[Q] A few VZW Moto X Questions - Moto X Q&A

Hey guys, looked through the moto x theards and have gotten a few answers but still have a few. I currently have a gnex that I bought off eBay and has treated me well since my thunderbolt. I have been due for an upgrade for some time now and have been waiting for the right price. Would do anything for a Nevus 5 but ATT reception at my house is atrocious and just isn't an option. I've heard mixed things about the moto x overall but the things I am looking for the most like battery life and close to stock android experience are great. Now that the moto x at vzw is free with a code I'm really thinking of pulling the trigger. I'm interested in root for only one main reason, ads. Ad away gets rid of so many annoying ads (that I would never click on in the first place anyway so don't yell and say ads are why android is great and opensource) that root and side loading adaway is a must.
Is it relatively easy and safe to root the vzw moto x?
If so do the Roms still utilize the moto additions like those smart notifications and touch free control?
Also, with the "mid range" specs are you guys seeing and lag or real issues with performance or just the phone in general?
Lastly those of you with the white moto x are you seeing any discoloration or it easily getting dirty. The free moto x only applies to the white or black version and I am leaning towards white. ( I plan on having a case on my phone at all times so motomaker wouldn't appeal to me much anyway.
Thoughts and opinions on any and all of my questions are greatly appreciated. Anything extra would be great as well.
Thanks in advance!

pmr5019 said:
Is it relatively easy and safe to root the vzw moto x?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Easy if you can follow directions. Just follow the step-by-step posted by jcase.
pmr5019 said:
If so do the Roms still utilize the moto additions like those smart notifications and touch free control?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
unless a ROM has explicitly included the moto apks, active notifications will likely not be included (like in an AOSP rom)
pmr5019 said:
Also, with the "mid range" specs are you guys seeing and lag or real issues with performance or just the phone in general?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
those "mid range" specs have a different processor configuration than most phones today, which offload alot of activity normally handled by the CPU. this phone feels anything but mid-ranged.
pmr5019 said:
Lastly those of you with the white moto x are you seeing any discoloration or it easily getting dirty. The free moto x only applies to the white or black version and I am leaning towards white. ( I plan on having a case on my phone at all times so motomaker wouldn't appeal to me much anyway.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
my wife has the white and the general feel of the phone doesn't seem like it's soemthing that would appear "stained" after a year of use, but i got her a frosted diztronics case and it looks fantastic. so no worries there.

640k said:
those "mid range" specs have a different processor configuration than most phones today, which offload alot of activity normally handled by the CPU. this phone feels anything but mid-ranged.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
To add to this a bit: From my experience with using other roms, there was a noticeable increase in lag and stuttering compared to stock. If you do choose to use mess around, you will start to feel the effects of the "mid-range" specs. Otherwise, if you stick with stock, you will notice that a stock moto x is much faster compared to the likes of the GS4 and the HTC one.
640k said:
my wife has the white and the general feel of the phone doesn't seem like it's soemthing that would appear "stained" after a year of use, but i got her a frosted diztronics case and it looks fantastic. so no worries there.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I have the white moto x and I'm not a very nice person. I also like my phones naked. There have been a few times where my phone had black streaks on them and couldn't be simply rubbed off. But in those cases, a little rubbing alcohol and a tissue work just fine. The only permanent aesthetic issues I've had was when I accidentally dropped it on concrete three times from >5 feet. I have two dents on the corner of the phone, but I don't think anyone would ever notice.

If you want a gnex that's faster, has a better camera and much better battery life get the moto x. It's a no brainer if your on Verizon.
Sent from my XT1060 using Tapatalk

