Moto E4 Plus: a smartphone from the legendary brand with a huge battery and a great price. Moto E4 Plus: a smartphone from the legendary brand with a huge battery and a great price Moto E⁴ and Moto E⁴ Plus operating system

An affordable smartphone under a well-known brand, in addition to the catchy exterior, stands out with a fresh version of Android and a front camera with LED flash. The built-in fingerprint scanner provides additional functionality to the smartphone. Vesti.Hi-tech found out all the advantages and disadvantages of Lenovo Moto E4

In late June, Lenovo, which owns the Motorola brand, announced it. Let's remind that in the old days only Nokia could compete with this brand. Now Motorola, under the auspices of Lenovo, is returning to Russia with a full line of modern smartphones, in which there are not only premium, but also affordable models designed for the widest audience. In particular, the budget Moto E devices are positioned by the company as devices with an elegant appearance, which offer the latest technologies and allow you to evaluate the additional capabilities of the Moto software.

Specifications

• Model: XT1762
• OS: Android 7.1.1 (Nougat)
• Processor: 4-core, ARM Cortex-A53, 1.3 GHz, on the MediaTek MT6737 platform
• Graphics Subsystem: ARM Mali-T720 MP2
• RAM: 2 GB (LPDDR3)
• Memory for data storage: 16 GB, support for microSD / HC / XC cards (up to 128 GB)
• Interfaces: Wi-Fi 802.11 b / g / n (2.4 GHz), Bluetooth 4.1 LE, microUSB (USB 2.0) for charge / synchronization, 3.5 mm for an audio headset
• Screen: capacitive, touch, IPS-matrix, Full Lamination, 5 inches, resolution 1280x720 pixels, pixel density per inch 294 ppi, color gamut 70% NTSC, 2.5D protective glass, oleophobic coating
• Main camera: 8 MP (pixel size 1.12 microns), viewing angle 71 degrees, aperture f / 2.2, autofocus, LED flash, digital zoom (x4)
• Front - 5 MP (pixel size 1.4 μm), aperture f / 2.2, angle of view 74 degrees, fixed focus, LED flash
• Network: GSM / UMTS / LTE (Cat. 4, 150/50 Mbps), 4G LTE: 1/3/5/7/8/20/38/40
• SIM card: two nanoSIM (Dual SIM Dual Standby, DSDS)
• Navigation: GPS
• Sensors: accelerometer, Hall sensor, digital compass, light and proximity sensors, fingerprint scanner
• Battery: GK40, lithium polymer, removable, 2 800 mAh (3.8 V; 10.6 W * h), charger (5 V / 1 A)
• Case feature: water-repellent nano-coating
• Dimensions: 144.5x72x9.3 mm
• Weight: 151 grams
• Colors: gray, blue, rose gold

Design, ergonomics

Unlike such "middle school students" as the Moto Z2 Play, the budget-class smartphone Moto E4 (model XT1762) can boast of either a glass or a metal case, and, of course, the connection of replaceable modules.

Nevertheless, some of the features of "older comrades" are visible in its exterior.

The new device is enclosed in a fairly compact case with a removable back cover, which is also coated with a water-repellent nano-coating.

Moreover, this plastic panel, not only by its color (in particular, in a gray color - Iron Gray), but also by its design (imitation of radio-transparent "inserts" or grooves for antennas highlighted above and below), clearly "mows" like a metal one.

But today you will not surprise anyone with 2.5D protective glass for the front panel on budget smartphones. Compared to the well-deserved "benchmark" - the 5-inch - the budget Moto E4 turned out to be somewhat thicker (9.3 mm versus 8.6 mm) and heavier (151 g versus 130 g). The latter is most likely due to a more capacious battery (2,800 mAh versus 2,300 mAh). "Odnoklassnik" Moto E4 under a no less famous brand - judging by the published thickness value, it also turned out to be sleeker (8.68 mm versus 9.3 mm), although such a difference is almost imperceptible to the eye.

So, the entire front panel of the Moto E4 is protected by glass (whose manufacturer is not specified) with a 2.5D effect. Oleophobic coating available.

Around the decorative slot for the "earpiece" speaker, under which the Moto text logo was placed, the front camera, as well as the light and proximity sensors, were left on the right, and the LED flash on the left.

The touch controls "Back", "Home" and "Recent Apps", designated as "Triangle", "Circle" and "Square", are on-screen in the Moto E4. But on the plate under the display there is a fingerprint scanner. The Moto app allows you to use the capacitive touch pad for navigation, freeing up screen space from the three button icons.

The left edge of the removable back cover is empty.

And on the right, there was a place for a relatively large volume rocker and a noticeably smaller on / off button with a well-felt notch. Moreover, these mechanical elements are not fixed on the case, but on the removable cover itself, therefore it is inconvenient to work with the device without it.

The top end is occupied only by the 3.5 mm audio headset connector.

At the bottom there is a microUSB connector (for charging / synchronization), a hole for a "spoken" microphone, and a notch for easy detachment of the back cover.

A graphic Motorola logo adorns the back cover. In its upper part, holes were provided for the second microphone and the main photo-module, and in the lower part - the grill of the "multimedia" speaker.

The branded round photo-module consists of a vertically positioned main camera lens and an LED flash.

The battery compartment with the battery is hidden under the cover. Just above it, a two-level slot was organized with separate places for the first subscriber identification module SIM1 (nanoSIM format) and a microSD memory card, and next to it is a slot for SIM2 (also nanoSIM).

