G4 or Moto X Pure?

[MobileNick]

I am torn between these 2 trying to replace my LG G2. The G4 seemed really nice when it came out but I couldn't swallow $630 - didn't seem like I was getting enough for my money going from my G2. But now on swappa etc a G4 in mint condition can be had for under $400. The equivalent 32 GB Moto X Pure would start at $450.

I am leaning towards the G4 for the camera, light weight, bottom headphone jack, rear buttons, and (now) lower price

But I keep hearing so many good things about Moto Display, the fast performance due to stock, etc. There is also the enjoyment of trying something completely new UI-wise.

So I'm curious about your opinion If you were in the market now, which would you choose? (of course, being the G4 forum I'm guessing answers are going to lean in favor of G4, but I've found LG forum users tend to be more practical and objective vs fanboys)

 

[someguy01234]

After the disappointing Nexus 5X release, I'm looking at either getting the LG G4 or Moto X so I've been scanning these two forums.

I've been a Moto fan so I've used the two previous X. I didn't want the Nexus 6P for it's size, and the Moto X is even bigger. G4 is big too, but there is a limit, when the length of the phone is too much it's very uncomfortable to carry it in the pocket. My past experience means I know Motorola devices never takes good photo in low light situation, and I really want a good camera this time. They also tend to lack optical image stabilization.

There are many positives with Moto X. You get a near stock Android interface which is very fast. From my experience, Motorola phones have the fastest LTE speed, best signal and voice call. I also think they make some of the most durable phones with water resistant, after opening the Moto X 2014 to replace the battery and seeing the sturdy internal design. I think Moto X phones are good choice to get if you want a reliable phones with no frills or flashy things, but just work with minimal software bugs because it's stock Android without the bloats.

For the G4, the impression I've been getting is some people is dealing with bugs like performance or battery drain issue stemming from LG software, I don't think it will effect as much. I've had the LG G2 and LG G Pad, while their software UI is a bit heavy, I find it much more usuable than Samsung, you have more choice on customizing it, Samsung won't let you disable many apps. I like the fact that LG uses onscreen navigation button, which is customizable, instead of the outdated Samsung physical button. It's not the cleanest UI, but certainly usable after you install a third party launcher and disable some of the preloaded apps.

Other things it lacks, fingerprint scanner, but is a non issue for me. Android have the Smart Lock feature, and you can double tap to wake LG phones. Dual front speakers is something I desired, but I heard the G4 rear speaker is pretty loud this time.

I'm learning more toward the G4 this time because it seems to have one of the best camera and the offer the most features overall compared to other 2015 flagships. I appreciate they offer features that most manufacturers no longer do, so you're getting good value for the money, like IR Blaster, removable battery, microSD slot, FM, 4K SlimPort (most phones now have no physical way to output to HDMI), and optional wireless charging. LG phones tend to lose it's selling value quick, but it does help make it more affordable.

 

[Suntan]

G4 is big too, but there is a limit, when the length of the phone is too much it's very uncomfortable to carry it in the pocket.

I can't say which is better overall, as I haven't seen the Moto. As to this comment I can say that the G4 is the most comfortable phone in the pocket I've ever had. It's thin shape, light weight and slightly rounded screen really does make me check to see if the phone is in my pocket from time to time.

That said, I am 6'1" so my pockets may not be the same size as your pockets. Also, with a case on it does become more bulky and much more noticeable.

As for comparing it to the Moto Pure, I'd take the fanboyism with a grain of salt. "Being close to stock" seems to get a lot more attention on these interwebs. Don't get me wrong, I'm sure the Moto is a great phone, it's just that there's a very loud minority around here that thinks "stock android" is extremely important, when in fact, it isn't a necessity for most people just looking for a solid phone.

 

[MobileNick]

Good points. I think for pocket comfort, it can come down to weight too. The difference between these is only like 30 or 35 grams but that can make a difference. I had a Note 4 for a while (very similar in size & weight to Moto X Pure) and I could feel it tugging on my pocket compared to my G2.

 

[anon(8938849)]

I've owned the G2, G3, Moto X 2014, Nexus 6, and now the G4. I much prefer LG. I find stock Android somewhat boring and limited. I used to love it for its aesthetics and I was a big nexus fan, but now oem skins have come a long way and look really good. And they just have more useful features.

I'm a big guy, but the nexus 6 was just way too huge. It's a monster and the new moto x is almost just as big. Even the G4 seemed a little big to me before buying it but I was just traumatized by the nexus 6. It's actually perfect.

