Motorola Moto Z3 review

Home / Reviews / Smartphones / Motorola Moto Z3 review

Finally, 5G mobile connectivity is here with the Motorola Moto Z3. Well, almost.

The Moto Z3 is here, releasing on 16 August in the States (no word yet internationally), and it will support the 5G Moto Mod attachment. But that attachment won’t see the light of day until early 2019.

Still, calling a smartphone the very first to be upgradeable to 5G isn’t a half-bad boast, and it’s something that might entice some buyers to take the plunge on a matter of faith.

And what about the Moto Z3 itself? Well, it’s pretty similar to the earlier Moto Z models, with a super-slim, Moto Mod-accommodating build, but it’s gone for a slightly-less-than-flagship build this time around – and a price to match.

Should you buy a smartphone on a promise, even if it’s an incredibly compelling one? Here’s what we think.

Design: Built to expand

Wrapping my hands around this large phone, it feels quite a bit like the original Moto Z that I reviewed a couple years back. In fact, I remember that same immediate sensation of thinking that the handset feels unnervingly thin without a Mod attached. And at 6.75mm, this one’s thicker than the original!

But that’s the whole point: if you’re buying a Moto Z3, you’re doing it because you have some level of interest in the Moto Mods. The 5G mod is still several months away, but in the meantime you can snap on a battery pack, a projector, a 10x zoom camera, and other odd little bits and pieces. Even just slapping on a backing plate – decorative or otherwise – helps make it feel a lot more complete in the hand.

Given my own past experience with Moto Mods, I don’t see anything out there that’s a must-have – an accessory that’s so essential and so much better served by being affixed to the back of your handset. Not enough to make these phones stand out above the competition, at least. But you might like the feel and convenience of a snap-on battery pack, or varying backing designs (as shown).

Overall, the Z3 certainly has a flagship-level allure: it’s screen-heavy on the front, all glass and aluminum otherwise, and feels like a top-end device. Sadly, it’s one that’s lacking a 3.5mm headphone jack, although it comes with a USB-C convertor dongle.

Security: Face or… fumble

Like the earlier Moto Z3 Play, the Moto Z3 brings an interesting design tweak: a side-mounted fingerprint sensor. It’s on the right side of the device, just below the volume buttons, and it saves Motorola from having to pop one below the screen – you know, since the back is already busied up with Moto Mods.

About

Andrew writes features, news stories, reviews, and other pieces, often when the UK home team is off-duty or asleep. I'm based in Chicago with my lovely wife, amazing son, and silly cats, and my writing about games, gadgets, esports, apps, and plenty more has appeared in more than 75 publications since 2006.