Motorola Moto Z (2016) review

Motorola announced the launch of the Moto Z smartphone in 2016. The manufacturer is offering the Motorola Moto Z phone with 5.5 inch display, Qualcomm Snapdragon 820 MSM8996 chipset, 4 GB of RAM and 32 GB of internal storage.

The Motorola Moto Z series was launched with Android OS v6.0.1 (Marshmallow) pre-installed, but it is upgradable to newer versions of OS as they become available. The 5.5 inch phone comes with a high resolution AMOLED display (1440 x 2560 px). AMOLED displays are used in many high-end and flagship devices. This smartphone has a single camera on the back (13 MP, 4160 x 3120 px, autofocus, optical image stabilization). The single camera setup can be sufficient for many smartphone users, depending on their photography needs and preferences. The Moto Z also features a 5 MP front-facing camera.

Motorola Moto Z specifications

Body

The weight of Motorola Moto Z is about 4.8 oz with battery, which is average compared to most of the smartphones with same size. The dimensions of this Motorola smartphone are average (6.04 x 2.96 x 0.2 inch). Smaller smartphones are more compact and easier to carry around, but they may have smaller displays that can be harder to read and interact with. A Nano SIM is a small (12.3 x 8.8 x 0.67 mm) chipcard that is used in smartphones as a subscriber identity module (SIM) for connecting to a cellular network.

System

The Motorola Moto Z comes with Android OS v6.0.1 (Marshmallow) out of the box, but it is upgradable to the next OS. Android is a mobile operating system developed by Google based on a modified version of the Linux kernel and other open-source software. The Moto Z has a Qualcomm Snapdragon 820 MSM8996 CPU. This mid-range, quad-core CPU is capable of delivering fast and efficient performance for a wide range of tasks.

The Moto Z utilizes Adreno 530 GPU. A GPU (Graphics Processing Unit) is a specialized chip that is primarily designed to handle and accelerate the processing of graphics and visual data. It is responsible for rendering images, videos, and animations on a smartphone screen. Adreno GPUs are designed to work in conjunction with Qualcomm's Snapdragon processors. The latest Adreno GPUs support advanced graphics features such as high dynamic range (HDR) rendering, virtual reality, and augmented reality applications.

Display

The Moto Z features a 5.5 inch AMOLED display. AMOLED displays enable an Always-On Display feature, where a portion of the screen remains active to display information such as time, date, notifications, or custom widgets, even when the rest of the display is off. The 5.5 inch display make this smartphone pocket-friendly. The size of the screen is measured diagonally, from corner to corner. A larger screen typically requires more power to illuminate, which can impact battery life. The display of Motorola Moto Z is multitouch capable. Multitouch technology enables the device's touchscreen to detect and interpret multiple touch points on the screen simultaneously.

Memory

The Motorola Moto Z comes with 4 GB of RAM, which is considered to be sufficient for most users' needs. Having more RAM in a smartphone can provide benefits in terms of performance and multitasking. When you have more RAM, you can keep more apps and processes open in the background without slowing down the device. 32 GB of internal storage is generally considered to be the minimum amount of storage you would want in a smartphone. The Moto Z has 32 GB of internal storage. The memory of Motorola Moto Z (4 GB) cannot be expanded, but the internal storage (32 GB) can be expanded with a compatible microSD card. A microSD card is a type of small, removable flash memory card used to store digital information.

Camera

The Moto Z offers only a single-camera setup. The single camera can still be sufficient for many smartphone users, depending on their photography needs and preferences. The main camera of the Moto Z is equipped with autofocus. An autofocus (or AF) optical system uses a sensor, a control system and a motor to focus on an automatically or manually selected point or area. Very few Android cameras come without autofocus. The main camera of Moto Z has optical image stabilization (OIS) to counteract camera shake. Optical image stabilization is a must for anyone shooting without a tripod with a long lens or in low light conditions.

Connectivity

The Motorola Moto Z supports 4G/LTE networks. 4G is the fourth generation of mobile phone technology. 4G provides faster data transfer speeds compared to previous generations. It offers peak download speeds ranging from 100 Mbps to 1 Gbps, depending on the specific network and implementation. To connect to a Wi-Fi network on the Motorola Moto Z, you simply need to go to the Wi-Fi settings on the device, select the network you want to connect to, and enter the password.

The Moto Z smartphone is capable of connecting to Bluetooth devices. Bluetooth is a wireless communication technology that allows devices to connect and communicate with each other over short distances. The Moto Z has a GPS receiver. GPS allows smartphones to determine their precise location and provide accurate navigation and mapping services. This includes turn-by-turn directions, real-time traffic updates, points of interest, and alternative routes.

The Moto Z comes with NFC (Near Field Communication) functionality. Near Field Communication (NFC) is a short-range wireless connectivity technology that makes life easier and more convenient for consumers around the world by making it simpler to make transactions, exchange digital content, and connect electronic devices with a touch. The Moto Z phone has built-in FM radio. The built-in FM Radio is great for listening to your favorite radio station.

The Moto Z has an USB Type-C port. Type-C is a small, reversible connector that can be plugged in to a device in either orientation, making it more convenient to use than older USB connectors that only worked when plugged in a certain way. The Moto Z smartphone has a 3.5 mm headphone jack. A 3.5 mm headphone jack is a small round port, that allows you to connect wired headphones or earphones to the device.

Battery

The Li-Ion 2600 mAh, non-removable battery gives the smartphone a good battery backup. The Li-ion is a low maintenance battery which offers high energy, is lightweight and does not require periodic full discharge. The battery of Moto Z isn't removable without voiding the warranty.

Features

Smartphones today come with a wealth of sensors to facilitate a better user experience. The accelerometer is a sensor that measures the tilting motion and orientation of the phone. The Moto Z phone has a fingerprint scanner. This sensor identifies and authenticates the fingerprints of an individual in order to grant or deny access to a smartphone. This Motorola phones come with proximity sensor. This proximity sensor detects how close the phone is to an outside object, such as your ear. The ambient light sensor detects the level of ambient light in the surrounding environment. The main purpose of a light sensor in a smartphone is to automatically adjust the brightness of the device's display.

The specifications above are based on the official data published by the manufacturer, but we also take user reviews into consideration. If you found an error or something lacking in the specifications above for the Motorola Moto Z, then don’t hesitate and signal the problem to us.

Motorola Moto Z pictures

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