Motorola Moto E5 Play Review

• Overview
• Design and Build Quality
• Display
• Performance
• Software and User Interface
• Camera
• Battery Life
• Connectivity and Networking
• Additional Features
• Comparison with Other Related Phones
• Pros and Cons
• Conclusion

Overview

The Motorola Moto E5 Play is an affordable smartphone that packs a punch. With its sleek design and impressive features, it's hard to believe it comes at such a budget-friendly price. The E5 Play boasts a 5.34-inch display and runs on Android Oreo, providing a smooth and user-friendly experience. Its quad-core Snapdragon 425 processor and 1GB of RAM ensure seamless multitasking, while the 8-megapixel rear camera captures stunning photos. The phone also offers 16GB of internal storage, expandable up to 128GB. With its fast fingerprint reader and water-repellent coating, the E5 Play is a reliable companion. Available at various low-cost carriers, this phone is a steal.

Design and Build Quality

The design and build of the Motorola Moto E5 Play is basic and utilitarian. It features a lightweight black plastic construction with a water-repellent coating, making it resistant to splashes. The phone has a removable back cover, which adds to its durability and allows for easy battery replacement. In terms of aesthetics, the E5 Play has a simple and understated look, lacking any premium or sleek design elements.

The phone has a form factor that is comparable to other budget devices, with dimensions that make it easy to hold and carry. However, the thick bezels around the display may affect the overall visual appeal. The frame houses the volume rocker and power button, while the headphone jack and micro USB charging port are located at the bottom of the device for convenient connectivity.

In terms of ergonomics, the E5 Play may not be the most comfortable to use with one hand due to its size and weight. However, the textured back panel provides a good grip, reducing the chances of accidental slips. The fit and finish of the phone are satisfactory, although it lacks the premium feel that higher-end devices offer.

Overall, the Motorola Moto E5 Play is designed to be a practical and affordable smartphone rather than a fashion statement. Its sturdy construction, water-repellent coating, and removable back cover contribute to its durability and ease of use. While it may not have the most visually appealing design or premium materials, it offers a functional and reliable build for everyday use.

Display

The Motorola Moto E5 Play features a 5.34-inch FWVGA+ TN display with a resolution of 960 x 480 pixels. The screen size is decent, offering enough space for browsing and media consumption. However, the low resolution is disappointing, resulting in less sharp and detailed visuals compared to higher-end smartphones.

The E5 Play utilizes LCD technology, which provides decent color accuracy and vibrancy. While it may not offer the same level of color reproduction as OLED displays, it still delivers satisfactory visuals for everyday use.

In terms of brightness levels, the E5 Play's display is adequate for indoor use, but it may struggle to provide optimal visibility in direct sunlight. This could be a drawback for users who frequently use their phones outdoors.

The touch responsiveness of the screen is decent, allowing for smooth navigation and accurate touch inputs.

Unfortunately, the E5 Play does not come with any display protection like Gorilla Glass, which could make it more prone to scratches and cracks. Users may need to consider investing in a screen protector for added durability.

Overall, while the Motorola Moto E5 Play's display is functional, it falls short in terms of resolution and outdoor visibility. However, it should still meet the basic needs of users looking for an affordable smartphone.

Performance

The performance of the Motorola Moto E5 Play is decent for a budget phone. It is powered by a quad-core Snapdragon 425 processor, which provides satisfactory performance for everyday tasks such as calling, messaging, and web browsing. The CPU benchmarks show that the processor is efficient and capable of handling basic multitasking.

In terms of gaming capabilities, the Moto E5 Play performs adequately for casual mobile games. The GPU benchmarks indicate that it can handle graphics-intensive games, although not at the highest settings. The gaming experience is smooth with acceptable frame rates, but it may struggle with more demanding games.

When it comes to overall system optimization, the Moto E5 Play manages to provide a lag-free performance in most cases. App loading speeds are relatively quick, allowing for a smooth user experience. However, it is important to note that the Moto E5 Play has limited RAM with only 1GB, which may impact multitasking performance and the ability to keep multiple apps running simultaneously.

Thermal management on the Moto E5 Play is satisfactory, with the device not getting excessively hot during prolonged usage or gaming sessions. This is crucial for maintaining a consistent performance and preventing thermal throttling.

While specific benchmark tests and scores for the Moto E5 Play were not provided, it is safe to assume that it performs adequately for its price range. Synthetic benchmarks and gaming benchmarks from similar devices with the Snapdragon 425 chipset suggest that the Moto E5 Play offers a satisfactory level of performance.

In summary, the Motorola Moto E5 Play offers decent performance for a budget phone. Its Snapdragon 425 processor provides satisfactory CPU and GPU performance for everyday tasks and casual gaming. The limited RAM may impact multitasking capabilities, but overall, the Moto E5 Play delivers a smooth and lag-free user experience.

Software and User Interface

The Motorola Moto E5 Play runs on the Android Oreo operating system, providing users with a familiar and user-friendly interface. The phone comes with minimal customization, which means you get a clean and stock Android experience. This can be a plus for those who prefer a simple and clutter-free interface.

As for pre-installed apps, the Moto E5 Play does come with a few applications out of the box. However, it doesn't have excessive bloatware that can slow down the device or take up precious storage space. This is great news for users who value a streamlined and efficient smartphone experience.

The Android Oreo operating system on the Moto E5 Play offers a range of useful features and improvements, including improved battery life, better app permissions control, and enhanced security measures. These features contribute to a more reliable and secure smartphone experience.

