Motorola Moto X Style Review: One of 2015’s best Android phones

If you’re looking for a comparison, Motorola are the Leicester City of the smartphone world. The Olly Murs. Maybe the Donald Trump. Whichever way you put it, they’re the once-ridiculed brand who are now most definitely in-form, and exceeding all expectations.

See for yourself. The third-gen Moto G continues to reshape the expectations of affordable phones. The Moto X Play is the best sub-£300 handset available. And the Moto X Force looks set to revolutionise the mobile industry with its indestructible display. So what, then, of the company’s iPhone 6S-rivalling flagship phone – the Moto X Style?

Well, at £399 the phone isn’t as affordable as its siblings, but still undercuts the direct competition. Considerably. It plays host to features you’d be more inclined to see on devices north of the £500 marker – namely a QHD display and OIS-enhanced camera – and wraps them together in a stunningly simple user experience.

OnePlus made a big deal about the OnePlus X’s design, claiming it to be the first “truly premium affordable smartphone” at its London launch. The OnePlus X is available in two variants: Onyx and Ceramic. The Ceramic version is the more premium of the two, made using a laborious crafting process that OnePlus claims takes 25 days.

The process begins with a zirconia mould that’s fire-baked up to 1,482^oC for more than 28 hours. It’s then cooled for two days before going through a rigorous “polishing process”.

The OnePlus X Onyx retails at £199, while the OnePlus X Ceramic costs £269. If you want to get your hands on the Ceramic version, you’ll have a battle on your hands. The company is making a meagre 10,000 Ceramic units and will continue running a strict invite-only sales model until stocks run dry.