Nexus 5X or Moto G4 Plus?

[Rebeska]

Should I choose Nexus 5X or Moto G4 Plus?

Both cost almost as much here. Nexus 5X 16GB costs exactly as much as Moto G4 Plus 16GB (but I'm interested in the Nexus 5X 32GB for just a little more).

Pros, Nexus 5X:
* Better looking (my own opinion)
* NFC
* USB-C
* 5,2-inch screen (prefer a smaller sized phone)
* Better processor? Snapdragon 808
* Secure updates (though Motorola is one of the better)
* Front-facing speakers

Pros, Moto G4 Plus:
* Water resistent (not waterproof)
* Expandable storage (but doesn't seem convincing to store apps on)

If I understand correctly, Moto G4 Plus has no NFC? None of them has OIS (optical image stabilization), only digital?

I have heard that Moto G4 Plus has heating problems because of Snapdragon 617. It should also be suffering from throttling.

Nexus 5X is older but seems better or have I missed something?

The only negative thing with Nexus 5X is that it lacks expandable storage, but I prefer to store images and videos in the cloud. I'm always streaming music.

The important thing is that I can fit many apps. My dad has a Moto G2 and I think it seems tedious to store apps on the memory card (and all apps can't be stored on the memory card either).

 

[B. Diddy]

Welcome back! Overall, I'd go for the Nexus 5X. It should give better performance than the Moto G, and it sounds like the microSD won't be that important to you. I'd strongly recommend the 32 GB version over the 16 GB.

You'll appreciate the prompt updates from Google.

 

[bgst]

I'm wondering this myself.

Both me and my wife need a new phone and I think I will buy the Nexus for me and the Moto for her.

In favor of Moto G plus is also (I would guess):
Batteri life
Speaker performance
Call quality
Headphone output

This makes me believe that unless you want a smaller phone the Moto G Plus is the better device for normal people that don't need fast updates and don't care about if apps opens a few micro seconds faster. I might be wrong though...

 

[Rebeska]

Welcome back! Overall, I'd go for the Nexus 5X. It should give better performance than the Moto G, and it sounds like the microSD won't be that important to you. I'd strongly recommend the 32 GB version over the 16 GB.

You'll appreciate the prompt updates from Google.

Thansk!

If I choose Nexus 5X it will definitely be the 32GB version.

I'm wondering this myself.

Both me and my wife need a new phone and I think I will buy the Nexus for me and the Moto for her.

In favor of Moto G plus is also (I would guess):
Batteri life
Speaker performance
Call quality
Headphone output

This makes me believe that unless you want a smaller phone the Moto G Plus is the better device for normal people that don't need fast updates and don't care about if apps opens a few micro seconds faster. I might be wrong though...

I care a lot about the software and security, but where do you get that the Moto G4 Plus has better speaker performance, call quality and headphone output?

Moto G4 Plus lacks NFC, nano SIM, USB-C and front speaker.

Is the front speaker on the Nexus 5X really that bad? Even headphone output?

The question is what will be the dealbreaker...

What worries me the most about Moto G4 Plus is actually overheated processor (Snapdragon 617) and throttling.

 

[bgst]

Thansk!
where do you get that the Moto G4 Plus has better speaker performance, call quality and headphone output?
...
Is the front speaker on the Nexus 5X really that bad? Even headphone output?

I've read a lot of Nexus 5x reviews and opinions and it seems like the headphone output is very weak, the speaker is not very good and call quality is not great either. Since headphone output, speaker quality and call quality has been excellent on every moto device I have owned (Moto x 2013 and Moto G first gen) I supposed that they will be good on the Moto 4g Plus too.

 

[Ry]

If OS updates and NFC are important to you, choose the Nexus 5X.

 

[Rebeska]

I've read a lot of Nexus 5x reviews and opinions and it seems like the headphone output is very weak, the speaker is not very good and call quality is not great either. Since headphone output, speaker quality and call quality has been excellent on every moto device I have owned (Moto x 2013 and Moto G first gen) I supposed that they will be good on the Moto 4g Plus too.

I have not seen any comparisons between the speaker on the Nexus 5X, and the speaker on the Moto G3 or G4 Plus. I have only seen the Nexus 5X compared with Moto X Pure. So I doubt whether Moto G4 Plus has better sound than the Nexus 5X. In reviews of the Moto G4 Plus, they say that the sound is OK but not more than that. I think the Nexus 5X received more criticism because they compared it with the more expensive phones like the Moto X. But the thing now is that the Nexus 5X are in the same price range as the Moto G4 Plus.

It's a difficult choice. I agree.

You're not at all worried about the heat issue with the Snapdragon 617 in Moto G4 Plus? Or throttling?

If OS updates and NFC are important to you, choose the Nexus 5X.

OS updates, yes. NFC, not sure.

 

[B. Diddy]

The main benefits of NFC would be Android Pay and Android Beam (i.e., quick file sharing between phones), so if you're not interested in either of these, then it won't be that important for you.

