Motorola Moto G Play (2021)

Modern design ; Great battery life ; Good display ; Very affordable

Sub-par camera ; Limited software support ; Mediocre performance

Priced well under $200 ; Very good battery life ; Performance is good for its class

Screen is dim and low-resolution ; Camera capabilities are very limited ; Only two years of security updates

The Moto G Play is well-priced at under $200 and offers a 6.5-inch screen, big 5,000mAh battery, and a 13-megapixel main camera. Just plan on including a microSD card with your purchase since it only includes 32GB of built-in storage.

Performs well for the price ; Crisp, clear call quality ; Incredible battery life ; Big, bright display

Cameras are a letdown ; Limited band support for AT&T on unlocked model

For tight budgets, the Moto G Play is hard to beat, especially for performance and battery life.

Attractive design and solid build; Affordable price; Awesome battery life

Low-end specs and no NFC; Middling camera with no night mode

Attractive design and fingerprint-free finish ; Near-stock Android software ; Excellent battery life ; Snapdragon 460 offers just enough power

Plastic feels cheap ; Camera options are limited ; Yet to receive Android 11 and limited long-term support ; $169.99 at Amazon

Motorola's Moto G Play shows that the company hasn't forgotten how to make a strong affordable phone. It packs attractive hardware and software, and Motorola's careful sacrifices don't compromise the overall experience.

Battery life ; The three-day rating is no joke, it can do it. ; Performance ; This isn't a flagship, and there is lag and jank, but it's better than I expected for $170. ; Build quality ; It's plastic, but it feels good and solid. ; Software ; Moto's...

No NFC ; A bummer if you use contactless payments very much. ; Updates ; I don't think it's ; really ; an issue at the price, but only one update is promised, and you only get two years of updates. More importantly, though, Motorola's already behind on...