Different colored examples of Motorola's Moto X phones rest on a table. (Photo : Reuters)
YouTube reviewer Marques Brownlee joined in the chorus of good endorsements that the Moto X 2015, Pure Edition in the U.S. and Style for the rest of the world, is getting so far. As the phone is considered a flagship, the starting price of $400 makes it a steal.
But the affordable sticker, as always, comes with strings of compromises. First to note is the surprising downgrade from AMOLED display to IPS-LCD. While the latter is far from being mediocre, the absence of AMOLED in the new Moto X makes it hard for the device to measure up with the likes of Samsung's Galaxy S6 and Note 5. The same applies when the Motorola flagship is to tussle with any of the Sony Xperia Z5 models.
In his review, Brownlee also thumbed down the Moto X camera package, which according to Motorola is among the best camera smartphone this 2015. It should have been the case but the review noted that three main things are working against the Moto shooter. First is the lack of optical image stabilization that eliminates the possibility of creating quality pics in certain conditions and environments.
Brownlee concluded too that the Moto X 2015 is the glaring example that higher megapixel doesn't always result to a good shooter. The third Moto X packs a combo of 21MP on rear and 5MP on front but to Brownlee's view, it will be underwhelmed when engaged with the 16MP Note 5 and the 12MP iPhone 6S Plus.
It didn't help as well that the simplified Moto X camera app is not that easy to use, the review said.
But despite the downsides mentioned above, there are many things about the Moto X 2015 that warrant a buy. The build and design may not be that flashy when lined up with the flagships from Apple and Samsung but the curvy Moto X finish gives it a grip that users will surely delight on. The review piece of rubbery back plate no longer requires a protective case.
The headline specs of Snapdragon 808 chip, 3GB of RAM, 16GB/32GB/64GB of memory options with up to 128GB support for memory expansion all secured a spot for the Moto X 2015 as the best multimedia smartphone around, Brownlee said. And the front-blasting stereo speakers further made the case for the handset.
On the battery side, the non-removable 3000mAh battery may not be jaw-dropping but Motorola compensates by including Turbo Charging with the kit, which promises swift energy boost in just minutes of charging up.
But the two most solid features of the Moto X 2015 is first it rocks the latest Android Lollipop version in vanilla form, which gives the assurance that Android 6.0 Marshmallow will soon be on the horizon.
Lastly and as mentioned above, a highly capable flagship that is up for grabs for a dirt-cheap $400 is a steal by any definition. And that exactly is the Moto X 2015 from day one of its release date.
