Moto Z2 Play review

Benchmark performance

The Snapdragon 626 powering the Moto Z2 Play is still quite new. It is a slightly upgraded variant of the Snapdragon 625, hence the MSM8953-Pro official moniker. Bearing that in mind, we already have a few expectations to approach the performance section with.

With a total of eight Cortex-A53 cores, clocked at up to 2.2 GHz (200 MHz more than the SD625), the Snapdragon 626 is a solid mid-ranger. It aims to offer smooth performance - more than satisfactory for everyday tasks and thus enough for an average user. Built using a 14nm fabrication process, the SD626 is part of a growing number of highly power-efficient chipsets, which aim to prioritize battery endurance.

The only other upgrade brought about by the new chipset version seems to be Bluetooth 4.2 connectivity.

Aside from that, we were pretty sure what sort of performance to expect from the chipset in synthetic number-crunching tasks. Still, we were curious to see how the small bump in the clock speed would affect the numbers.

We should also note that the Z2 Play can be picked up with either 3GB and 4GB of RAM, with 32GB or 64GB of storage, respectively. We are testing the higher end one. It reports 3.6GB of actual usable memory.

AnTuTu 6 paints a pretty anticipated picture, with everything falling in line nicely. The Snapdragon 626 now shows an even smaler performance gap with the Snapdragon 650, which runs inside the original Xiaomi Mi Max. Then again, the boost probably comes courtesy of software improvements in Android as a whole.

AnTuTu 6

Higher is better

• OnePlus 5
  180331
• Motorola Moto Z2 Force
  178674
• ZTE nubia Z17
  178629
• Xiaomi Mi 6
  177326
• Lenovo Moto Z Force Droid
  152548
• Lenovo Moto Z Droid
  151619
• LG G6
  143639
• Xiaomi Mi Note 2
  140324
• Samsung Galaxy S7
  132084
• Samsung Galaxy S7 edge (E8890, Nougat)
  129629
• Huawei P10
  126629
• Oppo F3 Plus
  91458
• Xiaomi Redmi Note 4 (Helio X20)
  85162
• Xiaomi Redmi Note 4 (Helio X20)
  85162
• Xiaomi Mi Max
  74488
• Motorola Moto Z2 Play
  68322
• Samsung Galaxy C7 Pro
  67540
• Moto G5S Plus
  64554
• Lenovo P2
  63493
• Moto G5 Plus
  63390
• Samsung Galaxy C7
  62818
• Motorola Moto Z Play
  62217
• Xiaomi Redmi Note 4 (S625)
  61616
• Xiaomi Redmi Note 4 (S625)
  61616
• Xiaomi Mi Max 2
  57902
• Moto G5
  43755
• LG Q6
  37276

With the possible exception of a few other Xiaomi models, it is hard to get better raw performance for your money than the Z2 Play has to offer. Then again, some of its contenders are really not that far behind and can still offer the same fluent real-life experience, and often for a a lot less money.

Basemark OS 2.0 - another popular compound benchmark, paints pretty much the same picture. Looking at the Lenovo P2 and Moto G5s Plus, we can't help but notice some tough competition within Lenovo's own ranks.

Basemark OS 2.0

Higher is better

• Motorola Moto Z2 Force
  3609
• OnePlus 5
  3601
• Xiaomi Mi 6
  3547
• ZTE nubia Z17
  3281
• Huawei P10
  2910
• Lenovo Moto Z Droid
  2690
• Lenovo Moto Z Force Droid
  2689
• Samsung Galaxy S7 edge (E8890, Nougat)
  2670
• Xiaomi Mi Note 2
  2381
• Samsung Galaxy S7
  2128
• LG G6
  2126
• Oppo F3 Plus
  1890
• Xiaomi Redmi Note 4 (Helio X20)
  1728
• Xiaomi Redmi Note 4 (Helio X20)
  1728
• Xiaomi Mi Max
  1362
• Lenovo P2
  1235
• Samsung Galaxy C7 Pro
  1228
• Samsung Galaxy C7
  1222
• Motorola Moto Z2 Play
  1213
• Moto G5S Plus
  1176
• Xiaomi Mi Max 2
  1107
• Moto G5 Plus
  1089
• Xiaomi Redmi Note 4 (S625)
  1050
• Xiaomi Redmi Note 4 (S625)
  1050
• Motorola Moto Z Play
  1031
• Moto G5
  795
• LG Q6
  275

On to graphics then and the Adreno 506. Just like the tests show, the one inside the Snapdragon 626 is unchanged from the 625 variant. Numbers fall in line perfectly, especially in off-screen tests, where you get a level playing field.

