Moto G4 Play review: The best $150 you can spend on a modern Android smartphone

In compliance with the Samsung Galaxy Note 7 recall, I returned my phone and am waiting for my $930 refund from T-Mobile. After a week with the new Moto G4 Play, I'm really starting to question whether or not I need to pay five times the price of one phone for such a high end flagship.

Last week Motorola sent along its new Moto G4 Play and without looking at any of the information in the reviewer guide or on the Motorola website I popped in my T-Mobile SIM and a Google Project Fi SIM. It wasn't until after a few days of testing that I went to the Motorola website where I saw the phone was only priced at $149.99.

SPECIFICATIONSNeedless to say, I was rather shocked to see the Moto G4 Play was priced at just half that of the new Moto G4 Plus. While there are a few compromises one has to make to use a Moto G4 Play as a primary smartphone, it should fill the needs of a majority of people who use their smartphones to communicate, capture photos, and interact on social networks.

• Processor: Qualcomm Snapdragon 410 1.2 GHz quad-core
• Display: 5 inch 1280 x 720 pixels resolution LCD screen with 294 ppi
• Operating system: Android 6.0.1 Marshmallow
• RAM: 2GB
• Storage: 16 internal with microSD expansion card slot supporting 128 GB cards
• Cameras: 8 megapixel rear with 5 megapixel front-facing camera
• Water resistance: Water repellant nano coating
• Connectivity: 802.11 b/g/n WiFi, Bluetooth 4.1, GPS
• Battery: 2800 mAh removable
• Dimensions: 144.4 x 72 x 9.9 mm and 137 grams

Similar to the Moto G4 and G4 Plus, there is no NFC in the G4 Play. This means you won't be able to use Android Pay. I consider myself a smartphone enthusiast and have only used Android Pay a couple of times over the past couple of years and these were more for testing purposes than as a necessity.

One feature that I also enjoy is the FM radio. I am out and about a lot, but like to listen to local Mariners, Seahawks, and Sounders games on the FM radio so am glad some manufacturers are still enabling access to it.

HARDWARE

The Moto G4 Play is not a tiny phone like the iPhone 5 or SE, but it is one of the smallest Android smartphones with a five inch display. There are still sizable side, top, and bottom bezels, but it slips nicely into your pocket and is easy to hold in your hand.