So I have no personal experience with the new moto x camera but the G4 camera is simply phenomenal and you can watch the comparisons as I have and every single one has the G4 the clear winner there.

There's also battery life, which is supposed to not be great on the moto. Not surprising, it wasn't good at all on my 2014 model. It was ok on my nexus 6 but my G4 is much better.

Front facing speakers are something to consider. For me I found that sound quality is insufficient on any phone to do serious listening to music or to watch movies with good sound quality. Bluetooth speakers or headphones are required for that. For some youtube and the occasional speaker call, all I require is a speaker with good volume that doesn't get covered up easy. The G4 fulfills that nicely. It's LOUD.

 

[Almeuit]

I had the G4 and switched to the Moto X. I personally prefer the Moto X especially since I know I will get updates pretty quickly. I enjoyed using Moto Maker for the first time to make the phone look how I would like. The quick charge is nice (my G4 was an international model and it never really took advantage of QC). I definitely didn't hate my G4 or anything but since using the Moto I can say I prefer the G4 less.

 

[MobileNick]

I think the big change in Moto X Pure vs Nexus 6 is the width. It's significantly narrower which makes holding and pocketing so much easier. That being said, the G4 does seem to have a better size. I too am not that concerned with front facing speakers. In general the design makes more sense but I rarely listen to my phone out loud - whether speakerphone call or music/video.

If I go G4 I would probably get the AT&T model so QC should be there - will just have to buy a charger. I've read that the Turbo Charger will charge up the Moto X insanely fast. But yes, the faster updates and moto maker are a big part of why I am considering Moto X Pure too.

 

[MobileNick]

@Mods - I did not realize there was already a Phone Wars forum and this topic has already been brought up there. Feel free to merge threads or move this one or whatever. Thanks!

 

[mandoman28]

I've owned the G2, G3, Moto X 2014, Nexus 6, and now the G4. I much prefer LG. I find stock Android somewhat boring and limited. I used to love it for its aesthetics and I was a big nexus fan, but now oem skins have come a long way and look really good. And they just have more useful features.

I'm a big guy, but the nexus 6 was just way too huge. It's a monster and the new moto x is almost just as big. Even the G4 seemed a little big to me before buying it but I was just traumatized by the nexus 6. It's actually perfect.

So I have no personal experience with the new moto x camera but the G4 camera is simply phenomenal and you can watch the comparisons as I have and every single one has the G4 the clear winner there.

There's also battery life, which is supposed to not be great on the moto. Not surprising, it wasn't good at all on my 2014 model. It was ok on my nexus 6 but my G4 is much better.

Front facing speakers are something to consider. For me I found that sound quality is insufficient on any phone to do serious listening to music or to watch movies with good sound quality. Bluetooth speakers or headphones are required for that. For some youtube and the occasional speaker call, all I require is a speaker with good volume that doesn't get covered up easy. The G4 fulfills that nicely. It's LOUD.

I tried the MXPE and I was not impressed with the battery, I had it for a few days. I felt like the Nexus 6 lasted longer per my usual use. The G4 does not have a great battery either but you can switch it out if you have a spare battery (which I do). The camera is way better! I like the front facing speakers on the X, but not a must. The speaker on the G4 is not bad. The only thing I wish the G4 had was a brighter screen, like the S6 or Note 4. It seems dim compared to those! I know it is a IPS screen compared to AMOLED.

Still, the G4 is a great phone!

 

[MobileNick]

The only thing I wish the G4 had was a brighter screen, like the S6 or Note 4. It seems dim compared to those! I know it is a IPS screen compared to AMOLED.

This was my experience too comparing the G4 with my G2. At equal brightness levels, my G2 just somehow seemed brighter. Sure if I bumped the G4 to 10 or 20% brighter it would be just as good but shouldn't need that. I thought I might have just been looking at a bum unit.

 

[Suntan]

This was my experience too comparing the G4 with my G2. At equal brightness levels, my G2 just somehow seemed brighter. Sure if I bumped the G4 to 10 or 20% brighter it would be just as good but shouldn't need that. I thought I might have just been looking at a bum unit.

The G4 has a plenty bright screen. It just has an overly aggressive "auto brightness" setting. In short, if the screen looks too dim, turn up the brightness a bit.

 

[RapidTurtle]

I had the 2014 moto x and liked the phone but hated the camera. I went with the G4 about a month ago, and love it. No lag, no performance issues, which leads me to believe they have been taken care of with updates. The camera is amazing, I swear it creates it's own light in low light situations. (flash off).
I really don't understand why people rave about stock Android. I love the extras that LG had put into this phone. Stock Android is boreing in my opinion.