Motorola Moto X Play review: Crowd pleaser

5.5 inches of IPS goodness

The Motorola Moto X Play comes with a 5.5-inch IPS display with a 1080p resolution that makes up a pixel density of 403ppi. The company has gone for a LCD panel for this year's Moto Xs instead of AMOLED and on paper that looked like a step back for the series.

In reality, the Moto X Play is equipped with a seriously impressive screen. The maximum display brightness of the Moto X Play of 620 nits is excellent, but when you enable the automatic brightness control the phone is able to push the screen even higher (up to 760nits) in direct sunlight. When it comes to contrast ratio, it posted excellent typical usage results as well (1504:1).

While the maximum brightness is impressive, the minimum brightness is still too high, which means the phone can be excessively bright in a completely dark room even when set to minimum brightness, not ideal when you are staring at your phone's screen at night (the large display size doesn't help either).

Color rendering is seriously accurate (Avg deltaE 3.8 for the primary colors plus black and white). The highest single deviation was in the whites (deltaE of 8.5), which is perfectly tolerable as well. They are rendered just a bit on the colder bluish side as they usually are with most phones, but you would hardly notice that unless you get some sort of a reference to compare it side by side.

The available Vibrant mode is quite good as well, saturating colors a bit without affecting that much the measured color accuracy (Avg Delta E - 4). Overall, an excellent result from Motorola.

As usual, display colors are a matter of personal taste and perception, but even if you are demanding about color accuracy, you will probably be quite happy with the color rendition on the Moto X Play.

The Moto X Play performed excellently in our sunlight legibility test, too. Posting a very high value for a non-AMOLED panel, the Moto X Play ranks higher than the iPhone 6 Plus.

