The smartphone of 2014

Update to Android 5.0 at the end of the review)

After I already earlier this year, the first Moto X as reviewed in detail, I would like this naturally lead in the new Moto X so on :)

At 30.09. I received a package from the United States with my home-built Moto X. Since this time I wanted to enjoy the benefits of Moto Makers, I was not able to relate about the smartphone directly over Motorola. Nevertheless, I obviously do not want to withhold the Amazon community my knowledge :)

Scope of supply:
The packaging is similar to simply as the old model. On top of the phone (Be careful when opening) Apple has indeed led the way: D) and otherwise just the usual information (also a Care Information for Lederrueckseite) and the AC adapter and a needle for Nano Sim The power supply is back with the. Siameze delivered and can be used with for a second device (eg. as tablets). Here again a credit to Motorola.

Style:
I have the 32GB version with Lederrueckseite (black, very classy but sensitive) and ordered personal engraving. I upload photos here also with high. Actually my 5.2 inches are already too big, but at the Moto X this is very good thanks to thin frame. Overall, it has made it even thinner. Thanks to the aluminum frame, the Moto X now looks even more elegant. The Lederrueckseite impinges exactly my taste. The leather is very soft and fits comfortably in your hand. For this, it is also more sensitive. In my opinion this makes but the charm of the leather. The small hollow at the back has now become slightly larger and offers more space for the index finger. The Power button is now grooved and therefore easily distinguishable from the Volume keys. Overall a very good appearance and an absolutely awesome style.

Hardware:
Unlike the first generation of the Moto X can boast with its hardware. Already its predecessor was in my eyes very fast and flowing, but at the 2nd generation there will now be for the foreseeable future no resource problems. Snapdragon 801, 2GB of RAM and the usual co-processor do a good job. Thus, Motorola shares the Spec-hunting competition. Nevertheless, the Americans good software and hardware additions and meaningful features deliver again.

Worth mentioning is like its predecessor, the AMOLED display with the intense colors, the sharp resolution (now 1080p) and low power consumption (compared to competitors). In the 1st generation researchers have shown that the iPhone 5S 2.5 times the power needed (at the same brightness). It seems to me that this display was maintained at a higher resolution. In any case, you can by a True Black (or Pure Black?) AMOLED panel talk, because when a black background, the lighting is really made of (not like Samsung o. Ae.). Compared to its predecessor, the color accuracy but has now become better and the slight yellowish tinge is almost imperceptible. The display is nevertheless still very heavily saturated and thus not with sRGB or Adobe RGB comparable bothers me, however, this is not (even if my Shield Tablet sRGB to 97% and my Dell notebook covers both nearly 100%). Bold colors make the picture even more vivid.

Upper and below the display earpiece and microphone are now housed as (at least in anodized aluminum as an accent color) very discreet "grilles". This contributes to the elegant design and also provides a forward-facing speaker in the lower "grille", which offers a decent volume.

In addition, it has brought in the 2nd generation three IR sensors on the front below. These detect very reliable when you want to reach for your phone and then activated Active Display. In addition, you can without touching the display calls or the alarm mute (or snooze). Especially handy if you have degrees dirty or wet fingers :) Therefore, a very useful addition.

Software:
The nearly pure Android is supplemented with a few apps like Migrate (move managers from the old phone), Moto (formerly Assist and Touchless Control) and Connect (messaging through Chrome). The usual Google apps are of course also included. So you can talk almost a Nexus. The performance is sensational. No stuttering and all the apps are opened quickly. Fuers Zocken I will indeed continue to use the Nvidia Shield tablet, but the performance of the Moto X would suffice completely. More power should in my opinion, in the future will no longer (but that's my personal view as a computer).

