How Moto X Style and Moto X Play stack up against rival flagships

By Killian Bell

Motorola’s new handsets cost a lot less then rival flagships. Photo: Motorola

Motorola today announced two new additions to its flagship Moto X lineup in the Moto X Style and the Moto X Play. Both handsets deliver flagship specifications and high-end designs that are customizable through Moto Maker, and they cost a lot less than their rivals off-contract.

But how exactly do Motorola’s new devices stack up against those rivals? Find out in our handy comparison chart below.

The Style and Play are big improvements over last year’s Moto X. They both feature a “best-in-class” 21-megapixel camera, fast-charging technology, and refined designs that are fully customizable. The Style also offers a larger, sharper Quad HD display and Qualcomm’s latest Snapdragon 808 processor.

Please scroll the table left and right to see all of its contents

	Moto X Style	Moto X Play	OnePlus 2	Galaxy S6/S6 edge	HTC One M9	LG G4	iPhone 6	iPhone 6 Plus	Xperia Z3+
Operating System	Android 5.1.1 Lollipop	Android 5.1.1 Lollipop	Android 5.1.1 Lollipop	Android 5.1.1 Lollipop	Android 5.1 Lollipop	Android 5.1 Lollipop	iOS 8.4	iOS 8.4	Android 5.1.1 Lollipop
Display	5.7-inch LCD (2560 x 1440)	5.5-inch LCD (1920 x 1080)	5.5-inch LCD (1920 x 1080)	5.1-inch Super AMOLED (2560 x 1440)	5-inch Super LCD3 (1920 x 1080)	5.5-inch LCD (2560 x 1440)	4.7-inch Retina HD (1334 x 750)	5.5-inch Retina HD (1920 x 1080)	5.2-inch LCD (1920 x 1080)
PPI	520	401	401	576	441	538	326	401	424
Processor	Hexa-core Snapdragon 808	Octa-core Snapdragon 615	Octa-core Snapdragon 810	Octa-core Exynos 7420	Octa-core Snapdragon 810	Hexa-core Snapdragon 808	Dual-core Apple A8	Dual-core Apple A8	Octa-core Snapdragon 810
RAM	3GB	2GB	3GB, 4GB	3GB	3GB	3GB	1GB	1GB	3GB
Storage	32GB, 64GB + microSD	32GB, 64GB + microSD	16GB, 64GB	32GB, 64GB, 128GB	32GB + microSD card slot (up to 128GB)	32GB + microSD card slot (up to 128GB)	16GB, 64GB, 128GB	16GB, 64GB, 128GB	32GB + microSD card slot (up to 128GB)
Camera(s)	21MP (rear) + 5MP (front)	21MP (rear) + 5MP (front)	13MP (rear) + 5MP (front)	16MP (rear) + 5MP (front)	20MP (rear) + 4MP (front)	16MP (rear) + 8MP (front)	8MP(rear) + 1.2MP (front)	8MP(rear) + 1.2MP (front)	20.7MP (rear) + 5.1MP (front)
Other	IP52 water-repellant nano-coating, stereo speakers, Moto Maker	IP52 water-repellant nano-coating, stereo speakers, Moto Maker	Fingerprint scanner, USB Type-C, interchangeable covers	Fingerprint scanner, heart rate monitor, IR remote, wireless charging	BoomSound speakers, IR remote	Laser auto-focus, wireless charging, IR remote	Touch ID, Lightning, Apple Pay	Touch ID, Lightning, Apple Pay	Water-resistant, front-facing stereo speakers
Dimensions	153.9 x 76.2 x 11.06mm	148 x 75 x 10.9mm	151.8 x 74.9 x 9.85mm	143.5 x 70.6 x 6.9mm	146.8 x 73.3 x 8.2mm	148.9 x 76.1 x 9.8mm	138.1 x 67 x 6.9mm	158.1 x 77.8 x 7.1mm	146 x 72 x 6.9mm
Weight	179g	169g	175g	140g	157g	155g	129g	172g	144g
Battery	3,000mAh	3,630mAh	3,300mAh	2,550mAh	2,840mAh	3,000mAh	1,810mAh	2,915mAh	2,930mAh
Price (MSRP, off-contract)	From $399	From $299	From $329	From $679	$649	$649	From $649	From $749	$599

On paper, the Qualcomm chips packed into Motorola’s latest devices don’t look as good as the high-end Snapdragon 810 featured in handsets like the HTC One M9 and the Xperia Z3+. But we can’t ignore the overheating issues that have plagued the latter since it made its debut.

If you’re looking to avoid that, then, choosing another Qualcomm chip, or going with Samsung’s Exynos 7420 in the Galaxy S6 and S6 edge, is going to be your best option. There’s another reason why you should consider Motorola’s handsets over pretty much everything else.

Moto X Style Gallery

: Get your Moto X today! Photo: Motorola

: Marshmallow is on its way! Photo: Motorola

Motorola uses near-pure Android firmware, which is free from third-party user interfaces and bloatware. The company does pack in some additional features, like Moto Voice and Moto Display, but they’re welcome ones, and other than that, its software is exactly what you would find on a Nexus.

The only other handset here that offers that is the OnePlus 2, but again, it’s got that Snapdragon 810 chip, and a lesser camera. The OnePlus 2 is considerably cheaper, though, so that could make it a winner depending on your budget.