The dimensions of the smartphone, thanks to the 5-inch screen, make it easy to operate the device with one hand. There are no complaints about the materials and assembly of the Moto E4.

Screen

The Moto E4's display is based on a 5-inch IPS-matrix with HD-resolution (1280x720 pixels), which provides a pixel density per inch of 294 ppi. In addition, the manufacturer announces the use of Full Lamination technology, which, by eliminating the air gap between the display layers, reduces reflections and glare on the screen.

AntTuTu Tester and MultiTouch Tester were able to recognize up to ten simultaneous clicks on a capacitive touch screen. The backlight level can be adjusted manually or automatically (option "Auto brightness").

In the settings, it is proposed to change the size of the font and interface elements on the screen. Two color display modes - "Normal" and "Vivid" allow you to choose an appropriate gamut, between softer and more vibrant hues. By the way, according to the passport, the Moto E4's screen provides 70% of the NTSC color gamut. A quite high-quality oleophobic coating is applied to the protective glass

Interestingly, this budget smartphone supports the Moto Display option. It is thanks to her that the battery charge, current time and date, as well as various notifications are displayed on the locked screen. To see this information, you need to take the device in your hand or bring your palm to its display.

Cameras

Not too sinful against the truth, we note that the Moto E4's photo and video capabilities are quite modest. So, the main photo module with an 8-megapixel sensor was supplemented with a wide-angle lens (viewing angle 71 degrees) with autofocus and an aperture of f / 2.2, as well as an LED flash. The maximum image resolution is 3264x2448 pixels (8 MP) with an aspect ratio of 4: 3. Considering the standard pixel size (1.12 microns) on the sensor, you shouldn't expect "miracles" from this camera during the day, and even more so at night. In addition, you should keep in mind the very leisurely autofocus. Examples of photos from the main camera Moto E4 can be viewed.

The front camera Moto E4 received a wide-angle lens (viewing angle 74 degrees) with an aperture of f / 2.2 and a fixed focus. At the same time, the pixel size on the 5-megapixel sensor is 1.4 microns. In addition, an LED flash was available. So taking selfies, for example, for posting on social networks, can be quite decent even in low light. The maximum resolution of the front camera with the classic aspect ratio (4: 3) is 2592x1952 pixels (5 MP).

Both cameras can only record video in HD quality (1280x720). At the same time, the content is saved in MP4 container files (MPEG-4 Visual - video, AAC - sound).

The Camera app interface is exactly the same as the more advanced Moto models, but the Moto E4 has fewer modes. Actually, there are only three of them - "Photo", "Video", and "Panorama". Not only the slow motion capabilities were overboard, but also the professional options. As usual, swiping to the left on the screen opens the gallery of images, and swiping to the right opens the settings panel. The Quick Capture option allows you to open the Camera app after double-clicking the Power / Lock button. To adjust focus and exposure, drag the "paperclip" in the viewfinder to the desired location where the control can adjust the brightness. If necessary, it is suggested to use the HDR mode. The digital zoom can enlarge the image up to 4 times.

Sound

The "multimedia" speaker in the Moto E4 deserves a mention. At least it's better to listen to music directly through headphones. Note that there is no proprietary player in the smartphone. At first, however, Play Music is enough. But the pre-installed application "Radio FM", thanks to the presence of the corresponding tuner, is able to record stereo broadcasts in AAC format (44.1 kHz, 2 channels).

Filling, performance

Conceived as a budget device, the Moto E4 smartphone is based on the corresponding hardware platform - MediaTek MT6737, which at the time of release (2016) featured improved energy efficiency. Four 28nm ARM Cortex-A53 architecture cores are clocked at up to 1.3 GHz. Graphics operations are performed by the integrated ARM Mali-T720 MP2 accelerator with two execution units. By the way, the maximum screen resolution it supports is 1280x720 pixels. The system-on-a-chip is designed to work with two SIM cards and includes modules for IEEE 802.11n Wi-Fi, FM radio, Bluetooth and GPS, while the 4G modem supports the LTE Cat mobile terminal category. 4. The Moto E4 has only 2 GB of RAM.

The hardware platform used predetermined the results of synthetic tests: on AnTuTu Benchmark - a little over 30 thousand "virtual parrots", on the 3DMark gaming benchmark - less than 100 points, on the Ultra High Quality setting of the Epic Citadel visual test below 30 fps.

On board, the Moto E4 carries 16 GB of internal storage. This storage capacity is easily expanded by installing a microSD / HC / XC card with a capacity of up to 128 GB inclusive. Recall that a separate slot for it is located under the removable back cover. Support for USB-OTG technology also provides the connection of USB-flash drives.

Two subscriber identification modules of the nanoSIM (4FF) format operate in DSDS (Dual SIM Dual Standby) mode. At the same time, in the 4G network, the LTE modem (Cat. 4, up to 150 Mbit / s) supports, among other things, the "three" frequency ranges - b3 (1800 MHz), b7 (2600 MHz) and b20 (800 MHz). From wireless communications, the Moto E4 has Bluetooth 4.1 LE and Wi-Fi 802.11 b / g / n (2.4 GHz). Unfortunately, this model (XT1762) lacks 5GHz Wi-Fi and NFC interface.

The results of the AndroiTS GPS Test and GPS Test programs showed that GPS satellites are used to determine the location and navigation. There is also support for A-GPS technology.

