Moto X 1st Gen Review: Key Features & Specs

Moto X (1st Gen, 2013) – Detailed English Specifications

The Moto X (1st Generation, model codes: XT1058/XT1060/XT1053), unveiled in August 2013 and released in September 2013, is Motorola’s flagship smartphone post-Google acquisition, pioneering Active Display, Touchless Control, and customizable hardware (back/color options). It features a 4.7″ AMOLED HD display, dual-core Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 Pro, 10MP rear camera with Clear Pixel tech, 2MP front camera, and runs stock Android 4.2.2 Jelly Bean (with fast Google updates), focusing on user experience, voice control, and seamless daily usability.

1. Core Overview

Category	Details
Announcement/Release	August 1, 2013 / September 6, 2013 (US); Q4 2013 (Global)
Model Codes	XT1058 (AT&T), XT1060 (Verizon), XT1053 (T-Mobile), XT1052 (Global unlocked)
Network	2G/3G/4G LTE (variant-dependent):- GSM 850/900/1800/1900- UMTS 850/900/1900/2100- LTE Cat3 (100Mbps down/50Mbps up, regional bands)
OS	Android 4.2.2 Jelly Bean (upgradable to Android 5.1 Lollipop; stock Android, no skin)
MSRP (2013 Launch)	~$579 (unlocked, 16GB); ~$649 (32GB); $199 on 2-year US carrier contract
Customization	Moto Maker (US exclusive): 18 back colors, 7 front colors, 3 accent colors, wood/leather backs (later added)
Standard Colors	Black, White (non-customized variants)
SIM	Micro-SIM (single-SIM)

2. Key Hardware Specifications

Display

Feature	Specification
Type & Size	4.7″ Super AMOLED HD, 1280×720 resolution, 16:9 aspect ratio, ~316 PPI
Panel Tech	PenTile matrix, 16M colors, 100% NTSC color gamut, Gorilla Glass 2 protection
Unique Features	Active Display (notifications on black screen, no full backlight), auto-brightness, sunlight readability
Touch	Capacitive multi-touch (10-point), scratch-resistant oleophobic coating

Body & Design

Feature	Specification
Dimensions	129.3×65.3×10.4 mm (5.09×2.57×0.41 in)
Weight	130g (battery included) – ultra-light for 2013 flagship
Build	Plastic unibody (polycarbonate), curved back for ergonomics, replaceable back (Moto Maker variants)
Buttons/Input	Front-facing capacitive keys (Back/Home/Recent), side-mounted volume/power keys, rear-mounted camera shutter
Extras	Front-facing stereo speakers, 3.5mm audio jack, vibration motor, LED notification light (hidden under front glass)

Performance

Feature	Specification
Chipset	Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 Pro (MSM8960T, 28nm)
CPU	Dual-core 1.7 GHz Krait 300 (2-core, high-performance for 2013)
GPU	Adreno 320 (400 MHz, flagship GPU for 2013)
Memory	2GB LPDDR2 RAM
Storage	16GB/32GB internal eMMC 4.5 (no microSD expansion slot – non-expandable)
Co-Processor	TI OMAP 4430 low-power core (drives Active Display/Touchless Control without main CPU)
Sensors	Accelerometer, gyroscope, proximity, ambient light, magnetometer, barometer, GPS sensor

Camera System

Feature	Specification
Rear Camera	10MP Clear Pixel CMOS sensor, f/2.4 aperture, 28mm focal length, dual-LED RGB flash (white+amber for color balance), autofocus (AF)
Unique Rear Tech	Clear Pixel (oversampled 13MP sensor to 10MP for better low-light), zero-shutter lag, burst mode (10fps)
Front Camera	2MP fixed-focus, f/2.4 aperture, 720p video, basic beauty mode
Video Recording	Rear: 1080p@30fps (EIS – Electronic Image Stabilization); Front: 720p@30fps
Camera Features	HDR, panorama, slow-motion (480p@120fps), time-lapse, touch-to-focus

