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Motorola Moto E4
Motorola Moto E4
Motorola Moto E4
Motorola Moto E4
...


7.9/10
Informr score
The Motorola Moto E4 currently has an Informr score of 7.9 out of 10. This score is based on our evaluation of 18 sources including reviews from users and the web's most trusted critics.

What's good

  • Price
  • Solid design
  • All-day battery
  • microSD support
  • Android 7.1.1
  • Dual-band Wi-Fi

What's bad

  • Weak camera
  • Limited Moto Action support
  • Limited internal storage
  • Not meant for heavy gaming or multitasking
  • No NFC

The Moto E series is known for offering a respectable entry-level phone experience at rock-bottom prices. However, with the competition growing in the budget market, their latest release—the Motorola Moto E4—has a higher bar to reach than ever.

A great entry-level phone is all about compromise. Does the E4 cut the right corners?

Reviewers have had time to put the new phone through its paces and are sharing their thoughts. Let’s see what they're saying!

Unlike much of the 2017 Moto line-up, the E4 features an all-plastic design. Despite this, reviewers loved how it felt in their hand and mentioned that it looks as good as Motorola’s mid-tier options. Android Police declared, “... When you actually get it in your hand, the Moto E4 feels surprisingly solid.”

Around front the 5-inch 720p LCD screen satisfied most reviewers. Many were quick to point out that the color accuracy is lower than a high-end phone. But the price is lower too. Visibility in bright light and viewing angles—common issues for budget phones—were no problem. Phone Arena summed up opinions well, saying, “... The display isn’t breath-taking but certainly gets the job done.”

Motorola’s choice of processor is where the budget roots of this phone show. It features a 1.4Ghz quad-core Snapdragon 425 chip and 2GB of RAM. Reviewers were quick to point out that heavy gaming isn’t the phone’s strong suit. However, few had problems with daily tasks, such as checking email, streaming videos or using GPS navigation. Even multitasking with Android’s new split-screen feature fared well.

Phone Arena gave a great summary of the phone’s performance, saying, “By no means is this the fastest phone we’ve ever tested—the benchmarks are clear about that—but in everyday usage, light or heavy, you’ll be hard-pressed to find similar performance at this price-point.”

The phone runs Android 7.1.1 Nougat. Reviews indicate that bloatware is minimal. However, with only 10GB of the 16GB of internal storage free fresh from the box, you’ll probably want to take advantage of the microSD slot if you plan to install any games or store media on your phone.

Due to a lack of sensors, the Moto E only includes a few of the Moto Action gesture controls available to other models. You must double-press the power button to launch the camera and there’s no handy double-chop to launch the flashlight.

Speaking of cameras, this was one of the weakest areas in most reviews. The phone includes an 8MP rear camera with autofocus and a front-facing 5MP lens with LED flash.

Reviewers had issues with lens flares and details washing out in bright light. Low light brought a lack of detail, noisy shots and blur. Android Police summed up opinions well, saying, “... The 8MP camera on the Moto E4 is better than other phones in this price range, but it's not a very good camera objectively.”

Fortunately, opinions improved for battery life. The phone includes a 2,800mAh removable battery. Full top offs require nearly two hours of charge time. However, you can swap the battery out for a spare in emergencies—a feature becoming rarer in recent years. Most reviewers had no trouble squeezing a full day of moderate use from a single charge.

Overall, reviewers would recommend the phone with a disclaimer that it’s good for its price.

Business Insider had an excellent summary of the phone in their verdict, saying, “Camera imperfections aside, the Moto E4 makes its inevitable sacrifices in the right places. It doesn't feel cheap, it's strong enough to get by, and its take on Android is light and user-friendly. It's perfectly coherent, and it rarely offends; that in itself is an upgrade from the ultra-cheap phones of years past."


No
OS
OS
No
1.4 GHz
Processor
Processor
1.4 GHz
5"
Screen Size
Screen Size
5"
8+ MP
Camera
Camera
8+ MP
2800 mAh
Battery


What the Critics Are Saying...


The Wirecutter
The Wirecutter

The Moto E4 has great software, acceptable performance, and a fast, accurate fingerprint sensor. It’s a great value.

- Ryan Whitwam, The Wirecutter
Gadgetbyte
Gadgetbyte

To keep the prices low, compromises are inescapable in the budget smartphones. And the Motorola Moto E4 has not broken that streak. However, considering the price, the smartphone has not opted in for middling performance on any major fields. The stock Android, sturdy design, and the inclusion of sna...

- Bivek Khatiwada, Gadgetbyte
TechRadar
TechRadar

The Moto E4 raises the bar for phones hovering around the $100 mark. Complete with a fingerprint sensor, Android Nougat, a swappable battery and reliable performance, this phone gets its kicks by surprising the user at nearly every turn. A must-buy for those on a budget.

- Cameron Faulkner, TechRadar
LaptopMedia
LaptopMedia

Moto E4 brings many improvements compared to its predecessor but at the same time has kept its low price. The device comes with renewed design which although makes its body slightly heavier and with a thicker profile, it certainly gives the feeling of a more elegant model.

- LaptopMedia
Recombu
Recombu

The Moto E4 delivers solid value for money, coming in cheaper than pretty much any other mobile by a well-known manufacturer. Despite that low asking price you still get HD visuals, a neat metal design, dependable battery life and performance that isn’t frustrating, making this a great choice...

