I've had both Nexus 5X 32Gb and 2nd gen Moto X Pure 64Gb for a week now. Coming in I was expecting to keep Moto X due to Active Display feature and pass on Nexus because Ambient Display feature isn't quite as nice. In the end I'm keeping Nexus and Moto's going back next week. Here's my mini review of both, pros and cons.
Initial impression:
Moto - looks great, much better build quality than Moto X 2013
Nexus - looks plasticy and kind of boxy. It's noticeably lighter than Moto though
Size:
Both phones have an identical screen real estate. I'd say Nexus is disproportionately taller than Moto. Moto is easier to hold and operate one handed.
Screen:
I found Nexus screen to be brighter than Moto's. Moto has a 4x4 screen icon grid size, whereas Nexus has 5x5. So everything is sort squished together on Nexus. You can remedy that with a different home launcher app. So out of the box, Moto home screen was easier to work with.
Usability and performance:
I found Moto and Nexus performing w/o any issues or hiccups. These being larger phones than I'm used to, I was trying to type on them while they were laying flat on the desk. That's when I ran into a major issue with Moto. Unlike Moto X 2013 which has a flat back middle area, 2014 version is more round. So when laying flat and typing on it, it wobbles like crazy. Nexus being all flat back was immune to this issue. Also, while I love the looks of 2014 metal frame, I found it more slippery when handling vs Nexus, ie Nexus was nice to grip on, while I was afraid to drop Moto a few times.
Hardware:
Didn't think I'd care about fingerprint scanner at all but it's a great feature on Nexus. It's reliable and makes it so much easier and quicker to unlock the phone. Love it on Nexus and was missing it on Moto.
Software:
I was not concerned about Android 6.0 that much knowing it's coming to Moto, eventually. It was nice to receive 6.0.1 update on Nexus a couple of days ago though. I've gotten used to not having Active Display on Nexus. And yes, Ambient Display feature simply didn't work reliably for me. Nexus's notification light was an OK substitute.
Battery and charging:
Nexus charged slightly faster for me and battery lasted longer, especially on wifi. Also, Android 6.0 Doze feature on Nexus is simply awesome. I've observed minimal battery drain overnight whereas Moto had more aggressive battery drain. I'm sure Moto will benefit from 6.0 when/if it arrives.
Camera:
Daylight shots were comparable. Low lights shots was a different story. Moto's low light image quality was sub-par at best, ie grainy and just bad, and was a major disappointment. Nexus had absolutely no issues with that.
Connection in the city:
Wifi was comparable and cell data (on AT&T) was a bit faster on Nexus, which is to be expected. Call quality was on par.
Connection in the country:
Nexus was able to stay connected more consistently and lost connection fewer times. That was my ultimate test, which basically sealed the deal.
In the end, Nexus is not that much better than Moto on some features, but it's edges it here and there with definitely newer hardware and software. Nexus didn't wow me but it didn't disappoint either. Moto on the other hand had quite a few shortcomings. I wish there was a better 5" phone out there but for the next couple of years I'm happy I picked Nexus (even though it's a 5.2" screen). I hope Moto releases a smaller device for 2016/2017.
HTH.
Facebook
Twitter
Instagram