Apple iPhone 6 vs Motorola Moto X 2014

Introduction

A couple weeks ago, we were treated to the unveiling of the latest Motorola flagship smartphone - the new Moto X. Well, the handset’s time in the spotlight was short lived because Apple’s latest smartphone, the iPhone 6, became available for purchase a short time later on. Arriving ahead of the upcoming holiday season, these two prized smartphones are no doubt going to be in heated contention against one another. Even now, as Motorola continues to fight with the heart of a champion, trying to do its darndest to one-up its rival, does the new Moto X have what it takes to disrupt the iPhone 6’s assault?

Design

Honestly, it’s really tough to say which phone has the more alluring design because they offer several unique qualities that make them so favorable. In particular, we absolutely adore the Moto X’s customizable design – one that Motorola established last year, and is something yet to be unmatched by its competitors. Thanks to the aid of its online portal, Moto Maker, buyers can select the colors of the handset’s casing, as well as its accents, to have a phone that’s uniquely different. And quite frankly folks, that’s one characteristic we love about the phone.

In contrast, though, the iPhone 6 exhibits a more premium design, as it features a unibody aluminum casing. Even though we’re only given three color options to choose from (space grey, silver, and gold), we can’t argue that these paints jobs help to complement the iPhone 6’s elegant and luxurious look. Due to its premium choice of materials, it also gives the phone a substantial feel in the hand. Well, the Moto X also feels quite sturdy as well – thanks in part to the aluminum frame that wraps along the side of the phone.

However, the iPhone 6 feels a little bit more comfortable in the hand. Not only is that aided by its rounded corners, but it’s able to best the Moto X in terms of its overall footprint. Essentially, it’s smaller and skinnier in frame, which allows us to better reach all corners of its display more comfortably. Despite that, the Moto X also feels good in the hand, especially if you happen to go with one of the leather finishes. Well, the material is better suited for giving us a firmer hold of the phone – whereas with the aluminum finish of the iPhone 6, it comes off a little slippery at times.

We can’t deny that these are two of the more attractively designed smartphones to have come out recently, but it’s a matter of personal preference in determining the superior design. If premium and compact are the qualities you look for, then stick with the iPhone 6. Go with the Moto X if you want a differently designed smartphone that you can create uniquely using different color and finish combinations.

Display

Lucky for these two, they manage to improve over their predecessors’ display resolutions. For the iPhone 6, it’s greeted to a 4.7-inch 750 x 1334 IPS LCD display, which by Apple’s definition, is a Retina Display due to its pixel density figure of 326 ppi. Meanwhile, the Moto X betters its predecessor by offering a 5.2-inch 1080 x 1920 AMOLED display, which one-ups the iPhone 6 with its higher pixel density count of 423 ppi. From a normal distance, however, it’s rather difficult to distinguish the difference in detail with the two of them, as they deliver pretty sharp results. Upon a closer inspection with our eyes, we can clearly make out the finer details with the Moto X’s display, though.

Don’t count out the iPhone 6’s Retina Display yet, just because it exhibits the characteristics of a high quality panel. In particular, it’s significantly brighter at 606 nits, versus the 385 nits tally of the Moto X. Not surprisingly, we see the results as we’re viewing the two displays outside with the sun directly shining at them – where the iPhone 6’s display remains visible, while the Moto X is nearly unviewable. In addition, the iPhone 6 is also better at reproducing colors realistically, which is an attribute that IPS LCD panels generally have. On the flip side, the Moto X favors over-saturated, vibrant but unrealistic representation.

Most people don’t mind the saturation, more so when the Moto X’s AMOLED panel has a vibrant glow in the dark that catches our attention. Again, taking that into consideration, the better display hinges at what you perceive to offer the more attractive elements.