[Moto Z2 Play  Questions & Answers] pizza_pablo:
I was stuck between these two, but ended up with the Z2. The 4 GB RAM and 64GB internal storage did it. I've had it just shy of three months and the wife has had the X4 for a month. With what I now know about the two, the Z2 would be an easy choice for me.

I prob won't get any mods, either, but the thinness is awesome in my pocket, especially compared to the MXPE.

The X4 is a decent phone, but a few things bother me:

A) Only 32GB internal storage which has 13GB taken up by OS files. I've read that it's some doubling of files, in order to make updates smoother.

B) 3 GB of RAM. The wife has not reported lag issues, but I want more RAM to enable the phone to be able to handle future needs.

C) The camera has a really bad lag, between pressing the go button and the pic actually being captured. I've side loaded a Google Camera apk and every time I test it, it snaps pics right after the button is pressed, but in real world use, she misses what she is trying to capture. Very frustrating.

D) Lack of availability of good cases. I like hybrid cases, like Speck or Incipio, with a hard back and grippy sides. There are no major manufacturers cases available for the X4.

E) X4 is kinda fat in thickness, when compared to the Z2 and I prefer the larger screen on the Z2.

Both batteries greatly out perform the MXPE, even when new. With the same daily usage and charging, I am usually left with at least 50%. The MXPE often required charging, in the evening, in order to make it to bed time.

I am really happy with my Z2 choice. I have been using the ONE BUTTON NAV feature and it's pretty awesome. Sometimes I forget which way to swipe it, when in landscape, using a nav dock and sometimes BACK goes all the way to the home screen, instead of just back one page in the app being used, but overall I like it.

I have rooted it and themed it. Making the backgrounds black is my major motivation for rooting. Since lollipop arrived with all of its white backgrounds and icons I have been a theming junkie. I'll be trying Xposed and Gravity Box, soon, but only for a few tweaks.

I really like tempted glass screen protectors! I think they feel better than a bare screen and they give me security piece of mind. I am using a TG PROJECTOR, to I can't recall which, and it is serving me well. It does not cover the entire screen side to side, but covers enough and the cutouts are accurate.

I have the Sleo snap case for weekend carry and is a great low profile and grippy case. https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B072562YNT/ref=oh_aui_i_d_old_o1_img?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I have a Speck Presidio for work days and it's quite grippy.

I also have an Otterbox Commuter for days that require even more protection, but is had a smooth back and is a bit hard to hold on to. I have a GadgetShieldz for a different phone (Z Force I think) that I will add to the back of the Commuter, in hopes of adding grip.

ETA: got the Gadgetshieldz camera and body protectors. I'm not impressed. The sandstone finish seems just as slippery as the Commuter case and the camera protector does not have precise cuts. I reckon they are cheap for a reason.

I have tried this camera protector, but they did not stay applied and are plastic, not glass.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B074FTS66N/ref=oh_aui_i_sh_post_o0_img?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I have GadgetShieldz camera films for both phones on their way, also.

I tried this case, before better cases were available and returned. It is cheap and not grippy.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B071ZS9R1X/ref=oh_aui_i_r_o1_img?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Too bad you missed the $350 price, from Moto's site, that was running for a few weeks! There are a couple on swappa.com right now.