Moto Z2 Play

Modular Design, Solid Performance

- Ajay Kumar

New aspect ratios, curved displays, and iris scanners—manufacturers have spent the past six months doing just about everything to make their phones stand out from the crowd. The unlocked Moto Z2 Play, on the other hand, builds on a concept Motorola established last year: It has a unique design that works with Motos Mods, useful modular back panels that bring new functionality. It also has snappy performance and great battery life, and it’s compatible with all major U.S. carriers. And unlike the Z Droid, it even has a headphone jack. That makes the Z2 Play a great phone for anyone who’s sold on the modular build. Otherwise, the ZTE Axon 7 gets you a bit more power for less money.

A SLIM, SMOOTH, FAMILIAR DESIGN

Available in black, blue, gold, and gray, the Moto Z2 Play is largely the same phone as the Moto Z Droid and Play Droid in terms of design. The svelte device is ringed by a band of metal along the sides, with a set of clicky volume buttons and a ridged power button on the right. The back panel is made of matte metal and features a protruding camera bump and a row of magnetic attachment pins for Moto Mods (more on those later).

Measuring 6.1 by 3.0 by 0.2 inches (HWD) and 5.1 ounces, the Z2 Play is identical to the slim Z Droid in dimensions, but it manages to include a headphone jack on the bottom. That said, it’s quite a bit bigger than the Samsung Galaxy S8 (5.9 by 2.7 by 0.3 inches, 5.5 ounces) and the LG G6 (5.9 by 2.8 by 0.3 inches, 5.8 ounces), which feature new aspect ratios to accommodate taller, thinner displays. There’s a sizable bezel above and below the display, making the Z2 Play hard to reach across with your thumb and difficult to operate with just one hand, especially when you’re using a thick Moto Mod.