Related

debating between HTC One, S4, or Moto x on sprint

I really like the Moto X but it doesnt seem to have much support from xda. What do you guys think?
Doesn't really need support. The out of box experience is virtually flawless.
Moto X on Verizon
Would love to hear from people on this. I am on Verizon and in the same boat. Anyone had the S4 and switch to the moto x?
I moved from the htc one to the Moto X and I have no regrets whatsoever. Better battery, better in the hand, no bloatware. It's like a Nexus you can buy on subsidy.
What you get from HTC One and GS4:
Better hardware, often lag and stuttering, more dev support, 1080p displays, slow updates, better camera, worse battery life
What you get from Moto X:
Worse hardware, no lag ever (games and applications load noticeably faster than the one and the S4), less deuv support, 720p display that has great color, updates faster than most nexus devices (got 4.4 on moto x faster than on Nexus 10, 7, 4, htc one gpe, and gs4 gpe), worse camera (but starts up faster and is still reasonable quality), easily 20+ hour battery life, active notifications, touchless control, virtually stock android, and much more...
Up to you
Kittiesoncrack said:
I really like the Moto X but it doesnt seem to have much support from xda. What do you guys think?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I think that should be a VERY short debate.
gsk3rd said:
Would love to hear from people on this. I am on Verizon and in the same boat. Anyone had the S4 and switch to the moto x?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
My comments on the issue: http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2538323
Active notifications. Enough said. I can't go to any other phone because of this feature alone, and I've had the s4 and HTC one. If you enjoy aosp then this is even better
Sent from my XT1056 using Tapatalk
mwedemeier11 said:
Active notifications. Enough said. I can't go to any other phone because of this feature alone, and I've had the s4 and HTC one. If you enjoy aosp then this is even better
Sent from my XT1056 using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Because s4 had amoled, you could use Dynamic Notifications, which was the same thing. It actually had even more customizability than Active Notifications.
eyc said:
Because s4 had amoled, you could use Dynamic Notifications, which was the same thing. It actually had even more customizability than Active Notifications.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I actually didn't care for dynamic notifications, yes it had more features but I didn't work as flawless. 99 times out of a hundred when I grab my phone and look at it the time would show and I could unlock my screen. I have hit my power button to turn on my screen maybe 10 times since I bought it.
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Sent from my XT1056 using Tapatalk
mwedemeier11 said:
Q.
---------- Post added at 07:24 PM ---------- Previous post was at 07:23 PM ----------
I actually didn't care for dynamic notifications, yes it had more features but I didn't work as flawless. 99 times out of a hundred when I grab my phone and look at it the time would show and I could unlock my screen. I have hit my power button to turn on my screen maybe 10 times since I bought it.
Sent from my XT1056 using Tapatalk
Sent from my XT1056 using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
True. It was not flawless. And I love that the Moto just turns on even with the slightest nudge. For the s4, that option sucked.
eyc said:
True. It was not flawless. And I love that the Moto just turns on even with the slightest nudge. For the s4, that option sucked.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Exactly, that's probably why I'll stick with moto phones for another generation or two.
Sent from my XT1056 using Tapatalk
What do you need xda support for? To remove a bunch of crap or an aosp ROM with the latest android version?
You are in good hands... Moto X doesn't need that. You thinking about that Samsung Galaxy S4 at this point? Please don't buy that plastic crapped with ugly touchwiz. At least the HTC one is a beautiful piece of a phone.
Sent from my XT1053 using Tapatalk
Here's the way I look at it. The Moto X can do things no other phone can do. With root and xposed I can do what most roms can do. Easy decision.
Sent from my XT1056 using Tapatalk
Yep, the lack of development us because all you need is root. There's no need for custom ROMs. All you need is stock, or root + xposed framework.
Sent from my Moto X, please forgive any misswypes and forgotten words.
I have owned all 3 devices on Verizon. I started with the S4, and returned it for what the salesman said was a silly reason. The reason being the back button was on the wrong side of the screen for my preference, and I couldn't reach across the screen with my thumb and hit the back button easily.
I traded it back in within the 14 day trial on the HTC One. I really like the HTC one and the speakers. I also like the ability to turn it into a TV remote control. It has eye appeal, people think it looks cool and ask what kind of phone it is. I didn't like the power and volume buttons that are flush. I found that I had to look and make sure I was pushing in the right spot.
I really wanted to try the Moto X though, with the notifications and voice monitoring. It was a bonus that I was able to get kit kat on the second day I had it, and even cooler that it was rooted the day after that on kit kat. I usually trade phones once a month with people on craigslist just so I can try out something different, but I really like this phone.
You'll probably get biased opinions since you're posting in the Moto X forum, but here's my $.02.
I've been doing the xda/android/rom thing since the original droid. This is the first phone that has felt fine out of the box and I haven't even bothered to check to see if root and/or unlocked bootloaders have been achieved. My last phone was the GS3.
After looking around at everything I realized that all phones are basically the same. You interact with all of them the same way and they provide information in the same way. The only differences are size and quality issues (camera, screen, battery, etc...). The only unique phones are the Note 3 (with its active digitizer/stylus) and the Moto X. I was really leaning toward the note 3 since I jot down a lot of notes at work. Then I got my wife a Moto X. Two days later I had to have one. The real kicker for me was how it changes how I use my phone. Active notifications are nice and really handy, but I'm probably one of the few who uses touchless control a lot. The hands-free texting works great (especially while in the car). I use Google Now reminders several times a day. If I'm commuting and I remember something that needs be done, it's great to just say it and have my phone remind me. I find that I'm using Google now a lot. For example - If I'm cooking and need to make a conversion, I just ask the Moto. Or in the morning I ask it what the forecast is and what is my agenda while I'm shaving. It's surprising how much that step of unlocking/touching my phone used to prevent me from using it.
Now the downsides. The back of the phone looks great, but I think the front looks a little cheap. Battery life has been pretty good, but not as stellar as what others are reporting. It still is plenty to last all day. I will miss my GS3's removable storage and memory. I don't take a lot of pictures, but I hear that the Moto X's camera is so-so compared to the others.
I'm not going to go in-depth. I had the HTC One, wife has the S4, and I now have the Moto X. I personally like the Moto X more than both the former phones. Due to many reasons. S4 is too big for my taste. I always thought I wanted a big screen, but after using it I don't like it. The HTC was just too oddly shaped for my taste, and the whole Sense thing ruined it for me, as does T-wiz. After flashing an AOSP ROM on both of those phones, they were just knockoffs of the GE phones. Meh. I love my Moto X. Traded my HTC straight across for it and don't feel bad at all.
I was also worried about switching from 1080p to 720p and see no difference. I may be biased because I have one, but until I actually got it, I thought it was such a stupid phone due to the HTC and the S4 hype, and me thinking, "Nothing is as good as these two phones!". Boy was I wrong.
Oh yeah! Touchless Controls and Active Display are the ****!
Oh yeah x2! I was a serious flashaholic with my other phones and saw how slow the Moto X development seemed to be. That also had me shying away from it, but damn! I don't feel like I need to do ANYTHING. Only thing I did was root simply for Xposed so I can use GravityBox to change some colors.
Sent from my Moto X.
gsk3rd said:
Would love to hear from people on this. I am on Verizon and in the same boat. Anyone had the S4 and switch to the moto x?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I did on Sprint. I can't go back to the S4 or any samsung product until they clean up touchwiz. Plus all those features are not necessary. The main selling point of Samsung is the camera, but I feel the X is passable. At this point its Motorola or Nexus devices from here on out.
Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk 4
I just sold my S4 and bought a Moto X, super happy. I love this phone. It does everything well and the size and feel is amazing. The only downer is I don't want to put a case on it and ruin its ergonomics, however I want to keep it safe.
Sent from my XT1056 using Tapatalk

Should I get the Moto X Dev Edition? Or is it getting too old?

