Motorola Moto E Unboxing

After weeks of rumors and leaks, the Motorola Moto E is finally here and boy has is made a splash. Motorola has priced the Moto E at just Rs. 6999, which is to say beats the competition and dusts away their remains. The Moto E is a budget phone given the price and comes with a 4.3-inch qHD display with Corning Gorilla Glass 3 protection, water resistant coating, powered by a Snapdragon 200 dual-core processor with 1 GB RAM running Android 4.4.2 KitKat. Motorola is not shying away anymore from the emerging markets, the company has promised the next Android update for the Moto E as well. Given these specs, update possibility with 1 GB RAM no-less and a decent processor, the Moto E is all set to become the budget king. But before that let's have a look at at our Unboxing of the Moto E.

Unboxing Video

In the Box

Just like the Moto G you get a white wired headset, a wired wall charger as well as usual documentation inside the box.

Box Contents

• Moto E Dual SIM XT1022
• White Headset
• Wired Wall Charger
• Warranty, Getting Started and User Guides

These definitely are steps to cut down the price, and we are more than happy to get such a good phone sans any non-essential accessories.

Hardware Overview

The Moto E Dual SIM XT1022 is powered by the 1.2 GHz dual-core Snapdragon 200 MSM8210 chipset with Adreno 302 GPU and 1 GB RAM running Android 4.4.2 KitKat with a promise of update to the next Android version. Then you have a scratch resistant 4.3-inch qHD (540x960 pixels, 256 PPI) display which also has a water resistant coating on it. there's a 1980 mAh battery which powers the Moto E and according to the company it can last full 24 hours with mixed usage.

There's 4 GB of internal storage which is expandable upto 32 GB using a microSD card slot. The Moto E is a Dual-SIM phone which uses two microSIM card slots. You have 3G connectivity available on the phone alongwith WiFi, Bluetooth 4.0, GPS and FM Radio.

There's a 5 MP camera at the back of the Moto G without LED flash and there's no front-facing camera. You also have Proximity and Light sensors alongwith an accelerometer.

Build

The Moto E is built quite like the Moto G in overall appearance. But at first glance you will see the main difference. Moto E has the speaker in the front just below the 4.3-inch qHD display. At the top of the display you have the proximity and light sensors alongwith the main earpiece. The entire front-panel is covered in Gorilla Glass 3 layer for scratch resistance and Motorola has also thrown in a water resistant coating to prevent the phone from getting damaged in case of water splashes. The display has excellent viewing angles, and even though its qHD resolution the smaller size gives it a pixel density of 256 PPI making icons and text look sharp. The colors on the display look rather rich and full-toned given that this is a budget offering.

The left of the device is barren, but you can see the dual-tone finish just like the Moto G and Moto X with the top part being glossy while the bottom half is matte. On the right you have both the volume rocker and the power lock/unlock button which although sturdy are a bit difficult to press.

At the top you have the 3.5mm audio jack as well as a secondary noise cancellation microphone while at the bottom you can find the microUSB data-syncing/charging port.

Moving to the back, you are at once reminded of its elder sibling with a curved back which fits perfectly in your palms. You have the 5 MP camera sans flash right up top and just below it is the famous Motorola dimple which has become an ergonomic success as well as an insignia for Motorola. There's no speaker-grill since it has been moved to the front.

On removing the backcover, you are greeted to the 1980 mAh non-removable Li-Ion battery. You have the two microSIM card slots to its right alongwith the microSD card slot just below them in a line. No moving parts inside, just the way it should be.

Moto E has exceptional build quality, and not just for the price. Its solid build will be the envy of even several mid-range devices from Tier 1 companies. But it feels a bit heavy, but that's probably due to the larger battery and a more dense construction.

First Impressions

The Moto E is in every way the best budget smartphone you can buy right now, I understand its a bit premature to declare it the winner right away. But that's exactly what you feel when you hold the device in your hand. Its sturdy, there's no creaking and it gives that solid feel which makes you believe that if would easily sustain through years of usage. The display looks vibrant and has excellent viewing angles.

Yes, you might miss the front-facing camera or the LED flash. But if truth be told, most front-facing cameras as well as flash in this price segment are utterly useless barring no exceptions. The Moto E is available for just Rs. 6999, with features Corning Gorilla Glass Protection, Android 4.4.2 KitKat with promise of future updates, a speedy processor, 1 GB RAM, replaceable backpanels and a whole lot more. With such features my previous statement seems more like prediction than an opinion.

Unboxing Image Gallery