B079SNDLBR

For $99, you can now get a non-VZW device, that Verizon can’t block you from using. I love it. This is the first quad-carrier, CDMA/GSM and LTE phone that is under $100. With a pretty-pure Qualcomm setup, and unlockable bootloader ($149 without ads version only), you can keep this phone going long after Motorola stops updating it. For someone on a budget, this could keep you going until 5G.

Instead of making this a typical review I’m instead comparing this phone to the BLU R1 HD (16 GB version) since both phones are available with Amazon offers at $50 off the list price ($99 for the Moto G, $59 for the BLU R1 HD 16 GB). Since they are otherwise similar phones (screen size same, memory size same), I’ll focus only on the differences, so that you can answer the question: “Is it worth shelling out the additional $40 for the Moto G”?

Short answer: If you need CDMA (Verizon or Sprint), the Moto G 4th Gen is one of the few low-cost phones that has it AND all the GSM LTE bands you’d want as well. Also, if you need 4G LTE access in Europe and Asia, as the Moto G has a wide range of LTE bands that include most areas in Europe and Asia as well, while the BLU has all the LTE bands needed for the USA (which happen to work in many Latin American countries as well, but generally not in Europe or Asia, where you will mostly get just 3G speeds with the BLU which in general is not too bad if you’re just travelling there).

On the other hand, the BLU has a dual SIM, which is also a benefit for travellers, which the Moto G doesn’t (it is set up to have it as some international versions of the Moto G DO have dual SIM, but the USA model sold on Amazon USA doesn’t).

To summarize, and list a few other small differences:

Moto G:
+ Many non-USA LTE frequencies (good for travellers)
+ Has CDMA as well for Verizon/Sprint users in the US
+ Removable/replaceable battery
+ Noticeably better quality speaker sound (BLU sounds somewhat tinnier)

BLU
+ Dual SIM (good for travellers)
+ $40 cheaper
+ A little lighter, slimmer, sleeker looking, curved glass front really has nice visual appeal
+ Front camera has flash as well
+ Screen noticeably brighter on maximum brightness

TIED
= Same 16 GB internal memory
= Same 2 GB RAM
= Android 6.0
= Speed seemed similar
= SD card (technically the Moto G wins with 128 GB max vs. 64 GB max for the BLU but at this price point, no one’s going to be buying an overkill 128 GB SD card anyway, which costs way more than the phone, so I’d call that a tie since even 64 GB is going to be plenty for this market)

DON’T KNOW
? Magnetometer (apparently the BLU doesn’t have one and I don’t know or care if the Moto G does–does anyone really use a compass??)
? Camera (I use a real camera for important pictures so don’t care so much). Having said that, I did take some pictures with the BLU and they were surprisingly good (much better than those my old BLU Life One took, for example). Haven’t really compared the Moto G photos but I’d expect them to be at least as good.

I bought both and have pretty much made the cheaper BLU my primary phone and the more expensive Moto G my backup, mostly because it is slimmer to carry around and really does look nicer, although I do notice the poorer speaker sound compared to the Moto G.

  With the Moto G4 Play, Motorola (Lenovo) proves once again that they are the best budget phone maker out there. I picked up the Verizon Pre-Paid version from Best Buy, but there is little difference between the two versions. As a tech reviewer on YouTube I have had the opportunity to review many phones in 2016 (all of which I paid full price for), and while the G4 Play isn’t a perfect phone by any means, the entire package makes this phone well worth your purchase at $100 through Amazon. I’ve been using the G4 Play for just over 3 weeks now, and here are my detailed thoughts so far:

Performance: 4.5/5 – For the price you pay for this phone, you will not be disappointed by the processing power of the G4 Play. The Snapdragon 410 performs very well in this phone, and combined with 2gb of RAM you get a device that can handle multitasking pretty well and gaming is also a pretty positive experience. While I didn’t test it out with super graphic heavy games, I was able to play games like Madden Mobile, NBA Jam, and Hill Climber 2 with no problem. It should be noted that the G4 Play does not include a gyroscope, so you won’t be able us the phone for VR.

Software: 4.5/5 – For my tastes, Motorola is the king when it comes to Android software (outside of Google itself), because they stick to a nearly stock Android experience, and really only add tweaks to Android that you will actually use. Motorola is also one of the best OEM’s when it comes to software updates. My only complaint lies in the fact that the G4 Play is missing some of the software shortcuts that I love about G4 and the G4 Plus. This is mostly because the G4 Play doesn’t have a gyroscope to use, but I love the double chop to turn on the flashlight, and you lose that option on the G4 Play.

Build: 4/5 – The design feels almost identical to the G4 and the G4 Plus, but just a little smaller. It is not a premium build quality, but I wouldn’t expect that from a phone that you can get for less than $100. Overall the phone feels excellent in the hand, but has a plastic backing that is reminiscent of phones like the Samsung Galaxy S4. Personally I use a case on my phones, so build quality isn’t a priority for me, but I don’t think the build quality is necessarily a selling point here.

Battery Life: 4.8/5 – The battery life of the G4 Play is definitely a highlight. I can pretty easily get 6+ hours of screen on time with the G4 Play, and for me that is pretty easily enough for me to get through a full day of usage. The one negative of the battery in the G4 Play is that it does not support any form of quick charging.

The Cameras: 3.5/5 – Neither camera is going to wow you by any means, but I also don’t think that you will be embarrassed with posting your photos to Facebook or Twitter either. The rear facing camera of the Moto G4 Play is an 8MP shooter that reminds me a lot of the camera on the iPhone 5. It will take a very quick shot, and it will look fairly decent, but as soon as you zoom in at all you will start to notice a lot of missing detail. Honestly that is to be expected with 8MP.

Conclusion: This isn’t a phone that is going to wow you in any way, however, it is a budget phone done right. The performance is solid, the battery life is great, and the software is nearly stock. In my mind Motorola is still the king of budget devices, and they’ve proven that with the G4 Play. I would also add that I think that this would be a great first smartphone for a kid (teenager) or for someone who just wants a solid smartphone but doesn’t want to break the bank to have it.