NEWS
NEWS
NEWS
New kid on the block: Unlocked Huawei GX8 vs. LG Nexus 5X vs. Moto X Pure vs. LG G4
U.S. consumers in the market for an affordable, unlocked Android phablet now have one more handset to pick from. Earlier this week the 5.5-inch Huawei GX8, from Chinese smartphone maker Huawei Technologies Co. Ltd., went on sale through GetHuawei.com, BestBuy.com, select Best Buy stores, Amazon.com and Newegg for $349.99 unlocked.
Unveiled at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas in January, the Huawei GX8 sports a curved design and an all-metal aluminum body in Horizon Gold, Space Grey and Mystic Champagne color options.
The 5.5-inch, 1920 x 1080 Full HD display features a 2.5D cambered surface, protecting it from scratches and giving it a gently curved appearance.
Like some handsets in this class, the Huawei GX8 has NFC connectivity to enable mobile payments and a fingerprint sensor to secure both payments and the device.
The Huawei GX8 faces stiff competition in the mid-range, unlocked Android phablet market from the likes of the Google Nexus 5X (manufactured by LG Electronics Inc.), the Moto X Style (Pure Edition) and the LG G4.
Technically, there’s not much between these handsets.
Huawei GX8 vs. LG Nexus 5X vs. Moto X Pure vs. LG G4: Tech specs
|
Huawei GX8 |
Google (LG) Nexus 5X | Moto X Style (Pure Edition) |
LG G4 |
|
|
Display |
Size: 5.5 inches Type: TFT display Resolution: 1920 × 1080 (Full HD), 401 ppi |
Size: 5.2 inches Type: IPS LCD capacitive touchscreen Resolution: 1080 x 1920 pixels, 423 ppi | Size: 5.7 inches Type: IPS LCD capacitive touchscreen Resolution: 1440 x 2560 pixels, 520 ppi
|
Size: 5.5 inches Type: IPS LCD capacitive touchscreen Resolution: 1440 x 2560 pixels, 538 ppi
|
|
Operating System |
Android 5.1 (Lollipop) + EMUI 3.1 |
Android 6.0 (Marshmallow) | Android 5.1.1 (Lollipop) |
Android 5.1 (Lollipop) + LG Optimus UX 4.0 UI |
|
Processor |
Qualcomm MSM8939 Snapdragon 615, Quad-core 1.5 GHz Cortex-A53 & quad-core 1.2 GHz Cortex-A53, Adreno 405 GPU |
Qualcomm MSM8992 Snapdragon 808, Quad-core 1.44 GHz Cortex-A53 & dual-core 1.82 GHz Cortex-A57, Adreno 418 GPU | Qualcomm MSM8992 Snapdragon 808, Dual-core 1.8 GHz Cortex-A57 & quad-core 1.44 GHz Cortex-A53, Adreno 418 GPU | Qualcomm MSM8992 Snapdragon 808, Quad-core 1.44 GHz Cortex-A53 & dual-core 1.82 GHz Cortex-A57, Adreno 418 GPU |
|
Memory |
16GB, 2 GB RAM |
16/32 GB, 2 GB RAM |
16/32/64 GB, 3 GB RAM |
32 GB, 3 GB RAM |
|
SD Card Slot |
microSD, up to 128GB | No | microSD, up to 128 GB |
microSD, up to 2 TB |
|
Cameras |
Primary: 13 MP, f/2.0, 28mm, autofocus, OIS, dual-LED (dual tone) flash Features: Geo-tagging, touch focus, face/smile detection, panorama, HDR Video: 1080p@30fps Secondary: 5 MP, f/2.4, 22mm |
Primary: 12.3 MP, f/2.0, laser autofocus, dual-LED (dual tone) flash
Features: 1/2.3′ sensor size, 1.55µm pixel size, geo-tagging, touch focus, face detection, HDR, panorama Video: 2160p@30fps, 1080p@30fps, 720p@120fps, HDR Secondary: 5 MP, f/2.0, HDR |
Primary: 21 MP, f/2.0, 27 mm, phase detection autofocus, dual-LED (dual tone) flash
Features: 1/2.4′ sensor size, 1.1 µm pixel size, geo-tagging, touch focus, face detection, panorama, auto-HDR Video: 2160p@30fps, 1080p@30fps, HDR Secondary: 5 MP, f/2.0, 1.4 µm pixel size, LED flash, 1080p@30fps |
Primary: 16 MP, f/1.8, 28 mm, laser autofocus, OIS, LED flash
Features: 1/2.6″ sensor size, 1.12 µm pixel size, geo-tagging, touch focus, face/smile detection, panorama, HDR Video: 2160p@30fps, 1080p@60fps, HDR, stereo sound rec. Secondary: 8 MP, f/2.0, 1080p@30fps |
|
Battery |
Non-removable 3000 mAh battery | Non-removable Li-Po 2700 mAh battery | Non-removable 3000 mAh battery |
Removable Li-Ion 3000 mAh battery |
|
Dimensions & Weight |
152 x 76.5 x 7.5 mm; 167 g |
147 x 72.6 x 7.9 mm; 136 g | 153.9 x 76.2 x 11.1 mm, 179 g | 148.9 x 76.1 x 6.3 – 9.8 mm, 155 g |
|
Connectivity |
Bluetooth 4.0 ; Wi-Fi 802.11b/g/n, 2.4G ; MicroUSB 2.0 high speed | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, dual-band, Wi-Fi Direct, DLNA, hotspot, Bluetooth v4.2, USB v2.0, USB Type-C | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, dual-band, hotspot, Bluetooth v4.1, A2DP, EDR, LE, microUSB v2.0 |
Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, dual-band, Wi-Fi Direct, DLNA, hotspot, Bluetooth, v4.1, A2DP, LE, apt-X |
|
NFC |
Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
|
GPS |
GPS/AGPS/ GLONASS | GPS/AGPS/ GLONASS | GPS/AGPS/ GLONASS |
GPS/AGPS/ GLONASS |
|
Fingerprint sensor |
Yes | Yes | No |
No |
Form over function?
With so little to differentiate these four handsets technically, the buying decision is likely to be influenced by design and what type of Android experience the user is after.
While the Huawei GX8’s all-metal design trumps the LG Nexus 5X’s plastic shell, both the Moto X Pure Edition and the LG G4 offer a range of interchangeable rear covers in genuine leather and real wood (Moto X Pure only) finishes.
At 21-megapixels, the Moto X Pure has the best camera of the bunch but the LG Nexus 5X is the only phone here that offers a pure Android 6.0 Marshmallow experience; the rest all run Android 5.x Lollipop with the manufacturers’ own user interface layered on top. For Android purists, the Nexus is a no-brainer then.
Verdict
If avoiding being locked into a carrier contract – and restricted to just one network provider – while getting a well-spec’d Android smartphone at a reasonable price, any one of these handsets will serve you well. The Huawei GX8 holds its own among some serious competition from established brands.
Image via Huawei
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