Android almost in stock at a low price

Motorola has long held a tight grip on the affordable smartphone market. He continues to find a way to balance specification and cost to deliver the most value to all types of users. The Moto G Play (2021) is just the latest entry in a long line of fun phones to begin with, but how well does it hold up? Find out here in our Motorola Moto G Play review.

• Motorola Moto G Play (3 GB / 32 GB): $ 169.99

The Moto G Play (2021) is the second most affordable member of the Motorola family of smartphones. It sits right above the Moto E, and the Moto G Power and Moto G Stylus round out the G-Series trio. However, you won’t find this device in the UK or the rest of Europe, because these regions received a Moto G9 Play model closer to the Moto G Power.

You will find the Qualcomm Snapdragon 460 at the heart of this operation, as well as 3 GB of RAM and 32 GB of storage. If you’re looking for more storage, you can also add a microSD card to the mix. One thing you won’t have to worry about too much is battery life – Motorola packed a 5,000mAh cell in its budget case. A 6.5-inch HD + display sits on top of it all, with a small V-shaped notch for the selfie camera.

Motorola is also keeping things pretty bare in the box, adding just a charging pad and a USB-C cable to the mix. You will find a SIM eject tool to help you get started and essential documents to familiarize you with the terrain.

The Moto G Play is far from the only solid option for less than two Benjamins. Some good alternatives include Samsung’s Galaxy A12 and Nokia’s 3.4. The Galaxy A12 matches the massive 5,000mAh battery, while the Nokia is a better bet if you want the same Snapdragon processor. If you want to stick with Motorola, the Moto G Power offers an extra kick, though it costs a bit more at $ 249.

It is not easy to find an original Android device these days. The Moto G Play isn’t really in stock, but Motorola has found a way to get terribly close to its skin. Everything looks light and clean, and pretty much all of the in-car apps come straight from Google. In fact, you might have a hard time distinguishing Motorola’s skin from Google’s Pixel skin without the Moto app. When it comes to bloatware, our Moto G Play appeared with TikTok pre-installed, but that’s it.

It’s not just the software that looks good here – Motorola nailed the design. The Misty Blue finish doesn’t pick up fingerprints or smudges, and it catches your eye in the sun. Motorola’s overall plastic construction provides a little piece of peace of mind that the Moto G Play won’t break even if it falls.

You’ll find a mono speaker tucked away on the bottom edge of the device, and it’s ready for awesome output. Whether you’re listening to a podcast or catching up with your favorite Hulu shows, the speaker can fill a room without much hassle.

The Moto G Play is by no means a powerhouse, but the Snapdragon 460 is perfectly capable of it. I didn’t experience a lot of lag issues and was able to switch between apps all day without too much trouble. Of course, the huge 5,000mAh battery helped in this regard, as I never found myself looking for a charger in the middle of a day. You won’t find a 5G antenna, but that leaves the battery pack to focus on keeping the lights on.

What is not so good?

Motorola may not have cut too many corners to design its budget phone, but it is skimping on the camera a bit. The Moto G Play offers a 13 MP wide lens and a 2 MP depth sensor in a segment where many other phones are adding an ultra-wide shooter to the setup. Granted, the main lens offers decent quality, as seen below, but it is limited in terms of overall flexibility.

Indeed, Motorola’s software experience looks great on the Moto G Play, but it’s outdated. The phone launched in early 2021, but it landed with Android 10 on board and has yet to hit Android 11. Other members of the Moto G series have already received their updates, and Android 11 is on the way. already the only major update this device will see. As if that wasn’t enough, Motorola has only promised two years of security updates for the Moto G Play.

Some OEMs also go out of their way to make their plastic phones feel like anything but. Unfortunately, the Moto G Play is not one of those phones. While plastic looks great, it doesn’t always feel the strongest and can easily get scratched. Tall bezels weigh down Motorola’s design at the top and bottom of the screen, increasing the overall height of the phone. It is also not known if Motorola uses reinforced glass. We know the phone isn’t IP rated for water and dust protection, but it’s rare at this price point.

Examples of Motorola Moto G Play cameras

The Motorola Moto G Play is a good phone for the money. You’ll have more than enough screen space for your favorite shows and some light shows, and the Snapdragon 460 keeps lag to a minimum when used correctly. Motorola’s attractive design and Misty Blue finish are sure to grab your attention, even if the camera results don’t hold your attention for long.

If you are not sold on the Moto G Play, you might want to donate the Nokia 3.4 ($ 179) or the Samsung Galaxy A12 ($ 179) a shot. They almost match the Moto G Play on the spec sheet, and the difference can boil down to which version of Android you prefer. Another Motorola option worth checking out is the beefed up Moto G Power ($ 249). It’s slightly larger with a more comprehensive spec list and a powered Snapdragon 662 chip.