Review: It’s big, but at $400 the Moto X Pure Edition is a safe bet

A flagship that's cheaper than a Galaxy and easier to buy than a OnePlus Two.

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[lyquid]

It's really hard to get past the size of the device. I own a Moto X (2013) which feels great to hold and doesn't feel like a burden in a pocket. It really feels like they got it 'right', for whatever that means. I understand the broader market demands larger phones, but I'm hopeful they'll come back to a smaller flagship device at some point (hopefully when I'm ready to upgrade).

 

[Epyon9283]

Been using the moto x pure for the last week and my only real complaint is the mediocre battery life.

 

[UnnDunn]

Andrew, your home address appears in one of the screenshots. Might want to remove it.

 

[심돌산]

UnnDunn[/url]":q5vd15bb]Andrew, your home address appears in one of the screenshots. Might want to remove it.

I wish I lived in a bank.

 

[d4Njv]

iPhones use a "mere" 8MP image sensor but nonetheless are the gold standard of smartphone cameras due to outstanding image processing software. Android phones like this one seem to just take the brute force approach to "improving" image quality by stuffing as many pixels in the sensor as possible, with mixed results at best ("As usual, camera performance is mixed."). Why don't more Android OEMs focus on quality over quantity?

 

[thomsirveaux]

심돌산[/url]":1iq8zr75]

UnnDunn[/url]":1iq8zr75]Andrew, your home address appears in one of the screenshots. Might want to remove it.

I wish I lived in a bank.

Yeah it's not my address, but thanks for looking out for me.

 

[Drum]

I've had a galaxy s6 since May, and while it's a good phone, I picked up a Moto X with the White/champagne and one of the dark wood accents (I wasn't alive in the eighties, so maybe I haven't been around long enough to hate it!). I've honestly been pretty impressed after two days.

The in hand feel is much nicer (imo) than the all glass s6 slab, and the curved back is definitely nicer than the flat back of the s6. And call it personal preference, but I think the added thickness actually makes it easier to hold. And in the signal hole that is college station, I seem to get (first impressions) much better battery life than the s6, which needs a charge around 3PM.

Overall, I'm pleased. And while this isn't really an average consumer benefit, stock Android is just so wonderful. Maybe I had a defective model, but my s6 never felt smooth like this. Every few hours it would just slow down and drop frames etc. So, overall, thumbs up to moto

 

[Ocean Xavier]

moridinga[/url]":18mmipso]<quote>
In short, more people are suddenly going to realize that their “$200” smartphone actually costs $700, and some companies are taking steps to ease that sticker shock independent of the carrier installment plans. Apple is implementing its own installment plan, demonstrating an enviable lack of dependence on the carriers.

Motorola has a “Motorola Credit Account” you can use to pay off the phone, but it is also cutting the unlocked prices of its phones to make them more appealing. Even more than past Motos X, the third-generation model brings the Moto G mindset to flagship phones. The company is offering the Moto X starting at $399, between $200 and $300 cheaper than most flagships (and sometimes even more, if we’re talking about other phones in the “phablet” size class).
</quote>

Are credit cards not a thing anymore? Or just using, I don't know, actual money that you have in your bank account. Are people really so financially incompetent these days? If you don't have money to buy the phone, don't buy the damn phone.

If you're suggesting people use their credit cards for financing their purchase and then talk about financial incompetence, I don't even know what to tell you.

 

[abazigal]

d4Njv[/url]":2emdg0r5]iPhones use a "mere" 8MP image sensor but nonetheless are the gold standard of smartphone cameras due to outstanding image processing software. Android phones like this one seem to just take the brute force approach to "improving" image quality by stuffing as many pixels in the sensor as possible, with mixed results at best. Why don't more Android OEMs opt for quality over quantity?

Probably because it takes more effort to refine existing software on your own than simply buying the latest camera modules on the open market.

 

[abazigal]

The "move to iOS" app is featured prominently on the first photo. Are you trying to troll your readers here?

 

[Deleted member 174040]

alejandrojavier[/url]":3uyvxpy0]
If you're suggesting people use their credit cards for financing their purchase and then talk about financial incompetence, I don't even know what to tell you.

It's very possible to use credit cards wisely.

 

[Deleted member 174040]

Every year Motorola brags about the Moto X’s camera, and every year we come away just a little disappointed.

This seems to have been reviewers consensus. Disappointing...I demand a great camera.

 

[Thordane]

Hope this comes to Canada! So far it looks like we're only getting the Play.

 

[SomeUKGuy]

Camera ranking: http://www.dxomark.com/Mobiles/Moto-X-S ... ce/Ranking

I'm not convinced by Andrew's anecdote.

 

[Uskglass]

gavz[/url]"ulwqrez]if we are looking for value for money, we rather go for the new xiaomi mi 4c which have same soc at just 200 USD and not to mention its cool edge tap features and USB type c, also having too much resolution for same screen size is just not justifiable because 1080p is more than enough to appreciate the elegant user interface. although moto x pures camera is a 21mp for rear, its still not good enough if it doesnt have a good image sensor, your still gonna end up having a mediocre quality image, you are paying extra money for that wasted pixels in relevance to its image quality.

