Overall Impressions: An all around solid smartphone that is easy to activate on Verizon Postpaid (via Verizon's website as of late Oct). Good battery life (approx 1 day heavy usage with cell enabled), very good user experience (no UI slowdowns in common usage), and better than expected picture/sound quality.
In an attempt to not recover what other reviewers have mentioned on the display and CPU performance. I will jump straight to the issues that prevented me from buying this sooner: 1) How difficult it would be to activate the E4 on Verizon PostPaid, 2) I/O performance to flash memory (rarely covered but it is as important and sometimes more so than CPU benchmarking), 3) performance when playing back videos, and 4) Emulation of retro gaming systems.
1) There are numerous reviews and questions stating that it was difficult/impossible to get this phone activated on Verizon post paid. As of late october, these issues appear resolved on the Amazon Prime version with ad's. The activiation process requires two steps: the first is to obtain a verizon nano sim card which can be had for free by calling *611 from a Verizon cell phone and asking for a nano sim to be shipped out. The second step is to follow the directions from the Verizon wireless video on activating a new device to an existing line (search google for "Verizon Wireless how to activate device video", this video contains a walkthrough to activate the phone).
No calls to Verizon were required to get this phone activated and there were no special tasks that I needed to perform. Get a sim, follow the online activation process, and your done. With a nano sim this phone can be activated in 5 minutes from your house.
2) I/O performance is something that is often left out of phone reviews, but I tend to find to be the most important factor from a usability standpoint (poor I/O performance results in waiting on apps to load/screens to load/etc). Using the AndroBench I/O benchmarking utility the internal flash memory performance of this unit
Internal memory: E4's Score - (other phones benchmarked with AndroBench)
Sequential Read: 234 MB/sec - (Galaxy S7 233 MB/Sec)
Sequential Write: 42 MB/sec - (Galaxy S6 40 MB/Sec)
Random Read: 31.64 MB/Sec, 8100 IOPS/s 4KB (Galaxy S6 23 MB/Sec, iphone 6S 22 MB/Sec)
Random Write: 24 MB/Sec, 6257 IOPS 4KB (LG G4 6 MB/Sec, S8 3 MB/Sec)
Internal memory read/write performance is phenomenal for this price point. This will not match the new generation of phones launching now (such as the iphone 8 or the next S line of phones), but the performance is way more than expected on this phone. Its clear that Moto did not cheap out on flash chips for this phone. Since you will almost assuredly need an SD card for this phone given that it only has 16 GB of storage, I have also benchmarked writing to an SD card as well (Samsung EVO Select UHS 3, 64GB):
SD Card Speed:
Sequential Read: 81 MB/Sec (rated to 100 MB/sec)
Sequential Write: 37 MB/Sec (rated to 90 MB/Sec),
Random Read: 11 MB/Sec 2930 IOPS
Random Write: 3.55 MB/Sec 908 IOPS.
3) I am always concerned about low end phones with video playback, mainly will video playback actually use hardware decoders and what will the battery life impact be on watching video on the phone. Thankfully hardware decoding of H264 videos seems to work and battery life is not an issue even with live streams. I would expect to be able to get 5-6 hours of this unit with just straight video playback.
4) Retro games up until the N64/PlayStation play perfectly fine. This includes MAME emulation such as NeoGeo MVS. The screens touch display however is not suitable for playing these type of games without a controller. If you plan on playing classic games, save yourself some trouble and buy a controller.
From the manufacturer
Visibly brilliant
With a vibrant 5" HD display and a compact design, this is a phone you’ll want to hold onto.
Make a splash
Never let spills, splashes, or a little rain get in your way. The Moto E uses a water-repellent nanocoating to protect your phone inside and out.
Speed up
Swipe and scroll through your favorite websites, quickly update your Facebook status, or watch streaming video without the wait. The Moto E gets a boost from its Qualcomm Snapdragon quad-core processor and 4G speed.
Expect the best
Run Android 7.1, an updated version of the world’s most popular operating system. Now spending less doesn’t have to mean settling for less.
Smiles everywhere
Never miss a moment with an 8 MP autofocus camera. Plus, take selfies worth sharing using the 5 MP front-facing camera. You’ll get great results even in low light.
Touch and go
Unlocks your phone using just your fingerprint.
The best of Amazon on Android
Effortless access to Amazon
Popular pre-installed Amazon apps allow quick access to your content, order history, wish list, shipment updates, and more.
Prime benefits everywhere you go
A single sign-on experience provides Prime members with instant access to tens of thousands of movies and TV episodes, over one million songs, unlimited photo storage and backup, free 2-day shipping, and more.
Shop more deals
Shop a personalized selection of daily deals right from the home screen using the Amazon Widget.
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.