Sunlight contrast ratio

• Nokia 808 PureView
  4.698
• Samsung Galaxy S6 edge+
  4.615
• Samsung Galaxy E7
  4.485
• Samsung Galaxy A3
  4.241
• Samsung Galaxy S6 edge
  4.124
• Samsung Galaxy S6
  4.124
• Samsung Galaxy Note5
  4.09
• Samsung Galaxy Note 4
  4.033
• Samsung Galaxy Note 3
  3.997
• Apple iPhone 5
  3.997
• Samsung Galaxy A5
  3.895
• Samsung Galaxy J7 outdoor
  3.879
• Samsung Galaxy A8
  3.859
• Apple iPhone 6
  3.838
• Motorola Moto X (2014)
  3.816
• Samsung Galaxy Note Edge
  3.799
• Apple iPhone 6s
  3.783
• Vivo X5Pro
  3.706
• Samsung Galaxy A7
  3.679
• Oppo R5
  3.678
• Samsung Galaxy K zoom
  3.675
• Nokia Lumia 930
  3.567
• Apple iPhone 5s
  3.565
• Samsung Galaxy S5
  3.549
• Nokia Lumia 735
  3.547
• Motorola Nexus 6
  3.543
• Apple iPhone 6s Plus
  3.53
• Alcatel Idol X+
  3.527
• Apple iPhone 5c
  3.512
• Samsung Galaxy Alpha
  3.509
• Oppo R7 Plus
  3.499
• Samsung Galaxy Note 3 Neo
  3.487
• vivo X5Max
  3.472
• LG G Flex2
  3.465
• YotaPhone 2
  3.453
• Samsung Galaxy J7
  3.422
• Motorola RAZR MAXX
  3.42
• Samsung I9300 Galaxy S III
  3.419
• Meizu MX5
  3.416
• Samsung Galaxy S5 Active
  3.406
• Nokia Lumia 925
  3.402
• Gionee Elife S5.5
  3.386
• Samsung I9505 Galaxy S4
  3.352
• Oppo R7
  3.32
• Samsung Omnia W
  3.301
• Motorola Moto X Play
  3.222
• Samsung Galaxy S5 mini
  3.174
• Samsung I9000 Galaxy S
  3.155
• Samsung Ativ S
  3.129
• Samsung I9190 Galaxy S4 mini
  3.127
• Samsung Galaxy S4 zoom
  3.118
• Nokia N9
  3.069
• Microsoft Lumia 640 XL
  3.065
• Apple iPhone 6 Plus
  3.023
• Samsung Galaxy Note
  2.97
• Samsung Galaxy Premier
  2.958
• Sony Xperia Z1
  2.95
• HTC One S
  2.901
• Lenovo S90 Sisley
  2.892
• Samsung I8730 Galaxy Express
  2.861
• BlackBerry Q10
  2.856
• Samsung I9100 Galaxy S II
  2.832
• Sony Xperia Z3+
  2.824
• HTC Desire Eye
  2.815
• Gionee Elife S5.1
  2.812
• Samsung Galaxy S II Plus
  2.801
• BlackBerry Z30
  2.79
• Sony Xperia Z5 compact
  2.784
• Meizu MX4 Pro
  2.765
• Sony Xperia M5
  2.69
• Sony Xperia ZR
  2.672
• Huawei Ascend P1
  2.655
• Xiaomi Mi 4i
  2.641
• Sony Xperia Z3
  2.618
• Sony Xperia Z3 Compact
  2.616
• Sony Xperia T3
  2.609
• BlackBerry Passport
  2.595
• Microsoft Lumia 640
  2.563
• Nokia Lumia 900
  2.562
• Motorola Moto G 4G
  2.546
• HTC One Max
  2.537
• Nokia Lumia 720
  2.512
• HTC One
  2.504
• Sony Xperia M4 Aqua
  2.503
• Motorola Moto G
  2.477
• vivo Xshot
  2.465
• Sony Xperia Z
  2.462
• Xiaomi Mi 4
  2.424
• Samsung Galaxy S III mini
  2.422
• Lenovo Vibe Z2 Pro
  2.416
• LG G Flex
  2.407
• Huawei Honor 7
  2.406
• ZUK Z1 by Lenovo
  2.382
• HTC Desire 820
  2.372
• HTC One (M8)
  2.371
• Meizu MX4
  2.366
• Motorola RAZR i
  2.366
• Meizu m1 note
  2.362
• Sony Xperia ZL
  2.352
• HTC One M9
  2.334
• LG G4
  2.317
• Samsung Galaxy Note II
  2.307
• HTC One E9+
  2.305
• HTC One (M8) for Windows
  2.291
• Oppo R1x
  2.281
• Oppo Find 7a
  2.279
• Alcatel One Touch Hero
  2.272
• Apple iPhone 4S
  2.269
• HTC Desire 600 dual sim
  2.262
• Sony Xperia C5 Ultra
  2.253
• Nokia Asha 311
  2.25
• Sony Xperia C4 Dual
  2.235
• Xiaomi Mi Note
  2.234
• Motorola Moto G (2014)
  2.233
• LG Nexus 5
  2.228
• Huawei P8
  2.196
• Nokia Lumia 820
  2.193
• HTC One (E8)
  2.185
• Oppo N3
  2.181
• Nokia Lumia 920
  2.17
• Huawei Honor 6
  2.169
• Xiaomi Redmi Note 2
  2.166
• OnePlus Two
  2.165
• HTC One X
  2.158
• Asus Zenfone 2 ZE551ML
  2.149
• LG Aka
  2.145
• Nokia N8
  2.144
• Nokia Lumia 620
  2.142
• Nokia 515
  2.134
• Archos 50 Diamond
  2.134
• HTC Desire 500
  2.129
• Sony Xperia C3 Dual
