Motorola Moto E (2015 Version) deals and reviews

Should you buy the Motorola Moto E (2015 Version)?

Motorola have been necessarily aggressive in the way they've priced (and thus, positioned) the Moto E (2015) as the most affordable high-quality smartphone on the market today.

What the Moto E (2015) lacks in camera quality and processor speed, it makes up for in some major, elegant design improvements over last year's version, as well as improved battery life (up to 20% longer lasting than 2014's Moto E), and the inclusion of 4G connectivity, allowing for faster internet access.

The phones that grab all the headlines may well at the higher end of the market, but the affordable smartphone market is well worth considering, with the Moto E (2015) leading the pack in almost all criteria.

Price

The aggressively low price point of the Moto E (2015) is perhaps its most significant feature; it being the thing that has reviewers flocking to it in the first place.

Despite being slightly more expensive than 2014's Moto E, the Moto E (2015) is still cheap enough to be considered a budget phone, and reflects exceptionally good value given the phone's solid build quality and good specifications.

The Verge noted a secondary benefit of choosing this cheaper phone: "The best part about a competent, affordable smartphone like the Moto E? It doesn't control me. I won't worry as much about losing it, or having it stolen, or dropping it on concrete."

Design and casing

The design of the Moto E (2015) is both elegant and comfortable - which might surprise some people given that it's not the slimmest phone on the market, with a width (thickness) of 12.3mm, compared to 7.1mm for the iPhone 6 and 9.61mm for the HTC One M9.

In the words of Engadget, "The big takeaway is that it actually has some style to it." It's not that the Moto E (2015) is the prettiest phone out there, but its solid build quality is complimented by a functional curved design that's simple and ergonomically friendly, as demonstrated by the circular indent on the back of the phone which, many reviewers noted, acts as a natural resting space for your index finger.

The design is customisable, with the plastic band around the phone being able to be swapped out with other coloured bands (sold separately).

Performance

Despite including 1GB of RAM and an Adreno 306 processor (an upgrade on last year's model), the Moto E (2015)'s overall performance is a pain point many reviewers brought up. A generally slow performance was reported on all around, but this was acceptable (or at least not unexpected) for the price of the handset, as Alphr comments: "As soon as you start to run more than three or four apps simultaneously, things do slow down rather noticeably – this is a budget phone, after all."

Some reviewers reported that they received 'challenging' call quality using the Moto E (2015) on certain networks, with reports of calls sounding faint or distant. Others noted a perfectly clear call quality on different networks. Aside from the phone's speakers being relatively quiet, the reviewers couldn't, unfortunately, confirm what was causing the sound issues some experienced.

Camera

The Moto E (2015) is an affordable phone that doesn't feel cheap; that is, until you open up its camera. The 5-megapixel camera has been rightly slated by reviewers, with it being described as everything from 'mediocre' to 'terrible', and in the words of The Verge: "Sure, there are bad cameras all up and down the Android price range, but the Moto E's camera is actual garbage that belongs in an actual garbage bin."

Despite being fine for bright, indoor photos and outdoor daytime shots, the Moto E (2015)'s main camera cannot perform well in low light. This could be a deciding factor for many, with the phone's 0.3-megapixel front-facing camera (unsurprisingly) also being described as particularly poor.

One function that was jumped on by a number of reviewers was the 'Quick Capture' feature, which lets you open the Moto E (2015)'s camera by simply twisting your wrist; even when your phone is locked. Many reviewers found this feature to work well, and Trusted Reviews summed it up as: "The camera has panorama and Burst modes as well as Quick Capture, which opens and switches the camera using a double twisting wrist motion. The features don't improve the camera per se, but they're useful all the same."

Display

The Moto E (2015)'s display is slightly larger than last year's model, 4.5 inches compared to 4.3, though the resolution remains relatively low. However, this is to be reasonably expected for such an affordable phone. The International Business Times commented: "Despite the larger screen size, the actual pixel resolution (960 x 540) has remained the same. This leads to a further reduction in definition and detail on a screen that was merely adequate to begin with."

There were also complaints about the Moto E (2015)'s display being hard to read outdoors, even on overcast days with the phone's screen at full brightness. On the plus side, the screen itself comes fitted with Gorilla Glass 3, making it less prone to damage.

Android OS

Perhaps the most pleasing feature of the Moto E (2015) is that in keeping with previous Moto phones, it comes with an unbloated version of Android 5.0 Lollipop, meaning Motorola won't clutter up your new phone's home screen with a bunch of apps you don't want or need.

Overall, the phone is very usable and good value for the money, though possibly some lower-spec features such as the camera may put off some buyers.

