Google Nexus 5 vs Motorola Moto X (1st Gen)

A spec-by-spec comparison of the Google Nexus 5 and the Motorola Moto X (1st Gen), taken from their full specification sheets. Green marks the better value in each measured row.

Google Nexus 5

From $6,779

Full specs, price & review →

Motorola Moto X (1st Gen)

From $35

Full specs, price & review →

Head to head

	Google Nexus 5	Motorola Moto X (1st Gen)
Price	$6,779	$35
Our rating	7/10	7/10
Battery	2,300 mAh	2,200 mAh
Storage (max)	32 GB	64 GB
Screen size	4.95 in	4.7 in
Main camera	8 MP	10 MP
Weight (lower is lighter)	130 g	130 g
Released	Oct 2013	Aug 2013

Summary: Google Nexus 5 is ahead on battery, screen size. Motorola Moto X (1st Gen) is ahead on storage (max), main camera.

★ Which should you buy? Specs are close to an even split here, so Motorola Moto X (1st Gen) is the better buy — the extra cost of the other one isn't matched by a clear spec advantage.

Reviewed by the infozme.com Editorial Team — see how we research & rate phones.

Display

	Google Nexus 5	Motorola Moto X (1st Gen)
Type	IPS LCD	AMOLED
Size	4.95 inches (marketed as 5-inch)	4.7 inches
Resolution	1080 x 1920 pixels	720 x 1280 pixels, HD (316 ppi density)
Protection	Corning Gorilla Glass 3	Corning Gorilla Glass 3
Pixel Density	445 ppi	—

Platform

	Google Nexus 5	Motorola Moto X (1st Gen)
Chipset	Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 (MSM8974)	Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 Pro (MSM8960DT) with Motorola X8 Mobile Computing System
CPU	Quad-core 2.26 GHz Krait 400	Dual-core 1.7 GHz Krait 300
GPU	Adreno 330, 450 MHz	Adreno 320
OS	Original: Android 4.4 KitKat; Upgradable to Android 6.0.1 Marshmallow	Android 4.2.2 Jelly Bean, upgradable to 5.1 Lollipop

Memory

	Google Nexus 5	Motorola Moto X (1st Gen)
RAM	2GB LPDDR3	2GB
Internal Storage	16GB or 32GB	16GB, 32GB, 64GB
Card slot	No	No

Main Camera

	Google Nexus 5	Motorola Moto X (1st Gen)
Modules	8 MP	10 MP, f/2.4, autofocus, LED flash
Features	f/2.4 aperture, 1/3.2" sensor size, 1.4µm pixel size, Autofocus, Optical Image Stabilization (OIS), LED flash	Clear Pixel technology
Video	1080p@30fps	1080p@30fps

Selfie Camera

	Google Nexus 5	Motorola Moto X (1st Gen)
Modules	1.3 MP	2 MP
Features	f/2.4 aperture, 1/6" sensor size, 1.9µm pixel size	—
Video	—	1080p@30fps

Battery

	Google Nexus 5	Motorola Moto X (1st Gen)
Type	Non-removable Li-Po	Li-Ion 2200 mAh, non-removable
Capacity	2300 mAh	—
Charging	5W wired	Standard charging
Talk time	Up to 17 hours	—
Standby time	Up to 300 hours	—
Internet use	Up to 8.5 hours on Wi-Fi, up to 7 hours on LTE	—

Body

	Google Nexus 5	Motorola Moto X (1st Gen)
Dimensions	137.9 x 69.2 x 8.6 mm (5.43 x 2.72 x 0.34 in)	129.3 x 65.3 x 10.4 mm (5.09 x 2.57 x 0.41 in), tapering to 5.7mm
Weight	130 g (4.59 oz)	130 g (4.59 oz)
Build	Polycarbonate back, ceramic buttons	Plastic body, customizable back covers (including wood options later)
SIM	Micro-SIM	Nano-SIM

Comms

	Google Nexus 5	Motorola Moto X (1st Gen)
WLAN	Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, dual-band	Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, dual-band
Bluetooth	4.0 (with A2DP)	4.0, A2DP, LE
GPS	Yes, with A-GPS, GLONASS	—
NFC	Yes	Yes
Radio	No	No
USB	microUSB 2.0 (SlimPort)	microUSB 2.0, USB On-The-Go
Positioning	—	GPS, GLONASS

Launch

	Google Nexus 5	Motorola Moto X (1st Gen)
Announced	October 31, 2013	August 2013
Status	Discontinued (production ended December 2014)	Released August 23, 2013
OS at launch	Android 4.4 KitKat	—
Latest OS update	Android 6.0.1 Marshmallow	—

Frequently asked questions

Which has the better battery, Google Nexus 5 or Motorola Moto X (1st Gen)?

Google Nexus 5 — 2,300 mAh for the Google Nexus 5 versus 2,200 mAh for the Motorola Moto X (1st Gen).

Which is newer, Google Nexus 5 or Motorola Moto X (1st Gen)?

Google Nexus 5 — Oct 2013 for the Google Nexus 5 versus Aug 2013 for the Motorola Moto X (1st Gen).

Is the Google Nexus 5 or the Motorola Moto X (1st Gen) rated higher?

We rate the Google Nexus 5 7/10 and the Motorola Moto X (1st Gen) 7/10.

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