Motorola has been busy these past couple of months and has released a premium handset dubbed the Moto X and a budget handset, the Moto G.
The two Android phones are aimed at different markets and are a result of the recent collaboration with Google, which bought the company in May 2012 only to sell it to Lenovo last January.
The Motorola Moto X was released as a flagship phone designed to compete with the iPhone 5c, Sony Xperia Z1, Samsung S4 and HTC One. Rather than going quad-core and piling on the speed, the Moto X is strong on usability and battery life, betting on being easier to use and live with rather than just the fastest phone on the market.
The plastic case of the Moto X is slightly curved to sit firmly in the hand. The polycarbonate construction has a real quality feel to it that makes the phone comfortable and reassuring to hold. It weighs in at 130g, making it comparable to many of its peers.
Part of the Moto X’s design philosophy is one-handed operation. In this it works admirably. It’s simple to cradle the phone in your palm and use your thumb to navigate. There is also Google voice activation, allowing you to command the phone using only your voice.
The 4.7-inch AMOLED screen runs at 720p with a density of 312ppi. It isn’t the sharpest screen in the world, but the colour and sharpness of the display make it easy to work with on a daily basis. The phone’s dual-core Qualcomm Snapdragon Krait processor runs at 1.7GHz. It has an Adreno 320 GPU and 2Gb of RAM. It will come with 16Gb or 32Gb of storage but has no expansion slot. You also get a 10MP camera with auto-focus, a 1.4MP front camera, 4G, nano SIM, NFC and all the toys you would expect.
US buyers can log onto the MotoMaker website to choose from hundreds of colour and pattern options and create a custom phone. European buyers don’t have that luxury and will have to choose between black and white.
The Moto G was released last November as a budget handset that offers more for less. In this it excels. With its curved plastic case, similar screen size and rounded edges, it looks like the Moto X, but that’s where the similarities end. The Moto G has a removable rear case to allow for colour changes. It is also water resistant but a little heavier than the Moto X. However, it sits in the hand with the same reassuring solidity.
The Moto X’s screen is a 4.5-inch 1280 x 720 IPS display running at 329ppi. That’s comparable to the iPhone 5c and almost the 5s, for a lot less money. There is no expandable memory, no 4G or NFC, but this is a budget phone after all.
Behind the scenes, the 1.2GHz quad-core Snapdragon processor and Adreno 305 GPU work alongside 1Gb of RAM to drive the phone. It’s a decent spec list for the price and will easily compete with the likes of the iPhone 5c or Samsung Galaxy S4 Mini. Other highlights include nano SIM, a 5MP camera with autofocus, 1.3MP front camera, Android Jelly Bean upgradable to KitKat and all the usual features you can expect from a modern smartphone.
What you get for your money with a Moto G is a solid phone with good performance and a longevity that puts other phones to shame. As budget phones go, this is a winner.
Both the Moto X and Moto G are great phones for the price. While the Moto G is a definite winner in the budget phone stakes, the Moto X has a little more work to do as a flagship phone before it wins prizes. However, for the money, both phones offer great usability and value.
Jesmond Darmanin is a technology enthusiast who has his own blog at www.itnewsblog.com.