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Motorola doesn’t want to be left off the great Black Friday train that’s pulling into town in a couple of days. The Google-owned company is putting out a great deal for those who are looking to buy a Moto X without the added commitment of a two-year service contract. They’ll take $150 off the top of any unlocked Moto X, including the developer edition and versions bought through the Moto Maker.
This means you can get yourself one of the first phones to have been upgraded to Android 4.4 KitKat for as little as $350, which is the same price you can find the 16GB Nexus 5 for over at the Google Play Store. The Moto X might not have a full HD display, a quad-core processor or a huge battery, but Motorola has put together a no-frills smartphone with great, useful features that exist for more reasons than just novel show-and-tell.
The developer edition of this phone is an especially attractive buy now, with Motorola recently committing to keeping warranties alive for anyone who decides to unlock their bootloader. It’s yet another good guy move in a recent string of many that has Motorola winning over tons of new fans as the weeks roll on. You wouldn’t be making a mistake in making this your next smartphone, so roll on over to Motorola’s site and take a look at your options ahead of the insane savings going down this upcoming Monday.
[via +Motorola]
Nexus 5 is still the better deal.
Yeah, same price, better phone. That’s just common sense.
Seriously, I love Nexus but I am not sure if its a better phone. The Moto X is an amazingly underrated phone. Well built, well designed, simple/yet elegant, long battery life, and fast as heck.
Okay, whatever you say.
is the battery life really that great? I passed on the n5 because the runtime is about same as the HTC one
Well considering I came from the Droid RAZR where I literally was getting about two hours of MODERATE usage, anything would be an improvement. But seriously, I unplug from the house at about 6:30 am and after a full day of the same kind of moderate usage (email, calendar, voice calls, social media, browsing and a few video clips) at 7:30 pm when I plug back in I am at about 55%, I am more than happy.
Relooking at your post, are you asking about the Moto X or the N5? I have the X but I looked at HTC one, N5, S4, the Verizon droids, lg g2, and even an iPhone. I liked the build quality of the X, iPhone and htc one, but the size, features, price and customization of the moto x, true Google experience of the n5, and battery life of the Maxx. The X won out for meme, and was pleasantly surprised with the almost nexus like experience, and fast update to kit Kat.
kept reading about the long lasting battery so I get the phone and the battery lasts no longer than my RAZR did. had to charge it mid day after some screen time and mostly music streaming.
Take it back. You got a bad egg. I had the RAZR too and the X gets 10 times the battery usage.
Keep telling yourself that. Not sure how you can dispute the battery life, speaker quality, and better camera quality on the Moto X, not to mention the optimization of the software on the X to perform as fast as any other phone. Use one, that’s the only way you will know which is the “better deal.”
idk why people dock the battery life on the n5. mine lasts 24 hours just fine (ART, non-auto brightness, battery saving location)
My only problem with the phone is the camera (SOFTWARE) and the screen. I wish the screen was 720 amoled so I could have even better battery life and active notifications.
Otherwise I LOVE my N5, I suspect the phone software will be fixed soon (officially or unofficially)
Different usage scenario leads to different battery life. But it is pretty good consensus to see among people who have reviewed and own/owned the N5 that the battery life is poor. Saying that it is an improvement over the N4 isn’t really a good answer. The N4 had poor battery life to begin with, and to top it is to be average. Compare the N5 to any of the current gen hardware, and you will see the same. If Google really wasn’t going to work on optimizing the 2300mah battery to sip, the least they could’ve done is stuck with the same battery size as the G2. But they didn’t, for obvious cost-cutting reasons.
many reviews are saying that they get about 12 hours of battery life on their habits. Your’s might last 24 hours but maybe you mostly perform low powered tasks like music. I like to watch movies on the train, so i use an hour – 1hour and a half of video every day which sucks down much more battery than the same time allotted just listening to music.
I’m currently getting 12-15 hours on my nexus 4 (with about 2 hours of screen on) and this usage is lighter than the usage i used to put on my old Evo LTE that got better battery life (17 hours with about 4 hours of screen on).
And that Evo LTE is a year and a half old, and seems to have equal if not better battery than that of the N5 to what my habits would be… thats probably why they say that the battery life isnt “good.”
