Motorola Moto X vs Samsung Galaxy S4

Introduction:

Ruling the Android landscape with an iron fist, the Samsung Galaxy S4 is arguably the poster child for the platform, seeing that it has amassed such a huge following in the time it has been released. Entering the scene, the Moto X is trying to bring back notoriety and prestige to Motorola – who once helped propel Android to the limelight, from the dark pits of its early beginnings. Taking a close look at what the two flagship devices bring to the table, one can say that they have totally different ideas of what consumers want in a prized device, but in the end, it’s going to be those consumers who dictate which of these two are worthy enough to earn their business.

Design:

If we’re to simply walk into a store a glance at both devices from afar, we wouldn’t necessarily be attracted to them immensely, seeing that they don’t have the most awe-inspiring designs. First and foremost, they’re constructed out of plastic, which merely tells us that they lack the premium element to their designs. Regardless of that, our hands take good notice of the Moto X’s compact chassis and more comfortable grip in the hand, since its curved rear casing contours perfectly to our palm when it’s held. It’s not too bad with the Galaxy S4, but it proves to be a bit more unwieldy due to its sheer size – albeit, it’s thinner in profile than the Moto X. Knowing that the Moto X’s design can be customized with Moto Maker in the near future, which allows for some cool design ideas, it’s one aspect that’s able to jump out at us over what’s available with the S4.

Display:

Underneath it all, these two rely on AMOLED technology for their displays, so our eyes are quick to realize their commonalities – such as their wide viewing angles and glowing over-saturated color reproduction. That’s where things end though, as the Galaxy S4’s larger 5-inch 1080p Super AMOLED display packs some warranted goodies to make it stand out over the 4.7-inch 720p AMOLED display of the Moto X. Sure, the S4 might have the upper hand on paper when it comes to details, especially when it’s packing the higher pixel density between the two, but seriously, it’s hardly noticeable unless we look at the two up close and personal. At that point, we can visibly see its sharpness. Additionally, there’s the cool Air View feature of the Galaxy S4’s display, which can track the movement as we hover our finger over the display.

Interface and Functionality:

Two Android powered smartphones, two totally different approaches and implementations. Depending on your taste, either one can deliver the goods to make them the more cherished between the two. Diving straight into what they offer, it’s rather hard to say which of the two is particularly better, seeing that personal preference really takes ownership with this comparison. On one hand, Moto’s approach is more along the line of “less is better” – whereas Sammy’s stance sticks to the “more is better” approach.

Both are running Android 4.2.2 Jelly Bean, but Moto X’s mostly stock Android experience is complemented by its simplistic offering, as features like Active Display and Touchless Control, help show us that the experience centers around what matters to us most – how it can help us accomplish things in our daily lives. In contrast, the TouchWiz Nature UX experience of the Galaxy S4 bombards us with a myriad of features and functionality, some of which might seem either gimmicky or useful depending on the person. Needless to say, we surely appreciate what Samsung has done no doubt, and it goes to show that they’re ahead of the curve when it comes to unlocking the true potential of what a flagship can offer.



Being Android devices and all, the two are naturally treated to the Google Now experience, but the Moto X takes it a step further with its Touchless Control feature. Simply, it provides us with a useful way of activating the service with our voice – plus, it’s constantly listening, so there’s no physical interaction needed with the phone.


Mainly because it’s sporting the larger display, the Galaxy S4 is packing the slightly more spacious keyboard layout. On top of that, we appreciate that the main layout is host to numbers and punctuations as well. Yeah, it might prove to have an edge, but the two are responsive enough to keep up with our fanatic rate – so they’re both equally usable.

Processor and Memory:

Absolutely a powerhouse in the specs department, one would think that the quad-core 1.9GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon 600 processor with 2GB of RAM of the Galaxy S4 would run circles around the Motorola X8 Mobile Computing System of the Moto X, which is comprised out of various cores that include a modified dual-core 1.7GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 Pro processor with 2GB of RAM. Surprisingly enough, it’s the Moto X that delivers the tighter controls with every operation. It’s not to say that the Galaxy S4 isn’t responsive too, which it is, but we can definitely notice that there’s more snappiness with the Moto X’s performance. Frankly, it goes to show you don’t need the fanciest hardware to dish up the best results.