What the critics say (scores are out of 100)

100	Expert Reviews | Katharine Byrne The Motorola Moto E (2015) is a fantastic budget smartphone. It may not have the best camera in the world and the Moto apps could be easier to set up, but with 4G support, a fantastic battery life and Android 5.0, it's a great value handset. Read full review
100	The Gadget Show Motorola has improved on the original Moto E in almost every area, while giving it a little extra style too. While the screen could be better, for its price, the the 2015 Moto E is a solid budget blower that performs well and looks good doing it too. If you're strapped for cash and are in need of a smartphone, the Moto E should be high up on your want list. Read full review
100	PC Pro | Vaughn Highfield If you're looking for a cheap knockabout phone that doesn't compromise heavily on features, the Moto E 2nd Gen is a cracking choice. It's good-looking, compact and well built, and the improved performance and good-quality screen seal the deal. Motorola is onto another winner. Read full review
90	Recombu | Chris Barraclough The Motorola Moto E offers impressive value for money and shaves a whole £50 off the price of the freshly-launched Moto G 4G. For a nippy online experience and satisfying everyday use, the Moto E delivers in spades. Read full review
90	SlashGear | Chris Burns This is a smartphone worth owning. This machine will be more than adequate for whatever basic smartphone needs you may have. Read full review
90	Trusted Reviews | Jon Devo The Moto E can't be beaten for battery life or charm at this price – it's the best all-round budget 4G phone right now. Read full review
83	Engadget | Devindra Hardawar Motorola's new Moto E is a solid improvement over its predecessor, with plenty of features for a low price. But it's also easy to see where Motorola had to sacrifice quality to make it inexpensive. Read full review
82	NotebookCheck | Michael Moser The build and the choice of materials are very good, and would look good in even considerably more expensive smartphones. The plain and stylish design also appealed to us. The internal 8 GB storage is easy to expand for little money via a micro-SD card. (...) The multiple pros outweigh the cons and thus we give a purchase recommendation to everyone who wants as much "bang for the buck" as possible. Read full review
80	Gadgets Now | Ravi Sharma We recommend buying the new Moto E, but if you can wait a few more weeks, stick around for the 4G model, which has a faster processor and offers more long-term operability. Read full review
80	Tom's Guide | Cherlynn Low This follow-up to the original Moto E now supports 4G LTE, sports a front-facing camera for selfies and features a larger display. As with the original, you also get interchangeable shells to help you stand out. Despite some minor drawbacks, this is a great choice for the budget-conscious shopper. Read full review
80	Android Authority | Lanh Nguyen The Moto E (2015) is one of the cheapest smartphones available that offers LTE support. It's not without its issues, as its entry-level nature would suggest, but when considering what it does offer for this price point, this device is definitely a great bargain. Read full review
80	AndroidPit | Robert Zak 4 Don't be fooled by the cutesy look, the Moto E (2015) packs some deceptive power for the price. If you're after a phone that will make you feel on-trend with features like Android Lollipop and 4G, then this is a very good budget option - just don't expect much from the photography. Read full review
80	PC Advisor | Marie Brewis The new Moto E 4G is a worthy upgrade over the original Moto E, with upgrades in every area. It adds 4G LTE connectivity and a front-facing camera, plus performance and storage improvements. It might not be as fast as the grey-market Doogee F1 Turbo Mini, but this Moto E 4G is a much better deal than the EE Kestrel, making it the best budget 4G phone intended for UK sale we've seen. Read full review
80	Mobile Syrup | Daniel Bader The Moto E's negatives are few, and don't undermine the truly superlative nature of this product. As a first smartphone, it is a great choice, but its price affords it the versatility of being used in a number of different configurations. Read full review
80	AnandTech | Brandon Chester Although the Moto E is not a flagship smartphone, it is a very important product in Motorola's portfolio. With much of Android's growth coming from emerging markets, having a solid budget smartphone is a necessity for Android phone manufacturers. Read full review
80	Know Your Mobile | Damien McFerran The Moto G completely redefined the concept of the budget smartphone, providing an experience that most people would have happily paid twice or maybe three times as much for. The Moto E is even cheaper, but in order to shave some cash off the RRP, Motorola has had to cut corners when it comes to screen size, CPU power and camera capability. Read full review
80	TechRadar | James Peckham Motorola has updated one of the best budget handsets of last year with some key features including an overdue selfie snapper and 4G connectivity. The biggest selling feature of the Moto E is its super low price point offering an all round solid package with no glaring problems and a good quality set up. Read full review
80	phoneArena | John V. For the cost and whatnot, the new Moto E has enough value to warrant business in the entry-level market. Motorola's strategy is plainly obvious here, a value-based smartphone that'll attract consumers with its simple looks, mostly stock Android 5.0 Lollipop experience, and the basic features you'd want in a phone – all for a price that won't break the bank. Read full review
76	The Verge | T. C. Sottek I've been ready for a cheap, but competent smartphone - one I don't have to worry about - and I found it in Motorola's new Moto E. Read full review
70	The Indian Express | Debashis Sarkar The Moto E can be a good smartphone for first-time smartphone users and those who wish to have a budget Android Lollipop smartphone. The device is suitable for people whose operations are limited to checking emails, social media, a bit of Internet browsing, light gaming and music. Read full review
70	Forbes | Gordon Kelly The new phone fixes the biggest shortcomings of the original (camera, screen size, 4G option) while improving on the core traits of what made it great (build quality, price tag, stock Android, great battery life)... The one disappointment is the relatively weak brightness of the new Moto E's larger display, but it is unlikely to be a deal breaker and still beats most phones in its price bracket. Read full review
70	Brighthand | Jeff Dunn The Moto E is a competent, capable smartphone for people who don't want to (or can't) break the bank on a mobile device. Read full review
70	Mashable | Raymond Wong The best budget Android smartphone money can buy is now even better with 4G LTE. Although the Moto E is mostly aimed at people who have never owned a smartphone before, I also see it as a great phone for kids or teenagers. Kids live a rougher lifestyle - they play in the dirt, they throw their stuff around - and if they break the new Moto E, it won't cost a fortune to replace. Read full review
70	CNET UK | Nate Ralph The Moto E delivers in enough of the right areas to make it a fantastic option for a tight budget. Read full review
70	NDTV Gadgets | Ershad Kaleebullah If not for the poor cameras and low-resolution screen, we would easily recommend the Moto E (Gen 2) without batting an eyelid. If these factors are very important to you, there are other budget phones such as the two mentioned above to choose from. Read full review
70	International Business Times | Anthony Cuthbertson ...the addition of 4G [compared to the original Moto E] and customisability means that so long as the camera is of not much importance for you then this is a very capable device. Read full review
60	Digital Versus | Sofian Nouira The Moto E 4G is a better deal than the first Moto E was when it came out. The addition of 4G connectivity, a decent chipset, Android 5.0 and a bigger screen with better picture quality all make it a better buy. Unfortunately, there's a lot of competition in this price range. Read full review
50	Australian PC World | Tony Ibrahim A feather in the Moto E's proverbial cap is its support for two SIM cards, with each one operating on a 4G network...Usable photos need to be taken outside...But there is a wide variety of lighting scenarios that will baffle the camera. Pricing it so high puts it in the company of the Moto G, which for $20 more, offers a better design, a richer screen and better cameras. Odds are anyone who buys the 4.5-inch Moto E will have to upgrade it much sooner, too. Read full review
50	Gizmodo UK | Darren Orf Although I may love Motorola's UI, the actual performance of the phone is pretty bad. Crashed apps, buggy interfaces, and pop-up windows basically telling me my phone sucks. The big sell on this device is its LTE speeds, but you'll spend so much time trying to get the hardware to spit out what you want it to do that the speed difference is negligible Read full review

