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Interface and reliability
- Comes with the latest version of Android Nougat
- Moto will likely update the E4 with Android O down the line
- The additional software tricks from Moto give it some smarts
When you opt for a budget smartphone, there’s bound to be compromise somewhere. But for the E4, you won’t find any when it comes to the Android Nougat operating system and Moto’s clever batch of software tricks.
Moto is among the best out there in terms of staying up to date with the latest Android software. Not just that, its latest phones keep a clean, Pixel-like interface and if you snag the unlocked versions, it will come with no bloatware whatsoever. However, in the case of our review unit, which arrived courtesy of Verizon, the pre-installed apps consist of My Verizon, VZ Navigator, NFL Mobile, Verizon Cloud and its messaging app. Not too bad, and these can be disabled if you plan on switching carriers.
If you’ve used Nougat before, you’ll find it in full effect here. Visually, it’s not too different from Android Marshmallow, but you’ll reap the benefits of the split window multitasking and enhanced Doze support, which extends battery life intelligently based on your usage patterns.
Where the E4 diverts from other Nougat phones is with its swipe interface, first seen on the Moto G5. Once enabled, the on-screen navigation buttons disappear and are delegated to unique gestures on the fingerprint sensor. Tap to go home, swipe to the right to look at the list of open apps and swipe to the left to go back. Some may not like this over the traditional look, but it yields a bit more screen real estate and works without a hitch in our experience.
Movies, music and gaming
- What its 720p display lacks in quality, it makes up for with a bright, vivid picture
- Viewing angles are surprisingly generous
The Moto E4 is not the best device out there for viewing movies and YouTube videos or playing the latest gaming releases on the Google Play Store.
That’s not an opinion, it’s based off the fact that it features a 720p screen and is backed with a chipset that isn’t about 60 frames per second 3D gaming. However, what it can deliver is totally adequate in most situations and despite its lower-end innards, the overall experience is smooth regardless of your preference.
The 720p display doesn’t gush with detail, though it is impressively colorful and vivid considering its low price. The screen is well-lit and doesn’t become too tough to read in direct sunlight, an area where low-end displays and even some high-end ones tend to falter. Viewing angles are pretty good, too, so if you and a friend are crowding around the five-inch display, you’ll both be able to see what’s playing easily.
Switching over to music, the 3.5mm headphone jack is your expressway to listening bliss. However, it also supports Bluetooth wireless headphones and can play tunes aloud through the single earpiece speaker. That said, the earpiece speaker doesn’t sound too great. Perfect in a pinch, but if you’re listening for the long haul, you’d best find a set of headphones as they aren’t included in the box.
When it comes to gaming on the E4, your experience will vary depending on the games that you enjoy playing. Personally, I get by with a mix of Alto’s Adventure and Punch Quest, which aren’t the most demanding games. I also enjoy Hearthstone, which runs fairly choppy on this device. Sonic Dash, an endless runner, runs well most of the time, but some stylish 3D animations cause a bit of unsightly stuttering. Gaming performance isn’t a deal-breaker, but it’s not the most future-proof device.
Specs and performance
- Marginal improvement over the Moto G4 Play, but feels faster
- Offers microSD support with adoptable storage
- Can play most titles at a reasonable frame rate, but 3D games are hit-and-miss
The Moto E4 sits just below what the Moto G5 contains in terms of specs. Although the G5 isn’t available in the US, the E4 appears to take the place of it with a Snapdragon 425 quad-core chipset. In the UK, the E4 will launch with a Mediatek Helio MT6737 instead.
Launched with a single configuration, this device contains 2GB of RAM that helps to keep things moving at a relatively snappy pace.
In terms of storage, the E4 comes with 16GB by default. Thankfully, that meager offering is offset completely thanks to microSD support that allows for up to 128GB of adoptable storage - storage that you can utilize with app installs, not just multimedia files.
If you’re looking for a performance powerhouse, the E4 isn’t the best option overall. That said, it packs a surprising amount of gusto for the price. Its quad-core processor feels faster on the whole that we saw in last year’s Moto G4 Play and doesn’t encounter hiccups as frequently, even if it’s just a marginal improvement over its Snapdragon 410.
