Back in late 2013, Motorola staked in comeback claim within the smartphone market with their new flagship: the Moto X. I remember the leaks leading up to the launch, people were already calling them finished before starting due to the mid-range specs but the device was still superb. Phone customization thanks to Moto Maker and available on all carriers (just not at 1st though).
Before the Motorola sale to Lenovo, the Moto X was considered an alternative to Google’s Nexus smartphones for many. Despite now being a Lenovo company, I am sure Motorola will continue to innovate w/ this year’s model. Since its launch, several devices have launched or have been announced since then. Now months later, we examine the ins-and-outs of the Moto X to see can it stand the test of time.
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| The Moto X’s 720p display |
Hardware
Everyone is probably spoiled by the high-count of pixels, the 4.7inch AMOLED display w/ 720p resolution + 316ppi does the job. When viewing HD content on YouTube, HBO Go, or where ever the source is, it looks pretty damn good. Of course when compared to high-res displays like the HTC One, Nexus 5, or the Galaxy S4 – you ‘ll notice the difference. Though you won’t have too much envy.
The hardware performs better than it does on paper.
The 1.7GHz dual-core Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 Pro CPU sounds extremely-dated but can keep up. Coupled w/ a quad-core GPU, a language & contextual computing CPUs – giving you 8 cores in total. (Remember: there’s only 2 cores for everyday processing). This is working side-by-side w/ 2GB of RAM + 16GB of storage. With opening some of the apps from the Active Display or Touchless Control there can be a delay by a second or two. Not that of a high-end performer but still great.
Motorola quotes a 24-hours of mixed usage on their 2200 mAh battery. Thanks to the AMOLED display + Active Notifications,it does well on conserving your juice. Despite the smaller size, I was able to get over 15 hours of battery life w/ still 23% left under heavy usage. Giving you similar battery life as on the Note 3.
Camera
The main, rear shooter is a 10MP ClearPixel sensor which was pretty mediocre at launch but has gotten a lot more usable after a much-needed update. With an iPhone 5 as my daily driver, I’m used to using HDR for my off-the-hip shots. You still get a lot of noise in some low-light shots. Carrying that habit over to the Moto X has warranted me with pretty good shots.
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| the Moto X’s camera in HDR mode |
The Quick Capture feature (where you flick your wrist to wake the phone from lock to the camera app) sounded a bit gimmicky as I didn’t see myself using it at all. That was not the case. Don’t get me wrong, I wasn’t using it every time I took out of my pocket but a lot more than anticipated.
Software
While the Moto X was one of the 1st devices to get updated to Android 4.4 Kit Kat, Motorola removed any signs of custom UI to keep it stock Android – minus the Google launcher. They did add a few game-changing features only found on a 2013 Moto device (not the Moto G though).
Starting w/ Active Display which is Moto’s reimagining of a notification system. Allowing you to view/preview notifications without having to unlock your device. Utilizing the AMOLED display to light up only the desired pixels to prevent a quick battery drain. No other manufacturer has yet to come close to competing with this. Definitely one of the top standout features.
The software is still stock Android combined w/ Motorola innovation. Still beautifully executed.
Next up we have Touchless Control which is more creative way to utilize Google Now. Instead of going into Google Search , you can just say the launch phrase to get start prompt it to begin shouting commands at it. And just like in the commercial you can set reminders/alarms, play music, make calls, search Google, etc. – all hands-free that listens to your voice only. This works wonders when driving. This is some futuristic stuff right there.
And lastly, Assist is Motorola’s Smart Actions evolved as it focuses on Driving, Sleeping, & Meetings. It allows you to create personal shortcuts based on location & functions like reading texts aloud while driving, automatically mute notifications while sleeping or while in meetings. Not sure why this entire suite isn’t implemented in some sort of way on every smartphone not just a Do Not Disturb mode.
“The only thing I would like to see different in the 2014 edition is a better AMOLED display + better optics.”
TG 2 Cents
I was quite surprised how well the Moto X handled months later. It was not promoted as a high-end device but as an Android device for the everyday consumer. You can make it your own using Moto Maker and add a wood back to it to make it really stand out from the pack. This is still my pick for the everyday consumer that’s into the Android ecosystem at the moment. The only thing I would like to see different in the 2014 edition is a better AMOLED display (doesn’t have to be 1080p) + better optics. There’s still a lot of time left in the year to see a device to take its spot.
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| Moto X w/ the Teak wood back |
To Buy Or Not To Buy
With all of the sales going on, I would recommend you to pick one up. Either as a spare or a new off-contract daily driver. The Moto X is currently on sale off-contract for $329.99 for the 16GB model and Motorola accepts trade-ins to use towards your customized Moto X. If you’re on the fence about it: demo it or just wait for the newer model.
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