To say that Motorola is on a roll would be an understatement. After the tremendous success of the Moto G, the much-acclaimed Moto X and the bold but unconventional online only model, Motorola (now a Lenovo company) is redefining what an entry-level smartphone should look, feel and perform like. Motorola obviously has all the smaller manufacturers worried — the slew of budget launches is proof. The Moto E bears a strong family resemblance to the other devices.
It's an attractive though conventional design with rounded corners, curved back and removable matte finish back cover. In order to get the price down to this level, Motorola has cut a few corners compared to the mid-range Moto G. Primarily, it has a fixed focus 5MP camera, a lower screen resolution, does not have a front camera and skips the USB host functionality. The screen may be low res, but is high quality with good viewing angles and excellent colour Like others in the series, Motorola has chosen to go with stock Android which results in good performance despite the relatively modest specs.
There's still 1GB RAM, which means multitasking is not affected and you can still do gaming and multimedia with ease. It's also got great battery life, 3G support on both SIMs and expandable memory. If the all black look is too boring for you, the back panels can be swapped out for some more interesting colours. The biggest disadvantage with the phone is in the camera department.
Overall, the Moto E ticks all the right boxes for an entry level phone. It's great for a first-time smartphone user and does not feel like it's built to a price. It's also not overtly mentioned, but the device has a water repellent nano coating that should make it resistant to the odd splash of water or rain. In short, the Moto E may not have the best screen, specs or any one standout feature. The most impressive thing about the Moto E is the price & the stunning value it provides.