I've started to value Stock Android a lot more and Xiaomi's seems like a worst case scenario in the Android Bloat department. Some of these Chinese OEMs (Oneplus excluded it seems) have things approaching spyware in their implementations.

There's a reason it's so much cheaper, you are the product.

 

[gijames1225]

If their installments plan is pretty decent then I might look into this. The promise of a Sprint phone not actually from Sprint seems too good to pass up.

 

[deathBOB]

I've had mine for a week. So far:

+fast
+nice screen
+love the bezels and size

-battery only a bit better than my 2013
-screen seems very reflective
-viewing angles aren't great
-vibration motor is awful
-leather back feels cheap
-the Moto X dimple doesn't work as well as my 2013
-Chrome still hangs from time to time, just like my 2013

Overall I like it but I am seriously considering returning it for a 6s+.

 

[Deleted member 174040]

Wait a minute:

It's not bad, and it's an improvement over both the 2015 Moto G and the 2014 Moto X, but it's not up to the level of the iPhone 6 or 6 Plus, recent Samsung Galaxies, or even the OnePlus Two, to say nothing of the upcoming iPhone 6S.

Curious inclusion...so you're done with the iPhone 6s review...or is this a projection?

The bad: Missing wireless charging and a fingerprint reader, though those were probably the right features to cut to save money.

Is missing wireless charging always going to be a bad thing now? Because there's an entire platform and a lot of consumers that care nothing about of it...

 

[Dakkon]

Specwise this phone is almost exactly what I'm looking for. However, after watching the video comparison that droid-life did between the 1st and 2nd gen Moto X and the Nexus 6, I'm definitely given pause due to the size.

https://youtu.be/LrR3wiVdf5A

The Pure is a very large phone. If they could make the same phone in a 5" form factor that would be just about perfect IMO. I recognize that might not be possible of course, at the very least they would probably have to shrink the battery, but a smaller and lower res screen would offset the need for a 3000mAh battery.

I dunno, I'm torn. The new Nexus 5x that leaked looks interesting, though it doesn't have an SD card slot, so that's a knock against it. If Moto would slot a phone between the Moto G and the Moto X using a snapdragon 600 series CPU I could imagine it being just about exactly what I'm looking for.

 

[psarhjinian]

What's the general feeling on this phone versus the (current) Nexus 6? My N5 died and I am looking for a replacement; I was considering the Nexus 6, but it's being a (late-model) 32-bit ARM SoC makes me wonder if it'll get Galaxy Nexus'ed in the near future.

 

[Deleted member 174040]

deathBOB[/url]":12ulkwba]I've had mine for a week. So far:

+fast
+nice screen
+love the bezels and size

-battery only a bit better than my 2013
-screen seems very reflective
-viewing angles aren't great
-vibration motor is awful
-leather back feels cheap
-the Moto X dimple doesn't work as well as my 2013

Overall I like it but I am seriously considering returning it for a 6s+.

Hurry - Moto will do full returns, but you need to request it within 14 days of taking receipt of the device.

 

[Deleted member 174040]

SomeUKGuy[/url]":2kewtnt2]Camera ranking: http://www.dxomark.com/Mobiles/Moto-X-S ... ce/Ranking

I'm not convinced by Andrew's anecdote.

Most reviewers had the same reaction.

Camera reviews will be, by their nature, subjective.

 

[effgee]

Different priorities for different folks – coming from iOS I won't ever again buy a phone without a fingerprint sensor, so for me the Moto X was out from the get-go. For me, a replaceable battery or SD slot are irrelevant, and while I do like Apple Pay there are still so few places I frequent that accept it that I can live without NFC for a(nother) year.

My OnePlus 2 will be here tomorrow, let's see what the dark side (Android) has to offer!

 

[Anticrawl]

SomeUKGuy[/url]":zmdpmuv4]Camera ranking: http://www.dxomark.com/Mobiles/Moto-X-S ... ce/Ranking

I'm not convinced by Andrew's anecdote.

I came here to post that, also that I love the rapid charging. I can not charge it overnight, when my alarm goes off I put it onto charge, and when I get done in getting ready it is at full charge. I don't have to worry about degrading the battery if I do leave it on overnight though because Moto had the foresight to add a decharge feature where the device will stop charging at 100% and let the battery drain to 93% before allowing the battery to charge again (keeping your phone at 100% constantly on charge is a great way to murder your battery longevity).

Also I'm not sure where the complaints about viewing angles come from, it is an IPS panel and I can view at 170 degrees without any discoloration (AMOLED suffers here severely).

Glad I went with the Walnut finish after hearing about the weak leather, a shame because last year's leather was perfect. This has been a massive upgrade for me, who came from a Galaxy Nexus. I love that I can pop my unlimited plan Verizon SIM into my phone and use mobile hotspot and tethering for free because it is an unlocked phone that Verizon didn't touch and can't touch per FCC ruling: http://www.zdnet.com/article/let-my-wi- ... tethering/ Verizon usually gets around that ruling with custom carrier ROMs and making manufacturers lock the bootloader though.