 

[Old Stoneface]

The new generation of "Moto" devices are the first non-Motorola ones. As such: Past performance, quality, etc. is not necessarily a predictor of the same in the new generation. The same for customer service. It's early, yet, but what little I've seen, so far, has not been encouraging.

I love my Moto G1, and my wife's Moto G3 is great, save it doesn't work on band 12, but I would not buy a G4, from all I've seen, so far. My next device will likely be an N5X.

 

[Rebeska]

I choose the Nexus 5X 32GB.

The sound isn't the best but apparently the sound isn't the best on the Moto G4 Plus either.

 

[Don_Henry]

I choose the Nexus 5X 32GB.

The sound isn't the best but apparently the sound isn't the best on the G4 Plus either.

I think you will be very happy with the N5X - I have had mine for 7 months and love it. I am running Android N Preview 4 and it is screaming fast.

NEXUS 5X on AT&T on N Beta

 

[bgst]

The new generation of "Moto" devices are the first non-Motorola ones. As such: Past performance, quality, etc. is not necessarily a predictor of the same in the new generation. The same for customer service. It's early, yet, but what little I've seen, so far, has not been encouraging.

I love my Moto G1, and my wife's Moto G3 is great, save it doesn't work on band 12, but I would not buy a G4, from all I've seen, so far. My next device will likely be an N5X.

Besides overheating, what's wrong with with the G4?

 

[Old Stoneface]

Besides overheating, what's wrong with with the G4?

For me, for starters: They've "gone phablet" with it. One of the main attractions of the "G"s, to me, was the size. Besides that: From what I've read they've cheapened the case materials; eliminated the nice, ergonomic curved back; lowered the build quality and eliminated the IPX7 water resistance.

Now it's Just Another Low-End Phablet, looks like. In that market segment there's plenty from which to choose.

Besides: Don't you think "overheats and Lenovo has no solution, other than don't use the device as-advertised," would be enough?

 

[bgst]

For me, for starters: They've "gone phablet" with it. One of the main attractions of the "G"s, to me, was the size. Besides that: From what I've read they've cheapened the case materials; eliminated the nice, ergonomic curved back; lowered the build quality and eliminated the IPX7 water resistance.

Now it's Just Another Low-End Phablet, looks like. In that market segment there's plenty from which to choose.

Besides: Don't you think "overheats and Lenovo has no solution, other than don't use the device as-advertised," would be enough?

I agree about the size. I really want a new phone but I have been holding back since all the good phones has been too big for me. I'm still rocking a 2013 moto x.

As for the overheating, I'm not sure it is a problem in normal usage.

 

[Old Stoneface]

As for the overheating, I'm not sure it is a problem in normal usage.

Apparently, at least for some people, it is: Heating issues in Moto G4 plus

Somebody thinks they might have figured out why it's not a universal problem: [INFO] Charger Specs & Screen Quality Va… | Moto G4 Plus

IOW: Bait and switch?

I'm looking at how Lenovo/Motorola/Whomever handled band 12 on the 2015 Moto devices, how they broke VoLTE on the MXPE (which had been their only device that handled band 12), how they appear to be cheapening build quality on the new series of "Moto" devices, and their apparent giving their customers the middle finger in response to complaints about all this, and thinking that stuff is headed in a direction that's more likely to cause serious dissatisfaction than anything else. Just the opposite of what most people experienced with the previous generations of Moto devices.

 

[bgst]

Apparently, at least for some people, it is: Heating issues in Moto G4 plus

Somebody thinks they might have figured out why it's not a universal problem: [INFO] Charger Specs & Screen Quality Va… | Moto G4 Plus

IOW: Bait and switch?

I'm looking at how Lenovo/Motorola/Whomever handled band 12 on the 2015 Moto devices, how they broke VoLTE on the MXPE (which had been their only device that handled band 12), how they appear to be cheapening build quality on the new series of "Moto" devices, and their apparent giving their customers the middle finger in response to complaints about all this, and thinking that stuff is headed in a direction that's more likely to cause serious dissatisfaction than anything else. Just the opposite of what most people experienced with the previous generations of Moto devices.

I guess that overheating depends on where you live as well. I live en Denmark and it never gets hot outside.

I have not read a single bad review of the Moto G4 plus while most Nexus 5x reviews gives mixed impressions. Especially I'm woried about speaker loudness, headphone output volume and call quality...

But if you're right about the quality issues then it is sad. Moto was my favorite Android mfg.

 

[Old Stoneface]

I guess that overheating depends on where you live as well. I live en Denmark and it never gets hot outside.

Well, no. Not really. That's Lenovo's line. As one poster noted: "What? They think we don't have air conditioning in India?"

I have not read a single bad review of the Moto G4 plus ...