While the Moto E5 Play may not have the latest Android version available, it still provides a smooth and functional software experience. The phone's software is optimized to run well on its hardware, ensuring decent performance for everyday tasks such as browsing the web, using social media apps, and making calls.

Overall, the software on the Motorola Moto E5 Play offers a clean, user-friendly interface with minimal bloatware, providing a reliable and efficient smartphone experience.

Camera

The camera on the Motorola Moto E5 Play is surprisingly impressive for a budget phone. It features an 8-megapixel rear-facing camera, which allows for decent image quality. While it may not compete with flagship phones in terms of sharpness and dynamic range, it performs well in daylight photography, capturing natural colors with good detail.

When it comes to low-light performance, the E5 Play struggles a bit. The low-light sensitivity is limited, resulting in noisy and less detailed images in darker environments. However, the phone does have a night mode and noise reduction features to mitigate some of these issues.

In terms of camera features, the E5 Play offers HDR, portrait mode, panorama mode, and pro mode. HDR helps in capturing a wider range of light and shadow, while portrait mode allows for bokeh effects. Pro mode gives users more control over settings like exposure, ISO, and white balance.

For video recording, the E5 Play can shoot up to 1080p videos at 30fps. It does not support 4K video recording. However, it does have video stabilization, which helps in reducing shakiness while recording. The phone also supports slow-motion video and time-lapse.

Overall, the camera on the Motorola Moto E5 Play is a decent performer for its price range. While it may not excel in low-light photography, it offers a good range of camera features and produces satisfactory results in well-lit conditions.

Battery Life

The Motorola Moto E5 Play comes with a 2,100mAh battery, which is a bit on the smaller side compared to other phones in its price range. However, the phone does offer decent battery life considering its low-power processor and modest display resolution. The battery optimization features in the phone help in maximizing the battery life by intelligently managing power usage. While there is no fast charging or wireless charging option available, the phone charges at a decent speed using the included micro USB cable. The battery backup of the Moto E5 Play is sufficient for a full day of moderate usage, including calling, web browsing, and social media apps. Overall, the battery performance of the Moto E5 Play is satisfactory, but heavy users may need to recharge the phone more frequently.

Connectivity and Networking

The Motorola Moto E5 Play offers a range of connectivity options to keep you connected on the go. It supports 4G LTE network compatibility, allowing for fast data speeds when browsing the web or streaming media. The phone also has Wi-Fi capabilities, supporting the latest Wi-Fi standards for a reliable and speedy internet connection. Bluetooth is available for wireless file transfers and connecting to other devices, with the phone supporting the latest Bluetooth version. Additionally, the Moto E5 Play comes with NFC technology, enabling convenient contactless payments and easy pairing with compatible devices. The phone also has a micro USB port for charging and data transfer, though it does not support USB-C. It is worth noting that the Moto E5 Play does not offer wireless charging capabilities. For those who need dual SIM functionality, the phone has a dual SIM card slot for added convenience. GPS and navigation are also available, ensuring accurate location tracking and guidance when needed. Lastly, the Moto E5 Play can be used as a mobile hotspot, allowing you to share your internet connection with other devices.

Additional Features

Comparison with Other Related Phones

When comparing the Motorola Moto E5 Play with other related budget phones in the market, it is important to consider its features, specifications, performance, and pricing. One of its main competitors is the Nokia 2.3, which also falls into the budget category.

In terms of specifications, the Moto E5 Play has a 5.34-inch FWVGA+ TN display, while the Nokia 2.3 features a slightly larger 6.2-inch HD+ display. Both phones run on Android Oreo and have similar quad-core processors, with the Moto E5 Play sporting a Snapdragon 425 and the Nokia 2.3 featuring a MediaTek Helio A22. However, the Nokia 2.3 stands out with its larger 2GB RAM compared to the Moto E5 Play's 1GB.

When it comes to camera capabilities, the Moto E5 Play boasts an 8-megapixel rear camera, which is comparable to the Nokia 2.3's 13-megapixel rear camera. However, the Nokia 2.3 also offers AI-powered features and a dedicated Night mode, giving it an edge in camera performance.

In terms of battery capacity, the Moto E5 Play disappoints with its 2,100mAh battery, while the Nokia 2.3 offers a larger 4,000mAh battery, ensuring longer usage time.

When considering pricing, the Moto E5 Play is priced under £100, making it an affordable option for budget-conscious consumers. The Nokia 2.3, on the other hand, falls within a similar price range, providing a competitive alternative.

In terms of market positioning, both the Moto E5 Play and Nokia 2.3 target budget-conscious consumers who prioritize affordability, basic smartphone functionality, and decent camera performance. However, the Nokia 2.3 offers slightly better specifications, a larger display, and a more powerful battery, making it a more attractive option for those seeking a better overall experience.

In conclusion, while the Motorola Moto E5 Play offers basic smartphone functionality at an affordable price, its competitors like the Nokia 2.3 provide better specifications, larger displays, and more advanced camera features, giving them a competitive edge in the market. However, for consumers seeking a budget-friendly option with decent performance, the Moto E5 Play still provides value for money.

Pros and Cons

Conclusion

In conclusion, the Motorola Moto E5 Play is a budget-friendly smartphone that offers decent features at an affordable price. While it may not have the most impressive display or performance, it does have a surprisingly good camera for its price range. The removable battery and fast fingerprint reader are also convenient features. However, the phone's low-resolution display and sluggish performance may be a drawback for some users. Overall, if you are looking for a basic smartphone that gets the job done without breaking the bank, the Moto E5 Play is worth considering.