I've been going back and forth between the Moto X and HTC M8 for a while, and I'm really not sure which one to buy and play around with. I have a $60 off .edu coupon for the X so that would bring it to $390 as compared to $650 for the HTC M8. I've got a pre order for the M8 right now, and I can cancel until Wednesday this week. I'm not sure about the fact that the Moto X is getting kinda old, but the Active Listening is soooo cool. I've used both and I really couldn't pick a favorite.
So the question is:
Is the Moto X still a worthy purchase being a little over halfway through it's life cycle?
Thanks!
I still think my X is the best phone I have. Its responsive, and fits my hand best, and works best for single handed operation. I had a One (M7) 30demo before the X. It was ok, but wasn't comfortable and felt clumsy in my hand. With the One (M8) having a larger screen, single handed use would still be an issue for me.
(I'm 6'1" with average sized hands for someone this height)
Having the faster processor, screen, possibly better camera, makes the One (M8) attractive. but comfort in every day use is main sticking point for me.
As for the X being old. Yeah, its about 1/2 through its life cycle since Moto said they were working on a replacement. But I still think its a great phone.
KidJoe said:
I still think my X is the best phone I have. Its responsive, and fits my hand best, and works best for single handed operation. I had a One (M7) 30demo before the X. It was ok, but wasn't comfortable and felt clumsy in my hand. With the One (M8) having a larger screen, single handed use would still be an issue for me.
(I'm 6'1" with average sized hands for someone this height)
Having the faster processor, screen, possibly better camera, makes the One (M8) attractive. but comfort in every day use is main sticking point for me.
As for the X being old. Yeah, its about 1/2 through its life cycle since Moto said they were working on a replacement. But I still think its a great phone.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks for the insight! I used the M8 at the Verizon store and found it was much easier to use than the M7 one handed. I'm sure the Moto X has better single-hand operation, but it is greatly improved on the M8 (I'm 6'3" with pretty long fingers). I will surely buy the Moto X 2, it's just deciding on the phone that will hold me over until then . With the S801, I think the M8 and X are about the same in responsiveness (Moto was ahead for a while with S600 chips in phones), but the M8 still has a superior screen.
How often do you use the Active Listening voice control?
SolarTrans said:
Thanks for the insight! I used the M8 at the Verizon store and found it was much easier to use than the M7 one handed. I'm sure the Moto X has better single-hand operation, but it is greatly improved on the M8 (I'm 6'3" with pretty long fingers). I will surely buy the Moto X 2, it's just deciding on the phone that will hold me over until then . With the S801, I think the M8 and X are about the same in responsiveness (Moto was ahead for a while with S600 chips in phones), but the M8 still has a superior screen.
How often do you use the Active Listening voice control?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I agree with kidjoe, I've used an M7 not M8 and after reading the glowing reviews for the M7. I was shocked how everything was average, from battery life to Ultra Pixel camera
Here are the pros vs cons for my Moto GSM Unlocked version
PROS
-Fits great in hand
-voiceless controls work wonderful even in semi noisy environments
-the contour of the phone
-Active display really is superb
-Battery life, I get 3-5 hours screen on with moderate usage, battery always last a day, and running 4.4 it's a beast in standby! 4.2.2 eeehhh..
-Moto customer service is great! I think they understand they're the underdog and are acting accordingly.
-the price!
-The hardware and software runs smooth
-unlockable bootloader vis Moto's website
CONS
-Inline messaging bug using the email app
-I have been having MMS problems with 3 Moto X I received, most don't send :'( (I wanna blame T-mobile but still am not sure yet)
-Camera doesn't have digital or optical stabilization so you'll need steady hands and patience!
p.s. I've gotten a free case and SOL headphones from talking with Reps, if you have a gripe a bout a deal or one day shipping or something you could manage to get a freebie
Any questions feel free to ask.
SolarTrans said:
...How often do you use the Active Listening voice control?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I use it in the car to read me notifications, or "whats up" ... along with calling and stuff. But not much else.
I don't like SPEAKING out loud with my phone in public.
drago10029 said:
I agree with kidjoe, I've used an M7 not M8 and after reading the glowing reviews for the M7. I was shocked how everything was average, from battery life to Ultra Pixel camera
Here are the pros vs cons for my Moto GSM Unlocked version
PROS
-Fits great in hand
-voiceless controls work wonderful even in semi noisy environments
-the contour of the phone
-Active display really is superb
-Battery life, I get 3-5 hours screen on with moderate usage, battery always last a day, and running 4.4 it's a beast in standby! 4.2.2 eeehhh..
-Moto customer service is great! I think they understand they're the underdog and are acting accordingly.
-the price!
-The hardware and software runs smooth
-unlockable bootloader vis Moto's website
CONS
-Inline messaging bug using the email app
-I have been having MMS problems with 3 Moto X I received, most don't send :'( (I wanna blame T-mobile but still am not sure yet)
-Camera doesn't have digital or optical stabilization so you'll need steady hands and patience!
p.s. I've gotten a free case and SOL headphones from talking with Reps, if you have a gripe a bout a deal or one day shipping or something you could manage to get a freebie
Any questions feel free to ask.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks! From what I've heard, the M8 actually has much better battery life than the M7, and the Moto's camera is probably about as good as the M8's. Your cons seem to be fairly minor and that's a good thing
M8 doesn't have OIS either, so that's a wash.
From some comparisons I've seen, the consensus is that the M8 is better just because it's so much newer and has better hardware. TBH that better hardware probably finally caught it up to the Moto X's stellar performance XD.
These phones are both so great it's really hard to decide :/
But the question is, is it a worthy purchase? What would you say?
SolarTrans said:
Thanks! From what I've heard, the M8 actually has much better battery life than the M7, and the Moto's camera is probably about as good as the M8's. Your cons seem to be fairly minor and that's a good thing
M8 doesn't have OIS either, so that's a wash.
From some comparisons I've seen, the consensus is that the M8 is better just because it's so much newer and has better hardware. TBH that better hardware probably finally caught it up to the Moto X's stellar performance XD.
These phones are both so great it's really hard to decide :/
But the question is, is it a worthy purchase? What would you say?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Honestly there's another factor. an important one. The XDA factor as you would know since you're posting here on XDA.
Price and performance, battery life would always leave me with the Moto X. But as you've seen the development is very quiet around these forums sadly. So if ROMs and such are really important you may want to cancel the pre-order and see what development is like for the M8.
Again this is coming from a guy who values efficiency over everything. I knew Moto X had lower specs but being the genius I am (not really) I know specs don't matter, at least higher specs don't. When a phone boast things like that it usually means it's potentially riding on that for success rather than good software/usability or what I call efficiency.
Again, any question feel free. My moto X is an open book for you and I love helping people make the best choice for them.
Thanks! Honestly, I usually stick with stock on my phones (I only root to enable AdAway and fix SD permissions), so development isn't that big of a deal. I've noticed there's not much Dev action on the Moto X, but again: it isn't too big of a deal for me. Though, from what I've seen in the M8 forum, there is already getting to be a good amount of Dev following.
So some questions now:
How do you like the screen? Are the pixels noticeable when reading text? How is it outdoors?
I'm using the iPhone 5s as my daily driver, and the ~320PPI screen isn't too bad. Thing is, it has one of the highest quality IPS displays on the market.
Sent from my iPhone 5s using Tapatalk
If the one and s5 don't do it for you id get a used x to last you the next 5-6 months until the new x's are announced and maybe a new nexus?
