Moto Z2 Force review: This shatterproof smartphone gets all the basics right

The Z line of smartphones from Motrola is known for popularising the modular concept and bringing it to mainstream customers. That’s where the Moto Z2 Play comes in. It is a smartphone that is reasonably priced and runs the latest Android 8.0 Oreo software.

The Moto Z2 Play launched in India back in June of 2017 and Moto Mods started becoming mainstream. If you want a better camera, a louder speaker, a longer lasting battery then all you needed to do was buy one of the Moto Mods and attach them to the back of the Moto Z2 Play. It was that simple. The problem was that they weren’t at all cheap. They cost an additional Rs 6,000 each.

Fast forward to 15 February. Motorola unleashed the Moto Z2 upon Indian consumers and bundled in a battery mod. That may have got prospective customers excited. While the phone is exactly the same as the Z2 Play, the Z2 Force, unlike any other smartphone currently in the market, has an ace up its sleeve.

Before I get to that, here’s my quick two cents on the smartphone that is the Moto Z2 Force.

What’s good about the Moto Z2 Force

Basics. Yes, you read that right. I’m talking about the basic ability of a smartphone to make a call, send a text, download many apps without running out of space, and connecting to the internet.

The Moto Z2 does all that and more with aplomb. It’s a mighty capable smartphone. It’s one of the few phones out there that succeeds at being a smartphone. In the times of need, the Moto Z2 Force will be a capable companion.

It’s a well-designed phone. It isn’t a smartphone that will immediately jump out, nor will it take award winning photographs. It won’t even be able to win the title of the ‘speediest smartphone’.

It’s kind of like the Nokia phones back in the day. Sturdy, dependable and good looking.

Modular ecosystem

Before buying the Moto Z2 Force, you must convince yourself of the future of the mods. That is what makes the Z2 Play and the Z2 Force unique smartphones. Motorola, every couple of months, comes out with new mods, and their commitment to it is unwavering.

With the increase of Moto Hubs across the country, customers can go to a nearby shop and try out all the Moto Mods before going ahead and purchasing one. Consumers can also ‘rent’ these Mods for a short period of time.

If Mods are something you think you’d use, then the Moto Z2 Force will not disappoint.

Shatterproof

Shatterproof. Yes, you read that right. The Moto Z2 Force has a trick up its sleeve. Something that the likes of the Samsung Galaxy S9 and iPhone X do not have. At a cost of just Rs 34,999, the Moto Z2 Force has a shatterproof display.

Drop the phone as many times as you want, and you’ll still find the display in a working condition. If you see the video above, Jessica Delcourt of CNET, dropped the smartphone a whopping 28 times. She dropped it in an array of different environments. At the end of the video, the Z2 Force that she had was still properly working.

I went walking around Delhi dropping the smartphone. I dropped it 16 times. The screen was in a completely working condition by the end of my review period.

The only negative was that the camera shattered. This shouldn’t have been the case as none of my fellow journalists reported any damage to the camera.

Verdict

I haven’t gone into the details about the specifics about the smartphone, because that has been written multiple times already.

But, let me just sum things up for you, as quick as I can. For the first time I have seen a smartphone get the basics right and live up to its USP.

Samsung touted its low-light capabilities with the Samsung Galaxy S9+, but that wasn’t actually its USP.

Moto Z2 Force brought out the shatterproof display in every ad, every presentation, every briefing. The Z2 Force lives up to its hype. Trust me when I say that.

If you’ve got butterfingers and just want a trustworthy phone that will make calls and texts in emergencies, then the Moto Z2 Force should be your next smartphone buy. If you like the modular ecosystem, then the Moto Z2 Force will be an even better smartphone choice.

The shatterproof display is something that the recently launched Samsung Galaxy S9+ can’t claim to have. Neither can Apple compete. The Moto Z2 Force is in a league of its own.