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The many different stylings of the new Moto X (pictures)

In addition to its 1080p display, 13-megapixel camera, and quad-core processor, the new Moto X has more design options than before.

Lynn La
Lynn La covers mobile reviews and news. She previously wrote for The Sacramento Bee, Macworld and The Global Post.
Lynn La
Motorola Moto X
1 of 19 Josh Miller/CNET

Motorola's Moto X sequel for 2014

Like its predecessor, the Moto X can be customized by users with different colors and materials. But this sequel has a faster processor, a sharper screen, and a better camera. In the US, it's available for $99.99 with a carrier contract and $499.99 without.

Curving off the edge
2 of 19 Josh Miller/CNET

Curving off the edge

Compared to the original, the device looks a whole lot sexier than before. Its trimmings have been upgraded from plastic to metal, and the display curves smoothly over the edges (which is reminiscent of the Google Nexus 4).

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3 of 19 James Martin/CNET

Four natural wood backings

There are only two color options for the front side (black or white), but for the back, you can choose between 17 colors, four types of wood grain, and four leather dyes.

Bigger 1080p display
4 of 19 Sarah Tew/CNET

Bigger 1080p display

The handset’s 5.2-inch OLED screen features Corning Gorilla Glass 3, a 1080p resolution, and 423ppi. It's much sharper than last year’s 720p AMOLED screen, and looks vivid and bright.

Signature M-dimple
5 of 19 Josh Miller/CNET

Signature M-dimple

The signature M-dimple on the rear works well to anchor one's finger while holding the handset.

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6 of 19 James Martin/CNET

Preloaded carrier apps

As an AT&T handset, you will get some preloaded apps from the carrier. There's AT&T Live, a usage manager so you can look over your battery and data consumption, 5GB of free cloud storage through AT&T Locker, and more.

Verizon users will receive My Verizon Mobile, which lets you check your data use and minutes, as well as its storage cloud and caller ID services.

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7 of 19 James Martin/CNET

Moto X for the Big Red

A closer look at the carrier branding for the Verizon model.

Feeling around for the power key
8 of 19 Josh Miller/CNET

Feeling around for the power key

Motorola also tacked on another front-facing speaker grille at the bottom of the display, and textured the power button (which sits on the right edge) with ridges to make it easier to discern by touch.

Curved backing for a comfortable grip
9 of 19 Josh Miller/CNET

Curved backing for a comfortable grip

With its larger display, the phone now measures 5.54 inches tall, 2.85 inches wide, and 0.39 inch thick at its deepest (140.8 x 72.4 x 9.9mm).

Close to pure Android KitKat
10 of 19 Josh Miller/CNET

Close to pure Android KitKat

The Moto X runs a relatively unsullied version of Android and features Android 4.4.4 KitKat. Motorola noted that the phone will be able to update to Android L the moment the new version rolls out.

With a wave of your finger...
11 of 19 Josh Miller/CNET

With a wave of your finger...

The phone has a bevy of convenient software tricks. Moto Display shows any missed notifications you have, even while the phone’s sleeping. Just wave your hand over the screen's front sensors, see what pops up, and if you want more information on a specific notification, tap the individual app icon.

Powerful hardware inside
12 of 19 Josh Miller/CNET

Powerful hardware inside

Inside the device is a 2.5GHz quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 801 processor, 2GB of RAM, and a 2,300mAh battery that has a reported talk time of 17 hours.

Solid camera that can shoot 4K video
13 of 19 Josh Miller/CNET

Solid camera that can shoot 4K video

The device's camera jumped from 10 to 13 megapixels, and can record video in slow motion and in 2,160p ultra HD 4K.

A personal phone that's unique to you
14 of 19 Sarah Tew/CNET

A few nifty camera tools

A few other camera tools features control focus, panoramic shooting, and HDR.

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15 of 19 James Martin/CNET

Flick your wrist to launch the camera

Similar to its predecessor, users can flick their wrists with the device in hand, to launch the camera. Though this isn't the most natural motion, it's pretty effective and useful.

So many choices to choose from
16 of 19 Sarah Tew/CNET

Many choices to choose from

Of course, one of the phone's main draws is the fact that you can customize it through Motorola's Moto Maker website.

Additional design options
17 of 19 Sarah Tew/CNET

Additional design options

Another look at the new leather and wood options.

Sophisticated black leather
18 of 19 Josh Miller/CNET

Sophisticated black leather

One of our review units had a black leather backing, which looked sophisticated and austere. But while the material is unique and staves off fingerprints, it does accumulate small indentations here and there from daily use that you can visibly see.

Flick your wrist to launch the camera
19 of 19 Sarah Tew/CNET

A personal phone that's unique to you

In a sea of black slabs and few color options, the device achieves what no other handset has yet to do: it can look and feel like it truly belongs to you. Click here for more information on Motorola phones.

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