Into the wall or on the floor: Review of the indestructible flagship Moto X Force

In materials dedicated in one form or another to the return of Motorola to the Russian market, it is customary to recall their relationship with the phones of this brand, iconic for the nineties and zeros. Let me make a reservation right away - I never had a Motorola phone: at first I refused a cell phone on principle for many years (such was the teenage rebellion), then I got a Siemens phone, later I switched to Sony Ericsson, and then... Then Motorola slowly went into the shadows, releasing one unsuccessful device after another, and then completely disappeared from Russia. All the adventures are well known to you: first the company was bought by Google for the sake of patents, and after milking Motorola dry, the “good corporation” resold it to Lenovo. The Chinese no longer bought patents, but a brand. More precisely, a sub-brand.

Moto X Force is the flagship of the latest line bearing the Moto name; At Mobile World Congress, new smartphones will be shown, which will be called Lenovo Moto. Yes, Lenovo will pit Moto against its sibling sub-brand VIBE. The Chinese giant produces entities for the sake of a simple and understandable goal: bringing to the market top-end, fashionable devices, where gadgets are often chosen not by a combination of characteristics (which VIBE has excellent), but by name. And Motorola has this very name; slightly forgotten, but Lenovo hopes to recall.

As befits a Motorola device, the X Force has an unusual feature - a screen that is resistant to mechanical damage, allowing you not to worry about possible cracks when dropped. This is the seasoning for the traditional “flagship set” of 2020: a 5.4-inch Quad HD display based on an OLED matrix, a 21-megapixel main camera and a Qualcomm 810 core that supports LTE Cat.6. The only thing missing is a fingerprint scanner and two SIM cards.

⇡#Technical characteristics

Smartphone with shock-resistant screen Motorola Moto X Force: X 1581 - dual-sim version

The Moto X Force smartphone was announced at the end of 2020, but went on general sale only in 2020. It was the first flagship with a screen that is almost impossible to break. I used the word “almost” intentionally, because “if you really want to, you can fly into space.” But in normal use, the smartphone turned out to be a real sturdy smartphone that is not afraid of falls, shocks and harsh operating conditions. This can be confirmed by real owners, of whom quite a few appeared over more than 1.5 years of the device’s production. Moto ShatterShield screen protection technology guarantees protection from cracks and breaks, and a strong metal frame and a back cover made of wear-resistant plastic allow you not to worry about the appearance. And what’s nice is that this is not just an armored car, but a technically up-to-date device with modern characteristics - Quad HD display with a resolution of 2560 x 1440 and an AMOLED matrix, 3 Gb LPDDR4 RAM and 64 Gb of internal memory, 8-core Snapdragon 810 processor (up to 2Ghz). Moto X Force is stuffed with other features - wireless charging, NFC module, TurboPower fast charging technology, dual-band WiFi module, etc. In a word, a real Flamant, although not the newest. Today we are reviewing one of the modifications of the smartphone released for the Chinese market - X 1581

, which differs from the American and European versions - it supports 2 SIM cards.
Detailed technical specifications of the Motorola Moto X 1581 Screen
: AMOLED 5.4″ with Quad HD resolution - 2560 x 1440, pixel density 540 PPI, shock-resistant - protected by ShatterShield technology, has an oleophobic coating.
Processor
: 8-core Snapdragon 810 (4 cores of 1.5 GHz Cortex-A53 and 4 cores of 2.0 GHz Cortex-A57)
Graphics accelerator
: Adreno 430
RAM
: LPDDR4 - 3Gb
Built-in memory
: 64 Gb + ability to install a memory card up to 2 TB.
Camera
: Main - 21MP, f2/0 aperture, phase detection PDAF autofocus, dual LED flash.
Video – the ability to record in Full HD and 4K at 30 frames per second, there is stabilization. Front camera - 5MP, f2/0 aperture, wide-angle lens, 1.4 um pixel size, LED flash. Battery: Li-ion 3760 mAh Network
: 2G - GSM 800/900/1800/1900MHz, CDMA EVDO 800, 3G - WCDMA B1/B2/B5/B8, TD-SCDMA B34/B39 4G - FDD-LTE B1/3/ 7/17/20, TD-LTE B38/B39/B40/41
Wireless interfaces
: NFC, Bluetooth - V4.1, WiFi - Dual Band 2.4Ghz\5Ghz 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, GPS, A -GPS, GLONASS.
Additional features
: TurboPower fast charging, support for Qi and PMA wireless charging, 5-microphone noise reduction system Dimensions: 149.8 x 78 x 9.2 mm
Weight
: 169 g

Equipment

I haven’t seen such huge boxes since the days when phones were still push-button, and their design was striking in its unusualness.
Real old school. Yes, 8-9 years ago, phones were packed in large, colorful boxes, which were then carefully stored on the mezzanine. I still have one from Sony Ericsson, now it's something of a rarity. It opens like a book and we immediately see a smartphone and a box with a charger. There was a shipping film stuck on the smartphone, which immediately went into the bucket.

Under the smartphone you can find an envelope with documentation, and in the box there is a Turbo Power 25 charger.

Learn more about charging your Moto X Force smartphone

The charger is very powerful and can produce a current of 2.95A at 5V and 9V. And at a voltage of 12V it produces 2.15A, the power is 25.8W
. Even the cable was made non-removable, so that the user would not connect “flimsy cables” to charging, which may not withstand high current. The thickness of the charger cable inspires respect.

