I've bought a Moto Z2 Force and I live in Brazil. I think it's awesome to see how the reception is different from the countries. I was a little worried to buy one once ALL the Americans reviewers did not recommend the smartphone, but I decided to wait for Brazilians reviews of the smartphone. Since the Brazilian market does not care to wireless charging, IP ratings are not so important, we've got the 6 gb version and the previous smartphone to compare with is the Moto Z (so, the battery size has actually improved), the smartphone was very well received and I bought one and I am very happy with it. The smartphone is awesome (for a Brazilian). Cheers
Thiago Moreira I recommend it. It's sick. My friend has the jbl speaker n battery mod with a zagg screen protector. The phones fast as hell, loud as hell and can't be shattered. Oh n it's already running oreo. Unlike all Samsung and LG n HTC and all the rest. Lenovo has upped its game n with all the odds that will come out plus the ones that are out. It's a no Brainer. It's as fast as the s8 it's screen is as vibrant as the LG 6 it's louder than any other phone, it's battery life cN be upgraded to last 2 full days. These downers don't have any proof to back up what there saying. It's the phone of the future. N there stuck in 2015.
At $720 you get into GS8 and Lg G6 range and with the deals even the S8+ (my flagship I'll save fanboy replies the trouble yes I love this phone) and for less. For that same cash, you get a top of the line no compromise flag ship. They missed the mark on this it just can't compete no matter how many mods carriers will throw at us with deals. The battery life is a non-starter and the cameras can't compete in this price range. Thanks so much Michael you've supplied another stunning review and saved us our hard earned cash on this one.
I wouldn't purchase another Moto phone after the almost complete non support of the Moto X Pure Edition and extremely poor customer support. 👎. As always a very good review!
J Vatell I feel your pain. when I bought my MXPE I would never have believed that Lenovorola would surpass Samsung in software support incompetency...but here we are... :-/
turnersapien I agree with 100%! I personally now have gone to an iPhone and I have not looked back once since. I have gotten more software updates and improvements in 2 years than I did from 2009-2015 on any Android phone and I tried them all except a Nexus or Pixel. Nexus was having several issues in their last batch I said the hell with that.
J Vatell I repair iPhones, so I could never walk down that path again...lol but, I can definitely see the appeal from an update and long term support point of view. I don't know if I could go Pixel. the Pixel looks awful, and the Pixel 2 renders don't look much better. I have no idea what I'm going to do when my MXPE finally kicks the bucket. first. world. problems...lol
J Vatell It could be argued that after Google then Lenovo acquired Motorola, that they decided to avoid supporting previous phones. Since the turbo 2 got nougat, but not the 7.1 variation
Heathcliff replying to your comment with the Z Play. I'm satisfied. Only want those fingerprint gestures on this phone. Other than that, its a good phone.
It's good , but not perfected. i can do without a style shell , also the top layer comes off and give a good amount of scratch resistance and a little less drop resistance(as if the screen protector is already applied). better camera ,better performance , better design ( my opinion ) , sensor works as home button , eventually no phones will have headphone jack , i love usb C headphones but they often don't work with ones that has a headphone jack.
Bro: I could watch you review a bagel and be entertained. "The lox aren't the latest that Einstein Bros could have brought us, but they will satisfy all but the most discerning power nosher."
The dough conditioners are a huge deal breaker from Einstein Bros. You might as well make your own if you can't find a bagel place that doesn't have dough conditioners. Either way, it's concentrated carbs!
The Z2 Force is still a great phone 5 years later! It was the last Z phone that supports Daydream VR goggles and has the unbreakable shattershield display, which needs a screen protector, but will never break. You obviously didn't use it for a while. It is snappy and has a great camera.
As a loyal subscriber, once a MrMobile video is uploaded. I quit whatever I am doing and watch the whole video. I don't skip even a second, because every second of MrMobile-video is something valuable. Thank you for all the hard work!👍🌷
I disagree with your assessment but great review that truthfully demonstrates the phone. I feel like all the reviewers are missing the point of this phone. It's all about flexibility. Want a super slim phone to slide in a suit pocket while going out to dinner? Take the naked phone. Flying all day and going to lean on the phone hard? Phone with battery mod. Traveling but don't want to or can't carry a camera? Phone with camera mod etc. I was intrigued by the modular format on the first generation Moto's but did not trust Motorola to preserve backward compatibility with the next generation of phones. I didn't want to get stuck with $1000 worth of mods when I upgraded in a year. Well, they have kept their word. If I had it my way, I would own several phones and take the one with me every morning that best fit my needs for that day. The US system doesn't really allow for this but this phone is as close as you are going to get. After having five Samsung Galaxy phones in a row (Galaxy Nexus, 5,6,7 and 7 Edge) I will be dumping Samsung and buying this phone in the next few days. Samsung lost me with the silly "infinity screen". The Galaxy S7 Edge is my least favorite phone in the entire Galaxy series. Cannot wait to get rid of it.
Thanks for the feedback. I don't think you and I actually disagree about all that much; I love the Mods (despite finding them rather limiting from a practical standpoint). It's the phone itself I have a problem with; it's too expensive. The Z2 Play is a much better deal, IMO. But hey - glad you're enjoying it!
William Binns i love this phone and ill be grabbing a turbo pack with it. Although i must say the camera mod is trash. The one with all the zoom. Its actually way worse than the stock camera, the only thing it does is zoom in a lot at the expense of a ton of quality
Do you own the camera mod? I have read the reviews but there are times when the lack of optical zoom makes a camera phone near useless. Although a little pricey, the mod is worth it to me just to fill that need.
I personally want to see the Design of the Moto X 2014 make a come back, in my opinion is still one of the nicest looking Android phone out there and it wasn't afraid to be a little thick!!
