Introduction
Do we have a good one for you today – the old faithful Moto X 2014 goes up against the new Moto X Pure Edition. Yes, yes, we know that the new Moto Pure Edition should easily win this comparison – but aren’t you in the least bit interested in how they compare to one another…well, we certainly are. The Moto X 2013 start our new love affair with a great US company, Motorola, and every year since then we look forward to what upgrades they will introduce to make it even a better smartphone.
The new Moto X Pure Edition (or 2015) will not disappoint in the area of upgrades – the key word is larger. Even though this is the same model, made by the same company, there are not many similarities in the Moto X 2014 and the Moto X Pure Edition, other than their names. They both still have the IP52 nano coating for water repellency and they both us a Qualcomm Snapdragon processor, but different models. They still offer 16GB/32GB/64GB models…the Pure Edition model adds a microSD card for expansion.
They both have the usual suspects – Wi-Fi, Bluetooth (4.0 Moto X vs 4.1 in the Moto X Pure Edition), NFC, a microUSB 2.0 for charging or data transfer and they both have a quick charge option. They both use a non-removable battery.
Please take a deliberate look at the detailed Specifications Comparison chart below and here you will see just how these two great devices stack up against one another – click on the “View Full Comparison” link at the end of the chart to expand the details. After that, we will look at each individual device in greater detail and point out some of its pros and cons. From all of this information we will try to determine the winner based on specs and execution of design and functions.
Specifications
Motorola Moto X (2014)
The Moto X 2014 is an upgrade that finally made the Moto X a real flagship of their line, while reserving the mid-range area for the Moto G and the Moto E as their entry-level smartphone. The Moto X 2014 is comfortable to hold and has that well-built, premium quality we all look for in a smartphone.
The 5.2-inch display is at that ‘sweet spot’ that so many people like. It uses the AMOLED technology with an FHD resolution of 1920 x 1080 pixels and a respectable 423 pixels-per-inch (PPI), but still a far cry from the LCD QHD display and 520 PPI on the Moto X Pure Edition. Motorola included the best processor out at the time – the 32-bit Qualcomm Snapdragon 801 quad-core clocked at 2.5GHz. The Moto X Pure Edition continues on the tradition of using Qualcomm but this time used the 64-bit Snapdragon 808 hexa-core processor clocked at 1.8GHz. The Moto X 2014 has 2GB of RAM compared to the 3GB of RAM in the new Moto X Pure Edition and they both have options for 16GB, 32GB and 64GB for internal storage, although, only the Pure Edition has a microSD slot for expansion.
Motorola has never been very concerned when it comes to the camera on past smartphones, but with the Moto X 2014 they put in a very good 13MP sensor, autofocus and a dual-LED Flash Ring that encircles the lens – still no OIS, but it does take decent photos. It also comes with the ‘standard’ 2MP front-facing camera (FFC) is fine for social selfies or the occasional video chat with friends or family. This compares to the 21MP Sony sensor found on the Moto X Pure Edition that will take some great pictures, along with its 5MP FFC. The Moto X 2014 is powered by a non-removable 2300mAh battery and this compares to the 3000MAH battery in the new Moto X Pure Edition. Both devices can use Motorola’s Turbo Charger for quick battery charging.
As far as extras on the Moto X 2014 – Motorola used four microphones for excellent noise cancelation and voice reproduction on phone calls and Dynamic Tuning to help increase the radio strength. It is running 5.0.1 Lollipop and is available on Verizon, AT&T and T-Mobile, all for only $50 on a two-year contract and starts at only $450 off-contract.
Motorola Moto X Pure Edition
Motorola has redefined their flagship device as the Moto X Pure Edition (in the US) and the Moto X Style (outside the US). They made it improved in just about every way and you can still use Moto Maker to customize the device to suit your tastes. It is a larger device – 5.2-inch display versus 5.7-inch – but still retains the full-metal frame and curved backing making it easy to hold.
On the Moto X Pure Edition, Motorola abandoned the AMOLED display and went with the IPS LCD technology. It is 5.7-inches with a QHD resolution of 2560 x 1440 pixels and 520 PPI, while the Moto X 2014 uses a FHD display and a respectable 423 PPI. Motorola went back to Qualcomm and put in the 64-bit Snapdragon 808 hex-core processor with one quad-core clocked at 1.44GHz and the other dual-core clocked at 1.8GHz. This goes up against the Qualcomm 32-bit Snapdragon 801 quad-core clocked at 2.5GHz. The Pure Edition comes with 3GB of RAM and either 16GB/32GB/64GB of internal memory with a microSD card slot to expand. The Moto X 2014 has 2GB of RAM and the same options for internal memory, but not room to expand.
Motorola really wanted to compete in the flagship camera department by using a 21MP sensor with phase detection autofocus, dual-tone LED flash and an f/2.0 aperture along with a 5MP FFC with an f/2.0 aperture and a wide-angle lens for great selfies and video chatting. This goes up against a 13MP main camera and a 2MP FFC on the Moto X 2014. The Pure Edition comes with a large 3000mAh non-removable battery, compared to the 2300mAh battery in the Moto X 2014 – both devices offer Motorola’s Turbo Charging.
Motorola included front-facing stereo speakers with Smartboost for a great new sound. The Pure Edition is a device that is unlocked and can be used on all major networks – they call this “carrier freedom.” Using the pure Android experience – currently 5.1.1 Lollipop – you can be assured of getting the fastest updates. Motorola has given it a starting price of $399.99 and it will be available this fall.
…And The Winner is…
Summary
There are no surprises here. We have to go with the new Moto X Pure Edition as the winner of this comparison. It has a larger, QHD display, a better processor, more RAM, a microSD card slot, a much better camera, a much larger battery and starting at only $400!
It not only out does the old Moto X 2014 in all categories – which we were expecting – but does it at such a reasonable price. Build quality of both devices is typical Motorola with a full metal frame for strength and the ability to customize your device using Moto Maker. The Moto X Pure Edition builds on its strong heritage found in the Moto X 2014, making it better in every way, while at the same time charging a reasonable amount – that is a winner in every sense of the word.
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