The manufacturer claims up to 8 hours of operation after 15 minutes of charge (provided that the smartphone is discharged, because at the beginning the battery is charged with maximum current, and as it charges, it drops). Shall we check? Easily. I connect the completely discharged smartphone to Turbo Power and note the time, the clock shows 16:13. At 16:28, that is, after 15 minutes, the indicator already shows 30% charge, which is quite enough for 8 hours of smartphone operation in economy mode. They didn't deceive me. At 16:39 (after 26 minutes) - 50% charge. At 17:03 (after 50 minutes) - 83% charge. At this stage, the current has already dropped noticeably and charging occurs much more slowly than at the beginning. At 17:13 (after 1 hour) - 94% charge. Here you can already consider the battery charged, then just top up at low currents. At 17:30 (after 1 hour 17 minutes) - 98%. At 13:35 - 100%. Total charging time 1 hour 22 minutes

. Considering the rather large battery capacity - 3760 mAh, the result is impressive. I conducted this test with the smartphone turned off; by the way, when using Turbo Power charging, a corresponding message appears.

For the sake of the purity of the experiment, I ran the test again with the smartphone turned on. Start at 10:25. At 10:40 (after 15 minutes) - 30% charge. At 11:12 (after 47 minutes) - 80% charge. At 11:37 (after 59 minutes) - 97% charge. At 11:57 (after 1 hour 19 minutes) - 100%. It turned out even a couple of minutes faster, but I attribute this to an error, perhaps I simply missed these couple of minutes during the first measurement. Bottom line: The smartphone charges very quickly both when turned off and on. The approximate time for a full charge using the standard charger is 1 hour 20 minutes.

Of course, you can use a regular 5V charger, but this significantly increases the charging time. When using a 5V and 1A charger, the process lasted for 4 hours, i.e. this scenario can be used for recharging at night. In addition, the smartphone supports wireless charging in Qi and PMA formats (purchased separately). For leisurely, but more convenient charging, I use a charger from Nillkin, which also doubles as a usb 3.0 hub. It is located on my desktop and when I sit down at the computer, the smartphone goes to the recharge location. What’s convenient is that at any time I can take my smartphone and go about my business without tugging at the wires or torturing the connectors. At night I also usually set it to Qi. Full charge time is about 4.5 hours.

Let's return to the configuration. Documentation for the smartphone in the form of several booklets and a blank warranty card is placed in a small envelope.

For the most part, everything is in Chinese, since the X1581 model was released for the domestic market. But there is information in English, for example about the SAR level. I have no reason to doubt the safety of Motorola devices, but knowledge of specific SAR indicators will not be superfluous. Head SAR - 0.67 W/kg, body SAR 0.562 W/kg. These are very low radiation values ​​for modern smartphones! For reference, in America SAR should not exceed 1.6 W/kg, and in the countries of the European Union no more than 2 W/kg. For example, the SAR of the iPhone 5 is 1.18 W/kg, the iPhone 6 is 0.93 W/kg, and the iPhone 7 is 1.37 W/kg.

In the niche under the phone you can find a small envelope.

This is just a key to remove the SIM card tray. They obviously put a lot of effort into the packaging, but it still brings some moral pleasure.

As a nice bonus, at the bottom of the box I found a branded headset.

Despite its futuristic appearance, its sound did not impress me at all. Music plays in it too flat, the sound is dominated by mid frequencies. The form factor of the earbuds does not allow for good sound insulation. Perhaps the headset simply did not suit my ears, because... if you press them down a little, then high and low frequencies appear in small quantities. In any case, the headset is not too different from those that sell for $5 at various sales. It is only suitable for an undemanding listener, which I do not consider myself to be. By the way, the smartphone sounds decent with a good headset. You can use the included headset for conversations - the microphone is sensitive and located near the sound source.

Appearance. Design.

The MOTO corporate identity is recognizable at first sight.
The smartphone is clearly not similar to similar models that currently litter the shelves of mobile phone stores. But the design is definitely not for everyone. Definitely not female. Even in white, the smartphone looks powerful and brutal. The designers also didn’t worry too much about the size, so it’s difficult to call the X Force compact, but it fits confidently in a man’s hand. Ergonomics are well thought out. On the front part you can see an abundance of sensors; they did not forget to install an event indicator. True, by default it is deactivated and its presence can only be guessed when you turn on the smartphone (it will blink briefly). To activate, you need to download the application from the market and assign which events to react to (Root is required). Somewhat unusual is the fact that the front camera is equipped with its own flash, which, by the way, illuminates the face quite well if you need to take a selfie in low light conditions or when a shadow falls on the face. On the top edge there was a headphone jack and, unexpectedly, a SIM card tray.

The SIM card tray is where the main difference between the X1581 (Chinese version) model and the X1580 (European version) and X1585 (American version) lies. Only the “Chinese” has support for working with two SIM cards

.
The frequencies at which the Internet operates also differ; model 1581 supports the required 4G frequencies
. If desired, one of the SIM cards can be replaced with a memory card; the smartphone supports micro SD cards up to 2 terabytes. But taking into account the fact that 64 Gb of memory is still preferable here, 2 SIM cards look better.

The audio speaker was placed on the front side, under the screen. Physically there is only one, the second one is made for symmetry. The sound is loud and high quality, but not up to par with a boombox. But for watching videos or games, the sound is enough. The front location ensures that you will not cover the speaker when playing or muffle the sound by placing your smartphone on the table. Also at the bottom you can see additional sensors that are used to detect changes in lighting and environmental conditions; the smartphone will automatically show the time when you approach it and fall into the field of view of the sensors. The function is very convenient, because in addition to the time, other important events are also displayed on the waiting screen, such as notifications from managers or missed calls.

