Would you recommend a Moto Z2 Play? Are you satisfied?

[dlalonde]

I'm getting bored of my S8. I wanted to get a Moto Z2 Play when it came out but they hadn't received them yet and I needed a phone. But I've always preferred Moto devices over Samsung's flagships.

I found one for a great price. Would you recommend it getting one?

 

[Ry]

I'm getting bored of my S8. I wanted to get a Moto Z2 Play when it came out but they hadn't received them yet and I needed a phone. But I've always preferred Moto devices over Samsung's flagships.

I found one for a great price. Would you recommend it getting one?

Is camera important to you?

 

[dlalonde]

Is camera important to you?

Not that much honestly. I had a Moto X Play before that wasn't the best camera but it always did the job for me. Let's just say I skip the parts about cameras in phone reviews

 

[recumbentbob]

I like mine. No problems what so ever.

 

[BaldEagleBlake]

I went from a Moto Z to the Z2 Play last month and I will say it's a better phone, better battery, capable camera and snappy processor. I'm a fan.

 

[Rohan Jangam]

don't like camera quality of Moto z2 play

 

[blackberrysoup]

I went from a Moto Z to the Z2 Play last month and I will say it's a better phone, better battery, capable camera and snappy processor. I'm a fan.

Just curious, why did you say better battery, considering Z Play has the bigger battery capacity.

 

[gordol]

I'm having some strange bluetooth issues with my car's 3rd party head unit (JVC), and interference with the subwoofer on my TV's sound bar (LG).

 

[pizza_pablo]

Yes, I highly recommend the Z2 Play! My last DD was a Moto X Pure Edition 2015, tho there was a couple months I test drive a Nexus 6P (Didn't like. Missed moto actions).
The Z2 Play is awesome! I'm loving it! WAY better battery life than the X Pure, with same daily use /charge cycle. At the end of the day I consistently have 50% or better. The X Pure would be around 20% or even need a charge in the evening to make it to bed time. Some nights, with the Z2 Play, I don't even charge it, while I sleep and only lose 4% from 2200 to 0500.
It's super thin and much lighter than the X Pure, even with a case.
It takes good enough pics, for me.
I was able to root it and get rid of all the white backgrounds with Substratum and Spectrum theme. Add Xposed and Gravity Box for battery bar and lock screen short cuts. Install Dolby Atmos for awesome Bluetooth streaming audio.

FYI, there is no longer a custom launch phase available in moto voice, but Google assistant is SUPPOSED to be allowing a custom launch phase in the "near future".

 

[pizza_pablo]

Here is my review and comparison to the X4, in case you are considering.

Hey Pablo, after another month, do you have any words of wisdom on preference between the Z2 and X4? ....

I was stuck between these two, but ended up with the Z2. The 4 GB RAM and 64GB internal storage did it. I've had it just shy of three months and the wife has had the X4 for a month. With what I now know about the two, the Z2 would be an easy choice for me.
I prob won't get any mods, either, but the thinness is awesome in my pocket, especially compared to the MXPE.
The X4 is a decent phone, but a few things bother me:
A) Only 32GB internal storage which has 13GB taken up by OS files. I've read that it's some doubling of files, in order to make updates smoother.
B) 3 GB of RAM. The wife has not reported lag issues, but I want more RAM to enable the phone to be able to handle future needs.
C) The camera has a really bad lag, between pressing the go button and the pic actually being captured. I've side loaded a Google Camera apk and every time I test it, it snaps pics right after the button is pressed, but in real world use, she misses what she is trying to capture. Very frustrating.
D) Lack of availability of good cases. I like hybrid cases, like Speck or Incipio, with a hard back and grippy sides. There are no major manufacturers cases available for the X4.
E) X4 is kinda fat in thickness, when compared to the Z2 and I prefer the larger screen on the Z2.

Both batteries greatly out perform the MXPE, even when new. With the same daily usage and charging, I am usually left with at least 50%. The MXPE often required charging, in the evening, in order to make it to bed time.
I am really happy with my Z2 choice. I have been using the ONE BUTTON NAV feature and it's pretty awesome. Sometimes I forget which way to swipe it, when in landscape, using a nav dock and sometimes BACK goes all the way to the home screen, instead of just back one page in the app being used, but overall I like it.
I have rooted it and themed it. Making the backgrounds black is my major motivation for rooting. Since lollipop arrived with all of its white backgrounds and icons I have been a theming junkie. I'll be trying Xposed and Gravity Box, soon, but only for a few tweaks.

