After the merger with Lenovo, the Motorola team has retained considerable independence, continuing to develop flagship smartphones. However, in many ways, the influence of the parent company is definitely traced: the Lenovo logo is applied to the box, and the announcement of smartphones took place during the Lenovo Tech World exhibition. Then two Moto flagships were presented - Z and Z Force - but the second one was released only in the Droid version from the Verizon operator, so only the younger model is available to Russians. The main feature of the smartphone is the interchangeable modules worn as back covers. Let's find out how convenient it is and what Moto Z is generally capable of. At the moment, the recommended retail price of the gadget in the Lenovo brand store is 37,990 rubles (you can search for the best prices on Yandex.Market).

Specifications Moto Z:

• Network: GSM/GPRS/EDGE (850/900/1800/1900 MHz), UMTS/HSPA+ (850/900/1700/1900/2100 MHz), FDD-LTE (Band 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7 , 8, 12, 17, 19, 20, 28)
• Platform: Android 7.0 Nougat
• Display: 5.5", 2560x1440 pixels, 535 ppi, AMOLED, 10-point multi-touch
• Camera: 13MP, laser autofocus, optical image stabilization, f/1.8, 1.12µm pixels, dual multi-tone LED flash, video recording [email protected]
• Front camera: 5 MP, f/2.2, pixel size 1.4 microns
• Processor: 4 cores, up to 1.8 GHz, 64 bits, Qualcomm Snapdragon 820
• Graphics chip: Adreno 530
• Contextual Computing Processor
• natural language processor
• RAM: 4 GB, LPDDR4
• Internal memory: 32 GB
• Memory card: microSD (up to 2 TB)
• A-GPS, GLONASS
• Bluetooth 4.1LE
• Wi-Fi (802.11a/b/g/n), 2.4/5 GHz
• USB Type-C
• The fingerprint scanner
• Battery: non-removable, 2600 mAh
• Dimensions: 155.3x75.3x5.19 mm
• Weight: 136g

Equipment and design

In the white and purple Moto Z box, in addition to the smartphone itself, there is a TurboPower charger (up to 15 W), which is inseparable from the USB cable, an envelope with documentation, an envelope with a SIM needle, one Style Shells module and a hard case that protects only the ends of the smartphone . Why only ends? Motorola makes sure that you can change Moto Mods even when the case is on. And it really can be done. Please note that there is nothing in the kit that would allow you to connect your smartphone to a computer - you will have to buy a cable.

Moto Z, available in black and gold colors, is one of the thinnest smartphones in the world. It is only 5.19 mm thick! Models were thinner, but now they are no longer on sale. The case is made so thin so that the smartphone looks normal with the module on. A strongly protruding camera serves the same purpose, although its appearance is not caused by a desire to please the modular concept, but by an engineering necessity: a good camera cannot fit into a thin case. The mirrored back surface of the Moto Z is very easily soiled, which is especially noticeable in the striped pattern. In general, Motorola's back design is so bad that it is strongly discouraged to carry a smartphone without a module. But with Style Shells, it already looks much better, and the camera does not stick out.

The front panel cannot be fixed with modules, although we would like to. There’s some madness under the screen of the smartphone: a completely unnecessary Moto logo (you already have a stylized M on the back and the word Moto on the camera, why else?), a crookedly inserted square fingerprint scanner (it can be used as a touch lock button), a pair of gray circles (these are motion sensors) and two holes for microphones. Above the screen - the only speaker (normally copes with both the role of multimedia and the role of conversation), a front camera with a flash and a black circle with sensors. It's all in at least one row, so it doesn't look that bad, although the speaker might not stick out.

Ergonomics of the smartphone is also not up to par. Yes, it is thin, light and not slippery at all, but that's where the pluses end. If you remove the modules, chopped ends will feel unpleasant. But we're not going to shoot them for long, okay? It will not save us from problems. The buttons on the right side (lock and volume control) are carried very high, you have to reach for them, which is inconvenient. Plus they are small. Pressing the "volume down" and "lock" at the same time to take a screenshot is not easy. Thank you, at least they made the power key ribbed, otherwise it would have been possible to confuse them.

Now about Moto Mods. These can be modules with a projector, a speaker, or an additional battery (plus different companies create all sorts of other modules, for example, with a keyboard), but they didn’t come to our test, so we can’t evaluate their work. But we can appreciate this: the modules are really very easy to change. Take one off, put on the other, and you're done. Five seconds, no more. At the same time, they are very securely attached to magnets, and the protruding camera acts as an additional retainer (sorry for the pun).

Moto Z is equipped with a 5.5 "screen with a resolution of 2560x1440 pixels. The pixel density is 534 ppi, which is a lot, so the image clarity is at its best. There is a ten-point multi-touch, there is an oleophobic coating. .19 mm? Of course, it's AMOLED. With all the consequences: very deep blacks (there is no difference between the screen turned off and the screen showing black), maximum viewing angles, small inversions at any tilt, dirty white. The brightness is quite high, but on a sunny summer day, it can be a bit lacking.In the smartphone settings, you can choose between realistic and overly saturated colors.

Software

Moto Z runs on Andorid 7.0 Nougat operating system. The manufacturer regularly releases over-the-air updates, including monthly security updates. The company uses "vanilla" Android, providing it with only small proprietary additions. This is a redesigned camera application (more on that in the next section), a Moto Mods shortcut program, a collection of Moto brand chips, a smartphone help program, and, it seems, everything.

