Moto G4 Play Review: Affordability Mixed With Class

Moto G4 Play Review

The last time we did a review of a Lenovo product, we were talking about a slick and high end smartphone but it is very refreshing to review a mid-range smartphone that carries a lot of punch to even get rated as one of the high end devices we celebrate in Nigeria. This Moto G4 Play Review,at the end of the day will show us that class and affordability can go hand in hand.

In case you don’t know, below are the specifications of the Moto G4 Play:

Display Size, Resolution: 5-inch; 1,280×720 pixels
Dimensions (Inches): 5.7×2.8×0.39 in
Weight(g): 137 g
Mobile Software: Android 6.0 Marshmallow
Camera: 8-megapixel back camera and 5-megapixel front-facing camera
Video capture: 1080p HD
Processor: 1.2GHz quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 410
Storage: 16GB
RAM: 2GB
Expandable Storage: Up to 128GB
Battery: 2,800mAh (removable)

What Are The Contents Of The Package?

1. The Lenovo Moto G4 Smartphone
2. A non-detachable USB Charger
3. An Earpiece
4. Userguide (English and Arabic)

From the content of the box, you will notice, just as I did, that the Moto G4 did not come with a lot of baggage, just light packaging. If you have been used to having a lot of accessories coming with the phones you have been using, this may come as a disappointment but for me it is really nice as you can travel light with the G4 🙂

Design

The Moto G4 Play may not be an high-end smartphone but it’s design is still filled with class. Though it has a plastic build and lack some features such as gorilla glass, it is has a metal trim surrounding its edges and it can be held and operated with one hand comfortably. Though the faux metal makes the phone looks sleek, it is more likely to  get damaged when dropped, accidentally or intentionally.

The back of the phone can be opened really easily, so you can add a SIM card, microSD card and remove the battery anytime you wish. There’s a little gap on the bottom next to the charging port that allows you to stick your fingernail under the back panel to pop it off. The back panel is home to a microphone, an 8 MP camera and the LED flash. The headphone jack is located on the top of the phone.

There’s not much to say about the design because it is so minimal but it is something you will still be proud of owning. 🙂

Battery Life

The Moto G4 Play boasts a 2,800mAh battery, which can be found under the removable plastic back.  The battery is removable, unlike several flagship smartphones we see of recent.  For the price and the range it belongs to, this is a nice gesture and ideally, should keep the phone running for over a day without need of a charge.

While using the device, I found out the battery wasn’t draining faster compared to it’s contemporaries. At a point I was wondering if the battery is not even over 3,000mAh considering I was using it for music, games and wifi almost at the same time.

Camera

Due to a tight schedule constraint, I wasn’t able to test the camera as much as I would have loved to but the little I did made me fall in love with the Moto G4 Play. The device carries a 8MP camera at the back with an aperture of f/2.2. It records video  in 1080p at 30 frames per second (FPS).

Check some of the shots out below:

General Performance

Being a mid-range phone, the Moto G4 Play is powered by a quad-core 1.2GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon 410 processor coupled with 2GB of RAM and the Adreno 306 GPU. When the device is used for basic stuffs including some games it works perfectly well. The problem arises when called upon to carry out heavy performances like playing some heavy games. I did play a lot of games and the experiences were different depending on how heavy the games ares.

Final Verdict

The Moto G4 Play sells for around N65, 0000.000 – N70, 000.00 here in Nigeria and if you get these specs of the phone for this amount, then it is something worth it. Will you be able to get some smartphones with same specs for less? Definitely but if you are a brand freak, this is a phone to have. You will find it handy and useful as well.

What do you think?