Tech review

phone with a Mod out in the world.

Moto Z3

The Motorola Moto Z3 is a pretty nice Android phone.

It runs on a Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 processor with four gigabytes of RAM and 64 Gb of internal storage along with a microSD card slot to add up to 2 terabytes of additional storage.

It will release with Android 8.1 (Oreo), with a planned upgrade to Android 9.0 (Pie).

The Z3 has a 6-inch Super AMOLED screen with a resolution of 2,160 by 1,080 pixels (18:9 aspect ratio and a 402 pixel-per-inch screen density).

The phone measures 6.16 by 3.01 by 0.27 inches and weighs 5.5 ounces.

The front and back of the phone are made of Corning Gorilla Glass 3, and the frame is aluminum.

The main camera has dual 12-megapixel depth-sensing cameras, and the front camera has an 8-megapixel sensor.

The phone has 4G LTE, along with 802.11ac Wi-Fi and Bluetooth 5.0. It charges through a USB-C port and does not have a headphone jack.

It does not have wireless charging, but it does have fast charging for its 3,000mAh battery. Motorola says the Z3 will get up to 24 hours of use from a full charge and 12 hours of battery life in just 30 minutes of TurboPower Charging.

I would like to mention that the Z3 has a fingerprint sensor on the right side of the phone. This is a first for me. I’ve used phones with the sensor on the front and on the back, but never on the side.

It sits exactly where my thumb rests when I hold the Z3 in my right hand. The fingerprint recognition worked well and my thumbprint was registered quickly. The Z3 can also unlock using face recognition, which also worked very well.

The Motorola Moto Z3 is available from Verizon for $480 or $20 per month. It is only available in a color called Ceramic Black. Pricing of the 5G Moto Mod has not been announced.

I’ve always been on board with the Moto Mods. I’m all for giving people a choice, and the Moto Mods are a bold move. If you have a Mod-compatible phone, I’m sure you’re quite happy with the selection of Mods.

I’m glad Motorola is getting out front on adding 5G to an existing phone. The Mod system makes this possible.

I’m not sure how long it is going to take phone manufacturers, including Motorola, to release phones with 5G built in.

The Z3 should be the first 5G phone, depending on the timing of the release of the 5G Mod. How long it might be the only 5G phone remains to be seen.

Pros: Great screen, Moto Mods bring extra features Cons: No headphone jack Bottom line: First phone to announce 5G capability, but plenty of others are sure to follow.