Motorola Moto Z2 Play

Less than a year after unveiling their ambitious first attempt at a modular phone, Motorola is back with its successor—the Moto Z2 Play. Looking at the specifications, it’s clearly more of a refinement than an upgrade. However, this doesn’t mean it lacks what it takes to offer a great experience.

Reviewers have had time to test out this new release and their weighing in around the web.

Let’s see what they’re saying…

The design of the Moto Z2 Play is very similar to its predecessor. But then, as reviewers noted, it needs to be to remain compatible with the growing selection of Moto Mod accessories. Reviewers were pleased to see that the metal back plate resisted fingerprints and helps with grip.

While there were a few complaints about bland or boring design, no one had issues with build quality. Phone Scoop said, “The Z2 Play is a good looking phone and it comes across as stronger and less delicate than the original.”

Heading around to the front, you’ll find a 5.5-inch 1080 AMOLED panel. Reviewers had differing opinions on the screen. Some found the colors inaccurate but loved the contrast. Others complained of trouble reading in bright environments. However, most agreed that it was well suited for everything from emails to gaming.

The phone features a similar processor to its earlier model—a 2.2Ghz octa-core Snapdragon 626 processor. Depending on the model, you’ll also find either 3 or 4GB of RAM. Reviewers had no issues with day-to-day performance. While some noted a few dropped frames in high-end games, they also said that games remained playable if not a bit choppy.

With 32 or 64GB of internal storage and support for microSD cards, you should have no problem keeping your favorite media and apps on-hand. Reviewers also noted that software on the phone—Android 7.1.1 Nougat—featured little in the way of modifications and was light on storage space.

One button navigation was a hit with reviewers. Instead of using on-screen buttons, you can use swipe controls on the front-facing fingerprint sensor to load recent apps or go back to a previous screen.

Unfortunately, camera reviews for the phone fall flat. With the 12MP rear camera offers phase detection and laser autofocus, reviewers found that a lack of optical image stabilization and inconsistent exposure made for a frustrating experience in all but the best of lighting.

The front-facing 5MP lens includes a dual-tone flash for well-lit selfies. However, reviewers again struggled with blurry shots or odd light balancing.

Android Authority summed up opinions well, saying, “Overall, camera performance is sufficient, but is unfortunately not very close to competing with the expensive flagships out there.”

The phone includes a 3000mAh battery. Reviewers found that it is enough to last through a day but still recommend nightly charging. However, if you find yourself low on juice, the included TurboCharger promises a few hours of runtime with only 15 minutes of charging.

Overall, reviewers agreed that the true value of the phone lies in how useful you’ll find the Moto Mods. If you’re looking for a powerful camera, you’re probably better off looking elsewhere. Otherwise, the Moto Z2 Play offers a compelling mid-tier experience at a fair price.