Dude I freaking love your videos. No idea why they don't get at least a million views, and why you don't have a million subscribers. They have a certain class and sophistication, with some really subtle humour and just great cinematics. Keep it up 💯💯
This reminds me of the jump from the Moto X to the Moto X 2014, except that the 2014 model was actually a great device. All it was missing was a bigger battery. I miss having that phone.
I like that you touched on the fear of placing the phone on its display. I never do that with my Moto Z Force Droid for the same reason. And thanks for providing some insight and your opinion on the battery performance.
Thanks Michael for confirming for me that the Z2 Force is DOA. I was excited about getting the new Force to replace my ageing Moto X Force and then I saw a rumor that it was was going to have a sub3000mAh, hoping that it was for the normal Z2 rather than the force or was just wrong. And then I watched the launch coverage and I knew that Motonovo had killed the Turbo lineup with flagship specs powered by a large capacity battery. I was planning to buy the TurboPower Mod to use on heavier days but to be all but forced to buy it feels wrong, now that they don't even include a high wattage charger in the box, I will not be buying a new Z2 Force.
Great review as always, thanks for telling it how it is. I'll never trade off thin for battery. It's too bad company's will never understand that... especially when they can just sell you an extra accessory to make up for the gimp they built in.
Well, guess I'll have to wait and see what Motorola (errr.. Lenovo) does with their next Moto X. But from the looks of things, I'll be buying the new Pixel.
ron bZoom the leaked X4 looks TERRIBLE! I've been holding out in the hope that Lenovo would do right by Moto, but alas, they've killed it. it's sad when ZTE's Axon 7 is a better successor to the MXPE than the x4...better software support too...smh
True! I've seen some of those leaks and they bummed me out. I had the first Moto X and I'm still using the Moto X Pure Edition. I now see that the next Moto X will have midrange specs and an uninspired metal body (no more Moto Maker???). If that's the case, I'd just assume get the Moto Z Play 2 (or better yet, the Play 1 with that kick-butt battery that never dies). This really sucks. From my first flip phone to my first smart phone (Droid 3), I've been a Motorola guy. And while I still like the cool tricks the Motos can do while remaining near-pure Android, Lenovo keeps shooting this line in the foot. I don't know, this may be the year I finally jump ship.
ron bZoom my nephew has the Z Play 1. the only real difference between it and my MXPE are MUCH better battery life, less attractive, and worse camera. the OS is just as snappy...and it's on Nougat. I was a little late to the game with Moto, but I LOVE the MXPE compared to any other smartphone released since. especially considering Moto Maker...my younger brother has a black MXPE with ash wood back and blue accents...its freaking gorgeous! however, the lack of software support is driving me away from Motorola. if only the competition would make a real "upgrade" for me to consider. the look, feel, and speakers of the MXPE together, in one package, is unrivaled. I have no idea what my next phone will be...almost every phone looks the same since 2016. a bunch of sad uninspiring rectangles that are much too thin...
Well my Moto X PE is still running Marshmallow (of course). I've already come to terms that I'll probably never get Nougat. My battery life has not been good for months now and it often runs pretty hot. And I really don't put any great demands on my phone! Fortunately it does have Turbo-charge and I think the camera is pretty damn good, especially in the daylight. The MXPE was great at first but I never warmed up to it the way I did when I got the first Moto X. I'm going to hold off a few months and hit a Best Buy to "taste test" the new Pixel, the new Moto X, Z Force 2, Z Play 2, Note 8, the LG V30 and, oh what the heck, the long suffering LG G6. If I go with any of the new Moto Zs, I'll just budget for a battery pack mod and perhaps a charger back mod as well.
I love my Moto X (2nd gen/2014), I'm still using it as my daily driver since I haven't found a newer phone that appeals to me as much. (plus I have the natural leather back, and it has the most gorgeous patina on it!) Too good to give up
Thanks as always for the solid, unbiased review. As a moto fan myself, using a Z Force 1st gen, I was really looking forward to your review to see if this phone was as disappointing as it seemed on paper. I don't understand what moto is doing why would I buy this phone which seems worse than a gen 1 in every way except processing power and internal memory. Thanks again for being fair in your reporting.
So should I get the Moto Z2 Play, or wait for the Moto X4 in the fall? I hear it's supposed to have dual cameras, a battery larger than even the Z2 Play, and be cheaper
Lenevo is just killing the Motorola brand. They are doing good job in the mid range phone's like G's and E's but they are not as good in the high end or high end mid range phone's
Chidoro41 The U Ultra was criticized for having bad battery life, big bezels, big camera bump, not being water resistant and and costing over 700 dollar at launch.
I have the z force from last year, and the only real improvements I see on this phone are the better looking front (I don't know what they were thinking with the square home button on my phone) and slightly improved software. Dual cameras seem unnessecary and the smaller battery makes me definitly not want to go to the z2 force.
I have a Z1 Play and picked up a Z2 Force on a Black Friday sale. I fully agree, the Play is just better to use day to day. There's the headphone jack which I use often, and the big battery eliminates charger anxiety completely. The big battery is also useful in that it will power all those mods. If I didn't NEED wi-fi calling (which my carrier-branded Force has, and my Play doesn't), I would stick with the Play. I still swap out the sim card when I leave down for more than a day as the Play powers my Hasselblad camera all day without having to deal with battery mods.
Guess the market agreed, I was able to pick up one on Motorola's site a few weeks back for $150. For that price, it's been a great phone so far. I picked up the gamepad and projector mods for $40 and $50 respectively and they've been great as well, but yeah, at full price for any of this, it wouldn't have been worth it.
