Motorola Moto Z vs Motorola Moto Z Play
A spec-by-spec comparison of the Motorola Moto Z and the Motorola Moto Z Play, taken from their full specification sheets. Green marks the better value in each measured row.
Head to head
| Motorola Moto Z | Motorola Moto Z Play |
|---|
| Our rating | 8/10 | 8/10 |
| Battery | 2,600 mAh | 3,510 mAh |
| Wired charging | 15W | 15W |
| RAM (max) | 4 GB | 3 GB |
| Storage (max) | 64 GB | 32 GB |
| Screen size | 5.5 in | 5.5 in |
| Main camera | 13 MP | 16 MP |
| Weight (lower is lighter) | 136 g | 165 g |
| Released | Sep 2016 | Sep 2016 |
Summary: Motorola Moto Z is ahead on ram (max), storage (max), weight (lower is lighter). Motorola Moto Z Play is ahead on battery, main camera.
★ Which should you buy? Motorola Moto Z is the stronger overall pick on the measured specs.
Researched with AI assistance by infozme.com from manufacturer and retailer sources — see how we research & rate phones.
Display
| Motorola Moto Z | Motorola Moto Z Play |
|---|
| Type | AMOLED | Super AMOLED |
| Size | 5.5 inches | 5.5 inches, 82.6 cm2 (~69.1% screen-to-body ratio) |
| Resolution | 1440 x 2560 pixels, 16:9 ratio (~535 ppi density) | 1080 x 1920 pixels, 16:9 ratio (~403 ppi density) |
| Protection | Corning Gorilla Glass 4 | Corning Gorilla Glass 3 |
Platform
| Motorola Moto Z | Motorola Moto Z Play |
|---|
| OS | Android 6.0.1 (Marshmallow), upgradable to Android 8.0 (Oreo) | Android 6.0.1 (Marshmallow), upgradable to Android 8.0 (Oreo) |
| Chipset | Qualcomm MSM8996 Snapdragon 820 (14 nm) | Qualcomm MSM8953 Snapdragon 625 (14 nm) |
| CPU | Quad-core (2x2.15 GHz Kryo & 2x1.6 GHz Kryo) | Octa-core 2.0 GHz Cortex-A53 |
| GPU | Adreno 530 | Adreno 506 |
Memory
| Motorola Moto Z | Motorola Moto Z Play |
|---|
| Card slot | microSDXC (dedicated slot, up to 2TB) | microSDXC (dedicated slot) |
| Internal | 32GB 4GB RAM, 64GB 4GB RAM | 32GB 3GB RAM (eMMC 5.1) |
Main Camera
| Motorola Moto Z | Motorola Moto Z Play |
|---|
| Single | 13 MP, f/1.8, OIS, Laser AF | — |
| Features | Dual-LED dual-tone flash, HDR, panorama | Laser AF, Dual-LED dual-tone flash, panorama |
| Video | 4K@30fps, 1080p@60fps, HDR | 4K@30fps, 1080p@30fps, 720p@120fps |
| Modules | — | 16 MP, f/2.0, 1.3µm, PDAF |
Selfie Camera
| Motorola Moto Z | Motorola Moto Z Play |
|---|
| Single | 5 MP, f/2.2, 1.4µm | — |
| Features | LED flash | LED flash |
| Video | 1080p@30fps | 1080p@30fps |
| Modules | — | 5 MP, f/2.2, 1/4.0", 1.4µm |
Battery
| Motorola Moto Z | Motorola Moto Z Play |
|---|
| Type | Li-Ion 2600 mAh, non-removable | Li-Ion |
| Charging | 15W wired (Motorola TurboPower) | 15W wired (TurboPower) |
| Capacity | — | 3510 mAh, non-removable |
Body
| Motorola Moto Z | Motorola Moto Z Play |
|---|
| Dimensions | 153.3 x 75.3 x 5.19 mm | 156.4 x 76.4 x 7 mm (6.16 x 3.01 x 0.28 in) |
| Weight | 136 g | 165 g (5.82 oz) |
| Build | Glass front (Gorilla Glass 4), aluminum frame, glass back | Glass front (Gorilla Glass 3), glass back, aluminum frame |
| SIM | Nano-SIM | Nano-SIM or Dual SIM (Nano-SIM, dual stand-by) |
| Features | Water-repellent coating | Splash and dust resistant |
Comms
| Motorola Moto Z | Motorola Moto Z Play |
|---|
| WLAN | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, dual-band, Wi-Fi Direct | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n, Wi-Fi Direct |
| Bluetooth | 4.1, A2DP, LE, aptX | 4.0, A2DP, LE, aptX |
| Positioning | GPS, GLONASS | GPS, GLONASS |
| NFC | Yes | Yes |
| Radio | FM radio | No |
| USB | USB Type-C 2.0, OTG, magnetic connector | USB Type-C, magnetic connector |
Launch
| Motorola Moto Z | Motorola Moto Z Play |
|---|
| Announced | June 2016 | 2016, August |
| Status | Released September 2016 | Discontinued |
Frequently asked questions
Which has the better battery, Motorola Moto Z or Motorola Moto Z Play?
Motorola Moto Z Play — 2,600 mAh for the Motorola Moto Z versus 3,510 mAh for the Motorola Moto Z Play.
Which has more RAM, Motorola Moto Z or Motorola Moto Z Play?
Motorola Moto Z — 4 GB for the Motorola Moto Z versus 3 GB for the Motorola Moto Z Play.
Which is lighter, Motorola Moto Z or Motorola Moto Z Play?
Motorola Moto Z — 136 g for the Motorola Moto Z versus 165 g for the Motorola Moto Z Play.
Is the Motorola Moto Z or the Motorola Moto Z Play rated higher?
We rate the Motorola Moto Z 8/10 and the Motorola Moto Z Play 8/10.
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