Motorola Moto G4 Play

Pros:

Comes with Android Marshmallow OS 
Value for Money
Classy Design with touch of simplicity

Cons:

Device only supports 2.4GHz band
Gyroscope sensor is absent
Device lacks multitasking support
Also Lack Fingerprint sensor and Water Repellant

Display and Design:

An attractive design at a fair price. The smartphone as such lacks Corning Gorilla glass protection but in terms of overall design, one thing that can be said for sure is that the device has certainly taken some cues from both the budget-friendly class and the higher variants of Moto family. Similar to its Moto G4 sibling, it too covers a plastic design at the backside and has round edges.

Just like G4, the device also shows similarities with the Moto Z series. Since this device too features a textured power button alongside the silver trimming shown in speakers. One thing that surely would disappoint the enthusiastic buyers is the absence of not only Corning Gorilla Glass, but also fingerprint sensor as well as a micro-USB port with the addition of quick-charging facility. Despite the lack of many important features, it is a perfect fit for users who are looking for a mediocre ranged smartphone.

Performance:

Though the device is powered by an Android Marshmallow OS, but still it lacks multitasking support. The chipset ain't that powerful which surely would bug users who are habitual of using flagship smartphones with great power packed performance. The users might also experience some lag in the opening or downloading of some files on the device since it uses 2.4GHz Wi-Fi frequency for the same. There is no doubt that the company has cleverly backed it up by giving 2GB RAM with 16GB onboard capacity with support for expansion.

Camera:

Moto G4 Play comes with an 8-megapixel camera on the back side with an aperture of f/2.2. Additionally, it is also beneficial for users who wish to record videos at 1080p resolution and at a framerate of 30FPS. Even though it's an 8-megapixel camera, but tests reveal it lacks vibrancy and contrast balance. Not just this, the cameras also lack manual shooting mode, so the user is forced to stuck with the default settings.

Other then back-camera the device also supports 5-megapixel camera on the front side having the same aperture of f/2.2. It, however, lacks LED flash, unlike the back camera. Even though there is not much to talk about in terms of camera specs and the features being provided, however, it is quite simple to use and is a take on for users who are simply looking to take some quick features.

Battery:

In terms of battery, the device houses a 2,800mAh battery that lies behind a plastic body. On an optimum usage, the device can withstand a running capacity of nearly a day and a half at the least with no charging in between. This is further improved with the presence of Doze mode that automatically detects when the smartphone isn't being used and keeps the battery saving as its top-most priority.

However, unlike other smartphones, the device doesn't come with fast-charging technology. This indicates that the device won't charge at a faster pace and some time will surely be consumed in the same. As per statistics, the device takes nearly half an hour to reach 30-percent of battery charge from 0-percent which after another 30 minutes reached just up to 57-percent of battery capacity. It was after a span of two hours, that the device reached full battery mark, so it can be said that Moto G4 Play is one of those smartphones which are better left to charge overnight.

Verdict (6.5/10):

The Moto G4 Play is a smartphone that has been designed taking into consideration the fact of making it valuable for the money spent. It is a must-take option for users who are looking for a basic smartphone with a bunch of essential features. Though the smartphone lacks some basic features like NFC or gyroscope, but it surely is a good deal for a nominal price and one must not question the usability of this handset.