Share Your Moto X Review

[kansasandroid1]

Design: This is what sold me on this phone. First of all bringing back the customization element of this phone and then adding the aluminum band around the outside of this phone makes this feel much more premium then the previous Moto X. They increased the screen size without really adding to much size. Overall I believe between the customization and the feel of this phone, it is the best designed phone.

Screen: The new 1080p screen is definitely an improvement over last years 720p, but one area I would have liked to see them improve a little more is visibility outdoors. Overall the display is still excellent.

Camera: The camera is an improvement over last years model. It is not a very large improvement. It can take some amazing shots but only under perfect elements. Low light performance is lacking. I feel like with a couple software updates this camera can improve a lot.

Battery: This is definitely my biggest disappointment with the phone. I am a very heavy user so I don't see very good battery life at all on this phone. One thing I remembered with the original Moto X is that my battery life got better after using the phone for a while so I will make sure to keep an eye out for that. I hope so software updates could help, but I honestly see this as the Moto X's biggest disappointment.

Speed and Software: I have maybe seen the phone lag once in my week with it. The almost pure android just works so well on this phone. I wish every manufacture was like Motorola in this area. This how Android phones should look. It also brings back all of Motorola's best software features such as assist, migrate, touch less control and more. Its stock android with bonuses.

Conclusion: After using this phone for a week, I love so much about this phone. My biggest problem is it seems like Motorola ignored what the biggest complaints were with last years phone. Battery Life and Camera. I am not saying this phone isn't amazing, it just honestly could have been so much better if they focused on two areas last years were lacking in. I believe updates could help this phone and you know Motorola isn't afraid to push out quick updates. Honestly I would still recommend this phone to anyone. I still believe this is one of the best smart phones you could buy if not the best.

Posted via the Android Central App

 

[gone down south]

Coming from a Nexus 4, the battery and camera seem pretty freaking awesome to me

 

[someguy01234]

I posted mine here: http://forums.androidcentral.com/showthread.php?t=445331

 

[planoman]

Much longer than I intended...

A lot of changes have hit Motorola since the Moto X 2013 hit the scene last year. Google has announced it’s intention to sell the Motorola mobile to Lenovo and the deal is pending regulatory review and approval. For me the Moto X 2013 (OG Moto X) was one of my favorite phone in the last several years. I kept it longer than any other device except my Nexus 5 in the past two years. It was revolutionary from the standpoint of touch-less control, always listening and active notifications, which are very handy and add so much to the user experience. I was eagerly waiting the arrival of the Moto X this year and preordered a Pure Edition in 32GB with black front, black resin black in dark gray trim the initial day of ordering. ( I know, so exciting!) I had trouble getting through from my computer so I completed the entire ordering process on my Nexus 5 chome browser!

Before writing this review, I used an iphone 6+ for about 10 days and it was the first iphone I have bought since the iphone 3GS. I did preorder the iphone 4 and when Steve told me I was holding it wrong, I returned it and got the Samsung Captivate a few weeks later and that started me on the road to android! I intend to keep the iphone 6+ as I like using different platforms (also have a Lumia 925) but I do self identify as an android user. I am using the Moto X on AT&T LTE network in the DFW area where it is a very strong AT&T area as is most of Texas. Upon receiving the Moto X, I popped out the preloaded nano SIM and popped my AT&T nano SIM in and it automatically configured the network settings. So far the signal has been impressive, already better than my Nexus 5... No issues on the network in the short time I have used the Moto X. Need some more time in my travels to know for sure, but the feedback on the radios and signals seems to be strong as expected from Motorola. I connected to my AC wifi router on the 5 GHz band and it flat out files! I did a speed test and was getting like 75 Mbps down and 52 Mbps up on FiOS 75/75 which is faster than my iphone 6+ on wifi.