I have the $60 off coupon, so I could get an unlocked/Dev 32GB for $390. I'd go that way if I got a Moto.
Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
SolarTrans said:
Thanks! Honestly, I usually stick with stock on my phones (I only root to enable AdAway and fix SD permissions), so development isn't that big of a deal. I've noticed there's not much Dev action on the Moto X, but again: it isn't too big of a deal for me. Though, from what I've seen in the M8 forum, there is already getting to be a good amount of Dev following.
So some questions now:
How do you like the screen? Are the pixels noticeable when reading text? How is it outdoors?
I'm using the iPhone 5s as my daily driver, and the ~320PPI screen isn't too bad. Thing is, it has one of the highest quality IPS displays on the market.
Sent from my iPhone 5s using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The screen looks crisp. I rarely use full brightness outdoors. after about 70% it doesn't make too big a difference to me. And there honestly the 1080p, 720p things are gimmicky. People say they notice the difference but from the S3 to the Moto X to the M7 I've used the sharpness are all on par with each other. Including the IPS on iPhone 5/5S which my girlfriend has. they are all crisp screens.
video look great! The headphone volume is a little low though, i solved that with Viper4android (highly recommend for music lovers). Call quality is actually really really clear! It has 3 mics on it.
That answer your question?
Yep perfectly! But I think I've decided to go with the M8 for these next few months. For a couple of reasons:
1. When I used the Moto X at Verizon, the small screen really reminded me of my iPhone. 5in isn't much bigger than 4.7, but especially with the on screen buttons on a black bar (not always on, but I still noticed), it felt somewhat small to me.
2. My last Android phone was the S4 GPE, and I'm a little tired of the stock-like interface, and being quite reluctant to use ROMs I'd like to give Sense 6 a good try for a while. Moto 360 and X 2 are almost guaranteed to be on my list this year though
Thanks so much for your help!
Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
SolarTrans said:
Yep perfectly! But I think I've decided to go with the M8 for these next few months. For a couple of reasons:
1. When I used the Moto X at Verizon, the small screen really reminded me of my iPhone. 5in isn't much bigger than 4.7, but especially with the on screen buttons on a black bar (not always on, but I still noticed), it felt somewhat small to me.
2. My last Android phone was the S4 GPE, and I'm a little tired of the stock-like interface, and being quite reluctant to use ROMs I'd like to give Sense 6 a good try for a while. Moto 360 and X 2 are almost guaranteed to be on my list this year though
Thanks so much for your help!
Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You got it! glad you found something you like.
SolarTrans said:
I've been going back and forth between the Moto X and HTC M8 for a while, and I'm really not sure which one to buy and play around with. I have a $60 off .edu coupon for the X so that would bring it to $390 as compared to $650 for the HTC M8. I've got a pre order for the M8 right now, and I can cancel until Wednesday this week. I'm not sure about the fact that the Moto X is getting kinda old, but the Active Listening is soooo cool. I've used both and I really couldn't pick a favorite.
So the question is:
Is the Moto X still a worthy purchase being a little over halfway through it's life cycle?
Thanks!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Ok. So I dropped my dev moto x on concrete and the screen broke, my fault. So I decided I was going to upgrade to an HTC m8 with the Dot Case.
Well. I just sent in my Moto x to be repaired, because I am going to return the m8.
1. The M8 is a GREAT phone. Great camera, speed, memory expansion.
But in the end I love my Moto X (this is only my opinion)
Why I want my Moto X back? Active notifications, Touchless Control, Ability to mute from the power button, ability to root and remove all bloat (I am sure the HTC will be able to do this soon), size (I like a phone I can hold easily) and doesn't feel like a weight in my pocket.
The problems I had with the M8 (this is my opinion )
Rather have Google Experience than BlinkFeed (Yes I installed the APK), The quick gestures were useless to me. The car mode defaulted to the HTC music app, I use Google Music. Hard to hold comfortably. TV was good, but I already have 300 remotes, and 1 universal. Adding one more was just a pain. Sense 6 is nice, but I rather have a pure experience that I can add too, IE: Gravity Module
I always say in my opinion because I think phones are as unique as people. What I find in the M8/Moto X as useless/useful could be 100% different for someone else.
hill180 said:
Ok. So I dropped my dev moto x on concrete and the screen broke, my fault. So I decided I was going to upgrade to an HTC m8 with the Dot Case.
Well. I just sent in my Moto x to be repaired, because I am going to return the m8.
1. The M8 is a GREAT phone. Great camera, speed, memory expansion.
But in the end I love my Moto X (this is only my opinion)
Why I want my Moto X back? Active notifications, Touchless Control, Ability to mute from the power button, ability to root and remove all bloat (I am sure the HTC will be able to do this soon), size (I like a phone I can hold easily) and doesn't feel like a weight in my pocket.
The problems I had with the M8 (this is my opinion )
Rather have Google Experience than BlinkFeed (Yes I installed the APK), The quick gestures were useless to me. The car mode defaulted to the HTC music app, I use Google Music. Hard to hold comfortably. TV was good, but I already have 300 remotes, and 1 universal. Adding one more was just a pain. Sense 6 is nice, but I rather have a pure experience that I can add too, IE: Gravity Module
I always say in my opinion because I think phones are as unique as people. What I find in the M8/Moto X as useless/useful could be 100% different for someone else.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I feel like if you play with the moto x in the store your not getting the full day to day usage and the features that help make it the #1 android phone of 2013. I know spec on sheet is all that people care about now but until you have owned the phone and then go to something else you'll want to come back to this phone.
Sent from my XT1058 using xda premium
I have a Samsung Galaxy S 4 (T-Mobile running GPE ROM) and a moto X GSM dev editon. After going back and forth a few times in the past week I keep going back to the X. Which is surprising because I used the S4 as my DD for the better part of a year and loved everything but the size.
I actually found that the performance is similar and the screen on the X looks better because its RGB and not pentile, regardless of the resolution difference.
Sent from my XT1053 using Tapatalk
asatnik11 said:
I have a Samsung Galaxy S 4 (T-Mobile running GPE ROM) and a moto X GSM dev editon. After going back and forth a few times in the past week I keep going back to the X. Which is surprising because I used the S4 as my DD for the better part of a year and loved everything but the size.
I actually found that the performance is similar and the screen on the X looks better because its RGB and not pentile, regardless of the resolution difference.
Sent from my XT1053 using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Huh didn't know it was RGB. The S5 (while having the best smartphone display ever made according to DisplayMate) still uses PenTile and has 305PPI for red and blue (but 432 for white and green). This is actually less than the Moto X's density, so I was kind of surprised. Displays can't really compare though, as from what I've read the Moto X just isn't as nice as other flagships in the display department
Update on the thread: I actually cancelled my M8 order because after using one again I found I really disliked the whole UI.
Any further comparison for will be with the S5, as that's where I moved my pre-order after canceling.
If one thing were to sway me towards the X from the S5, it'd be the size. The Moto X feels truly amazing (even for the few minutes in store that I tested it). The S5 is quite nice as well, but it doesn't quite match the curve of the X.
From all I've read and felt so far, the S5 and Moto X are both insanely attractive offerings. I haven't seen a single person dissatisfied with their X, and everyone (me included) who's used an S5 thought it was great.
Considering how attached to the X people are, I may just have to spend the $390 and go for it. The S5 may have better specs and be faster, but the overwhelming praise of the X is definitely something I'll consider.
Thanks all for the help so far! If anyone has any further input it'd be much appreciated.
Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[Q] Would you still buy the X now?

