Moto Z3 Play vs. Moto Z4: Which should you buy?

Bigger, better display

Moto Z4

$400 at Amazon

Pros

• Larger display with tighter bezels
• Faster processor and higher storage
• Revival of the headphone jack
• Better, higher resolution camera
• Great battery life

Cons

• Moto Mods leave an uncomfortable gap
• More expensive

While there's no Play model this time around, the Moto Z4 is still a great mid-range option from Motorola. The tighter bezels help squeeze a much larger, more vivid display into roughly the same body as the Z3, and the camera is much more capable.

Better Mod fit

Moto Z3 Play

$410 at Amazon

Pros

• Moto Mods fit the Z3 Play better
• Better capacitive fingerprint sensor
• More affordable

Cons

• Design feels dated
• No headphone jack
• Slower specs

The Moto Z3 Play doesn't have the modern fit and finish of the newer Z4, but it's still a capable mid-range phone. Best of all, it still has full support for the Moto Mod ecosystem.

Most phones become obsolete once their successors hit the market, but that's not the case when comparing the Moto Z3 Play vs Z4. This is thanks in large part to the Moto Mod ecosystem of accessories, which allows you to add new functionality to the phone. While there's plenty to still love about the Z3 Play, the Moto Z4 brings a new set of advantages like faster specs, a bigger display, and better battery life.

Moto Z3 Play vs. Moto Z4 Moto Mods keep things feeling fresh

If you're shopping around for a new Android phone and don't want to blow an entire month's rent on it, Motorola has a strong selection of mid-range devices to choose from. The Moto Z3 Play and Moto Z4 both share similar designs and ship with nearly identical software — which is to say a near totally stock build of Android with a few convenient Motorola goodies thrown in, like Moto Actions and Moto Display.

The biggest physical difference between the two devices is in the displays. The Moto Z3 Play already had a respectable and fairly large 18:9 AMOLED display, but the Moto Z4 takes it a step further by extending the display across almost the entirety of the front of the phone, leaving room only for a small display notch up top that holds the front-facing camera. It's a much more modern look compared to the Z3 Play, and it allows the Z4 to hold a considerably larger display in nearly the same form factor.

Category	Moto Z3 Play	Moto Z4
Operating System	Android 9 Pie	Android 9 Pie
Display	6.01-inch 18:9 AMOLED 2160 x 1080 (402 ppi)	6.4-inch 19.5:9 OLED 2340 x 1080 (403 ppi)
Processor	Snapdragon 636	Snapdragon 675
Graphics	Adreno 509	Adreno 612
Memory	4GB	4GB
Storage	64GB	128GB
Expandable Storage	Yes	Yes
Rear Camera	12MP, ƒ/1.7, 1.4µm + 5MP depth sensor	48MP, ƒ/1.7, 0.8µm
Front Camera	8MP, ƒ/2.0, 1.12µm	25MP, ƒ/2.0, 0.9µm
Security	Side-mounted fingerprint sensor	In-display fingerprint sensor
Connectivity	Wi-Fi 802.11 ac, Bluetooth 5.0	Wi-Fi 802.11 ac, Bluetooth 5.0
Headphone jack	No	Yes
Battery	3000mAh	3600mAh
Water Resistance	P2i	P2i
Dimensions	156.5 x 76.5 x 6.8mm	158 x 75 x 7.4mm
Weight	156g	165g

Speaking of form factors, it's hard to tell the phones apart at a quick glance, but the Z4 trades the Z3 Play's glossy glass backing for a matte finish one and gains a few millimeters in height as a result. It's mostly unnoticeable, but it means that Motorola had to round off the back of the Z4 slightly so that it could still support the Moto Mod magnetic attachments.

Clean Android and Moto Mod support help the Moto Z3 Play still feel new, even if it isn't the newest model.

Those Moto Mods are a huge part of what makes the Z3 Play still a viable option. While the Z4 has the upper hand in raw specs, with a faster processor, more storage, and a larger battery, you can add features to the Z3 Play at a whim. There are plenty of great Moto Mods to choose from, like the Turbo Power Pack Mod and even a 5G Moto Mod that brings support for Verizon's UWB 5G network. However, one disadvantage the Moto Z4 has is that its rounded back makes for an awkward fitting with Mods; you'll often notice a gap in your hand that isn't there with the Z3 Play.

The Moto Z4 also comes with a free Moto 360 Camera Mod in the box, allowing you to capture unique 360-degree videos that you can turn into panoramic shots or post to supporting social networks like Facebook. On the other hand, the Moto Z3 Play includes a Moto Power Pack Mod for extending its battery life, which many will find more useful and helps offset the Z3 Play's smaller battery.

Moto Z3 Play vs. Moto Z4 Same price makes the choice easy

Despite the poorer fit of many Moto Mods, the Moto Z4 is clearly the better phone of the two. Its design, while similar to before, is much more modern, the specs are more powerful, and the camera is significantly better. Where the Z4 Play featured a secondary 5MP sensor for measuring depth, the Moto Z4 instead features a single camera with much larger pixels, allowing it to take in more light. It's also a higher resolution, with a whopping 48MP at its disposal.

As time has pased on these devices, the Moto Z4 and the Z3 Play are nearly the same price on a normal day, and while someone may be perfectly happy with the Z3 Play — the Moto Z4 is the better device here. The 18:9 display still looks fantastic on the Z3 Play, and Moto Mods help keep the phone feeling new — it's even compatible with the 5G Moto Mod if you're on Verizon. However, the Z4 will likely receive software support for longer than the Z3 Play. No matter which phone you buy, you're getting a capable mid-range Android phone.

Bigger, better display

Moto Z4

A more modern and powerful phone.

$400 at Amazon $400 at Walmart

The Moto Z4 has a newer look and feel, and still supports Moto Mod attachments, including the 5G Moto Mod. It has a much better camera and a larger, better-looking display than the Z3 Play.

Better Mod fit

Moto Z3 Play

Still a great option.

$410 at Amazon $560 at Walmart

The Moto Z3 Play isn't the newest phone around, but it still has respectable internals and modern Android software. With Moto Mods, you can add a bigger battery, speaker, or projector on a whim.

by Hayato Huseman