Motorola moto x play review (full review)

The Moto X is the first smartphone released by Motorola, after its sale by Google. The first version of the smartphone arrived with what was a very attractive novelty for those who use voice commands: an always active personal assistant, Google Now. Now, with the company in the hands of Lenovo, the Moto X has been divided into two: we have the Moto X, which is the most basic, and the Moto X Style, which has a better configuration. In this review we will talk about the impressions of the Motorola Moto X Play, a smartphone that is placed at the top of the mid-range segment, colliding in this way with the Asus Zenfone 2, and with the Sony Xperia M4 Aqua.

We thank Motorola for trusting the product for its analysis:

Motorola Moto X Play technical specifications

Motorola Moto X Play

The Motorola Moto X Play comes packed in a small cardboard box, simple and on its cover we see an image of the product with its characteristic green color. Once we open it we find inside:

Motorola Moto X Play. MicroUSB cable Documentation.

The visual has been what has changed the most in the Moto X Play. Its back is now plastic and is removable (despite the battery being attached). The sole purpose of this is personalization, as Moto Shells calls came to the smartphone. With the Moto Maker you can choose the color of the smartphone and buy shells. Another visual change is the brand's medal, which now appears on a cylindrical metal plate that links the camera to the company's logo.

The ergonomics of the device have not changed much compared to the previous version. This is a positive point, as the screen has grown and is now 5.5 inches with Full HD resolution. Of course it does not give to touch at all points of the screen if you hold the smartphone with one hand, but the experience of having the Moto X Play in one hand is not uncomfortable, like the one we have with the Zenfone 6 or iPhone 6 Plus. The size of the Moto X Play seems to be ideal, especially since it is not thick like the Moto Maxx.

The device screen has changed. We no longer have an Amoled panel, in which the contrast is better and the longevity of the pixels is lower. Instead, we have an IPS LCD display with LED backlight. This display technology is more studied in the market and, therefore, using it is a way for Motorola to maintain its benefits.

An interesting thing to note is that the microSD card slot is for two carrier chips in one component only, located on top of the phone.

Here it is clear that the Moto X Play is weaker than the second generation Moto X. In this way, it is positioned as a low-cost version of the Moto X Style, which is considerably more powerful. This product comes with a Qualcomm Snapdragon 615 octa-core processor (a 1.7 GHz quad-core CPU and a 1.0 GHz quad-core CPU), the same that equips Sony's Xperia M4 Aqua, which is sold by the same price.

The Moto X Play has 2 GB of RAM. On the other hand, it comes with 32 GB, while the Sony option comes with 16 GB of internal storage (both devices have microSD card inputs of up to 128 GB).

For games, the Moto X Play is not indicated if you care too much about small framerate losses. It gives to play games that require heavy graphic processing without problems that affect the gameplay.

The near-pure Android used by Motorola was shown to be lighter than Sony's custom Android on the M4 Aqua, and this is also reflected in the benchmarks.

Operating system and interface

Motorola's Android Lollipop system is the same seen in the Moto E and Moto G released this year. In other words, there are few apps installed, only Motorola Migration, Assist and Alert.

The experience of using the Moto X Play is pleasant. There are no performance problems due to lack of power in daily use, that is, answering email messages, posting on social networks, listening to music, watching videos or playing games.

The Google Now in theory works like the other Moto X and Moto G. Only, in practice, the software does not work correctly, it is necessary to give the same command several times. In some moments, for example, it gets to open the YouTube application when you give the command to send an e-mail .

Unlike its predecessor, the Moto X Play does not have sensors on its front, which allow activation of the Moto Display by running your hand over the device. Thus, the screen is only activated when we move the cell phone in some way, in the same way that happened with the 2013 Moto X.

Multimedia

The camera is the point at which the Moto X Play stands out from the competition with the definition of the photos it can generate. Under good lighting conditions, the smartphone can capture far superior images than its predecessor. The 21-megapixel sensor in the main camera is responsible for this. The dual-tone LED flash, previously seen on the Moto Maxx, is also included on the Moto X Play.

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However, the Moto X Play does not have software features like the M4 Aqua. It's pretty simple, no effects or pre-configured photo modes. At least HDR is present.

Videos recorded with this Motorola smartphone have a maximum resolution of 1080p (Full HD).

The Moto X Play's front camera is a sign of changing times. What was once a component dedicated only to video calls, now becomes important for photographs taken by groups of friends. Motorola noticed that change in smartphone consumer behavior and placed a 5-megapixel camera on the front of the phone. The image definition is better than what we have seen in the second generation Moto X, which had 2 megapixels. The capture angle is also wider, making it easy to frame four or five people.

You can see more images on our instagram.

Battery

The Moto X Play battery is extremely durable. No competing smartphone managed to achieve such a long battery life. It reaches up to 13 hours and 20 minutes of uninterrupted use, leaving behind the previous record of the Moto Maxx or the same Sony Xperia Z3 / Z5. In our tests it has held up well until the day and a half giving it a good wiggle, in case of having a more moderate use we can reach up to two days. Good job Motorola!

Final words and conclusion

The Moto X Play is a smartphone that is attractive for its power, such as the long battery life and the tandem set of cameras. Therefore, if you like these two elements added to the essentially pure Android system, you will undoubtedly make a good purchase choosing the Motorola Moto X Play.

In short, if you want a good mobile, with pure android, good camera and powerful equipment, the Motorola Moto X Play is the perfect candidate. Currently you can find in amazon for a price of 329 euros approx. Although we have seen it in physical stores for an amount somewhat less than 300 euros.

ADVANTAGE	DISADVANTAGES
+ DESIGN.	- DOES NOT HAVE USB TYPE-C.
+ COMPONENTS.	- NO NFC.
+ IP68 CERTIFICATION (RESISTANT TO WATER AND DUST).
+ QUICK CHARGE.
+ BATTERY AND ITS DURATION.
+ EXCELLENT CAMERAS.