Before late 2016, Motorola used to make phone that has a design that made the phone more or less of a tool, which was probably one of the main reasons why I loved them at the first place. This was due to the rubber material used at the back of the phone, in which you could've customized with Moto Maker (along with the awesome curves within the phone's body; Moto dimple). Now with Lenovo having almost complete control over the company, they basically done nothing but to hurt the design language that Motorola used to make. Basically the entirely of 2017, there hasn't been a phone that has the iconic grippy material on the back in their entire phone line up since 2016 with the Moto G4. All they've done was to influence the overused and unoriginal metal unibody design we have seen in countless amounts of phones. I really miss when we were able to customize the phone's appearance with hardly any additional appearance; while now being stuck with the ability of being able to customize the phone's functionally for a huge price to pay in order to do so. And not even most of the Mods are practical to use anyways, with the wireless charger back and the battery pack being one of the more useful mods you can buy right now. I really miss the time when you were able to use the phone knowing that your phone would be less likely to slip right out of your hands since of that design and where buying a case is an option, not an actual necessity.
I just loved Moto ever since I bought the Moto Nexus 6 and Moto G3. Now I have the Moto G5 Plus. Might even buy the Moto E4 Plus with that 5,000 Mah battery! Wow!
Such a shame. I really like the idea of snap on, snap off mods, but they really messed up and cut too many corners on the force. I mean, come on, how much does a screen protector cost to throw into the box, or ship it pre-installed? So many cheaper Chinese phones do it, so Motorola could too. I hope the Moto Z play does well, so we can see a better version next year, that will be worth buying. For now, my HTC 10 will power me through, until a next big innovation hits, like perfected mods, or anything else. Great review that kept it real, thanks Michael :)
I've been using the G5+ for about a week now and I'm really enjoying it! For $300 this thing is awesome! And every device should have the Moto gestures. Super useful!!
Always good when my favorite TH-camrs upload a good video on my birthday. anyway, 2015 was Motorola's last good year. Almost forcing you to buy a screen protector Totally makes the shattershield useless to me
Mr Mobile you always says the pros and cons exactly it as it is, no sugar coating and thats why I always refer to your page before I purchase anything . Im disappointed that this z2 has in some ways regressed from the old z force. I would have bought it, even if I had to import it from the US if it kept all the features that made last years version unique and improved on screen. Infact I Was going to buy it until I saw this.
Great review! Lenovo/Moto really dropped the ball on this phone. Hopefully the rumors of a new Moto X device hold true and they bring back the front firing speakers and ergonomic design of the last Moto X.
Opu Ofbengal I hope they don't go for bottom firing speakers, ever since they did it with the recently announce Moto G5S Plus (a rather pointless phone if you ask me). Even if it would be rumored to be a mid-range phone, I wouldn't mind buying it, unless if it has a bottom firing speaker or no headphone jack.
I mean, I have the Moto X Force from 2015, and the display being soft was never a problem. It's also designed to be user replaceable (tutorial on website) if it ever does get damaged, and I've had no problems using a "3-for-$10" tempered glass screen protector from Amazon. Used a spare once from a crack from a drop, base screen still like new. And it's still nice having up-to-date flagship specs with all the neat little Moto features. Just comes down to the price, I guess. I think Moto phones are best bought secondhand at a year old. Turbo 2 (a.k.a. Moto X Force) unlocked was $190 when Moto Z came out. Moto Zs are under $260 now that Z2 Play is out, and will hit the $200 point when Z2 Force is out. This is how you deal with Moto phones. Buy at $200. Keep your phone "very good" to "near-mint" with a case and screen protector. Sell on Swappa or eBay a year later for $160. You get the next phone for $200. I've been doing this since Droid X and upgrading my Moto flagship every year for 7 years. One year old phones retain their "one year old" value for 2 more years. A much better return on investment than buying at $700 and selling at $200 after 1 year.
I totally agree. I waited until this was introduced to see the differences between the S8+ and this phone and the battery reduction without including a battery mod made this phone unbuyable. Had they only reduced the battery to maybe 3200 and not included a battery case mod I might have reconsidered. Well here I am almost a week after receiving the S8+ and I can say I fell like I made the right choice. Especially after seeing your review. P.S. I purchased the S8+ though BB through a special for,$516 plus tax. I also just bought a 5500 mah battery case for $30 bucks and have found excellent deals on quality cases via SlickDeals.Net. I may not get mods but I didn't get hardly any bezels either.
I rocked the Moto x2 for two years until I got the pixel 2. Let me tell you something. I miss the build so much on that phone with slimmer bezels, metal frame, and a bamboo back! My $650 pixel 2 feels like a toy compared to the Moto x2.
Well said Michael! You pointed out some things I hadn't noticed in the Play and Force, and that's why I love your reviews! That and the clean, crispy aesthetic of course! :)
Your reviews are great, but this is exceptional. Thanks. By the way, as a customer i wouldn't even consider the z2 play. The z play costs about 250€ en Europe, it has a bigger battery, and is pretty much the same smartphone.
As always, you do a great review. If the battery wasn't so bad, I'd really consider this phone considering I have owned a Moto G2, a Moto X Pure, A Moto G4 Play, and my current Moto G5 Plus. (Yes, I've broken quite a few phones since 2014). So I'm a big Moto fan. I hated the Z gen 1 design and glad the Z2 phones are much more robust. But I cannot justify owning a Z2 Force with my wallet despite being heavily enticed by that shatterproof screen for previously stated reasons :P
Moto software addict here. Unless you can convince me the Moto Z2 Play possesses a significantly better image acquisition system than the Z Play, the reason for choose the the Z2 Force (with a battery pack) over the Z Play is the image acquisition system. The original Z Play works well for only completely stationary objects in sun light. The Moto X PE was a better system. I want to move to the Z2 Force (with a battery pack), but the scratcher shield is such a turn off. Hopefully the X4 will have a great camera and can last like the Z play.
