Xperia M2 vs Moto X vs Galaxy Grand 2: Who has the bragging rights?

It’s not just the low-budget phone market but the mid-ranger segment in India is also getting fiercer.  The latest is from Sony, as it launched the Xperia M2 priced at Rs 21,990 for India. Considering its processor and price range, it would compete with the Motorola Moto X and Samsung’s Galaxy Grand 2, both of which are touch acts to beat, but Sony does have a shot. We’ve put the three mid-rangers in the ring, to see which one emerges the winner, at least on paper.   Sony Xperia M2 [caption id=“attachment_222140” align=“aligncenter” width=“640”] Newest mid-ranger from Sony[/caption]

Sony’s dual-SIM Xperia M2 sports a 4.8-inch qHD display with 540×960 pixel resolution, with a pixel count that goes up to 229 ppi. Under its hood lies a 1.2GHz quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 400 processor, coupled with 1GB RAM. It runs on Android v4.3 Jelly Bean and supports a slew of connectivity options such as Bluetooth 4.0, USB 2.0, Micro USB, USB tethering, NFC, Wi-Fi, Wi-Fi Hotspot, GPS, GLONASS. It gets 4GB onboard storage that is expandable up to 32GB using a microSD card slot. On the camera front, one can expect an 8MP rear snapper and a VGA front-facing camera. All of this is fuelled by a 2300mAh battery. The display is a bit of a disappointment as the other two contenders have 720p screens. We haven’t tested the M2 unlike the other two phones in this battle, so we have to get a better sense of how it performs and its battery life, before talking about those aspects.

Motorola Moto X [caption id=“attachment_222291” align=“aligncenter” width=“640”] Moto X Walnut variant[/caption] Moto X comes with a similarly-sized 4.7-inch display, but with higher 720p resolution, which leads to better pixel density of 312 ppi. It runs on dual-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 400 that clocks at 1.7GHz along with 2GB of RAM. The water-resistant device come equipped with a 10MP rear camera, 2MP front snapper and support for 3G, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth v4. The Moto X has already started receiving the latest Android KitKat update in India. It is available in black, white, red and turquoise colours, and also with wooden and teak backs, exclusively via Flipkart. Check out our Moto X review , to know more about a near-perfect phone.   Samsung Galaxy Grand 2

With the Grand 2, Samsung has paid heed and tried to rectify all the criticism it faced for the Galaxy Grand. The smartphone sports a 5.25-inch display with 720 x 1280 pixel resolution, and pixel density of up to 280 ppi. The internals have also been beefed up as the Galaxy Grand 2 is powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 400 with a quad-core processor clocked at 1.2GHz and there’s a healthy 1.5GB of RAM on board. It runs on Android 4.3. On the connectivity front, it gets 3G, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, GPS/A-GPS and GLONASS.

[caption id=“attachment_207921” align=“alignnone” width=“640”] Galaxy Grand 2[/caption]

It also comes equipped with an 8-megapixel shooter and 1.9-megapixel front-facing camera. The company has launched an 8GB model in India, which can be further expanded up to 64GB via microSD card slot. Check out our  first impressions  and in-depth review  of the Galaxy Grand 2.

  Take a look at the comparison table below:   Verdict Though the Samsung Galaxy Grand 2 aims at bringing large screen viewing experience to mid-range smartphone market, the Moto X feels much more solid in the hand and fits better. The Moto X gets an AMOLED display and its corresponding power-saving features, while the other two devices come fitted with TFT screens. The X is also the only one to run Android KitKat.   While the devices are powered by a similar processor, Moto X has settled for dual-core but clock at a higher 1.7GHz and 2GB RAM. This doesn’t limit its performance at all, as seen in our review. A disadvantage with the Moto X is that it doesn’t support expandable memory, which the Sony and Samsung phones do. While all three devices have passable front cameras, the Moto X comes with a 10MP camera while the Grand 2 and Xperia M2 get 8MP snappers. As we have seen, the Moto X is capable of delivering very good images with that sensor.   If you are specifically looking for a large-screen device, and voluminous storage space, then the Grand 2 is the most decent pick of the lot. For a price of Rs 21,990, the Xperia M2 leaves a large room for improvement especially in terms of the display. The qHD display is unforgiveable at this price range.   Despite the dual-core processor, the Moto X has received accolades for its performance, battery life, unique software features and its superb build quality, which is unmatched by the competition here. So it’s still the king in this category, in overall terms.