Learn more about the Moto app. It consists of three parts. The first is Actions. There are options for various gesture controls: launching the camera by rotating the smartphone, turning on the flashlight with chopping movements, putting the phone into do not disturb mode by flipping it, and four more chips. There are not so many of them, you can remember them and use them, it's convenient. “Display” is the settings for the dark screen that appears when you grab your smartphone or simply move your hand over the sensor below the screen. You can choose which app notifications will be shown there. Finally, the "Voice" item allows you to configure voice communication with Google, launched by the command of your choice, even if the smartphone is sleeping.

Camera

Moto Z has a 13MP camera with f/1.8 aperture. Each pixel has a size of 1.12 microns. There is an optical image stabilizer. The laser is responsible for fast focusing. The flash consists of two diodes of different colors. The built-in application supports several modes, including shooting panoramas (for some reason very short, only 90 degrees). Settings are opened by swiping left and right. I did not like how the exposure control is implemented. The photos taken by the smartphone are very beautiful: cool blurring of the background, saturated colors. Only now the world around looks a little more modest. The detail of the shots is not bad, but sometimes small details are mixed together. Oversharp is minimal and white balance errors are rare. Laser autofocus works quickly, as it should. HDR turns on automatically, but does not always work correctly. Photo examples:

The characteristics of the front camera are quite ordinary: 5 megapixels, f / 2.2, pixels of 1.4 microns. There is a flash. Selfies are of excellent quality, with 5-megapixel selfie modules of inexpensive Chinese phones can not be compared.

The video is written in [email protected] High resolution is felt, the detail is excellent. The work of optical stabilization also deserves praise: you can shoot with one hand without fear for the output image. The sound recording is also on top: the voice of the operator and what is happening around are heard on the video - even the singing of birds!

Performance and Benchmarks

The hardware basis of the Moto Z is the Qualcomm Snapdragon 820 chipset typical of flagship smartphones in 2016. It consists of four Cryo cores, the maximum frequency of which is limited to 1.8 GHz. The quad-core video accelerator Adreno 530 is responsible for the graphics. The smartphone also has a separate processor for natural language processing and a processor for contextual computing. All these ten cores together are called Motorola Mobile. Most modern games for this kit become a cakewalk: Asphalt Extreme, World of Tanks and Unkilled at maximum settings run without serious complaints. For lovers of numbers, we offer a series of screenshots:

We can note (according to estimates in GFXBench Manhattan 3.1 and Long term performance, as well as a series of AnTuTu runs) minimal throttling. Cryo cores do not generate too much heat, so there is no need to reduce the frequency of the smartphone under load. In addition, it is noticeably limited in advance.

One of the main events of the Lenovo Tech World 2016 conference was the presentation of the new high-end Z-series. At first glance, smartphones have received all the necessary flagship features, such as a high-resolution 2560 x 1440 pixel display with a protective coating (Gorilla Glass or ShatterShield depending on the model), a top-end Snapdragon 820 processor, 4 GB of RAM, a front camera with its own flash and a clean Android 6.0.1 Marshmallow system.

However, there are some features in the devices that make one doubt their purchase.

Controversial design

The first leaked images of the huge protruding camera module and contacts at the bottom of the back cover appeared last December, but at that time it was believed that this was the upcoming Moto X4 model. At that time, many users could not believe the authenticity of the pictures - the device looked too strange, but the announcement of Moto Z and Moto Z Force confirmed this design.

On the front panel, under the display, there is not a touch or mechanical Home key with a built-in fingerprint scanner, but a square fingerprint sensor. It doesn't really do anything other than fingerprint unlocking. It doesn't look like a very functional solution. Near the scanner are holes for sensors. Given this location, they can quickly become clogged. How to extract grease, dirt and dust from there is still unknown.

In general, in the version with a white front panel, all these components and sensors are too conspicuous, which makes it look less attractive compared to the black option.

USB Type-C

Gradually, more manufacturers are moving from using a 3.5mm input to the USB Type-C standard. Apple is rumored to be doing the same with the iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus. The Cupertino-based company can afford such a step - the willingness of fans to move to a new standard and the appearance of necessary accessories for "apple" products is not in doubt due to the wide popularity of the brand and the Made for iPhone program.

However, will Moto owners be able to bear the inconvenience of using an adapter for the sake of technological progress? So far, there are few headphones with such a connector on store shelves.

Battery

The Moto Z model is equipped with a 2600 mAh battery, while the advanced version received a 3500 mAh battery. At the same time, many characteristics of smartphones are the same, including the Quad HD-screen, which requires a considerable amount of energy.

It is unlikely that such a charge will be enough to ensure the functioning of the basic modification, and users will have to constantly recharge the device or buy an additional battery from the modular line.

Together with the flagships, the company announced a line of accessories that connect via a 16-pin connector and expand the functionality of the gadget. However, all this strongly resembles the LG Friends series of modules, which so far has not been very successful: accessories make the smartphone very massive, and their high price does not cover the additional features provided.

Devices also become noticeably thicker and heavier when using MotoMods, especially with the Moto Z Force model, which features ShatterShield technology and a more powerful battery. It cannot be said that the removable panels sit on the back of the gadget like a glove - exhibition samples cause concern due to the presence of a slight backlash.

Conclusion

Given all these shortcomings, the presented flagships do not cause a desire to stand in line for their purchase. The situation can be corrected by a very low and competitive price for new items, but the company has not yet named the amount. It is reported that US users will be able to purchase Moto Z and Moto Z Force in the summer, with deliveries to other regions starting in September.

Recently it was reported that Lenovo, in order to strengthen its position in the mobile markets, plans to sell smartphones at their cost. The manufacturer made this decision after calculating the losses from the acquisition of the Motorola brand. Perhaps this is the trick up the sleeve that the Chinese-American duo is using to sell models from the high-end Moto Z family.