Nice review! I like the mod idea but those pieces are quite expensive. I think it would have been great to see a quick price comparison to put the phone in perspective like you did with the batteries. Other phones go on sale often or are a better value.
Don't let the specs fool you, the battery is good, and it has a battery saver mode. So if you get it on sale it's a good phone. Battery mod is 40 bucks at best buy.
Another extremely well done video. I absolutely love what you're doing man. Your video editing, transitions, catchy background music, and honest feedback just come together to make something beautiful. I can't say it enough. I just discovered your channel and I am immensely satisfied with your content. I love it. Keep doing your thing man. You rock.
I don't want slimmer phones!!! Even slightly thick device is okay... Stock Android, Large battery and powerful processor that's all I need in a smartphone Dear Smartphone makers see its not that difficult!!
Well-needed, informative review with solid sound and video quality. If there is one useful thing that I could ask of you, it would be to label the phones in the particular screenshot. I am not familiar enough with the recognizable differences between them to tell them apart. Hence, my whole reason for coming here in the first place. Anyhow , Thanks
Hey thanks for the review, its very comprehensive and covers the important stuff! Just wondering if you've seen the plastic on the screen peel off like some other reviewers have. I have the Moto Z and was thinking of investing into mods but if this series of phones continue in a negative direction I may get something else without these compromises in the future.
Moto Z Play Droid user here. This review confirms what I already know: No other Z line phone can match the value of the Moto Z Play. I'm not trying to blare my own horn here too much. I may skip the following generation after this one, judging what the trajectory is going.
MrMobile [Michael Fisher] I don't think so. The same gyro/ position sensor for both lenses and some bit more precise motors for the stabilization. Something to expect from a 700 dollar phone.
![MrMobile [Michael Fisher]](http://yt3.ggpht.com/Bf8B_79jyHxP6CVnjV5WKws93l9Vxlk0d7aPmcBygTBDKzgsGrpazdJRFUrfg1sUNlo8YX8rji8=s48-c-k-c0x00ffffff-no-rj)
I've bought a Moto Z2 Force and I live in Brazil. I think it's awesome to see how the reception is different from the countries. I was a little worried to buy one once ALL the Americans reviewers did not recommend the smartphone, but I decided to wait for Brazilians reviews of the smartphone. Since the Brazilian market does not care to wireless charging, IP ratings are not so important, we've got the 6 gb version and the previous smartphone to compare with is the Moto Z (so, the battery size has actually improved), the smartphone was very well received and I bought one and I am very happy with it. The smartphone is awesome (for a Brazilian). Cheers
Thiago Moreira I recommend it. It's sick. My friend has the jbl speaker n battery mod with a zagg screen protector. The phones fast as hell, loud as hell and can't be shattered. Oh n it's already running oreo. Unlike all Samsung and LG n HTC and all the rest. Lenovo has upped its game n with all the odds that will come out plus the ones that are out. It's a no Brainer. It's as fast as the s8 it's screen is as vibrant as the LG 6 it's louder than any other phone, it's battery life cN be upgraded to last 2 full days. These downers don't have any proof to back up what there saying. It's the phone of the future. N there stuck in 2015.
Now z2 force is on sale at 240$ here. is it worth it now??
Should I buy??
get the Z2 Force if you wanted a face for your back camera
RayClust ninja turtle
Or buy the LG G6.
:D
Ivan Shevchenko The G6 even has a 2 year warranty!
no lg g5 robot face or g6 looks like an owl
At $720 you get into GS8 and Lg G6 range and with the deals even the S8+ (my flagship I'll save fanboy replies the trouble yes I love this phone) and for less. For that same cash, you get a top of the line no compromise flag ship. They missed the mark on this it just can't compete no matter how many mods carriers will throw at us with deals. The battery life is a non-starter and the cameras can't compete in this price range. Thanks so much Michael you've supplied another stunning review and saved us our hard earned cash on this one.
I wouldn't purchase another Moto phone after the almost complete non support of the Moto X Pure Edition and extremely poor customer support. 👎. As always a very good review!
J Vatell I feel your pain. when I bought my MXPE I would never have believed that Lenovorola would surpass Samsung in software support incompetency...but here we are... :-/
turnersapien I agree with 100%! I personally now have gone to an iPhone and I have not looked back once since. I have gotten more software updates and improvements in 2 years than I did from 2009-2015 on any Android phone and I tried them all except a Nexus or Pixel. Nexus was having several issues in their last batch I said the hell with that.
J Vatell I repair iPhones, so I could never walk down that path again...lol but, I can definitely see the appeal from an update and long term support point of view.
I don't know if I could go Pixel. the Pixel looks awful, and the Pixel 2 renders don't look much better. I have no idea what I'm going to do when my MXPE finally kicks the bucket. first. world. problems...lol
J Vatell After my Droid Turbo fiasco with updates, I agree. Skipping in favor of a Note 8 or Pixel, or HTC U11.
J Vatell It could be argued that after Google then Lenovo acquired Motorola, that they decided to avoid supporting previous phones. Since the turbo 2 got nougat, but not the 7.1 variation
Last years Z Play was great but these are completely underwhelming.
Heathcliff replying to your comment with the Z Play. I'm satisfied. Only want those fingerprint gestures on this phone. Other than that, its a good phone.
