Motorola MOTOLUXE Pro Reviews

A reasonable budget handset, but don’t expect its ageing hardware to stand up to Android’s toughest tests

Place the Motorola Motoluxe next to a Samsung Galaxy S3 or an iPhone 4S and it shapes up poorly. It packs middling specs and fair-to-middling performance into a stylish frame. But if you want a decent Android smartphone at a reasonable price, you could do worse.

We've established that the Motorola Motoluxe is no real fashion accessory. Not only that, but at around £20 per month, the performance isn't up to scratch with even other older-but-more capable Android phones, such as the HTC Desire S. It's more of an entry-level handset than one for a capable smartphone user. If you're looking for something around the same price point (or just a tad more expensive), the Samsung Galaxy Nexus, brings Android 4.0 to the table. Or wait to see if the HTC One S with Beats technology comes up with the goods instead - with a dual core processor and Android Ice Cream Sandwich at only £10 or so more a month, it's looking likely to be the better buy. At a too-high price point for the performance it gives, the Motorola Motoluxe is probably not worth the punt. Comfortable but not sleek, this is no cool fashion accessory as the company would have us believe, and is only just functional enough. Hang around for the newer Android phones running Ice Cream Sandwich and get twice the smartphone for only a little bit more buck.

If you are looking for an Android smartphone that won't break the bank, then the Motorola Motoluxe is well worth consideration. The screen size and impressive battery life do the phone credit, although the camera performance lets things down. But before you rush out and buy the Motoluxe, it might be worth waiting to see what other new arrivals have in offer, like the HTC One V or Sony Xperia U, which have more power, a newer version of Android and will likely be priced competitively.

This is a likeable phone with decent screen, a camera that is higher quality than the price would suggest and has neat styling to boot. It would be better if it came with the latest Android software, though this may follow. And a faster processor would make it really hare along. In all, however, this well-priced Android phone has a lot going for it.

So, is the Motorola MOTOLUXE worth the $380 or so that it retails for off-contract? Well, it may be a good-looking smartphone with a solid construction and a slim profile, but the poor performance of its hardware is something that we cannot overlook. Frankly, we think that you will be better off picking a smartphone from yesteryear. For example, the LG Optimus Black or Sony Ericsson Xperia Arc, both of which have slim bodies, spacious displays, and better hardware specs, currently cost more or less the same as the MOTOLUXE.

The Motorola Motoluxe is a solidly-built phone with a 4in qHD screen in a compact form factor. Add in an 8 megapixel camera, Android 2.3.7 and a neat notification light and you can overlook the dated processor and iffy screen when you consider that the handset will only set you back £260 SIM-free.