- Chris Barraclough, Recombu


Prices (Where to Buy)




Common Questions


We've got you covered! Download a free PDF copy of the Motorola Moto E4 user manual here.


Motorola backs up the Moto E4 with a 1 Year parts & labour warranty.


If your Moto E4 has problems and is still within its warranty period, you could contact Motorola support or the retailer you purchased the phone from. You'll find Motorola's contact information here. If your phone is off warranty and needs repair for a physical problem such as a broken screen or bad battery, you should visit an authorized service centre or a local phone repair shop. You can also connect with others in The Informr Community Forum to find and share answers to questions.




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Quick view

Screen Size
5"

The Motorola Moto E4's screen size is 5 inches with x pixels resolution.

Processor
1.4 GHz

There is a Qualcomm Snapdragon 425 Quad core 1.4 GHz processor (CPU).

OS
No

The phone runs on proprietary operating system firmware.

Camera
8+ MP

You can take photos or capture video with the phone's onboard 8+ MP camera.

There is also a secondary front facing camera with 5+ megapixels resolution.

Storage
16 GB

Internal memory is 16 GB. An external, MicroSD, MicroSDHC, microSDXC (up to 128 GB) expansion slot is available for increased storage capacity.

Battery
2800mAh

The phone is powered by a Lithium-Ion (Li-Ion), 2800 mAh battery. Motorola's performance ratings are 2.2 days standby time.

Moto E4 Specs

Overview
Release Date June 22, 2017
Regions Available USA, Canada, United Kingdom
Operating System No
Processor Qualcomm Snapdragon 425 Quad core 1.4 GHz
Internal Storage 16 GB
RAM 2 GB
Hearing Aid Compatible Yes
TTY/TDD Yes
Noise Cancellation Yes
SAR Head: 1.17 W/kg
Body: 1.19 W/kg
Manufacturer Warranty 1 Year
Accessories Included AC Charger, Manual
Cellular
Networks
GPRS, EDGE, EV-DO, HSUPA, HSPA+, LTE
Mobile / Cellular Data
4G/LTE
Push-to-talk (PTT) No
Wi-Fi Calling Yes
Voice over LTE (VoLTE) Yes
SIM card size
Nano-SIM
variations
Dual SIM No
Connectivity
USB Micro-USB 2.0
USB OTG Support Yes
GPS Type A-GPS
Infrared No
Bluetooth 4.1
Bluetooth Profiles A2DP, AVRCP, OPP/FTP, HFP, HSP
Bluetooth Audio Codecs SBC
Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n
Mobile Hotspot Yes
Memory Expansion Slot Yes
Expansion Slot Info MicroSD, MicroSDHC, microSDXC (up to 128 GB)
NFC Yes
Data Tethering Compatibility Yes
Camera
Main Camera
Resolution / Aperture
8+ Megapixels
Zoom
Yes
Flash
Yes (LED)
Additional Rear Camera Info
Effects, Geotagging, Multi-shot, Panorama, Self-timer, HDR
Video Recording Formats
3GP / 3GPP, H.264 / AVC, MPEG-4, WMV
Video Recording Parameters
Full HD (1920 x 1080 pixels)
Front Camera
Resolution / Aperture
5+ Megapixels
Additional Front Camera Info
Multi-shot, Front camera flash, HDR
Video Recording Parameters
Display / Screen
Type Color
Technology LCD (IPS)
Colors 16.7 million
Resolution x pixels
Pixel Density 294 pixels
Size 5 inches
Secondary Display No
Sensors Ambient Light, Proximity, Motion / Accelerometer, Digital Compass
Multi-Touch Yes
Fingerprint-Resistant Coating No
Additional Display Features Capacitive touch screen, 2.5D glass
Power & Battery
Battery Type Lithium-Ion (Li-Ion)
Battery Capacity 2800 mAh
Removable Battery No
Wireless Charging No
Fast Charging Yes
Video Playback Time Unknown
Internet Use (Wi-Fi) Unknown
Internet Use (Cellular) Unknown
Talk Time Unknown
Standby Time Up to 2.2 days
Mixed Usage
Physical Characteristics
Design Type Bar
Material Aluminium
Colors Iron Gray, Blush Gold, Oxford Blue, Licorice Black, Fine Gold
Dimensions [H x W x D] 14.5 x 7.2 x 0.9 cm (5.7 x 2.8 x 0.4 in)
Weight 150 grams
Water Resistant / Waterproof Water Resistant
Rugged design No
IP Rating No
Headset Jack 3.5mm
External Speakers Yes
Input / Navigation
Sleep / Wake Key Yes
Home Key Yes
Input / Keyboard Type Touchscreen
Navigation Type Touchscreen
External Volume Control Yes
Fingerprint Sensor Yes
More
Additional Information Other Names (AKA): Motorola Moto E (4th Gen)

Variants

- UK variant uses MediaTek MT6737 Quad core 1.3 GHz processor, removable battery, and available in dual SIM.

- US/CA variant doesn't have NFC and is also available with Qualcomm Snapdragon 427 Quad core 1.4 GHz.
Related Links Manual (PDF)
Motorola Moto E4 Reviews
Where to buy Motorola Moto E4
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