Motorola Moto G - new budget smartphone champion?

[lmfy2k]

Picked my one up too from in store. Payg orange

Definitely not locked to orange which is good.

As stated phone is smooth and works well, the camera is poor but I only got the phone as a spare when I'm in between better phones lol

Seems a good phone for the price. Good to hear it will get 4.4 too

 

[Snax]

Hi Andy; any chance you could do some comparisons between devices loading some fairly heavy web pages? The verge.com and dailymail desktop websites are normally fairly good tests I have found.

 

[Kreeeee]

Oh and Andy, it's not a great idea to put devices at max brightness and then compare the black levels. The N5 goes a lot brighter than the G which will of course make the black levels worse.

 

[2StepSteve]

Just got one today for someone. What's with the back? It has to be the most difficult to remove back, it just didn't want to come off. Had to resort to using a knife!

 

[Macky]

Gonna try get one of these on Orange upgrade from p4u. 16GB version should be £130. Might wait for a few more reviews first though to see if there are aby major issues.

 

[AndyCr15]

Hi Andy; any chance you could do some comparisons between devices loading some fairly heavy web pages? The verge.com and dailymail desktop websites are normally fairly good tests I have found.

I'll try and remember to add those two for the future, thanks.

Oh and Andy, it's not a great idea to put devices at max brightness and then compare the black levels. The N5 goes a lot brighter than the G which will of course make the black levels worse.

Surely the S4 goes very bright, but the blacks still look... blacker. Isn't that the point?

I didn't particularly crank it up to then compare, it was more of a passing comment on something I noticed.

 

[AndyCr15]

Gonna try get one of these on Orange upgrade from p4u. 16GB version should be £130. Might wait for a few more reviews first though to see if there are aby major issues.

I would imaging this wouldn't be a good financial move. There's a reasonable chance the same thing will happen as did with the Nexus 5, in that the providers will over value the phone as part of the contract.

In other words, if a top end phone with decent contract might cost £35 over 2 years (£840) there's a good chance they will still charge you £25 over two years for this (£600).

Top end devices are £500+ meaning the contract is £240 or less. The Moto G costs £130 meaning you pay £470 for the contract?

I could be wrong, but I would buy this SIM free, then use GiffGaff or a 3 SIM only deal (£10 or £15 a month) meaning at most £490 for two years and your not locked to a contract.

 

[lmfy2k]

Just got one today for someone. What's with the back? It has to be the most difficult to remove back, it just didn't want to come off. Had to resort to using a knife!

There's a nack to it. It's all in the instructions in the box

Hold phone upside down with weak hand, put weak hand thumb in the dimple on the back. Use strong hand finger to prize the cover open from charge port.

Do agree though it's a pain lol

 

[Em3bbs]

Be very careful not to snap the back where the headphone socket is when removing it. Pull it off from the bottom.

 

[Snax]

Surely the S4 goes very bright, but the blacks still look... blacker. Isn't that the point?

The Galaxy s phones are samoled so the do a "pure black" regardless of brightness. LCD screens don't work like that.

Thanks re the websites, I find most of the stuff I do is on a browser on phones so I am keen to see how phones perform in this area.

 

[AndyCr15]

Yes. I know. Exactly the point, no?

 

[Kreeeee]

Surely the S4 goes very bright, but the blacks still look... blacker. Isn't that the point?

I didn't particularly crank it up to then compare, it was more of a passing comment on something I noticed.

The credible sites match the brightness during their contrast and black level comparisons, and for a good reason.

 

[AndyCr15]

If I ever do contrast and black level comparisons, I'll bare that in mind

 

[Kreeeee]

You already did

 

[AndyCr15]

You're easily pleased if you think that was a contrast and black level comparison.

If I step outside and say, 'ooh, it's bright today', have I just presented a weather forecast?

As I said, it was a comment in passing, not a scientific comparison.

 

[Richy888]

meh

Looks like what I was told (way before the moto x launch) was right all along then except I imagined it would be better

Phone looks incredibly cheap imo and the bezel is huge, nothing like the moto x

No doubt it is a great phone for the "price" though.

As for moto x arriving in 2014, lol too late as usual moto and no doubt will have a hefty price tag......

I thought you might not be rushing out to buy one Nexus All you say I pretty much thought myself .... but isn't bad for the money? It is a shame they couldn't give the X a try on the UK market? I for sure would have given one a go. Did look at importing one but stupidly expensive. Anyway, having recently called Moto UK support regards having my Razr HD screen replaced, my love affair with Motorola has now somewhat cooled Not what you would call helpful...

 

[Kreeeee]

You're easily pleased if you think that was a contrast and black level comparison.

If I step outside and say, 'ooh, it's bright today', have I just presented a weather forecast?

As I said, it was a comment in passing, not a scientific comparison.

...

I'm just trying to help you out =/

Let's just leave it there then, OK?

 

[macster]

Picked one up yesterday to replace a SGS3 mini as missed the larger screen, its a great upgrade in comparison considering the sgs3 mini still sells sim free for £189.

 

[Silly Goose On The Loose]

I'd like to know why Motorola don't manufacture the Nexus devices when they are a Google company. Surely it would be cheaper!

 

[Tatsuki]

8gb one seems a bit hamstrung couple games on there and a few pics and movies from the camera and you wouldn't have any free space, sub 16gb phones really need sd expansion. It's a smartphone and you need space to do the smartphone stuff.