Motorola has had a weird history with Android. First they dominated with the DROID line, then they fell off the map, came back with some RAZR’s, got bought by Google, released the really nice Moto X, got sold to Lenovo, and now we’re here. Motorola is hoping to keep the momentum growing with the new Moto X (hands-on). Let’s take a look at how it stacks up against other top flagship devices.
Flagship Clones
I don’t know about you, but the thing that strikes me about this chart is the similarities between the devices. The display sizes all fall within half of an inch. Processors are identical. Cameras are within 3 or 4 megapixels of each other. Same amount of memory. Same amount of storage. And battery sizes only different by less than 1,000 mAh. There is really only one major difference between these devices: screen resolution.
The new Moto X, Galaxy S5, and One M8 all have 1080p displays. The LG G3 is all alone at 2560×1440. For pixel snobs this may make a difference in what device you pick, but in all honesty 1080p is perfectly fine. Some apps don’t even support 1080p yet, let alone Quad HD.
Intangibles
Since specs are a moot point in this comparison we have to look deeper. A big benefit of owning a Motorola device is you get an almost stock Android experience. That means a fast UI with fast updates to the latest and greatest. Android skins from Samsung, HTC, and LG have gotten better over the years, but if you’re a purist you will love the Moto X.
Another reason to go with the new Moto X is Motomaker. You can customize your device with many different colors and materials. It’s a level of personalization that no other device can offer. The new Moto X even has a few new materials to choose from. Your device can be classy in leather, or fun in bright yellow. Make it yours.
Which device will you pick? Have you already made the decision to go with one of the others? Will you be buying the new Moto X?
That fake/unannounced iphone is hideous!! It’s messing up the picture.
I agree, Moto X definitely differentiated themselves with that 2300 mah battery
2300 Meh
They messed up with a 2300 battery, smallest of the bunch. 2800 and I would buy it…..
But they had to make it that small. That way they could say its thinner than the old Moto X, even though its only like .1mm thinner, which is nothing.
Yea it could have been better, but surprisingly the X isn’t a battery hog like other devices, I had the original. Also you can charge it to about 80% in about 15 minutes.
The M8 is still holding its own and better than this phone. Sad that really the only thing better on any of the other phones is the MPs on the rear camera. The M8 has them all beat on FFC as well, even the battery is better than this so-called “flagship”
Quiet, DONT SAY THAT!!!
you will start a Pitch Fork mob with talk like that…they dont like us M8 lovers with our shitty 4MP camera
My M8 camera really does suck!
You obviously don’t know anything about the X, it’s an amazing phone, I had one. The added in features aren’t gimmicks like in Samsung phones where you use them for ten minutes and forget about them. I used Moto Connect, Touchless Controls, and Active Display every day and here’s the real kicker: they worked every time unless Samsung’s junk! I’ve had the S4, went to the X, sold it because of the poor screen resolution, got the Note 3 which is running AOSP and I have the S5 as my work phone.
Also the X has the dedicated co-processor for voice and other lightweight tasks that take the load off of the CPU. The M8 may be nice but it’s no Moto X. Also the M8 is marred with Sense, the X is vanilla Android and let me see you charge your M8 in 15 minutes like the X can.
Why only list the G3 with 2gb of RAM when many have 3gb
Exactly. That makes a BIG difference in performance.
A year ago, Motorola made a big move by ignoring the spec wars and just making a better phone. Today they have abandoned that in order to chase Samsung. Sigh, people are idiots.
Think they are caving to the spec hounds
How do you figure?
They simply upgraded the X to 2014 specs.
Are you kidding, this thing is huge and goes against everything Motorola said a year ago:
“Certain people like a large screen,” Wicks said. “But there’s a sweet spot for consumers that we’re currently exceeding in the market. There are some people that like a big display, but there’s also a lot of people that want something that’s just about right,” he said. “I think ‘just right’ is important, and we’re designing so we don’t disappoint those people.”
“We believe in getting away from the spec wars that are just about specs and not about consumers. That’s the simple way out: spec, spec, spec. I don’t think that’s the answer,” he said.
It’s called PR, they will say whatever is necessary to make you buy the product even it means lying to you which large companies do a lot.
Get over it..
That is not huge, large yes but it is not a Note or something. This is pretty much an X for 2014. It still is not winning the spec wars.
A better phone? with the rubbish camera, display and build quality. Yeah, well done Motorola.