The reverse side captivates with its simplicity. The camera lens is recessed into the body, which makes it protected from mechanical damage when dropped and scratches from everyday use. Under the camera there is a dual LED flash with different color temperatures. Just below is a metal logo. It would be better if they attached a fingerprint scanner instead - no matter how many people talk about its uselessness, I do not share this opinion. But what is not there is not there.

Back covers can be purchased separately. This allows you not to worry about their appearance and not to use cases and bumpers, which only thicken the smartphone and spoil the appearance. In addition to color, the lids also differ in material. If you don't like plastic, you can choose a cover made from leather or heavy-duty ballistic nylon. Ali prices vary from 3 to 20 dollars depending on the material (the cheapest is plastic, like the subject)

The control buttons are located on the right side. The lock button has a jagged texture, which makes it easier to find by touch. The volume rocker is located slightly lower. The buttons fit tightly, do not wobble, but have a small stroke.

The left side is clean. The smartphone is not easily soiled, and if the body gets dirty, you can simply wipe it with a sponge. After two weeks of active use without films, cases or other tinsel, the appearance has not changed. It’s possible that dust periodically collects in the area of ​​the speaker, but regular “blowing” solves the problem.

The micro usb connector is placed centrally on the bottom edge.

How are things going inside? For informational purposes, I found information on disassembling the device online. This may be useful for replacing the back cover, battery, etc. In short, the lid is attached with an adhesive backing. Pre-heat it with a hairdryer so that the glue becomes soft and pliable, then use a pick to pry up the lid and gradually remove it, tearing it away from the body. Now you can see the Qi charging coil, which is attached to the plastic spacer.

To get to the battery and other components, you need to unscrew the 17 screws that are located around the perimeter of the case, disconnect the two cables located on the right side, and then simply separate the spacer with Qi and antennas. A pick is also useful here to open the latches.

Well, now you can get to the main components. You can consider the battery. Minimum capacity 3550 mAh, typical - 3760 mAh (13.5Wh/14.3Wh).

If you are interested in a video of the complete disassembly, you can watch it here

Display.

As befits a flagship, it’s gorgeous.
The resolution of 2560 by 1440 does not leave pixels a single chance, in addition, the high resolution allows you to use a smartphone with VR helmets, because with regular Full HD the pixelation in the helmet is quite strong, but with QHD video it is much more pleasant to watch. The screen is protected using ShatterShield technology. The matrix is ​​protected by two layers of durable plastic, each of which has its own touch screen. Next comes a flexible matrix that can bend without damage. And under the matrix there is an aluminum plate that protects the internal components. Here's the diagram.

The Internet is full of videos where they try to break a smartphone and not everyone succeeds. A smartphone is dropped from a bridge onto concrete, thrown against a wall, in general, it is not childish abuse, but the smartphone heroically survives all this without serious consequences. Yes, of course, damage remains on the case, but the screen remains intact, and the smartphone continues to work. In general, I’ll leave only the video that amazed me the most, where a smartphone is lifted using a quadcopter to a height of 275 meters, after which it is dropped from there onto the asphalt...

The AMOLED display traditionally pleases with its contrast and saturation. IPS may offer more natural colors, but AMOLED is more beautiful. Samsung has been using this for a long time, offering such screens in most of its models. AMOLED is richer, brighter and at the same time more economical, because the black color is truly black and it does not consume energy.

Viewing angles are excellent, but when you change the angle, the white fades a little into a bluish tint, which is typical for AMOLED matrices. When the screen is turned off, you can see the outline of the display, an “air gap” is noticeable, this is a payment for the multi-layered protective glass and its impact resistance.

Outdoors, the screen remains readable and the maximum brightness is sufficient.

One of the features of the device is the MOTO display function. In simple words, if you approach your smartphone and enter the field of view of the sensors (they analyze changes in light levels and the movement of an object), the screen will automatically turn on the clock and show missed events. A very convenient feature that allows you to receive some information without even touching your smartphone. In essence, this is an analogue of the Always On Display function, which was first used in the Samsung S7 and LG G5, but there the information is constantly on the display. If desired, Always On Display can also be installed on the X Force; there are many similar applications in the market. Of course, they can only be used on AMOLED displays, which consume very little in this mode. It won’t work on IPS screens; the charge will melt before your eyes.

The last thing worth mentioning in the screen description is the high-quality oleophobic coating. There are practically no grease or fingerprints left on the screen, and your finger glides well over the surface. But even a fairly tattered screen can be quickly cleaned if you just swipe it on a T-shirt a couple of times.

System

Motorola is not a supporter of any modifications to the system; we have an almost pure Android operating system. The Chinese version comes with firmware based on Android 5.1.1. If you wish, you can install the firmware on Android 6.0 via adb; there are detailed instructions on how to do this on 4pda, so I won’t duplicate it here. Moreover, the American version of the smartphone with the index X1585 has already received Android 7.0, so it’s a matter of time when it appears in China. Having tested the stock firmware, I decided to stay on it for now, because it showed itself to be stable, bug-free and energy efficient. In addition, in later versions, some useful MOTO features were cut out of the firmware, which I liked. In general, we have almost pure Android - familiar desktops, folders and menus.

Among the additional functions, I would like to note the moto assistant application, which works with notifications and gestures.

