Right now, we are lucky enough to have two devices with very thin bezels. The LG G2 and the Moto X. Now I’ve been using the G2 for a little over a week and the Moto X just appeared on my doorstep a couple days ago, so I haven’t had much time with the Moto X yet. So what we’re going to do today is compare the two of them. These are easily two of my favorite devices coming out in 2013. They are also both very controversial. The Moto X with “mid-range” specs at a high-end price and the G2 with the volume rocker and power button on the back. I actually like both of them, and I think they out perform some of the other flagships this year, especially the Moto X.
Operating System and Skins
On the Moto X, you’ve got more or less stock Android along with a few tweaks. Like the camera app is a bit different. I think it’s a bit faster than the stock Android app. Over on the G2 it’s Android 4.2.2 as well and is heavily skinned. Well, when compared to the Moto X. The G2 is featuring LG’s Optimus UI with a ton of features like Quick Memo, Slide Aside, Q Slide and so much more. Some of these are features you’ll never use, while others are features you’re going to love…like KnockON.
Processors and Performance
One of the big downsides to most people on the Moto X is the processor. It is running a dual-core Snapdragon S4 Pro processor. But don’t let that turn you away. Motorola has customized their processor so it has “8 cores”. It’s actually a pretty powerful SoC, and it works very well on the Moto X. When your phone is not being used, it’s definitely a power sipper. It’s also ultra smooth. The LG G2 on the other hand is running a quad-core Snapdragon 800 which is clocked at 2.3GHz. And boy is that thing fast. The LG G2 is pretty heavily skinned compared to the Moto X, but there is zero lag on the G2. Well there’s also no lag on the Moto X as well. The Snapdragon 800 is also a power sipper on the G2, but that could also be because it’s sporting a 3000mAh battery.
Battery Life
Speaking about battery life. Both these devices are using the new step battery technology, where they can cram more mAh’s into a smaller space. The Moto X has a 2200mAh battery, which Motorola says can last about a full day or 24 hours of mixed usage. Looking at my Moto X right now, it’s been off the charger for 6 hours, with 1.5 hours on screen time and at 71%. So I think it could last a full 24 hours, which is definitely nice to see. The LG G2 on the other hand can last a couple of days, depending on if you’re on WiFi or LTE. On LTE I was able to get about 16 hours of heavy usage, and almost 40 on WiFi.
Displays
Two very different displays here. The LG G2 has a 5.2-inch 1080p IPS display, and it looks truly amazing. I’d buy the G2 just for the screen! While the Moto X is sporting a 4.7-inch 720p AMOLED display. The reason why they are using AMOLED is because of Active Display. So the display can light up individual pixels and not the full display. They both look very nice, but I’d choose the G2 over the Moto X’s display.
Final Thoughts
These are both great devices, both with very thin bezels, which you can tell from the pictures here. Both are available on all four carriers, for about the same price and same storage configuration (16GB or 32GB). However, I think the LG G2 is the better device. It’s got better battery life, better screen, and a better processor. While the Moto X is ultra smooth, meaning no jank or lag at all, the Moto X also isn’t marketed to the same group of people the LG G2 is.