Battery & Power

Feature	Specification
Battery	2200 mAh non-removable Li-Po (optimized for low-power co-processor)
Charging	10W wired charging via micro-USB 2.0; Qi wireless charging (built-in, no adapter needed)
Battery Life	Talk: Up to 24h (3G); Standby: Up to 216h (9 days); Video playback: Up to 10h; Web browsing: Up to 8h
Power Saving	Low-power co-processor (Active Display/Touchless Control use <1% battery)

Connectivity

Feature	Specification
WLAN	Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n (dual-band 2.4GHz/5GHz), Wi-Fi Direct, DLNA, Wi-Fi hotspot
Bluetooth	4.0 (A2DP, AVRCP, LE)
GPS	GPS + GLONASS + A-GPS (fast lock, high accuracy)
NFC	Yes (Google Wallet/Android Pay support, file sharing)
USB	micro-USB 2.0 (data/charging, OTG support)
Audio	3.5mm jack, front stereo speakers (Dolby Digital Plus tuning), mono rear mic

3. Software & Unique Features

The Moto X (1st Gen) is defined by stock Android and Motorola’s hardware-integrated software features (driven by the low-power co-processor):

Active Display: Shows notifications, time, and weather on a black AMOLED screen (no full backlight) – taps to wake, swipes to clear; saves 80% battery vs. full screen wake.
Touchless Control: Always-on voice recognition (“OK Google Now”) – launch Google Now, send texts, make calls, play music without touching the phone (works on lock screen/standby).
Moto Assist: Automatically silences ringer during meetings/driving, reads texts aloud via Bluetooth (driving mode).
Moto Actions: Simple gestures (twist wrist twice to launch camera, chop twice for flashlight) – no app navigation needed.
Stock Android: Pure Google experience with fast OS updates (Android 4.3, 4.4 KitKat, 5.0/5.1 Lollipop) – Motorola promised 18 months of Google updates (uncommon for 2013).
Productivity: Google Now, Google Apps (Gmail/Photos/Maps), document viewer (PDF/Word/Excel), and native cloud sync.

4. Core Advantages & Limitations

Advantages	Limitations
Stock Android with fast Google updates (unmatched for 2013 Android flagships)	No microSD expansion slot (16GB/32GB only)
Active Display/Touchless Control (pioneering low-power smart features)	720p AMOLED display (1080p was standard for 2013 flagships like Galaxy S4)
Built-in Qi wireless charging (no extra hardware)	Dual-core CPU (competing flagships had quad-core in 2013)
Ultra-light 130g design, ergonomic curved back	10MP rear camera (lower resolution than 13MP competitors; no OIS)
Moto Maker customization (US exclusive) – wood/leather/color options	Plastic build (premium competitors used metal/glass)
Front stereo speakers (rare for 2013 smartphones)	No water/dust resistance rating

5. Variant Differences (US/Global)

All variants share identical core hardware – only network bands and carrier bloatware differ:

Model Code	Carrier/Region	Key Network Differences
XT1058	AT&T (US)	LTE bands 2/4/5/17; HSPA+
XT1060	Verizon (US)	CDMA2000 + LTE bands 1/3/4/5/7/13; GSM unlocked
XT1053	T-Mobile (US)	LTE bands 2/4/17; HSPA+; Wi-Fi calling
XT1052	Global Unlocked	LTE bands 1/3/7/20; HSPA+; no carrier bloatware

6. Quick Specs Summary

Feature	Moto X (1st Gen, 2013)
Display	4.7″ Super AMOLED HD (720p), Gorilla Glass 2, Active Display
Chipset	Snapdragon S4 Pro (1.7GHz dual-core Krait 300), Adreno 320
Memory	2GB RAM, 16GB/32GB internal storage (non-expandable)
Cameras	10MP rear (Clear Pixel, dual-LED flash, 1080p); 2MP front (720p)
Battery	2200 mAh Li-Po (non-removable), 10W wired charging, built-in Qi wireless charging
Unique Tech	Low-power co-processor, Touchless Control, Moto Actions, Active Display
OS	Android 4.2.2 (up to 5.1 Lollipop, stock Google)
Connectivity	Dual-band Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 4.0, NFC, GPS+GLONASS, 4G LTE
Weight/Size	130g, 129.3×65.3×10.4mm, curved polycarbonate unibody