Moto X vs Galaxy S 4 | Pocketnow
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 6 ต.ค. 2024
- Last week, we brought you a comparison video featuring two of the most talked-about devices in mobile: the HTC One and Google's new Moto X. We made use of the Google Play edition of the former to highlight the differences between stock Android and ... Motorola-style stock Android, but some of ya'll didn't like that. "You should be comparing OEM build to OEM build," some of you said.
Well, we'd already thought of that. Because we knew you'd be clamoring for a video pitting the Moto X against that other Android flagship. You know, the one that's busily selling millions around the globe? And this time, we're leaving its third-party UI intact.
That's right: it's time for Moto X vs Galaxy S 4. Time for you to learn whether $199 on-contract buys you more with one of these over the other. Time for you to choose between hyperglaze and soft-touch back covers. Between excellent voice quality and an excellent camera. Between foreign-made, foreign assembled or foreign-made, American-assembled. Between total bunk and awesome-sauce.
Which will prevail? Only one way to find out: tune in for the comparison above, and stay tuned for more from Pocketnow!
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Pocketnow has been a key source of mobile technology news and reviews since its establishment in 2000. With offices on three continents, Pocketnow offers round-the-clock coverage of the mobile technology landscape, from smartphones to tablets to wearables. We aim to be your number-one source for mobile tech news, reviews, comparisons, and commentary. If you love mobile as much as we do, be sure to subscribe!
Moto X vs Galaxy S 4 | Pocketnow
• Moto X vs Galaxy S 4 |...
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Moto X wins, hands down. Camera is terrible, but everything else about it is perfect. Touchwiz is terrible for performance and being a user friendly UI, so the Galaxy kind of failed here.
Also add in the fact that the Moto X camera has been patched and produces much better photos after recent updates.
Your videos really helped me decide on what phone to get. Moto X. Thank you so much :-)
Reviews need to also focus on audio quality via headphones, not only speakers, since these devices are also music players and there's people interested about this point, too. I don't see anybody doing that, and it would be nice to also know about it; as in "audio sounds a bit hollow and lacking detail here, while here it has more punch and better fidelity".
We love Marques. Next time, though, maybe note the difference between a comparison and a review before commenting. Our Moto X review was posted over a week ago. ^MF
You have the most cinematic reviews ever. Even within pocketnow and the whole TH-cam you have the most stylized videos. Super like
I have had the S4 and switched for the Moto x and I have to say I made a big mistake, The S4 is a lot better than the Moto x. So I have to pay extra to go back to S4 and it's Worth every penny to do that. Motorola needs to go back to drawing board. I read all your comments but I have had Both and hands down S4 has it beat easy, If your getting Moto x for Touchless Control, The touchless Control works and if you not using it and it hears your voice it will activate without you saying the command words. I changed my voice to a different tone and still does the same thing. So most of the time I keep Touchless Control off. Another thing is the Keyboard Freezes up and you have turn it off and start it back up. that's another thing you can't just restart it like you can with the S4.I hope this helps someone. If anyone has figure out different I love to know.
I really hate the look of the S4 but it seems like the performance, the full HD and the expandable memory truly makes the S4 quite better
***** was going to say that too :p
1. Specs do NOT indicate real world performance. Moto X delivers an even more fluid experience than S4. The S4's strong CPU is only necessary if you run very demanding games.
2. Full HD is a disadvantage IMO. It means a larger than necessary phone and more battery consumption. 720p on a 4.7" is perfect.
3. Expandable memory benefits very few people nowadays. There's a reason why most manufacturers including Google themselves are weaning off of them.
The only real advantage the S4 has over the Moto X is a superior camera. However all the benefits of the Moto X easily outweigh what S4 offers.
Charles Walker I agree with everything EXCEPT #3, that's the complete opposite.
Charles Walker
I agree up until the third one. Expandable memory benefits almost everyone. The reason they are moving away from it is purely for monetary reasons. Companies are susceptible to greed.
*****
Ikr, I mean who doesn't want extra space??!!
Thanks pocket now, thanks to this video I bought my Moto x 2013, and still have it (now I use only for creating my apps) and because of this device I can't live without those Motorola features, (now on my Moto z play).
Michael,
I just watched about 8-10 of these reviews and I must say I'm impressed with yours. Far above the rest. Very professional, complete and I can tell you did your homework. Nice!
Oh, and you look like Robert Downey Jr....lol
Many thanks. It was a beautiful day for shooting. ^MF
Great comparison, when I seen the specifications on both going head to head I was amazed how the S4 came out.
One of the best comparisons I've ever seen. Love you guys at pocketnow. Rock on!