  2.12
• Xiaomi Redmi Note
  2.119
• Sony Xperia acro S
  2.119
• Nokia Lumia 1020
  2.103
• Oppo Find 5
  2.088
• Huawei P8lite
  2.078
• Sony Xperia SL
  2.078
• Nokia Lumia 630
  2.056
• BlackBerry Z10
  2.051
• Moto G 3rd gen max manual
  2.026
• Huawei Ascend Mate7
  2.024
• Samsung I9295 Galaxy S4 Active
  2.022
• Apple iPhone 4
  2.016
• HTC One mini
  2.003
• Xiaomi Mi 3
  2.001
• Huawei Ascend P7
  1.992
• LG G2
  1.976
• Sony Xperia E4g
  1.972
• OnePlus One
  1.961
• Oppo R819
  1.957
• Sony Ericsson Xperia ray
  1.955
• Lenovo Vibe X2
  1.952
• Sony Xperia Z2
  1.944
• Sony Xperia E3
  1.943
• Nokia Lumia 1320
  1.941
• HTC One mini 2
  1.94
• Samsung Galaxy Camera
  1.938
• Samsung Galaxy Grand Prime
  1.935
• Sony Xperia J
  1.932
• Acer CloudMobile S500
  1.931
• ZTE Blade S6
  1.927
• LG Nexus 4
  1.926
• LG G Pro 2
  1.922
• Samsung Galaxy Mega 6.3
  1.913
• Nokia Asha 308
  1.911
• HTC Butterfly 2
  1.905
• Sony Xperia T
  1.894
• Meizu m2 note
  1.892
• BlackBerry Leap
  1.892
• Nokia Lumia 830
  1.887
• HTC Desire X
  1.878
• HTC Windows Phone 8X
  1.873
• HTC Butterfly
  1.873
• HTC Butterfly S
  1.867
• Huawei Ascend P6
  1.865
• Huawei Ascend Mate
  1.845
• LG G2 mini
  1.838
• LG G3
  1.82
• Nokia Lumia 1520
  1.813
• HTC Desire 616 dual sim
  1.797
• Sony Xperia V
  1.792
• HTC Desire 816
  1.783
• Sony Xperia Z1 Compact
  1.772
• HTC Desire 700 dual sim
  1.769
• ZTE Nubia Z9 mini
  1.759
• Sony Xperia U
  1.758
• Meizu MX3
  1.754
• LG Optimus G
  1.753
• Sony Xperia T2 Ultra
  1.74
• Sony Xperia Z3 Tablet Compact
  1.735
• Acer Liquid Jade S
  1.734
• Sony Xperia SP
  1.733
• LG Optimus 4X HD
  1.691
• Oppo Find 7
  1.691
• HTC One V
  1.685
• BlackBerry Q5
  1.682
• LG Optimus Vu
  1.68
• Motorola Moto E (2nd Gen)
  1.675
• Xiaomi Mi Pad 7.9
  1.672
• LG Optimus GJ
  1.666
• ZTE Nubia Z9
  1.659
• LG Optimus 3D Max
  1.658
• HTC Desire V
  1.646
• Samsung Galaxy Xcover 2
  1.632
• Samsung Galaxy Ace 3
  1.622
• Microsoft Lumia 532
  1.615
• Jolla Jolla
  1.605
• Microsoft Lumia 435
  1.598
• Sony Xperia Z Ultra
  1.578
• Sony Xperia go
  1.577
• Samsung Galaxy Ace 2 I8160
  1.566
• Samsung Galaxy Core
  1.563
• LG Optimus G Pro
  1.552
• Motorola Moto E
  1.545
• LG Optimus 3D
  1.542
• Nokia Asha 302
  1.537
• Samsung Galaxy Core Prime
  1.507
• BlackBerry Curve 9320
  1.488
• Sony Xperia M
  1.473
• Oppo N1
  1.47
• Sony Xperia E4
  1.467
• Meizu MX 4-core
  1.462
• Nokia Lumia 610
  1.432
• Samsung Galaxy S Duos
  1.4
• Sony Xperia M2
  1.393
• Microsoft Lumia 535
  1.393
• Samsung Galaxy Grand Neo
  1.393
• Samsung Galaxy Grand 2
  1.38
• Sony Xperia E1
  1.372
• Nokia Lumia 625
  1.371
• Gigabyte GSmart G1355
  1.361
• Sony Xperia L
  1.351
• Xiaomi Redmi 1S
  1.35
• Samsung Galaxy Mega 5.8
  1.35
• HTC Desire 510
  1.34
• Sony Xperia M2 Aqua
  1.331
• Sony Xperia miro
  1.324
• Samsung I9082 Galaxy Grand
  1.321
• Samsung I8530 Galaxy Beam
  1.315
• Xiaomi Redmi 2
  1.311
• HTC Desire C
  1.3
• Nokia X
  1.291
• Sony Xperia C
  1.283
• Nokia Asha 503
  1.281
• Nokia Asha 501
  1.27
• LG Optimus L7
  1.269
• Nokia Lumia 510
  1.268
• Samsung Galaxy Fame
  1.245
• LG Optimus L9
  1.227
• Meizu MX
  1.221
• Samsung Galaxy Young
  1.22
• Sony Xperia E
  1.215
• Nokia XL
  1.204
• Sony Xperia E dual
  1.203
• Asus Memo Pad 7 ME176C
  1.198
• Samsung Galaxy Pocket
  1.18
• Nokia Asha 305
  1.178
• Nokia Asha 306
  1.175
• Sony Xperia neo L
  1.169
• Sony Xperia tipo
  1.166
• Nokia Lumia 520
  1.161
• Samsung S6802 Galaxy Ace Duos
  1.148
• Samsung Galaxy mini 2
  1.114

