Gadgetory

the Nexus 5 represents Google's latest pass at a smartphone built to deliver a pure Android experience a device built to Mountain View's specs meant to showcase what Google's operating system is capable of but we no longer live in a world where users need to buy a nexus branded phone to experience that this past summer Google owned Motorola released a device running very close to stock with a few extras that actually improved the user experience that device was the Moto X and it challenged our conception of what is and isn't a Nexus phone so which of these is the better fit for use is actually a more complex question than it seemed but let's try and answer it anyway I'm Michael Fisher this is PocketNow and this is Google Nexus 5 versus Motorola MOTO X put simply these phones are not built for the same kind of customer the Nexus 5 is a testbed for developers and Android enthusiasts that also happens to be a very affordable high-end smartphone by contrast the Moto X was designed specifically with the average Joe in mind the customer who doesn't realize just how friendly and useful Android can be that these phones target different user types is evident from their design the Moto X resembles a well-worn bar of soap or something with smooth contours and a curve that feels great in the hand and it even features a special dimple on the back a tactile guide for where to put your finger by contrast the Nexus 5 is a sharp cornered phone more reminiscent of the slabs dominating the rest of the high-end Android space even though it's about four grams less massive and over two millimeters thinner than the Moto X the Nexus 5's added height makes it feel bigger it doesn't feel more durable though and it's definitely not as water-resistant there's no moisture repellent nano coating on the Nexus as there is on the X in exchange you get a display on the Nexus that's 5 inches on the diagonal instead of 4.7 on the Moto X and it also sports a resolution of 1080p versus Motorola's 720p that's a significant bump and some people will prefer the Nexus 5's LCD technology over the Moto X's Super AMOLED as well but to our eyes the Moto X has higher saturation and far deeper blacks make it more appealing than the Nexus 5's panel which appears a bit washed out by comparison especially when you view it from the side this off axis issue on the Nexus 5 gets worse in direct sunlight while the Moto X stays somewhat readable which screen you prefer will depend on your priorities if for us the trade-in resolution and size on the Moto X is worth it thanks to its richer colors and higher contrast down under the hood things get a little more interesting the Nexus 5 has been lauded and rightly so for its high horsepower relative to its price the Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 at its heart is one of the most powerful processors around today more powerful on paper than the custom x8 mobile computing system under the hood of the Moto X the Nexus 5 is built for more markets so it's more broadly compatible with 3G and 4G bands around the world and it also features support for goodies like qi wireless charging which we liked a lot the end result of this heavy feature load and the extra power is that the Nexus 5 wins in the few benchmark tests we use and when playing intense games like asphalt 8 it's capable of rendering the more graphically intense sequences rather than falling back on the pared down version the Nexus 5 is definitely the beefier of these two phones but as we keep saying over and over more power doesn't always equal more ability even though we're comparing a device running the latest build of Android to a device running an older version the Moto X has a lot of fight in it even given that handicap now Android 4.4 is certainly no dog in terms of features and expandability KitKat brings a cleaner flatter more reserved interface and a handful of useful features like internet search capability in the dialer basically giving you the yellow pages without requiring cumbersome dedicated app it's also greatly improved Google now which is easier to set up and lives in a permanent slot just to the left of the home screen and according to Google KitKat also uses fewer system resources than the jellybean build on the Moto X these advancements are all excellent and the Nexus 5 does deliver as smooth an Android experience as we've ever seen but there was very little room for improvement next to the Moto X app launch times are comparable and responsiveness is excellent on each but more importantly the Motorola device is just more innovative where the Nexus 5 stays conventional with things like voice input requiring the screen to be on before the phone can be addressed you can talk to the Moto X with a voice command at any time where the Nexus 5 relies on a traditional notification LED the Moto X uses active display to give you message previews and only when it knows you're likely to be looking at the screen where the Nexus 5 still requires you to manually unlock the screen to launch the camera the Moto X can do it with a gesture of wonky looking one but that's nonetheless handy and while the Nexus 5 doesn't really care whether it's resting on a nightstand or sitting in a car hurtling down the highway the Moto X does and it'll let you interact vocally with things like incoming messages when you're driving yes some of this functionality can be approximated with third-party apps on the Nexus 5 but not to the degree that the Moto X is custom hardware allows now both devices bring an outstanding Android software experience but we think the Motorola phone wins the day in terms of utility and innovation and we don't see that changing when it gets its own update to Android 4.4 in the coming months in more conventional arenas the results do a little more swinging back and forth the Moto X does a solid job of living up to Motorola's proud history of excellent call quality but surprisingly the Nexus 5 doesn't fall far behind callers said we sounded good on the lg device with some even preferring our sound on the Nexus on our end we like the Moto X better thanks to its louder side tone which results in a somewhat warm call feeling overall and the Moto X is speakerphone though its rear firing is much louder and clearer it easily bests the raspy loudspeaker mode on the Nexus which really isn't very good at all in phone calls games or media play that it's far harder to judge a winner in terms of the camera well we prefer the Moto X is streamlined viewfinder interface to the Nexus 5's more tap happy layered software the Motorola phone has never been our first choice in terms of its 10 megapixel camera and from what we're seeing of the Nexus 5's eight megapixel shooter it wouldn't be our first choice either it's pretty tough to get consistent performance out of these cameras one minute white balance is way off on one and dead-on on the other and the next minute that's completely inverted some indoor photos come out sharper on one and others are sharper on the other colors from each are either comically over saturated or totally washed out about the only consistency here is in low-light photography which is pretty weak on each notwithstanding the Nexus 5's optical image stabilization now some shots are truly beautiful in both cases but sadly you never know what you're gonna get from these shooters that's fine for a box of chocolates but undesirable for a smartphone camera about the only consistency you're likely to find is in video output where the Nexus 5 well and truly owns the Moto X the combination of Hardware stabilization with solid saturation and auto exposure and reasonably quick autofocus Trump's the Moto X is noisy washed out scene and outcome that's disappointing if not entirely surprising we have a lot more to learn about the Nexus 5 we're still testing its endurance in terms of battery life for example it'll have those complete thoughts and more in our full review we're also very aware that there's a huge gulf in availability and sometimes in price between these two devices depending on where you're located around the globe the Moto X is after all assembled in America and indeed that's a big part of Motorola's pitch when it sells to US customers it so is its industry-leading customizability with over 250 color combinations to the Nexus is black and white assuming you are in a market where both of these devices are available and if you can get them for roughly the same price out of pocket which should you get well if you're the straightforward type the person who wants pure Android on solid hardware with fast updates and not a lot of nonsense and you're trying to avoid getting trapped in a carrier contract while you're at it the affordable Nexus 5 can't be beat if instead you're looking for something special a truly unique and useful feature set wrapped in the most customizable and comfortable hardware available we think the more innovative Moto X is the better choice folks if you're watching this on publication date our coverage of the Nexus 5 has only just begun we have a comparison coming up with the HTC One followed by a comparison with the Nexus 4 followed by our full review followed by a comparison with the Galaxy s4 and a lot of other devices out there drop us a comment below let us know what you most want to see let us know what questions you want answered about the Nexus 5 and be sure and follow us on social media so you don't miss future coverage from pocket now on the Nexus 5 and every other device that we can get our hands on in the meantime please drop us a like if you enjoyed the video and thank you very much for watching we'll see you next time