Moto Z2 Force hands on overview: Is the force strong with this one?

Lenovo owned Motorola has launched the Moto Z2 Force smartphone in India today. The premium Moto Z2 Force is priced at Rs. 34,999 in India and will go on sale via Flipkart from February 21. The Moto Z2 Force also comes bundled with the Moto TurboPower Pack mod worth Rs. 5,999 which provides additional power to the device.

Motorola had already launched the Moto Z2 Force in the US back in July last year and it is now making its way to India. Motorola’s latest phone in Z series is a combination of last year’s Moto Z and the shatter-resistant Moto Z Force along with fresh specs. We have been spending last few days with the premium device and here are our initial impressions about the new Moto Z2 Force.

Moto Z2 Force Specifications

Key Specifications	Moto Z2 Force
Display	5.5-inch POLED
Screen Resolution	QHD 2560 x 1440 pixels
Operating System	Android 8.0 Nougat
Processor	Octa-core
Chipset	Snapdragon 835
GPU	Adreno 540
RAM	4GB/6GB
Internal Storage	64GB/128GB
Expandable Storage	Yes, up to 256GB
Primary Camera	Dual 12MP+12 MP, f/2.0, PDAF, Dual LED flash
Secondary Camera	5MP, f/2.2, Dual LED Selfie-light
Video Recording	4K@30fps
Battery	2,730 mAh
4G VoLTE	Yes
Dimensions	155.8 x 76 x 6.1 mm
Weight	143g
Sim Card Type	Dual SIM (Nano-SIM, dual stand-by)
Price	6GB / 64GB- Rs. 34,999

Physical Overview

The main highlight of the phone is its design and build quality. The Moto Z2 Force is metal unibody phone and it is just 6.1 mm thin and weighs only 143 grams. The phone is built from 7000 series aluminum which makes it stronger than the Moto Z Force. If you are looking for a sturdy phone for rough and tough usage, the Moto Z2 Force can be a great option when it comes to high-end smartphones.

Up front, there is a ShatterShield screen which is unbreakable even after falling. There is a front mounted fingerprint sensor that also provides gestures support. The device also features water-repellent Nano-coating for protection against water.

Despite its sturdy build quality and design, the Moto Z2 Force is thin and light at the base level. On the back of the phone, there is the camera module with a slight bump and a dual LED flash. Just below the camera module, you will find the well known “Moto dimple” that not only gives Moto phones a distinct look but also helps in gripping the phone.

With the Moto Z2 Force, Motorola has ditched the 3.5mm headphone jack – instead, the phone comes with an USB-C-to-3.5mm adapter in the box. While many OEMs have continued to use the 3.5mm audio jack, Motorola has joined the list of a select few OEMs to have ditched the headphone jack.

Although it may not be a perfect solution, Motorola has bundled a USB C to 3.5mm adapter that will let you use your existing pair of 3.5mm headphones with the Moto Z2 Force.

Moto TurboPower Pack mods are also sleek like the phone. There are connecting pins to attach the Moto mods.

Display

When it comes to display, Motorola has boasted about its shatterproof display for a long time. The Moto Z2 Force sports a 5.5-inch QHD ShatterShield P-OLED display with screen resolution of 2560 x 1440 pixels. On first impressions, the display looks sharp and pixel-dense thanks to the Quad HD resolution.

Next, its Moto ShatterShield could save the display from being cracked thanks to five-layer protection. The company claims that it won’t crack for up to four years. However, the display is not scratch-proof due to the plastic layer on top.

Motorola is bringing value addition to the table with its always-on display feature which turns on every time it senses motion via its infrared sensors. It lights up a limited portion of the screen to display the time, date and other notifications with the ability to quick-reply by tapping on the notification icons. Thanks to the P-OLED display technology, the always-on display feature should consume far less battery when compared to other Moto phones with LCD displays.

Camera

On the camera front, the Moto Z2 Force features a dual rear camera setup. There is a combination of two 12 MP sensors – of the two, one is a monochrome sensor that will capture the depth of field details. The other sensor is an RGB one which will capture regular color photos like other normal cameras.

Both the sensors are Sony IMX386 with a f/2.0 aperture and 1.25-micron pixel size. The features of the camera also include PDAF, Laser Auto Focus and 4K video recording at 30 frames per second.

Up front, the device comes with a 5MP selfie shooter with dual LED flash and f/2.2 aperture. The front camera also features 85-degree wide angle lens and LED flash. The dual rear camera setup offers features like Bokeh effect, selective black and white, background replacement, and real-time and post-shot depth effects.

In real life, we found the Moto Z2 Force’s cameras to perform quite well. The color reproduction in daylight is pretty good, and the addition of a second sensor helps in reduction of noise to a great extent. While the Z2 Force may not be able to compete with the likes of the Google Pixels and the Samsung Galaxy devices, it returned with good results in the end.

Here are a few camera samples shot on Moto Z2 Force that you can look to find out the camera quality.

Camera Samples

Hardware, Software, and Performance

The smartphone is powered by the octa-core Snapdragon 835 mobile chipset and Adreno 540 GPU. The Moto Z2 Force packs 6GB of RAM and 64GB internal storage. The memory is expandable up to 256GB via microSD card. Essentially speaking, these are flagship specs and when it comes to real life performance, the Z2 Force shines – we found the phone to be smooth and lag-free, even while multitasking.

Coming to the software, the Moto Z2 Force runs on Android 8.0 Oreo out of the box. It comes with minimal changes, and is almost stock Android, with only a select few Moto apps that add some neat little features. On the whole, the Moto Z2 Force aces all our tests when it comes to performance.

Here are results from the AnTuTu and Nenamark benchmarking apps.

Battery and Connectivity

The Moto Z2 Force packs a 2730mAh battery and comes with a 15W TurboPower charger. Additionally, Motorola has bundled a Moto TurboPower mod of 3,490mAh capacity which can work as an additional battery or a power bank. Motorola has also included Google’s Daydream VR compatibility for the Moto Z2 Force.

The built-in battery at just 2730mAh is a little disappointing, especially when Motorola is charging a decent premium for the Z2 Force. The bundled Moto TurboPower mod is certainly helpful, but having a decent-sized internal battery is always a plus point. The Z2 Force is a little lacking in this regard.

The smartphone features dual SIM standby with 4G VoLTE support. Other Connectivity options on the phone include dual-band Wi-Fi 802.11ac, Bluetooth v5.0, NFC, GPS/ A-GPS, and USB Type-C. Notably, Motorola has ditched the 3.5mm jack.

Conclusion

The Moto Z2 Force is faster, thinner and takes better photos with its dual rear camera setup when compared to the Moto Z Force. The ShatterShield display is definitely is plus point, however in the times of 18:9 displays, it looks a little obsolete.

The support for Moto Mods is a bonus if you are considering them. The powerful Snapdragon 835 processor and the latest stock Android update are also a couple more plus points. That being said, the Moto Z2 Force is could seem to be a little pricey, especially when there are phones like the OnePlus 5T, Honor View 10 and the Nokia 8.

Motorola has tried to distinguish the Moto Z2 Force from the competition with its design, Moto Mods, its Moto apps and an overall stock Android experience, but do you think the force strong enough with this one? Let us know in the comments below.