Illustrative material Androidauthority.com, Engadget.com, TechRadar.com

In 2014, Google sold Motorola Mobility to Lenovo, after which there were bad rumors that users would no longer see smartphones from the legendary brand. But Motorola did not dissolve into the giant corporation, on the contrary, Lenovo refocused its smartphone business on Moto. This is how the company's smartphones are now abbreviated. We got one of the flagships of the updated brand, called Moto Z. This is one of the first models developed with the participation of Lenovo, with a new concept of modular design, let's see if it can continue the glorious history of Motorola smartphones.

Contents of delivery

Moto Z comes in a small box, inside which fit the extended package.

It includes a cloth-covered overlay, a plastic bumper, a USB-C to 3.5mm headphone jack adapter, and a Turbo Power charger.

Design and Usability

The Moto Z reflects the designers' desire to evoke nostalgia for the legendary Motorola Razr V3, one of the company's most popular phones.

This is indicated by both the name, it is not for nothing that the smartphone is called Moto Z, and not Moto X, and the general style with a thin metal case. The thickness of the device can really surprise you, it is only 5.2 mm.

The front panel of Moto Z does not stand out, it is similar in design to last year's Moto X. The company also used a protective glass display (Gorilla Glass 4), which is slightly rounded at the edges, a large earpiece and a flash for the front camera.

But at the bottom of the front panel, instead of the second speaker, as in Moto X, there is a brand logo, as well as a fingerprint scanner. The latter is small, but there is more free space under the display than above it. It immediately seems that the logo under the screen is clearly superfluous.

And, despite the fact that there is enough space next to the fingerprint scanner, in Moto Z, traditionally for Motorola, the control keys are on the screen. For this approach, the company has already been criticized immediately after the announcement of Moto Z. But with a close acquaintance with the smartphone, it becomes clear that the engineers had no other choice. To implement branded Moto chips, such as voice control and a display that lights up when you bring your hand to it, two microphones and additional sensors had to be added to the bottom of the smartphone. Not the best solution for today, however, these are the features for which users love Moto smartphones.

The back side of the Moto Z is more interesting than the front panel, its main part is made of lacquered metal, and only on the top and bottom there are small glass inserts under which the antennas are hidden. The main design element here is a large camera unit with an elegantly integrated flash. It protrudes noticeably from the body, and if in another smartphone this could be a minus, then in Moto Z it is an important design element.

The fact is that the connectors located in the lower part of the case are used to connect modules and additional overlays. The latter can be covered with different materials, such as fabric, wood or leather, as well as a variety of colors. Thus, the user can change the back of the smartphone, choosing it to fit his style or just the mood. At the same time, overhead panels and modules level the protrusion of the camera unit, and it, in turn, allows you to better fix them.

Despite the thin body, Moto Z with a 5.5-inch display turned out to be a large smartphone, its dimensions reach 153.3 × 75.3 mm, but the weight is small by today's standards - 136 grams. On its own, the Moto Z doesn't feel very good in the hand, due to the sharp edges that are needed to make the overlay panels and modules fit snugly against the body. But if you use a smartphone with an overlay panel, there are no such problems, especially since one of them immediately comes with the kit.

The large size of the Moto Z may not appeal to everyone, but for those who are used to using models with a screen of 5.5 inches or more, this will not be a big problem. That's what's not implemented in the smartphone design is the volume keys, they are small and located too high on the right side of the case. Therefore, it is inconvenient to press them during a conversation.

In general, Moto Z pleases with a pleasant design, interchangeable panels, materials and build quality, but Lenovo and Moto should work on the ergonomics of the model.

Display

As befits the flagship smartphone of this year, Moto Z is equipped with a 5.5-inch touchscreen display with a resolution of 2560x1440 pixels, made using AMOLED technology. He has excellent viewing angles, a clear picture and almost reference black. At the same time, the color rendition, traditionally for AMOLED, can be adjusted, made it brighter or vice versa natural. In total, the smartphone has two display modes: standard and dynamic.

In the standard mode, the color gamut of the display is slightly more than 100% sRGB, while the color temperature is “warm” at 6500K, the gamma is almost at the reference value of 2.2, the backlight is uniform, and the color rendition is slightly dominated by green.

In dynamic mode, the colors become brighter, this is clearly seen in the sRGB triangle, while the screen becomes “colder”, at the level of 7500K, and the red color is muted in the color reproduction. Gamma and backlight are practically unchanged.

Thus, the Moto Z display will appeal to both those who love natural colors and those who love bright and colorful colors.

One of Motorola's "chips" at one time was active notifications that were shown on the smartphone's lock screen. This system has successfully migrated to Moto Z, alerts are shown in black and white icons on the display, while they can be quickly viewed without unlocking the smartphone. In the future, if you missed an alert, you can quickly see what has come by simply raising your Moto Z or raising your hand to it. The additional proximity sensors below the display work just fine. Another thing is that today manufacturers are moving to the use of always-on displays that also show the time and incoming alerts, while consuming a minimum amount of energy, and additional sensors are not needed for this. However, the Moto approach has the right to life and is quite convenient in everyday use.

Platform and Performance

At the heart of Moto Z is a powerful processor Qualcomm Snapdragon 820, which can operate at a frequency of 1.6 GHz and 2.15 GHz depending on the load. The smartphone has 4 GB of RAM and 32 GB of built-in memory. The latter can be expanded with microSD cards, but you will have to choose between a second SIM card or additional memory.
The performance of Moto Z is at a very good level, which is confirmed by synthetic tests.