There is contactless payment using NFC (not to be confused with the NFS computer game). Using NFC, you can pay for purchases in a store by simply holding your smartphone close to the terminal. Or pay for the subway. In addition to purchases, the NFC module is needed to use Android Beam - transferring information between smartphones. You place two smartphones close to each other and a context menu appears on the screen with the ability to transfer some file (picture, photo, application, desktop, etc.) or open the desired Internet page - depending on what is currently on the screen your smartphone. NFC is also used for quick pairing with devices (boomboxes, headphones, etc.) and for reading special tags (executing specified scripts). The next utility is wireless charging, which I already wrote about. The smartphone will help you most accurately position it relative to the memory. By the way, in addition to the usual QI standard, another standard is used here - PMA, which is used in the USA. There are other goodies that can be found in the Motorola folder.

You can also find interesting things in the settings, for example, in the screen settings you can set the type of information screen in standby mode, as well as enable the “attentive display” function.

When the “attentive display” function is turned on, the smartphone uses sensors to track the location of your eyes and never blocks the screen if you are looking at it.

In the system you can view information about the processor and a list of installed sensors. This is quite a list...

Performance, synthetic tests.

More detailed information about hardware can be obtained using third-party software, for example Device info HW.
Processor msm 8994 - Snapdragon 810. This is a mid-class processor that has not lost its relevance to this day. In terms of power, it is somewhere between the Snapdragon 820 and Snapdragon 652. This is an eight-core processor with a dual-cluster architecture: 4 powerful cores at 2 GHz and 4 more economical cores at 1.5 GHz. The video accelerator is a powerful Adreno 430. You can also find out from the software that the smartphone uses built-in memory manufactured by Samsung. In Antutu the team scores almost 92,000 points. Not a leader, of course, but the result is decent, especially considering the high screen resolution (2560 x 1440). If there were Full HD here, the result would be even higher.

The Snapdragon 810 is not a very good processor in terms of heating. Few manufacturers were able to curb it, most often it acted as a heating element on cold winter evenings... But apparently Motorola was still able to find an approach to it, because in normal use the smartphone does not heat up at all, and under high loads it becomes slightly warm. The throttling test also showed good results - by running the Antutu benchmark cyclically, I recorded the results, here is the result after 8 runs.

At about 82,000 the result was fixed, that is, under high load we have a drawdown of about 10,000. The loss of performance from throttling is 11% and the smartphone does not heat up like a hellish furnace - the result is decent. In addition, if you look at the details of the test, you will notice that the drawdown occurs mainly in the CPU, where the number of points has decreased from almost 24,000 to 20,000, but in the graph there is an enviable consistency - a stable 32,500. This does not affect use at all , because the “power reserve” is colossal and the smartphone works quickly and without lags under any load. Regarding games, I don’t see any point in going into too much detail because everything I ran worked without lags at high graphics settings, and because of its price, the model is unlikely to claim to be the dream of a schoolboy - a gamer; another legend reigns there - XRN3PRO Other benchmarks, Geekbench 4:

Graphically directed Epic Citadel

Built-in and RAM test

Connection. Internet. Navigation.

I can’t say much about the connection - everything works properly, no problems were noticed during use. The earpiece is very loud, even excessively - I usually set it at about 75% volume, you can even make it quieter in the room. The microphones are a different story - the smartphone uses an active noise reduction system consisting of 5 microphones. During a conversation, this makes you perfectly audible to your interlocutor, even in a noisy place or windy weather. The interlocutor simply hears your voice, without extraneous noise or sounds. The Internet is also without surprises, 3G reception is good, the average speed is about 15 megabits for downloading and 5 for uploading. In places with a weak signal, it switches to Edge without jumping between networks, saving battery. I can’t say anything about 4G, but the list of supported frequencies is impressive, all common frequencies in the CIS are present. WiFi supports dual-band operation, and since when using 5 Ghz, the download speed is higher and the channels are cleaner - I only use it at home. It is a well-known fact that 5 Ghz has less range than 2.4 Ghz, especially the signal drops from obstacles (furniture, walls, etc.). But even taking this into account, my signal is stable and strong in all rooms, even through 3 walls.

The download speed is more than 90 megabits, the stability of the readings was confirmed by many measurements in different places of the apartment.

With navigation, everything is also in order, the first fixation time is 1 second, a full scan and the maximum number of satellites are caught within 20 - 30 seconds. Even in bad weather, I “caught” 18 satellites, 11 of which were in an active connection.

In good weather, the number of satellites exceeds two dozen. I checked the navigation and it's working. The track writes very accurately, leading along the road, without drops or interruptions in connection.

Camera

The main camera uses a 21 megapixel Sony Exmor IMX 230 sensor, which can offer rich, bright images in good resolution, provided there is sufficient lighting. But under difficult shooting conditions, the photos come out mediocre. Frankly speaking, cameras have never been outstanding on Motorola smartphones. This model is no exception. If you don’t expect the quality of DSLR camera images from X Force and soberly evaluate the capabilities, then the photos come out of very good quality and the smartphone can quite adequately capture a beautiful or important moment when there is no digital camera at hand. This sensor is widely used in other mid-priced smartphones such as LeEco Le Max2, Lenovo Vibe x3, Meizu Pro 5, etc. Below are examples. When you click on a photo, it will open in full screen size, but even in this form it is only a photo reduced by 3 times, so if you want to see the originals in full size, you can.

No matter how some people argue about the redundancy of megapixels in modern smartphones, I only partly agree with this. With a large number of megapixels, we get clearer and more detailed photos in a small size. There is only one minus here - the large “weight” of the files - on average 10 MB per photo. But look at the next photo. Click on the picture to open it in a larger size. And if you look closely, you can see the fishing line running from the spinning rod into the water. It seemed surprising to me that the camera was able to capture such a small object, which is difficult to see with the eye :))

Shooting objects from a short distance

Macro photography

Artificial lighting

In a dimly lit room, with flash

To launch the camera, you can quickly turn your smartphone twice, making a movement as if you were accelerating on a motorcycle)) If you do this action in the camera, it will switch to the front one. The camera app is slightly different from the stock one. You can adjust exposure and set the focus point right on the screen. Otherwise, the functions are quite standard: there is a timer, flash, HDR mode and panorama.

