Thinking Of Buying Moto X... Help?

anon(5140585)

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So I am due for an upgrade, well have been for the past 3 years since I purchased my iPhone 4s outright. I have been waiting and wanting to upgrade for about 2 years. I cannot make up my mind on what I want to get, but after having the 4s for 3 solid years, I am in need of a change. As I posted on the iMore Forums, I am not a big fan of iOS 7, therefore as good as the hardware of the 5s is, the OS cannot push me to upgrade. I have used Android in the past as a second phone, but the Moto X seems like a really good device and worthy of a look. I like the size and the reviews have all been good.

Does the X camera update make it's camera comparable to the 5s camera?

Besides the voice commands and wrist twisting, is the X a great phone in operation?

Just let me know what you like about it and if you were a past iPhone user, what do you like more about the Moto X?

Thanks!!!
 

fernandez21

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So I am due for an upgrade, well have been for the past 3 years since I purchased my iPhone 4s outright. I have been waiting and wanting to upgrade for about 2 years. I cannot make up my mind on what I want to get, but after having the 4s for 3 solid years, I am in need of a change. As I posted on the iMore Forums, I am not a big fan of iOS 7, therefore as good as the hardware of the 5s is, the OS cannot push me to upgrade. I have used Android in the past as a second phone, but the Moto X seems like a really good device and worthy of a look. I like the size and the reviews have all been good.

Does the X camera update make it's camera comparable to the 5s camera?

Besides the voice commands and wrist twisting, is the X a great phone in operation?

Just let me know what you like about it and if you were a past iPhone user, what do you like more about the Moto X?

Thanks!!!

I use both an iPhone 5S and a Moto X (well, I will again after I re-order it, had to return my original).

In terms os speed, smoothness, and stabilty, advantage to the iPhone. Camera is huge advantage to the iPhone.

Screen and in hand feel both go to the Moto X. Moto X also gets the advantage from additional software features not found on the iPhone (active display, Moto assist, always listening, ect...) Also, this is the smoothest and most stable version of Android I have ever used (disclaimer, the last Nexus I used was the Nexus S, other than that its been mostly OEM skinned versions of android, including Touchwiz, Sense, LG skin, and Moto Blur)

Reception, speaker quality, earpiece, volume, and battery are a push.

Have you installed iOS 7 on your 4S yet? If you have and don't like it, I would say the Moto X is probably the overall best android phone you can get right now, and coming from an iPhone would probably be the phone to get (this or an HTC One).

If you have not installed iOS 7 and are just going by what you have seen on the internet, I would suggest to first install iOS 7 and give it a couple of weeks, if at that time your still not a fan, then go for the Moto X or HTC One.
 

anon(5140585)

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Thanks for the thorough reply, just the answers I was looking for.

I installed 7 on my Mini, played with it, didn't like. Bought my wife a 5c, started to like 7 a bit more, but think it was just the speed of the device that I liked and not the OS. I then installed 7 on my 4s knowing I could not return to 6 and you guessed it... still didn't like. Luckily my work phone is also a 4s, so I swapped SIMs and called AT&T. So I am now running 6 as my personal phone.

My thought is, if I don't like 7 now i probably won't like it later either. With a burning desire to finally upgrade my device, I feel I need a switch. Android was always sloppy IMO, but the Moto x seems to change that. I really don't care about apps or features, just a quick phone with a GREAT CAMERA. And the Lumia 1020 is to large compared to the X with it's big screen big small size.
 

Clocks

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just a quick phone with a GREAT CAMERA
The moto x camera is "good enough", but not good or great. Unless you are outside with tons of light.

Attached are two of the "wtf" pictures I took with my X before I returned it (note the third photo is also crappy, but I took it outside at night with my GS3, holding it one hand while my dogs tugged at the leashes in my other hand, and it has less noise than either inside moto x photo). I didn't do a side-by-side with my GS3, but I've taken plenty of better inside photos with my gs3 than I could manage to get with my X. (this isn't a "proof the moto x can't take good pictures" post, this is just calling out why I personally dont feel the X has a "great" camera" like the OP is asking for).