Motorola continues to deliver no unnecessary features such. As Samsung. Instead Touchwiz provides you freedom of choice and useless features allowed to off. Even after a year, Active Display and Touchless Control a novelty among smartphones. No other vendor can provide these features. Therefore, one can think I still speak of true innovation. To quote my Moto X review: "While Active Display replaces the Notification LED useful while saving battery, Touchless Control provides a way without touching the Moto X easy (write messages, search Google, Reset alarm, etc.) to do everything while remaining the voice pattern recognition reliable and safe. Another very handy feature is the Schuettelgeste that activates the camera, making it faster than any smartphone ready. Touchless Control and the gesture can by the way also be used during operation of an app. "

In addition, these features have been combined in one app called Moto and can be updated regularly. Active Display now shows up to three different messages to (instead of one) and Touchless Control (now Voice) provides several commands on board to be faster and to bypass Google Now.

The voice recognition works very reliably at me. In other reviews, this is rated as poor compared to its predecessor, I personally can not confirm this, however.

In the Moto X runs Android 4.4.4 KitKat and Android L has already been promised.

Freely available memory (32 GB version):
The available memory is 24.39 GiB. With me were my usual apps after installation (about 2 GiB) and intensive use this same (ie cache used) then 20.5 GiB free. I store photos in principle on Google Drive (now about 3 GiB), the so take me a valuable memory away. Even so I have about 20 GiB for (with safety margin) o music. Ae. available. In greatest emergency you can still above a micro-USB / USB OTG cable and a USB stick save to make ends meet (eg movies).

Battery life (especially Ingress):
It all depends of course on the use, but so far the battery lasts longer than the Moto X and Moto G (had both)) and thus also longer than the Nexus 5 my brother.

Since I do not yet have the Moto X long, I could of course make no less detailed battery tests.

But here my erstet test day (which has confirmed the following days):

- Every morning at 5 from the socket
- 30 Minutes Ingress used (pure life according to battery menu)
- Various other apps used (Play NewsStand, threema, Hangouts,
Google +, ...)
- A few photos snapped and uploaded to the cloud
- Display on time of 2 hours
= In 1500 first measurement with 62% remaining battery
- Another hour Ingress
Minute display on time of 4 hours and 10 -
- Music via streaming service Deezer at greatly changing its signal strength (about 1 hour)
= 2200 with 4% residual battery to the wall outlet (would certainly still for an hour standby been good)

From advantage is definitely the already mentioned economical AMOLED display. Additionally, one can here with black Hintergruenden very well additionally save battery (ZPlayer or power amp with Black subjects as music player, black wallpaper or one with a lot of black content). Ingress is yes fortunately equipped with pretty much black and because the X benefits opposite the Nexus 5 without AMOLED. Apparently the revolutionary technology in the display panel is still used and ensures a very low consumption. I still find it a major reason fue buying the Moto X.

Ingress player is the way also the accurate and fast GPS interesting;)

Voice Quality:
I can only repeat my statement from the "old" Moto X: "The voice quality is as Motorola used Hammer Motorola is not for nothing that the pioneer of mobile technology and has used his lead to patents and inventions and here you can hear everything very clearly and well.. the people at the other end of the line find quality look good (also in TeamSpeak, Mumble and Skype). Even with a little louder around the Umgebungsgeraeuschunterdrueckung very reliable. Clearly plus but not to expect from Motorola different. "

Production place:
My Custom Moto X comes defnitiv from Fort Worth, Texas. So the German Moto Maker devices are apparently completely assembled in the USA. The majority is still of course come from China)

Camera:
Definitely opposite the 1st generation a significant increase. Although my Moto X G1 has already enjoyed it, but the 2nd generation can here in good lighting but significantly better results (especially without HDR). Only in dark places makes the lack of clear pixel camera noticeable. It is clear by letting less light and thus fall from the images significantly darker. The camera is clearly designed for snapshots and can convince. By Schuettelgeste to get quickly into the camera and can shoot the picture with a single click. This one never miss the right moment.

Slow-Mo and all other features of the old Moto X were taken over. The front camera has very strong gelagged with me. This is but I think resolved quickly through an update.

Nevertheless, there are better cameras in smartphones the competition. For this, however, you pay at the Moto X also significantly less. I like the pictures as a hobby photographer still very good.

