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Moto E vs Moto G vs Moto X: Which one is best for your budget?

AJ Dellinger
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We talk a lot about the best performing and highest powered smartphones because the specs and performance are impressive. But Motorola’s best-selling handset, the Moto G, came out late 2013 and featured tech that some consumers would considered underpowered or outdated. The affordable price point made it a hit with countries that don’t have the same access as the more fortunate of us. Now Motorola’s looking to replicate that success with the even cheaper Moto E and bring new connectivity with an update Moto G with 4G LTE. We take a look at the entire alphabet of Moto devices with a spec showdown.

 

Moto G 

MotoG
Image used with permission by copyright holder

Moto E

MotoE
Image used with permission by copyright holder

 

Moto X

MotoX
Image used with permission by copyright holder
Size 129.9 x 65.9 x 11.6 (mm) 124.8 x 64.8 x 12.3 (mm) 129 x 65 x 10.4 (mm)
Weight 143 g 142g 130g
Screen 4.5-inch LCD 4.3-inch LCD 4.7-inch AMOLED
Resolution 720×1280 pixels 540×960 pixels 720×1280 pixels
OS Android 4.4 Android 4.4 Android 4.4
Storage 8/16GB 4GB 16/32GB
SD Card Slot No/Yes (with 4G LTE) Yes No
Processor 1.2GHz quad-core Snapdragon 400 1.2GHz dual-core Snapdragon 200 X8 chipset, 1.7GHz dual-core
RAM 1GB 1GB 2GB
Connectivity Wi-Fi, 4G LTE, HSPA+ Wi-Fi, 4G LTE, HSPA+ Wi-Fi, 4G LTE, HSPA+ EV-DO Rev.A, NFC
Camera Front 1.3MP, Rear 5MP Rear 5MP Front 2MP, Rear 10MP
Bluetooth Yes, version 4.0 Yes, version 4.0 Yes, version 4.0
Battery 2070mAh 1980mAh 2200mAh
Charger MicroUSB Micro USB Micro USB
Marketplace Google Play Store Google Play Store Google Play Store
Price $180/$220 (with 4G LTE) off contract $130 off contract $300 off contract
DT Review 4.5 out of 5 Coming Soon 4 out of 5
Availability Motorola Motorola AT&T, Sprint, T-Mob, Verizon

Performance

Unsurprisingly, the Moto X is the highest powered of these devices because, well, it’s designed to have the most power. It runs on the proprietary X8 chipset, dividing up the processing duties between an octo-core processing chip. The Moto E and Moto G aren’t looking to blow anyone away with stunning graphics but rather provide access to smartphones at affordable prices.

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The G runs a quad-core Snapdragon processor that is plenty capable of most tasks and comes at a great bang for your buck. The E drops down to a dual-core, which haven’t been present in the last couple years of high-end smartphones. We’re wondering if Motorola underpowered this device slightly, though it does make the jump to the Moto G an easy decision if you have the cash.

Camera, SD Card, Connectivity

Everything you’d expect in a flagship phone comes standard on the Moto X, including rear and front facing cameras, 4G LTE, and NFC  – though it is missing the ability to expand its internal storage with an SD Card. With the 32GB model, though, you shouldn’t find yourself struggling to find space.

The new Moto G with 4G LTE connectivity adds the previously missing SD card slot to the phone, a welcome edition for a device that lacks a bit in terms of internal storage. The Moto E also features the ability to expand memory via Micro SD card, but it offers no 4G capabilities – the same as the original model of the Moto G. The Moto E also has its front-facing camera stripped out and features just the rear-facing 5-megapixel lens, so you’ll have to take selfies the hard way. Both models of the Moto G offer both rear- and front-facing cameras, though with lower megapixel counts than found on the Moto X.

Price and Availability

The big selling point for both the Moto G and Moto E is the price point. Without a contract, these devices are available unlocked for affordable prices. The Moto E runs just $130, making it even cheaper than the already affordable Moto G from 2013. The Moto G now comes in two models: The original is priced at $180 and the 4G LTE model starts at $220. For a phone with most of the features you’d expect out of a smartphone and a quad-core processor, the Moto G seems to be a solid bargain device. The Moto E is an entry level device and if it fits your price range, it should serve most functions just fine.

Both of these budget-friendly phones will be on sale before the end of May 2014 and available in over 40 countries on over 80 carriers. If you’re in the market for an affordable smartphone, these two are both worthy options to provide you smartphone functionality without breaking the bank.

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AJ Dellinger
AJ Dellinger
Contributor
AJ Dellinger is a freelance reporter from Madison, Wisconsin with an affinity for all things tech. He has been published by…
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