It's good , but not perfected. i can do without a style shell , also the top layer comes off and give a good amount of scratch resistance and a little less drop resistance(as if the screen protector is already applied).
better camera ,better performance , better design ( my opinion ) , sensor works as home button , eventually no phones will have headphone jack , i love usb C headphones but they often don't work with ones that has a headphone jack.
you have apps for that on play store ;)
Salis Salman How is the performance and battery life? I'm a sucker for really fast performance but on a tight budget.
Bro: I could watch you review a bagel and be entertained.
"The lox aren't the latest that Einstein Bros could have brought us, but they will satisfy all but the most discerning power nosher."
Bahahaaaa. April 1 note: taken
MrMobile [Michael Fisher] that would be a seriously cool move if you followed through. Just sayin' . Consider yourself dared!
I want to see him review something like a smart fridge or washer/dryer.
The dough conditioners are a huge deal breaker from Einstein Bros. You might as well make your own if you can't find a bagel place that doesn't have dough conditioners. Either way, it's concentrated carbs!
Best tech reviewer on TH-cam, hands down! His videos are entertaining and beautifully shot and edited, yet incredibly informative! Thanks Michael! :)
Review rating: 10/5
Sumit chatterjee 11/5.
Frank Wong 5/5=1 and 2>1 so idk what's bad about that
More like 10/4 for the actual review and 4/10 for my phone rating of this phone.
Z2 Play owner for sure lol
Now z2 force is on sale at 240$ is it worth it now??
Should I buy??
The Z2 Force is still a great phone 5 years later! It was the last Z phone that supports Daydream VR goggles and has the unbreakable shattershield display, which needs a screen protector, but will never break. You obviously didn't use it for a while. It is snappy and has a great camera.
Decided to go with ur video instead of other reviewers. The best reviewer out there man 🔥
You know it's bad when Mr. Mobile isn't recommending a Moto phone.
As a loyal subscriber, once a MrMobile video is uploaded. I quit whatever I am doing and watch the whole video. I don't skip even a second, because every second of MrMobile-video is something valuable.
Thank you for all the hard work!👍🌷
I disagree with your assessment but great review that truthfully demonstrates the phone. I feel like all the reviewers are missing the point of this phone. It's all about flexibility. Want a super slim phone to slide in a suit pocket while going out to dinner? Take the naked phone. Flying all day and going to lean on the phone hard? Phone with battery mod. Traveling but don't want to or can't carry a camera? Phone with camera mod etc. I was intrigued by the modular format on the first generation Moto's but did not trust Motorola to preserve backward compatibility with the next generation of phones. I didn't want to get stuck with $1000 worth of mods when I upgraded in a year. Well, they have kept their word.
If I had it my way, I would own several phones and take the one with me every morning that best fit my needs for that day. The US system doesn't really allow for this but this phone is as close as you are going to get.
After having five Samsung Galaxy phones in a row (Galaxy Nexus, 5,6,7 and 7 Edge) I will be dumping Samsung and buying this phone in the next few days. Samsung lost me with the silly "infinity screen". The Galaxy S7 Edge is my least favorite phone in the entire Galaxy series. Cannot wait to get rid of it.
William Binns just got it today and I love it! definitely pick it up!
Thanks for the feedback. I don't think you and I actually disagree about all that much; I love the Mods (despite finding them rather limiting from a practical standpoint). It's the phone itself I have a problem with; it's too expensive. The Z2 Play is a much better deal, IMO. But hey - glad you're enjoying it!
William Binns i love this phone and ill be grabbing a turbo pack with it.
Although i must say the camera mod is trash. The one with all the zoom. Its actually way worse than the stock camera, the only thing it does is zoom in a lot at the expense of a ton of quality
Do you own the camera mod? I have read the reviews but there are times when the lack of optical zoom makes a camera phone near useless. Although a little pricey, the mod is worth it to me just to fill that need.
William Binns its zoom canbe useful at times and i get the appeal but to me it isnt worth the sacrifice of quality
I personally want to see the Design of the Moto X 2014 make a come back, in my opinion is still one of the nicest looking Android phone out there and it wasn't afraid to be a little thick!!
Because I'm quite early...
I'm *FORCED* to write a good comment...
**slow clap**
Sangyoon Sim you got *PLAYED*
Sangyoon Sim weak
Well I guess I have to *MOTOROLA MOBILITY OF LENOVO GROUP LTD* of a better pun than you :^)
LMAO
Dude I freaking love your videos. No idea why they don't get at least a million views, and why you don't have a million subscribers. They have a certain class and sophistication, with some really subtle humour and just great cinematics. Keep it up 💯💯
This reminds me of the jump from the Moto X to the Moto X 2014, except that the 2014 model was actually a great device. All it was missing was a bigger battery.
I miss having that phone.
At least The Carriers are happy! Lol
You'll always cry because they offer a product or service and make money.. They should be a "charity" too, right?
Umm what the hell was that train doing?!
Climbing a mountain bruh
2:01 someone screaming "SHATTERSHIELD" is hilarious
I like that you touched on the fear of placing the phone on its display. I never do that with my Moto Z Force Droid for the same reason. And thanks for providing some insight and your opinion on the battery performance.
It's a shame because I really love that feature!
Just do as me, buy some tempered glass screen protectors and you have the best of both worlds.
Thanks Michael for confirming for me that the Z2 Force is DOA. I was excited about getting the new Force to replace my ageing Moto X Force and then I saw a rumor that it was was going to have a sub3000mAh, hoping that it was for the normal Z2 rather than the force or was just wrong. And then I watched the launch coverage and I knew that Motonovo had killed the Turbo lineup with flagship specs powered by a large capacity battery. I was planning to buy the TurboPower Mod to use on heavier days but to be all but forced to buy it feels wrong, now that they don't even include a high wattage charger in the box, I will not be buying a new Z2 Force.