 

[cosmicjesus]

RockDaMan[/url]":1u6j1nag]

alejandrojavier[/url]":1u6j1nag]
If you're suggesting people use their credit cards for financing their purchase and then talk about financial incompetence, I don't even know what to tell you.

It's very possible to use credit cards wisely.

Financing a $700 phone over two years on a credit is not a wise use.

 

[Deleted member 174040]

cosmicjesus[/url]":xplok6di]

RockDaMan[/url]":xplok6di]

alejandrojavier[/url]":xplok6di]
If you're suggesting people use their credit cards for financing their purchase and then talk about financial incompetence, I don't even know what to tell you.

It's very possible to use credit cards wisely.

Financing a $700 phone over two years on a credit is not a wise use.

Who said anything about waiting two whole years to pay it off?

 

[cosmicjesus]

RockDaMan[/url]":2td8rkfs]

cosmicjesus[/url]":2td8rkfs]

RockDaMan[/url]":2td8rkfs]

alejandrojavier[/url]":2td8rkfs]
If you're suggesting people use their credit cards for financing their purchase and then talk about financial incompetence, I don't even know what to tell you.

It's very possible to use credit cards wisely.

Financing a $700 phone over two years on a credit is not a wise use.

Who said anything about waiting two whole years to pay it off?

The conversation was comparing credit cards to the installment plans, which generally run two years.

 

[gijames1225]

Dakkon[/url]":3dixoj71]

I dunno, I'm torn. The new Nexus 5x that leaked looks interesting, though it doesn't have an SD card slot, so that's a knock against it. If Moto would slot a phone between the Moto G and the Moto X using a snapdragon 600 series CPU I could imagine it being just about exactly what I'm looking for.

It would be great if the Moto Play made it to the states and used the same direct sales model. I'm actually pondering for the first time going with a phablet sized device to go ahead and dump the kindle in my life, but it is a shame that we're down to just Sony for a compact flagship at this point.

 

[billyt293]

effgee[/url]":2swa10xi]Different priorities for different folks – coming from iOS I won't ever again buy a phone without a fingerprint sensor, so for me the Moto X was out from the get-go. For me, a replaceable battery or SD slot are irrelevant, and while I do like Apple Pay there are still so few places I frequent that accept it that I can live without NFC for a(nother) year.

My OnePlus 2 will be here tomorrow, let's see what the dark side (Android) has to offer!

Ooof coming from IOS to a OP2 will be a bit of a stepdown IMHO. I am heading the opposite direction - from Nexus 6 and Note 4 to a iPhone 6S Plus. I grew tired of Android manufacturer's inability to get the camera right without screwing up the OS.

 

[Deleted member 174040]

A few "to a iPhone 6S" comments in this thread. Now we know why Andrew put that "Move to iOS" icon on the desktop of the screenshot.

 

[Sufinsil]

gijames1225[/url]":6btbq5eq]If their installments plan is pretty decent then I might look into this. The promise of a Sprint phone not actually from Sprint seems too good to pass up.

They work with a bank, typical Retailer Store line of credit.

Mine came in Tuesday and I have it on 12 months, no interest.

 

[chrismith85]

RockDaMan[/url]":3bkougss]Wait a minute:

The bad: Missing wireless charging and a fingerprint reader, though those were probably the right features to cut to save money.

Is missing wireless charging always going to be a bad thing now? Because there's an entire platform and a lot of consumers that care nothing about of it...

Should the lack of wireless charging have been listed as a positive? I don't see how including wireless charging would have hurt the phone in any way, and since there are some people who care about it, the missing feature is a point against the device. If it's a feature that you don't care about, feel free to ignore that bullet -- just like any other negative point in any other review.

 

[cosmicjesus]

ChrisG[/url]":3a8ggcq1]Always worth noting that having an OS that's "close to stock Android" isn't actually "stock Android". Only Nexus devices get that, direct from Google, along with the newer/newest/coolest software features.

Yeah. The one thing I actually missed when I went from a Nexus 4 to the Moto X (2014) is the business listings directly in the dialer. Moto has the same dialer interface, but this function is removed.

 

[Anticrawl]

RockDaMan[/url]":25qluxfx]

SomeUKGuy[/url]":25qluxfx]Camera ranking: http://www.dxomark.com/Mobiles/Moto-X-S ... ce/Ranking

I'm not convinced by Andrew's anecdote.

Most reviewers had the same reaction.

Camera reviews will be, by their nature, subjective.

They don't need to be, not when we have objective reference image and color calibration hardware. DxOMark is a place that does empirically data driven objective comparisons of cameras... it is kinda the leader in that or the "industry standard" if you will. So it really doesn't matter what opinion the reviewer has or how they feel if it has been proven false.

"You are not entitled to your opinion. You are entitled to your informed opinion. No one is entitled to be ignorant." - Harlan Ellison

 

[deus01]

I'm in the market for a new phone and I probably would have bought this immediately if it was the same size as the Moto X (2014). It also boggles my mind that the smaller Moto X Play actually has a bigger battery and a more sane screen resolution. It seems pointless to increase the size of the phone without also increasing the battery; with a few small changes they probably could have had an outstanding phone irrespective of price instead of just a pretty decent one.