Motorola’s new entry-level smartphone, the Moto E, has finally come to Canada, with the device now available from office supply megastore Staples.
The Moto E will cost $179.62 upfront and carrier unlocked, with customers able to select from either black or white models.
The low-cost device is aimed at users making the switch from basic or feature phones to their first touchscreen smartphone. As such, it’s not heavy on features or frills, but it does offer newbies a simple and surprisingly smooth user experience.
The Moto E has a 4.3-inch qHD IPS display and features a respectable 5MP rear-facing camera (unfortunately, there’s no front-facing option). However, with only 4GB of internal storage – half of which will already be monopolized by pre-installed apps – users might be thankful for the inclusion of a microSD card slot to expand the device's memory by 32GB.
Unlike similar budget devices operating on outdated versions of Android, the Moto E runs on Android's 4.4.2 KitKat operating system and comes with a guaranteed update to Android 4.4.3. Performance-wise, the Moto E features a 1.2GHz, dual-core Snapdragon 200 processor and is powered by a 1980 mAh battery.
While the E is a worthwhile purchase for a first-time user, Motorola’s Moto G is available from most Canadian carriers for $229.99 or less upfront, and offers greater performance and superior specs. Depending on what you’re looking for in a smartphone, you may find the slightly pricier Moto G to be well worth the extra $50.
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