Which Motorola phone is best?
Shopping for a new phone is rarely an enjoyable experience. By the time your old one is on its way out, there’s likely been several rounds of technological advancement and more than a few price hikes. Trying to skirt these advancements and costs is possible but tricky as you need to be careful not to buy the wrong budget brand.
Motorola is a quality budget brand that also offers high-end options such as the Motorola Edge 2024. It can be used with any carrier, and it can take advantage of the fastest data speeds.
What to know before you buy a Motorola phone
Motorola phone types
Motorola has several lines of phones that all serve a certain niche.
Moto E is the budget line. If you only need to text, call and maybe surf the web or take a basic picture, this is the phone for you.
Moto G has the most options of any other line. They can be simple and cheap or offer some advanced features without hitting high-end prices.
One series phones are somewhat in the middle of Moto G and Edge, offering many great features but with costs bordering the high-end.
Edge is Motorola’s best and brightest line. You get almost everything found in the average iPhone or Galaxy but for several hundred dollars less.
Defy is a special ultra-rugged line. If you know you’re hard on your phone and need it to last, consider a Defy.
Razr is one of the only foldable smartphones on the market. It isn’t Motorola’s best, but it is its most attention-grabbing.
Carrier
A phone’s carrier is the network that it connects to in order to function. Motorola phones can either be purchased directly from a carrier, from Motorola itself or from a third-party seller such as Amazon.
If you don’t buy your phone directly from a carrier, you need to have it activated by one later. Most Motorola phones are compatible with any carrier but some are restricted. If you already have your carrier in mind, make sure your prospective phone matches it.
What to look for in a quality Motorola phone
Data storage
Most Motorola phones offer less data storage space than the average phone. To make up for this, many offer expandable storage so you can add more at any time. If you think you’ll need the extra space, make sure to double-check that your prospective phone does have expandable storage.
Screen
The screen has several aspects to consider when shopping between phone models.
Size: Phone screen sizes are measured at a diagonal, just like TVs. If you plan on streaming videos, get the biggest you can afford.
Resolution: This is also measured like TVs. Most Motorola phones are HD at a minimum. Better phones are full HD. The best are 4K capable.
Advanced features: Some phones have advanced features such as high refresh rates, which means the screen refreshes the image more times per second, or high dynamic range, which means it displays a greater range of contrast.
How much you can expect to spend on a Motorola phone
They can cost as little as $150 or as much as $1,500. Motorola’s entry-level phones cost $500 or less while most cost $500-$1,000. Its top-of-the-line phones cost $1,000-plus.
Motorola phone FAQ
How long does a Motorola phone last?
A. Most last an average of two years. After this point, the batteries begin to degrade until they can no longer hold a charge. Additionally, the body of the phone starts to become noticeably worn, whether that be cracks, chipping or yellowing if the phone uses a plastic shell.
How do Motorola phones compare to other brands?
A. Motorola phones are well known and respected for their midrange quality but low prices. Its phones are all about squeezing as much value into the bargain while remaining affordable. That said, some Motorola phones can be just as expensive and feature-rich as the heavy hitters from Samsung and Apple.
Are any Motorola phones waterproof?
A. Most aren’t. At best, they have an ingress protection rating of IP52, which means they block almost all dust but can only handle accidental splashes. However, the Motorola Defy is waterproof but only to a depth of five feet and for no longer than 30 minutes.
What’s the best Motorola phone to buy?
Top Motorola phone
What you need to know: This is Motorola’s latest Edge phone, and it still costs less than a new iPhone.
What you’ll love: The screen size is 6.6 inches and the display has advanced features such as a 144-hertz refresh rate and 4K resolution. The battery can last up to two days on a full charge and takes only 15 minutes to charge up to 50% power with its ultrafast 68W TurboPower charging.
What you should consider: It doesn’t offer much data storage, and some people thought the camera was mediocre.
Top Motorola phone for the money
What you need to know: This is a great option for those who want advanced features at the lowest possible price.
What you’ll love: It includes a stylus for precise touchscreen control, and it’s stored inside the phone, so there’s no risk of losing it. The screen size is 6.7 inches, with a pOLED display. It also has Dolby Atmos sound and a 50-megapixel camera.
What you should consider: The phone comes with quite a bit of bloatware.
Worth checking out
What you need to know: The Razr was the most coveted phone on the market in the early 2000s. This is its evolution.
What you’ll love: The folded position has a small touch screen on the front for basic controls such as changing your music. The unfolded screen size is 6.9 inches with HD resolution. The back camera can be used in either position.
What you should consider: Foldable smartphones take some getting used to, but some purchasers didn’t like it.
Prices listed reflect time and date of publication and are subject to change.
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