Moto E LTE (2nd Generation)

I recently got my hands on the 2nd generation Motorola Moto E, and I have to say, this is an impressive little device. In fact, I would probably go as far as calling it one of the most impressive device I have used this year.

On the front of the device, you will find a 4.5" 540 x 960 pixels qHD LCD display, along with a single front firing speaker which doubles as the call earpiece. The display is a step down from the Moto G's 720 x 1280 pixels HD LCD display, and the difference is definitely noticeable. But at ~245 ppi, the display is still plenty sharp enough for day to day use.

The speaker is not particularly great too, but good enough for an entry level smartphone. It does not sound as loud or as clear when compared to the 1st generation Moto G LTE's rear firing speaker, but the differences are minor. That said, having it on the front makes a huge difference when you are watching videos or playing a game.

The design of the phone follows the same language as past Moto devices. With a dimple on the back which houses a Motorola logo, and a centralised camera unit. But this time, instead of making the entire back cover removable, Motorola made the sides removable instead like a bumper case.

Removing the bumper is how you access the Micro SD card slot, and Micro SIM card slot. The bumper also comes in a variety of colours which you can purchase separately for more customisation options. The black one that came with the phone actually feels really nice in the hand. It is ribbed, and very grippy. The power button on the bumper has a ribbed texture as well that feels pretty nice to press actually. But perhaps due to the design changes, the buttons does not feel as "clicky"as the ones found on the Moto G.

Specifications wise, you will find a quad core Snapdragon 410 processor clocked at 1.2 GHz, an Adreno 306 GPU, 1GB of RAM, and 8GB of internal storage. With less pixels to push, the Snapdragon 410 handles most that I throw at it well. Performance is decent, and even games like Real Racing 3 runs well on the phone. 

Part of what makes the phone perform well, is probably the use of near-stock Android. But with that also comes the quirks of Android Lollipop. I see occasional stutter every now and then, which I suspect is more software issues rather than the lack of processing prowess. For example, the 1st generation Moto G with a Snapdragon 400 running KitKat still feels more responsive. Something I encountered on the 2nd generation Moto G as well.

(While the rollout of Android 5.1 is in progress for the Moto E, but at the time of this post, I have not received the update yet.)

Motorola added a few interesting features that are not normally found on their lower end models. Namely Moto Display, and Moto Actions (double twist to launch camera). Both of which I use often on the Moto X. These features are not even found on the 2nd generation Moto G.

Keeping the Moto E powered throughout the day is a 2390 mAh non-removable battery. That is significantly more than its predecessor, and more than what the 1st generation Moto G offered. While the latest crop of Snapdragon processors have not been known for being frugal with battery usage, the phone still lasts a solid day of use with ease, maybe even two for moderate and light usage.

(From left to right: 1st Gen Moto G LTE, 2nd Gen Moto G 3G Dual Sim, 2nd Gen Moto E LTE. 

All tested at the exact same location in my room.)

Of course we cannot talk about the Moto E LTE without talking about LTE. The phone again has one of the best results I have seen on a Cat. 4 LTE device, with the 1st generation Moto G LTE being the best. In general, most Cat. 4 LTE devices I have used average at around 50 Mbps down. So Motorola is definitely doing something right with their radio.

The rear of the phone houses a seemingly unremarkable 5MP camera with auto-focus. But in my time with the Moto E, I was actually pretty happy with how the camera performed. The camera UI is simple to use as well with predictable behaviour, and the capture speed is pretty decent too.

I know it is preposterous to compare this to the HTC One M9, but I actually enjoy using this camera more than I did the One M9's. Most of the time the camera captured the shot I wanted at the first try. No need to tap the viewfinder multiple times to change the focus/AE to try to get the right exposure. When I do want to change the focus/AE on the Moto E, the changes are predictable and logical. Unlike the One M9 which tends to be a bit finicky, resulting in a somewhat frustrating experience.

Yes, the image quality cannot be compared to the One M9 of course. But at least it is not as frustrating to use. At least this is a phone that costs $149.99 USD, not $649 USD like the One M9.

At this image size, it can probably pass for a camera on a higher end device. Images has nice colour reproduction, with sufficient details. When you zoom in of course, image quality is definitely not comparable to those on higher end devices. But for its price, it is a pretty impressive shooter. It is actually much MUCH better than the 5MP camera found on the 1st generation Moto G.

With no fancy camera technology to help the camera out, low light performance definitely takes a hit. But then again, nothing that cannot be forgiven due to its low price.

Full resolution images for comparison with other devices in similar category:
2nd generation Moto E, 1st generation Moto G, 2nd generation Moto G, Lumia 520.

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The 2nd generation Moto E is a very impressive device. It reminded me a lot of my first impressions of the 1st generation Moto G, which is mostly just amazement from how much phone you can get for so little money. It has its flaws, but nothing that cannot be justified by its cost. The deal breaker for me is actually just the lack of an LED flash, not for photo taking, but more for the purpose of an emergency light source.

At USD $149.99 off-contract (~ SGD $200), it is a cheap device. But in Singapore, the Xiaomi Redmi 2 is even cheaper at SGD $169, and with better specifications to go along. On paper, that is going to look more appealing to others. But to me, the Moto E still has better build quality, better software experience, better looking design, and better overall package in my opinion. Overall, it is a great phone, and once again set the standard for how good a low cost phone can be. That said, the one I am keeping a keen eye on is the next generation Moto G. A Moto G with flagship features like Moto Display? Count me in.