At the same time, it works quickly in real operation, I especially want to emphasize the speed of the interface. This is achieved, including almost pure Android 6.0.1, which adds only small options from Moto. This is, first of all, support for modules, gestures (for example, to start the camera, you can simply twist the smartphone in your hand), as well as voice control, which, in fact, duplicates Google Now. So, given that Google has shut down the Nexus lineup, the Moto models could be a good alternative for those looking for a pure Android smartphone.

Camera

The main camera in Moto Z is 13-megapixel with laser autofocus, optical stabilization and f/1.8 aperture. By default, the camera shoots at a resolution of 9.7 megapixels with an aspect ratio of 16:9, but in the settings you can switch to full resolution with an aspect ratio of 4:3. In good lighting conditions, it takes high-quality pictures, although on automatic settings it does not always correctly set the exposure, and it can also miss focusing. Still, this is the best camera ever made by Lenovo and even Motorola.

In good light

In good HDR lighting

In very poor lighting

In very poor HDR lighting

With flash

Other pictures

The camera interface is very simple, but not the most intuitive, there is no separate button for shooting video, for this you need to switch to another mode. The same applies to manual settings.

The front camera in Moto Z is 5-megapixel with f / 2.2 aperture and flash.

The fingerprint scanner

Under the display of the Moto Z is a fingerprint scanner, it is not very large, but it works without problems. The speed of scanning fingerprints is at the level of other modern flagships. The user can add up to five fingerprints and then unlock the smartphone by touching the scanner.

The latter can also block the smartphone, for this you need to touch it again. Given the size of the Moto Z, this is more convenient than reaching for the power button on the right side.

Audio

The Moto Z doesn't have a 3.5mm headphone jack, there just wasn't room for it in the thin body. Instead, users are encouraged to listen to music via Bluetooth 4.2 with aptx support, or via a USB Type-C connector.

It is possible that in the future USB-C will become the standard for headphones, but at the moment there are very few models with this connector, and it is quite difficult to buy them in Ukraine. Therefore, for now, you will have to be content with a complete adapter from USB Type-C to 3.5 mm jack. The sound from this does not get worse, apparently, a small DAC is built into the adapter.

There is only one external speaker in Moto Z and it is combined with a speaker. The sound produced by it is quieter than in Moto X Style with stereo speakers, but it is enough to not miss a call.

Modules

Support for additional Moto Mods is one of the main features of Moto Z and Lenovo's main strategy in the smartphone market, which should set the company's products apart from competitors. The company assures that this generation of Moto models, on the back of which there is a magnetic connector, will not be the last, and compatible modules for them will be produced for at least three years.

Unlike the LG G5, which requires you to detach the bottom of the case and remove the battery to connect modules, the Moto Mods system looks noticeably more convenient and easier to use. The modules are attached to the back of the smartphone and held by magnets. In words, this does not seem too reliable, but in practice the magnets are powerful enough to firmly fix even large modules, sometimes it is even difficult to detach them. As a result, it can be noted that so far this is the best system for implementing additional modules from those currently available in smartphones. But how useful are Moto Mods?

Today, modules for Moto Z consist of two categories: the first is overhead covers made of various materials that allow you to change the design of your smartphone to your liking; the second is functional modules that expand the capabilities of the device. In Ukraine, from the start of Moto Z sales, both interchangeable covers and several modules will be available to customers, let's look at each of them separately.

Overlay panels

As mentioned above, the appearance of the back of the Moto Z can be changed thanks to the overlay panels. They are also attached with a magnet, hold well and hide the protrusion of the camera block, making the design of the smartphone more attractive.

Lids always have a plastic base with a metal plate inside, but their outer part is covered with fabric, wood or even genuine leather.

Moto insta-share projector

A mobile projector for Moto Z that can display up to 70 inches. At the same time, an image from the smartphone screen is projected onto the surface, you can make presentations or watch videos.

For a home theater, the solution is definitely not the most optimal, but it should be noted that the projector really works and even independently aligns the picture on the surface.

The module has its own 1100 mAh battery, which lasts for 60 minutes of operation, when it is discharged, the smartphone battery starts to be used.

Hasselblad True Zoom

Module from Hasselblad with a separate 1/2.3-inch 12-megapixel sensor, f/3.5-6.5 aperture, 10x optical zoom and xenon flash. In fact, this is practically a separate camera, only without a display and a processor.

This module really allows you to expand the photographic capabilities of Moto Z (you can see examples of pictures from the stand below), but it costs almost the same as the smartphone itself, and at the same time significantly increases its size and weight (together with this module, the weight of Moto Z is 281 grams).

The solution is more likely designed for enthusiasts or lovers of everything new and unusual, rather than for the mass user, who will need a built-in camera to add pictures to Instagram.

Examples of pictures from the test bench:

JBL Soundboost

This module adds acoustics from JBL to Moto Z. It sounds really loud and good. In this case, the connection takes place in just a second. JBL Soundboost even has a stand that allows you to put a smartphone with a module on the end to make it easier to control playback.

Against the background of the availability of a huge number of Bluetooth speakers, the expediency of this module also raises questions, especially since, unlike wireless speakers, it does not work with all smartphones.

Incipio Off Grid Power Pack

Probably the most useful module for Moto Z, considering not the highest autonomy of the smartphone. The OffGrid Power Pack has a built-in 2200 mAh battery, which gives the Moto Z another 20 hours or so of battery life.

autonomy

The built-in battery in Moto Z has a capacity of 2600 mAh and provides about a day of operation of the smartphone in medium load mode, which includes background synchronization of applications (Facebook, Viber, Skype, Gmail), browsing a dozen sites, 22 minutes of calls per day, listening to music and creating a pair pictures. In total, this turns out to be 2.5 hours of screen operation, which is not much for a modern Android smartphone. So with more active use, you will have to charge Moto Z twice a day.