The Moto X takes a nano SIM the SIM card tray has been moved to the top which I like cause I do not have to completely remove my case when swapping my SIM to or from another phone. The Moto X comes packaged similar to the OG Moto X and comes with a choice of color charger and SIM ejector tool. I also plan to buy the turbo charger once it comes back into stock. I have not used the included charger since I have so many other chargers and cords.

When I first held the Moto X, I was impressed with the new size and design. The metal trim certainly added a feeling of quality to the design. It is solidly built! Initially, it felt so small to me having used a iphone 6+ for over a week. The edges felt so thin, I was worried I would drop it as it seem pretty slippery to me as well. I immediately ordered a Tudia TPU case from Amazon with one day delivery, it was like 12 bucks. The screen is nice and bright and I am running it on about 40+% on brightness which get washed out easily in the sun. The back is a black resin, which seems durable and grippy enough. The dimple is huge and I have not really used it before and the Tudia case covers this which is ok with my. Many of the other cases I saw have one large cutout for the camera and dimple and I worry that the camera lens is not protected enough in that design and like the protection and grip of the Tudia. I could not help but feeling that they could have made the device a tad thicker and used a bigger battery to increase the up time. Seems like the device makers are obsessed with thinness, not sure why we need such thin devices? The overall look of the device is very nice and comes together well with the display taking up most of the front with the earpiece speaker and front speaker at the bottom. (kudos to Moto for moving the speaker from the rear to front) Speaking of that display, it includes a 1080p resolution and Gorilla Glass 3, similar to flagships from most OEM’s. The size had been discussed and I like bigger phones having owned Galaxy Note 1 & 2, Xperia Z2, G3, OnePlus One and also iphone 6+ so the Moto X is on the smaller side of many devices I have owned. The Moto X has easily fit into my relaxed fit jeans, slacks, cargo shorts and athletic shorts I like to wear on weekends. YMMV depending on the tightness of your pants/shorts.

As mentioned the display is 1080p and very nice. While it does not pack as many pixels as a QHD screen, 424 ppi is enough for amazing clarity. It is also an AMOLED screen to make use of Moto Display. Such a nice feature that really makes keeping up with your notifications so easy without unlocking and reading the notifications! Of course there is an ongoing debate between the AMOLED and LCD panels and I have use both and they both work for me as I am not into colors reproduction etc as some of you are. I thought the 720p display of the OG Moto X was fine, but I was glad to see this year’s edition bump to 1080p and get larger to 5.2 inches up from 4.7.

Hardware wise the Moto X packs 2014 flagship specs. It has a Snapdragon 801 processor coupled with 2GB RAM. I bought the 32 GB Pure Edition and wish it would have launched with 64 GB of internal storage, which my OnePlus One and iphone 6+ had/have. There is no micro SD card expansion. It also packs a 2300 mAh which has been criticized as 20% smaller than other flagships. Not sure about your usage but so far I have not had an issue with the battery life although I am a medium user (need 12 hours a day) and carry a battery pack with me during the work week and am a light user on the weekends. The turbo charger may be an option for many of you as Motorola say it will boost your battery to 8 hours of usage after a 15-minute charge. Nice! I plan to order a turbo charger once they are back in stock.

The Moto X packs a 13MP rear shooter with a similar interface as last years, which I like better than the Nexus 5 interface. It also has a 2MP FFC for selfies etc. Lots of debate on pictures as well. Not sure why Moto cannot make a flagship camera. The iphone 6+ 8MP camera trounces the Moto for pictures but then again apple has figured the processing piece out for pictures where Moto seem to keep upping the MP without the same results. The Moto does fine in plenty of light such as outdoors, but if you are not outside and the pictures you are taking are for more than social media, you may want to tote your DSLR or favorite point and shoot with you. I carry a SIM less Lumia 925 just to use as a camera if needed when using my Nexus 5 and will probably do the same for this Moto X.