Are you talking professional reviewers? Read between the lines. One review I read, for example, gave it an 8-out-of-10 for build quality, at the same time noting the inferior build materials, compared to prior "Moto" phones, and their dropping IPX7 water resistance. Sounds more like "average" build quality, to me.

But if you're right about the quality issues then it is sad. Moto was my favorite Android mfg.

Moto was mine, too. Love my G1. But then I confidently bought my wife a G3--only to find out, after the fact, that Lenovo/Motorola/Whomever had cheaped-out and, rather than getting the phone qualified for T-Mobile's VoLTE, simply disabled band 12 support, entirely. This, I think, is a sign of Things To Come, where Lenovo is concerned. I think they're headed for the bottom, counting on the "Moto" name to sell product for them.

(If the "will you buy a Moto Z" thread is any guide: Looks like that will work. At least for a while.)

Maybe they'll still be ok phones. All I'm saying is they certainly won't be the "Moto" phones people who've owned past models love.

 

[Rebeska]

I guess that overheating depends on where you live as well. I live en Denmark and it never gets hot outside.

You don't need to live in a warm climate to overheat a phone or computer. It's also about how you use it, how you push it to the limit.

I live in Sweden btw. Hej Danmark!

I have not read a single bad review of the Moto G4 plus while most Nexus 5x reviews gives mixed impressions. Especially I'm woried about speaker loudness, headphone output volume and call quality...

I don't know where you've read the reviews, but I'm looking at the reviews on YouTube. There they point out that Moto G4 Plus suffer from overheating and throttling. They say nothing impressive about the sound quality more than that it's ok.

As for the Nexus 5X sound quality, it depends on what you compare with. My understanding is that Moto G4 Plus doesn't have better sound quality. One Moto G3 owner told me that the sound quality wasn't very good but it was good enough for him. So I don't know where you are getting that Moto G4 Plus would have far better sound quality than the Nexus 5X.

However, if sound quality is important to you, Moto X has better sound quality than the Nexus 5X. I think you feel that the Nexus 5X has poorer sound quality because it mainly compared with higher-end phones.

I get the feeling that you want to choose Moto G4 Plus in front of Nexus 5X, and of course you can do this. Everyone has personal references. I personally prefer the Nexus 5X because it's a Nexus with all that implies. Then it's smaller, has USB-C, NFC and better design. That settles it for me.

 

[bgst]

You don't need to live in a warm climate to overheat a phone or computer. It's also about how you use it, how you push it to the limit.

I live in Sweden btw. Hej Danmark!



I don't know where you've read the reviews, but I'm looking at the reviews on YouTube. There they point out that Moto G4 Plus suffer from overheating and throttling. They say nothing impressive about the sound quality more than that it's ok.

As for the Nexus 5X sound quality, it depends on what you compare with. My understanding is that Moto G4 Plus doesn't have better sound quality. One Moto G3 owner told me that the sound quality wasn't very good but it was good enough for him. So I don't know where you are getting that Moto G4 Plus would have far better sound quality than the Nexus 5X.

However, if sound quality is important to you, Moto X has better sound quality than the Nexus 5X. I think you feel that the Nexus 5X has poorer sound quality because it mainly compared with higher-end phones.

I get the feeling that you want to choose Moto G4 Plus in front of Nexus 5X, and of course you can do this. Everyone has personal references. I personally prefer the Nexus 5X because it's a Nexus with all that implies. Then it's smaller, has USB-C, NFC and better design. That settles it for me.

Of course ambient temperature matters. If the ambient temparture is low it will overheat less. From what I have read I believe this is a non issue for most people. Besides, the Nexus 5x throttles a lot too from what I have read.

I don't know which one has the better sound quality, but I know that the Nexus 5X has a very quiet speaker and headphone output. So I just guessed that the Moto G4 Plus would be better since no one has mentioned sound quality issues with it.

Personally I would rather have the Nexus simply because the Moto is too big (the Nexus is too big already). But I'm buying one for my wife and I'm not sure which one to get for her.

 

[Rebeska]

Of course ambient temperature matters. If the ambient temparture is low it will overheat less. From what I have read I believe this is a non issue for most people. Besides, the Nexus 5x throttles a lot too from what I have read.

I don't know which one has the better sound quality, but I know that the Nexus 5X has a very quiet speaker and headphone output. So I just guessed that the Moto G4 Plus would be better since no one has mentioned sound quality issues with it.

Personally I would rather have the Nexus simply because the Moto is too big (the Nexus is too big already). But I'm buying one for my wife and I'm not sure which one to get for her.

It would be interesting if you could link to the reviews that you've read. I haven't heard that Nexus 5X throttles, and I've read/seen much.

I can link to several videos about Moto G4 Plus heating problems.

Sure, we have a colder climate but it shouldn't make much difference if you push the processor through games or camera.

You can always ask what your wife thinks. Let her feel both phones in reality, if possible.

I base my decision on the size and software (plain Android, security and timely updates from Google). I trust Google, but I have no confidence in Lenovo.