Conclusion: Moto Z is one of the thinnest smartphones in the world, which at the same time is not inferior in functionality to other flagships of this year. The only thing that the developers sacrificed for a small thickness is the battery. The autonomy of the model is not as high as we would like. So Moto Z will appeal to those who love everything thin, but obviously not to those who need maximum autonomy. But even here the smartphone can get out thanks to a successful system of additional modules. While not everyone will need a projector, a camera with optical zoom, or an external speaker, a detachable external battery will definitely come in handy.

Specifications

	32
Expansion slot	microSD (up to 2 TB)
SIM card type	Nano SIM
Number of SIM cards	2
CPU	Qualcomm Snapdragon 820 + GPU Adreno 530
Number of Cores	4
Frequency, GHz	2,2
Accumulator battery	Li-Ion, 2600 mAh (non-removable)
Operating time (manufacturer's data)	mixed use: up to 30 h
Diagonal, inches	5,5
Permission	2560x1440
Matrix type	AMOLED
PPI	535
Brightness sensor	+
Other	Corning Gorilla Glass
Main camera, Mp	13
Video filming	2160p, 30 fps, 1080p, 60 fps
Flash	double LED
Front camera, Mp	5
Other	optical image stabilization (OIS), laser autofocus
High speed data transfer	EDGE, GPRS, HSPA+, LTE Cat.9
WiFi	802.11a/b/g/n/ac
Bluetooth	4.1LE
GPS	+ (A-GPS)
IrDA	-
FM radio	-
Audio jack	3.5mm (USB-C adapter)
NFC	+
interface connector	USB Type-C
Dimensions, mm	153.3x75.3x5.19
Weight, g	136
Protection against dust and moisture	water-repellent coating
Type of shell	monoblock (non-separable)
Housing material	metal
Keyboard type	screen input
More	Proximity Sensor, Light Sensor, Digital Compass, Accelerometer, Gyroscope, Hall Sensor, Fingerprint Reader

In nature, the strongest individuals survive, and in the smartphone industry, the most profitable devices for the user. I returned to IT journalism from gaming journalism just as the rivalry between LG and Lenovo was gaining momentum, but the G5 with interchangeable modules was not talked about well, unlike the Moto Z. The "module war" was, unfortunately, completed faster than the battle for Earth between the first and second Half-Life - and not so long ago I had the opportunity to actively test the winner of this war, Motorola Moto Z with all existing modules for it.

Predecessors of the Motorola Moto Z

To begin with, a little of my life story with smartphones. The first was the budget Samsung Galaxy Gio, which introduced me to the little green man, but did not draw anything more serious than basic arcade games, and then I earned bread by reviewing games. After him - that paid off in a month. He introduced me to the segment of premium devices with durable batteries like Rasputin, as well as the absence of memory cards and an iron button that heated up during the game like old NVIDIA video cards. Yes, it was they who used to warm up, it’s not for nothing that the GTX on the wrong layout sounds like “PECH”.

Then there was Xiaomi Redmi Note 3 Pro, which didn’t suit me except for the camera, well, she didn’t want to work well with me under any sauce. Next - ASUS Zenfone Selfie, where the camera was excellent, from which side you look, but the updates and system stability ... Not very, let's say so.

The whole story goes like this:

a) I have never had a smartphone that satisfies me completely, and

b) my devices have always been “dumplings”, rather thick units, and I didn’t really imagine something really thin, but at the same time called a smartphone.

Comfort and body

Moto Z is one. After the rounded Selfie, it is felt in contrast, like a sheet of paper next to a chipboard bar. Very impressive, but I will not say that in a radically good way. The smartphone is thin, elegant and pleasant, but holding it in your hands is unusual and at first terribly uncomfortable. Also, the whole back is metal, which I don't like except for a couple of cases, but the Moto Z is not one of them. Everything is solved by installing the back cover-fashion, one of these comes in the kit, and the rest can be purchased at will.

In terms of dimensions, Moto Z is almost the same as many other 5.5-inch smartphones, including Redmi Note 3 Pro. The white version that I got may seem terribly chaotic to someone else. In the sense that the front of the device is white, the screen is in the center, and around it is glass, under which black and gray stuff is visible. Bottom fingerprint scanner, two microphones and two sensors, top front camera, flash, speaker and another sensor. And, of course, the black frame around the edges of the display is not the thickest, but noticeable to the naked eye, but I generally keep quiet about the armed one.

This is supposed to infuriate, anger and strain, but it ... does not bother. On the contrary - I am satisfied with this decision, even more than it should be! Let's just say, when I saw the first smartphones with translucent cases, my eyes lit up like a Kepler's supernova - and the amount of detail on the front reminds me of this very benevolent design. All in all, the white Moto Z looks like it came out of Doc Brown's lab, and for some people like me, there's no downside. By the way, if you lock your smartphone, then in the dark you will see how the right infrared sensor shines.

Interface and display

I confess, I use the Super AMOLED screen for the first time, and the transition from IPS was difficult. Incomprehensible blue at the corners, a sign of the display of "blueblood, ”it seemed to me something unpleasant, but this is a matter of habit, like brightness. Super AMOLED is Super AMOLED, the picture is so juicy that you can squeeze a can of juice out of it, and it consumes the screen not so much more than IPS, and if you use a dark theme, even less.

2K resolution is difficult to distinguish from FullHD, but in tests with VR headsets it works perfectly, making the picture almost perfect. I can only imagine what 4K would look like in this situation. It is worth noting that the oleophobic coating of the display is somewhat uncertain, the finger moves on the glass worse than other smartphones. Or is it because of the non-retractable touch keys...