I've had the Moto X for Verizon, and I'm coming from iphone 4S and I have to say i love my Moto X, it feels great in my hand, yet it has a large 4.7 display. I didn't like that the Galaxy S4 feels so cheap in my hand. One thing that wasn't mentioned on here was the Motorola Assist. When Im driving and I get a call or text my phone will ask if it should answer or text them back handsfree just with my voice. I live in LA so I drive a lot and found this feature very helpful.
That's how I will be too. I have a 4S now but my upgrade comes next month. I'm leaning towards the Moto X, but everyone loves the Galaxies. But I love the fact I can customize the X. I might just get the X lol
I like your reviews. they insist on what is rather important about the device not just listing the features. also, all comes with a bit of humour, nice:)
Wish I would of seen this video before I bought my moto X, but we did do the same comparison in the store and due to the features you pointed out I chose to go with the moto X. Although I had a Samsung before and would of found the galaxy 4 easier to get use to. There are pro's and con's to both and once I get use to my moto x I am sure I will love it. Your review was very helpful since I was doubting my choice I now feel better. Thank you.
The moto x audio quality on the 1080p videos demolished the samsung.
I hope this comment is a joke
We talk about the scratch-prone hyperglaze in our review of the S 4 as well. In our experience, it's definitely more scratchable than some other finishes out there. ^MF
Really good review. Please talk about when taking pictures what the ZOOM in "X" amount is?
AND - WHen Videoing. What is the ZOOM in "X" amount. AND also important - Can you ZOOM in While taking the video or do you need to ZOOM in BEFORE you start the video? ) i have the S2 and I can't ZOOM in at all while taking video. Before or Durring.
I'm curious, do people really carry an extra battery with their S4 just so they can get more use out of it?
I plan on getting the Moto X when I can in February, mostly for battery life, and clean performance and software, and customization...
Michael, thank you for being one of only two reviewers (I've read/seen) to even touch on a particular attribute of the very namesake of this type of device......"phone" voice call quality. I've seen over 20 reviews of the Moto X and the only other reviewer who mentioned call quality called it average. I hope you're right and he's wrong because low call quality is a deal breaker for me and the reason I will be returning my One. The X cannot come out quickly enough for me to check it out.
Dude, you can install apps to sd card. Settings--->application manager(then tap on any app you want to install sd cart)---->Move to SD card. I bought sd cart for my GS4 and I install apps to sd card. It is not rooted. I don't know is it working on other devices but works pretty good on GS4. (Sorry for my bad english)
Right, but they power the most visible conveniences of the Moto X: Touchless Control, Active Display, and Motorola Assist. One could argue that third-party app support isn't critical in this case. ^MF
Wow, this was a great video. The Moto x and the s4 are two phones that I am torn between. My upgrade is next week and I still can't decide.
The moto X was not designed like others. It was all about a decent phone with excellent performance over countless meaningless sub standard features.
Coming to the processor. Yes it has a Dual core processor but that's not where the story ends.
1 It has a 2 core Snapdragon S4 CPU for general usage of the phone
2 It has a 4 core Adreno 320 GPU for performance gaming etc
3 It has 1 core For dedicated contextual computing and gesture recognition making it more fluid
4 It has 1 core especially for natural language processing making it more likely to understand any form of speech input
That's a total of 8 cores all managed by Motorola X8 computing system. A dedicated core for each of the specific function means an enhanced battery life and optimization of usage. So in reality it's Octa-Core but since you don't need all of them running together at all times their functions have been segregated.
Another complaint made by people is about Active display. Yes you can grab an app for that but here's what you should know. Moto X uses AMOLED display which unlike IPS display does not use the entire screen while using active display. So if you use active display on IPS LCD it will drain your battery. On Moto X it only uses the part that's enough for showing notifications and thus you won't be running to charge it every few hours.
In my opinion Motorola is giving a phone that boasts of performance and near Vanilla Android experience instead of adding stuff that doesn't matter. Also 720p was deliberate to further enhance performance and improve battery life and you'll hardly notice any difference.
Thought this was a very through comparison. Anyone sitting on the fench regarding these two phones would now have a very good idea which phone is for them based on their needs. Thank you.
Your reviews are awesome. Love the camera and video samples..the s4 looks amazing with pics
Yup going to upgrade to moto x next month from iPhone4. I can't wait :D
Very helpful summary of both phones. Thank you.
They're Gunnar Optiks, for protection against long-term exposure to LCD backlights. And also for covering up the bags under my eyes from staying up too late. ^MF
The Moto X is way better than the s4. It has features that not just the s4, but other phones as well do not have. Sure the camera isn't up to par, but your buying a phone, that has many other great qualities in it. I haven't seen any other phone with touchless control. All in all, it's really just a matter of opinion, and everybody is different.
