Moto G4 Play

ImageTagInstance gallery-f78a3ffc-fdf5-4e00-ae91-d30823e39f38 IntroductionEarlier this week, Google launched its new Pixel phones, and while both make for some pretty impressive hardware, the $650 starting price has got to have many Android fans feeling nostalgic for the days of $350 Nexus phones.But even as companies like Google move on to more flagship-priced pastures, other manufacturers are still carrying the banner of eminently affordable smartphone hardware, bringing their users phones that run the same apps as more expensive models, and connect to the same internet, but do so for a fraction of the price. ImageTagInstance gallery-247f96bf-906d-4e0b-91fa-fd9852e9fea0 Earlier this year, we checked out some pretty budget-friendly Androids from Lenovo's Moto brand, with the release of the HTMLTagInstance html-tag-c9c0c7e7-7e1b-4224-a847-c6ddbd4e234e Moto G4 and HTMLTagInstance html-tag-56638122-b7d2-4117-9780-d817e89b1226 Moto G4 Plus. Those were two solid mid-rangers, priced at $200...

Motorola Moto G4 Play review: Our second-favorite super-budget phone

If the Moto G4 didn't exist, the stepped-down (and even cheaper) Motorola Moto G4 Play would be the deal of the century. For just $150 (or $100 for Amazon Prime members who submit to Amazon Prime ads, like this), £130 and AU$279, you get a budget phone that's surprisingly pleasant to use, for a rock-bottom price.

If you're on the hunt for an affordable phone with pretty long battery life, the Motorola Moto G4 Play deserves your attention. But the regular Moto G4 gives you even better features for just a little more cash.

Motorola's Moto G4 Play is the most affordable phone in the G4 line; It's splash-resistant, comes loaded with a near stock version of Android 6.0, has great battery life and can be used on any major carrier in the US.

The G4 Play lags when playing games and taking panoramic photos; The display can be hard to read in direct sunlight and you won't be able to customize the phone using Motorola's Moto Maker website.

Moto G4 Play review: it's OK

The thought of a modern smartphone, capable of putting the world’s knowledge in the palm of your hand, priced at only $269 is kind of ridiculous, isn’t it?

Perhaps a better way to explain the Moto G4 Play is to call it an overachieving mediocre phone.

Cheap; Cheerful;

Mediocre camera; Struggles with top games;

Motorola Moto G4 Play Review

The Moto G4 and G4 Plus are great phones for buyers on budgets, but not everyone wants a 5.5-inch screen. The unlocked Motorola Moto G4 Play scales things down to 5 inches and drops the price to $149.99, while keeping the design language, software experience, and broad carrier compatibility consistent across the board. But the G4 Play has a lower-resolution display and less-powerful hardware than its larger counterparts, making it slightly less appealing. It's no threat to the Blu R1 HD, which delivers better performance for less money, and retains Editors' Choice honors in the budget unlocked phone arena. Design, Features, and DisplayThe G4 Play has the same gray-and-black polycarbonate design as the G4 and G4 Plus, just in a smaller form factor. The handset measures 5.7 by 2.8 by 0.4 inches (HWD) and weighs 4.8 ounces, smaller and lighter than the G4 (6.0 by 3.0 by 0.4 inches, 5.5 ounces), and roughly on par with the R1 HD (5.6 by 2.8 by 0.3 inches, 5 ounces). One-handed use is...

The Moto G4 Play is the smallest, least expensive phone in Motorola's unlocked G4 lineup, with decent overall performance and broad carrier compatibility.

Affordable; Compact design; Stock Android UI with no bloatware; Compatible with all major carriers; Excellent call quality; Long battery life

Dim display; Not great for gaming