Moto X vs Galaxy S4: Do you care about specs or experience?
The Moto X is finally official, and that means phone buyers will have to figure it into their calculations. The current king of Android by most measurements is the Samsung Galaxy S4, which just came out late in the spring. Let’s see how these two phones stack up, and if the first real Google phone is able to take on Samsung’s flagship.
Staring you right in the face on both phones are AMOLED panels. This technology is a favorite of Samsung and Motorola because they use no power on black pixels and are extremely thin. Motorola chose to go with a 4.7-inch 720p AMOLED screen, which is unusual for a headlining device these days. The Samsung has a 5-inch 1080p Super AMOLED.
GS4
Even at 720p the Moto X manages 317 pixels per inch. That’s respectable, but Samsung’s flagship clocks in at 441 pixels per inch. The Samsung device is going to be crisper, but it will also suck up more juice.
Inside, these devices have similar origins, but take different approaches to provide a smooth user experience. The Moto X uses the new X8 mobile computing platform, which is a combination of a dual-core Snapdragon S4 Pro and a pair of special processing cores elsewhere on the board. The natural language and contextual computing processors enable the always-on software features and save battery life.
Samsung went with a faster ARM chip — the quad-core Snapdragon 600 (in the US). This is a better option in terms of raw power, but it lacks the neat always-on features. Still, it makes the GS4 a powerful device. If the Moto X with its optimized software can keep up, it might have the edge here. Both phones are equipped with 2GB of RAM.
Motorola chose to go with a 10MP camera with an RGBC sensor for better low light performance. The Galaxy S4 does OK in low-light, but its 13MP camera takes incredibly detailed images. It might edge out the Moto X in daily use.
x green
As for software, Samsung relies on its enormous mountain of features, some of which work well and other not so much. You have to hand it to Samsung for being innovative with features like Smart Stay, Air Gesture, and all the other “Smart” stuff. This phone runs Android 4.2.2 with a fairly heavy skin designed by Samsung. Some users are okay with it, but other find it a bit garish.
The Moto X runs software that could easily be confused with stock Android, but it isn’t quite. Motorola made very few changes to the UI and fundamentals of Android. The magic comes from the custom silicon and the extra feature that enables. The Moto X can pull up voice search any time it hears you say the trigger phrase — even while it’s asleep. The AMOLED display is also used to display notifications while the phone is asleep.
Aesthetics are highly personal, but the Galaxy S4 has a reputation for feeling rather cheap and slippery. It’s made of slick white or black plastic, with a handful of other colors available in limited markets. The Moto X is well-put-together and can be purchased in a wide variety of custom colors.
X Colors
The Samsung Galaxy S4 and Moto X are going to cost $199 on-contract for the 16GB version. There are occasional sales on the GS4, so you might be able to get a deal there. It’s a close call, but the Moto X deserves some serious consideration, even though the GS4 has slightly better specs
The Moto X is finally official, and that means phone buyers will have to figure it into their calculations. The current king of Android by most measurements is the Samsung Galaxy S4, which just came out late in the spring. Let’s see how these two phones stack up, and if the first real Google phone is able to take on Samsung’s flagship.
Staring you right in the face on both phones are AMOLED panels. This technology is a favorite of Samsung and Motorola because they use no power on black pixels and are extremely thin. Motorola chose to go with a 4.7-inch 720p AMOLED screen, which is unusual for a headlining device these days. The Samsung has a 5-inch 1080p Super AMOLED.
GS4
Even at 720p the Moto X manages 317 pixels per inch. That’s respectable, but Samsung’s flagship clocks in at 441 pixels per inch. The Samsung device is going to be crisper, but it will also suck up more juice.
Inside, these devices have similar origins, but take different approaches to provide a smooth user experience. The Moto X uses the new X8 mobile computing platform, which is a combination of a dual-core Snapdragon S4 Pro and a pair of special processing cores elsewhere on the board. The natural language and contextual computing processors enable the always-on software features and save battery life.
Samsung went with a faster ARM chip — the quad-core Snapdragon 600 (in the US). This is a better option in terms of raw power, but it lacks the neat always-on features. Still, it makes the GS4 a powerful device. If the Moto X with its optimized software can keep up, it might have the edge here. Both phones are equipped with 2GB of RAM.
Motorola chose to go with a 10MP camera with an RGBC sensor for better low light performance. The Galaxy S4 does OK in low-light, but its 13MP camera takes incredibly detailed images. It might edge out the Moto X in daily use.
x green
As for software, Samsung relies on its enormous mountain of features, some of which work well and other not so much. You have to hand it to Samsung for being innovative with features like Smart Stay, Air Gesture, and all the other “Smart” stuff. This phone runs Android 4.2.2 with a fairly heavy skin designed by Samsung. Some users are okay with it, but other find it a bit garish.
The Moto X runs software that could easily be confused with stock Android, but it isn’t quite. Motorola made very few changes to the UI and fundamentals of Android. The magic comes from the custom silicon and the extra feature that enables. The Moto X can pull up voice search any time it hears you say the trigger phrase — even while it’s asleep. The AMOLED display is also used to display notifications while the phone is asleep.
Aesthetics are highly personal, but the Galaxy S4 has a reputation for feeling rather cheap and slippery. It’s made of slick white or black plastic, with a handful of other colors available in limited markets. The Moto X is well-put-together and can be purchased in a wide variety of custom colors.
X Colors
The Samsung Galaxy S4 and Moto X are going to cost $199 on-contract for the 16GB version. There are occasional sales on the GS4, so you might be able to get a deal there. It’s a close call, but the Moto X deserves some serious consideration, even though the GS4 has slightly better specs
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