Motorola Moto X4 Unboxing and First Impressions

We loved the Moto Z2 Play and lauded the G5s Plus and now we are here to talk about the best possible Moto without Moto Mods, the freshly launched Moto X4!

Moto X4!

The headline specs here are easy to hold 5.2-inch display, 16MP Selfie camera and the 12MP + 8MP dual lens set up composed of a standard lens and an super wide lens similar to the LG G5 and V30.

Moto argues that there is a market for people who look for phones that still fit in your pocket and that can be handheld.

Moto X4 Specs

Display: 5.2-inch FHD LTPS IPS 1920 x 1080 resolution w/ 2.5D curved screen and Gorilla Glass 3 protection at 424 ppi
CPU: 2.2GHz 64-bit Snapdragon 630 octa-core processor
GPU: Adreno 508
RAM: 4GB
ROM: 64GB expandable via micro SD card slot up to 2 TB
Back Camera: 12MP f/2.0 + 8MP w/ 120 degree wide angle, Dual Pixel PDAF, and dual tone LED flash
Selfie Camera: 16MP f/2.0 w/ LED flash
Battery: 3,000 mAh w/ TurboPower charging + Quick Charge 2.0
OS: Android 7.1.2 Nougat
Connectivity: WiFi, 3G, HSPA+, LTE Cat 13, Bluetooth 5.0, FM Radio, GPS, A-GPS, dual SIM
Others: Fingerprint sensor, Moto Key, USB Type-C, IP68 water and dust resistance, Colors: sterling blue, super black
Sensors: Accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass
Dimensions: 148.4 x 73.4 x 8 mm
Weight: 163 g
Price: PHP 23,999

Disclaimer: This unit was borrowed from Motorola Philippines for our honest review.

Unboxing / Accessories

Unboxed are the phone and accessories!

The Moto X4's cyan box is pretty with simple colors, branding and vivid design elements. Inside are the phone, the 3 volts, 5 ampere charger, USB to USB Type-C cable, IEM earphones, SIM ejector tool and the documentation.

Build Quality / Design

Beautiful glass back design

The design is breathtaking. It has everything we loved about the design of the Moto Z2 Play but with a beautiful glass back instead of the antenna line prominent back for Moto Mods in the Z2 play. It is prone to fingerprints though.

Above are the microphone, antenna lines and SIM card tray!

Antenna lines, 3.5mm headphone jack, USB Type-C, regulatory logos

Antenna lines, 3.5mm headphone jack, USB Type-C, regulatory logos

Smooth left side!

The same textured aluminum frame with ports and antenna lines in certain spots. The glass back is pretty but it attracts fingerprints like cheese is to mice. There are three microphones with one located at the bottom near the USB Type-C port, the second is on top, and the last is at the back plate. This could potentially make this a good phone for calls, video and audio recording.

The textured frame also adds that heft that makes it feel solid and adds friction to reduce the chances of accidental slippage given that the glass back in very slippery as well.

The Camera bump is there but it's designed so well that you actually appreciate it and it serves as a good counter to the round Motorola logo.

Initial Findings

1. Build is flagship grade, you will seldomly find a phone better designed than this one. The Gorilla Glass 3 protected 5.2-inch FHD LTPS IPS 1920 x 1080 resolution has 424 ppi and w/ 2.5D curved screen is sharp, bright with vivid and punchy colors. It is also very responsive and accurate to touch.

2. The 2.2GHz 64-bit Snapdragon 630 octa-core processor with Adreno 506 plus the 3000mAh battery makes this phone potentially a powerful contender for gaming on the go.

3. We always loved how Moto sticks to near stock Android and we are not disappointed with it in our first impressions of the software. We are looking forward to the Oreo update scheduled for the first quarter of 2018.

4. The Main dual camera is composed of a 12MP f/2.0 and a 8MP w/ 120 degree wide angle with both having the Dual Pixel PDAF bundled with a dual tone LED flash. The super wide angle looks good so far even though it has less resolution. The selfie camera however is whopping 16MP selfie camera which is significantly sharper and more detailed than the dual lens cameras at the back. We hope to test the cameras soon.

5. It has OTG, gyroscope, light sensor, and LED for notification.

Related: Motorola Moto X4: First Camera Samples

As of the moment 

The design is top notch flagship grade. The 5.2-inch display may be small for some but there are people who just want a phone that fits in your pocket and can hold easily.

We also would like to see 18:9 display ratio from Moto soon as manufacturers like Vivo and OPPO are offering it at lower price points. Lastly, the price is a little steep as for PHP 4,000 more, you can get the One Plus 5T. Other than the above mentioned, we love this phone's design, and cameras. We can't wait to put it through its paces!