If you are used to taking pictures in wide format (16:9), then the image resolution will be 16.1 MP. You can get the maximum image resolution of 21 MP only using the normal mode (3:4). The camera and video can record, and it does it very well. Even when shooting by hand, you can be sure that it will be smooth, because digital stabilization works well. The maximum available video resolution is 4K (2160p) at 30 frames per second. There is also a SloMo mode, although it is limited to HD resolution.

As an example of how the video camera works, I shot a short video in Full HD. The video clearly shows the stabilization work.

Battery. Autonomy.

According to the manufacturer, the 3760 mAh battery should provide up to 48 hours of active operation.
A high screen resolution puts more strain on the processor and graphics, as a result of which the battery runs out faster than its FullHD counterparts, but the more economical type of matrix - AMOLED - to some extent balances this indicator and as a result we get a smartphone with an average operating time. Moreover, the smartphone copes with different tasks with varying degrees of success. The Antutu Battery Tester test can be considered successful - almost 4 hours and 6879 points at maximum screen brightness. The battery test in PC Mark lasted 5 hours 57 minutes, a result similar to another flagship - the Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge.

Let's move on to more realistic tests. Loop playback of the film in HD quality lasted more than 18 hours! Such an incredible result was most likely due to the fact that there are many dark scenes in the film. No, this is not an “adult video”, if that’s what you’re thinking, but just an episode from Game of Thrones

The smartphone's energy consumption is excellent. Overnight, with two SIM cards and Wifi turned on, the battery is consumed by 3 - 4 percent. At the same time, the background operation of applications is not limited, all notifications are received (messengers, social networks, etc.). The next screen demonstrates just this: in the evening I took the smartphone off the charger and went to bed, in the morning it was 96 percent.

Well, a couple of examples of “live” use. Example No. 1: a lot of 3G Internet (Web surfing, applications), WiFi at home (web surfing, social networks), about an hour of calls, just a little games, about 40 minutes of navigation and little things (camera, necessary applications, etc. ). The charge lasted for 1.5 days with screen activity for almost 5 hours.

Example No. 2: active use of 3G + Wifi, camera, music, Web surfing and social networks. Brightness is about 75%, outside I turned it up to 100%. The smartphone also lasted almost 2 days with 5 and a half hours of screen operation.

If used even more actively, the smartphone lives during daylight hours, providing about 6 - 6 and a half hours of screen time, depending on the brightness and amount of Internet. Navigation and mobile Internet consume the most.

Results

Exactly a year ago, a smartphone cost $700, which, even taking into account my sympathy for Motorola, I consider a very large amount. Apparently others thought so too, because apparently the smartphone did not reach the masses. We bought it cheerfully only in America, but we don’t have many owners. Trying to save the situation on the smartphone, they greatly reduced the price + a Chinese version with two SIMs appeared. Gearbest periodically holds flash sales where it can be purchased for $279.99. This makes it very interesting, because there are no others like it that can withstand a fall from 300 meters onto asphalt. The smart phone is really solid, even in the smallest details you can feel the Motorola corporate style. Those who still remember will appreciate it. I will highlight the main points. + Hello Moto + Multi-layer shock-resistant screen coating + bright and colorful AMOLED matrix + Quad HD screen resolution (2560x1440), which is well suited for use with VR helmets. + Original design with front-facing speaker + MOTO display (analogous to always on display) + Stable and bug-free firmware, completely ready to work out of the box. + Large memory capacity 3GB\64Gb + Possibility to change the back cover to leather or heavy-duty (made of ballistic nylon) + Dual-band WiFi + There is an NFC module + Wireless Qi and PMA charging + Fast charging with TurboPower technology (only 1 hour 20 minutes) from standard charging .

— On-screen buttons, I don’t understand them. — Lack of fingerprint scanner

Video version of the review.

The product was provided for writing a review by the store. The review was published in accordance with clause 18 of the Site Rules.

⇡#Appearance and ergonomics

Moto X Force in hand
We have long been accustomed to the fact that in the world of smartphones there is a continuous battle for thinness, lack of frames, general weightlessness, and reducing the distance between the user and the Network. Moto X Force unexpectedly stands out in this regard with its rather thick curved (9.2 mm in the center) body and large frames around the display. This is the downside of enhanced display protection. Large frames allow you not to worry about your smartphone if it falls on a corner or on its side - cracks will not appear from the corner.

And the thickness is due to the use of Moto ShatterShield protected coating - a multi-layer structure that adds an extra millimeter.

Moto X Force, front panel: above the screen – light sensor, earpiece and front camera with flash; under the screen – a mono speaker under the right grille and a block of five (!) conversational microphones under the left

In this case, the smartphone can be dropped from a height of human height (or even higher) without fear of breaking the display glass. I didn’t check it, but I was present during such a check at a press conference dedicated to the return of Moto in Russia - there they threw the X Force as they wanted, including onto a stone, and there were no hints of damage to the screen; the body bends, it’s true, but it will do without cracks and malfunction. At the same time, the model is not waterproof; you cannot swim with it, like with the Moto G, for example. There is only splash protection, you can confidently walk with the X Force in the rain.