Stuffed with 16GB of internal storage, it means we’re left to ponder over what we really want to save with each device. For the Galaxy S4 though, it benefits from having a useful microSD card slot to supplement its capacity.

Internet and Connectivity:

On the base level, we really can’t complain about the web browsing experience that these two are able to deliver, seeing that they feature lightning fast 4G LTE connectivity and tight navigational controls. Continuing the trend with its “more is better” offering, the Galaxy S4’s stock browser employs various Air Gestures and Air View functions, such as scrolling vertically by waving our hand up/down over the display, that really enhance the overall experience.



Being true flagships, they’re both available in GSM and CDMA flavors to expand their presence in the mobile landscape. In addition, they’re packing along nearly all the same connectivity features as well – like aGPS, Bluetooth 4.0, dual-band 802.11 a/b/g/n Wi-Fi, and NFC. Going a step further, we have video-out functionality with the aid of an MHL adapter on the Galaxy S4 – plus, an IR blaster that turns it into a universal remote too.

Camera:

Another area where the two differ greatly is found within their respective camera apps. Yet again, it’s the Galaxy S4 that throws nearly everything at us, including the kitchen sink, with its vast array of shooting modes and manual controls – giving shutterbugs everything they desire at the tip of the fingers. Conversely, the Moto X goes in the opposite direction by keeping it simple by offering us an uncluttered interface with a few shooting modes. Also worth mentioning, the Quick Capture Camera feature of the Moto X comes in handy when we need to jump into the camera app ASAP.



Comparing the results from their respective cameras, we’d be hard-pressed to realize the difference between their qualities, as they’re now doubt more than passable for 4” x 6” printouts. However, the closer we look at them, we’re able to pick out the sharper fine details captured by the Galaxy S4’s 13-megapixel camera – and its punchier color reproduction. The Moto X fares well in the same categories, but its details tend to appear a bit softer in tone. It’s a valiant effort on Motorola’s part, but slight edge goes to the Galaxy S4 in this category.


Furthermore, the Galaxy S4 also wins the checkered flag in the 1080p video recording quality department, but it’s by only a smidgen. When it comes down to it, the biggest differentiator here is the slightly more pronounced artifacting elements seen with the Moto X as it’s panning quickly.

Multimedia:

Out of the box, the two are preloaded with the Google Play Music app – meaning, they’re both on the same playing field. As an alternative though, the TouchWiz music player on the Galaxy S4 is another option, but it employs some of the experience’s useful Air Gestures to forward/reverse tracks. Honing in at their audio outputs, we can tell that the Moto X has the more pronounced and commanding volume between the two.



Playing high definition videos isn’t a problem with these two flagships, but between the two, the larger display of the Galaxy S4 makes it the ideal device for the occasion. Adding more depth to the experience, too, the video watching experience with the S4 is enhanced by its Air View and Pop Up Play features.

Call Quality:

At the end of the day, these two produce nothing more than average calling qualities, seeing that voices through their ear pieces sound a bit robotic in tone. It’s not terrible to tell you the truth, but at least their noise-cancellation features kick in right away to drown out any background noises.

Battery:

Although we’re constantly dying for more play time with these smartphones, battery life between them is average at best. Yeah, they’re not class leaders in the space, but they at least permit us with one-day of normal usage. In our experience, we don’t find one to be particularly longer lasting than the other.

Conclusion:

This comparison goes to show us the beauty of Android, as devices offer unique experiences that cater to different individuals. As we’ve clearly seen here, these two are on the complete opposite sides of the spectrum with their experiences – so it merely comes down to personal preference. However, when we factor pricing into the mix, we can vouch that the Samsung Galaxy S4 undoubtedly offers the most bang for the buck. And it shows too with its overall performance, as it’s a top contender in many different categories. Surely, the insane amount of features found with the Galaxy S4 is astounding on its own, so as its mighty specs sheet, but that might not win over all consumers. Some people just prefer simplicity, which is what the Moto X focuses intently upon with its features and experience. In fact, it doesn’t try to impress people in how many things it can do, but rather, it draws people into the way it delivers a seamless experience in what matters most with what we want to do with our smartphones.