I’m not surprised by this. Like I said the screen is a bit of a problem since it is so high res and not amoled; ends up being one of the key contributors to battery life death. I personally do not watch any videos on my phone, I use my laptop or tablet for that. I just use my phone for browsing/messaging/social networks/music.
Like i said, phone would be perfect if it was 720 amoled and had better camera software. The camera software will get fixed for sure.
my thing is i dont even blame it for not being amoled. My Evo LTE wasnt amoled it was SLCD2 and had a brighter screen but it got more hours of screen on time than my Nexus 4 ever did from day 1. And the optimus G also gets better life with the exact same internals. I think it was more to do with Google not optimizing things properly for consumption.
Sure 720 amoled wouldve helped, but I think it would have been just fine if they would have managed to optimize it the way LG does. 2300mah battery vs 3000 mah battery would suggest on paper nexus 5 should get 75% of the battery life the G2 gets… but it doesn’t.
I’d have probably bought a Moto X over my N5 if it had wireless charging. For me that’s a requirement on my phones.
Fare argument to make, since you’ve related to yourself with your comment. But given the state of wireless charging right now, I’m not really sure where it’s even heading. It’s kind of like NFC, just dead in the water only to be used by a few, rather than mainstream adoption. Sadly, until apple supports wireless charging, it will never really be a “thing”, and I don’t really view it as a requirement of any phone that comes out, personally. The novelty wears out after a while, or when you realize that you can’t really use your phone in hand while its charging, which you can do with USB.
For me it’s not a novelty, it’s a major convenience in multiple ways.
Micro usb ports are just so brittle, and with an enormous leverage sticking out the bottom of them (the USB plug) they are just so easy to break. Not to mention they aren’t symmetrical. I keep my phone on my night stand. If it’s low on charge before I go to bed it gets charged. It also serves as my alarm clock in the morning. not having to plug a cable in before bed, in the dark, or unplug in the morning so i can hit snooze, or whatever, is a huge plus.
Hopefully the Moto X2 will have this, I really enjoy it on my Nexus 4. Though I think they have a rounded back on the Moto X so that would complicate things.
Here’s a case that allows PMA wireless charging:
http://www.incipio.com/cases/smartphone-cases/motorola-smartphone-cases/motorola-moto-x-cases/wireless-charging-pma-case-for-moto-x.html
Better battery? That’s very debatable. I get 6+ hours sot and close to 24 hrs of charger regularly, on mobile. N5 and motox are closer to even in the battery department.
The Nexus 5 is the better phone. While yes the Moto X software is good. It’s hardware makes it so that after a while it begins to get sluggish, especially when playing the occasional game. As for the camera on the Moto X. I was not impressed. Better than every other Moto Device, but lack luster compared to the G2 or Nexus 5. I do own both devices. I mostly keep the Moto x around to impress my friends with always listening. Not much else, to do with it. The Nexus 5 on the other hand does everything I need it to do, minus the cool voice actions. Also I couldn’t get either device to last more than 6 hours on usage. So battery life on both are no where near as good as my old note 2.
Moto-X = Feature Rich
Nexus 5 = Utilitarian Powerhouse
It’s not a fair comparison because they are designed for different audiences and have different purposes/uses.
Motorola is the New Nexus
If it’s so good why are they discounting it to sell it?Just asking
Black Friday deals
Really just asking? Or just trying to excuse a troll?
Are you young?
I’m on here all the time so who’s the troll?
Good things can’t go on sale? Everyone is having sales for black Friday and cyber Monday.
Could say the same about the Nexus 5’s everyday price.
It’s an overpriced mid-tier phone. Never was a top tier phone with the specs it has. For one day, they are dropping the price to where it should have started. Still inferior to the Nexus 5, at the same price.
I am happy with my Nexus 5. I have a past charger at work and in car so no worried on the battery life. It will get better all around with updates. It’s cheap LTE on TMobile unlimited everything for $70 what else can you ask for..
Now if the wood backs would just become available on Monday I’d be buying myself a Christmas present!
