Because we've all been there. A momentary lapse in grip, a short plummet to the pavement, and... pow - you get to spend the eight months left on your contract gingerly prodding a jagged, picture-ruining broken display. Enter, then, the shatterproof Moto X Force - the supposed saviour of buttery-fingered smartphone owners everywhere.
Now, there have been dozens of 'rugged' and 'drop proof' phones in the past. Some of them haven't been half bad, but the Moto X Force is different. For a start, it doesn't have a crocked specs sheet. It also isn't ridiculously bulky and ugly enough to make you want to scratch your eyes out. It's a full-on flagship phone. Just one that you c an happily let slip to the concrete without fearing a broken screen.
Sure, with a £499 price tag the phone isn't cheap. But when you've never got to worry about insurance or repair bills, that's not too startling a figure. After an early play, we can't wait for this phone to hit the market later this month.
Moto X Force Design: Plain but pleasant
So the Moto X Force might not be as drool-inducingly pretty as the iPhone 6S or Samsung Galaxy S6 edge, but it's not an ugly device either. It's just slightly plain. With an appearance markedly similar to the Moto X Play, the Force lines up with its innovative 5.4-inch panel and powerful array of innards wrapped within a 9.2mm thick, 169g frame.
A device that's comfortable to hold - despite its heavily tapered rear design - its metal edging and a rugged nylon rear extend the phone's toughs far beyond its fumble-friendly display. Finished in a water-repellent nano-coating it's even protected against the wet stuff. This really is a device for the accident-prone.If you want to give the Force a less ordinary finish, you can. The phone can be customised using the company's Moto Maker service. Don't like the hardwearing ballistic nylon finish? Fine. You can coat the Moto X Style sibling in a number of leather or silicone finishes. Each material is even available in a range of colours to suit your tastes. Nice.
Moto X Force Screen: Sturdy and stunning
The phone's party piece and headline feature is its shatterproof panel. This thing really is amazing. Without hampering image quality - there's no diminishing brightness, blurring, or heavily recessed images - it protects the device against virtually any accident that c ould possibly befall it.
How? Well, the 5.4-inch Android phone features an all-new, extra tough screen dubbed Moto ShatterShield. The five-layer panel is so tough, the manufacturer guarantees it won't crack or shatter for four years of use - unless you intentionally hammer a nail through it, that is.Despite only having 30 minutes with the device, we gave these claims a thorough test. From banging it screen-first against the corner of a desk to dropping it display-down from above head height to a stone floor we tried our best to bash and bruise this handset.
Tests that would have resulted in catastrophic breakages on virtually any other device caused no issues at all here. Throwing the phone floorwards didn't produce a single crack, scratch or scrape. This phone is incredibly resilient.
Unlike most rugged phones, the Force hasn't traded screen quality for protection. This thing isn't just sturdy, it's gorgeous too. The 2560 x 1440 pixel QHD resolution echoes that found on handsets such as the LG G4 and Samsung Galaxy S6. This is as good as smartphone screens get right now. Why can't all devices feature this display?Moto X Force Features: More than just a party piece
It's not just the Force's screen that's impressive. This high-end handset features a specs sheet that impresses across the board. Qualcomm's 64-bit Snapdragon 810 processor is paired with 3GB of RAM to form a combination that should handle any task you can throw at it without trouble. It's a similar set-up to the Sony Xperia Z5.
Coming in both 32GB and 64GB guises - each with microSD support up to 2TB (take that iPhone 6S Plus) - the Force runs a near untouched version of Android 5.1.1 Lollipop direct from the box. With an Android 6.0 Marshmallow update confirmed to be in the works, this near stock Android experience keeps the phone clean and smooth to operate. It's a nice change from the usually clunky skins applied to such handsets.In terms of battery life, Motorola claims the Force's 3,760mAh will get you through two full days of steady use without breaking a sweat. What's more, if you find yourself running low on power, a 15-minute trip to the TurboPower charger will fill the phone with a further 13 hours of staying power. Given our limited time with the device, however, we've been unable to verify these claims just yet. Stay tuned for our full Moto X Force review for a more detailed breakdown of the phone's battery prowess.
Moto X Force Camera: A clean sweep of impressive tech
With a 21-m egapixel primary camera, the Moto X Force should be no slouch when it comes to capturing impressive imagery. On first use, in restricted testing conditions, the snapper offered impressive shots with strong colour management and sharp, speedy focussing.
It does have the same software-based issues as its siblings though. With a screen tap activating the shutter as opposed to choosing a focal point, targeting specific elements of shots can be tricky. Further testing is required before any final judgement can be passed, however.With the primary camera throwing 4K video recording into the mix, a secondary 5-megapixel selfie shooter sits on the device's front - enhanced by its own dedicated flash.
First Impressions
Motorola is the in-form smartphone brand of the moment - and it looks to have backed up the brilliant Moto X Play and impressive Moto X Style with something truly special. The Moto X Force isn't just a decent flagship phone: its shatterproof screen transforms it into a device that could well pave the way for all future smartphone standards. It's the revolution we've all been waiting for. Our tech is now mightier than the pavement.
Source: Motorola Moto X Force Hands-on: We try to break the unbreakable Android phone
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