GFX 3.0 Manhattan (1080p offscreen)

Higher is better

• ZTE nubia Z17
  63
• Motorola Moto Z2 Force
  61
• OnePlus 5
  60
• Xiaomi Mi 6
  59
• Lenovo Moto Z Droid
  49
• Lenovo Moto Z Force Droid
  48
• LG G6
  41
• Xiaomi Mi Note 2
  40
• Samsung Galaxy S7
  38
• Samsung Galaxy S7 edge (E8890, Nougat)
  38
• Huawei P10
  29
• Oppo F3 Plus
  17
• Xiaomi Redmi Note 4 (Helio X20)
  15
• Xiaomi Redmi Note 4 (Helio X20)
  15
• Xiaomi Mi Max
  15
• Xiaomi Redmi Note 4 (S625)
  9.9
• Xiaomi Redmi Note 4 (S625)
  9.9
• Xiaomi Mi Max 2
  9.9
• Motorola Moto Z Play
  9.8
• Moto G5S Plus
  9.8
• Motorola Moto Z2 Play
  9.8
• Lenovo P2
  9.8
• Samsung Galaxy C7
  9.8
• Samsung Galaxy C7 Pro
  9.8
• Moto G5 Plus
  9.7
• Moto G5
  7.1
• LG Q6
  5.8

GFX 3.0 Manhattan (onscreen)

Higher is better

• ZTE nubia Z17
  56
• OnePlus 5
  56
• Xiaomi Mi 6
  56
• Xiaomi Mi Note 2
  41
• Motorola Moto Z2 Force
  40
• Huawei P10
  35
• Lenovo Moto Z Force Droid
  32
• Lenovo Moto Z Droid
  31
• Samsung Galaxy S7
  27
• Samsung Galaxy S7 edge (E8890, Nougat)
  27
• LG G6
  24
• Oppo F3 Plus
  17
• Xiaomi Redmi Note 4 (Helio X20)
  15
• Xiaomi Redmi Note 4 (Helio X20)
  15
• Xiaomi Mi Max
  15
• Motorola Moto Z Play
  10
• Moto G5S Plus
  10
• Motorola Moto Z2 Play
  10
• Lenovo P2
  10
• Xiaomi Mi Max 2
  9.9
• Samsung Galaxy C7 Pro
  9.8
• Moto G5 Plus
  9.7
• Xiaomi Redmi Note 4 (S625)
  9.7
• Xiaomi Redmi Note 4 (S625)
  9.7
• Samsung Galaxy C7
  9.6
• Moto G5
  7.1
• LG Q6
  5.3

In practical terms, the Adreno 506 is perfectly adequate for casual gaming on the Moto Z2 Play. Still, it falls behind the Mali-T880 MP4, inside the Helio X20 just slightly. If gaming is a real priority for you, it might be worth considering the MediaTek instead.

GFX 3.1 Manhattan (1080p offscreen)

Higher is better

• ZTE nubia Z17
  43
• Motorola Moto Z2 Force
  42
• OnePlus 5
  41
• Xiaomi Mi 6
  41
• Lenovo Moto Z Droid
  32
• Lenovo Moto Z Force Droid
  32
• Xiaomi Mi Note 2
  30
• Samsung Galaxy S7 edge (E8890, Nougat)
  29
• Samsung Galaxy S7
  28
• LG G6
  26
• Huawei P10
  22
• Oppo F3 Plus
  10
• Xiaomi Redmi Note 4 (Helio X20)
  9.5
• Xiaomi Redmi Note 4 (Helio X20)
  9.5
• Xiaomi Mi Max
  9.4
• Motorola Moto Z2 Play
  6.5
• Moto G5 Plus
  6.4
• Moto G5S Plus
  6.4
• Xiaomi Mi Max 2
  6.4
• Motorola Moto Z Play
  6.2
• Xiaomi Redmi Note 4 (S625)
  6.2
• Xiaomi Redmi Note 4 (S625)
  6.2
• Lenovo P2
  6.2
• Samsung Galaxy C7
  6.2
• Samsung Galaxy C7 Pro
  6.1
• Moto G5
  4.6
• LG Q6
  3.8

GFX 3.1 Manhattan (onscreen)

Higher is better

• ZTE nubia Z17
  41
• Xiaomi Mi 6
  41
• OnePlus 5
  40
• Huawei P10
  30
• Xiaomi Mi Note 2
  30
• Motorola Moto Z2 Force
  22
• Lenovo Moto Z Droid
  18
• Lenovo Moto Z Force Droid
  18
• Samsung Galaxy S7
  15
• Samsung Galaxy S7 edge (E8890, Nougat)
  15
• LG G6
  12
• Oppo F3 Plus
  11
• Xiaomi Redmi Note 4 (Helio X20)
  9.4
• Xiaomi Redmi Note 4 (Helio X20)
  9.4
• Xiaomi Mi Max
  9.4
• Motorola Moto Z2 Play
  6.9
• Moto G5S Plus
  6.8
• Motorola Moto Z Play
  6.7
• Lenovo P2
  6.7
• Moto G5 Plus
  6.4
• Xiaomi Mi Max 2
  6.4
• Xiaomi Redmi Note 4 (S625)
  6.2
• Xiaomi Redmi Note 4 (S625)
  6.2
• Samsung Galaxy C7
  6.1
• Samsung Galaxy C7 Pro
  6.1
• Moto G5
  4.6
• LG Q6
  3.5

