Gadgetory

in mobile technology it's the same thing over and over new device comes out new device gets reviewed new device gets forgotten almost no one follows up no one follows along no one sticks around to see how well a gadget ages over time because there's always something new to drool over so let's do something about it let's dive in for another look at a smartphone I like to call the big deal I'm Michael Fisher with pocket now this is the Moto X pure edition and this is episode 54 of after the buzz there's a lot about the Moto X that's just the same as it was four months ago for one the price hasn't come down it still ranges from 399 to 525 depending on what features and materials you choose and the array of color and finish combinations is still broader than anything the competition's offering the specs are still competitive the screen size is still on the high side and the 74 minute charge time from empty to full is still awesome now in some ways the hardware aesthetic has come to feel a little dated with newer phones still chasing distinctions like thinnest and sleekest the Moto X is more than ever a chunky meatball of a phone but I really like it and I hope that Motorola sorry Lenovo continues this design direction the Moto X rests very well in a palm it's easy to hold when you're on a call it looks different without trying too hard and it just feels great and if you want to go super fancy with it there are leather and wood options and even some custom trims from designer Jonathan Adler given those choices does the world really need another super slim all-metal phone with chamfered edges if you opt for the more conservative silicone backing option the news is good it holds up well to constant use this particular unit has been my daily driver since September and despite that the ribbed rubber backing is almost like new the phone's interior waterproofing is also fared well even though I use the phone as a Spotify boombox with dishwashing the speakers are still louder than any other phone I've used recently the pure edition has benefited from some software bumps - it got Android 6.0 a little later than we were expecting but still ahead of most phones despite early fears that the update would somehow neuter the Moto software suite it didn't the phone can still do all the fancy stuff it could before except Android has just weaved in some features that Motorola pioneered the update also fixed some problems with the previous lollipop build that the phone tends to run a little cooler now on the Snapdragon 808 and the performance lag when shooting 4k video is much less severe speaking of the camera that front-facing flash has come in handy more often than I ever would have expected it still doesn't work with snapchat but that's not the phone's fault from outdoor selfies at night to group shots and mood lighting that little LED has won me over as for the primary camera it's just as reliable in daylight and just as mediocre in low-light it's just as slow scanning business cards and barcodes but the fact that it does so automatically is still just as impressive in short the cameras up sides still outweigh its negatives just as we said four months ago elsewhere the phone has aged inconsistently marshmallow may have helped a little with the phone's battery life but it still doesn't last as long as it should with its large power pack it also hasn't made the phone as smooth or as snappy as say the Nexus 6p though admittedly I didn't do a factory wipe and reset with the update which might have helped both issues also for months comparing this screen with the competition only reinforces my belief that Motorola should have stuck with AMOLED active display just isn't the same on LCD and colors sometimes seem muted on this panel one thing actually surprised me though given how common fingerprint scanners have become I expect it to chafe at the lack of one here but I didn't mind because I use my SmartWatch as a trusted device your mileage may vary how well the Moto X pure edition is aged has a lot to do with developments beyond the device itself Motorola's reputation for long-term support has suffered with the announcement that US carrier versions of last year's Moto X won't get a marshmallow update while the newer Moto X should fare far better given its unlocked nature that's still concerning also the past few months have brought us some tough competition for your dollar the excellent Nexus 6p is just a hundred bucks more than the Moto X while the beautiful oneplus X comes in a hundred and fifty bucks cheaper albeit with some big sacrifices the Nexus 5x it doesn't look or feel as good as either of those but at $2.99 it will certainly factor into your buying decision Android phones are only getting more affordable I guess is the point making it harder for the Moto X to stand out but for now my recommendation for the motox stands in fact I bought one for a family member this past Christmas no other Android gives you such a well-balanced feature set offered in so many hardware trims for such a competitive price and no other Android feels quite like a moto the Moto X pure Edition is still a big deal folks our original review is still up at pocketnow.com and our Moto X comparisons are still live here on YouTube subscribe so you don't miss new videos from pocket now and follow us on the social i'm michael fisher captain to phones on twitter until next time thanks for watching we'll see you soon