I really like tempted glass screen protectors! I think they feel better than a bare screen and they give me security piece of mind. I am using a TG PROJECTOR, to I can't recall which, and it is serving me well. It does not cover the entire screen side to side, but covers enough and the cutouts are accurate.

I have the Sleo snap case for weekend carry and is a great low profile and grippy case. https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B072...ag=hawk-future-20&ascsubtag=UUacUvbUpU6162754

I have a Speck Presidio for work days and it's quite grippy.

I also have an Otterbox Commuter for days that require even more protection, but is had a smooth back and is a bit hard to hold on to. I have a GadgetShieldz for a different phone (Z Force I think) that I will add to the back of the Commuter, in hopes of adding grip.
ETA: got the Gadgetshieldz camera and body protectors. I'm not impressed. The sandstone finish seems just as slippery as the Commuter case and the camera protector does not have precise cuts. I reckon they are cheap for a reason.

I have tried this camera protector, but they did not stay applied and are plastic, not glass.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B074...ag=hawk-future-20&ascsubtag=UUacUvbUpU6162754
I have GadgetShieldz camera films for both phones on their way, also.

I tried this case, before better cases were available and returned. It is cheap and not grippy.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B071...ag=hawk-future-20&ascsubtag=UUacUvbUpU6162754

 

[dlalonde]

I asked this in another thread but should have done so here.

When I had a Moto X Play there was a very annoying glitch whenever a sound played or when I would swipe to the next or previous song in Google Play Music. It was mostly heard through the earphones although the problem would occur with any kind of earphones as well as using my aux port in my car.

Does the Z2 Play have this glitch?

 

[BaldEagleBlake]

Just curious, why did you say better battery, considering Z Play has the bigger battery capacity.

I should have said better battery life, because I get about twice the charge on the Z2 Play than I did before.

 

[pizza_pablo]

I asked this in another thread but should have done so here.

When I had a Moto X Play there was a very annoying glitch whenever a sound played or when I would swipe to the next or previous song in Google Play Music. It was mostly heard through the earphones although the problem would occur with any kind of earphones as well as using my aux port in my car.

Does the Z2 Play have this glitch?

I do not recall experiencing that with the X Pure and have not experienced that in the Z2 Play, but I'm not certain that I have used the phone in that condition (for lack of a better word).

 

[this_is_nascar]

This is the first I've ever heard someone claim better battery life on the Z2 vs the Z, with all other things being equal.

 

[dlalonde]

Thanks everyone for your help! The S8 has been sold and my Moto Z2 Play will be arriving tomorrow! I'm really looking forward to get it.

 

[BaldEagleBlake]

This is the first I've ever heard someone claim better battery life on the Z2 vs the Z, with all other things being equal.

Maybe my old one had a flaw. I just know that I noticed a substantial difference for the better going to the Z2 Play.

 

[udazavlanje]

Better battery? I have both and Z2 battery life falls short exactly by the percentage of the capacity loss - 15%.
Other than battery life, it does feel a bit better in other areas.

 

[blackberrysoup]

the thing with Z2 Play's thinness and the resultant smaller battery capacity is that while it loses to its predecessor in terms of battery life, it gains in flexibility in being able to trade slimness for battery life by attaching any of the battery mods, whereas I cannot imagine using the battery mod on the Z Play due to it being rather thick and chunky feeling already without the mod.

 

[dlalonde]

So I've had the device for 2 days now. It's good to be back into the near stock Android world!

I have to get used to the lesser PPI though. Coming from a Pixel, then an S8 I lost the habit of lower resolutions so the screen almost looks blurry at times. But I'll get used to it again.

Thanks everyone for your recommendations. I love this device. It's so thin and, given it's metal, I put a case on it to protect the camera and the screen but contrarely to my S8 I don't have the impression that I'm holding some fragile piece of glass anymore!

 

[dby2011]

I have a Z2 Play- it's a great phone, and stock Android is very nice. However, the camera isn't even close to your old Pixel or S8. You must not take many pics.