Moto G has colorful shells; some of them also protect the face of the device.
Tech devices go in phases — sometimes where there are substantial differences; sometimes where they are alike. The recent set of Motorola Android phones on the Verizon Wireless network, while each having its own advantages depending on your needs, are really pretty similar.
If you’re trying to choose between them, here are a few things to consider:
Although they seem much the same, there are differences in recent crop of phones.
The Moto G gives you HD video at 720p; while the Moto X gives you 1080p HD video. The cameras on both front and back are higher resolution on the Moto X than on the Moto G. So if high resolution image or video capture is a key criteria, the Moto X is a better choice.
However, the Moto G gives you burst mode, panorama photos and slow motion recording on its very nice 5MP back camera — so it’s no slouch. If these features are important to you, then it makes more sense than the others.
The Droid Mini is particularly adept at taking pictures in the dark or when you need to snap a photo quickly. In our tests in dark environments, the resulting photos were noticeably crisper. Shake the phone to wake it; then tap it anywhere. Its still camera resolution on front and back is as good as on the Moto X (10MP & 2MP).
Then there are some of the unique features —
The Moto G has interchangeable shells (backs) and a rubberized grip. So it won’t drop as easily and by customizing with your own color, it’s easier to find when your phone is sitting on the table besides a handful of other phones.
For the patriotic American, the Moto X is assembled in the USA (unlike most phones which are assembled in Asia).
The Droid mini has a few features that make it easier to watch videos on your TV screen that play from the phone, touch less controls, and an NFC chip (which means it can be aware of other devices near it to trade files or alert you to friends nearby).
The Droid Maxx has a water-resistant shell and a larger display than the others; and you can use voice control to command it, even when it’s asleep.
In our tests, the battery life of the Moto X was great, lasting in many cases up to 2 days; while the other phones were generally in the one-day range, and within 20% of each other for most days.
Operating Systems
The Moto G, The Moto X and the Droid Mini are all based on the same Android operating system (KitKat 4.4) and use Gorilla Glass — great for helping minimize hard to your display when you drop your phone. The Razr Maxx uses an older operating system (Jelly bean 4.12). The choice operating systems means a bit to functionality, and a bit more to usability.
More in my other articles and posts and at TEQ.