Arstechnica says the Moto X is the best overall Android phone of 2013

TechTinker

Well-known member
Aug 10, 2011
510
1
0
Visit site
I wouldn't trade all of the superior things the S4 has for a slightly smoother experience. I get no lag whatsoever on SlimBean 4.3 and the battery life is better than I have seen on any Moto X

Posted via Android Central App

Ummm.. I'm don't own a S4, nor used SlimBean. But it looks like another regular rom. So technically you gave up on all the "superior things" the s4 has. If its software, touchwiz is meh, if its hardware, your argument is still debatable. You gave up everything the s4 had and opted for the less lag experience by flashing a rom.
 

jroc

Well-known member
Jun 26, 2010
861
66
0
Visit site
When I was in the Verizon store checking out the different colored backs for the Moto X, the salesman in there was adamant that the Galaxy S4 was really the phone I wanted. Because, you know, it's better and stuff. He had trouble explaining why, when put side by side with the Moto X, it performed tasks slower and lagged noticeably, while the "under powered" Moto X pushed through like it wasn't even being challenged.

Sorry, but I've got better things to do with my time now than root and ROM and dork around on my phone for weeks on end trying to figure out the best compromise of power, battery life, and features. Three years ago, I was all about it but it's just exhausting. The Moto X has come along and put a lot of those preconceived notions about Android to bed and all but nailed the coffin shut.

You know what annoys me most about Apple fanboys? When they say stuff like "it just works." But now I'm really starting to see what they're on about....

I agree 100%. I was the same way. Over the years...I gradually went away from custom ROMs for a better experience...and just went with the phone that provided the best experience for me out the box. If that phone is the Moto X .....it deserves the title as best overall Android phone for 2013. Like I said before....overall isnt just about a spec or 2 here n there. One phone has whats considered the best screen on the market....but lacks somewhere else that can take away from the overall experience.

Your last sentence was pure blasphemy!!!....but I get what your saying... :)
 

UJ95x

Retired Ambassador
Aug 26, 2013
9,337
0
0
Visit site
Ummm.. I'm don't own a S4, nor used SlimBean. But it looks like another regular rom. So technically you gave up on all the "superior things" the s4 has. If its software, touchwiz is meh, if its hardware, your argument is still debatable. You gave up everything the s4 had and opted for the less lag experience by flashing a rom.
The software wasn't the superior part. Also, the hardware is superior to that of the Moto X.
Camera runs circles around the X, battery life is just as good in most cases if not better. Screen is sharper and I have a removeable battery and expandable storage.
Gaming is also far better on the S4 because of the processor and screen differences.
 
Last edited:

jroc

Well-known member
Jun 26, 2010
861
66
0
Visit site
Ummm.. I'm don't own a S4, nor used SlimBean. But it looks like another regular rom. So technically you gave up on all the "superior things" the s4 has. If its software, touchwiz is meh, if its hardware, your argument is still debatable. You gave up everything the s4 had and opted for the less lag experience by flashing a rom.

When a person tries a phone vs phone debate or compares phones....and brings up a custom ROM.... Its apples to oranges.

But yea...most things are debatable about phones. I could mention how having a non removable battery has its advantages, I had to apologize to some Apple fans I got into debates with....lol.
 
Last edited:

ultravisitor

Well-known member
Aug 29, 2010
2,788
238
0
Visit site
Sorry, but I've got better things to do with my time now than root and ROM and dork around on my phone for weeks on end trying to figure out the best compromise of power, battery life, and features. Three years ago, I was all about it but it's just exhausting. The Moto X has come along and put a lot of those preconceived notions about Android to bed and all but nailed the coffin shut.

Same. And really, if a phone was so great, it shouldn't need to be tweaked so much.
 

JungleLarry

Well-known member
Dec 2, 2010
663
15
0
Visit site
Have to disagree. See my post above. Obviously YMMV
I'm happy to hear that you GS4 is contrary to what I've observed, and I hope my Moto X is contrary to what you've observed.

What a neat world we live in where we have the luxury of arguing about whose coolest phone is the coolest of all the cool phones.
 

Cubfan

Well-known member
Jun 19, 2010
947
60
0
Visit site
Have to disagree. See my post above. Obviously YMMV

When you have to flash a ROM to get the phone to be acceptable, it definitely has problems. The S4 hardware-wise felt like every Samsung I have ever known, and I owned the S2, S3, and Note2 before the S4. Plastic and Samsung in your face, unreal colors, and dumb ridiculous software features no real person ever uses. It's like the Hello Kitty and Pokemon had a baby and named it Nintendo. So far from a Google experience, and I'm done flashing ROMs to have a phone that behaves and gets decent battery life without lag.

Enjoy your S4. I didn't... finally hit my limit. The only thing worse would be owning an iPhone where they add about 2 or 3 silly features and call it an upgrade.
 

UJ95x

Retired Ambassador
Aug 26, 2013
9,337
0
0
Visit site
I'm happy to hear that you GS4 is contrary to what I've observed, and I hope my Moto X is contrary to what you've observed.

What a neat world we live in where we have the luxury of arguing about whose coolest phone is the coolest of all the cool phones.
It is actually. Hadn't seen 6+ hours on an X. Quite impressive, how high was your brightness?
 

sooner7

Well-known member
Jun 18, 2012
124
1
0
Visit site
Haha it's funny because I have an S4 and even with ROMs and OVERCLOCKED it still lags. I can't get the Moto X to lag. The things the S4 have going for it like: 1080p, better SoC, and bigger battery didn't really help my experience out. It's bad how a mid range device feels more high end than one of the biggest flagships of the year. The build quality alone squats on the S4.