Great review as always, thanks for telling it how it is. I'll never trade off thin for battery. It's too bad company's will never understand that... especially when they can just sell you an extra accessory to make up for the gimp they built in.
I like your way of reviewing phones. You are not afraid to say what really up. Keep doing what you do and stay mobile, my friend. ☺
Disappointment - the phone, not the review. Review is lit as always
Well, guess I'll have to wait and see what Motorola (errr.. Lenovo) does with their next Moto X. But from the looks of things, I'll be buying the new Pixel.
ron bZoom the leaked X4 looks TERRIBLE! I've been holding out in the hope that Lenovo would do right by Moto, but alas, they've killed it. it's sad when ZTE's Axon 7 is a better successor to the MXPE than the x4...better software support too...smh
True! I've seen some of those leaks and they bummed me out. I had the first Moto X and I'm still using the Moto X Pure Edition. I now see that the next Moto X will have midrange specs and an uninspired metal body (no more Moto Maker???). If that's the case, I'd just assume get the Moto Z Play 2 (or better yet, the Play 1 with that kick-butt battery that never dies). This really sucks. From my first flip phone to my first smart phone (Droid 3), I've been a Motorola guy. And while I still like the cool tricks the Motos can do while remaining near-pure Android, Lenovo keeps shooting this line in the foot. I don't know, this may be the year I finally jump ship.
ron bZoom my nephew has the Z Play 1. the only real difference between it and my MXPE are MUCH better battery life, less attractive, and worse camera. the OS is just as snappy...and it's on Nougat.
I was a little late to the game with Moto, but I LOVE the MXPE compared to any other smartphone released since. especially considering Moto Maker...my younger brother has a black MXPE with ash wood back and blue accents...its freaking gorgeous!
however, the lack of software support is driving me away from Motorola. if only the competition would make a real "upgrade" for me to consider. the look, feel, and speakers of the MXPE together, in one package, is unrivaled. I have no idea what my next phone will be...almost every phone looks the same since 2016. a bunch of sad uninspiring rectangles that are much too thin...
Well my Moto X PE is still running Marshmallow (of course). I've already come to terms that I'll probably never get Nougat. My battery life has not been good for months now and it often runs pretty hot. And I really don't put any great demands on my phone! Fortunately it does have Turbo-charge and I think the camera is pretty damn good, especially in the daylight. The MXPE was great at first but I never warmed up to it the way I did when I got the first Moto X.
I'm going to hold off a few months and hit a Best Buy to "taste test" the new Pixel, the new Moto X, Z Force 2, Z Play 2, Note 8, the LG V30 and, oh what the heck, the long suffering LG G6.
If I go with any of the new Moto Zs, I'll just budget for a battery pack mod and perhaps a charger back mod as well.
I love my Moto X (2nd gen/2014), I'm still using it as my daily driver since I haven't found a newer phone that appeals to me as much. (plus I have the natural leather back, and it has the most gorgeous patina on it!) Too good to give up
Thanks as always for the solid, unbiased review. As a moto fan myself, using a Z Force 1st gen, I was really looking forward to your review to see if this phone was as disappointing as it seemed on paper. I don't understand what moto is doing why would I buy this phone which seems worse than a gen 1 in every way except processing power and internal memory. Thanks again for being fair in your reporting.
Bought today at Bestbuy for $170 incl tax
Good device for that price 😁
The way you play with pronunciation and emphasis is just outstanding. Really good video!
So should I get the Moto Z2 Play, or wait for the Moto X4 in the fall? I hear it's supposed to have dual cameras, a battery larger than even the Z2 Play, and be cheaper
Cameron Cross Z2.
Lenevo is just killing the Motorola brand. They are doing good job in the mid range phone's like G's and E's but they are not as good in the high end or high end mid range phone's
Whaaat? More than $1000 for the phone with the 360 camera!!! Well you say it, it's better to go with the Play.
Nice points man, good review always.
Chemy Torres now the phone is $200 and the camera is $65!!
The new U Ultra.
makes no sense whatsoever
thezpark
It's the opposite actually.
Chidoro41 The U Ultra was criticized for having bad battery life, big bezels, big camera bump, not being water resistant and and costing over 700 dollar at launch.
*Matthew Noneya* What do you mean?
thezpark lmao true
I'm buying the Z2 Force on eBay, unlocked for only $180!! It is less than a year old!!
I have the z force from last year, and the only real improvements I see on this phone are the better looking front (I don't know what they were thinking with the square home button on my phone) and slightly improved software. Dual cameras seem unnessecary and the smaller battery makes me definitly not want to go to the z2 force.
I have a Z1 Play and picked up a Z2 Force on a Black Friday sale. I fully agree, the Play is just better to use day to day. There's the headphone jack which I use often, and the big battery eliminates charger anxiety completely. The big battery is also useful in that it will power all those mods.
If I didn't NEED wi-fi calling (which my carrier-branded Force has, and my Play doesn't), I would stick with the Play. I still swap out the sim card when I leave down for more than a day as the Play powers my Hasselblad camera all day without having to deal with battery mods.
Never seen such an extremely honest review about any phone. Good going ✌
why does everyone hate this phone!? I have the phone and its amazing!
TechThatYT Me too. Good solid phone with expandable mods.
Nikolai Harhai yeah Moto rules
TechThatYT It was overpriced when it first came out.
pin pon it's now only $200.
@@SURENITY $120 at Best Buy and Sprint this week. Ordered two!
Guess the market agreed, I was able to pick up one on Motorola's site a few weeks back for $150. For that price, it's been a great phone so far. I picked up the gamepad and projector mods for $40 and $50 respectively and they've been great as well, but yeah, at full price for any of this, it wouldn't have been worth it.