Now with the camera update, motox does it soo well taking pics :) it's improved a lot!!
Thank u! Michael! Looking forward to see more smartphone comparison videos!
Thank you for a clear, concise, and well produce video. I really appreciate it, as I shop for a replacement to my current Samsung Charge.
I really don't understand why most companies can't figure out phone calls anymore! Might be that they can save an extra $10 per unit by cheaping out on mics and the earpiece or that OEMs are just plain dumb, but it is annoying that such a basic fundamental is so often overlooked.
Saving 10$ per unit adds up
Moto X hands down. Less laggy than the s4 and like he said, has few but very useful features. S4 seems filled with bloat ware and useful features. I hate how people rule out the x bc of a less powerful processor when it really is just a finely tuned processor not reflected by numbers. Getting mine soon!
I have owned the Galaxy S4 for 6 month the HTC One for 1 month & now the Moto X. I had so many problems with the S4 (with warranty issues)after not wanting to give up my HTC One i got talked into the Moto X & i am really surprised in it. I surprising enjoy it a lot more than the other 2 phones. Do not get me wrong all 3 a great phones & cant go wrong with either of them but the moto x runs so smooth with features that are just really convenient that i actually use with great personalization.
I have the Moto X if you want to take better pictures Turn off your HDR setting. Its a little trick to make the pictures come out better...He also didnt talk about slow motion with the MotoX when filming.
Always solid videos, love your work here.
On this video Michael showed 3 benchmark test and Geekbench was the only one the GS4 came out on top.
Go to new-tech-life where they have compiled tons of benchmarks for both devices and see the results for yourself. In raw speed I'm not doubting the GS4 is faster, but once you calculate software and optimizations its seems the Moto X has been coming out on top in most benchmarks I've seen. But you are right, it's more about the experience speed rather than a benchmark speed that counts.
Every video I see of the Moto X the more I'm impressed. I do take a lot of scenic photos so its a drag the camera couldn't be better. Just like how the HTC camera got better with an update, I hope Motorola can fix its shortcomings with the final build or camera update.
great comparison video despite what some are commenting.. MKBHB is cool too. it's all about perspective, that cannot be copied... sometimes. anyways what music app was that?
Good to know you're from Boston!
A very comprehensive review. Good Job Michael!
Well done, Mr Fisher, you're one of the top tech reviewers all the time... well respected.
Always good info from this dude thanks man. Outstanding job.
I'd like to know that too! Looks so great
The moto X feels like the phone I've been waiting for motorola to release on AT&T It's been about a week with mine and I love it
Awesome video Mikey...keep up the good work
I really like your reviews. You should do more.
As that is correct you are missing the fact that it still runs off screen thus any 1080p device would render at 720p equalizing the amount of pixels each device has to push. They are both on the same playing field. One could argue that it wasn't fair when ISEP test ran at 1080p for 720p but it was all equalized out to make the pixels the same.
Also a tip for those who have some lag problems with touchwizz just search the options for the animations. Its on the programmers setting or something like that. Default is 1x just deactivate them and the phone goes really faster.
Your wallpaper is gorgeous, where'd ya get it from?
One of the better reviewers out there good job!
Wait...what? No bloopers? One take Mike is back ladies and gentlemen.
I want the wallpaper, looks gorgeous, love it, seriously!
Snagged it from "Backgrounds and Wallpapers HD" in the Google Play Store. Dev: OGQ. ^MF
Great presentation. I felt like Motorola's approach on chip sets. To have core designated for tasks such as graphics and so on does not fully reflect benchmarks. For a basic day to day tasks, I'm leaning to this phone.
The contextual core and linguistic process reminds me of gimmicks like the FX chips for SNES games. Very neat but so little in life application since no apps will support them.
Excellent review and comparison, very nicely done.
I believe the Moto X is going to be the best mainstream attempt yet by Google. While the S4 and similar devices put on a good show (and lots of marketing $) nothing beats the power, simplicity, usability and interface of stock Android.
Great review as always.
I don't need a PC in my pocket. I need a mobile phone. I had Galaxy S 3 and it was almost too big to carry around, S 4 is about same size. But as folk wisdom says "Don't spit to a water-well, later you might need to drink from it" Despite of it's size I might buy S 3 again.
anyway,I bought moto X and for me it is better than galaxy s 3
I really like the Moto X after this comparison video. My personal smartphone right now is the Galaxy S4, and im really considering to switch to X2 when it will be announced XD
The spec war has ended and now it's all about features and software. Plus Android phones are targeting different people with different use. From the Note to the Moto X.
