I purchased this phone to send to a relative overseas, but had a chance to test it for a day or so.
Its hard to imagine any other phone at this price delivering a better user experience. The screen is vivid, bright, and quite sharp. The build quality is excellent. The back of the phone has a smooth, grippy feel usually found on more premium phones. The screen size is a little on the small side but has the advantage of being easy to use with one hand. The software and user experience is where this phone really shines. I prefer to use the pure android kitkat OS running on this MOTO E than a top of the lung Samsung or LG phone running a heavily customized skin of android full of carrier bloat apps. This phone handles typical smartphone functions like email, calendar, facebook, social media, and streaming media very smoothly. Google maps and google now ran smoothly. The battery life seemed quite good, but I didn't use it long enough to make a fair assessment.
As mentioned by other reviewers, the only major drawback I find to this phone is the camera. I don't mind the lack of a front facing camera, but the lack of flash and the poor quality of the rear facing camera is what would keep me from using this as my daily phone. If capturing important moments with your phone camera is important to you, the consider paying the $50 or so dollars more to jump up to the Moto G which at least offers a flash.
If you're strapped for cash or don't plan on using the camera frequently, than this is a solid option. However, given that the Moto G can be had for $50 more, I feel that the Moto G offers essentially a no-compromise user experience and would be worth the investment for most users. Either way you spin it, you're still paying a fraction of the cost of a premium handset on contract.
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What is an unlocked phone?An unlocked phone is a device that is not bound to any carrier or plan. It allows you to choose your phone first and your carrier second. Upon selecting a plan, simply insert the carrier's SIM card into the phone and you're ready to go. If you decide you want to change carriers down the road or want to take an international trip, it's as simple as replacing your existing SIM card with a new SIM and activating your new plan. |
What are the benefits of an unlocked phone?Freedom: Choose the carrier with the best service or price. If you find a better deal later, you have the ability to change to a different carrier. Travel: Take your phone internationally and use the carrier of your choice. It's as easy as inserting an active SIM card. Selection: Choose the phone with the features you want, whether or not your carrier sells it, and get more service options without a contract. |
How do I set up my unlocked phone?The first thing you’ll need is a SIM card for your desired carrier. When activated, the SIM card will let your phone connect to your carrier’s network. If you decide to upgrade to a newer unlocked phone in the future, you can easily remove the SIM card from your old phone and put it in your new phone—just make sure you get the right size of SIM card (nano, micro, or standard) for your phone. If you want to use your phone while traveling internationally, you can easily buy a SIM card for a carrier that operates where you’re traveling. As long as it’s activated, you can just swap SIM cards when you arrive at your destination. |
Bang for the buck
After playing with this phone for a while. I can say for certain that this is the best unlocked phone you can buy for $129. I will update the review as I get used to it.For starter, it is fast enough for most daily activities. more on that later...Some specs that most review are missing:Comes with a charging cable and power adapter but they are all one piece i.e., cable is attached to the adapter. If you need to plug it into PC then you need to get your own usb cable. Also on the downside, the adapter has a max rating of 550mA and is made in India which I wasn't expecting. The charger charges a bit slow which might be deliberately done to extend the battery life. I just plugged it into a different adapter and it is charging fast. Build quality of the phone is good and is just like Moto G if you have played around with it. Feels solid and it doesn't feel like the cheap Nokia 520 phone.Giving it 5 star due to its price and feature. If you are going to buy it then know its limitations!
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