Moto X Force, rear panel: in the top center – a block of camera, dual LED flash and a decorative panel with a logo; Bottom: an inconspicuous hole for an additional microphone

Moto X Force is positioned as a device for those who are alien to external effects; the Style model is responsible for the image in the Moto X line. Force, on the other hand, is full of rigor and readiness to perform its duties without failure for several years. Moreover, such stoicism is inherent precisely in the Russian version of the device, which can boast only one (black) color variation - the MOTOmaker service operates in the USA, allowing you to choose a variety of design options. Later, this service will be launched in Russia, but you should not expect a Western abundance of colors and textures.

Moto X Force, bottom: microUSB port

Moto X Force, top edge: 3.5 mm mini-jack and slot for memory card and nanoSIM card

In our case, we are talking about only one texture, but a very original one - the back cover is covered as if with woven carbon fiber. By the way, while processing the photos, I noticed that when I looked at this repeating structure, I felt a little dizzy. I checked - I'm not the only one. Moto's hypnotic effect.

Moto X Force, left side is empty

Moto X Force, right side: the power/lock key is located above the volume key

The smartphone is well balanced in size. Moderately thick, with a curved back cover and a modern 2.5D screen, it fits confidently in the hand. The texture of the lid is not slippery, and the 5.4-inch display seems to me optimal in terms of screen size and ease of use. For me personally, 5.5 inches is the limit for one-handed use of a gadget, and Moto X Force fits within this range. Of course, there are no questions about assembly: nothing plays or creaks.

Among the unusual design and control elements, we note the metal protrusion on the earpiece (decorative), the power and volume keys slightly recessed into the body, which are not immune to accidental presses, and a recess with a corporate logo on the back panel. There is no fingerprint scanner hidden in it, as you might think, this is pure decoration, but your finger fits here comfortably when gripping with one hand.

Design and appearance

Externally, Moto X Force differs from smartphones from other manufacturers. The body is by no means thin, but at the same time it is so streamlined that excess thickness is not felt. The base of the body is made of metal. When dropped, the frame takes the brunt of the impact, protecting the internal components from damage.

The creators claim that Moto X Force is the "world's first smartphone with an unbreakable display." To protect the screen from damage, a technology called Moto ShatterShield is used. According to the creators, a smartphone with such a display can easily survive falls, after which most other smartphones will fail. The company’s specialists worked for more than three years to create the appropriate technology. To improve durability, the screen elements (a flexible AMOLED panel with a dual touch layer and two protective glasses) are mounted on a plate-shaped aluminum chassis. Motorola claims that such a display will be virtually impossible to break.

The back of the device is also interesting. This is a special carbon fiber material that developers call “ballistic nylon.” It really feels like something textile to the touch; through a magnifying glass you can even see some small woven fiber and pores. That is, it’s certainly not just textured plastic, as happens when they try to imitate carbon fiber. Be that as it may, this material is practical. At least there are no fingerprints left on it, and time will tell how durable it is. I liked this coverage.

On the back of the smartphone there is a recess with the company logo placed in it. When you hold the device in your hands, your finger fits into it, which is convenient.

I would also like to note the very high quality of the assembly. During my two-week testing as my main phone, I did not find any creaks in the case or any gaps. It feels like this is a very expensive and well-tailored gadget.

As for the placement of individual elements, almost the entire front part of the device is occupied by a 5.4-inch touch display. Above the display are located: proximity and light sensors, a slot for the earpiece.

The front camera lens and flash are located to the right and left of the voice speaker, respectively. An LED event indicator is also located here.

There are slits under the screen. And one of them hides a speaker for playing calls and music. It provides sufficient volume for calls and system messages; its wavelength is sufficient for watching videos or listening to music. The sound is clear and clearly distinguishable.

Microphones have their own small round holes located on the back of the case. There are as many as five microphones in the device, they are used for active noise reduction. The microphones do their job with a five-star rating. The sound and audibility are excellent.

Along the perimeter of the front side there is a side that slightly protrudes above the protective glass. It protects the screen from scratches. The protective glass has a good quality oleophobic coating. The dirt and dirt are almost invisible.

The control buttons are located on the right side. They are thin and have a barely perceptible small stroke. Unlike most smartphones, the lock and volume control buttons are interchanged here. The lock button is located above the volume keys. At first, I constantly pressed the screen lock instead of the volume. This arrangement seemed inconvenient to me.

On the top edge of the device you can see a 3.5 mm headphone jack, and next to it there is a slot for a nanoSIM-sized SIM card and a microSD memory card. The microUSB connector is located at the bottom end. It supports connecting external devices in USB OTG mode.

On the back of the smartphone there is a main 21 megapixel camera lens with autofocus and dual LED flash. The camera block practically does not protrude from the surface. The area around the lens is made of a metal plate. If something happens, it will take the brunt of the blow and protect the lens.

⇡#Software

Motorola smartphones cannot boast of their own shell for the operating system - Android is not hidden behind a screen, and for many this is an additional plus. The test X Force ran Android 5.1, but devices with Android 6.0 will go on sale. We have already talked about the new version of Google OS. Only a few applications and features of the device can be called specific to Motorola.

First of all, this is the Activity Display - the initial screen, which is activated just by raising your hand to the display (there are proximity sensors on the front panel). Notifications and the player control panel are displayed on this screen. X Force also recognizes various gestures: for example, if you tilt your smartphone twice, the camera application will open, and the flash will turn on with a chopping motion. There is also proprietary voice control – but in general, the idea of ​​​​talking with a smartphone still does not cause much enthusiasm.

