- Analysis by KJ David
The cheapest and lowest-specked variant out of four Moto G7 models released by Motorola in Q1 of 2019, the Moto G7 Play's list of specs is marred by cons like a paltry (by 2019 mid-range standards) 2GB-only RAM and an unpromising Qualcomm Snapdragon 632 eight-core 1.8GHz processor -- a few similarly-sized models belong to Phonerated's list of high-tier octa-core phones, rocking 2.5GHz (or faster) eight-core engines.
Its setbacks also include the blatant absence of NFC (Near Field Communication) support , which, as we were reviewing its technical pros and cons, was somewhat a standard facet among Android phones.
Although its expansive 19:9 screen aspect ratio winds up as an appreciable pro in our book, seeing that it brings to mind some of the best large-screen phones around, the fact that its 5.7-inch screen sticks to a low-class 1512 x 720 HD+ resolution and scores a measly pixel density count of 294ppi makes the G7 Play's facade sound unimpressive. That said, it's easy to appreciate its damage-resistant Corning Gorilla Glass 3 finish , which is married to a water-repellent (p2i nano-coating) body .
Going back to its hardware components, this G7 spinoff sounds rather stingy compared to several of its middle-class rivals when it comes to internal memory, offering only 32GB on that front , whereas some of its competitors start out with 64GB or 128GB. We would not worry so much about it, though, since the G7 Play supports monstrous 512GB microSD cards . Also, considering its assortment of pros and cons, its 3000mAh battery, which powers up through a 10W rapid-charging system, sounds reasonable to us.
The Motorola Moto G7 Play is equipped with a 13-megapixel rear cam whose key imaging perks include phase-detection autofocus, 4K/UHD (3840 x 2160) video-recording , and Google Lens integration, the latter being an image-recognition app that lets users search for an item's details on the internet by snapping a photo of it. Sitting above its screen is an 8-megapixel f/2.2 selfie camera that's spruced up by a dedicated LED flash -- the other G7 variants only offer screen flash functions.
Related: The Best Selfie phones 2024
With the Android 9.0 Pie operating system rounding things out, the Moto G7 Play caters to those who want an imaging-driven smartphone, but aren't ready to go for a full-blown flagship model just yet.
On-paper Review score:
We're delighted that the Motorola Moto G7 Play can record high-resolution 3840 x 2160 videos, but we were disappointed not to find any evidence of the Moto G7 Play featuring an HDMI port (which is convenient to watch HD videos on your shiny HDTV.)
- We recommend: The latest HDMI phone models
It's frustrating that we could not find its weight information.
- We recommend: Photo gallery of the latest slim phones
Its processor speed of 1.8GHz running on 8 cores is part of the fastest in recent phones.
- Also read: List of the latest octa-core smartphones
The screen is larger than usual, making it a phablet: 5.7 inches and a resolution of 1512 x 720 pixels means about 12.62 square inches and an image quality of at least 294 dots per inch (DPI)!
- Also read: View other large smartphones and phablets
The Motorola Moto G7 Play is not sold with a memory card but it supports up to 512GB of memory expansion, which is convenient to store photos taken with the built-in 13-megapixel camera.
It includes an advanced built-in camera (13-megapixel) with the following options: Auto HDR, Best Shot, Burst Shot, Google Lens, High-res zoom, Manual Mode, Panorama, Portrait, RAW photo output, Spot color, Timer, Watermark, Youtube Live.
The selfie cam resolution seems just about average.
** This phone is also known as: Motorola G7 Play
*** These cons and pros are identified automatically based on our proprietary algorithm and the specs we found for this phone. Should you spot an error, please let us know.
You Should Also Be Interested In These:
- Don't Buy The Wrong Phone! Celliminator Will Find Your Perfect Phone
- Best Phones As Of March 2024 (12 Categories)
- Best Motorola Phones 2024
- Newest Motorola Phones 2024 (Latest Models)