TechRadar Verdict
The Moto Z2 Force is a viable alternative to the OnePlus 5T. In fact, given that its display is nearly impossible to break, this may be a better buy at that price.
Pros
- +
Shatterproof display
- +
Fast
- +
Long battery life
Cons
- -
Looks dated
- -
Not ergonomic
- -
Slow camera
Why you can trust TechRadar We spend hours testing every product or service we review, so you can be sure you’re buying the best. Find out more about how we test.
There's a certain charm to throwing a phone around without fearing that it will break. Over the past week or so, I've spent many moments freaking people out by casually chucking the Moto Z2 Force on the floor, the road and everywhere else.
After showing them the phone had no battle scars, the inevitable question would then be, how much is this phone for?
That's pretty much what did the Moto X Force in a year or so ago. It was too expensive. But the Moto Z2 Force is not new anymore, and given that it's coming to India months after its inception, the company can cut margins now.
At Rs. 34,999, it undoubtedly gives competition to the OnePlus 5T and the fact that it has a virtually indestructible display is just an important add-on.
The indestructible-ness...
The technology hasn't changed much from the original X Force. The screen has five layers, with lenses for the top two layers. It's designed to not shatter, but can still be dented if put under too much stress.
While I was able to dent the Moto X Force some years ago, I've been unable to do that with the Moto Z2 Force so far. Motorola recommends screen protectors and cases to avoid cosmetic damage, but this is probably the only phone you can use without those add-ons.
There's a slight hitch here though. The Z2 Force is modular too, so I'm not particularly sure whether the pogo pin connectors on the back can take much stress. The good news is, they still work as of now, even though I've put this phone through the wringer.
The trade-off...
The major trade-off here is that your display feels different. There's an AMOLED panel underneath the lenses, so things still look decent, but you will be touching the lens at most times. That makes the display feel somewhat sticky as compared to the smooth flowing touch of Gorilla Glass 4 or 5.
To its credit, the Moto Z2 Force feels much better than the X Force from 2016. It doesn't feel cheap, but it's different. And you may struggle with that for a few days.
The touch response is good though and there's no noticeable latency either. Colours don't pop the way AMOLEDs usually do, but saturation levels are reasonable.
I find it easier to get on board with the Moto Z2 Force's display, than I did with the X Force.
Specs and performance
Motorola's phones are fast, there's little doubt about that. And the Moto Z2 Force is the fastest amongst them right now, at least in India. I've used it for a week now, without any stutters or lags to speak of.
That said, I happen to have the OnePlus 5T as my secondary, and that phone remains faster than this one, if only by a sliver. As is often true, I know this only because I was in a position to compare the two phones side-by-side. When comparing the two phones, I had exactly the same apps and items on both, so the difference seen is likely because of whatever the companies do in the background.
Either way, what you can be sure of is that the Moto Z2 Force easily fits the "mid-range flagship" monicker. It's a flagship-class device, at least as far as performance is concerned. There's gobs of RAM inside and 64GB of storage, that's enough for almost everyone.