To configure all these features, the proprietary Moto application is used. In addition, in it you can create profiles of the “behavior” of the smartphone depending on location: X Force itself will understand when you are at work and when you are at home. Somewhat unnecessary, but nice concern.

There is also a Connect application that allows you to connect various Moto accessories with your smartphone, from watches to an external battery - this will be useful for fans of the brand.

⇡#Display

The Moto X Force really has something to boast about in terms of display. The latest: AMOLED, Quad HD resolution (2560 × 1440). The matrices are supplied by Samsung. It’s impossible to notice pixelation even with a magnifying glass, the image is extremely clear and smooth (540 dpi), and there are no problems with viewing angles either. There is a ten-point multi-touch, the screen is difficult, but recognizes clicks with gloves. There is no air gap between the matrix and the glass, but there is a multilayer ShatterShield coating - but this does not affect the ease of reading information in sunny weather, the display has almost no glare.

But it lacks a little brightness. Maximum - 316 cd/m2, minimum - 23.6 cd/m2. These are fairly typical indicators for OLED displays, because there is no backlight, each pixel glows independently.

On the official Motorola website, the ShatterShield screen is shown next to keys and coins - yes, we understand this pain well! The protective coating should not only protect the display from falls, but also protect it from scratches. But only theoretically - the X Force display collects scuffs and chips like a normal one, don’t expect too much from it in this regard. Yes, it won’t break if dropped, but it’s still better not to carry a smartphone in the same pocket as your keys.

Moto X Force, gamma. Yellow line – X Force indicators, dotted line – reference gamma

Moto X Force, color gamut. Gray triangle – sRGB coverage, white triangle – X Force coverage

Let's return directly to the display characteristics. It is fairly averagely balanced in terms of color rendering. Gamma “floats” a little - 2.27, the average deviation DeltaE is 4.95, which is noticeably weaker than normal. Pay attention to the color gamut: it is noticeably wider than sRGB standards, a common thing for an OLED matrix. But it is often possible to “tweak” it to sRGB, as, for example, on the HTC One A9. Often, but not in the case of X Force - here the color rendering is not adjusted.

Moto X Force, color temperature. Blue line – X Force indicators, dotted line – reference temperature

I am pleased that there is no bias towards cold tones; the average temperature of grayscale is 6700 K, close to normal (6500 K). The depth of black, of course, is conditionally infinite - there is no luminosity at individual points.

The display fully corresponds to its flagship status: not too large, but with the highest resolution, based on an OLED matrix, providing a very contrasting and vibrant picture. Visually, the image, due to several layers of coating, is not perceived as great as, for example, on the same Samsung Galaxy S6 - there is no extreme sharpness and a broken “fourth wall”, as if there was no border between you and the image, which often happens on modern Ultra-high resolution OLED displays. But this is a completely expected and understandable price to pay for “indestructibility.”

Screen on asphalt

The main feature of the Moto X Force is its very, no, very, very durable screen. It's made using ShatterShield technology and is such a clever high-tech sandwich. On its first floor there is an aluminum substrate, a little higher there is a bendable pOLED matrix, even higher there is a double touch layer and at the very top there are two protective panels. All this is necessary so that you don’t have to worry about the safety of the screen even if the device crashes onto the asphalt from a height of human height.

But it’s still not worth trying to do this intentionally. We would be very happy to make a completely indestructible smartphone, but it’s either beauty or the prohibitive thickness and powerful rubber inserts causing inconvenience. But the engineers still had the task of making a beautiful smartphone with a durable screen for a wide audience. According to our internal surveys, approximately every second user in the world has ever broken the screen of their smartphone, so we focused on this element.

So the metal frame can be deformed from impacts, and it’s better not to subject the internal modules to shocks again. Also, do not put the gadget in the same pocket with keys and change. This will not stop it from working, but it will quickly lose its external luster.

By the way, all these protective tricks did not affect the image quality in any way. In this regard, Moto X Force is not inferior to other flagships. The resolution of the 5.5-inch pOLED screen is an impressive 2560x1440 pixels, which gives a density of 540 ppi. The matrix type automatically guarantees excellent black depth, high contrast and wide viewing angles. There is no air gap between the protective panels, so the picture on the Moto X Force display is perfectly readable outdoors under the bright sun.

Another interesting thing is support for the Always On function. Notification icons, time and date are displayed on the screen even in sleep mode. Practice shows that for many users this feature is convenient, while it has almost no effect on energy consumption.

⇡#Hardware and performance

The eldest in its line, Moto X Force does not shine with originality in terms of the choice of hardware platform. The most mainstream: Qualcomm Snapdragon 810 (MSM8994). The same system-on-chip is used to build the Sony Xperia Z5, Google Nexus 6P, HTC One M9, Microsoft Lumia 950 XL, and some other important smartphones of last year. We have talked about the platform itself and its capabilities more than once. Let's repeat the configuration: the energy-saving group here is represented by four ARM Cortex-A53 cores operating at a frequency of 1.5 GHz, the “main” group is represented by four ARM Cortex-A57 cores with a frequency of 2 GHz; 20nm process technology; Adreno 430 graphics subsystem operating at 650 MHz.

So the results are quite expected - in AnTuTu 5.7.1 Moto X Force is neck and neck with its comrades based on the same processor, second only to the most powerful Samsung GALAXY S6 and superior to the LG V10, built on the simpler Snapdragon 808 platform.

Moto X Force, Antutu 6.0.1 benchmark results

In Antutu 6.0, Moto X Force also shows itself well, but so far we have not accumulated a sufficient base of results for this benchmark to give a comparative table.