GFX 3.1 Car scene (1080p offscreen)

Higher is better

• Motorola Moto Z2 Force
  25
• ZTE nubia Z17
  25
• Xiaomi Mi 6
  25
• OnePlus 5
  24
• Lenovo Moto Z Force Droid
  20
• Xiaomi Mi Note 2
  20
• Lenovo Moto Z Droid
  19
• Samsung Galaxy S7 edge (E8890, Nougat)
  16
• LG G6
  16
• Samsung Galaxy S7
  15
• Huawei P10
  14
• Oppo F3 Plus
  6
• Xiaomi Mi Max
  5.5
• Xiaomi Redmi Note 4 (Helio X20)
  5.4
• Xiaomi Redmi Note 4 (Helio X20)
  5.4
• Moto G5 Plus
  3.5
• Motorola Moto Z2 Play
  3.5
• Xiaomi Mi Max 2
  3.5
• Motorola Moto Z Play
  3.4
• Moto G5S Plus
  3.4
• Xiaomi Redmi Note 4 (S625)
  3.4
• Xiaomi Redmi Note 4 (S625)
  3.4
• Lenovo P2
  3.4
• Samsung Galaxy C7
  3.4
• Samsung Galaxy C7 Pro
  3.4
• Moto G5
  2.5
• LG Q6
  2.1

GFX 3.1 Car scene (onscreen)

Higher is better

• ZTE nubia Z17
  25
• Xiaomi Mi 6
  25
• OnePlus 5
  24
• Xiaomi Mi Note 2
  20
• Huawei P10
  16
• Motorola Moto Z2 Force
  15
• Lenovo Moto Z Droid
  12
• Lenovo Moto Z Force Droid
  12
• LG G6
  8.5
• Samsung Galaxy S7 edge (E8890, Nougat)
  8.3
• Samsung Galaxy S7
  7.9
• Oppo F3 Plus
  6
• Xiaomi Redmi Note 4 (Helio X20)
  5.4
• Xiaomi Redmi Note 4 (Helio X20)
  5.4
• Xiaomi Mi Max
  5.4
• Moto G5S Plus
  3.8
• Motorola Moto Z2 Play
  3.8
• Motorola Moto Z Play
  3.7
• Lenovo P2
  3.7
• Moto G5 Plus
  3.5
• Xiaomi Mi Max 2
  3.5
• Xiaomi Redmi Note 4 (S625)
  3.4
• Xiaomi Redmi Note 4 (S625)
  3.4
• Samsung Galaxy C7
  3.4
• Samsung Galaxy C7 Pro
  3.4
• Moto G5
  2.5
• LG Q6
  1.9

Then again, if you are in it for the fps, spending the same money or slightly more elsewhere could yield even better results.

Basemark X

Higher is better

• Huawei P10
  39433
• OnePlus 5
  38844
• Motorola Moto Z2 Force
  38615
• Xiaomi Mi 6
  38541
• Xiaomi Mi Note 2
  36506
• Lenovo Moto Z Force Droid
  36405
• Lenovo Moto Z Droid
  36322
• ZTE nubia Z17
  33513
• Samsung Galaxy S7 edge (E8890, Nougat)
  32609
• Samsung Galaxy S7
  32345
• LG G6
  30507
• Oppo F3 Plus
  16695
• Xiaomi Mi Max
  15487
• Xiaomi Redmi Note 4 (Helio X20)
  13666
• Xiaomi Redmi Note 4 (Helio X20)
  13666
• Moto G5S Plus
  10488
• Xiaomi Mi Max 2
  10482
• Lenovo P2
  10472
• Motorola Moto Z2 Play
  10455
• Xiaomi Redmi Note 4 (S625)
  10446
• Xiaomi Redmi Note 4 (S625)
  10446
• Samsung Galaxy C7
  10445
• Moto G5 Plus
  10406
• Motorola Moto Z Play
  10401
• Samsung Galaxy C7 Pro
  10394
• Moto G5
  7475
• LG Q6
  6179

While on the subject of good value, this seems like as good a time as any to bring up the Moto G5s Plus and the Lenovo P2 again. The first you can potentially pick up for about EUR 300, while the latter is EUR 50 cheaper.

Of course, they match the Moto Z2 Play only in terms of performance. In all other aspects, the three phones are vastly different - each with its own selling points.