I have broke my screen on my S4 and being the way I am about phones I can't handle it anymore.
I have looked at the X because the price and I have liked Moto phones.
With all the new phones being announced would you still buy the X right now or would you wait for something else?
Slayers said:
I have broke my screen on my S4 and being the way I am about phones I can't handle it anymore.
I have looked at the X because the price and I have liked Moto phones.
With all the new phones being announced would you still buy the X right now or would you wait for something else?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'm going to buy a spare moto X as I predict no phone will come come close to it in ergonomics and thin bezel size/aesthetics for a long time.
Moto X2 is almost guaranteed to have a 5 inch screen = automatic disqualification. I have bigger than average hands (can grip a basketball) but I use my phone so little that I really can;t justify carrying around a huge screen 14 hours a day for the 2 minutes it comes in handy for.
Basically all the phones released this year are sh1t aesthetically.
S5 = thick size bezels, looks like a boat
HTC M8 = MASSSSSSSSSSSSSSIVE bottom bezel, huge phone for that small (in comparison) screen
Oppo Find 7 = Too big (that's what she said)
Sony = bezels always too thick
LG G2 = buttons on the back = GTFO LG
Nexus 5 = bezels are thicker than it's twin brother than LG G2 which is unacceptable for me
iphone 6 = as per leaks the side AND top/bottom bezels are very thick
Basically after being addicted to phones since 2011 I have spent close to $4k on this stupid hobby.
Top 3 phones were:
1. Moto X
2. iphone 5
3. Nexus 4
Slayers said:
I have broke my screen on my S4 and being the way I am about phones I can't handle it anymore.
I have looked at the X because the price and I have liked Moto phones.
With all the new phones being announced would you still buy the X right now or would you wait for something else?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'm in the situation your in right now. My S4's SIM tray self destructed. Needing a phone immediately and sick of using a large phone, I opted to buy the Moto X for 50 bucks.
Best phone I've ever owned. Period.
Sent from my XT1058 using XDA Premium 4 mobile app
My list of phones -> http://forums.androidcentral.com/an...3-post-your-phone-timeline-2.html#post2949873 and keep in mind, for the "Work" phones, I can pop my personal sim in and used them if I wanted.
Yes, I would still buy the X today.
Size, feel, screen, battery life, over all usability make the X my favorite device. And its great for single handed use.
My Samsungs don't feel right in my hand, and I have to shift them around too much for single handed use. Touchwiz is still too cartoony. There is a lot of bloat I don't use. The built in apps for SMS/MMS have issues when sending to non-samsung phones (S4), as does the calendar when sending invites(Note 2).
I like my BB Z10 more now that it runs Android APK's natively, and has a better camera than the X, but I like widgets and other things on the X better.
The only thing I'd change about the X is its camera in low light. It has gotten better with the software updates but its still not up to where it needs to be. That being said, for outdoors, the software improvements (rom and camera app) have made big improvements.
Oh, but if you want to Root the X, buy the developer edition, or one with an unlockable bootloader!!! It might cost you more, but you can be assured that you can root if you want.
In a heartbeat. I have always loved Motorola phones. If it wasn't for LTE I would have never got my S3. I genuinely feel like my droid x and x2 were better phones than my Galaxy S3, other than the LTE and camera.
I'd by an x right now cause there's nothing better out right now. Once the MotoX replacement comes out that might change. I'm hoping for a removable battery so I can get an extended battery.
I just bought one on eBay rather than a Nexus 5 - because no other manufacturer has really done the Active Notifications, Always-On Voice Command and the human-friendly design together just yet.
Here's to hoping Nexus 6 has all of those, though Active Notifications are unlikely on non-AMOLED phones.
Just got my X yesterday, so I guess I'm still in the "honeymoon" phase...but I'll be honest with you...I love this phone.
I have been around XDA for a while now and have owned 6 consecutive Android phones (goes without saying, I will have a sex change before I ever get an iPhone). I used to theme for several Moto phones back in the day (BIONIC/RAZR/DX). Motorola phones, in my opinion, are the best built phones out there. Mix that with Google and it's just a whole lot of awesome. From the day I rooted my original DROID I knew that I would never own another phone that I didn't root. 5 or so years later I have found myself with a phone that may never see the beautiful world of root and/or unlocked bootloaders. While that sucks, it says something about this phone. The fact that I am not regretting my decision to buy it should tell you how awesome it is. Everything about it is just sexy (besides the camera, which is nothing to write home about). As already mentioned, it is ergonomically stellar. By far the best in-hand feeling phone I've ever owned. Love the vibrant display and the nearly-vanilla android stock ROM.
To put it simply: I hate that it is locked down. But this is an incredibly solid and fun device and I could not be happier that I went with it. :good::good:
dubsx said:
Just got my X yesterday, so I guess I'm still in the "honeymoon" phase...but I'll be honest with you...I love this phone.
I have been around XDA for a while now and have owned 6 consecutive Android phones (goes without saying, I will have a sex change before I ever get an iPhone). I used to theme for several Moto phones back in the day (BIONIC/RAZR/DX). Motorola phones, in my opinion, are the best built phones out there. Mix that with Google and it's just a whole lot of awesome. From the day I rooted my original DROID I knew that I would never own another phone that I didn't root. 5 or so years later I have found myself with a phone that may never see the beautiful world of root and/or unlocked bootloaders. While that sucks, it says something about this phone. The fact that I am not regretting my decision to buy it should tell you how awesome it is. Everything about it is just sexy (besides the camera, which is nothing to write home about). As already mentioned, it is ergonomically stellar. By far the best in-hand feeling phone I've ever owned. Love the vibrant display and the nearly-vanilla android stock ROM.
To put it simply: I hate that it is locked down. But this is an incredibly solid and fun device and I could not be happier that I went with it. :good::good:
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You know about buying unlock codes? May not last long. If your phone is on his list.
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2751177
kj2112 said:
You know about buying unlock codes? May not last long. If your phone is on his list.
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2751177
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yeah, mine was manufactured in September so I'm not going to go through the hassle to find out it's a no go. Thanks for looking out though!
Sent from my XT1060 using Tapatalk
I actually did just receive my Moto X today. Coming from a rooted Galaxy S3 running CarbonROM and KT Kernel.
With my GS3's governor set to Interactive and the go_hispeed_load set to 50, the GS3 has smoother scrolling. But the unrooted, stock Moto X has faster app opening speed, which was pleasantly surprising.
Like many other users have said, all newer phones are simply just too big. All VZW phones are also locked, so it makes software considerations important. Moto X is as close to stock Android as you can get on-contract with Verizon and that is a huge plus IMO.
The touchless controls work surprisingly well, sometimes it doesn't fire, but it works consistently enough to be useful.
Negative:
Can't find a way to completely silence the phone. Even if I turn all volumes down to 0, if I accidentally trigger the Google Now hotword, it will beep. Bad during a test or interview.
The screen is a bit too warm. Even though the PPI is a tad higher than the GS3 and is a non-PenTile screen, white text on dark background on the Moto X looks weird. It's hard to describe but it almost seems liek as if the edges of the letters are bleeding.
My GS3 earbuds wire controls don't work.
Non-removable battery or microSD.
Camera.
I take it from what a few of you are saying is that no Moto X I buy now from the Moto Creator site or Verizon is going to be rootable if it's not a developer version, correct? If this is the case, how much extra am I going to have to spend? I need root for my root call blocker and greenify.
Also, I have been considering getting one of the wood back ones. I think they look super slick from the pictures I've see. Never seen one in person though. Any positives or negatives someone could share about the wood backs?
Sent from my Droid Razr M
jamesino said:
Can't find a way to completely silence the phone. Even if I turn all volumes down to 0, if I accidentally trigger the Google Now hotword, it will beep. Bad during a test or interview.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Settings -> Touchless Controls ->Launch Phrase Sound [Unchecked]
Problem solved.
Slayers said:
I have broke my screen on my S4 and being the way I am about phones I can't handle it anymore.
I have looked at the X because the price and I have liked Moto phones.
With all the new phones being announced would you still buy the X right now or would you wait for something else?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes. It's by far the best phone ever made.
The only phone you should consider waiting for is the Moto X+1 or LG G3
Yes if you can find a good deal on a used one. No because its been out for 9 months already which is like 5 years in phone time. If my X broke now I would get a beater phone for summer until iPhone6 or X+1 came out.
You ask a question like this in a Moto X forum, what answer do you expect?
I have a Moto X, and if the X2 is 5 inches, I will keep using my X. Best phone I ever had.
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I527 using Tapatalk 2
Hmmm, Well if I get a brighter screen on my next DE X (warranty) then yes.
I have used the S4 and unless you put CyanogenMod to it, Touchwiz is just horrible and overall it's much slower than the Moto X. It's just a night and day difference in experience. You'll find much more useful features with the Moto X. The camera is not as good, but it's the only thing you'll miss. The Moto X is still a great device, there isn't any other device out now that make me want to switch to it probably until the Moto X+1 come out.
Active notifications are just a show stopper. Being able to pull your phone out of pocket abs it shows the time without even having to wake it. Also if its sitting on the desk , just nudge it and the time appears. It's brilliant
Sent from my XT1060 using Tapatalk
I've had my motox for 7 months now and I can honestly say I would buy this phone again if I had to.
It's the only phone on the market that has the features I want.
Sent from my XT1058 using XDA Free mobile app
Slayers said:
I have broke my screen on my S4 and being the way I am about phones I can't handle it anymore.
I have looked at the X because the price and I have liked Moto phones.
With all the new phones being announced would you still buy the X right now or would you wait for something else?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The answer is yes, just ordered mine yesterday. Cant wait to get it. Moving from a HTC One.
After reading through all these comments I'm even more excited to get it. I was able to get a student discount on it and I chatted with them so they sent me a free skip.

