Moto X4 Review: A Budget-Friendly Android Smartphone

The Moto X4 is a budget-friendly Android smartphone that packs a punch. It's powered by a mid-range Qualcomm Snapdragon 630 processor, making it a great option for those who want a reliable device without breaking the bank.

One of the standout features of the Moto X4 is its sleek design. The phone has a 5.2-inch display with a resolution of 1080 x 1920 pixels, making it perfect for watching videos or browsing the web on the go.

The Moto X4 also has a dual-lens camera system, which is a rare feature in budget smartphones. The primary 12-megapixel sensor is accompanied by a 8-megapixel ultra-wide-angle lens, allowing for some impressive photography capabilities.

In terms of battery life, the Moto X4 has a 3000mAh battery that's designed to last all day. And with a fast charging system, you can quickly top up your battery when you're on the go.

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The Moto X4 has a 3000mAh Li-ion non-removable battery that Motorola claims can provide a full day of usage.

Users typically report the same experience, with a few exceptions. The phone also features Moto Turbopower technology to enhance battery performance.

The Moto X4 has a sleek design that's both attractive and water-resistant. It comes in black and silver colors and has a glossy finish that's reminiscent of the T-1000 in "Terminator." The phone's rated IP68 for water-resistance, meaning it can survive in about 3 feet of water for up to 30 minutes.

The phone's design is not without its flaws, however. The glossiness does result in a lot of fingerprint and smudges, and the phone feels extra chunky compared to other premium phones. The bulging, watch-dial-like design around the camera lenses also adds more thickness to the back.

The phone measures 5.8 by 2.9 by 0.3 inches and weighs 5.7 ounces, making it similar in size to the G5 Plus. The phone's mirror-like design looks and feels premium, but it's very slippery and picks up fingerprints easily.

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The Moto X4 has a sleek design that's both attractive and water-resistant. It comes in black and silver, and its glossy finish reminds me of the liquid-metal version of T-1000 in "Terminator".

The phone's water-resistance is rated IP68, meaning it can survive in about 3 feet of water for up to 30 minutes. I've even tested this by dunking it in a five-gallon bucket for 28 minutes - three times - and it kept working just fine.

The Moto X4's design does have some drawbacks, though. It's on the thicker side and feels extra chunky, especially with the bulging camera lenses on the back. This also makes it more prone to fingerprints and smudges.

The fingerprint reader is another issue, as it sits below the bezel and can be easy to misplace. I found myself reflexively tapping the sensor thinking it was the home button.

The phone's design is also prone to scratches, as one of our Moto X4s managed to get two long scratches on the front-top bezel. This is likely due to being tossed around in a bag, so be warned if you like to go au natural.

Despite these issues, the Moto X4's design is still quite fetching, especially in the Super Black and Sterling Blue options. The phone's mirror-like finish looks and feels premium, although it's very slippery to hold onto.

The phone measures 5.8 by 2.9 by 0.3 inches and weighs 5.7 ounces, making it similar in size to the G5 Plus. However, its mirror-like design looks and feels far more premium, even if it's nearly an ounce heavier than the HTC U11 Life.

The Motorola Moto X4 has a water-resistant design, which is a great feature for those who want a phone that can withstand accidental splashes.

One of the standout features of the Moto X4 is its dual rear cameras, which provide excellent image quality.

Its expandable memory is also a plus, allowing users to store more photos, apps, and files without running out of space.

The Moto X4's pricing is quite reasonable, ranging from $300 to $400 unlocked in the US, or £349 in the UK.

In comparison to other handsets in the same price range, the Moto X4 has a longer battery life than the Alcatel Idol 5S, and a headphone jack, unlike the HTC U11 Life.

The camera on the Moto X4 is a highlight of the phone, with a dual rear camera setup that includes a 12MP f/2.0 sensor and an 8MP f/2.2 wide-angle sensor. This allows for some really cool features like depth effects, selective focus, and background replacement.

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The rear camera has a color-corrected-temperature dual LED flash, which helps with low-light photography. The front-facing camera is a 16MP f/2.0 sensor with its own LED flash, making it great for selfies in low-light conditions.

One of the standout features of the camera is its ability to take bokeh-style shots with a short depth of field, giving photos a dramatic, blurred look. However, the blurriness can sometimes look patchy and uneven.

The Moto X4 also has a feature called Depth editor, which lets you adjust the amount of blur in your portrait photos or even replace the background altogether. This is some basic Photoshop-level editing that's more fun than anything, but it's a nice addition to the camera app.

The camera can also identify objects and landmarks, using the phone's GPS location to generate information about what you're looking at. This can be handy, but I found it was often unreliable and not particularly useful.

Here are some of the camera features and specifications:

The Moto X4 features a 5.2 inch 1920 x 1080 IPS display, giving you a crisp and clear visual experience.

The phone is available in two colors: Super Black and Sterling Blue, so you can choose the one that suits your style.

The camera assembly protrudes from the body, which is a common design choice for Motorola smartphones.

The fingerprint sensor is located on the front of the phone, shaped like an oval for easy recognition.

The front-facing camera comes with a flash and an LED notification light, making it perfect for taking selfies or receiving notifications in low light conditions.

