[6] The regular Moto Z chassis uses a metal frame and body; with no accessories installed, the device is only 5.2 mm thick.

Differences include a larger 3500 mAh battery, 21-megapixel camera, and the company's "shatter-resistant" display, which consists of polycarbonate layers accompanied by an interior frame to provide reinforcement as opposed to glass.

[7] A third version, Moto Z Play, was unveiled at IFA Berlin; it is a mid-range model with downgraded specifications and similar market positioning to the previous year's Moto X Play, including a Snapdragon 625 system-on-chip, 3 GB of RAM, a 1080p display, no optical image stabilization in the rear camera, and a thicker chassis.

[7][8][11] Lenovo will allow third-party development of Mods, and plans to provide US$1 million in funding to the best prototype concept as part of a contest.

[8] To ensure that Mods will be backwards compatible with newer revisions of the Moto Z, Lenovo stated that it planned to maintain the device's overall design and dimensions for two hardware generations.

[13] CNET was positive of the Moto Z, describing its design as being "sturdy and well-built", but appearing "naked" and having a large camera protrusion without an accessory installed.

[14] Ars Technica was more critical; while complimenting its design for looking more premium than the previous Moto X, as well as the improved quality of the Z Force's "ShatterShield" display, it was argued that the removal of the headphone jack made the device feel less capable, and further considered its absence from the thicker Moto Z Force to be illogical.

However, the accessories themselves were criticized for being hampered by their form factor, and having standalone alternatives of a higher quality at more competitive pricing.

[15][16] The Moto Z design has not been regarded to have aged well, being "introduced prior to the industry's shift to tall, narrow screens and a distaste for vertical bezels" which was pioneered by the Samsung Galaxy S8 and LG G6 released in early 2017.