Power and stuffing

The Motorola Moto Z is the most powerful Android smartphone I've ever owned, based on 130,000 AnTuTu parrots. It's all thanks to a Qualcomm Snapdragon 820 processor, Adreno 530 GPU, and 4GB of RAM. The speed of work, among other things, is affected by “clean” Android, which is devoid of any third-party pre-installed programs, such as Chinese garbage, games or other stuff that pulls RAM onto itself from the very start.

However, I used quotation marks for a reason, because conscience will not allow to call it really pure Android - there are pre-installed applications, but from Motorola. Yes, apps like Moto Mods and My Moto (for touch customization) are not from Google. And yes, it does not affect performance, and yes, they are vital for working with important smartphone functions, but these third-party programs.

In addition to the classic soup set in the form of Google Play, Play Music and so on, the Daydream application is installed on the smartphone, since Moto Z is compatible with Google's next generation virtual reality. I couldn’t utilize this program, because I don’t have a VR helmet with Daydream support, but this is a matter of time, not desire, so I’m glad for the support.

Speed ​​​​of work and nuances

In terms of actual speed, the Moto Z is a monster. Launching the camera in a fraction of a second in any of three ways (double-tap the power button, special shake, launch from the lock screen), storing a large number of applications in memory (at least five instant messengers and a player), amazing speed of opening web pages, no problems in working with 4K, and at the same time, the smartphone resolutely refuses to warm up until the last moment, when you won’t stay cool at all.

There are, however, "jambs". Oddly enough, I noticed the slowest work of the interface in the settings - when scrolling, the twitching of the picture is clearly noticeable. Why - only Krishna knows. Another trouble is the stability of the system, in particular, work with the Hasselblad photo module. Several times the module remained active even after turning off the camera program, that is, the lens remained extended and open, with the lenses wide open - and it remained so even after disconnecting the mod from the Moto Z.

In addition, the module does not work well with Camera Zoom FX, which I installed for comparison with the standard one - the program crashes if it is idle for more than 5-6 seconds. Flying steadily. I will attribute this to incompatibility with the first version of the mod, it is unlikely that the most stable Android or the oldest and most popular camera application from Google Play is to blame.

Camera and My Moto

The stock camera app on the Moto Z is interesting, but surprisingly underpowered. Yes, there is a professional shooting mode, and there are settings, but for video there are practically no options - including ISO adjustment and so on, everything is done automatically. Hasselblad has even fewer options, although the image quality is higher.

As for My Moto, this little application reveals the strongest side of Moto Z. Let's just say that all these sensors, scanners and other RoboCop accessories are "attached" to the smartphone's face for a reason. They work all the time, and this helps to implement a variety of functions, from Always on Display to the ability to keep the backlight of the smartphone on while the user is looking at the screen. It would seem that such work should drain the battery of the device to the state of raisins, but in real work I did not notice a lack of mAh.

Operating system

Android 7 is just a fairy tale. Banal multi-window makes working with a 5.5-inch screen terribly pleasant, and gives a real challenge to the processor, increasing the load, in fact, twice. At the same time, multi-windowing is implemented with almost all programs. Also, among other things, there was support for physical keyboards and customization of key combinations. For example, my newly bought on GearBest.com () keyboard-stand, suitable for any phablets, on Android 6.0 needed a bunch of crutches for normal operation. No problems with seven.

The trouble with "pure" Android is that the system is devoid of any third-party functions, both useful and harmful. For example, when typing through the keyboard, the control keys constantly popped up from below, and it would not work to remove them without third-party programs. Well, perhaps the most revealing example concerns rebooting the smartphone - in clean versions, it appeared only in Android 7.1, so Moto Z is deprived of this possibility.

Working with music

The thin body of Moto Z played a cruel joke in the form of a lack of a 3.5 mm jack. It would seem that after my work with external USB sound cards, I realized that it is much better with them than without them. Therefore, I am 146% sure that the headphones connected to the phablet via USB Type-C will work like an angelic choir, but something else upsets me, namely, working with Bluetooth.

Shot with ASUS Zenfone Selfie

I don't know why, but when working with some wireless headsets, Moto Z produces intermittent sound. In particular, the problem concerned - interruptions are barely noticeable, but vacuum headphones are famous and useful for their contribution to temporary escapism, escape from reality into the world of the subconscious - and any interference, any wheezing and any hesitation will pull the user out of this most valuable state in a split second.

Lenovo's acquisition of Motorola clearly benefited the latter. Now these are not faceless smartphones “if only there was”, but a field for experimentation and innovation, because not only the American market, but the whole world is at stake. Thus, the emphasis is on the middle peasants and Moto Z Play is a vivid confirmation of this.

Design, ergonomics, equipment Motorola Moto Z Play

The “golden mean” is confirmed by the design of the device itself. The device is in many ways similar to the Z series, but if you look closely, you can easily find the distinctive features of the X line. The entire front of the device is covered with third-generation tempered glass Gorilla Glass. At the very top is a slightly protruding speaker, on either side of it there is a camera and a light sensor combined with a flash, proximity, if you like. Below is a square fingerprint sensor, to the right of it is a microphone with a motion sensor that responds to gestures. The fingerprint ID is combined with the home button, the function keys are virtual, that is, they are part of the operating system interface. It's a little depressing, but otherwise, as there's plenty of panel space for them.

Immediately, I note that the device is offered in:

• white color of the case with a golden rim around the perimeter;
• black with a silver trim around the perimeter.