Speaking of the Nexus 5, the Moto X ships with 4.4.4. stock android with the Google Now Launcher and Motorola enhancements; Moto Assist, Actions, Voice, Display and trusted devices. For those of us that have used the Moto X, these are what make the experience so useful. People that have not used them and dismiss them as a gimmick just do not know what they are missing. Motorola has also does a good job of putting their featured apps in the play store so they can be updated without a complete update to the firmware. From teaching a phrase to your Moto X and having it respond to more voice commands such as “what’s up” or “take a selfie”, this device is hard to beat on the user experience! As you would expect the Moto X is fast and smooth running stock android. It is as smooth or smoother than the Nexus 5 and possibly the only device I have used that may be smoother and faster is the OnePlus One.

As I wrap up there are many more pros than cons on the new moto X compared with other flagships and even the OG Moto X. Here are a few:

Pros

- Size (larger 5.2 inch 1080 p) and feel in the hand. Superior build quality
- User Experience with Moto customizations: Assist, Actions, Voice & Display
- Trusted Device, Bluetooth is flawless in my car
- Network connectivity and AC wifi speed
- Stock Android with Google Now Launcher
- Loud front bottom speaker
- Pure Edition available for those who hate carrier devices…
- Price- under $600 for 32GB unlocked device

Cons

- Camera is not flagship level quality
- Low volume earpiece volume?
- No 64GB option…yet
- Amazon.com app crashing…anyone else? Update: It appears the Amazon app crashes if using ART instead of Dalvik runtime.

 

[mhunter6378]

Nice review! And no problems with Amazon app for me.

 

[sharkita]

Much longer than I intended...
Pros

- Size (larger 5.2 inch 1080 p) and feel in the hand. Superior build quality
- User Experience with Moto customizations: Assist, Actions, Voice & Display
- Trusted Device, Bluetooth is flawless in my car
- Network connectivity and AC wifi speed
- Stock Android with Google Now Launcher
- Loud front bottom speaker
- Pure Edition available for those who hate carrier devices…
- Price- under $600 for 32GB unlocked device

Cons

- Camera is not flagship level quality
- Low volume earpiece volume?
- No 64GB option…yet
- Amazon.com app crashing…anyone else?

Really nice and very thorough review! You covered a lot of ground and made a lot of good points. I don't have any problem with the Amazon app or low earpiece volume though (if anything, the volume is kinda loud and I had to turn it down). If the Amazon app is giving you trouble, you might try Settings/Apps/Amazon/Clear cache. I have a local news app that locks up on me from time to time and that always works for me.

 

[planoman]

For those of you having no issues with the Amazon app, are you running ART or Dalvik runtime? I am running ART.

 

[mhunter6378]

Dalvik

 

[someguy01234]

The Amazon app is also crashing for me, but I'm also using ART.

Also agree about the OnePlus, it's an exceptionally fast device, but too big.

 

[planoman]

Dalvik

Thanks. I may pop back to dalvik. Need my amazon! Funny, I run ART on my Nexus 5 and no issues from what I recall.

Also anyone try OTG? I tried my meenova but could not get it to mount so I could see it in my ES file explorer.

Update: I switched back to dalvik and the Amazon app works fine. Still cannot see my Meenova though.

Posted via my Moto X 2

 

[Firedogee]

Very funny and informative review. Thanks. PS. Did Good Ole Steve warn you not to bend your 6+ with your pants?? Lol

 

[Titan206]

The best way I can describe this phone is that it's a 2013 Moto X on steroids. Assuming that one liked the original Moto X, and likes a larger screen, they will probably enjoy the 2014 version.

I've only had the phone for about two days, but so far, I'm really enjoying my purchase.

 

[Frodo79]

Just got my moto x a few days ago. I came from an M7, as much as I like HTC, I am glad I made the switch. Motorola drive assist and touchless controls were the deciding factors.

Sent from my XT1097 using Tapatalk

 

[sharkita]

For those of you having no issues with the Amazon app, are you running ART or Dalvik runtime? I am running ART.

I'm running Dalvik.

