Moto X review roundup: Motorola's colorful alternative to the iPhone

Google's Motorola Mobility has released a new phone dubbed the Moto X. We read through the reviews so you don't have to.

By Matthew Shaer / August 7, 2013

For the most part, the Moto X, the new phone from Google's Motorola Mobility, is a pretty ordinary smart phone: 4.7-inch display, the Android 4.2.2 Jelly Bean OS, a 10-megapixel camera, and a $199 asking price (plus contract).

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What sets it apart from the rest of the pack is a customization scheme called Motomaker, which allows consumers to pick from a massive array of colors, accents, and case options.

The Moto X will debut on all four major carriers on August 23. But is the device actually any good? Well, let's go to the reviews.

"I've been using the Moto X as my sole smartphone since Thursday, putting it through its paces," writes Barbara Krasnoff of Computerworld. "And while the Moto X is not any kind of revolution in mobile technology, neither is it the complete disappointment that some are complaining about. Instead, it is an interesting attempt at a user-friendly and configurable mobile device."

"The width of a phone, more than anything else, defines how comfortable it is to use one-handed," writes Sascha Segan of PC Mag. "The X is 2.57-inches wide, as compared to 2.69-inches for the HTC One and 2.75 inches for the Samsung Galaxy S 4, which makes it noticeably easier to use in one hand. It's also shorter than those two, at 5.09-inches tall, but a little bit thicker, at 0.42-inches thick, and it's between them in weight at 4.6 ounces. Unlike the all-metal HTC One, the Moto X is mostly a plastic phone, but it uses more solid, higher-quality-feeling plastics than the S 4 does, so it weighs a little more."

"It looks good," says Gizmodo's Brent Rose. "Really good, in fact, despite being 720p, not 1080p. It doesn't measure up to the 1080p screens on the HTC One or Galaxy S4, but truth be told, you'd have to be looking very closely to notice any difference (the tiniest bit of pixilation in fine print). At 316 pixel per inch it's only 10 PPI lower than the iPhone 5, and frankly the larger screen is worth the tradeoff."

"[T]he Moto X does glide along in every action," writes Joseph Volpe of Engadget. "The transitions are smooth and the app launches are seamless; nothing about its performance is herky-jerky. Take my word for it. I'm what you'd consider a heavy user, with tons of tasks living in the background at any given moment, and I've yet to witness the Moto X flinch. It's that good. It also never heats up in hand. Thank you, Motorola."