Review: Motorola Moto X Force Is Breakable but It Won’t Crack
The 5.4-inch display of the Moto X Force is breakable but doesn’t crack so easily.
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We Indians usually have a tendency to break our phones apart and then curse ourselves for the misery. The iPhones and Galaxys of this world claim to be unbreakable, but we know how that works out in the real world.
Motorola claims to have solved the display problem with its Moto X Force. The phone is equipped with a so-called 5-layer display called ‘shatterproof display technology’. Priced at Rs 49,999, the Moto X-Force is an aberrated version of the Moto X-Style which carries its weight on the power of display.
Pros:
- Display does not crack under pressure
- Long battery life
- Decent back camera
Cons:
- Not sure you’d pay Rs 50K for a Motorola phone
- Only the display is unbreakable, be careful with the phone
- Plain Jane looks for a flagship phone
What’s Good?
Motorola Moto X-Force is a flagship-level phone with features that get caramelised with the strength of its display. You get a Quad-HD 2560x1440 pixels resolution that’s a match for the Samsung Galaxy S6 and the Galaxy S6 Edge.
The nylon back cover gives you a comfortable grip that’s missing with most high-end phones these days. We also like that Motorola has streamlined the size of Moto X Force to 5.4 inches, thereby giving you better weight balance.
However, more than anything else, it’s hard to look beyond the shatterproof display on the Moto X Force.
Motorola is giving you a 4-year warranty on the Moto X Force display. The added display protection is superior to what a Corning Gorilla Glass offers. This implies that no matter how hard the Moto X Force falls to the ground, the display will survive the abuse.
We have tried our hands at the Moto X Force and did our best impression of what a user faces in terms of the severity of his/her phone falling. Barring a few scratch marks, we couldn’t break the crust of the display and that’s the most curial part of the Moto X Force.
You really don’t need to test the display’s strength by walking over it even running it under a car. Moto X Force is a dependable phone that won’t break your trust in its first fall.
The 21-megapixel rear camera has been improved from the lackluster days of the Moto X-Style. The camera is quick to focus on the subject and deliver detailed images.
And finally, the mammoth 3760mAh battery of the Moto X Force is understandably more than what the Samsung Galaxy Note 5 or the Apple iPhone 6S can offer. You can use the Moto X Force for a couple of days on medium usage without needing to recharge.
What’s Bad?
The Moto X Force can hold its display end. However, make sure that the phone doesn’t fall facing the edges. Because you run the risk of losing the phone forever, and nobody likes that.
The phone has got a masculine look which may not excite all, especially when you’re paying a premium for it. Motorola, in our opinion, needs to figure out a way to offer durability without compromising on the looks. This would fetch them more buyers than otherwise.
The camera may be an improvement on the Moto X-Style but it’s long way off what a Samsung Galaxy flagship or the Apple iPhone manages to deliver. Imagine if a Motorola phone with its long-standing battery could work its magic with pictures as well?
Motorola has done well in India with its entry-level Moto E and the Moto G series. With a price tag of Rs 49,999, the Moto X Force is a phone that wouldn’t be selling for more than Rs 35,000 without its display tech in force.
Why Buy It?
The Motorola Moto X-Force is revered mostly for its display robustness but there’s more to the phone that makes it a buyable option. You get a 4-year warranty on the display that does break but does not crack. The large battery ensures you can use the Moto X-Force for more than a couple of days with ease.
If that’s all you’ve wanted from a phone, then the Moto X Force is your best bet right now. However, the camera – though usable – is not good enough when pitted against the likes of Galaxy Note 5 or the Apple iPhone 6S.
Buy for the display that’s a tough nut to crack and if you’ve got butterfingers. For the rest, wait till the 5-layer display tech becomes part of the routine for mobile brands.
(At The Quint, we question everything. Play an active role in shaping our journalism by becoming a member today.)