I still think its a software issue, the ISO on these photos is 5000 and 6000. Similar lighting photos on my GS3 have ISOs under 600. I'm waiting for another software update to fix this then another sale and ill grab a new X.
 

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fernandez21

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Thanks for the thorough reply, just the answers I was looking for.

I installed 7 on my Mini, played with it, didn't like. Bought my wife a 5c, started to like 7 a bit more, but think it was just the speed of the device that I liked and not the OS. I then installed 7 on my 4s knowing I could not return to 6 and you guessed it... still didn't like. Luckily my work phone is also a 4s, so I swapped SIMs and called AT&T. So I am now running 6 as my personal phone.

My thought is, if I don't like 7 now i probably won't like it later either. With a burning desire to finally upgrade my device, I feel I need a switch. Android was always sloppy IMO, but the Moto x seems to change that. I really don't care about apps or features, just a quick phone with a GREAT CAMERA. And the Lumia 1020 is to large compared to the X with it's big screen big small size.

While the Moto X is a quick phone, a great camera it is not. It takes pretty goods shots in bright daylight, but other than that you'll get a lot of noise and blurry pics. If you want a great camera with Android, the GS4 or G2 are your best bets, however the version of android running on those 2 phones aren't as smooth or polished as the Moto X. (Disclaimer, I haven't used either of those devices, but I judge on my experiences with a Note 3 and LG Optimus G Pro, both of which were my daily drivers for a couple of months this year and use nearly the same software found on the GS4 and G2)

If your willing to import, I've heard the Sony Xperia Z1 has a great camera too.
 

anon(5140585)

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I have looked at several photos comparing pre and post, thanks for the link! Some say thew X is on par with the One and 5s, and others say not even close. I have a 4s like I stated, so I would like and imagine any phone newer than the 4s has a better camera and produce better photos. I am looking to get the top notch of course, but the only phones I am considering are the X and 5s, and that is mainly because of their actual size. the Lumia line and other Androids are way to large for my liking.
 

Oofa

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I have and use both iPhone and Moto X. If you are looking to switch from iPhone to Android, the Moto X is probably the best way to go. It's small and super comfortable to use, it's not full of useless bloat, it's super fast, it can be had at an incredibly low price.....I am an average photo guy, not into creating artwork or high end night shots with a phone camera but I do take quite a bit of photos with it, and I find that the Moto X camera is as good as my iPhone 5s camera. I don't really see a difference unless I start dissecting the photos. Moto X is super easy to use on the fly and has not let me down. If you start comparing photos from the Moto X and the iPhone pixel by pixel, you will see that the iPhone camera is less grainy but the amount of difference is not enough to dump the Moto X for an iPhone. Same with how quick each phone is. No noticeable difference in speed and responsiveness unless you start to read the numbers. The Moto X is incredibly fast and responsive. Consider the whole experience of the phones and systems and don't get bogged down by numbers.
 

kolyan2k

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The moto x camera is "good enough", but not good or great. Unless you are outside with tons of light.

Attached are two of the "wtf" pictures I took with my X before I returned it (note the third photo is also crappy, but I took it outside at night with my GS3, holding it one hand while my dogs tugged at the leashes in my other hand, and it has less noise than either inside moto x photo). I didn't do a side-by-side with my GS3, but I've taken plenty of better inside photos with my gs3 than I could manage to get with my X. (this isn't a "proof the moto x can't take good pictures" post, this is just calling out why I personally dont feel the X has a "great" camera" like the OP is asking for).

I still think its a software issue, the ISO on these photos is 5000 and 6000. Similar lighting photos on my GS3 have ISOs under 600. I'm waiting for another software update to fix this then another sale and ill grab a new X.

I get same results in terms of picture quality on my MX. Here is xda thread with bunch of pictures. I also noticed that my Galaxy Nexus chooses ISO 100 while MX uses 600+

also noticed that Gnex can take better/closer macro shots

I wonder why Motorola/Google STILL didnt fix this. MX was released in end of SUMMER. It makes me think that its a hardware issue or something.

