Review: Motorola Moto X for Verizon
Screen
The X's screen measures 4.7-inches across the diagonal and includes 1280 x 720 pixels. Nope, it's not a full HD screen. If that's a disappointment, take solace in the fact that the X's screen still offers rich detail and sharp text and images. There are no visible pixels. The X's screen uses AMOLED technology. It is easily used outdoors, but there's a noticeable blueing effect when the phone is tilted side to side. Viewing angles aren't as good as I'd like them to be, but colors look nice when viewed head on. It's a fine display, but not a great one.
Signal
The Moto X performed on par with other Verizon phones around the metropolitan NYC area. Thanks to the pervasiveness of Verizon's 4G LTE network, the Moto X never dropped down to EVDO 3G; it remained connected to Verizon's 4G network throughout my review period. It connected calls quickly in areas with strong coverage, but sometimes calls took a bit longer to connect when coverage was poor. It connected them on the first dial either way. Data speeds were quite speedy with strong coverage, but slowed down a bit in areas where coverage was weak. The Moto X never dropped Verizon's network, didn't drop any calls, and didn't miss any.
Sound
The X is a good voice phone. The quality of calls reaching the earpiece were just shy of excellent. They had a decent tone, though voices in the my ear were sometimes a little sharp. The volume in the earpiece was excellent. I was also able to hear calls clearly when in a noisy restaurant as well as when walking around a crowded mall. You can set the volume to about two-thirds most of the time. The speakerphone worked equally well. I was able to hold a conversation over some very loud coffee shop patrons and hear everything clearly. Volume and quality were good over the speakerphone. Those with whom I spoke said I sounded decent on their end, but not great. The ringers and alerts are plenty loud, and the vibrate alert is nice and strong.
Battery
The X's curved backside houses a specially-designed 2200mAh battery. Motorola said it didn't want to waste the space created by the contours of the rear shell, so it created a new battery to fill the space. The Moto X will get you through a day, but just barely. It tended to last about 14 hours on a charge most days (7AM - 9PM) with heavy use. When used sparingly, you might make it from your morning alarm to bedtime, but rarely. It's an OK battery, but could be better. You'll need to charge it each night.
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Motorola Moto X (Verizon, 1st gen.)