Also to the guy addressing gameplay, the S4 Pro that is the basis of the X8 system is still very powerful and the GPU in the X is the same as the GPU in the S4...so basically gameplay should be about the same other than on ultra high end games, due to the X having to push far less pixels with the same GPU behind it.

disclaimer: I love both devices, just trying to get the facts out there. Though the X is defined as mid range, it definitely handles like a top tier device.
 

clankfu

Well-known member
Jul 23, 2011
384
0
0
Visit site
This was from Monday night :)
Had airplane mode on for about 2 and 1/2 hours. During my math class where I get no signal and during mass

That's great battery life but that's also a custom ROM and kernel. What was your battery life like on stock, unrooted TouchWiz.
 

UJ95x

Retired Ambassador
Aug 26, 2013
9,337
0
0
Visit site
Haha it's funny because I have an S4 and even with ROMs and OVERCLOCKED it still lags. I can't get the Moto X to lag. The things the S4 have going for it like: 1080p, better SoC, and bigger battery didn't really help my experience out. It's bad how a mid range device feels more high end than one of the biggest flagships of the year. The build quality alone squats on the S4.

Also to the guy addressing gameplay, the S4 Pro that is the basis of the X8 system is still very powerful and the GPU in the X is the same as the GPU in the S4...so basically gameplay should be about the same other than on ultra high end games, due to the X having to push far less pixels with the same GPU behind it.

disclaimer: I love both devices, just trying to get the facts out there. Though the X is defined as mid range, it definitely handles like a top tier device.
What defines it as mid-range? The specs? I thought the point trying to be made not only by the article but also by Motorola is that specs don't make a phone. The iPhone isn't mid-range, and look at its spec-sheet...
 

Cubfan

Well-known member
Jun 19, 2010
947
60
0
Visit site
Haha it's funny because I have an S4 and even with ROMs and OVERCLOCKED it still lags. I can't get the Moto X to lag. The things the S4 have going for it like: 1080p, better SoC, and bigger battery didn't really help my experience out.

100% agree. That was my frustration, too. Hoping to have the kind of experience you're seeing with the Moto X.
 

UJ95x

Retired Ambassador
Aug 26, 2013
9,337
0
0
Visit site
That's great battery life but that's also a custom ROM and kernel. What was your battery life like on stock, unrooted TouchWiz.
Definitely nothing to complain about. Only reason I flashed a ROM was because I like stock Android better. No problem with TouchWiz :)
I had little to no lag issues and I actually used some of the "gimmicks"
View attachment 92927
View attachment 92929
Have some more where I get 6+ hours but over 11-12 hours
 

sooner7

Well-known member
Jun 18, 2012
124
1
0
Visit site
What defines it as mid-range? The specs? I thought the point trying to be made not only by the article but also by Motorola is that specs don't make a phone. The iPhone isn't mid-range, and look at its spec-sheet...

That was the point I am making exactly!! On a spec sheet, these are considered mid to high end. "Specs" are the whole reason I bought the S4, but they obviously don't matter.

Experience defines the tier of the phone, but low specs tend to make a bad experience. However, iOS and now the X prove that software optimization is just as crucial to making a high end phone/experience.
 

UJ95x

Retired Ambassador
Aug 26, 2013
9,337
0
0
Visit site
That was the point I am making exactly!! On a spec sheet, these are considered mid to high end. "Specs" are the whole reason I bought the S4, but they obviously don't matter.

Experience defines the tier of the phone, but low specs tend to make a bad experience. However, iOS and now the X prove that software optimization is just as crucial to making a high end phone/experience.
Then why did you call it a mid-range phone? Aside from the camera, this phone performs just as well as the other flagships.
 

Aquila

Retired Moderator
Feb 24, 2012
15,904
0
0
Visit site
Battery Life:

So, like many of you, I read a lot of these threads and my impression both from my Moto X and the forums, is that it's easy to get 20-26 hours of battery life with 4-6 hours of "screen on" on an X, out of the box. My impression from the S4 forums is that 15-20 is "lucky", though some people are able to eek out more by tweaking it. Most people seem to be in the 12-15 hour range. Either one of those would be relatively close to acceptable from how I use my phone (10-12 hour work day, I can survive with 12-15 hours, but then I have to charge it the second I get home or swap batteries, would rather have 25-40% left on the battery).

Also, like many of you I don't ever let my device get below 20% except in extreme cases, so take the "max hours" numbers and multiply by .75 or .80 and that's how much I WANT to use it. Which means we're basically talking about an 8-12 hour S4 vs an 15-18 hr Moto X. Of course there are individuals getting higher or lower values than normal, but I've never expected that my device will exceed normal ranges when I purchase it.

Processor:

I would argue heavily that the S600 is not actually a "better" processor, because it is very likely that most of us have never done anything that requires the theoretical output it could generate under test conditions. That, coupled with it being soundly beaten by the X8 in many real world performance tests (navigation of the OS, opening apps, rendering pages, threading, random r/w, etc) makes it very tough to call one objectively better than the other, though the X8 system is much more advanced, despite having 2 fewer ARMs.
 

Rule9

Banned
Jun 2, 2013
805
0
0
Visit site
It's just a rating guys, one website's opinion doesn't mean you have to take it as a supreme proclamation.

Sent from my Sony Xperia Z1
 

Forum statistics

Threads
943,150
Messages
6,917,531
Members
3,158,850
Latest member
kerokekerol