Dealbreaker? - xda-developers

ps. I have Galaxy Nexus and MX, I used S4 before and camera difference is night and day. Almost ALL low light shots are nice with S4, almost NONE of MX shots are useful or can even be kept.....just too ugly. Sure you can do some post-processing like use Google "Punch" filter or "Vintage", and yes daylight pictures are fine, but at the end there is definitely something wrong with MX camera. When (or if) 4.4.2 comes out for Moto X and camera issue is not fixed, I will consider switching to N5. And believe me, I am not looking for S4 quality, all I want is to be able to take pictures that are not pure ugly to look at.
 
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anon(5140585)

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I have and use both iPhone and Moto X. If you are looking to switch from iPhone to Android, the Moto X is probably the best way to go. It's small and super comfortable to use, it's not full of useless bloat, it's super fast, it can be had at an incredibly low price.....I am an average photo guy, not into creating artwork or high end night shots with a phone camera but I do take quite a bit of photos with it, and I find that the Moto X camera is as good as my iPhone 5s camera. I don't really see a difference unless I start dissecting the photos. Moto X is super easy to use on the fly and has not let me down. If you start comparing photos from the Moto X and the iPhone pixel by pixel, you will see that the iPhone camera is less grainy but the amount of difference is not enough to dump the Moto X for an iPhone. Same with how quick each phone is. No noticeable difference in speed and responsiveness unless you start to read the numbers. The Moto X is incredibly fast and responsive. Consider the whole experience of the phones and systems and don't get bogged down by numbers.

Thanks! You pretty much summed up some deeper questions I had basing it off the 5s. I take a lot of photos/videos of my kids indoor/outdoor and never bother to carry my expensive camera (like most people).


Mixed results here as well, thanks, guess I will just have to use the 14day freebie!

Are users expecting another camera update to address what others are calling camera issues?
 

Lynx

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I have an iPhone 5s and Moto X. Both have their pros and cons as others have mentioned. The camera on the MX may be useable unless you have owned and used an iPhone for any length of time. If you have used an iPhone for any length of time the photos leave a lot to be desired. Is it a dealbreaker? Well that depends on how much you value cell phone pictures.

Camera aside the Moto X is a very good phone. I love active display and touchless control.The form factor is amazing and I am a huge fan of Android (and iOS) but for different reasons on both. Is it the best all around phone out there? Well depends on what you want in a phone. For me the 5s is a better all around device and will definitely be viable longer. However I love my Moto X and its a great change of pace!

Would I buy the Moto X again for $350 off contract? Absolutely.
Would I sign a 2 year contract for the Moto X? No way.
 

kolyan2k

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Thanks! You pretty much summed up some deeper questions I had basing it off the 5s. I take a lot of photos/videos of my kids indoor/outdoor and never bother to carry my expensive camera (like most people).



Mixed results here as well, thanks, guess I will just have to use the 14day freebie!

Are users expecting another camera update to address what others are calling camera issues?

My pictures start at page 4 I think.....check em out. Yes 4.4.2 is expected update and hopefully will come with new drivers/firmware for camera. Maybe its the reason why its delayed, all Nexus, GE, and Moto G got the update already, Moto X is the last in line.
 

anon(5140585)

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Would I buy the Moto X again for $350 off contract? Absolutely.
Would I sign a 2 year contract for the Moto X? No way.

Well that's a valid point! Maybe buy the 5s and sell it to get the X off contract and pocket some cash for a later phone purchase.

My pictures start at page 4 I think.....check em out. Yes 4.4.2 is expected update and hopefully will come with new drivers/firmware for camera. Maybe its the reason why its delayed, all Nexus, GE, and Moto G got the update already, Moto X is the last in line.

hmmm... guess we have no idea when the X will get this update right?
 

tgp

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I haven't used an iPhone 5s, but I had a 5. My wife currently has a Moto X. The iPhone will beat the Moto X easily in the camera department; otherwise I'd say it's a wash overall.