An unexpected failure in the 3Dmark graphics benchmark - despite the fact that the application, when launched, reports that the task is “too simple” for a smartphone. You shouldn’t rely on these numbers - Moto X Force works more than confidently with all the most resource-intensive applications for Android, including 3D graphics.

Moto X Force – WebXPRT benchmark results

In testing WebXPRT browser performance, the Moto X Force also showed itself to be a great performer - it is not only powerful, but also fast in real-world tasks. 99 points – more than, for example, the Google Nexus 5X, approximately on par with the Samsung Galaxy S6 or Microsoft Lumia 950. You won’t have to worry about your favorite web page taking too long to open, as long as your Internet connection doesn’t let you down .

Moto X Force carries 3 GB of RAM on board - this is enough to work with a Quad HD screen and not experience the slightest discomfort. It also offers 32 GB of flash memory, of which 24 GB is available to the user. If necessary, you can increase the capacity using a microSD memory card up to 2 TB. You won’t have to sacrifice a second SIM card slot – it’s simply not here.

Moto X Force fully meets all modern requirements for an expensive smartphone: its power is enough to not experience problems in any applications for several more years, there is enough memory, the system works extremely smoothly, I did not notice any slowdowns. Very soon, a new generation of flagship smartphones will be shown at MWC 2020, which will outshine the X Force and its peers from the 2015 model year in benchmarks, but in terms of ease of use, the smartphone will remain relevant for a long time.

⇡#Communications and wireless connections

I already wrote above that the Moto X Force uses only one SIM card of the nanoSIM standard. In nature, there is also a dual-SIM modification of X Force, but in Russia, apparently, it will not be available. A nanoSIM slot combined with a microSD slot is located on the top edge of the device. In phone mode, Moto X Force works confidently, no questions arise; The speaker is quite loud, and the unit of five conversational microphones is one of the best on the market.

The smartphone offers the usual set of wireless modules: NFC, Bluetooth 4.1 and Wi-Fi 802.11a/b/g/n/ac. LTE Category 6 is supported with theoretical data rates of up to 300 Mbps. In Russia there will be no problems with LTE, the necessary bands are on the list, especially since the smartphone is now officially certified for Russia.

Navigation works with both GPS and GLONASS satellites. If you want to use Moto X Force as a car navigator, you can do it without much doubt - it searches for satellites quickly (up to 20-25 seconds to navigate 15 satellites) and accurately (correction up to 3 meters).

⇡#Camera

Moto X Force, camera module
The camera installed on the Moto X Force is of high quality: it is a 21-megapixel Sony IMX230 module (1/2.4 inches) with an f/2.0 lens - a modern and serious solution. Moreover, Moto especially notes its proprietary software image processing, which should provide an advantage over smartphones with similar modules.

A proprietary camera application is used, with interesting solutions in terms of ergonomics. There is, for example, no on-screen shutter button - to take a photo, you just need to touch the screen; focusing is carried out either automatically in the place where the device decides, or in a place designated by the user - for this you need to activate a special mode. In it you can set not only the focus, but also the exposure at the same point, and with the ability to quickly set exposure compensation with the same tool. An unusual, but overall quite convenient solution.

Phase autofocus, with 192 sensors, works very quickly, but I wouldn’t say it’s flawlessly accurate. However, it is clear that among modern smartphones, perhaps no one can provide more accurate and faster focusing - the X Force is quite competitive in this regard. But the optical stabilization, which the Samsung Galaxy S6, LG V10, Microsoft Lumia 950, and Huawei Mate 8, for example, can boast of, is sorely lacking in the hero of today’s review. Where the mentioned devices provide a clear and sharp picture, the X Force can be blurry.

The image produced by the Moto X Force camera has pleasant, natural color rendition and decent dynamic range for a smartphone, but is inferior in sharpness to images from the same LG V10, which we use as a reference device for comparing mobile cameras. In general, the X Force camera is suitable for taking acceptable shots in almost any situation - at night you can also get quite decent results with it. But, of course, it will not enter the pantheon of the best - it’s Moto’s vaunted software processing that is inferior to its competitors. Although, I repeat, I liked her work with color.

Moto X Force-cameragallery

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The front camera is 5 megapixels, without autofocus, but with flash. You will get selfies, and even in the dark, the quality is normal. But the front camera can be turned on by shaking the smartphone twice - a bit of Moto magic.

⇡#Autonomous work

One of the most impressive features of the Moto X Force is its battery life. It is equipped with a 14.2 Wh battery (3760 mAh at 3.8 V), which allows the smartphone to “live” for an honest two days under high load - and there is no need to turn on any energy saving modes or forcefully reduce the brightness of the display. This is really great.

Even more impressive is the Moto X Force's performance in our standard test with HD video playback (720p) at maximum brightness, Wi-Fi enabled and updates active. Almost 14 hours! Not a record if we talk about devices specially designed for extremely long operation, like those made by Philips or the Chinese from Oukitel, but among the flagships the X Force looks great.

Let's add that the X Force also supports fast charging out of the box - the included TurboCharger adapter allows you to fully charge the smartphone in 1.5 hours or half-charge in half an hour.

Our review of Moto X Force (XT1580)

The review showed that X Force is a high-quality and balanced flagship smartphone. It will certainly appeal to connoisseurs of good screens, photography enthusiasts, as well as those who are accustomed to intensively using the device. Good sound and large memory capacity will appeal to music lovers. The only thing that might disappoint the Moto X Force (XT1580) is its fast battery drain in gaming mode. But there’s nothing you can do about it: you have to pay for powerful cores. Representatives of the stronger sex should definitely like the smartphone, but girls may find it too “brutal.”