Moto X Play unboxing and first impressions [Video]

Motorola announced a handful of new devices at an event just last month. The now Lenovo-owned company unveiled the new Moto G and two versions of the Moto X: Play and Style (or Pure). The Moto X Play is Motorola’s attempt at bringing a competitively-priced phone to the market with near-flagship specifications. For just under £280 in the UK you get a device with a full HD (1080 x 1920) 5.5-inch display, an octa-core processor and a gigantic 3,630mAh battery. It’s water-repellent, has a 21MP camera and — best of all — runs an almost vanilla version of Android 5.1.1 Lollipop.

[youtube=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JdbduOYOp2o]

There are a couple of things worth noting immediately after unboxing the Moto X Play. Firstly, although the silver/chrome finished frame around the edges looks metallic, it isn’t. You can tell as soon as you pick it up that the main body of the phone is made from plastic. Saying that, it’s still very solid-feeling and doesn’t seem cheap at all. Secondly, although it may differ by region, the UK model we were sent was shipped with a dual-USB wall adapter so customers will be able to charge two devices at once. Thirdly, the SIM tray which ejects from the top edge also features a space for a MicroSD card.

While the U.S. isn’t getting a device named the Moto X Play, it’s still getting the X Play in some fashion. It seems almost certain Verizon has snagged the device as an exclusive to rebrand as one of its upcoming new DROID smartphones. Having a look at those images earlier, and comparing it to the phone in this picture, it seems identical in virtually every way. Perhaps the only difference will be the internal processing power.

All in all, the Moto X Play seems like a great device to compete fiercely in the mid-range phone market. It’s not too cheap, and not too expensive and yet offers — what on first impressions seems — a really great experience. It costs less than a OnePlus 2, and you can actually go online and buy one right now without waiting for an invite. What’s more, Motorola has made it available through its Moto Maker service so you can choose from 14 different color rear shells, 7 metal accents and either 16GB or 32GB storage options. Did I mention it has a huge battery capacity?