The removable GK40 lithium polymer battery has a capacity of 2,800 mAh (3.8 V; 10.6 Wh). The Moto E4 comes with a standard charger (5V / 1A), which takes about three hours to fill an empty battery.

The PCMark (Work 2.0 battery life) battery test, which simulates everyday tasks and activities, achieved a result of 7 hours 35 minutes. By the way, a set of videos in MP4 format (hardware decoding) and HD quality at full brightness was continuously spinning about the same amount of time.

In the "Battery" settings section, you can disable or enable automatic switching to the power saving mode when the battery charge level is appropriate (5% or 15%).

Features of the software

The Moto E4 smartphone runs on Android 7.1.1 (Nougat) operating system, the interface of which has remained practically unchanged.

The Moto app manages on-screen notifications using the Moto Display option. Thanks to her, the night mode is turned on, which adds warm tones to the image on the screen.

One of the Moto Actions features replaces touch-sensitive navigation with gestures on the fingerprint scanner pad. So, the transition to the main screen is performed by a quick touch of this pad, the "Back" button has been replaced by the movement of your finger across the scanner from right to left, and to access the "Recent Applications" you need, on the contrary, swipe your finger from left to right.

With the help of (up to five) fingerprints obtained on a fingerprint scanner, it is convenient to lock and unlock your smartphone.

Purchase, conclusions

Common features of the corporate design make the budget Moto E4 smartphone related to the more advanced models of this family. Among the hardware features of the device, it is worth noting a front camera with LED flash, a fingerprint scanner, and a dedicated slot for memory expansion cards. In turn, the latest version of the Android OS is supplemented with the functionality of the Moto software.

The disadvantages include low performance, weak main camera and the lack of an NFC interface (in this model). The latter omission excludes, in particular, the possibility of using the Android Pay service.

The starting price of Moto E4 is 9,990 rubles. Within this amount, it is easy to pick up worthy alternatives from other, popular in our country, "big Chinese", for example, Huawei Honor 6A, Meizu M5c or Xiaomi Redmi 4A. However, let's see how Moto E4 looks against the background of another branded budget employee -. Indeed, for a similar 5-inch model, made in a polycarbonate case, they ask for exactly the same money (9,990 rubles).

The volumes of built-in and RAM, as well as the base chipset, are the same for the compared smartphones. True, the Moto E4 for some reason does not support the 5 GHz Wi-Fi range. The front camera is not 5-, but 8-megapixel, and with autofocus, but the pixel sizes on the sensor are smaller (1.12 microns versus 1.4 microns), in addition, the Moto E4 front camera is also supplemented with an LED flash. In terms of battery life (watching a video), Moto E4 is ahead, with a slightly larger battery (2,800 mAh versus 2,630 mAh). In turn, the smartphone boasts an NFC interface, which is absent in the tested model (XT1762). But there is no fingerprint scanner like the Moto E4.

The results of the review of the smartphone Moto E4

Pros:

• Signature exterior
• Front camera with flash
• Fingerprint scanner
• Dedicated microSD expansion card slot
• Fresh version of Android 7.1.1 (Nougat) OS and Moto software "chips"

Minuses:

• Low performance
• Weak main camera
• Lack of NFC interface

Who knew a budget smartphone could be that good?

Preliminary verdict

The Moto E4 raises the bar for phones hovering around the $ 6,000 mark. Complete with a fingerprint reader, Android Nougat, a removable battery and reliable performance, the phone is capable of wowing the user at almost every turn. A must-buy for those on a budget. A detailed review of Motorola Moto E4 more ...

• Attractive design;
• Pre-installed Android Nougat;
• The fingerprint scanner;
• Unbeatable value for money;

• Not all versions of the phone are made of metal;
• Performance isn't enough for everyone;

Motorola has gone to great lengths to bring out not only a cheap Android phone, but a really good one.

It's easy enough to understand what is misleading. The highly functional Android Nougat, along with a quad-core processor, E3 glass bezel and an exciting design update, the E4 undeniably refreshes the series, and the fingerprint scanner is an unexpected option for this price point. Finally, throw in a few nice features like Google Assistan, a removable battery and microSD support, and you've got all the makings for a solid mid-range phone on paper.

And while other competitors such as the BLU R1 Plus invade Moto territory, Motorola's latest E4 shows that the manufacturer's unwavering focus on quality and design evolves with software once again sets Moto above the rest.

MotorolaMotoE4: Release date and prices

The phone is available in Russia with a price tag of 8,000 rubles, but you will find it cheaper and more expensive, depending on the seller. Regardless of where you purchased E4, it supports CDMA and GSM networks, which means that it can work with foreign operators, for example, in the United States.

Design

• The glass-covered bezel looks expensive;
• Metallic back panels will be available, but not everywhere;
• Conforms to designMotoG5;

Affordable smartphones are better than ever. Not only are the specs respectable enough, the design takes over signals from the high-end range of smartphones, making cheap phones not all that cheap.

The Moto E4 impresses with its slightly curved 2.5D glass panel, attractively combining it with an all-plastic chassis. A small lip along the edge of the display and the glass turns into glossy plastic, breaking the illusion somewhat.

On the front, you'll find the usual options like a front-facing camera, LED flash, and speaker. Much more surprising is the inclusion of a fingerprint scanner, which is expected to come to us with the Moto G5. A concave scanner is easy to find and as safe as phone scanners at two and three times the price.

Along the edges of the phone you'll find a 3.5mm headphone jack, a MicroUSB port for charging, and a combination of volume buttons with a notch along the right edge.

The back of the smartphone may vary depending on the region and model in your stores. All-metal smartphones should come to Russia, which look simply amazing. However, phones with textured plastic panels may also seep into the Russian market. Personally, we lean towards plastic as it matches the smartphone perfectly to the G5.

Both phones have a circular camera design that protrudes slightly from the body, which, oddly enough, has become a functional Moto signature. We're not sure why the manufacturer won't flush the camera since the sensor doesn't have any high-quality features, but thankfully that doesn't detract from the experience given the price of the phone.

Removing the plastic cover reveals the battery, SIM card slot, and MicroSD slot. Users, myself included, love the flexibility of a removable battery, so this is a big plus.

Interface and reliability

• Comes with the latest versionAndroidNougat;
• Moto is likely to updateE4 toAndroidO;
• Additional software tricksMoto;

When you choose, there is always a compromise somewhere. But with the Moto E4, you won't find any flaws as we're talking about the Android Nougat operating system, as well as a lot of Moto's clever software tricks.

Moto is one of the best companies for the latest and greatest Android software. Not only that, the latest phones support a clean, Pixel-like interface and if you buy a new smartphone without installments or credit, you won't find any adware on it. Otherwise, the adware can be turned off.

If you've used Nougat before, you'll find the system fully disclosed here as well. Visually, the OS isn't too different from Android Marshmallow, but you can take advantage of split-screen multitasking and enhanced Doze support that extend battery life based on your user habits.

Where the E4 strays from other Nougat phones is with the interface we first saw on the Moto G5. Once enabled, the on-screen navigation buttons disappear and are delegated by unique fingerprint-enabled gestures. Tap to return to the home screen, swipe right to see a list of open apps, or left to go back. Some may not like the traditional look, but the original OS offers more screen real estate and is much easier to work with.

Movies, music and games

• Lack of resolution (720p) is compensated by brightness;
• Viewing angles are surprisingly generous;

The Moto E4 is not the best device for watching YouTube movies and videos, or playing the latest games from the Google Play store.

This is not an opinion, it is due to the fact that it has a 720p screen and a chipset that will not be able to offer 60 frames per second in 3D games. However, what it has to offer is quite adequate for most situations and, despite its hardware, the overall experience is smooth regardless of your preference.

The 720p display doesn't sound like bright 1080p OLED panels, although it's bright enough for a device in this price range. The backlight works well enough to provide an acceptable reading environment in sunlight, something even some high-end displays cannot. Viewing angles are also very good, so if there are several people congregating around your 5-inch display, you should be able to split content easily.

Switch to music, where the 3.5 headphone jack becomes a fast lane for musical bliss. However, it also supports wireless Bluetooth headphones and can play music "out loud" through a single speaker. However, the speaker doesn't sound very good. Ideal for playing calls, but if you're going to listen to music on the go, it's best to use a pair of headphones that are not included.

When it comes to playing at E4, your experience will depend entirely on the games you enjoy. We tried Alto's Adventure and Punch Quest during our review, which are not the most demanding or sophisticated games. We also like Hearthstone, which plays rather choppy on the phone. Sonic Dash, an endless runner, has been played repeatedly, however active animation elements cause stuttering. Gaming performance is right for the price, but it's not the most reliable gaming device for the future.

Features and performance

In terms of specs, the Moto E4 is slightly inferior to the Moto G5. And while in the US E4 will run on a 4-core Snapdragon 425 chipset, phones will come to Russia with Mediatek Helio MT6737.

The smartphone comes in one configuration, augmented by 2GB of RAM to help keep things running fast.

By default, the Motorola Moto E4 comes with 16GB of internal storage. Fortunately, this meager offer is fully offset by microSD support, which allows you to use cards up to 128GB of storage, which you can use to install apps, not just media files.

If you are looking for a powerful smartphone, the E4 is not the best option. However, it does offer a ton of fun for its price. Its quad-core processor feels faster than last year's Moto G4 Play, we didn't see any stutters, even if it's only a minor improvement over the Snapdragon 410.

A removable battery means the show can go on. The 2,800mAh battery is a pretty generous proposition for a budget phone. The smartphone has no problem during the day with normal use.

Flagship smartphones tend to get more scrutiny when it comes to battery performance compared to budget phones. This is because they are not only more expensive, but also have to meet expectations. However, the batteries of expensive smartphones are hidden in the cases and are inaccessible to the consumer.

The Moto E4 is the perfect illustration of the polar opposite of this trend. It's a cheap phone, so its removable 2,800mAh battery is even more impressive and can last all day depending on usage. The battery swappable option can keep you running for several days in a row if you have a second battery.

During our testing, we were able to squeeze more than one day out of E4 on average. At the very least, a hard day filled with listening to music, playing games, and browsing Chrome downgraded it to the 50% mark. Watching 90 minutes of HD video, it lowered its battery by 18%, leaving you 82% to get on with the day.

But with the battery activated, she lasted effortlessly through a particularly stressful weekend of marriage, digging out tunes, downloading a Twin Peaks hi-cut episode over 4G LTE and surviving an hour of gaming, and the changes remained.

It's hard to kill this phone flying ahead of our expectations given its budget status. Once it dies, you can replace the removable battery. But if you just want to bring it back to life, it charges quickly with the included charger. From 0%, a backup is required in less than two hours. In just half an hour, it was up to 50% of the charge.

Camera

• Front and rear cameras with good shots, usually;
• Poor photography in poor light and motion;
• ModePRO helps to get the desired effect;

Equipped with an 8MP camera and a 5MP front-facing camera, the Motorola Moto E4 offers a competent result. In good light, you can easily get a photo that you will be happy with: provided there is low vibration, balanced contrast and level of exposure.

However, if you shoot in low light conditions, you will often end up with blurry, fuzzy photos unless you can fully immobilize the camera or use PRO mode, which allows you to adjust exposure, ISO and more.

Fair enough quality for a budget smartphone camera.

The main camera did an excellent job of balancing colors and shadows.

If you're shooting video, the smartphone can record up to 1080p at 30fps. It is somewhat perplexing that the E4 can capture a picture at a higher resolution, higher than the display's capabilities, but it is ideal for uploading videos to social media.

Final thoughts

Motorola is raising the bar even higher with the introduction of yet another well-designed budget phone that will be perfect for many users.

Unsurprisingly, the Motorola Moto E4 is not a gaming phone or premium device that you can enjoy multimedia on. But for its price, the phone comes with little or no compromise.

Who is it for?

For those on a limited budget but don't want to sacrifice features. Moro E4 is available in Russia for a price of 8,000 rubles and is compatible with almost any mobile networks.

Relying on the affordable price point of the phone, we're impressed with how good the E4 looks like, as well as its offering. Glass panel, fingerprint scanner and general styling. Add a removable battery and a microSD slot to it, and that's a fully functional smartphone.

Worth buyingMotorola Moto E4?

If you want to take advantage of the latest Android Nougat software, you can invest in an expensive flagship smartphone, or pay for the inexpensive E4, which offers the same experience. Based on Motorola's track record, users can most likely count on Android O when it launches later in 2017.

Equipped with a Snapdragon 425 quad-core processor, the Moto E4 remains capable, but not a powerful phone. Users who put minimal stress on the phone will be happy with the phone, but active gamers will require more power.

9 Grand total

Awesome!

The Moto E4 raises the bar for phones hovering around the $ 6,000 mark. Complete with a fingerprint reader, Android Nougat, a removable battery and reliable performance, the phone is capable of wowing the user at almost every turn. A must-buy for those on a budget.

Live photos

Specifications

• Android 7.1.1
• Screen 5.5 inches, TFT IPS, 1280x720 pixels, 267 ppi, 2.5D, automatic brightness control
• MediaTek MT6737 chipset, 4 cores up to 1.3 GHz, Mali T720 GPU
• 3 GB of RAM, 16 GB of internal, microSD memory cards up to 128 GB
• Li-Ion 5000 mAh battery, support for proprietary fast charging at 10 W
• Front camera 5 megapixels, f / 2.4, coverage angle 84 degrees, fixed focus, flash
• Main camera 13 megapixels, f / 2.0, autofocus, angle of coverage 78 degrees, continuous shooting, video recording in HD-resolution
• Sensors - position, proximity, lighting
• Fingerprint sensor
• Dual SIM nanoSIM size
• Wi-Fi b / g / n, Bluetooth 4.2, NFC, USB 2.0 (microUSB connector)
• GPS / A-GPS
• LTE cat.4, band 1/3/5/7/8/20
• Body colors - metallic gray, gold
• Dimensions - 155x77.5x9.55 mm, weight - 198 grams

Contents of delivery

• Smartphone
• Charger with USB cable
• Wired stereo headset
• Instructions

Positioning

Motorola (owned by Lenovo) is having a tough time, not only needing to return to a market that has gone ahead over the years, but competing with everyone from the largest companies to small Chinese manufacturers. The fact that Motorola belongs to Lenovo automatically classifies the company as a Chinese manufacturer, although all development is concentrated in the United States, as well as the American design, which is quite similar to all previous devices. On the other hand, Motorola is trying not only to refresh the memory of customers, but also to attract those who have never used the company's devices. Taking into account the level of competition, the task is daunting, but in it Motorola has relied on a wide range of models and the absence of price dumping. For those who are always looking for the most optimal device in terms of price / quality ratio, the budget line with the E index will seem quite expensive. And here the question arises, how do they see themselves in the market at Motorola. The answer is obvious - the company does not see Chinese brands as its competitors, for example, Meizu, Xiaomi and others, including Huawei and ZTE, but positions its products below Samsung, but above the Chinese. In the face of fierce competition, this is a bold decision, since it automatically limits current sales, but allows hope to build the very same brand, as well as its perception in the long term. Whether Motorola will succeed is unknown, but for now we will discuss the current product, the Moto E4 Plus, which acts as a device with a large battery and is aimed at an audience of those who are looking for pure Android and maximum battery life. This model is for people who need a workhorse for relatively little money.

Design, dimensions, controls

The budget line from Motorola has looked about the same for many years, some design elements have changed, but the body lines remain well recognizable. The model in question is available in two colors - metallic gray and gold. There was a golden phone in the review, but I like the gray color of the phone better, it is much more interesting.

In other countries there is also a dark blue body color, I also like it very much.

Depending on the country, the design of the back cover may differ slightly, pay attention to the device sold in the USA, it has completely different inserts on the body, a different arrangement of microphones. These are not just cosmetic changes, there is a different board inside and the characteristics are very different, however, more on that below.