If you do decide to go with the Moto X, you can get a discount if you find an unused code in this thread. Both contract & off contract prices are discounted, as well as an accessory. The order needs to be submitted by tomorrow night (December 24).
 

anon(5140585)

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I haven't used an iPhone 5s, but I had a 5. My wife currently has a Moto X. The iPhone will beat the Moto X easily in the camera department; otherwise I'd say it's a wash overall.

If you do decide to go with the Moto X, you can get a discount if you find an unused code in this thread. Both contract & off contract prices are discounted, as well as an accessory. The order needs to be submitted by tomorrow night (December 24).

As it stands, the 5s takes the cake for photos. Since all users believe it is a software over hardware issue, I would like to wait as long as possible to upgrade if the X camera can be improved with a software update. Motorola has done it twice so far and users reported positive feedback, so if there is another update in the pipeline.... maybe I wait it out.

I don't know!!!!!!!!!!!!! I kept my 4s for 3 years which was extremely painful considering I use to swap phones all the time prior to 4s. Because I keep my phones for longer than usual periods, I want to make a good decision here.
 

karmamule

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I have and use both iPhone and Moto X. If you are looking to switch from iPhone to Android, the Moto X is probably the best way to go. It's small and super comfortable to use, it's not full of useless bloat, it's super fast, it can be had at an incredibly low price.....I am an average photo guy, not into creating artwork or high end night shots with a phone camera but I do take quite a bit of photos with it, and I find that the Moto X camera is as good as my iPhone 5s camera. I don't really see a difference unless I start dissecting the photos. Moto X is super easy to use on the fly and has not let me down. If you start comparing photos from the Moto X and the iPhone pixel by pixel, you will see that the iPhone camera is less grainy but the amount of difference is not enough to dump the Moto X for an iPhone. Same with how quick each phone is. No noticeable difference in speed and responsiveness unless you start to read the numbers. The Moto X is incredibly fast and responsive. Consider the whole experience of the phones and systems and don't get bogged down by numbers.

My 2 phones are now an iPhone 5S and the Moto X, and this pretty much sums up my experience too, though I'd qualify to say the Moto X's camera is as good as my iPhone5s' camera *for the uses I have*. To me the iPhone 5S takes clearly superior pictures with its default settings, but with a bit of judicious editing my Moto X shots can look really close for the social networking / casual picture sharing uses I have in my everyday life.

The 5S is well crafted, powerful, and has lots of strengths, but between the rigid grid and lack of flexibility of iOS, and the bazillion ways to personalize Android added on top of the fantastic ability to use Motomaker to really craft your own phone combine to make my Moto X feel far more fitted to me rather than some elegant bit of machinery that I have to fit myself to.
 

anon(5140585)

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The camera quality is important to me, so thanks everyone for comparing the X to the 5s since those are the 2 devices I am considering. I do not like to use photo editing apps on my devices, but use PhotoShop on my laptop. I would honestly like not to edit any photos if possible. I am not looking for professional photos from any devices, just a camera that can capture the moment as realistic as possible with clarity and colors. Photos coming from my phone are the vast majority of photos I take of my boys.

I keep reading how comfortable the X is in the hand, was that a deciding factor for anyone compared to an iPhone? or was it the Android experience rather than iOS? I really use my devices for a good calendar with reminder listing, email, and photos//videos, so it doesn't matter what platform I use as long as it can accomplish the said items. Apple really screwed up the NC in iOS by replacing simply tasks.dates with paragraphs explaining what was coming up in the near future. So it became not so simply to quickly glance at.
 

anon(847090)

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I keep reading how comfortable the X is in the hand, was that a deciding factor for anyone compared to an iPhone? or was it the Android experience rather than iOS? I really use my devices for a good calendar with reminder listing, email, and photos//videos, so it doesn't matter what platform I use as long as it can accomplish the said items. Apple really screwed up the NC in iOS by replacing simply tasks.dates with paragraphs explaining what was coming up in the near future. So it became not so simply to quickly glance at.

you have to hold it to understand why people are saying that... I had the same question like you before i bought Moto X.

man it feels great on your hand!!!