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| Price | — no data | — no data | — no data | $129.99 | — no data | — no data |
| Display | 5” HD 720p (1280x720), Up to 16 million colors, Lenovo Screen , 2.5D cover glass | 5.5” HD (1280x720),267ppi, GFF, 2.5D cover Glass | 5.2” FHD (1080×1920), 424 PPI, LTPS IPS, Corning Gorilla Glass | 5.5” AMOLED, 1440p Quad HD (2560 x 1440), 535 ppi, Corning Gorilla Glass | 5.2” Full HD 1080p (1920 x 1080), 424 ppi, Corning Gorilla Glass 3 | 5.5" Full HD display, 1080p, 401ppi, Corning Gorilla Glass 3 |
| Main Camera | 8MP | 13MP | 12MP | 13MP | 12MP | 16MP |
| Front Camera | 5MP | 5MP | 16MP | 5MP | 5MP | 5MP |
| Android Version | Android 7.1, Nougat | Android 7.1, Nougat | Android 7.1, Nougat | Android 6.0.1, Marshmallow | Android 7.0, Nougat | Android 6.0.1, Marshmallow |
| Processor / GPU | Quad-core 1.4 GHz , Qualcomm Snapdragon 425, or, Quad-core 1.4 GHz , Qualcomm Snapdragon 427 | Quad-core 1.4 GHz , Qualcomm Snapdragon 427 | Qualcomm Snapdragon 630 processor with 2.2 GHz Octa-core CPU and 650 MHz Adreno 508 GPU | Qualcomm Snapdragon 820 processor with 1.8 GHz Quad-core CPU and Adreno 530 GPU Natural Language Processor, Contextual Computing Processor | Qualcomm Snapdragon 625 processor with 2.0 GHz octa-core CPU and 650 MHz Adreno 506 GPU | Qualcomm Snapdragon 617 (MSM8952) 1.5 GHz octa-core CPU, Adreno 405 with 550 MHz GPU |
| Battery Capacity / Charging | 2800 mAh / Removable / 5W/10W rapid charger | 5000 mAh / Embedded / 10W rapid charger | All-day battery / 3000mAh, Non-removable | Mixed usage up to 30 hours (2600 mAh) / TurboPower for up to 8 hours of power in 15 minutes of charging | All-day battery (3000 mAh) / TurboPower for up to 6 hours of power in 15 minutes of charging | All-day battery (3000 mAh) / TurboPower for up to 6 hours of power in 15 minutes of charging |
| Fingerprint Sensor | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Size / Weight | 144.5 mm x 72 mm x 9.3 mm / 150g | 155 mm x 77.5 mm x 9.55 mm / 181g | 148.35 mm x 73.4mm x 7.99 mm / 163g | 153.3 mm x 75.3 mm x 5.19 mm / 136g | 150.2 mm x 74.0 mm x 7.7-9.7 mm / 155g | 53 mm x 76.6 mm x 7.9-9.8 mm / 155g |
| Networks | GSM, CDMA, WCDMA, TDD, FDD | GSM, CDMA, WCDMA, TDD, FDD | 4G LTE (Cat11 DL, Cat5 UL), CDMA / EVDO Rev A, UMTS / HSPA+, GSM / EDGE, TDD LTE band 38/41 | 4G LTE (Cat 6), UMTS / HSPA+, GSM / EDGE | 4G LTE (Cat 6), CDMA/EVDO Rev A, UMTS/HSPA+, GSM/EDGE | 4G LTE (Cat 4), CDMA / EVDO Rev A, UMTS / HSPA+, GSM / EDGE |
Product information
| Product Dimensions | 5.69 x 2.8 x 0.4 inches |
|---|---|
| Item Weight | 9.6 ounces |
| ASIN | B071YC3G5V |
| Item model number | 01225NAAZN |
| Batteries | 1 Lithium Ion batteries required. (included) |
| Customer Reviews |
4.0 out of 5 stars |
| Best Sellers Rank | #269,429 in Cell Phones & Accessories (See Top 100 in Cell Phones & Accessories) #4,758 in Cell Phones |
| OS | Android 7.1 |
| Wireless communication technologies | Cellular |
| Connectivity technologies | Wi-Fi |
| GPS | Includes GPS navigation |
| Display technology | LED |
| Display resolution | 1280 x 720 pixels |
| Other display features | Wireless |
| Human Interface Input | Touchscreen |
| Scanner Resolution | 1280 x 720 |
| Other camera features | 8.0 |
| Audio Jack | No headphone jack |
| Form Factor | Smartphone |
| Color | Black |
| Whats in the box | Rapid Charger, Quick Start Guide |
| Manufacturer | Motorola |
| Date First Available | October 26, 2020 |
| Memory Storage Capacity | 16 GB |
| Standing screen display size | 5 Inches |
| Ram Memory Installed Size | 2 GB |
| Weight | 9.6 ounces |
Warranty & Support
Product Warranty: For warranty information about this product, please click here. [PDF ]
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Amazon's New and Improved, Inexpensive Moto!