I won my z2 force for free in a sales contest. Haven't opened it yet. Might use it for my second line or sell it. I'm loving my lg v30 lol
hate the trend of phones getting faster but batteries getting smaller
Before late 2016, Motorola used to make phone that has a design that made the phone more or less of a tool, which was probably one of the main reasons why I loved them at the first place. This was due to the rubber material used at the back of the phone, in which you could've customized with Moto Maker (along with the awesome curves within the phone's body; Moto dimple).
Now with Lenovo having almost complete control over the company, they basically done nothing but to hurt the design language that Motorola used to make. Basically the entirely of 2017, there hasn't been a phone that has the iconic grippy material on the back in their entire phone line up since 2016 with the Moto G4. All they've done was to influence the overused and unoriginal metal unibody design we have seen in countless amounts of phones.
I really miss when we were able to customize the phone's appearance with hardly any additional appearance; while now being stuck with the ability of being able to customize the phone's functionally for a huge price to pay in order to do so. And not even most of the Mods are practical to use anyways, with the wireless charger back and the battery pack being one of the more useful mods you can buy right now.
I really miss the time when you were able to use the phone knowing that your phone would be less likely to slip right out of your hands since of that design and where buying a case is an option, not an actual necessity.
Hey michael, would u recommend this phone now that its 375 at tmobile?
I'm wondering the same thing.
I just loved Moto ever since I bought the Moto Nexus 6 and Moto G3. Now I have the Moto G5 Plus. Might even buy the Moto E4 Plus with that 5,000 Mah battery! Wow!
Such a shame. I really like the idea of snap on, snap off mods, but they really messed up and cut too many corners on the force. I mean, come on, how much does a screen protector cost to throw into the box, or ship it pre-installed? So many cheaper Chinese phones do it, so Motorola could too.
I hope the Moto Z play does well, so we can see a better version next year, that will be worth buying.
For now, my HTC 10 will power me through, until a next big innovation hits, like perfected mods, or anything else.
Great review that kept it real, thanks Michael :)
@0:53 Hey Michael, just a heads up, Full HD is 2k (1920x1080). Quad HD is 2.5k (2560x1440)
OMFG MIKE! YOU ROASTED THE SHIT OUT OF MOTOROLA WITH THAT INTRO! Hahahahah
Brutally honest as usual! Appreciated.
I've been using the G5+ for about a week now and I'm really enjoying it! For $300 this thing is awesome! And every device should have the Moto gestures. Super useful!!
Yep, just as I expected.
Great review once again . I come to watch because the voice is soothing . Thanks Mr. Mobile
I watched this video with my son and he said the camera looks like a smiley face lol! Awesome review!
The best quality reviewer currently
What the f*ck is the point of a shatterproof display if you still have to shell out the cash for a screen protector? 😤
I dont even like this phone but love to watch Mr. Mobiles videos :)
Always good when my favorite TH-camrs upload a good video on my birthday. anyway, 2015 was Motorola's last good year. Almost forcing you to buy a screen protector Totally makes the shattershield useless to me
Mr Mobile you always says the pros and cons exactly it as it is, no sugar coating and thats why I always refer to your page before I purchase anything . Im disappointed that this z2 has in some ways regressed from the old z force. I would have bought it, even if I had to import it from the US if it kept all the features that made last years version unique and improved on screen. Infact I Was going to buy it until I saw this.
just got this phone today. so much smoother and faster than my s8 was! installed a glass screen protector and ready to go!
I watched this on my z2 force and it works fine
Keep rocking with your reviews Mr. Fisher! Awesome video and very objective. And always stay📱my friend.
Basically the Moto Z2 Play makes you happy and Z2 Force makes carriers happy but unhappy you
Great review! Lenovo/Moto really dropped the ball on this phone. Hopefully the rumors of a new Moto X device hold true and they bring back the front firing speakers and ergonomic design of the last Moto X.
Opu Ofbengal I hope they don't go for bottom firing speakers, ever since they did it with the recently announce Moto G5S Plus (a rather pointless phone if you ask me). Even if it would be rumored to be a mid-range phone, I wouldn't mind buying it, unless if it has a bottom firing speaker or no headphone jack.
It's as if Moto has no idea what the competition is doing.....
its 329 on b&h photo and 375.00 on tmobile right now 15.00 a mo and 15 down
I mean, I have the Moto X Force from 2015, and the display being soft was never a problem. It's also designed to be user replaceable (tutorial on website) if it ever does get damaged, and I've had no problems using a "3-for-$10" tempered glass screen protector from Amazon. Used a spare once from a crack from a drop, base screen still like new.
And it's still nice having up-to-date flagship specs with all the neat little Moto features. Just comes down to the price, I guess. I think Moto phones are best bought secondhand at a year old. Turbo 2 (a.k.a. Moto X Force) unlocked was $190 when Moto Z came out. Moto Zs are under $260 now that Z2 Play is out, and will hit the $200 point when Z2 Force is out.
This is how you deal with Moto phones.
Buy at $200. Keep your phone "very good" to "near-mint" with a case and screen protector. Sell on Swappa or eBay a year later for $160. You get the next phone for $200. I've been doing this since Droid X and upgrading my Moto flagship every year for 7 years. One year old phones retain their "one year old" value for 2 more years.
A much better return on investment than buying at $700 and selling at $200 after 1 year.
+Joseph DiSalvo New Shattershield design prevents user swapping of top layer, sadly.