New to Moto X

I just switched from a S3 to a Moto X. My S3 was starting to lag pretty bad and the battery was crap. Well I can't say I am to impressed with the Moto X. I read comparisons between the 2 and the Moto X seemed better on paper to me. I know the camera on the S3 is much better but I wasn't to worried about that.
My question is Motorola just behind in the overall look of the phone? The interface with the dialer is back to the look of when I have an Incredible. And the battery is on par with my 3 year old S3. This phone is already at 4.4.4, so I cannot root it. Should I get rid of this and go for a S4 or pay more for an S5? I love the size of this phone and overall feel of it just disappointed I guess overall as compared to everything I was able to do with my Galaxy.
Like what ?
I also came from an S3 to a Moto X and it was completely night and day. S3 drained my battery and touchwiz was laggy as heck.
Agree the camera is not that good in the Moto X but other than that..i can't think of anything i missed from the galaxy S3.
I really can't think of what could be bogging down your phone so much... maybe you got a lemon..was it used?
I've been using mine for a year now and it's still pretty snappy and battery definitely is better than the S3 in my experience.
cheers
Ken
Having a large variety of devices on hand that I use (see the link in my sig), I still like the X best.
Sure, my S4 and S5 have a brighter display and better cameras (although, with 4.4.4 Moto has again made some improvements). But over all, the S4 and S5 are laggy compared to the X. (Note: Being my personal device, my X is loaded with apps and music. Being work devices, and often having to wipe and test, my S4 and S5 are stock with only two or three added apps.)
I'm 6'1" with average hands for a man that size. I find the S4 and S5 too big for single handed operation. The X is just the right size for single handed use, and fits in my pocket when needed without being noticeable.
Touch Wiz makes my samsungs look/feel cheap, and appears to be the cause of some/most of the lag I see. The only thing I LIKE is its calendar app, how it lists the agenda for the day on the bottom half of the screen. However, since I've been using Today Calendar on my X, I find that gives me what I like without bogging down my phone.
Not sure I see the resemblance between the Incredible's dialer and the near stock android dialer of the X. To be honest, I liked HTC Sense on my Incredible and Thunderbolt. I didn't like stock android on my original droid, or blur on my Droid X. Moto has made some nice, albeit slight, changes from stock on the X. Just enough to enhance it, and not too much that their changes get in the way or impact performance.
Battery life on my X is pretty good. I often go for more than a day and a half on my X between charges. Yeah, I wish it had replaceable battery, and microSD card slot, but I've learned to live without them now (I just have to make sure I always get a 32gig or more phone!).
I get that the X isn't the right phone for everyone, so if *you* don't like it. Return it. If you purchased it used, sell it. Don't rely on what others think or have to say.
It's your usage, setup or a poor signal causing your battery times... Or some issue.
It's not just "the phone".
Troubleshoot the issues in the "how's your battery life" thread in general. Lots of people to help there. ?
You're probably disappointed because there's no huge difference between the two.
Both have similar screens, battery life, etc. Moto X is faster, but the SGS3 has better camera and microSD.
I was thinking of buying the Moto X too. I have the SGS3, but I think the difference is little and not worth the money.
Sorry I made a post and haven't responded until now. I've had the Moto X for a week or 2 now and have gotten used to it but it seems like the battery dies must faster than my S3 did. I look at the usage and my work email is taking up most of the battery. I changed the sync from 15 mins to 30 mins but doesn't seem to help. I downloaded the Clean Master app and clear out the junk and stop apps from running a couple times a day but doesn't seem to help. Not sure if rooting would help but I've briefly read that if it's on 4.4.4 you can't. Oh well I still have my S3 so I may switch back and forth to see which I like better. Overall I like the size of the Moto X better as well as the speed!
I moved from a N4 to a G2 to a N5, to a MotoX. I didn't not have a HUGE down grade from the G2 to N2 with regards to battery. I'm not sure about the X yet as I've had it less than a day. I expect it to be the same as the N5 though.
nygbrad said:
I just switched from a S3 to a Moto X. My S3 was starting to lag pretty bad and the battery was crap. Well I can't say I am to impressed with the Moto X. I read comparisons between the 2 and the Moto X seemed better on paper to me. I know the camera on the S3 is much better but I wasn't to worried about that.
My question is Motorola just behind in the overall look of the phone? The interface with the dialer is back to the look of when I have an Incredible. And the battery is on par with my 3 year old S3. This phone is already at 4.4.4, so I cannot root it. Should I get rid of this and go for a S4 or pay more for an S5? I love the size of this phone and overall feel of it just disappointed I guess overall as compared to everything I was able to do with my Galaxy.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
What model of the x you have?
It's just a Verizon Moto X 16gb
So why you can't root it. Just unlock the bootloader and root it.
nexuspur said:
So why you can't root it. Just unlock the bootloader and root it.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I thought the first sticky said any phone with 4.4.3 or higher cannot be unlocked.
nygbrad said:
Sorry I made a post and haven't responded until now. I've had the Moto X for a week or 2 now and have gotten used to it but it seems like the battery dies must faster than my S3 did. I look at the usage and my work email is taking up most of the battery. I changed the sync from 15 mins to 30 mins but doesn't seem to help. I downloaded the Clean Master app and clear out the junk and stop apps from running a couple times a day but doesn't seem to help. Not sure if rooting would help but I've briefly read that if it's on 4.4.4 you can't. Oh well I still have my S3 so I may switch back and forth to see which I like better. Overall I like the size of the Moto X better as well as the speed!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If you're writing a lot emails you could try out K9 and change the theme to "dark". It switches from black text on white background to white text on black background. That way you save a lot energy on AMOLED-screens. It's also quite well done in K9. Most inverted or "blacked out"-apps tend to look rather goofy. For SMS I use "Textra", that has a pretty nice dark theme too.
nygbrad said:
I thought the first sticky said any phone with 4.4.3 or higher cannot be unlocked.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
there is one way to find out: TRY IT
Thanks I will definitely try the email app.
And I'm not an expert in rooting. Only did the last few phones I had. I always make sure they're proven to work before I try them haha.
nygbrad said:
I thought the first sticky said any phone with 4.4.3 or higher cannot be unlocked.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You read it totally wrong. Any phone on 4.4.3 or higher can not be rooted WITH AN EXPLOIT.
Any phone *except* Verizon (non-dev edition), AT&T, and Republic Wireless, can have the BL unlocked FREE, from Moto's unlock site.
Good Luck.
I came from an S3 and i found the MotoX to be much faster in responsiveness. Touchwiz is such a bulky laggy skin, although with that said, I do miss a couple of things about it:
1. The notification toggles
2. The photo gallery (create folders and drag-drop move feature so handy)
3. The ICS calendar integration
On 4.4 the battery was great on the X, but i found later iterations of the OS made the battery worse
Radio signal is much better on the MotoX device I can get LTE signal in my house which I never got with the S3
Sent from my XT1058 using XDA Free mobile app

Thoughts from those of you who switched from a Nexus 5. Is it a good upgrade?

