display is bright and colour accurate, but the G6 Play gets noticeably brighter. Moreover, the G7 Play has a smaller battery than its predecessor and worse battery life. Motorola has also compromised on LTE and Wi-Fi connectivity, as the G7 Play supports just a few LTE bands, while our review unit has dreadfully slow Wi-Fi.

The Motorola Moto G7 Play sets new standards for budget smartphones. It offers a huge step up in performance and unrivalled value for money.

However, these drawbacks should not dissuade you from considering the G7 Play if you are after a budget smartphone. The Motorola Moto G7 Play is simply one of the most rounded packages that €150 (~$170) can currently buy.

Motorola Moto G7 Play - 02/25/2019 v6(old)
Stefan Schomberg

Chassis
74%
Keyboard
65 / 75 → 87%
Pointing Device
78%
Connectivity
40 / 60 → 66%
Weight
92%
Battery
94%
Display
85%
Games Performance
27 / 63 → 43%
Application Performance
59 / 70 → 85%
Temperature
94%
Noise
100%
Audio
56 / 91 → 62%
Camera
58%
Average
71%
81%
Smartphone - Weighted Average

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Stefan Schomberg, 2019-02-27 (Update: 2019-02-28)