Moto X Style: is it worth it to upgrade from the Galaxy Note 4?

[David Rosen]

Hey Everyone,

So I've been complaining for a while now about my Note 4. Even after a System Restore, it's a disaster. It's slow. Laggy. My 3 most used things, Camera, Gallery and Facebook all take a solid 10 seconds to load every time. The Multitasking button which I use a lot too takes 5-10 seconds to load. The only thing that runs well (unless they start to stutter) are games for the most part.

I'm really considering the Moto X Pure for my next phone, but based on specs, I'm wondering, will it truly be an upgrade? On paper it's not, but I think without Touchwiz, the specs might make for a phone that's faster than my Note 4. And speed (not benchmarks but real world no lagginess speed) is my #1 most important thing. After that I want a good camera (I know the new Moto X phones that seems to be the big question so far), and at the very least 64gb of internal storage plus SD card or 128GB internal storage with no SD card (neither of which I can get with the Note 5). The Moto X Pure's waterproofing is something I've always wanted too, so that would be nice. And it doesn't seem to sacrifice any forms of connectivity like the One Plus 2's lack of NFC... Oh and can't forget battery life. My Note 4 can't make it 12 hours. I know nerds (I'm one but I get mad at others who make false claims and then I call them nerds haha) like to say that it lasts 24 hours of average use. Yea, I can't get more than 6-8 hours out of mine.

I think that about does it... Speed (compared to a Note 4... and again... not talking benchmarks, talking real usage speed), Camera (at least as good as Note 4), Battery Life (I guess as good as Note 4 or better hopefully)... Camera is a sort of question mark at this point I know, and storage, I know 64GB plus SD is what I'd be getting.

Any thoughts? Is it truly an UPGRADE for me? Thanks

 

[Clocks]

re:

I think it will be a sideways move. The note 4 is one of the best phones out if you can deal either TW. I've read 5.1.1 which was released on sprint eliminates most of the lag.

 

[anon(469638)]

re:

I have a Note 4 and had only one issue with it: Touchwiz.

I didn't experience any of the lag that others seemed to have been plagued with. I simply don't like the look of TW.

I installed CM12 Nightly builds and have been extremely happy with the device outside of the worse camera.

TW is the sole reason for the camera being so good, and I lost that switching to CM.

That said, I too an considering the XPE. It will be a worthy upgrade. Though I will miss the SPen.

 

[thejesse]

re:

Having owned the first two generations of moto x, I don't think you will see any performance issues with the third gen. We'll have to wait until more reviewers get their hands on them to know about the camera.

Posted via the Android Central App

 

[somdave2005]

re:

If you hate TouchWiz, that's a good enough reason to switch. Especially if you don't need the pen

Posted via the Android Central App

 

[David Rosen]

Re:

For me it's not so much about hating TouchWiz (I think in the most recent versions it's toned down enough where I don't mind it... but certainly prefer stock Android), it's the unbearable lag and slowness that it adds. And if TouchWiz really is the culprit then I really do think even if the Moto X Pure is more of a "sideways" move rather than an upgrade spec-wise, it might be enough to be a whole new awesome experience of a phone. The thought of tapping an app icon and the app opening is like a dream to me haha. And I refuse to root and install ROMs. It's fun, but it's an endless rabbit hole. I used to do it on my G1, G2, MyTouch 4g Slide and Galaxy S3... when I moved on to the Note 3 and then Note 4 I decided enough was enough and if the phone doesn't work good as it shipped, then it's garbage and I don't want it haha. Too many long nights on xda researching and commenting and flashing and re-setting up and all that stuff. It's fun, but I just don't have the time anymore. Plus it always seems to get crappy after a while with ROMs to where I have to flash another one, even if I was happy for a few months.

 

[bigbuc]

Re:

For me it's not so much about hating TouchWiz (I think in the most recent versions it's toned down enough where I don't mind it... but certainly prefer stock Android), it's the unbearable lag and slowness that it adds. And if TouchWiz really is the culprit then I really do think even if the Moto X Pure is more of a "sideways" move rather than an upgrade spec-wise, it might be enough to be a whole new awesome experience of a phone. The thought of tapping an app icon and the app opening is like a dream to me haha. And I refuse to root and install ROMs. It's fun, but it's an endless rabbit hole. I used to do it on my G1, G2, MyTouch 4g Slide and Galaxy S3... when I moved on to the Note 3 and then Note 4 I decided enough was enough and if the phone doesn't work good as it shipped, then it's garbage and I don't want it haha. Too many long nights on xda researching and commenting and flashing and re-setting up and all that stuff. It's fun, but I just don't have the time anymore. Plus it always seems to get crappy after a while with ROMs to where I have to flash another one, even if I was happy for a few months.

I think I agree. I eventually settle on a ROM. now, if I don't root, what do I do with all these utilities that require root?