I have had the N5 since last November and I love the phone but it looks like Google will not be releasing a phone with this screen size anytime soon. Would like the features that the Moto X has with regards to waking the phone and a few other tweaks that they do.
I have a code from cyber Monday so it would cost $400 today, which is a great price compared to the Nexus 6 and other devices. Do I need a new phone? No, but I would like a new one to play around with for the next year until something better comes along.
The only thing it looks like I would really miss is the wireless charging.
So, for those of you who have come from the N5, was it the right choice?
Thanks
I thought it was going to be mostly a sidegrade with a couple bonus features and it ended up feeling like a reasonable UPgrade. The build is far nicer and more robust feeling, the curved glass on front that wraps around the edges feels infinetly nicer on your face. The moto display is just as awesome as I thought it would be, battery life is much better. The speaker for ringing/media is WORLDS AND WORLDS better, louder, clearer, deeper.
I think its well worth it, add to that, I sold my 5 for $260 (16GB black)
The camera is barely an improvement. Everything else is a pretty significant improvement here even though the specs dont show much, go ahead, it will be money well spent! The nexus 6 is just too big and too expensive!
I have both. The N5 is still an amazing phone but the Moto X is in a class all its own. It's a definite upgrade and well worth every penny, ESPECIALLY with the cyber Monday discount.
Sent from my iPhone 6 using Tapatalk
I traded my wifes N5 for a Moto X 2014 and i think it is a substantial upgrade. I benchmarked it even though it is an att phone with all of the att bloat and it still did 44000 antutu, whereas my N5 best score fully rom'd and custom kernel and everything only got 41750. I know some people think benchmarks are useless, but i like seeing higher scores from phones that have better specs.
I honestly think the camera on the x is not as good. I miss hdr+ and think the ois on the nexus is better, despite being a lower mp. The moto does feel better in hand to me and i didnt know how much i would love the dimple on the back. Its great to have to stabilize the phone with one hand.
Overall, the price is right, you can sell your N5 (i sold my n5 for $250 locally), and you are more up to date with the new phones out there.
Just my opinion.
Nick
I was hoping the camera would be just as good or a little better than on the N5, one person says that it is and another says it is not. Of course I know this is all subjective and I will be the only person who can determine this. I wish the camera was definitely better and not so close in quality.
Looks like I am just going to go ahead and order the Moto X, I will keep the N5 for a little bit just in case I don't like it and then I will try and sell it.
Raistlin1 said:
I was hoping the camera would be just as good or a little better than on the N5, one person says that it is and another says it is not. Of course I know this is all subjective and I will be the only person who can determine this. I wish the camera was definitely better and not so close in quality.
Looks like I am just going to go ahead and order the Moto X, I will keep the N5 for a little bit just in case I don't like it and then I will try and sell it.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I honestly feel like the Nexus 5 is a bit snappier plus the camera on my Moto x doesn't seem to focus easily. I still think it's worth the upgrade though due to the build quality and the extras like active display etc. I always felt like I was going to break my nexus 5 at any moment
I remember I used to love the AMOLED display on my old Moto x but I'm having a little trouble getting used to it again. I know that's just temporary though and eventually it will be vice versa. Just some things to consider though
bobloblawsum said:
I honestly feel like the Nexus 5 is a bit snappier plus the camera on my Moto x doesn't seem to focus easily. I still think it's worth the upgrade though due to the build quality and the extras like active display etc. I always felt like I was going to break my nexus 5 at any moment
I remember I used to love the AMOLED display on my old Moto x but I'm having a little trouble getting used to it again. I know that's just temporary though and eventually it will be vice versa. Just some things to consider though
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
There is no way the N5 is snappier than the Moto X. I use both phones daily and when side by side the Moto X is noticeably faster and more responsive than the N5. I'm running stock KitKat on both devices.
I do agree that the camera on the Moto X leaves a bit to be desired but for my needs it's just fine. I do think it is a little better than the N5's camera but not by much. Both cameras are capable of producing some really nice shots, it just seems that conditions have to be just right in order to do so.
And yeah, the screen does take some getting used to. Both my N5 and my iPhone 6 have near perfect color calibration so whenever I pick up the Moto X it always looks excessively warm to me. But I'm using CF.Lumen to fix it so mine is a LOT better now. The Moto X does have waaaay better viewing angles than the N5 though so it's a trade off.
Sent from my iPhone 6 using Tapatalk
I was very torn about spending the money but made a very last minute decision to buy the moto x last night before the coupon expired. It is going to be a fairly expensive toy/experiment to play around with at first to see if I like it better than the N5, but I am looking forward to it. I figure I can sell either one to make some money back in the end.
I also decided to get it engraved with "pure X moto", I may regret this later but I liked it at the time. doh!
Raistlin1 said:
I was very torn about spending the money but made a very last minute decision to buy the moto x last night before the coupon expired. It is going to be a fairly expensive toy/experiment to play around with at first to see if I like it better than the N5, but I am looking forward to it. I figure I can sell either one to make some money back in the end.
I also decided to get it engraved with "pure X moto", I may regret this later but I liked it at the time. doh!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If you can afford it, I'd hang on to both phones, that's what I'm doing. I feel like the N5 is going to be a highly coveted phone a couple years from now, it's easily the best Nexus phone so far (yes, even better than the N6 IMO). Plus, if you are a fan of flashing custom ROMs and the like, you'll need the N5 for that because it's highly unlikely that the X will see much development.
Sent from my iPhone 6 using Tapatalk
_MetalHead_ said:
There is no way the N5 is snappier than the Moto X. I use both phones daily and when side by side the Moto X is noticeably faster and more responsive than the N5. I'm running stock KitKat on both devices.
I do agree that the camera on the Moto X leaves a bit to be desired but for my needs it's just fine. I do think it is a little better than the N5's camera but not by much. Both cameras are capable of producing some really nice shots, it just seems that conditions have to be just right in order to do so.
And yeah, the screen does take some getting used to. Both my N5 and my iPhone 6 have near perfect color calibration so whenever I pick up the Moto X it always looks excessively warm to me. But I'm using CF.Lumen to fix it so mine is a LOT better now. The Moto X does have waaaay better viewing angles than the N5 though so it's a trade off.
Sent from my iPhone 6 using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Very true, the Moto X is easily the snappier of the two, and is probably the snappiest phone on the market right now. The problem with the camera seems to be with the focus, especially with a foreground and a background subject or macro shots, it struggles to focus correctly. I'm still hoping Motorola to bring some sort of worthy software upgrade to the camera now that lollipop allows more control over the camera hardware. With flash though, the Moto X does seem to perform better than the N5 almost every time. Overall, it seems to be on par with the N5 or a little bit better than the N5, but yes, we all wish that the camera was a little more better!
