The 6 Best Features of the New Moto X Style

At its press conference this morning, Motorola announced its brand new flagship smartphone, the Moto X Style. From what we’ve seen, this new Moto X seems like stiff competition for the other smartphones of 2015 and we’re excited to see Motorola reclaim some of its past glory in the industry.

Although this list will be about the Moto X Style, it should be noted that a counterpart device called the Moto X Play was also announced, which includes a smaller display, but a larger battery.

So here they are! The six features about the new Moto X Style that you need to know about:

1. Large, new “Quad HD” display

Although it’s a big jump up from last year’s 5.2-inch device, the 5.7-inch display on the Moto X Style looks fantastic. If you need a frame of reference, that’s the same size as last year’s Galaxy Note 4. But regardless of the size, the Moto X Style has a “Quad HD” 1440 × 2560 resolution display, which works out to 520 pixels per inch. It’s clear that Motorola is working to compete with devices like the LG G4 and Galaxy S6—and in terms of its display, it’s just as good.

2. 21-megapixel rear camera

Most Popular

The camera on the Moto X has always been its weakest point—and with the headway that the LG G4 and Galaxy S6 have been making on the iPhone, it’s time that Motorola stepped up its cameras. For the Moto X Style, the company has included the highest megapixel camera on an Android device (previously only down by the Windows Phone Lumia 1020). One of the other small, but handy touches is that the front-facing camera now includes an LED flash. We don’t know yet quite how well the camera performs, but the bigger emphasis on it is certainly promising.

3. Expandable storage

Samsung got rid of access to expandable storage on its flagship smartphone earlier this year to the behest of many users. Motorola must have caught wind of this, because the Moto X Style now includes expandable storage with a new microSD slot on the side of the device. Although the device does come in 16GB, 32GB and 64GB storage options, but the microSD slot is still a really nice addition and might even win over some Samsung defectors.

4. Runs very close to stock Android

The Moto X Style comes running Android 5.1.1 Lollipop, the very newest version of the Android operating system. Like the Moto X smartphones of the past and unlike many other Android devices, the software here is pretty much as close to stock Android as it comes. That ensures great performance, clean UI, and timely updates for the Moto X Style.

5. Dual front-facing speakers

2014’s Moto X had only a single front-facing speaker, which is already better than so much of the competition that bizarrely keeps choosing to have speakers on the bottom or back of devices. Now the Moto X Style has not one, but two front-facing speakers. Early reports indicate that while they might not be as loud and booming as those on the HTC One M9, they are still years ahead of other smartphones.

6. Cheap and unlocked

The price of the Moto X Style is perhaps the most significant thing about it. Starting at just $399 without a carrier contract, the Moto X Style is significantly cheaper than other flagship smartphones on the market. The best part? You can buy it unlocked directly from Motorola’s website, which includes access to the customization program, MotoMaker.