Moto G4 Play Review: Budget Android, Full-Featured And Unlocked
Moto G4 Play Introduction & Specifications
Although most of us would prefer to own all of the latest and greatest smartphones, there are plenty of us who don’t need all of the power and features today’s top phones have to offer. In addition, the high price tags on today's flagship phones presents a barrier for many. For casual smartphone users, there isn’t enough to gain by spending many hundreds of dollars more on a high end phone versus a more modest (and budget-friendly) model. It is for these reasons that Moto created the Moto G4 Play.
As the third member of the new Moto G family, the Moto G4 Play is designed for fundamental smartphone functionality -- staying in touch with family and friends, catching up on the news, playing games, and taking pictures, etc. In addition to delivering reliable performance for these key functions, Moto focused on keeping the phone affordable and is offering it as an unlocked phone for just $149.99. For users who want to spend even less, Amazon offers the same phone hardware but with Lockscreen Offers & Ads to Prime users for just $99.99.
Although it’s a budget-friendly smartphone, the Moto G4 Play still has respectable hardware under its hood. The phone is powered by a quad-core processor and has 2GB of RAM on board, as well as an 8MP rear camera and a 5MP front-facing camera. Moto also promises all day battery life with its 2800mAh battery. Let’s take a closer look at the full specifications of the Moto G4 Play:
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| OS | Android 6.0.1, Marshmallow |
| CPU & GPU | up to 1.2 GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon 410 quad-core processor with 450 MHz Adreno 306 GPU |
| RAM | 2 GB |
| Storage | 16 GB, up to 128 GB microSD Card |
| Display | 5.0-inch 720p HD (1280x720), 294 ppi |
| Network | 4G LTE (Cat 4) CDMA / EVDO Rev A UMTS / HSPA+ GSM / EDGE |
| SIM Card | Micro-SIM |
| Connectivity | Bluetooth 4.1 LE, WI–FI 802.11 b/g/n (2.4 GHz) |
| Navigation | A-GPS |
| Rear Camera | 8 MP, f/2.2 aperture, LED flash, 4X digital zoom, Tap (anywhere) to capture, Burst mode, Auto HDR, Panorama, Drag to focus & exposure, 1080p HD video (30 fps) |
| Front Camera | 5 MP, f/2.2 aperture, Best shot, Beautification mode, Display flash |
| Video | 1080p (30fps) |
| Sensor | Accelerometer, Proximity, Ambient Light |
| Audio | 3.5mm headset jack, Front-ported loud speaker. 2 mics |
| Dimensions | Height: 144.4 mm Width: 72 mm Depth: 8.95 mm to 9.9 mm |
| Weight | 137 grams |
| Battery | 2800 mAh removable, mixed usage up to 24 hours |
| Other features | Water-repellent nano-coating |
| Color | Black or white |
| Price | $149.99 unlocked (As low as $99 with Lockscreen Ads) |
As you can see in the table above, the Moto G4 Play has respectable hardware specifications, especially for an unlocked phone that sells for under $150. Not long ago, we had a chance to look at the Moto G4 Play’s siblings, the Moto G4 and Moto G4 Plus, and felt they were deserving of serious consideration. As the least expensive model in the G4 family, the Moto G4 Play has lower-end hardware than its bigger siblings, but still makes big claims for performance.
Let's dive in and take a hands-on look at the Moto G4 Play and all it has to offer...
