- Analysis by KJ David
Released by Verizon as a tie-in to the launch of the network's 5G band 
, which can be accessed using a dedicated Moto Mod, the Motorola Moto Z3 is a high-caliber smartphone that lines up with some of the most popular large-screen smartphones of its time.
This Moto Z model is not as ambitious as we had hoped, though, with an 8-megapixel-only front-facing camera 
that at least comes with a screen flash function leading its cons. Also, the Z3 comes with only 64GB of internal memory , whereas some comparable high-enders start out with 128GB of on-board storage. However, like its Z3 Play sibling, which, oddly enough, hit the market a couple of months earlier, the Moto Z3 boasts a whopping 2TB microSD card slot .
Apart from its 5G Moto Mod, the Z3 is compatible with most of Motorola's separately-sold Mods , which are snap-on accessories that enhance a certain aspect of the phone and, collectively, give it a huge pro versus many other upmarket smartphones listed here at Phonerated. A couple of available mods include a projector mod and a power mode for extra battery life -- the Z3 has a decent 3000mAh TurboPower-infused (30 minutes of charging time for half a day's power ) battery, by the way. Another interesting selling point is its mere 6.75mm body depth (without the camera bump), which makes it thinner than several other models in this class -- explore the thinnest phones here.
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Also among its pros and cons is a wide 6-inch Super AMOLED 18:9 display with a 2160 x 1080 FHD+ resolution and a 2.5D Corning Gorilla Glass 3 finish , which sounds satisfactory, even though its 79 percent screen-to-body ratio is not that impressive -- a few of its rivals boast 90 percent ratios.
Joining the mix is a 4K-video-capable dual rear camera that's composed of two 12-megapixel lenses -- one for standard photography and a monochrome one for depth-of-field analysis. Its dual cam also delivers the AI-powered Google Lens visual search tool and Cinemagraphs , a feature that lets users animate certain parts of still photos.
The Z3 comes with a faster engine than its Z3 Play brother, in the form of a 2.35GHz Snapdragon 835 octa-core processor (The Play version runs on a 1.8GHz eight-core chip), which, even though won't put it alongside the fastest smartphones around, is a big boost nevertheless. Its hardware pros and cons also include a 4GB RAM and an 850MHz Adreno 540 graphics engine.
So, as far as this specs-driven review is concerned, the Moto Z3 is a wide-screen smartphone for users who want a taste of Verizon's 5G connectivity combined with Motorola's signature smartphone perks.
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