The lack of a micro sd slot on the Moto X throws me back a little bit.
Thanks for the comparison!
That's exactly why I love my Motorola Android Ultra its hands down the best smart phone I have ever owned I have tried s4 s5 ands its OK for the social media users but software is glitchy. The next smart phone I'm going to expect to beat my droid ultra is the Nexus 6 using android lollipop newest unreleased software Qualcomm Snapdragon 805(APQ8084) 300.00 MHz - 2649.60MHz or Adreno™420 2.1 + 13MP RAM 3GB
if your usage consists of running benchmarks and showing off the results to your friends, go with the S4.
Moto X offers what may be the most refined android experience yet. What it lacks in actual horsepower, it makes up for really well executed optimization.
If the S4 is a SRT Viper, Moto X would be a Lotus.
Nice review/comparison!! I prefer Moto X
If you were to choose, which would you choose? This is my doubt
Yeah right..... I used to have a galaxy s4 and it always ran out of battery and fast! Thats why im waiting for my moto x from t-mobile. :)
I always wondered, why do reviewers complain about the HTC One's back button placement when Google's stock Android places the back button to the left just like on the Moto X?
Dude..Nice glasses....what brand?...or Website..
7:15 This is something I'm quite tired of hearing reviewers say about the Galaxy S4. You always claim that the S4 doesn't perform well in low lighting conditions when in actuality it does. Now you may not get what you want when using the "auto" camera mode, but Samsung included a nighttime mode dedicated to low lighting scenarios. You people always fail to mention it. It doesn't matter if it's in auto mode or not. The important thing is that is there, and not absent from the software.
Very good comparison of these phones. Michael Fisher is very good at that.
Oh alright. Thanks for the correction then! That's actually a pretty good idea to wear those then!
News to me.
Possibly, were those videos in iTunes, or reviewers in the Apple store?
Found it, you can install this android app called "OGQ Backgrounds HD" and in the "SKY" category you will find the wallpaper, it's called "Beautiful sky" and it's one of the first wallpapers ;)
There are those who preffer IPS but most people tend to enjoy the richer amoled colors. I manage with the N4 by increasing the saturations. However Amoled does have the perks of using less battery with dark themes. And I can get about 40 hours of standby time with 1 hour of screen on time with mine and be around 20%. Problem is that I use the screen much more than that. The moto X just looks sleek and runs well with a few cool features that make it appetizing to the average joe.
Great review Mike.
Which one should i get??
Top, colocou o S4 no chinelo, bateria com mais tempo de duração e processador rapido, ótimo custo beneficio!
I wish they would do a comparison of wireless voice reception on these phones. I'm in a fringe area of service with AT&T and USCellular. The S 3's have trouble out here, where my old Motorola Quantico flip phone has no trouble at all. I'd like to know if the Moto X would pick signal up better than the S 4 before making the jump to a smart phone.
But didn't the software update for the Moto X considerably improve the camera??
We are talking about HTC One vs S4. Not HTC vs Samesung
It's important to note that that the 1080p display on the S4 is pentile, while the 720p display on the X is RGB.
Why couldn't you review the regular HTC ONE against the Moto X as well?
You failed to mention the moto x has gorilla glass, and is water proof/resistant. Those are two huge qualities in my opinion.
you can on s4. Samsung has done a modification on android to allow apps to be installed on a micro SD card.
It does indeed use a nano-SIM. Unsure about prepaid situation. ^MF
Yeah I thought about rooting the S4 but I'm not so sure about it, is it safe to do so? and/or is there a way to unroot it so I can get back my warranty?
Thanks
"Hello Moto" would have been cooler than "OK Google Now", I think
You could get the google Play edition of the S4. It has stock android on it.
Or the MotoX. Or the HTC One google Play edition :D
Is the Moto X Camera Issue a strictly hardware problem or can a software update/firmware fix the issues? I humbly request you to Please CONFIRM this for us....and Thank You for the video!
i just purchased a Moto x and the camera is amazing
nice walppaer, where'd you get it?
What was the software used to share the audio between devices you showed at the beginning??
Michael always makes avery good review...:))!
I love technology. Hopefully the Snapdragon 800 (which has similar language cores built in that the Moto X has. It was one of the features that was highlighted at the phone conference in February [don't remember the name of the event atm]). Will bring more phones with the listening features that the Company has.
How do you figure 2.5? Half of the PenTile pixels have Green and Red sub-pixels and the other half have Green and Blue sub-pixels, so Red and Blue are always shared by two adjacent pixels.
We are both slightly off then, there are 312 red and blue pixels per inch and the green pixels are shared which would actually be 936sppi
Excellent review. Really well done.
wallpaper please