Both versions will find their admirers, but the white and gold version looks more unusual and attractive. The bezel itself, which acts as a frame, is made of now fashionable aluminum. It has a microphone on top for noise reduction. By the way, Motorola has taken this option as a rule, which is definitely pleasing and relevant for noisy cities. An interesting combo tray for two nano-SIMs and a separate one for a high-speed memory card in microSDXC format. It turns out that now you don’t have to choose one of two evils.

We were also pleased with the presence of USB Type-C, as well as a full-fledged 3.5 mm audio output, which, by the way, is absent from the older brother. The left side of the case is empty, on the right - the traditional already tiny volume control buttons and a corrugated power key. For a large 5.5-inch smartphone, this is not the best solution, especially for small hands, since you have to reach for the physical buttons.

The rear of the case also received tempered glass from Corning. It houses a rather large block of the main optics flush with the plane, which is also decorated with a round pattern that prevents the device from falling due to wet hands. The camera lens is adjacent to the laser autofocus and dual-color LED flash. Below is a magnetic contact pad for Moto Mods modules and a third microphone. Thus, you can install additional devices: Hasselblad True Zoom, JBL Soundboost, Insta-Share Projector, and Incipio offGRID, but more on that later.

As for ergonomics, you need to get used to the phablet, since the massive platforms below and above the screen do not always disgust the front pocket of jeans. At the same time, the thickness of the device is only 6.9 mm, weight - 165 g, which is acceptable for such dimensions. As a bonus, there is an additional panel with a flip-out stand that hides the sharp edges of the metal on the back of the smartphone, but then the thickness of the Moto Z Play will increase to 9.1 mm, and the weight will increase to 187 g.

There are no complaints about the build quality. Nothing backlash, no creaks or rattles, the monoblock feels solid. When installing magnetic modules, a small longitudinal play is present, but this is the cost of the technology itself.

In the box along with the smartphone you will find:

• Charger;
• Paperclip;
• Replaceable back panel;
• Manual.

However, the charger does not have a detachable USB cable. There is no separate USB Type-C “lace” either, and this is a big minus. Unusual and a device for extracting the SIM-card tray. The fact is that its needle is very long, so it will not work to remove the SIM cards with an ordinary paper clip, and it is easy to lose the original one. There are also nuances with a removable back panel. Regardless of the color of the body, it is black.

Moto Z Play smartphone screen

The smartphone received a 5.5-inch SuperAMOLED-matrix with a resolution of 1920x1080 pixels. I must admit that this is not enough for such a diagonal, here 2K is at least necessary. And, if this is forgivable for Chinese gadgets, then Motorola is not, although in fact it is now also from China. The corresponding pixel density is 401 dpi. However, for most of us this is enough.

The color reproduction depends on the mode set. So, the standard profile guarantees a neat sRGB palette with a comfortable white temperature for the eye within 6200K. The bright profile raises it to 6800K, but the rest of the colors take on a poisonous hue. The black color for this type of matrix is ​​traditionally good, but when viewed from an angle, it conveys a slightly greenish tint. Whatever it was, the viewing angles here are quite wide.

The minimum brightness value is higher than that of IPS screens, but the display does not fade in the sun and does not glare, although when photographing, the illusion of incorrect color reproduction of objects is created.

There are no complaints about the tempered glass Gorilla Glass 3, although, given the price of the Moto Z Play, it was possible to put fourth-generation protection. The multi-touch is designed for ten touches, which is more than enough for games and more, but the high sensitivity function is not provided. Oleophobic coating is beyond praise.

Motorola Moto Z Play: software and OS specifications

The device is running Android 6.0.1, there is a proprietary launcher, but otherwise it is a bare android. To set up gesture control, a standard utility is integrated, it looks complete, so the developers did the right thing without changing anything. The fingerprint sensor can be configured to lock the device with a long press on it, which is very convenient, given the not entirely successful physical key for this.

Of the shortcomings of the interface, it is worth noting the minimum of pre-installed applications. For example, there is no file manager and corporate gallery.

Among the advantages we highlight:

• customizable virtual keyboard;
• a set of skins and themes;
• convenient settings menu.

However, a confused own shell is not always good, as it is often raw, and developers forget to update it. Even CyanogenMod and MIUI sometimes suffer from annoying bugs, especially nightly builds.

Moto Z Play: hardware review and testing

The smartphone is based on a Qualcomm Snapdragon 625 crystal with eight Cortex-A53 cores and a frequency of up to 2 GHz. The picture is complemented by 3 GB of RAM and the Adreno 506 video core. At the moment, these are average characteristics that provide appropriate performance in games. Multitasking and smooth interface at the proper level. In many ways, this is the merit of high-speed RAM.

In the AnTuTu benchmark, the device scores 62544 "parrots", which is again an average result. Graphics performed well in Doodle Jump DC Super Heroes and Lara Croft: Relic Run, and blurring is observed in Godfire: Rise of Prometheus, although there are no microbugs. World Of Tanks Blitz at maximum settings produces 20-32 fps.

For data storage, a 32 GB flash drive is provided, where a little more than 20 GB is available to the user. However, no one bothers to expand this figure with the help of memory cards up to 2 TB.

Phone part and communications Moto Z Play

The device works in GSM, 3G and LTE networks. There are no complaints about the quality of communication and signal reception. Both nano-SIMs support voice calls, but only in third-generation networks, and only one is used for data transmission of the LTE standard. There is only one radio module, that is, SIM cards work alternately.

Interfaces include:

• dual-band Wi-Fi ac-standard;
• Bluetooth 4.1LE;

For navigation, you can use GPS and GLONASS with a cold start up to 20 s. Positioning accuracy at a high level.

