SpecEagle
Launch report · Motorola

Moto Z: The ultra-thin modular flagship with magnetic Moto Mods.

SpecEagle Editorial·Sep 2016·$700·Score 56/100

Moto Z bet on magnetic Moto Mods — snap-on battery packs, a JBL speaker, even a pico projector — in an astonishingly thin 5.2 mm body. The tiny battery made the Mods almost mandatory, but it was the most successful modular-phone experiment of its era.

Key specs at launch

Display
5.5" AMOLED 60 Hz
Chipset
Snapdragon 820
Memory
4 GB · 32 GB
Main cam
13 MP OIS
Battery
2,600 mAh
Weight
136 g
What stands out
  • Just 5.2 mm thin — remarkable build.
  • Magnetic Moto Mods (battery, projector, JBL speaker).
  • Snapdragon 820 flagship power.
  • microSD survives.
What to watch
  • Tiny 2,600 mAh battery (needed Mods).
  • No 3.5 mm jack — early adopter.
  • Camera bump was large.
  • Mods were pricey.
The phone it has to beat
Pixel 2 (2017)
$649 · score 88/100