Posted via the Android Central App

 

[sharkita]

Thanks. I may pop back to dalvik. Need my amazon! Funny, I run ART on my Nexus 5 and no issues from what I recall.

Also anyone try OTG? I tried my meenova but could not get it to mount so I could see it in my ES file explorer.

Update: I switched back to dalvik and the Amazon app works fine. Still cannot see my Meenova though.

Posted via my Moto X 2

Oddly enough I ran ART on my 2013 Moto X and never had a problem with the Amazon app and I used it a lot.

Posted via the Android Central App

 

[Deron Dantzler]

My Phone History: iPhone, iPhone 3G, iPhone 4, iPhone 5, Nexus 4, Nexus 5, Moto X (2014).

Moto X Model: White/Bamboo/Silver Accents Pure Edition

Design: There's not a better phone out there in my opinion regarding hardware design. Everything is symmetrical, the feel is extremely premium. I get compliments on the phone's design. I love the small things about it such as the movement of the FCC logos and verbiage to the bottom spine of the phone, which leaves the back clean. Why haven't other manufacturers done that?

Size: Many reviews, such as that by Android Central, lament the size of the phone. If you're already committed to using a larger screen, and didn't buy the original Moto X because of it's small screen size, then you won't feel like the phone is too big. Transitioning from the Nexus 5 to the new Moto X has been simple in that regard.

Battery: The battery life for me has been a non-issue. My days run longer than most people's I would say, I get roughly 5 hours of sleep per night. Last night 3.5 hours of sleep. I have not had to recharge my phone during the day, and am getting great standby time out of the phone. I get roughly 4 hours of screen on time out of it. I should note here that, I primarily use my phone for web surfing with Chrome, take an hour or so of calls per day, listen to an hour or so of streaming music, send 20 or so SMS messages, and that's about it. Occasionally I watch a video here or there, but I may be a lighter user than most folks. For social apps like Facebook and Twitter I turn off notifications, because I'm a busy professional and while I check the social networks every now and again, I do so on my own time and prefer not to be bothered with notifications. So, in a nutshell the phone gets me through the day. I have charged every other smartphone in the evening as well. What's different about this phone?

Camera: The camera is adequate but not the best. For a photo in good lighting situations, it does fairly well, especially if you get the hang of the super easy to use manual focus and exposure feature. If you don't use the manual focus feature, it tends to take shots that aren't in focus at times. However, in good light and with the manual focus feature enabled it competes with any flagship on the market. Low light situations and where the flash is needed are not great. I notice a tendency to produce red eye when the flash is used, and the images often turn out pretty dark and grainy in low light, particularly when compared to my wife's iPhone 6 Plus. It is a better camera overall than what was in my Nexus 4 or 5, so I'm pretty happy with it for quick shots as long as the lighting is right. Look, I use my camera as a point and shoot option. If I want a great quality photo, I break out the SLR. Call me old school.

Software: It's stock Android with Moto Assist, Display, Actions, and Voice. All of these additives enhance the experience and are well done. However, if you're not keen on the Moto X, you can add virtually all features of Moto Assist to any phone by installing the underrated Play Store application Agent, which works just as well as Moto Assist.

What's Missing: Would love to have Qi Wireless charging. I certainly have been spoiled by Nexus phones with it. I'm guessing they can't add it because of the curved back? If so, I'll take the curved back over the Qi any day.

Conclusions: I personally find the device to feel extremely premium, and think the design is better than any phone on the market. Pair that with the ability to customize the hardware by picking your own style, and it's phenomenal. The price is significantly cheaper unlocked than any other phone of this caliber, aside from the Nexus. I personally think it's the best Android phone I've owned, and truthfully the best phone I've owned. Coming from the iPhone, I wanted to stay stock so that I can get the Android updates quickly. This phone like the Nexus phones I've had before it offers that stock feel and quick updates in a hardware design that makes the Nexus phones feel like junk comparatively from a build quality standpoint.

So far, I'm extremely happy with the phone and my purchase.