Motorola Moto Z2 Force Review, Price & Specifications

For years, smartphone manufacturers have been looking for an idea of creating a modular phone that will join as Lego blocks. Initial advertising is now slowly but surely declining. Only Motorola, owned by Lenovo, remains committed to the idea and Moto Z2 Force is about to deliver high-performance modular phones that can be further enhanced with Motorola’s Moto Mod plug-ins that connect magnetically to the back of the device in a safe way.

With Moto Z2 Force, Motorola sees the flagship phone as a new champion in the premium segment. It has all the features of a high-end smartphone with its Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 processor, AMOLED display and dual cameras on the back. And there is more in Moto Z2 Force.

It features a break-resistant screen for durability, Android 8.0 Oreo out-of-the-box and a free TurboPower modular package that promises to give the battery an extra full day. Motorola says that Moto Z2 Force is different and has been designed for advanced users. We’ve been testing Moto Z2 Force for the past few weeks to see how close the competition’s flagship device is. Here is our detailed review.

Z2 Force Motorcycle price: $540

Moto Z2 Force Review: design and display

While the phone’s design language has not changed much since the last Moto Z flagship, the unibody chassis feels resilient. The back of the device is made of 7000 series aluminum that feels more robust. A circular camera hump is visible in the rear, as it houses a dual camera configuration, while a row of connector pins near the bottom of the device allows you to connect a wide range of Moto Mods available in the market.

From the front, Moto Z2 Force looks like a familiar device. There is a 5.5-inch screen with thick bevels on all four sides. An oval-shaped fingerprint scanner is also visible. The fingerprint scanner is excellent and responsive. At the top, there is a 5MP front camera, along with an LED flash. On the right, you’ll find buttons for volume and power. There is a hybrid SIM slot tray on the top and a USB-C port on the bottom of the phone. A headphone jack is missing, but Motorola has added a 3.5mm USB-C adapter for those with existing headphones. Sometimes it’s annoying because I can not charge the battery and listen to music at the same time when I go to the Metro office.

With 6.6mm, the Moto Z2 Force is one of the thinnest smartphones on the market. That’s ridiculously thin, though keep in mind that Moto Z2 Force tends to be a bit strong once you notice a Moto Mod. The Moto Z2 Force has a water-repellent nano-coating that essentially protects the phone against spills and Splash, but it’s not completely waterproof and lacks an IPX rating like the Galaxy S8 and the iPhone X.

Perhaps the highlight of Moto Z2 Force is its ShatterShield screen, which according to the company will be difficult to decipher. While I did not drop the phone on the floor intentionally to verify if the screen is cracked or not, but I found that the screen may end with scratches that, fortunately, are only seen in direct sunlight when the screen is off.

Compared to the Galaxy S8 and OnePlus 5T, Moto Z2 Force does not come with the 18: 9 aspect ratio screen. Lenovo says that it is technically difficult to stretch the ShatterShield screen, so the company had to settle for large top frames. Lower than the 5.5-inch screen.

The Moto Z2 Force has a 5.5-inch Quad HD display (1440 × 2560). It is an AMOLED type screen, with deep blacks and intense colors. In fact, I found that the screen was bright enough in direct sunlight. The panel is ideal for watching YouTube videos or watching photos on Instagram.

Moto Z2 Force Review: Performance and battery

Regarding performance, the Moto Z2 Force is a beast. Like the OnePlus 5T, the Z2 Force works with a Snapdragon 835 processor. In addition to that, there are 6 GB of RAM and 64 GB of internal memory. There is even a microSD card to expand internal storage. That’s what allows the Moto Z2 Force to run Asphalt 8 without stuttering or delays. The phone offers fast performance since my most used applications such as Facebook and OLX opened quickly. In Geekbench 4, which measures the overall performance, the Z2 Force obtained 6803 and 1938 in tests of one or several cores.

Meanwhile, he scored 211,622 points in AnTuTu.

Even though Moto Z2 Force has a smaller battery of 2730 mAh, to my surprise, on a single charge, it lasted one day. Moto Z2 Force is one of the fastest charging phones I’ve ever used, and although it does not come with wireless charging, it does have fast charging support. Also, Motorola has included a free TurboPower modular package that further increases battery life. For a heavy user like me, TurboPower Mod is very useful.

Moto Z2 Force Review: Software

Motorola Moto Z2 Force works with Android 8.0 Oreo, but the company has added some settings. Some additions are useful, such as Moto Actions. You can open the camera or turn off the flashlight by moving the wrist. Moto Display is a lock screen that gives you previews of notification items, while Moto Voice allows you to open apps or show the weather through your voice. What I liked about the interface is how the company has customized Android. During my test, I did not notice any delay and changing the application was simple.

Moto Z2 Force: Camera

Cameras of Motorola have been mediocre over the years, but the dual camera configuration in Moto Z2 Force has improved. The device includes double 12 MP patches and the configuration is familiar; a color and a monochromatic sensor for white and rear shots. There is also the possibility of taking realistic bokeh photographs.

The camera is good. The photos taken with Z2 Force did not seem too sharp and the colors were not lost. Dual cameras can take black and white photos without processing, and even the shots of bokeh went very well. The Moto Z2 Force records videos at 4K (30 fps) and slow motion 1080p (120 fps) and 720p (240 fps). The video recordings look decent, although the lack of optical image stabilization is annoying. The 5MP front camera could have been better.

Moto Z2 Force Review: Moto Mods

The launch of Motorola for the Moto Z2 Force is Moto Mod compatibility added, which makes the device unique and different from other phones in the same segment. I am sure that many people would be interested in connecting a loudspeaker, a projector or a camera module similar to DSLR in their phones, but I doubt that consumers are willing to pay the high prices that Moto Mod command at this time.

Review Moto Z2 Force: final verdict

Moto Z2 Force is a nice phone with an AMOLED screen, superior performance and decent camera quality. There is a ShatterShield screen, compatibility with Moto Mods and a flexible operating system. With all this, I am convinced that in Rs 34,999, Moto Z2 Force and TurboPower Mod makes a lot of sense. Sure the design could have been altered, but in the end, you get Moto Z2 Force for less than half the price of the Galaxy S8 + or iPhone 8 Plus. That does not mean that he does not face any competition. If you want a premium Android smartphone that looks good and has the best specifications, you can also consider the OnePlus 5T. Xiaomi Mi Mix 2 is another option.