Multimedia Moto Z Play

The smartphone is equipped with two photomodules:

1. Basic represented by a 16-megapixel camera with dual LED flash based on the OmniVision OV16860 sensor. The pixel size of the latter is 1.3 microns, the aperture is f / 2.0, there is image stabilization and autofocus. For the latter, a laser rangefinder is provided.
2. Frontal optics is represented by a 5-megapixel OmniVision OV5693 sensor, the graininess of which is at the level of 1.4 microns, aperture - f / 2.2. In this case, a single-color LED is used.

The "Camera" application does not shine with manual settings, everything happens on the machine. It's good that at least the focus and exposure can be adjusted manually.

Shooting during the day in cloudy weather accurately sets the white balance and produces, if not perfect, then close to it. Indoor photography accurately guesses ISO, white balance and exposure, but a good photo is not always obtained the first time. Night shooting with a small amount of noise and a minimum of blurry frames. There are no complaints about the macro mode, as they say, capture the ladybug in all its glory, even the bokeh effect can be simulated. HDR pulls up a number of RAW frame parameters, the photo is artistic, but the panorama tends to slowly save the final image.

There is support for 4K video with a frame rate of 30 fps and a bit rate of 50 Mbps. Thus, smoothness and detailing of the video is achieved.

The earpiece pleases with high quality and provides a soft tone and an adequate range of conversation volume. Three microphones perfectly suppress ambient noise. External sound is even and clear, there are even hints of rich bass. The sound in the headphones is appropriate, which was achieved not without the help of the SoC audio path - tight mid-bass, good mids and soft highs. Amplifier 20 mW per channel.

Offline Moto Z Play

Autonomy is provided by a 3510 mAh battery, there is support for QuickCharge 2.0 fast charging. As a result, the device charges up to 100% in just over an hour, if using a conventional charger it will take 3.5 hours. If you talk for half an hour every day, watch a video for the same time, surf the Internet, and listen to music for three hours, then the charge will last for two days. Moreover, it is the brightness of the screen that plays a big role, for example, a 4K video at maximum brightness with the “Airplane” mode activated will drain the battery completely in 14 hours. However, if you reduce the brightness to half, then this figure will increase to 18 hours.

Motorola Moto Z Play features and modules

So, you can buy and install four modules in total: Hasselblad True Zoom, JBL Soundboost, Insta-Share Projector and Incipio offGRID, however, this is not the limit, but only what is available in Russia. There will be at least two more.

1. Hasselblad True Zoom is an additional 12-megapixel camera that supports Full-HD video and allows you to realize the effect of bokeh, that is, blur in the background. In this case, the thickness of the lens is 15.1 mm, weight - 145 g. Thus, the smartphone becomes like a "soap box", which is facilitated by the rounded edges of the module. An optical image stabilizer and a dual xenon flash are also provided, which means that there is something to suffer for, since support for JPG, RAW, DNG formats is also implemented. There is also a 10x zoom. This miracle costs a lot - 15,390 rubles.
2. JBL Soundboost- an option designed to improve the sound quality of the device. For this, two 27 mm stereo speakers with a power of 3 W each are provided. The frequency spread is in the range of 200-20000 Hz, and the thickness of the module is 13 mm with a weight of 145 g. Naturally, a 1000 mAh battery is integrated for this business, which can provide you with music for 10 hours without recharging. The latter is carried out via USB Type-C. Needless to say, the JBL Soundboost sounds good. There is hands-free support. The price of the device is 7,000 rubles.
3. Insta-Share Projector the thinnest unusual module - 11 mm, weight no more than 125 g. The solution is a mobile DLP projector and is capable of transmitting a picture with a resolution of 480p. The projection brightness is 50 lumens and the contrast ratio is 400:1. The result is a 70-inch image with a 16:9 aspect ratio. Of the features - a wheel-manipulator for sharpening, keystone distortion is corrected automatically. A 1100 mAh battery is used as a power source, which is enough for an hour of video viewing. One stereo speaker is provided. If we talk about the longevity of the projector, the developer guarantees 10,000 hours of continuous operation. The issue price is 20,000 rubles.
4. Incipio offGRID- this is an additional battery for Moto Z Play, perhaps the cheapest and most popular module for a smartphone worth about 4,000 rubles. For this money, you get a 2220 mAh battery, as well as a fast charging function. In this case, you can choose the version of the device: with wired and wireless memory. The module is able to extend the battery life of the device by 22 hours. Thickness of Incipio offGRID: 6.2 mm, weight - 80 g.

In addition, replaceable panels are provided, including wood. The average cost is 2,000 rubles.

Pros and cons of Moto Z Play

Motorola Moto Z Play is certainly an interesting device, not without the help of plug-ins, but the cost and dimensions of the latter make the modular solution the lot of geeks and enthusiasts. It’s easier for everyone else to buy a separate gadget, although an additional battery and a designer socket may be of interest to the average user.

Of the undoubted advantages of the device, it is worth highlighting:

• plug-ins;
• energy efficient processor;
• SuperAMOLED screen;
• good main camera;
• customizable fingerprint sensor;
• laser rangefinder;
• front camera flash;
• protective glass on the back;
• great sound.

As for the cons, here we note:

• high cost of modules;
• minimum proprietary software;
• inconvenient function keys.

Moto Z Play: price and video review

In general, Lenovo Moto Z Play is a very good solution. Before us are average characteristics that do not reach the flagship, but you can’t call them budget ones either. The smartphone justifies its price, do not forget about the brand fee. It must be admitted that the manufacturer has been sinning with this lately. In a nutshell, if you want an unusual device that stands out from the unified mass, at a reasonable price and with balanced characteristics, then you need this smartphone.

Moto Z Play has a price in Russia of 35,000 rubles. Check out the video review below: