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Hands on: Motorola Moto Maxx review: Motorola takes the world by storm

Moto maxx backside
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During an event in Sao Paulo, Motorola has officially announced the Moto Maxx, the international version of the Droid Turbo (which is the exclusive model of US carrier Verizon). We rocketed to Brazil for a hands-on review of the Moto Maxx, and our first impressions were very positive.

Motorola Moto Maxx
Motorola Moto Maxx
Motorola Moto Maxx
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Motorola Moto Maxx design and build quality

Like the Droid Turbo, the Moto Maxx chassis closely resembles the Droid Maxx but has little resemblance to the rest of the Moto line in the Moto G (2014) and Moto X (2014). The handset comes with a textured premium ballistic nylon backing, which is resistant to scratches and scuffs, with a layer of Kevlar fiber, the same material used for bulletproof vests. In addition, the device is also protected inside and out with a water repellent nano coating which makes it spill-resistant, but not waterproof. The Maxx would be able to cope well in about 20 minutes of rain but you wouldn't want to submerge it for long.

Moto maxx left side
The device isn't one of the thinnest, however it's the thinnest with this battery capacity! / © ANDROIDPIT

Motorola’s latest international star also has a really good grip. It is a little heavier than most phones, but in return for this you get amazing battery life. Nonetheless, I still found it to be quite elegant and ergonomic.

Motorola Moto Maxx display

The 5.2-inch display of the Moto Maxx uses Gorilla Glass technology and nothing less than a Quad HD resolution (2,560 x 1,440 pixels), which gives you the incredible density of 565 pixels. It’s definitely the very best on the market when it comes to screens for smartphones. Incidentally, the screen quality is superior to Moto X (2014) and even the Nexus 6.

front moto maxx review
The QHD 5.2-inch display on the Moto Maxx is immaculate / © ANDROIDPIT

Motorola Moto Maxx software

The Moto Maxx includes Android 4.4.4 KitKat right out of the box, and logically will receive the Android 5.0 Lollipop update very soon, which has also been confirmed by Motorola. The software of the Moto Maxx is very similar to that of the entire Moto line, ie, it’s practically stock Android without any extreme changes by the manufacturer. This means that it comes with the same voice services found in the Moto X (2014), as well as many Motorola specific apps, like Moto Assist, Moto Alert, Moto Migrate etc. The latter allows you to migrate your contacts and other data from your previous Android and iOS devices. You could say that the Moto Maxx is powered by the Moto X (2014)!

Motorola Moto Maxx performance

The Moto Maxx comes with one of the most powerful processors on the market, the Snapdragon 805, which is a quad-core processor clocked at 2.7 GHz. In addition, the handset comes with 3 GB of RAM and 64 GB of internal memory. If you take into consideration that the device runs on Android 4.4.4 with a stock Android user interface, without the weight of a manufacturer UI, it’s easy to see how the user experience is very fluid, which I could tell right away. During my one hour test, the Moto Maxx didn’t lag or crash.

Motorola Moto Maxx camera

The back-facing camera comes with a 21 MP sensor, dual-LED flash, is able to record videos in 4K and lets you make collages with the stock camera app. Moreover, it works with the software found in recent releases from Motorola, notably the Moto X (2014), such as Quick Capture and Highlights for videos. In addition, it also includes the wrist flick gesture to launch the camera from the lock screen. The camera sensor on the Moto Maxx is manufactured by Sony and delivers excellent picture quality.

moto maxx camera
The Moto Maxx camera can record videos in 4K! / © ANDROIDPIT

Motorola Moto Maxx battery

A huge wow factor on the Moto Maxx is the battery: 3,900 mAh! According to the manufacturer, the Moto Maxx, as well as the Droid Turbo, promise to deliver up to 40 hours of use without needing to find a charger. In addition, Motorola has been focusing its efforts on charging speed: they can charge up to 6 hours of use in only 15 minutes, thanks to the Motorola Turbo Charger. In Brazil, this charger comes in the Moto Maxx box. The manufacturer claims that this is the most powerful battery among all the smartphones available in the market today.

Moto Maxx release date / Moto Maxx price

The Moto Maxx release date is November 5th in the Brazilian market. The Moto Maxx price is R$2,199.00. The Moto maxx in other markets will begin in mid-November for Mexico and other South American countries. We have yet to hear about the European and UK release dates and price or if the device may make it to the US for use on other carriers.

Motorola Moto Maxx technical specifications

Early Verdict

During the launch event, Motorola's CEO, Rick Osterloh, said the company's strategy is based on two pillars: power and price. This translates into the Moto Maxx. The new smartphone offers QHD resolution, a quad-core processor clocked at 2.7GHz and one of the largest battery capacities on the market at a suggested price of R $2,199.00. During the test, the impression I got is that this is simply an upgraded Moto X with better specs that are worth the higher price. If the Moto X (2014) must be considered Motorola’s flagship device, it’s safe to say the the Moto Maxx is a definite runner up.

So, what did you think of the Moto Maxx? Will it compete with the new Moto X and the Nexus 6?

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Loie Favre

Loie Favre
Editor

Loie Favre found her way to her present passion for Android and smartphone technology after experiencing an epiphany when she held her Galaxy Note 2. From that point onwards, you can find her with her nose buried in countless Android apps and different smartphone models, and thanking her lucky stars that she gets to work at something she loves.

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6 comments
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  • 1
    An Android Oct 18, 2015 Link to comment

    This is the ugliest phone I've seen in a loooong time.


  • 2
    Joseph Aiello Jr. Apr 18, 2015 Link to comment

    Best cell phone I've ever used! Bought it for $700 from Fusion Electronix because AT&T offers the best data plans but doesn't carry this phone yet. Verizon, the only carrier currently offering this phone in the US, are thieves. Their 3GB plan cost $30 more a month than AT&T. Even if Verizon gave me this phone, I'll still save by staying with AT&T, plus it's an unlocked GSM phone which is great for travel.


  • An Droid 14
    An Droid Nov 7, 2014 Link to comment

    This is the ugliest phone I've seen in a loooong time.


    • 1
      Eric Hope Feb 1, 2015 Link to comment

      Looks are subjective, but I suppose it's safe to say that it's certainly not BEAUTIFUL... But, hey - with function like this, who needs looks? This thing will do the job and then some! The only thing missing from this phone is a pair of front-facing stereo speakers that actually sound good! Do a version of this phone with those, and I'm sold (HTC, take note)!


  • An Droid 14
    An Droid Nov 7, 2014 Link to comment

    This is the ugliest phone I've seen in a loooong time.


  • 1
    Carlos Henrique Domingos Nov 5, 2014 Link to comment

    Brazil model: XT1225

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