Stuff | Tom Morgan

Small gains over last year's model, but the G7 Play does enough to make it one of the best sub-£200 handsets around.

Wired | Jeffrey Van Camp

... the best affordable phone this year.

NotebookCheck | Stefan Schomberg

The Motorola Moto G7 Play sets new standards for budget smartphones. It offers a huge step up in performance and unrivalled value for money.

Pocket-lint | Cam Bunton and Chris Hall

A no-frills phone that gets the basics done, the Play is all about affordability. If you're not interested in gaming and don't have a lot to spend, it's a safe bet indeed.

Digital Trends | Simon Hill

The Moto G7 Play lacks the glamor of the Moto G7 and...the Moto G7 Power, but it's decently cheaper than both. You're getting the best bang for your buck in terms of performance, battery life, and camera...ideal for parents seeking a reasonably priced phone for their kids. It offers substance over style and, if you can't have both, substance is the way to go.

Trusted Reviews | Alastair Stevenson

The Moto G7 Play offers amazing value for money and could be a great crash phone or choice for parents with accident-prone kids in need of a smartphone.

TechRadar | Basil Kronfli

Pocketable, affordable, zippy in day-to-day use - the Moto G7 Play may be a budget phone - and it isn't built for gaming, despite its name - but it bears all the hallmarks of a four-star device.

Expert Reviews | Nathan Spendelow

If funds are running low in the Christmas spending aftermath, and you're in dire need of a smartphone upgrade as 2019 finds its footing, then the Moto G7 Play is a solid choice. It launched alongside three other Moto-branded smartphones, and it's the least impressive of the lot.

Tech.co | Tom Fogden

If you can stretch a bit further, we'd recommend buying the g7 Plus. But if you can't, the g7 Play is a fine option.

The Verge | Chris Welch

I'm going to advise against choosing the last option there, the Play. It's the cheapest of all three [models of the Moto G7 family], but that comes with tradeoffs in build quality (it has a plastic body) and performance.

phoneArena | Victor Hristov

Unfortunately makes too many compromises to be a good daily driver. If you chase a budget, though, and want a compact phone with great battery life and decent performance, it could just work for you.