Review: Motorola Droid X from Verizon

by Steve Ragan - Jul 14 2010, 15:55

Verizon’s newest Motorola-based Android phone hits shelves this week and, like the Motorola Droid before it, the Droid X has some impressive features, including a supersized display. Still, does the Droid X live up to the hype?

There have been plenty of reviews for the Droid X. We held our review back some, because we wanted to know if there was more to the phone than a seriously large display. While there is certainly more to the Droid X than its size, the one thing we cannot deny is that this is one huge smartphone.

It's a large handset, and while that means better touch navigation and better display visibility, that can translate as a bit of a hassle when placing it in a pocket. To be honest, having it in your pocket can take some getting used to and carrying the phone is a little awkward. However, when it comes to touch typing URLs, email, text messages, or Twitter messages, the Droid X’s enlarged sizing affords a painless user experience.

Usage

Using the Droid X is a snap, from setup to reset. We had no problems navigating the menus or functions. The large screen made inputting account details for email and social networking both fast and easy. When it came to surfing the Web, the screen also meant we could click links with ease, zoom less, and enjoy more richly displayed content.

We kept things simple when it came to usage tests. We loaded up various social networking and email accounts, we played music, watched movies, and more. While the large chassis can be awkward, you really can grow accustomed to the generous display. Even playing the paper toss game on the Droid X was more enjoyable than on other devices.

When switching between screens and applications, we noticed that the Droid X seemed faster. Granted, we have no scientific way to measure this, but we’re pretty sure the 1GHz processor and the caching features made all the difference here. The Droid X just moved faster and things loaded quicker, including contacts and email, which can normally get sluggish when you are surfing the Web or streaming multimedia content. There was no noticeable lag when streaming movies or music during our testing.

It isn’t heavy but, as mentioned, the Droid X is bulky. We didn’t have any type of case to test with, but the screen took some abuse and didn’t come away with a single scratch. At the same time, we’re hesitant to suggest that once you get used to carrying it around in a pocket that it is impervious to scratches.

Some little things offer an interesting twist to the Droid X’s presence. For example, the live background images, which move and can be used with music or GPS services, or the integration of contacts from Twitter and Facebook to your contact list for fast access.

However, while Motorola offers a decent set of social networking features on the Droid X, we found it easier to download the official Twitter application and use it alongside Facebook’s Android offering. We don’t advise you do both, stick to one or the other.

Sound and Signal

As mentioned, the cache really helps when streaming music. The speaker on the Droid X offers solid volume, but could stand to offer a little more tone. In terms of call quality, we had no trouble being heard or hearing, thanks in part to the handset's three microphones.

When making calls in and around Indianapolis, we had no issues with coverage, but did notice a significant loss of signal strength when indoors. This is worth a mention, as we didn’t experience an issue like this when testing the Motorola Droid or the Incredible.

When it came to data services, even with no 3G and only a single bar of signal, Web pages loaded in seconds. However, Twitter, for example, needed decent signal strength for consistent updates; expect a slow response from the API without it.

Likewise, the Wi-Fi option for the connection had no problems locating and connecting to the networks we directed it too. When using Wi-Fi, there is an uptick in the speed of page loads, and YouTube videos will start faster. However, there is a battery cost to using Wi-Fi. When the Wi-Fi was active, and the Droid X was under heavy usage, we lost about an hour’s worth of power.

Using the Droid X as a mobile Hotspot offered no problems whatsoever, and the speeds were what you would expect from a 3G modem. However, the Droid X will warm up considerably when the Hotspot feature is used at length. While not an injury risk, we did at least notice the heat the second we held the phone or placed it in a pocket.

Set-up for the Hotspot option was a cinch, and the default is WPA2 security, something that pleases us no end. Moreover, the large buttons made entering complex passwords simple and painless.

 

Browser

The handset's Web browser really offers nothing new on the Droid X. However, later this summer an Over the Air Update to Android 2.2 will push Flash support to the system, which will arrive as a major plus for the browsing platform.

For now, the touch controls to navigate, zoom, or access links are similar to other Android devices, and they work quite well. There were a few times when the zoom function got out of hand and needed some correction, but overall we had no problems surfing the Web.

Camera

Another thing that the Droid X’s large form factor will benefit from is unrelated to the touch screen or Web surfing - it’s the camera.

At 8.0 mega pixels, the Droid X’s 4.3-inch screen allows you to see a clear visual of any shot you're about to take. The dual LED flash helps take some great night shots as well. As a bonus, you can shoot 720p HD video and, if you had the urge, attach the Droid X to a computer or TV thanks to its HDMI port.

When testing the camera, we noticed something right away that seemed odd - namely the images were only 6.0 mega pixels. As it turns out, the default is a 16:9 format so that the whole screen is used. Digging into the options, you have the ability to set the display anywhere from 2.0 to 8.0 mega pixels.

There are scene options too, such as a setting for night shots, sunset, and steady shots. In addition, the camera offers tinting effects and picture modes including panorama, multi-shot, and self portrait.

Some examples are below.

Battery Life

The Droid X’s battery life is serious business.
 
It takes a good deal of effort to kill it from a full charge. The only things that kept the device from putting out a consistent eight hours of operation were the use of Wi-Fi and the Hotspot feature. Otherwise, you can easily get a solid day’s usage on a single charge and not skimp on application usage or talk time.

If you take advantage of the battery life manager offered by the Droid X, you can keep the phone running on a single charge for almost a day and a half, as we did, and that is including near constant usage. It will take some fine-tuning, but the power management is well worth the time spent exploring.  

Conclusion

The Motorola Droid X is a large and impressive device. While it is better than the Eris, and goes toe-to-toe with the Motorola Droid, it seems lacking when compared directly to the Incredible. Taken on its own, the camera, processing power, and battery life on the Droid X makes this a great alternative if you can’t get your hands on the Incredible.

The Motorola Droid X goes on sale tomorrow (July 15). The phone itself will cost $200 USD after a $100 USD mail-in rebate. In addition, you’ll need a monthly talk plan (starting at $39.99 USD) as well as an email and Web plan (starting at $29.99 USD). If you want the Hotspot option, that will run a further $20 USD per month.

As a bonus, Verizon has said that any existing customers with contracts ending this year can upgrade to the Droid X without penalty on the day of release.

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