Just received my Motorola Moto E (4th Gen) and I'm impressed with how nice it feels in the hand. Amazon will sell a boatload of these things. The new Moto E4 looks like it had a Moto G5 Plus as a father and a Moto G Play as a mother. The 5 inch size will fit well in anybody's hand and is a good size for a man or woman. This phone is thinner than the G Play and like that model, works on all four major carriers as well as their smaller MVNOs. Verizon beat out Amazon, introducing the Moto E4 a week ago, but that model can only work on the Verizon's CDMA network and only has 4 LTE bands. It is $30 cheaper than the Amazon version, but you lose the flexibility of being able to drop any carrier and go to another. That alone, can save you from having to buy another phone. This phone gives you the flexibility to drop AT&T and go to Verizon or T-mobile. Not very many phones support Univeral Carrier Access! The Moto E4 is powered by a Snapdragon 425 chip that is surprisingly speedy for a low-priced phone. It won't play Asphalt 8 as well as a Samsung S8, but for less resource-intensive games it will be fine! Just for the technically-minded here are 2 popular benchmark scores Geekbench 4 Single Core 649 Multi Core 1819 Antutu v 6.2.7 34947 These scores aren't going to impress a hard-core gamer, but for most people, they're pretty good! The newer 400 and 600 series Qualcomm chips aren't much slower than the 800 series from a couple of years back. This phone takes a nano-sim, so you may need to see your carrier or have a friend trim your micro-sim to use it in this phone! The camera is an 8 MP 1080 P shooter. I took a couple of daylight snaps and they looked quite decent! The 5 MP selfie camera has a flash ...a nice addition. I'll post them to this review later. This Moto model has a micro USB input for charging, not the USB-C type which is on newer, more expensive phones, so you can re-use your older cords and chargers. Here are the available bands: GSM 850/900/1800/1900 MHz WCDMA B1 (2100)/ B2 (1900)/ B4 (1700/2100)/ B5 (850)/ B8 (900)MHz CDMA BC0 (850) BC1 (1900) BC10 (850+) LTE TDD 38/41 FDD Band 1/2/4/5/7/8/12(lower 700 1bc)/13 (upper 700)/17 (lower 700 bc)/25/26/66 The fingerprint sensor works very well and is a great feature at this price point!! This phone like the G4 and G5 Plus Moto models, also features dual-band Wireless N, so you folks with dual-band wireless routers can take advantage of the 5Mhz band, releaving the stress on your overburdened 2.4 Mhz band. This makes for faster app downloads and YouTube and Amazon Prime videos that don't stutter and drop frames! Put that cable TV app on your phone and you have another TV set! I'd recommend the Moto E4 to anyone who wants a quality phone at a low price. It's a better buy than the older Moto G Play, which sells for the same price. It has an even newer version of Android Nougat 7.1.1 (May 1, 2017 security patch) than the Moto G5 Plus. It's a great first smartphone for someone or as a backup to your flagship phone. It's also perfectly suitable to be the daily driver for someone who really doesn't need an expensive phone. Buying this phone, is like buying a Toyota Corolla ...it's not super fancy, like a Lexus, but it gets you where you need to go! I picked up a few accessories when I ordered this phone as well. I got a micro sd card SanDisk Extreme 32GB microSDHC UHS-I Card - SDSQXAF-032G-GN6MA [Newest Version] which I formatted for Internal Memory. It's a faster u3 type which is better to use as internal storage. I've also switched to glass screen protectors, which surprisingly, are easier to install than the matte or clear sheet type are. Moto E4 Screen Protector, Wellci [ 2 Pack ] Tempered Glass Screen Protector for Moto E4 (Ultra Clear) This was one of the few brands available when I bought my phone. The selection may be better now. For a case, I purchased the Moto E4 Case, LONTECT [Heavy Duty] [Shock-Absorption] [Kickstand Feature] Hybrid Dual Layer Armor Defender Case Cover for Moto E4 - Grey I like this style of case as it offers good protection and has a nice stand to use your E4 as a TV or for watching your Amazon Prime and YouTube content. It is available under several brand names! * Please check any case carefully before you buy it. Thanks to Donavon Hornbeck for pointing out that many of the E4 cases are for the International Version, which has the microphone opening above the camera lens and the earphone jack in a different place. Only purchase a case with the microphone opening to the left of the Camera lens for the E4 USA version! I bought the wrong one, but I'll drill a small hole and fix that! Update: 08/01/2017 Last night I was in Walmart, and saw they are selling the Verizon Prepaid version of the Moto E4 for $39.95! For Verizon prepaid customers who need a better phone, it’s an absolute bargain. But please be aware that it’s a locked phone, that only has Verizon’s LTE bands 2,4 and 13, so you can’t use it on AT&T or T-Mobile or smaller MVNOs that buy minutes from them. It lacks a GSM radio! Verizon gives you a hard time if you want to use it on your postpaid account, so be aware of that situation as well! Sprint and its discount daughter Boost, as well as Metro PCS, are now selling the Moto E4 in gold. The drawback is …that it doesn’t have the fingerprint sensor on it, so it’s not such a great deal for $49.95
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