The back of the phone features a dual camera setup, along with a secondary noise-cancellation microphone at the bottom.

The phone's sides are made of aluminum, which provides a sturdy frame for the front and back glass.

The USB type C charging port supports USB-OTG function, and comes with a USB type C OTG connector for added convenience.

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The Moto Turbopower fast-charging technology can add up to 5 hours of battery life with just 15-20 minutes of charging.

The phone also has a 3.5mm headphone jack at the bottom, making it easy to connect your favorite headphones.

The SIM-card tray can support either two nano SIM cards or a nano SIM card and a microSD card of up to 2TB capacity.

The phone is IP68 rated, making it resistant to dust and water.

The Moto X4's processor is a key component that enables smooth performance. It uses the Qualcomm Snapdragon 630 SoC at 2.2GHz.

This SoC is paired with the Adreno 508 GPU, which runs at 650MHz.

This combination provides a decent performance for general browsing. Most games supported by the hardware run without lag.

The Moto X4 offers a range of memory options to suit different needs. It comes in three memory variants: 3GB / 32GB, 4GB / 64GB, and 6GB / 64GB. This allows users to choose the amount of memory that best fits their usage.

The Moto X4's processing speeds are so-so, thanks to its Snapdragon 630 processor, which isn't the fastest around.

This processor is comparable to those found in midrange phones like the Moto G5 Plus and Alcatel Idol 5S, which have Snapdragon 635 and 625 processors, respectively.

If you're looking for a much faster phone, you'll need to go for a more premium option, like the OnePlus 5T, which costs $100 more and comes with a Snapdragon 835 chipset.

The Moto X4's battery life is decent, but not exceptional.

The Moto X4 runs a fairly stock version of Android 7.1.1 Nougat with Motorola's useful add-ons enabled through the Moto app. An update to Android 8.0 Oreo should roll out in the future.

One of the convenient features is Moto Key, which allows you to securely unlock Windows devices and log into websites using the phone's fingerprint sensor as authentication. Setup is simple, though it requires you to download and install Moto Key software onto your laptop or desktop and the X4 must be connected via Bluetooth.

The Moto X4 also comes with Moto Alexa, a new app that gives you yet another AI voice assistant to help look up information and control smart home devices. You can set the phone to always be listening, so it'll automatically wake when you say "Alexa."

The unlocked Moto X4 doesn't have much in preloaded content aside from the previously mentioned Motorola and Alexa apps. This means you'll have plenty of space to install your favorite apps.

If you plan to take lots of photos and video, you may want to use a microSD card, as the phone only has 14.36GB available for use out of 32GB of total storage. Adoptable storage, a feature that merges internal storage and a memory card into a single volume, isn't available.

The Moto X4 has some great features that make it a solid choice for those looking for a mid-range smartphone. Here are the pros and cons to consider.

The Moto X4 has an attractive, waterproof design, solid specs, and a great battery life. It also has a dual-sensor camera setup and is Amazon Alexa enabled, making it a convenient choice for those who want a hands-free assistant.

The phone's design is also smudge-prone, so you'll want to be careful with it. Here are some of the key pros and cons in a quick list:

Overall, the Moto X4 is a good choice for those who want a premium feel without the high-end price tag.

The Moto X4 has a lot going for it. It boasts an attractive, waterproof design that's perfect for everyday use.

Here are some of its standout features:

This phone is also a great option for those who want the latest software updates. With Android One, you can expect frequent updates to keep your phone running smoothly.

But the Moto X4 isn't just about looks and specs - its camera system is also a major plus. With a sharp camera in the front and back, you'll be able to capture high-quality photos and videos.

The Moto X4 has some drawbacks that might make you think twice. The phone's performance is a major letdown, with some users experiencing poor performance, even with software updates.

The Moto X4's price point is also a bit confusing, landing between the budget range and high-end range. This makes it hard to recommend, especially when you can get better performance from other phones in the same price bracket.

The phone's camera features are also a mixed bag. Some users have reported that the camera gimmicks were a wash, meaning they didn't quite live up to expectations.

Here are some of the Moto X4's cons:

The Moto X4's poor performance and confusing price point make it a hard sell, especially when compared to other phones in the same range.

The Moto X4 is available for purchase starting October 26 in the US.

You can buy the Moto X4 unlocked from various retailers, including Motorola.com, Google, and Amazon, with prices ranging from $300 to $400 unlocked.

In the US, the entry-level 32GB option costs $399, while the Amazon Prime-exclusive version is priced at $329 with lockscreen ads.

If you'd rather not pay the full price upfront, you can get the Moto X4 on contract for $16.63 a month for 24 months through the Google Store.

The Google Fi version of the Moto X4 is also available, but it's more expensive than the Moto X4 sold by Motorola, with the latter configuration boasting a few more software features that affect the hardware.

The Moto X4 is a solid choice for those looking for a reliable phone. It combines midrange specs with a sleek design.

One of the standout features of the Moto X4 is its dual rear cameras. This allows for a range of creative options when taking photos.

The phone's built-in support for Amazon's Alexa voice assistant is also a convenient feature.