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Review: Moto X Play and Moto 360 Watch

August 7, 2016 by fabfrugalmama

I’m a girl who loves gadgets! Give me a new tech device and I’m in heaven. 

Review: Moto X Play Moto 360

Being both a Mac and Android user, it can be challenging to get new gadgets to work together with my existing technology. But, when I was given the chance to test-drive Motorola’s Moto X Play smartphone and the Moto360 android watch late last year, I jumped at the chance. I reviewed them for my Holiday Gift Guide, outlining my initial thoughts, and I was thrilled with their functionality. You may have even seen my Instagram posts, showing all of the cool ways I’ve been able to customize my Moto360 watch face to match my outfit or my mood.

Review: Moto X Play Moto 360

The Moto 360 is a fashionista’s dream come true: match your watch face to any outfit!

 
But, to me, the real test is how technology performs after you’ve had it for a while. So I thought I’d follow up with another review, outlining the pros and cons of these products, based on daily usage.

Motorola makes it really easy to transfer data from an existing phone to the Moto X Play, right out of the box. I was pleased that it wasn’t a time consuming task, but be prepared to spend some time setting up preferences.

Review: Moto X Play Moto 360

Pros of the Moto X Play and Moto 360

  • Moto X Play is sleek, not-too-big and fits easily in my back pocket
  • Beautiful screen clarity and resolution
  • Takes crisp, high-quality pictures with its 21 MP camera, especially in daylight
  • Camera’s light meter is helpful in low light environments, or for areas where the background is brighter than the foreground (or vice versa)
  • Processor is snappy for the average user
  • Can be upgraded with an external SD card, up to 128GB*
  • Easily connects with Moto 360 (set-up was painless)
  • Moto app (Motorola Assist) makes hands-free and convenience features easy to set up and use
  • Hands-free functionality is wonderful and integrates seamlessly with Moto 360 via Bluetooth
  • Phone/watch integration with apps (especially Google apps) is awesome
  • Motorola Connect makes it easy to customize watch face
  • Moto 360 tracks physical activity – steps, heart rate, etc.
  • Easily access activity stats via Moto Body app
  • Set reminders, take notes and more via speech-to-text functionality on both devices
  • Moto 360 has music playback controls on face
  • Google Maps’ turn-by-turn directions appear on watch (super convenient when driving)
  • Moto 360 can be set up to receive notifications (email, calendar, reminders, etc) so it’s unobtrusive in social settings like restaurants (and your kid’s ballet recital!)
  • Moto 360 has remote camera functionality; set up your Moto X Play anywhere and initiate the shutter via your watch.
  • Battery life is good, and hasn’t decreased even after using it for many months. (Note: I’ve yet to get a 48-hour charge out of it, per the phone’s specs, but I’m an above-average user.)

Cons of the Moto X Play and Moto 360

  • Moto X Play has 16 GB internal storage, which can fill up pretty quickly.

*Adding an SD card to the Moto X Play will increase storage (for things like photos), but unless you want to root your phone (this seems too complicated – and scary – to me), and employ an app like AppMgr III, you won’t be able to move apps to it. Note: you can format your SD card so it’s treated like internal storage, but that might not be your best option.

  • Power users like me (who, for example, do Social Media for a living) might find the Moto X Play gets a bit laggy if there are too many apps installed / in use / open.
  • Video quality is average; zoom clarity is lacking
  • Front (selfie) camera performs below average in low light
  • Camera responsiveness can be slow at times (opening app, capture speed)

Overall, the Moto X Play – a mid-range phone – functions above its class. It’s got lots of premium features, which makes it a great option for those who want a great phone at a great price. And I love the functionality of the Moto 360; it complements the Moto X Play perfectly, taking convenience (and style!) to the next level.

Disclosure: This review is based on my personal experience using the Moto X Play and Moto 360 as my exclusive mobile devices over a period of 8 months. Many thanks to Motorola Canada for furnishing these products for review.

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Filed Under: Lifestyle Tagged With: Android phone, Android smartphone, Android watch, Android wearables, Android wearables review, Moto 360, Moto 360 watch, Moto X Play, Motorola, product reviews, reviews, tech reviews

Comments

  1. Anna Johnson says

    August 15, 2016 at 3:11 pm

    I have wondered about Moto X smartphones, if I should give them a try. I need to get a new smartphone but am not familiar with this or many brands. Your review has certainly given me lots of info and when I go shopping I know what to do! Thank you 🙂

  2. Anthony Langlois says

    August 17, 2016 at 8:51 am

    Thank you for that review. Been curious about the Moto for a while

  3. Steph says

    August 17, 2016 at 1:49 pm

    Love the look of the Moto360 android watch, and I like that you are able to customize it!! I also like how you pointed out that it has decent battery life because that is important as well.

  4. Marilyn Legault says

    August 18, 2016 at 9:58 am

    Love the colour changes.

  5. Nate says

    August 21, 2016 at 6:14 pm

    love the watch

  6. Sheila N. says

    August 21, 2016 at 9:06 pm

    That is so cool that the phone and the watch can interact and that you can operate the camera on the phone via the watch!! I didn’t know that this existed! Thanks for the honest Pros and Cons of the devices too!

  7. Treen Goodwin says

    August 23, 2016 at 3:52 pm

    Great review , love the watch and the Moto sounds awesome as well , thanks for sharing !

  8. Wanda Tracey says

    August 24, 2016 at 12:26 am

    I think the Moto360 android watch looks so beautiful.I like the phone too but don’t really know that much about it.I like that the two can interact though and how the camera operates on the phone via the watch.That’s just awesome!!It was great to read this review of these products. 🙂

    • fabfrugalmama says

      August 25, 2016 at 5:36 pm

      Thanks, Wanda! Glad you like it. There’s a lot of amazing functionality between the two devices. The watch really does make it easier to keep up with notifications and more, without always having my phone in my hands. Both the watch and phone are very cool products!

  9. Karen E Hill says

    August 28, 2016 at 7:43 am

    I have a collection of watches! Love them. This one is different and unique

  10. Krista M says

    August 28, 2016 at 12:53 pm

    The Moto watch is definitely a sleek looking wearable piece of technology. I don’t know much about them so it will be interesting to hear how it fares in day to day life. I do love the various watch faces to match outfits though!

  11. nicolthepickle says

    August 29, 2016 at 6:51 am

    What a pretty watch! So many of them aren’t pretty even though they’re functional. I love the looks of this one.

  12. Yuen C says

    August 31, 2016 at 11:21 pm

    That watch looks so lovely, I want it!

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Welcome!

Fab Frugal Mama

I'm Lisa - a business owner, wife & Mom of two. I no longer contribute to this blog, but hope you enjoy the many articles I have written about my parenting adventures, products I can't live without, my love of The Happy Planner, and how to save a few bucks. It was a fun 10-year ride! 🙂

For the past 12 years, I have worked in the social media and digital space. My passion is working with fellow female business owners to solve their biggest digital challenges and help them thrive online. Interested in working with me? Click here

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