_MetalHead_ said:
There is no way the N5 is snappier than the Moto X. I use both phones daily and when side by side the Moto X is noticeably faster and more responsive than the N5. I'm running stock KitKat on both devices.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I still have my Nexus 5 and use it from time to time, there is definitely some noticeable stuttering in some apps that I've never experienced on the Nexus 5. I know certain apps are a bad comparison, the Facebook app for example, however I still have never experienced any lag, ever on the Nexus.
Nexus 5 has the stock lollipop image and my Moto was updated to lollipop immediately after powering it on. Maybe it's due to the OTA update
I love the new moto x. Just got it a couple weeks ago to replace my 5 and it's better in every way. I've always had nexus phones and shunned away from other customised android phones but the features Motorola adds in are actually useful and have a real world use unlike all the crap on galaxy phoned.
i prefer the moto x display, but the dev is literally nonexistent.
I switched from the Nexus 5 to the Moto X 2014 because Google ended up refunding me the cost of the Nexus 5 due to a defect under warranty. I posted my thoughts about the two on another forum and updated them below after having the Moto X for a week.
Build Quality
Overall, it feels more solid than the Nexus 5, not that the Nexus 5 was a poorly made phone. Both are fine here but I would give the edge to the Moto X. I got the royal blue back, and I will say that it's more slippery than my black Nexus 5, but not as slippery as my wife's white Nexus 5. I definitely prefer the soft touch of the black Nexus 5 though, as I really feel like I need to hold on to my phone.
Screen
I'd say it's a wash. You're basically looking at a middle of the road AMOLED screen vs a middle of the road LCD, with all the benefits and issues of each. Moto X has better blacks, brighter colors, no backlight bleed (since there's no backlight). But it has slightly pink whites unless you turn the brightness up. The Nexus 5 has more pure whites and gets a little brighter, plus you won't have to worry about burn-in.
Sound
Moto X is the clear winner here. Ignoring front vs bottom firing, the Moto X speaker is much louder and clearer than the Nexus 5. Headphone quality is about the same, though the Moto X response is lacking a bit in the sub-bass frequencies. I have the Sennheiser Momentum In-Ear and the ATH-M50, and the bass lacks some impact when using my Moto X headphone jack vs the Nexus 5. The Moto X headphone output also has more noticeable hiss than the Nexus 5.
Performance
Basically the same.
Camera
I don't think either of them have a great camera... but I also don't think the Note 4 has a great camera and that was rated as one of the best cameras on a phone. They just can't compare to even a cheap point and shoot. The lack of OIS is noticeable in low light though, especially when I was trying to take pictures of my Christmas lights. Neither camera took a great photo but the Nexus 5 was more acceptable.
Software
Again, very similar here. I like some of the Motorola tweaks but I don't make frequent use of many of them. Always listening is a neat gimmick but I don't find myself using it often "in real life." Active Display isn't that much of an improvement over a notification LED in my mind, but Approach triggering it is nice. "Sleeping" mode is a nice improvement over the complete lack thereof in KitKat but Lollipop implemented "Downtime" so it's not a killer feature. Only real annoyance so far is that Moto Display constantly triggers in my car even if I disable the Approach functionality.
Battery Life
Battery life is a wash. The Moto X gets better screen on time if I am actively using it, but the Nexus 5 seems to have better idle time.
Overall
I'm not really sure which I prefer. The better loudspeaker on the Moto X is a huge upgrade, but it's unfortunate that the headphone output isn't as good. The screens are about the same, though I do like the slightly bigger size of the Moto X. It's also unfortunate that the Moto X is not using soft touch plastic for its colors, despite saying that it has a "soft finish."
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bobloblawsum said:
I still have my Nexus 5 and use it from time to time, there is definitely some noticeable stuttering in some apps that I've never experienced on the Nexus 5. I know certain apps are a bad comparison, the Facebook app for example, however I still have never experienced any lag, ever on the Nexus.
Nexus 5 has the stock lollipop image and my Moto was updated to lollipop immediately after powering it on. Maybe it's due to the OTA update
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Yeah, the N5 is completely lag and stutter free, there's no arguing that. But so is my Moto X, I've never noticed a single stutter. Maybe in FB, but it's no worse than the N5, and in my experience it's better. The N5 is a ridiculously smooth device, but side by side with my X, the X is smoother yet. One thing I find hilarious is how so many people dislike Android because it's not as smooth as the iPhone, but I own an iPhone 6 (typing on it now) and both the N5 and Moto X are actually smoother (at least in the UI) than the iPhone 6 is. It's quite remarkable, really. Both are amazing devices, and that's why I'll never sell my N5, and I'll likely hang on to my Moto X forever as well.
Sent from my iPhone 6 using Tapatalk
I bought the N5 on launch day last year and loved it. I got bored with it around august and went with a G3. The G3 was great at first because it was new, but as the days went on, I couldn't stand the lag and the LG skin. So my dilemma was do I wait for a nexus 6, go back to the nexus 5 or try something new?
I started seeing all this hype over the moto X and I figured, "what the hell" and I ordered it. Best damn phone I've ever owned. Yes, there are some draw backs, like the camera (it's not bad, just no where near the G3), but overall, the look, the feel, the solidness, the pure android experience with moto add-ons (not moto trying to re-invent the wheel) and battery life make this phone awesome. I get double the SOT of my N5 and the same as the G3. Moto's voice assist is great and active display is second to none.
Well worth it.
_MetalHead_ said:
Yeah, the N5 is completely lag and stutter free, there's no arguing that. But so is my Moto X, I've never noticed a single stutter. Maybe in FB, but it's no worse than the N5, and in my experience it's better. The N5 is a ridiculously smooth device, but side by side with my X, the X is smoother yet. One thing I find hilarious is how so many people dislike Android because it's not as smooth as the iPhone, but I own an iPhone 6 (typing on it now) and both the N5 and Moto X are actually smoother (at least in the UI) than the iPhone 6 is. It's quite remarkable, really. Both are amazing devices, and that's why I'll never sell my N5, and I'll likely hang on to my Moto X forever as well.
Sent from my iPhone 6 using Tapatalk
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You have convinced me to do a factory reset on my moto x. Sounds like I might be having some issues from the 5.0 update
bobloblawsum said:
You have convinced me to do a factory reset on my moto x. Sounds like I might be having some issues from the 5.0 update
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Click to collapse
I have no experience with 5.0 on the X, but I do with the N5... I'm not a fan. That's why I'm still running KK on both devices. Lollipop has just too many issues for me.
Sent from my iPhone 6 using Tapatalk
Thanks for all the input, I appreciate it!
I have the Moto X on order and now the waiting begins, I guess I should have skipped the engraving...
Got a pure edition with slate back, black front and silver metallic accents and for the engraving: pure X moto
And I also ordered the Gelli case since I was able to get 30% off accessories with the cyber Monday coupon code.

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