Motorola Droid Turbo review: Power robotFinal words
Motorola Droid Turbo is a complete package - a no-compromise Android powerhouse that is fit to accommodate even the most discerning power user. The smartphone blends high performance hardware, innovative materials, and stellar battery endurance into a compact, superbly built package.
Android flagships often rely on their specs to succeed and the Droid Turbo is as prepared as its gets. It is the best-equipped device that doesn't carry a phablet moniker - only larger beasts come close to its hardware chops.
Key review findings
- The materials used in the making of the device are superb and innovative
- At 565ppi, the 5.2" QHD display is the sharpest available at the moment on any smartphone
- Stock Android 4.4.4 KitKat is responsive and the fast-track Android update schedule is great
- The chipset and its performance are stellar
- Still camera performance is good; video capture is excellent
- Audio quality could be better
- Battery endurance is impressive, more than makes up for the thickness
- Motorola's Turbo Charger is a must-have for every smartphone
- Retail availability is way too limited (at least for the time being)
The performance of the Qualcomm Snapdragon 805 chipset is solid as expected. Motorola Droid Turbo is up to any task you throw at it.
The 5.2" QHD display is gorgeous and offers more pixels than you can shake a stick at. It offers good contrast, viewing angles, sunlight legibility, and punchy, if a tad inaccurate colors.
With 3,900mAh on tap, the Droid Turbo displayed good battery performance. The handset didn't top our chart, but it is the longest-lasting offering with QHD display at the moment.
Build quality has traditionally been a key feature of the Motorola Droid family and the Turbo is no exception. We really like the Ballistic Nylon option - there is nothing else on the market today like it. The improved DuPont Kevlar is also quite nice, as is the water repellency of the smartphone.
With 21 megapixels, dual-LED flash, and UHD video recording, the camera of the smartphone doesn't disappoint either. It isn't quite the best we have tested, but it isn't far off the top either - you will not be disappointed by the images and the videos you have captured with it.
Stock Android 4.4.4 KitKat is light on its feet and easy to customize. Motorola's additions are clever and unobtrusive. Verizon's extensive bloatware is manageable - you can disable most of the preloaded apps.
The lack of stereo speakers and a microSD card slot are what keep the Motorola Droid Turbo away from being absolutely perfect. The well-sorted front-facing mono speaker and the available 64GB option partially make up for the lack though.