Motorola Moto E4 Plus

The Moto E-series created a reputation for affordable phones with the essential features and not much more. The E4 Plus aims to take everything people love about the series and make it bigger.

But while budget specs might work well on a smaller phone, heading into phablet territory is trickier.

Does the E4 Plus have what it takes to keep reviewers happy and offer a compelling value to those looking for a big-screen experience at a small-screen price?

Reviews are out! Let’s see what they have to say…

Unlike many budget and mid-tier phones, the E4 Plus sports a metal back and chassis. Though some reviews found the phone bland, they liked how it felt in the hand. Digital Trends called it “unremarkable, but not at all offensive.”

Many reviewers mentioned the heft of the phone. But they were quick to point out it was never uncomfortable. The added space to accommodate the massive battery also means you won’t find the slim bezels and trim lines of many of this year’s other releases.

Phone Scoop said, “… those with small hands may find the phone too big.”

The same comments regarding chunky dimensions carried over to the front of the phone. Reviewers noted sizeable bezels wrapping around the 5.5-inch display. Worse still, if you’re looking to binge watch movies or play the latest games on your phone, you might not have the best experience.

The 720p resolution struck reviewers as fine for text and basic use. They also liked the color and viewing angles on offer.

However, reviewers noted it was easy to see pixels when close to the screen. Some also had issues with reflections and glare in bright environments.

Phone Arena summed up opinions on the display well saying, “Seeing as today’s handsets often have a super-sharp image, we dare say that this is noticeable to the point of being slightly irking.”

Performance reviews were mixed. The phone’s 1.4GHz quad-core Snapdragon processor and 2GB of RAM kept the phone moving at a steady pace for most. Yet, reviewers were quick to point out that steady doesn’t mean fast. Heavy multitasking or graphics-intensive games brought long loading times and stutters.

With 16 or 32GB of storage space and microSD support, you should have no trouble keeping your favorite apps, albums or a season of your latest TV obsession onboard. Reviewers also noted that Motorola was light with their treatment of Android 7.1.1 Nougat.

The phone’s 13MP rear camera and 5MP front-facing lens earned praise. Phone Scoop said, “I was pleased with the majority of shots I captured with the E4 Plus. They were sharp, colorful, and properly exposed.”

While low-light shooting wasn’t as good as what you’ll find in a high-end phone, reviewers found results acceptable. Apart from slow autofocus speeds, many found their shots respectable and with minimal noise compared to pictures captured on similarly priced phones.

One thing stood out in every review—the battery. Sporting a 5,000mAh cell, reviewers had zero problems making it through a full day. This included gaming, web browsing and other power hungry tasks. Many made it two days plus before having to hit a charger.

Unfortunately, when it’s time to charge, things take a while. Motorola didn’t include Quick Charge support with the Moto E4 Plus. Instead they opted for their own Rapid Charge technology.

Overall, reviews for the phone are positive—particularly for its price. However, power users and media lovers might want to look at something with more power or a better display. Digital Trends summed up opinions well, saying, “The design is fine, and the performance is respectable, but the humongous battery is the real reason you’d buy an E4 Plus. It doesn’t disappoint.”