Compare Motorola Moto E (2015 Version) specs side-by-side with other phones COMPARE SPECS

Dimensions & Form	Form factor: Touchscreen bar Dimensions 129.8 x 66.8 x 12.2 mm (5.11 x 2.63 x 0.48 in) Weight: 145 g (5.11 oz)
Screen	Size: 4.5 inches diagonal Resolution: 960 x 540 pixels Screen Density: 245 ppi Screen-to-Body Ratio: 64.4 % Display Type: IPS LCD
Runs
Performance	Chipset: Qualcomm Snapdragon 200 - 3G model / Qualcomm Snapdragon 410 - LTE model CPU: Quad-core 1.2 GHz Cortex-A7 - 3G model / Quad-core 1.2 GHz Cortex-A53 - LTE model GPU: Adreno 302 - 3G model / Adreno 306 - LTE model RAM: 1GB
Camera	Main Camera: 5 megapixels Secondary Camera: 0.3 megapixels
Storage	Built-in Storage: 8GB Expandable Storage: Micro SD
Battery & Charging	Capacity: 2390 mAh Removable Battery: No Wireless Charging: No Quick Charge: None
SIM standard	Nano SIM Compare SIM Only deals
Water & Dust Resistance	Not Available
Fingerprint Reader	None
References & More info	Official website GSMArena specs page

Photos taken with the Motorola Moto E (2015 Version)

We've used Flickr to find a selection of pictures taken by the Motorola Moto E (2015 Version) camera. Here is a selection of photos taken by users from around the world so you can see what kind of picture quality you can expect from real-world use of the Motorola Moto E (2015 Version).

• 
• 
• 

All images shown are used under the rights and terms specified by the Creative Commons.