It happened! After a good deal of churning the rumor mill, we finally get to know the full scoop on the new Droids. Today, Verizon and Motorola announced two successors – the DROID Turbo 2 and DROID Maxx 2. It’s interesting that the Maxx skipped out last year and was resurrected this year. Let’s check out the different approaches these brothers take.
DROID Turbo 2
First up is the successor to last year’s DROID Turbo, which was a 2014 Moto X variant. What changes does the Turbo 2 bring? You’ll find quite a lot, but what Motorola is touting the most is the new ShatterShield technology. As the name suggests, it is essentially extra protection to make the front glass virtually shatter-proof.
This is a bold claim, but Motorola is certain of the robust system it has developed, enough to guarantee that the screen will not crack or shatter (your display and embedded lens will actually be warrantied for four years). But how does it work? The screen uses an integrated system of five layers, designed to absorb shock.
You can find more details about the ShatterShield technology on Motorola’s blog, here.
The design of the Turbo 2 is very reminiscent of this year’s Moto X, which isn’t a bad thing. One benefit of this is that you’ll have access to Moto Maker this time (the original Turbo wasn’t customizable). The Turbo 2 can be equipped from three different material choices: soft grip, ballistic nylon, or genuine Horween leather (pebbled texture).
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Another throw-in is (if you buy the 64GB version by Dec. 31st) you’ll be able to change your phone to another custom design of your liking, within two years of the date of purchase.
Here is the specs breakdown for the Turbo 2:
- Display: 5.4″ screen (AMOLED panel and QHD resolution)
- Chipset: Snapdragon 810 SoC with 3GB of RAM
- Storage: 32GB or 64GB, expandable with microSD (up to 2TB)
- Cameras: 21MP rear (f/2.0 aperture, Phase-Detect Autofocus) and 5MP front (f/2.0 aperture, wide-angle, and 1.4um pixel size for better low light performance)
- Battery: 3,760mAh capacity
- OS: Android 5.1.1 (Lollipop)
The display size of 5.4″ is interesting. Recalling last year’s 5.2″ size, it looks like there was some conflict with jumping Turbo users to 5.7″ (although Motorola didn’t hold back for Moto X users). 5.4″ appears to be a middle-ground compromise.
We see the infamous Snapdragon 810 chipset once again, can’t shake it off. Motorola is touting the new and improved 21MP camera sensor, assumed to be carried over from the 2015 Moto X. The battery capacity is very generous, at 3,760mAh. You’ll also have quick charging and Qi wireless charging on-board.
The Turbo 2 is considerably more expensive than the Moto X Pure, at $624 off-contract. Financing with Verizon translates to $26/month over 24 months. If you want the version with more storage and a design refresh, it will be $30/month over 24 months ($720 full retail price).
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DROID Maxx 2
The original Maxx was known to be a battery beast. Motorola and Verizon have renewed the focus on battery life with the Maxx 2. Let’s go over what it brings to the table.
It may be easier to think of the Maxx 2 a variant of the Moto X Play. It’s a mid-ranger. This is generally okay, since battery life is the name of the game here. However, what’s interesting is that the Turbo 2 has a slightly bigger battery. I feel like if this phone isn’t pushing that battery spec to the max, and is just a straight-up mid-end variant, then it should be under a different nomenclature.
Here is the specs breakdown for the Maxx 2:
- Display: 5.5″ screen (1080P resolution and Gorilla Glass 3 protection)
- Chipset: Snapdragon 615 SoC with 2GB of RAM
- Storage: 16GB, expandable with microSD (up to 128GB)
- Cameras: 21MP rear (f/2.0 aperture, Phase-Detect Autofocus) and 5MP front
- Battery: 3,630mAh capacity
- OS: Android 5.1.1 (Lollipop)
Just about all the hardware is toned down in comparison to the Turbo 2 (with the exception of the main camera). Motorola didn’t feel the need to change the Moto X Play’s display size of 5.5″. This guy won’t have access to Moto Maker either. You have two standard designs to choose from – Black with Deep Sea Blue Back or White with Winter White Back. However, the back shell is removable, and Motorola will have some other color options to swap with.
As you can probably guess, the Maxx 2’s appeal is pricing. Financing the Maxx 2 over 24 months will only be $16/month. You wish to buy it outright, that equates to $384.
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Both of the new DROIDs will be available at Verizon really soon. It can order them online or find them in stores this Thursday (Oct. 29th). Is one of these your next phone?