Wooohoo!!! Keep the videos rolling! Will be in anticipation for the next one
I totally agree. I waited until this was introduced to see the differences between the S8+ and this phone and the battery reduction without including a battery mod made this phone unbuyable. Had they only reduced the battery to maybe 3200 and not included a battery case mod I might have reconsidered. Well here I am almost a week after receiving the S8+ and I can say I fell like I made the right choice. Especially after seeing your review. P.S. I purchased the S8+ though BB through a special for,$516 plus tax. I also just bought a 5500 mah battery case for $30 bucks and have found excellent deals on quality cases via SlickDeals.Net. I may not get mods but I didn't get hardly any bezels either.
Any of you guys remember the moto x? Yeah me too. Good times.... Good times....
I rocked the Moto x2 for two years until I got the pixel 2. Let me tell you something. I miss the build so much on that phone with slimmer bezels, metal frame, and a bamboo back! My $650 pixel 2 feels like a toy compared to the Moto x2.
Well said Michael! You pointed out some things I hadn't noticed in the Play and Force, and that's why I love your reviews! That and the clean, crispy aesthetic of course! :)
Man, I love your reviews. Always awesome. Keep it up! Greetings from Germany! 😉😎
Your reviews are great, but this is exceptional. Thanks.
By the way, as a customer i wouldn't even consider the z2 play.
The z play costs about 250€ en Europe, it has a bigger battery, and is pretty much the same smartphone.
As always, you do a great review. If the battery wasn't so bad, I'd really consider this phone considering I have owned a Moto G2, a Moto X Pure, A Moto G4 Play, and my current Moto G5 Plus. (Yes, I've broken quite a few phones since 2014). So I'm a big Moto fan. I hated the Z gen 1 design and glad the Z2 phones are much more robust. But I cannot justify owning a Z2 Force with my wallet despite being heavily enticed by that shatterproof screen for previously stated reasons :P
Plain simple, your reviews are amazingly well done ! Thanks for your hard work!
You're more than welcomed back, headphone jack!
Just got the Z Force for 120 happy with the phone:)
Moto software addict here. Unless you can convince me the Moto Z2 Play possesses a significantly better image acquisition system than the Z Play, the reason for choose the the Z2 Force (with a battery pack) over the Z Play is the image acquisition system. The original Z Play works well for only completely stationary objects in sun light. The Moto X PE was a better system. I want to move to the Z2 Force (with a battery pack), but the scratcher shield is such a turn off. Hopefully the X4 will have a great camera and can last like the Z play.
I ordered this phone from T-Mobile on cyber Monday for $300 plus the free projector mod. Figured, why not, at this price?....
I don't know why i like your reviews more than MKBHD reviews.
Michael Fisher is the man. Fantastic review as always.
Damn Michael is brutal with this one. Agree tho, why all the compromises on such a flagship level, Moto?
Bawono Budi Ask Lenovo
Nice review! I like the mod idea but those pieces are quite expensive.
I think it would have been great to see a quick price comparison to put the phone in perspective like you did with the batteries. Other phones go on sale often or are a better value.
So who's excited for the new Samsung?
Not the phone the refrigerator
Don't let the specs fool you, the battery is good, and it has a battery saver mode. So if you get it on sale it's a good phone. Battery mod is 40 bucks at best buy.
What a mess. This phone, that is. Your video was great as usual.
Another extremely well done video. I absolutely love what you're doing man. Your video editing, transitions, catchy background music, and honest feedback just come together to make something beautiful. I can't say it enough. I just discovered your channel and I am immensely satisfied with your content. I love it. Keep doing your thing man. You rock.
Mr Mobile:..and sold at a fair price.
Me:Sounds like the Moto Z2 Play
Mr Mobile: That phone is the Moto Z2 Play
Me: Seems legit
Nicely done - as always. Appreciate your objective analysis. Your credibility is sky high.
I don't want slimmer phones!!! Even slightly thick device is okay... Stock Android, Large battery and powerful processor that's all I need in a smartphone
Dear Smartphone makers see its not that difficult!!
Really hope the Moto X⁴ steals the show this year. Not holding my breath they carriers will pick it up but I'm ok with that.
Very honest review about the cutbacks in this phone
I'm not impressed by the processor or mod pricing
I really enjoy last years Moto Z. Not sure if I will get another one though if they continue to go this route.
Finally a fair review. Hats off to you MrMobile.
Well-needed, informative review with solid sound and video quality. If there is one useful thing that I could ask of you, it would be to label the phones in the particular screenshot. I am not familiar enough with the recognizable differences between them to tell them apart. Hence, my whole reason for coming here in the first place. Anyhow , Thanks
It's always a pleasure watching your videos.
0:40 I like how you didn't even bother with correcting it.
Hey thanks for the review, its very comprehensive and covers the important stuff! Just wondering if you've seen the plastic on the screen peel off like some other reviewers have. I have the Moto Z and was thinking of investing into mods but if this series of phones continue in a negative direction I may get something else without these compromises in the future.
Moto Z Play Droid user here. This review confirms what I already know: No other Z line phone can match the value of the Moto Z Play. I'm not trying to blare my own horn here too much. I may skip the following generation after this one, judging what the trajectory is going.
Yeah, the Play was really amazing in retrospect.
Why the hell did they remove ois? The original z has it.
OIS + dual camera systems is hard to do, IIRC
MrMobile [Michael Fisher] I don't think so. The same gyro/ position sensor for both lenses and some bit more precise motors for the stabilization. Something to expect from a 700 dollar phone.
And thanks for the answer. Didn't expect that
MrMobile [Michael Fisher] Everytime I see abbreviations like iirc I have to check the urban dictionary
It introcduces laser auto focus instead
Whenever i am depressed i simply watch mr mobiles reviews......
These are going for $120 at Best Buy and sprint.com this week. At that price it's a great bargain. Ordered two.