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Moto X4 has dual cameras, Amazon Alexa and extra smarts

Moto makes another bid to be your Goldilocks phone.

Jessica Dolcourt Senior Director, Commerce & Content Operations
Jessica Dolcourt is a passionate content strategist and veteran leader of CNET coverage. As Senior Director of Commerce & Content Operations, she leads a number of teams, including Commerce, How-To and Performance Optimization. Her CNET career began in 2006, testing desktop and mobile software for Download.com and CNET, including the first iPhone and Android apps and operating systems. She continued to review, report on and write a wide range of commentary and analysis on all things phones, with an emphasis on iPhone and Samsung. Jessica was one of the first people in the world to test, review and report on foldable phones and 5G wireless speeds. Jessica began leading CNET's How-To section for tips and FAQs in 2019, guiding coverage of topics ranging from personal finance to phones and home. She holds an MA with Distinction from the University of Warwick (UK).
Expertise Content strategy, team leadership, audience engagement, iPhone, Samsung, Android, iOS, tips and FAQs.
Kent German Former senior managing editor / features
Kent was a senior managing editor at CNET News. A veteran of CNET since 2003, he reviewed the first iPhone and worked in both the London and San Francisco offices. When not working, he's planning his next vacation, walking his dog or watching planes land at the airport (yes, really).
Jessica Dolcourt
Kent German
3 min read

Motorola wants the Moto X4 to be your Goldilocks phone: not too big or small, not too cheap or expensive, not too fancy or entry-level.

With two rear cameras, Amazon's Alexa voice assistant on board, and a 5.2-inch screen, Moto is once again reaching to make its Moto X line "just right."

On paper at least, the Moto X4 has a list of hardware features that skew a little higher-end than you'd expect for a midrange device: those two rear cameras (12 and 8 megapixels, respectively), a 16-megapixel selfie camera with its own flash and a 3,000mAh battery. You can pop in a microSD card. The shiny skin is water-resistant, which you don't find too often on midprice phones. You'll be able to get it in two colors: super black or sterling blue. Both colors look great -- the X4 doesn't feel flimsy or cheap.

Although the Moto X4 has a middle-of-the-road processor, it also has a fingerprint reader that supports NFC, which means you can use it to buy goods through Android Pay.

Motorola's glossy Moto X4 shines bright

See all photos

The Moto X4 will sell for 399 euros in September, arriving in other markets in the coming months, including the UK. That converts to roughly to £370 or AU$600. (Actual prices in those locales are still to come.) In the US, Google will sell the phone for $399 under its Android One and Project Fi initiatives. 

See full specs in the chart below.

Software smarts

For fans of other Moto phones, the clever software features might also jump out at you. 

Amazon Alexa

This will be the first Motorola phone to get Amazon's Alexa voice app, which turns the Moto X4 into a voice-triggered remote for thousands of Alexa skills. (Though it can't do absolutely everything your Amazon Echo can do.)

You'll be able to launch Alexa from the lock screen, using only the "Alexa" wake word. Alexa on the Moto X4 will arrive to users in US, UK and Germany for now, but will branch out to other countries as Amazon makes Alexa more widely available.

Yes, the Moto X4 has Google Assistant, too.

motorola-moto-x4-ifa-14

You can connect the X4 to up to four Bluetooth devices and control the volume of each device from the phone's Settings menu.

Kent German/CNET

Better Bluetooth

The X4's other noteworthy feature is the ability to connect to four audio devices (like  Bluetooth speakers  or headsets) and stream music in sync. It comes through a software overlay from a French startup called Tempow. Though Bluetooth's standard 30-foot (10-meter) limitation still applies, you'll be able to listen to tunes with a friend over two pair of headphones or create a wireless stereo system in your home with multiple speakers. It's a cool and promising feature that Tempow is working to extend to more than just music.

Software of Moto's own

The Moto X4 will also come with Motorola's signature software, some of it new this year and some brand new to the phone.

You'll be able to:

  • Open apps by saying "Show me…" For instance, "Show me the weather," or "Show me Facebook."
  • Remember passwords with Moto Key, which you activate with your fingerprint.
  • You can enter your user ID and password for Amazon and so on with Moto Key.
  • Moto Key can unlock your PC using Bluetooth. (Not Macs yet, but they're working on it.)

Motorola on a roll

This Moto X4 is the eighth new phone that Motorola's announced this year, including the premium Moto Z2 Force with its snap-on Mods, and the budget G5 Plus, which was good enough to win CNET's Editor's Choice award.

Moto X4 specs versus Moto Z2 Play, OnePlus 5, Huawei Honor 9


Motorola Moto X4Motorola Moto Z2 PlayOnePlus 5Huawei Honor 9
Display size, resolution 5.2-inch; 1,920x1,080 pixels5.5-inch; 1,920x1,080 pixels5.5-inch; 1,920x1,080 pixels5.15-inch; 1,920x1,080 pixels
Pixel density 424ppi401ppi401ppi428 ppi
Dimensions (Inches) 5.8x2.9x0.31 in.6.1x3x0.23 in.6.1x2.92x0.29 in.5.8x2.8x0.3 in.
Dimensions (Millimeters) 148.4x73.4x8mm156x76x6mm154.2x74.1x7.3mm147.3x71x7.5mm
Weight (Ounces, Grams) 5.7 oz; 163g5.1 oz; 145g5.4 oz; 153 g5.5 oz; 155g
Mobile software Android 7.1.1 NougatAndroid 7.1.1 NougatAndroid 7.1.1 NougatAndroid Nougat
Camera Dual 12-megapixel, 8-megapixel12-megapixel16-megapixel standard, 20-megapixel telephoto12-megapixel, 20-megapixel monochrome
Front-facing camera 16-megapixel5-megapixel16-megapixel8-megapixel
Video capture 4K4K4K2160p
Processor 2.2GHz octa-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 6302.2 GHz octa-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 6262.45GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon 835Huawei Kirin 960, octa-core (4x2.4 GHz+4x1.8 GHz)
Storage 32GB, 64GB32GB, 64GB64GB, 128GB64GB
RAM 3GB or 4GB3GB or 4GB (varies by region)6GB, 8GB4GB or 6GB (varies by region)
Expandable storage Up to 2TBUp to 2TBNoneUp to 256GB
Battery 3,000mAh3,000mAh3,300mAh3,200mAh
Fingerprint sensor Beneath screenBeneath screenHome buttonBack
Connector USB-CUSB-CUSB-CUSB-C
Special features Water-resistant, selfie-flashWater-repellentPortrait mode, notifications toggle, dual-SIM, Dash ChargingDual-camera, dual-SIM (varies by region)
Price off-contract (USD) $399 (Google)$499 (Motorola.com)$479 (64GB), $539 (128GB)Converts to $400
Price (GBP) Converts to £370Converts to £390£449 (64GB), £499 (128GB)Converts to £315
Price (AUD) Converts to AU$600Converts to $AU670Converts to AU$635 (64GB), AU$715 (128GB) Converts to AU$525