Camera. Not good. Display and build quality was great though. Maybe not the aluminum M8 quality…but it was quite well…
The display was pretty bad, over saturated with no display options it was pretty painful, at least Samsung gave users display modes.
Reminded me of the Galaxy S3 which I loathed, yes that did have display modes but they just make is gradually more Gray which looked awful.
How are they chasing Samsung? I’ve had the S4, the Moto X, the Note 3 and the S5 and they are nothing alike.
So from what I can tell, with these specs, all of them are pretty much the same. People will mostly only buy the new Moto X because of brand loyalty, there is really nothing to differentiate it from the competition spec and design wise. I doubt this phone will be any more successful than the original Moto X.
I may argue it will be less successful. The people who wanted Motorola are locked in contracts with the X. People already have the S5. This phone launched months too late. The combination of Note 4 and iPhone 6 will make this phone DOA.
Agreed. And the new X is, IMO, launching $50 to $100 too high off-contract. I think its gonna be DOA.
It already starts and $99 on contract, most other phones go for $200…
Size comparison would be nice.
Yes, please side by side photos, including 2013 Moto X
No Xperia Z3 on your list?
I know what gives?
No love for sony~
SMH
Not interested in any of them.
G3 should show 3GB Ram not 2GB. That makes a big difference.
not really… in almost no scenario will you actually more than 2gb into memory on Android.
Well I’m not sure where you’re getting that from. I have a US variant of the G3 and it most definitely has 3gb of ram.
That’s because they’re not running Android L (64 bit) yet. These new phones should be equipped with, at least, 3GB of RAM to take full advantage of L.
You mean 4GB? Or are you suggesting the extra overhead from running 64bit will require more than 2GB?
That’s just silly. With 3 GB you can keep more apps open for rapid task switching. Android uses as much RAM as is available. And the US spec G3s do have 3 GB, not 2.
Funny, 2.27 GB of RAM when I had the Note 3. 2.27 > 2 by my estimation. I can run my device with 2/2.27 and still have performance, but it’s Touchwiz, the resource hog.
Nope, Nope, Nope.
Stop spreading this nonsense.
seeing this just tells me that I made the right choice going with the G3
I think all the other 3 devices are better than the G3 honestly
If you can get past the shortcomings, any of these phones are good. HTC has poor execution within features like Do Not Disturb or the camera. LG’s are the software UI, battery life, and the processor. Should’ve gone with a 805 to improve battery life on a QHD display. The S5’s are overheating, too much RAM resource hogging, and too many patches needed to run the phone. 7 firmware upgrades on T-Mobile alone is far too many. The Moto X: small battery and too little ROM memory.
The other three all of microSD slots.
With MPs climbing and the size of people’s selfie collections growing, it’s only a no-brainer to add more disk …
I was 100% going to get this phone until I saw this.
Also, the different skins make a huge difference. They all have completely different contact/people management apps.
They’re still owned by Goggle, so cloud is the focus.
Edit: haha Google, not Gobble.
Lol. You put Goggle not Gobble..
I edited it to show it properly. I just wanted to let the OP know he wasn’t reading his email notification incorrectly.
Goggle?
2300MAH seems small…but I’m guessing
Stock Android + battery optimization+ AMOLED+ super charge capability will Par it with the competition as far as battery life…
I’m sure it’ll surpass the competition due to everything you mentioned. Samsung and HTC’s, reduce your smartphone to a beeper, feature not not apply.
G3 should be listing as 3GB as most sale of the device is 3/32 in the US…
Good thing I went OPO!
So wait.. Moto X “flagship” phone is slightly less phone than the SGS5 which has been out for a while???
It was the same way with the original, yet it was still a strong device.
“And battery sizes only different by less than 1,000 mAh”
ONLY? The battery in the G3 is nearly 30% larger than the one in the X. The S5’s is more than 20% larger. That’s not “only.”
The X is also the only one without an SD card slot, so saying they all have the same storage is a little bit misleading.
I really cant help but laugh everytime i see that “4 ultrapixel’
Why? It’s certainly not the best camera but there is a lot more to a camera than resolution.
moto x is also cheaper then the others by a hundo…but the others have sd slots and bigger bats…but bigger overall devices….again its choice this is what makes android great…if i wasnt happy with my 13′ moto x id def love to grab a new one with dark leather…or that black back with dark grey metal trim with red accents god dam i want
Why aren’t we calling it the 2015 Moto X like with cars?