Connectivity

The Motorola Moto X Play has a wide range of connectivity options. It supports quad-band 2G, penta-band 3G and a host of 4G frequencies, which vary by version. Cat. 4 LTE is supported for theoretical speeds of 150Mbps down and 50Mbps up. The phone is available in single or dual SIM variant depending upon the market.

The Moto X Play has Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n in the 2.4GHz and 5GHz spectrums and hotspot support, but no 802.11ac. There is a GPS receiver, Bluetooth is of the 4.0 iteration, there's NFC, as well as an FM radio receiver.

The microUSB 2.0 port supports USB on-the-go to let you attach peripherals. A standard 3.5mm jack completes the wired connectivity package.

Motorola Moto X Play battery life

On the Moto X Play Motorola has been very generous in terms of battery. The smartphone packs up to 3,630mAh worth of juice, but the battery itself is not user-replaceable, despite the removable back cover.

The smartphone supports the company's TurboPower fast charging, but you'll need to get a compatible charger separately for $35/£25. The included one is a regular 1.15A piece and is good for overnight charging, but not hasty last-minute top-ups. A nice touch is that it has a pair of USB ports, so you can charge a couple of devices simultaneously, if even slower.

The Snapdragon 615 isn't exactly power-sipping, but the FullHD resolution and vast battery capacity promised chart-topping results. The end results aren't the absolute best, but the Moto X Play still posted excellent numbers.

The phone is good for 26.5 hours of 3G voice calls, a very good result. In our video playback test, the Moto X Play dies after a hair more than 12 hours, and Wi-Fi web browsing longevity is nearly as long. All that works out to a proprietary endurance rating of 83 hours.

Both the Asus Zenfone 2 ZE551ML and OnePlus 2 post ratings around the 60-hour mark with both web browsing and video playback hovering around the 8-9h mark. So the Moto X Play outlasts them by a good 50% in both screen-on tests. The Alcatel Idol 3 (5.5) is more or less in the same league as the Zenfone 2 and the OnePlus 2.

Our proprietary score also includes a standby battery draw test, which is not featured in our test scorecard but is calculated in the total endurance rating.

The battery testing procedure is described in detail in case you're interested in the nitty-gritties. You can also check out our complete battery test table, where you can see how all of the smartphones we've tested will compare under your own typical use.