Introduction
Motorola is really stirring up the pot with the announcement of four phones – the 3rd generation of the Moto G, the new Moto X Style (Moto X Pure Edition in the US) and the new Moto X Play. One will not mistake them for anything but a Motorola device, although certainly updated in subtle ways. All of the devices have full-metal frames for strength, dual front-facing speakers for sound and all can be customized via their Moto Maker – making sure there are many colors available. All three devices will come to us running Android 5.1.1 Lollipop.
Motorola has provided consumers with a device to accommodate everybody’s tastes and budget – from a the large, phablet sized Moto X Style with a 5.7-inch QHD display to the Moto G with a 5-inch HD display, and they threw Moto X Play in the middle with a 5.5-inch FHD display…something for everyone. Let’s take a little closer look at the specs of the three devices and see which one might interest you. The detailed Specifications chart is below, go ahead and peruse over it, and next we will breakdown the three devices. Also, please note – The Moto X Style is the international version and the Moto X Pure Edition is the US variant, but they have the same specifications.
Specifications
Moto X Style
The Motorola Moto X Style is a the typical solid construction we have come to see from Motorola – solid metal frame and curved backing, however, the unexplained Moto ‘dimple’ has been removed from the back. The dual-tone flash was moved from around the lens to where the dimple once stood. The two speakers on the front are now stereo and even a front-facing flash to go along with the 5MP front-facing camera (FFC).
Let’s start with the 5.7-inch LCD QHD display with a resolution of 2560 x 1440 and 515 pixels-per-inch (PPI) – a much larger display and Motorola has switched from the AMOLED display to the LCD technology. The 64-bit processor is the Qualcomm Snapdragon 808 hexa-core – the same one used in the LG G4 – clocked at 1.8GHz. It is packing 3GB of RAM and 64GB of internal storage, expandable via a microSD card. Powering the entire device is hefty 3000mAh non-removable battery.
One place that Motorola did not skimp was in the camera area – a 21MP sensor with an f/2.0 aperture, Dual-tone LED flash, and a slew of software options, complete with 4K video recording at 30fps. Also on board is a 5MP with an 87-degree wide-angle lens for great social media selfies and video chatting.
Motorola is including the TurboCharger 25 for a quick charge and the latest stock Android 5.1.1 Lollipop for quick updates. It is IP52 Water/Dust resistant, comes with NFC, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, etc. There are improved versions of Moto Active, Moto Voice and the special gestures. The Moto X Style measures 153.9 x 76.2 x 11.06 mm and weighs in at 179 grams. Motorola has promised universal 4G LTE support in North America and a pricing schedule of $200 – $300 less than the competitors have. It should make it appearance sometime in September 2015.
Moto X Play
The Moto X Play falls in as a mid-range device, but packs in many features, including the ability to customize it via Moto Maker, and allows you to choose from Cover Shells and Flip Shells. This device will be available across Europe, Latin America and Canada…but not in the US. The Moto X Play may fall into the mid-range category, but it is a premium looking device.
The Moto X Play sports a 5.5-inch LCD FHD display with a resolution of 1920 x 1080 pixels and 401 PPI. This falls right in the middle of the QHD on the Moto X Style and the HD display on the entry level Moto G. Motorola went back to Qualcomm and snatched up the 64-bit Snapdragon 615 octa-core processor clocked at 1.7GHz. It is packing 2GB of RAM and 32GB of internal storage with a microSD card slot to expand.
It uses that same camera found on the flagship Moto X Style – 21MP with a dual-tone LED flash and an f/2.0 aperture and is capable of HD videos in 1080p and 30fps. It also sports the 5MP FFC for selfies and video chatting. Powering the device is a huge 3630mAh battery that offers TurboPower charging.
The Moto X Play comes with 4G LTE connectivity, has a water resistant coating and is running almost stock Android 5.1.1 Lollipop – except for the added Moto Voice, Moto Assist, Moto Display and Moto Actions. It includes the usual Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and NFC. The device measures 147.3 x 73.7 x 10.9 mm and weighs in at 169 grams and should be available in August.
Moto G (2015)
Last, but certainly not least, is the new Moto G third generation entry-level phone. The design has been upgraded from the last model and is larger. It comes in black or white, but if you live in one of the 60 countries it is now available, and you have access to Moto Maker, you can customize your new Moto G. The power and volume buttons are both on the right side of the device.
The Moto G comes with a 5-inch LCD HD display with a resolution of 1280 x 720 pixels and 295 PPI. A Qualcomm 64-bit Snapdragon 410 quad-core processor clocked at 1.4GHz powers the device. Memory includes 1GB of RAM with 8GB of internal storage or 2GB of RAM and 16GB of internal storage – both can be increased via a microSD card.
For the camera, Motorola included a 13MP shooter with dual-toned LED flash and an f/2.0 aperture that can shoot HD video at 1080p and 30fps. The FFC is 5MP and will take great selfies and video chats. Providing power for the Moto G there is a non-removable 2470mAh battery.
The Moto G is IPX7 certified water resistant, and includes the usual Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and NFC. It measures 142 x 72.4 x 12.2 mm and weighs in at 155 grams. It is currently available in 60 countries for about $179.