The body of the model is made collapsible, that is, you can remove the cover without any tweaks. On the lid, the upper and lower parts have plastic inserts for the antennas (the rest is a metal plate), but they are not striking. It's nice that the main camera module does not protrude from the body and is on the same level with it.

Inside you can see a non-removable battery, as well as two connectors for nanoSIM and one for a memory card.

The dimensions of the phone are 155x77.5x9.55 mm, the weight is 198 grams, it is heavy, feels like a block in your hands, due to its weight it does not slip at all. But despite the fact that even a child can handle it, the weight still becomes a tangible difference from many other devices, here it is noticeable. A massive device, and someone will like it, but someone, on the contrary, will consider it a serious drawback.

Compared to Moto E4

On the front panel you can see the "button", in fact it is a fingerprint scanner, and it does not support any pressing. There are no touch buttons on either side of it, that is, the keyboard is always displayed on the screen. The scanner supports the processing of movements, as in older models, that is, you can remove the navigation keys altogether.

On the right side there is a paired volume rocker and an on / off button. On the top there is a 3.5 mm jack for a headset, on the bottom there is a microphone, a microUSB connector, and a speaker.

The build quality of the device is excellent and does not cause any complaints. For its level, the smartphone has typical materials and there are no downsides.

Display

The characteristics of the screen are as follows: 5.5 inches, TFT IPS, 1280x720 pixels, 267 ppi, 2.5D, automatic brightness control. The maximum brightness in automatic mode is 550 nits, in manual mode it is 350 nits. The display cannot boast of being the brightest, but in the settings you can choose one of the color temperature options.

The fact that the protective glass is 2.5D and the screen has a good oleophobic coating is worth adding to the device. On the negative side - only HD-resolution with a diagonal of 5.5 inches, many classmates can already boast of FullHD-resolution.

This is not the best screen in its class, it obviously lacks brightness in most situations, the color rendering is not very correct in most cases, but the fact that the colors are not flashy saves the device. For those who just use the phone for everyday activities, rarely watch movies or photos, the display will not be inconvenient.

The screen remains readable in the sun, but we cannot say that it is comfortable.

Battery

The built-in Li-Ion battery is non-removable and has a capacity of 5000 mAh. What the manufacturer calls the standard charger “fast” is not entirely true, it is a typical 5.2V / 2A charge. Full charging time with a standard device is about 4 hours, which cannot be called fast charging. In the US, the same model is sold on a Qualcomm chipset, and it supports Quick Charge, which takes up to two hours, or twice as fast.

The next moment is the screen time. Continuous playback of HD video in MX Player at maximum brightness gives a little over 11 hours of operation. This is far from the records and is due to the high power consumption of both the screen and the chipset.

On average, the device worked for me for about two days with moderate use (up to 2.5 hours of screen work), while using navigation, browsing pages, social networks, minimally watching videos and listening to music for about two hours. Not too impressive results, but the old chipset negates everything. In the American version of this device, the results are noticeably better.

Memory, RAM, chipset and performance

The device has 3 GB of RAM, 16 GB of built-in memory (there are versions for 32 GB, but they were not brought to Russia), memory cards up to 128 GB. MediaTek MT6737 chipset, 4 cores up to 1.3 GHz, Mali T720 GPU. Unfortunately, in the European version the chipset and its choice are strange, this is an old and not the most optimal solution associated with budget models of small manufacturers, from a company like Motorola it is unexpected to see such a solution in such a device. In the US, the device uses the Snapdragon 427, which is a cut taller and better than what we see in our version. It's a shame, because if we had a device on Qualcomm, and it would have been perceived much better, it would correspond to its price to a greater extent.

The performance is typical, the phone lacks stars from the sky, which, however, you can see in synthetic tests. In most operations, there are no slowdowns, the device works more or less quickly, but it’s definitely not worth waiting for an instant response to everything.

Communication capabilities - USB, Bluetooth, GPS and others

To begin with, unfortunately, only one range is supported for Wi-Fi 802.11 b / g / n, which is sad. On the other hand, this device supports NFC (and Android Pay), this technology is not in the US version. USB 2.0 version.

In terms of navigation, it is worth noting the peculiarities of the device, which are characteristic of the used chipset and the not always correctly placed antenna. In a big city, the determination of coordinates, as well as the direction of movement, its vector can walk. You have to calibrate the device all the time, but this is a constant story that repeats itself over and over again. Overall, GPS performance is satisfactory, but nothing more.

Camera

A very simple interface that doesn't offer anything beyond what is needed.

The front camera has a flash, but the image quality is average.

The main camera has a resolution of 13 megapixels, but the pictures even on a sunny day are very mediocre, as well as the maximum video resolution is only 720p, which is frustrating. In the camera aspect, this is a weak solution, as you can see below.

Software features

Motorola prefers to use pure Android with minimal changes. There are almost none of them in this device. You can read an overview of Android and its standard features in a separate article.

Let's start the story about the features of the device with the fact that the phone has a Moto application, in which you can configure the fingerprint scanner so that it replaces the navigation keys on the screen.

The screen can be set to night mode (blue color filter), it will work on schedule. You can also turn on Motorola notifications when notifications appear on the lock screen, and you can select them to quickly go to the application.

The built-in FM radio works with a headset; it supports scheduled broadcast recording; there is support for RDS. The radio works well, there are no complaints about it.