New Camera Features:
Through facial recognition be shortly after the prints (or previously) some more pictures taken, if it is but batted times. Afterwards you can then still choose the best picture. The camera supports now, thanks to 13 MP sensor, UHD videos. In addition to providing a ring flash, which is to make the lighting at night Photos balanced. This works very well, although I prefer the Clear Pixel Sensor would have liked to not so often use to the FLASH.

I have now added two more pictures with the camera of the Moto X. Images of the smartphone itself is also in the gallery (Lederrueckseite)

CONCLUSION:

Finally, it must be said that the Moto X's that simple smartphone of 2014. Was it still tried hard last year by the mainstream user, you delivered this year, something for the geeks. Mainstream users will be pleased with the extra power and better camera and will be amazed by the improved features. Since the Moto X is namely still unbeatable. It improves delivered in Moto X G1 true innovation and stands out from the competition. For the geeks, there is the possibility of setting, exaggerated power in the form of highly clocked Snapdragon 801. For each heart is thus something.

In my opinion the best smartphone on the market (especially in the relatively low price). I can only put a buy recommendation to anyone close (long as the size does not bother, he prefers the old model, which is still tip;))

PS:
If any questions on feel free to post a comment. I try to answer all. Although benchmarks o. Ae. are desired. In addition, you can gladly use my Moto X (2013) review as compared:
; = ASIN B00HU202JA

Also an indication of spelling or grammatical error, I am pleased;)

And no, I'm not getting paid by Motorola, Google or Amazon)

Supplements and updates:

SAR value:
In another review, a high SAR value was criticized. Here are a few official information from the "accessories" of Moto X.
The Head SAR is 0.726 W / kg when using Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and mobile. The body-worn SAR SHALL 1:28 W / kg (LTE, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth). But one should not carry mobile phones in your pocket anyway. According to a statement in the regulatory information for India (here are the measurements required by law and set to 1.6 W / kg peak) but lower values ​​are achieved in practice (sleep mode or standby mode when the phone during transport). This information / readings are on the Moto X in "About phone" - available> "Regulatory Information". In my opinion (and also in the opinion of researchers and experts) these SAR values ​​are absolutely harmless and are definitely on par with the competition.

Update after 1 month use:
The good battery life has been confirmed over the month. I'll be on a single charge loosely throughout the day (from morning to evening at 5 to 10) and use this Moto X quite common (at least by my standards: D). The Lederrueckseite I have now maintained for the first time. In addition I have the B & E Beeswax Leather Care Balm - 500 ml. One must be very sparingly and be careful that you removed via schu essiges in engraving and Mikrofonoeffnung wax with a fine needle carefully. After that, however Lederrueckseite looks like new. Needed this care was not the way, actually. I just wanted to try it just once;)

Otherwise update the built-in apps provide an improvement in speech recognition and other smaller additions that further complete the picture. I'm curious, when we Android 5.0 achieved after Motorola already begins with the soak test.

As you noted, I will lodge after 1 month at my recommendation: D

Update to Android 5.0 Update:
Lollipop is in my opinion one of the best updates of recent years. Because the features are explained in detail by various sides, I will deal only with the performance on the Moto X.

All Motorola Apps run perfectly with ART and have no problems after the update. Only the Chrome browser and a few apps of smaller developers have problems with Lollipop and has partial display error. This can, however, not Motorola, but the app developers chalk.

The battery life has improved significantly. I was last week on holiday in London and had taken up from morning to evening photos and videos (with and without a flash - in 1900 photos in just 6 days;)). The battery life was always well above 15 hours. In my normal usage scenario in the work (see above) I now have some 50% remaining battery when I go to bed. The battery saving function of Lollipop can save an even late in the evening: P

I will list some of the photos from London Upload here so that you can judge the camera better. In my opinion, a very good quality with good lighting and acceptable at night photos (depending on the scenario). The double Shake Selfie function of the last camera updates was also very useful.

Ask any questions;)