We test new Android phones left and right to give you the best recommendations possible on which ones to buy — and just as importantly, which ones to avoid.
Better Mod fit
Moto Z3 Play
$400 at Amazon
Pros
- Updated to Android 9 Pie
- Moto Mods fit the Z3 Play better
- Better capacitive fingerprint sensor
- More affordable
Cons
- Design feels dated
- No headphone jack
- Slower specs
Last year’s Moto Z3 Play doesn’t have the modern fit and finish of the newer Z4, but it’s still a capable mid-range phone, made even better by the recent update to Android 9 Pie. Best of all, it still has full support for the Moto Mod ecosystem.
Bigger, better display
Moto Z4
$495 at Amazon
Pros
- Larger display with tighter bezels
- Faster processor and higher storage
- Revival of the headphone jack
- Better, higher resolution camera
- Great battery life
Cons
- Moto Mods leave an uncomfortable gap
- More expensive
While there’s no Play model this time around, the Moto Z4 serves as Motorola’s mid-range option for 2019. The tighter bezels help squeeze a much larger, more vivid display into roughly the same body, and the camera is much more capable.
Most phones become more or less obsolete after their successors hit the market, but that isn’t necessarily the case with the Moto Z3 Play, thanks in large part to the Moto Mod ecosystem of accessories that allow you to add new functionality to the phone. With its recent update to Android 9 Pie, there’s plenty to still love about the Z3 Play, but the Moto Z4 brings a new set of advantages like faster specs, a bigger display, and better battery life.
Moto Mods keep things feeling fresh
If you’re shopping for a new phone on Prime Day, Motorola has a strong selection of mid-range devices available on Amazon. The Moto Z3 Play and Moto Z4 both share similar designs and ship with nearly identical software — which is to say a near totally stock build of Android 9 Pie with a few convenient Motorola goodies thrown in, like Moto Actions and Moto Display.
Android 9 Pie and Moto Mod support help the Moto Z3 Play still feel new, even a year after its release.
The biggest physical difference between the two devices is in the displays. The Moto Z3 Play already had a respectable and fairly large 18:9 AMOLED display, but the Moto Z4 takes it a step further by extending the display across almost the entirety of the front of the phone, leaving room only for a small display notch up top that holds the front-facing camera. It’s a much more modern look, and it allows the Z4 to hold a considerably larger display in nearly the same form factor.
Speaking of form factors, it’s hard to tell the phones apart at a quick glance, but the Z4 trades the Z3 Play’s glossy glass backing for a matte finish one, and gains a few millimeters in height. It’s mostly unnoticeable, but it means that Motorola had to round off the back of the Z4 slightly so that it could still support the Moto Mod magnetic attachments.
Those Moto Mods are a huge part of what makes the Z3 Play still a viable option; while the Z4 has the upper hand in raw specs, with a faster processor, more storage, and a larger battery, you can add features to the Z3 Play at a whim. There are plenty of great Moto Mods to choose from, like the Turbo Power Pack Mod and even a 5G Moto Mod that brings support for Verizon’s UWB 5G network, but one disadvantage the Moto Z4 has is that its rounded back makes for an awkward fitting with Mods; you’ll often notice a gap in your hand that isn’t there with the Z3 Play.
| Operating System | Android 9 Pie | Android 9 Pie |
| Display | 6.01-inch 18:9 AMOLED 2160 x 1080 (402 ppi) | 6.4-inch 19.5:9 OLED 2340 x 1080 (403 ppi) |
| Processor | Snapdragon 636 | Snapdragon 675 |
| Graphics | Adreno 509 | Adreno 612 |
| Memory | 4GB | 4GB |
| Storage | 64GB | 128GB |
| Expandable Storage | Yes | Yes |
| Rear Camera | 12MP, ƒ/1.7, 1.4µm + 5MP depth sensor | 48MP, ƒ/1.7, 0.8µm |
| Front Camera | 8MP, ƒ/2.0, 1.12µm | 25MP, ƒ/2.0, 0.9µm |
| Security | Side-mounted fingerprint sensor | In-display fingerprint sensor |
| Connectivity | Wi-Fi 802.11 ac, Bluetooth 5.0 | Wi-Fi 802.11 ac, Bluetooth 5.0 |
| Headphone jack | No | Yes |
| Battery | 3000mAh | 3600mAh |
| Water Resistance | P2i | P2i |
| Dimensions | 156.5 x 76.5 x 6.8mm | 158 x 75 x 7.4mm |
| Weight | 156g | 165g |
Despite the poorer fit of many Moto Mods, the Moto Z4 is clearly the better phone of the two. Its design, while similar to before, is much more modern, the specs are more powerful, and the camera is significantly better. Where the Z4 Play featured a secondary 5MP sensor for measuring depth, the Moto Z4 instead features a single camera with much larger pixels, allowing it to take in more light. It’s also a higher resolution, with a whopping 48MP at its disposal.
The Moto Z4 also comes with a free Moto 360 Camera Mod in the box, allowing you to capture unique 360° videos that you can turn into panoramic shots or post to supporting social networks like Facebook. On the other hand, the Moto Z3 Play includes a Moto Power Pack Mod for extending its battery life, which many will find more useful and helps offset the Z3 Play’s smaller battery.
The Moto Z4 is about $100 pricier than the Z3 Play, and while it is the better phone, plenty of people will be perfectly happy with the latter. The 18:9 display still looks fantastic, and Moto Mods help keep the phone feeling new — it’s even compatible with the 5G Moto Mod if you’re on Verizon. The Z4 will likely receive software support for longer than the Z3 Play, but ultimately, it all comes down to which phone better fits your budget. No matter which phone you buy, you’re getting a capable mid-ranger.
Better Mod fit
Moto Z3 Play
Still a great option a year later.
$400 at Amazon
The Moto Z3 Play isn’t the newest phone around, but it still has respectable internals and modern Android software. With Moto Mods, you can add a bigger battery, speaker, or projector on a whim.
Bigger, better display
Moto Z4
A more modern and powerful phone.
$495 at Amazon
The Moto Z4 has a newer look and feel, and still supports Moto Mod attachments, including the 5G Moto Mod. It has a much better camera and a larger, better-looking display than the Z3 Play.