There is no separate application for playing music, it's Play Music from Google, but Dolby Atmos is present, a set of equalizers that can change the sound of the device. The complete headphones can be safely thrown away immediately, they are none. Using good headphones will give you absolutely nothing, the device is very average in sound. It cannot be called musical, it is suitable for unpretentious users.

Impressions

As for the connection quality, I have no complaints about the device, everything works fine, the interlocutor hears you well even on a noisy street. It's not very clear how the noise canceling system works, or the second microphone only for video recording (the latter is more likely), but everything is fine for a device of this level.

I have very mixed impressions of Motorola E4 Plus, so I don’t like the fact that it contains MT6737, which was found in devices under 10,000 rubles all last year. It is sub-optimal in terms of power consumption, which is what we see when using this smartphone, plus it is not too smart for 2017 and this class of device. New generation devices are already entering the market, which use faster chipsets, an example is the Alcatel A7, which is very similar to Moto, but it has a 4000 mAh battery, while it provides approximately the same operating time (its review will appear soon ). The cost of Alcatel A7 is 13,990 rubles, it will appear in October.

I see Meizu M5 Note as a direct competitor for this device, the 16 GB version costs 14,990 rubles, which is slightly more expensive. Of the advantages - a more pleasant design, less weight, but also a smaller battery size - 4000 mAh. But the battery life is longer, the chipset (Helio P10) is more powerful, dual-band Wi-Fi and better cameras, plus a screen with the same FullHD diagonal.

And then there is the Xiaomi Redmi Note 4 (albeit an outgoing model, but it is on the shelves), which also has a FullHD screen, a 4100 mAh battery, a better camera and a more powerful chipset. In short, a rather interesting model for comparison, and the cost is 14,990 rubles in federal retail (on the gray market or in China, it is noticeably cheaper).

Considering that the price of Moto E4 Plus is 13,990 rubles in federal retail (about 12,000 in online stores, the cost has dropped rapidly, apparently the demand has not met expectations), this device looks rather expensive compared to competitors. In comparison with the usual E4, it is distinguished by the battery, otherwise they are the same plus or minus. As for me, the Moto E4 Plus does not have anything special, perhaps, except for the design, to say unambiguously that it is a successful model that stands out from the competition. Considering that the same Meizu or Xiaomi are already perceived by many at the Motorola level, or even better, competition goes with them, but here everything is ambiguous for the Moto E4 Plus, since it is too similar in its filling to inexpensive Chinese, and this negates a few advantages ...

Today we will tell you about another Motorola smartphone from the 2017 E4 lineup. This is the older 5.5-inch version in the product line -. The device received a high-quality case, MediaTek platform, and a large display. Whether it still has any differences from the more compact 5-inch Moto E4 - read the details in our review.

Specifications

CPU: MediaTek MT6737, 1.3 GHz

Display: 5.5 inches, HD

RAM: 3 GB

Flash memory: 16/32 GB

Camera: 8 megapixels

Operating system: Android 7.1.1 Nougat

Contents of delivery

The phone is sold in an orange box, like its younger version E4. If you remember, the slightly more advanced G5 / G5 Plus line came in a similar box, only in green. On the back there are brief specifications of the device. Inside you will find the following:

• phone with factory film
• white USB cable
• charging block (voltage and current are not indicated)
• user manual
• white in-ear headphones with L-shaped 3.5 mm audio output

As for a smartphone with a price tag of about $ 215, the package bundle is good and typical for Motorola.

Case design and materials

The Moto E4 Plus has a metal body, a glass front panel with a speaker cutout and a fingerprint scanner. The dimensions of the case are as follows: height 155 mm, width 77.5 mm and thickness 9.55 mm. Thanks to the slightly rounded edges, the smartphone does not feel thick, although its thickness is almost 1 cm. It weighs 198 grams and feels confident in the hand and better than its 151 gram little brother Moto E4.

The assembly is perfect here, however, like other devices of this brand. The Moto E4 Plus case is disassembled: the back panel is removable. Right below it you will see a battery (non-removable according to the manufacturer's idea), as well as three separate slots for two Nano SIM-cards, as well as for a microSD memory card. The cover can be removed very tightly and snaps into place literally tightly, very good fit of the elements.

Let's go through the location of the main elements. In the E4 Plus, the main speaker has migrated from the back to the bottom; there are 6 round holes under it in the casing. Now the device can be heard normally, no matter which side it lies on. Next to the speaker there is a micro USB port in the center, as well as a spoken microphone.

On the front there is a glass panel with 2.5D rounding, a small recess for the scanner, as well as a speaker on top, a front camera and an LED flash on the sides of the speaker. The left side is empty, and on the right there are two keys: a double volume rocker and a lock / activation button with a branded grooved coating for key recognition. There is a 3.5 mm audio output on top, and on the back is the main camera in a branded glass circle and the Moto logo.

The smartphone is gorgeous to fit in the hand and the weight and dimensions and the feel of the brushed metal are all at their best. The manufacturer managed to create a truly ergonomic case for a smartphone in a relatively inexpensive price segment. We reviewed the Moto E4 Plus in a gray case.

Display and controls

The E4 Plus screen is made using IPS technology without an air gap (On-Cell), it uses an HD matrix with a diagonal of 5.5 inches. The resolution is 1280 × 720 pixels and the pixel density per square inch is 267 ppi. The display is of high quality, it has maximum viewing angles and natural color rendition.