 

[Ntchwaidumela]

Re:

I'm definitely not going to "upgrade" my Note 4 to a Note 5! I've never used Touchwiz. I've been using Nova Prime since my Note 3 days, and I love it. As far as switching phones, I'll probably keep my Note 4 for awhile, then switch to either the Moto X or the new iteration of the LG G4(5? whatever they call it). The X looks awfully good, and I don't use the S Pen that much anyway. So I won't really miss that Note feature. It's a shame Samsung went for style and gave up the Note's character. But, oh well....

 

[David Rosen]

Re:

Yea I use Nova Prime too, but Touchwiz seems to be in the background enough to slow the hell out of my phone. Ugh.

 

[eao1991]

Re:

I'm definitely not going to "upgrade" my Note 4 to a Note 5! I've never used Touchwiz. I've been using Nova Prime since my Note 3 days, and I love it. As far as switching phones, I'll probably keep my Note 4 for awhile, then switch to either the Moto X or the new iteration of the LG G4(5? whatever they call it). The X looks awfully good, and I don't use the S Pen that much anyway. So I won't really miss that Note feature. It's a shame Samsung went for style and gave up the Note's character. But, oh well....

Keep in mind that touchwiz is more than just the launcher. You may not be interacting with the touchwiz launcher, but you're still using touchwiz in other ways.

Posted via the AC app

 

[Ntchwaidumela]

Re:

Keep in mind that touchwiz is more than just the launcher. You may not be interacting with the touchwiz launcher, but you're still using touchwiz in other ways.

Posted via the AC app

I know. And that's why I hate it.

Sent from my SM-N910T using Tapatalk

 

[D13H4RD2L1V3]

Re:

It's more of a sidegrade since the performance jump is minimal (but you get an extremely-close-to-stock build of Android) and you lose out on the S Pen features plus the removable battery.

You have to think how often you swap batteries and use the S Pen.

 

[David Rosen]

Re:

It's more of a sidegrade since the performance jump is minimal (but you get an extremely-close-to-stock build of Android) and you lose out on the S Pen features plus the removable battery.

You have to think how often you swap batteries and use the S Pen.

For me it's the stock Android, becuase I truly truly believe that TouchWiz is the reason for all the slowdown in my Android experience. I mean it's got to be? At first I was convinced it was using an SD card that causes the problems, and while I still think more internal storage and less reliance on SD cards would be a better thing for powerful Android phones (I can't wait for 128gb or even more internal storage phones), ever since I did another System Restore and started using my Note 4 without an SD card, it's slow as hell again. I mean it's sad how slow it is. It's a joke. And it's all UI related. Loading apps, unlocking, recent apps, swiping around, things like that. Just sick of this phone and I don't know if I want to trust Samsung for a 3rd time (S3 - Note 3, Note 3 - Note 4... Note 4 - Note 5 would be my 3rd time trusting them and being let down by performance). Only reason I ever trusted them is because of the on paper "best specs in the industry" ... but those specs don't really seem to help much haha.

Oh and honestly removable battery doesn't bother me, I never swap batteries... I'll kinda miss the S-Pen but not really. I rarely use it.

 

[Ed_Hicks]

Re:

I'm definitely not going to "upgrade" my Note 4 to a Note 5! I've never used Touchwiz. I've been using Nova Prime since my Note 3 days, and I love it. As far as switching phones, I'll probably keep my Note 4 for awhile, then switch to either the Moto X or the new iteration of the LG G4(5? whatever they call it). The X looks awfully good, and I don't use the S Pen that much anyway. So I won't really miss that Note feature. It's a shame Samsung went for style and gave up the Note's character. But, oh well....

I feel pretty much the same way.

However, my wife loves her Note phones. I just upgraded her to the Note 5 yesterday. For all it lacks (removable battery, micro SD) it really is a fast phone (until TW eventually gets constipated) and it really is a pleasure to look at and hold.

Despite having that phone in my hand, I am still excited to buy a Moto X Pure Edition. I'm just sick and tired of TW. I like how it looks, but the performance after the first week leaves much to be desired.

Sent from my SM-N910W8 using Tapatalk

 

[anon(469638)]

Re: Moto X Pure/Style from a Note 4

The new Note looks amazing.

Its just too bad it doesn't come in a pure black like the Moto X or iPhone.

The Black Sapphire is nice, but my preference is just jet black.

 

[Evilnut]

Re:

I feel pretty much the same way.

However, my wife loves her Note phones. I just upgraded her to the Note 5 yesterday. For all it lacks (removable battery, micro SD) it really is a fast phone (until TW eventually gets constipated) and it really is a pleasure to look at and hold.

Despite having that phone in my hand, I am still excited to buy a Moto X Pure Edition. I'm just sick and tired of TW. I like how it looks, but the performance after the first week leaves much to be desired.

