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Introduction
The iPhone 6s Plus takes the torch from its predecessor, Apple’s first phablet, and keeps things largely the same externally, but has copious amounts of upgrades on the inside, namely a new 12 MP camera module, a pressure-sensitive 3D Touch display, and a screeching A9 chipset.
Meanwhile, a fresh Motorola batch has arrived, and the Moto X Pure is at the high-end of the new Moto trio, with specs like a 5.7” QHD display, and a 20 MP camera. Which of the two big-screeners mixes things up better? Read on to find out…
Design
Moto X Pure looks like a work horse to the thin iPhone 6s Plus, yet offers much better screen-to-body ratio.
The iPhone 6s Plus has stayed largely unchanged from its predecessor, with a thin aluminum unibody that is a tad on the large side for the screen’s 5.5” diagonal. The aluminum used this time, however, is the highest-grade 7000-series, making the phone more durable, while a new display tech has put on ounces and girth compared to its predecessor. Motorola, on the other hand, didn’t go all-premium with the Moto X Pure design, focusing on providing a great 76%+ screen-to-body ratio, and only infusing a touch of classy materials with the metal side frame of the handset. You can use the Moto Maker tool while ordering the Pure, and have the phone tailored to your tastes with numerous combos of front, rear and side frame colors, as well as personalized engravings – for a cost, of course.
The Moto X Pure is a good 50% thicker than the iPhone 6s Plus, at 0.44” (11mm), which makes it look elegant as a tank. It’s lighter, though, and lies well in the hand, providing a firm and comfortable grip, compared to the skinny iPhone. Motorola throws in many perks at the front of the X Pure, such as two stereo speakers, plus an LED flash for the selfie camera. The keys on both handsets are easy to feel and press without looking, with good tactile feedback, but more so on the iPhone 6s Plus.
Displays
With two big and quality displays in the offing, the phablets won’t leave you hunkering for more.
The 5.5” 1080×1920 pixel display on the iPhone now comes with a new pressure-sensing technology that Apple dubbed 3D Touch, and it allows the panel to distinguish between a light tap or hard press, and react accordingly, introducing new horizons for contextual menus.
The Moto X Pure is equipped with a 5.7” LCD display that sports the hearty 1440×2560 pixels of Quad HD resolution, returning a higher, 515ppi pixel density, so everything looks as crisp as they come.
When it comes to colors, the iPhone 6s Plus is a tad on the colder side of the spectrum, but not by much, while the Moto X Pure keeps things closer to the reference 6500K white point, but introduces a hint of green throughout the image. The standard RGB gamut color presentation is great on both handsets, with no oversaturation, though the iPhone 6s Plus has more spot-on red hues than the Moto X Pure.
Besides being much brighter, which aids in outdoor visibility, Motorola’s panel also offers lower minimum brightness than the iPhone 6s Plus, making it more comfortable for reading in pitch darkness.
Display measurements and quality
The CIE 1931 xy color gamut chart represents the set (area) of colors that a display can reproduce, with the sRGB colorspace (the highlighted triangle) serving as reference. The chart also provides a visual representation of a display’s color accuracy. The small squares across the boundaries of the triangle are the reference points for the various colors, while the small dots are the actual measurements. Ideally, each dot should be positioned on top of its respective square. The ‘x: CIE31’ and ‘y: CIE31’ values in the table below the chart indicate the position of each measurement on the chart. ‘Y’ shows the luminance (in nits) of each measured color, while ‘Target Y’ is the desired luminance level for that color. Finally, ‘ΔE 2000’ is the Delta E value of the measured color. Delta E values of below 2 are ideal.
This measurements are made using SpectraCal’s CalMAN calibration software.
The Color accuracy chart gives an idea of how close a display’s measured colors are to their referential values. The first line holds the measured (actual) colors, while the second line holds the reference (target) colors. The closer the actual colors are to the target ones, the better.
This measurements are made using SpectraCal’s CalMAN calibration software.
The Grayscale accuracy chart shows whether a display has a correct white balance (balance between red, green and blue) across different levels of grey (from dark to bright). The closer the Actual colors are to the Target ones, the better.
This measurements are made using SpectraCal’s CalMAN calibration software.