The AnTuTu test shows support for up to 10 simultaneous clicks, the sensor responds quickly enough to touches. Above is a protective glass with a 2.5D rounding and an oleophobic coating. The screen is pleasant to the touch, your finger glides over it quickly without hesitation. In terms of brightness, the maximum level is not high enough to make the phone comfortable to use in the sun. But with the minimum level of backlighting, it is convenient to read from the display in the dark and before going to bed.

The controls in the Moto E4 Plus are the same as in the low-end Moto E4 and any other smartphone from the brand. Three touch-sensitive translucent keys from native Android in the lower dock on the display, or touches and gestures on the fingerprint scanner. What's more convenient is the personal preference of each user. Personally, I liked the control with the fingerprint scanner more, it is fast and there is more usable area on the screen. A screenshot on the Moto E4 Plus is taken by pressing the lock and volume keys down in a standard way, saved in png format and 720p quality.

In the display settings, you can choose the style of displaying colors (normal or bright), set the sleep mode in the range from 15 seconds to 30 minutes, and also select a screen saver. It also offers an option to quickly launch the camera from the lock screen by double-clicking on the activation key.

Processor, memory and performance

The heart of the Moto E4 Plus is the Taiwanese-made MediaTek MT6737 mobile processor. It has a 64-bit architecture, 4 Cortex A53 processing cores with an operating clock frequency of 1.3 GHz and an ARM Mali-T720 GPU with a frequency of 650 MHz. As for this price range, the processor is not bad, the phone copes with most of the tasks assigned to it. We are talking about such undemanding processes as surfing the Internet, casual games, online videos, social networks and instant messengers. By the way, because of the HD display, video in the browser and applications is also played in 720p format.

The E4 Plus offers 3 GB of RAM, while 2.8 GB is available out of the box. After installing most of the popular applications, it still has about 1.6 GB, which is fine. Flash memory in our modification offers 16 gigabytes, but thanks to a separate microSD slot, it can be expanded by an additional 128 GB. The main thing is that there is enough RAM on offer.

For those who want to know more, here's a look at the performance of the Moto E4 Plus in the main benchmarks:

• AnTuTu: 30939 points
• Geekbench 4: 543 single-core, 1574 multi-core
• GFXBench: Manhattan 3.1 - 213 frames (3.4 fps), T-Rex - 597.6 frames (11 fps)

Operating system

One of the main features of the Moto E4 Plus is that this budget phone runs on Android 7.1.1 Nougat operating system. In fact, when you buy a Motorola phone, you get a Nexus with timely system updates and the latest features of native Android. The sample that we visited for review boasts all the features of Android Nougat: multi-window mode, quick links for applications, new settings and a bottom dock with all installed applications.

Because the Moto E4 Plus has a 5.5-inch display, labels are built into 6 rows and 5 columns, rather than the 4 columns on the 5-inch E4. Because of this, the screen real estate is consumed more profitably. The firmware works quickly and responsively, among the interesting pre-installed software is the Moto app (for smartphone control settings) and the Dolby Atmos app for improving the sound quality in headphones.

Interfaces

The smartphone has a standard set of wireless interfaces: Bluetooth 4.2, Wi-Fi 802.11b / g / n (2.4 GHz), as well as an NFC module, which, by the way, is not in the younger version of Moto E4. Above is a 3.5mm audio output, and below is a micro USB port, not Type-C. This connector can charge your phone and connect to your computer, and it also has support for hot plugging third-party devices via USB OTG. The device also supports GPS, A-GPS and GLONASS navigation and FM radio with a headset connected.

Cameras and sample shots

The Moto E4 Plus has two cameras, each with its own separate LED flash, both on the front and back. The main module has a 13MP sensor with dual LED flash. Photos with it turn out to be quite good: the focus knows exactly what you want to shoot, the photo has an evenly distributed quality, without any errors at the edges of the frame. What I liked is that even in a completely dark room, the main camera E4 Plus with flash takes good pictures.

The front camera has a 5MP sensor and a powerful single flash with a bright solid white light. Examples of images taken with this camera can be found below. One thing can be said: according to personal feelings in the older version of the phone, both cameras are noticeably better than in the younger Moto E4.

The application has the ability to select the photo resolution in megapixels, activate HDR mode, smile snapshot, timer and auxiliary grid. There is also 4x digital zoom and the ability to leave a geolocation mark on the photo. The video is recorded in the maximum HD quality of 1280 × 720p 30 fps.

Photos taken with Moto E4 Plus

1 out of 5

During the time that the phone was spent on our review, we managed to drain its battery in 1 day, but it was a very busy day of tests, application installations and tests. So the average user can expect a typical 1.5-2 days of use. For those who value autonomy, we would recommend the Moto E4 Plus, and not its younger version E4 with a 2800 mAh battery.

Pros and cons

The smartphone pleases with its pleasant design, outstanding autonomy, as well as the latest version of the Android operating system. We really like Motorola's policies and their budget Nexus. This model has a good camera, ample 3GB of RAM and a 5.5-inch HD display with good viewing angles. If you prefer contactless payments, the E4 Plus has an NFC interface. The only thing that can scare off the buyer is only 16 GB of internal memory, of which 11 GB is available to the user out of the box. True, this drawback is compensated by the installation of a microSD memory card in the smartphone. As a result, Motorola has a very nice and balanced phone, both inside and out.

Price and where to buy

Moto E4 Plus is already on sale in popular stores in Ukraine and Russia. Its estimated cost is $ 211. For this money, you get a phone with such a package as indicated in our review.