Sent from my SM-N910W8 using Tapatalk

Regarding what you said about TouchWiz getting all jacked up after a period of time and causing lag and slow downs, my daughter has experienced that on her last two galaxy phones, the 4 & 5. The one thing that keeps me coming back to Motorola and possibly even a nexus this time is the fact that my original 2013 moto X still runs smooth and silky after all this time, almost two full years. I just had the battery replaced and I didn't realize how much it had faded in performance. It was still getting me through a basic day of usage, but now I can go a day and a half. And when I think back, that's what I used to be able to do. I just thought it was because I have added so many apps that update in the background, plus Android wear and motoconnect which I use to text from my Chromebook. But, come to find out, it was just the battery fading over time. Now that I have such great battery life again, I'm actually thinking of keeping this phone for another year or so and waiting to see the next generation of phones that come out in 2016. We'll see what happens once I get to put my hands on the new Moto X and the new smaller Nexus.

Posted via Android Central App from a beautiful Ebony backed Original Moto X or the amazing Nexus 10

 

[David Rosen]

Re: Moto X Pure/Style from a Note 4

Wow, sounds great to me. Yea I'm pretty much sold at this point. Just not gonna bother preordering so I can hold out till the last minute, but I think I'm jumping ship from Samsung to Moto. Pretty exciting haha.

Sent from my SM-N910T using Tapatalk

 

[mookiekillsit]

Re:

It's more of a sidegrade since the performance jump is minimal (but you get an extremely-close-to-stock build of Android) and you lose out on the S Pen features plus the removable battery.

You have to think how often you swap batteries and use the S Pen.

Camera also. The camera on my Note 4 is incredible! I know the scores from the Style but I need to see it to believe it. If it's even close to the Note, I'll switch immediately once I see what the Nexus will have to offer.

TW just irritates me.

 

[Ed_Hicks]

Re:

Regarding what you said about TouchWiz getting all jacked up after a period of time and causing lag and slow downs, my daughter has experienced that on her last two galaxy phones, the 4 & 5. The one thing that keeps me coming back to Motorola and possibly even a nexus this time is the fact that my original 2013 moto X still runs smooth and silky after all this time, almost two full years. I just had the battery replaced and I didn't realize how much it had faded in performance. It was still getting me through a basic day of usage, but now I can go a day and a half. And when I think back, that's what I used to be able to do. I just thought it was because I have added so many apps that update in the background, plus Android wear and motoconnect which I use to text from my Chromebook. But, come to find out, it was just the battery fading over time. Now that I have such great battery life again, I'm actually thinking of keeping this phone for another year or so and waiting to see the next generation of phones that come out in 2016. We'll see what happens once I get to put my hands on the new Moto X and the new smaller Nexus.

Posted via Android Central App from a beautiful Ebony backed Original Moto X or the amazing Nexus 10

I am really hoping to have that kind of experience with the Pure Edition.

For a long time, I never experienced Samsung Constipation because I was flashing new roms so often. I decided to try to not root my Bell Mobility Note 4 and other than resale value it's been a disaster. Battery life is down 20% since KitKat and I sometimes wait 10 seconds waiting for the gallery to open from the camera app. My Sprint Note 4 is noticeably faster, but only because it has a 5.1.1 rom, deodexed, zipaligned and knox free. Until I rooted it, my Sprint Note 4 suffered from the same problems as my Bell Mobility version.

The Note 4 on Lollipop has turned an otherwise great phone into a major source of frustration.

Sent from my SM-N910P using Tapatalk

 

[kart38]

Re:

I bought a Moto X 2014 during the Black Friday sale last year and used it up until May when I bought a Note 4. The Note 4 only seemed to be a slight upgrade in battery life, we are talking a couple of hours at the end of the day, and with the camera under low light conditions. In fact, I have since sold the Note and am back to using the Moto X. Since the upgrade to 5.1 it is miles faster than the Note was on 5.0. Combine that with the fact that I didn't use the S Pen and found the size just a hair too big and it made the Moto a better choice for me. The Moto X takes pictures that are more than good enough, if I need a great picture I'll use a real camera, but that isn't really how I use my phone.

I plan on buying a Moto X Pure Edition as soon as it is available in the US. I know it is bigger again than the 2014 model but I want the bigger battery and Motorola software. I really do like what Motorola adds to Android as opposed to how TouchWiz rewrites Android. I've not used a Samsung phone that wasn't noticeably slower than a similar phone not running TouchWiz. To decide if it is worth the upgrade you really need to decide how you use the phone. For me the Motorola phones are better. If you don't experience any lag, or don't let it bother you, and/or you rely on the S Pen I don't think I'd bother switching. The Note 4 was a really good phone but it just wasn't the phone for me. I've tried several Samsung phones and they just never agree with me and I always move away.