Motorola Moto X (2014) vs Sony Xperia Z3

A spec-by-spec comparison of the Motorola Moto X (2014) and the Sony Xperia Z3, taken from their full specification sheets. Green marks the better value in each measured row.

Head to head

Motorola Moto X (2014)Sony Xperia Z3
Price$45$66
Our rating8/107/10
Battery2,300 mAh3,100 mAh
Wired charging15W18W
RAM (max)—3 GB
Storage (max)64 GB128 GB
Screen size5.2 in5.2 in
Main camera13 MP20.7 MP
Weight (lower is lighter)144 g152 g
ReleasedSep 2014Sep 2014
Summary: Motorola Moto X (2014) is ahead on our rating, weight (lower is lighter). Sony Xperia Z3 is ahead on battery, wired charging, storage (max), main camera.
★ Which should you buy? Sony Xperia Z3 is the stronger overall pick on the measured specs. If budget matters more than the extra capability, Motorola Moto X (2014) is the cheaper option.

Display

Motorola Moto X (2014)Sony Xperia Z3
TypeAMOLEDIPS LCD, Triluminos display, X-Reality Engine
Size5.2 inches5.2 inches
Resolution1080 x 1920 pixels (Full HD)1080 x 1920 pixels, 16:9 ratio (~424 ppi density)
ProtectionCorning Gorilla Glass 3Scratch-resistant glass, oleophobic coating
Pixel Density~423-424 ppi—

Platform

Motorola Moto X (2014)Sony Xperia Z3
OSAndroid 4.4.4 (KitKat), upgradable to 6.0 (Marshmallow)Android 4.4.4 (KitKat), upgradable to 6.0 (Marshmallow)
ChipsetQualcomm MSM8974AC Snapdragon 801 (28 nm)Qualcomm Snapdragon 801 (MSM8974AC)
CPUQuad-core 2.5 GHz Krait 400Quad-core 2.5 GHz Krait 400
GPUAdreno 330Adreno 330

Memory

Motorola Moto X (2014)Sony Xperia Z3
RAM2GB—
Internal Storage16GB, 32GB, 64GB (64GB for Pure Edition)—
Card SlotNo—
Card slot—microSDXC (dedicated slot), up to 128 GB
Internal—16GB 3GB RAM, 32GB 3GB RAM

Main Camera

Motorola Moto X (2014)Sony Xperia Z3
Modules13 MP—
Aperturef/2.25—
FeaturesDual-LED ring flash, 4K video recording, slow motion video, burst mode, Auto HDR, Panorama, Tap to focusLED flash, panorama, HDR
Video2160p@30fps2160p@30fps, 1080p@60fps, 720p@120fps, HDR
Single—20.7 MP, f/2.0, 25mm (wide), 1/2.3", AF

Selfie Camera

Motorola Moto X (2014)Sony Xperia Z3
Modules2 MP—
Video1080p HD1080p@30fps
Single—2.2 MP, f/2.8

Battery

Motorola Moto X (2014)Sony Xperia Z3
TypeNon-removable Li-IonLi-Ion 3100 mAh, non-removable
Capacity2300 mAh—
Charging15W fast charging (Quick Charge 2.0 compatible)Fast charging 18W (Quick Charge 2.0)

Body

Motorola Moto X (2014)Sony Xperia Z3
Dimensions140.8 x 72.4 x 9.9 mm (tapering to 3.8mm at edges)146 x 72 x 7.3 mm (5.75 x 2.83 x 0.28 in)
Weight144 g152 g (5.36 oz)
BuildAluminum frame, customizable plastic, wood, or leather backGlass front (Gorilla Glass 3), glass back (Gorilla Glass 3), aluminum frame
SIMNano-SIMNano-SIM
Water ResistanceSplash resistant—
IP Rating—IP65/IP68 dust/water resistant (up to 1.5m for 30 min)

Comms

Motorola Moto X (2014)Sony Xperia Z3
WLANWi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, dual-bandWi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, dual-band, Wi-Fi Direct, DLNA, hotspot
Bluetooth4.0, A2DP, LE4.0, A2DP, aptX
GPSYes, with A-GPS, GLONASS—
NFCYesYes
RadioNoFM radio with RDS
USBmicroUSB 2.0, USB On-The-GomicroUSB 2.0 (MHL 3 TV-out), OTG
Positioning—GPS, GLONASS

Launch

Motorola Moto X (2014)Sony Xperia Z3
AnnouncedSeptember 20142014, September 04
StatusDiscontinuedReleased 2014, September 19

Frequently asked questions

Which has the better battery, Motorola Moto X (2014) or Sony Xperia Z3?

Sony Xperia Z3 — 2,300 mAh for the Motorola Moto X (2014) versus 3,100 mAh for the Sony Xperia Z3.

Which is lighter, Motorola Moto X (2014) or Sony Xperia Z3?

Motorola Moto X (2014) — 144 g for the Motorola Moto X (2014) versus 152 g for the Sony Xperia Z3.

Which is newer, Motorola Moto X (2014) or Sony Xperia Z3?

Sony Xperia Z3 — Sep 2014 for the Motorola Moto X (2014) versus Sep 2014 for the Sony Xperia Z3.

Is the Motorola Moto X (2014) or the Sony Xperia Z3 rated higher?

We rate the Motorola Moto X (2014) 8/10 and the Sony Xperia Z3 7/10.

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