Moto X is probably one of the best “mini” phones out there, gets excellent battery life, and has great support.
am I missing something? I thought the Moto X off contract was 549? So 150 off of that equals 350? I think I’m missing something.
I think they already dropped the price to $499 from the initial $599, this is for the T-Mobile version I was tracking.
It’ll be $350 for the 16GB version, which normally sells for $500.
Is this only the unlocked version, or can I pick up the Verizon one for $350 too?
Yes, all flavors.
It should have sold for that price in the first place.
This is a potential crap storm for Motorola… at least with individuals such as myself. I literally built a custom 32gb dev model on moto maker less than 12 hours before this was announced. I called customer service about it as the device won’t even be shipped until after the 2nd of December. They told me my phone was in the production phase (exporting phase) so they couldn’t cancel my order then. I asked about credits/refunds for the $150 in lieu of having a lot returns come monday. If Motorola really is looking to patch up their customer base, they will at least credit those that have not yet received their devices as of the announcement. There’s a huge difference to me between $545 +tax and $395 +tax. This would make the x so much more attractive given the hardware trade-offs. I don’t know if I will keep the device if I have to return ship what I bought to recoup the costs given that I already own a nexus 5. Just do the right thing Motorola!
Sucker. Stop bitching. If you got this deal, you would be gloating about it. Cheap bastard.
You tell Motorola to do the right thing… How about you do the right thing and not complain because something went on sale after you bought it? Does it suck? Sure, but it’s not Motorola’s fault. They don’t owe you anything.
Umm… can I cancel my Moto G order? Haha
i’m sure most already know this, but i myself just got a moto x on 11/27 with republic wireless. my final bill for the phone was $330 after shipping, taxes and fees. and the best part? NO contract. yes the fallback is sprint for those concerned, but i’ve tested the phone extensively and the wifi to cell handoff is very very real and it works. it’s not customizable, you can only buy it in black and white, but honestly, the first thing you do when you get the phone is put it in a case. the LTE plan is only $40 a month for 5gb’s of data and unlimited everything else. and you can change your plan twice a month to find out what works for you. And of course they have full fledged MMS. I don’t work for RW, i just think the big 4 charge way, WAY to much for what people get in return.
So, for one day Motorola is only MATCHING the price of the superior Nexus 5, not beating the price. The Nexus 5 slaps the Moto X silly so many ways (quad core Snapdragon 800, full HD display, cross compatibility among AT&T, Sprint, T-mobile, etc). and it’s available every day at that price. The Moto X is an over-priced mid-tier phone. Even at $350 still inferior to the $350 Nexus 5.
Having used a Nexus 5 & Moto X, I would have to disagree with you there.
The Moto X is just as capable of a phone in nearly everyway, baring the camera really. More importantly I personally feel like the Moto X has an even more enjoyable USER EXPERIENCE than the N5, I don’t know about you but I don’t spend my money on specs alone and I think that I’m not the only one.
For example reviewers and users of the GS4 and HTC One typically preferred HTC’s user experience, sadly though HTC’s inability to compete with Samsung’s massive marketing budget the device sales numbers dont properly reflect that.
Personally I look forward to picking up an X on Cyber Monday.
Dude u r crazy for thinking the N5 is superior. I was actually one of the first to order the N5 but after using it for a week I sold it on Craigslist. The X is a better phone without a doubt. The user experience is much more enjoyable. Of course u r entitled to your own opinion but u obviously haven’t used a Moto X. I was a spec freak before the Motto X. Not anymore.
You would have to be out of your mind not to grab this deal if you are in the market for a new phone. This is the same price as the N5. The N5 is a $350 phone. The X phone is a $600 phone. I’ve had the X for a couple of months. Coming from the GN I can tell you that its the best phone I have ever owned. By far.
Not a bad deal.
So I have an S4 on AT&T. I’m considering selling it because of the locked bootloader. Would I be stupid to go for the Moto X? Ive been looking at both the X and the N5 but I like that the x is assembled in the US. Also I’m concerned about the battery and camera on the N5. What should I do?
Would the developer version work fine internationally? 3g/4g?
How can I get the moto x unlocked without any plan? Is it really possible to get no contract and no mensual fee?