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Motorola DROID Ultra review

7.4/10 AVG.
RATING
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Motorola DROID Ultra
Motorola DROID Ultra
Motorola DROID Ultra
Motorola DROID Ultra
Motorola DROID Ultra
Motorola DROID Ultra
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7.4/10
Informr score
The Motorola DROID Ultra currently has an Informr score of 7.4 out of 10. This score is based on our evaluation of 11 sources including reviews from users and the web's most trusted critics.

The DROID Ultra is one of the latest offerings from Motorola. It’s peppy dual-core processor and 5-inch AMOLED display offer plenty of power and beautiful visuals. However, there is one potential problem. Brad Molen of Engadget summed it up best when he said “...we simply can't think of a reason why the Ultra should co-exist with the X at the exact same price.”

Much like the Moto X, the DROID Ultra is solid, fast, takes respectable pictures, supports the latest technologies and has a bountiful battery life. This is largely because it has almost identical hardware apart from slightly larger screen and a different shell. For a slightly larger investment, the DROID MAXX offers all of this plus more storage and wireless charging.

The DROID Ultra is, in both pricing and features, a mid-tier phone. Is this a problem? Depends on your use for the phone. However, Cory Gunther of Android Community sums things up nicely in his review, stating “Yes we’ll see 8-core phones soon, but that’s overkill, to be honest, and this DROID Ultra will have enough power to make 99% of consumers plenty happy. Nuff said.”

The Good: Minimal interface changes from stock Android, all-day battery life, comfortable grip and a large screen.

The Bad: Prone to fingerprints and grime, no microSD support, lack of camera options and poor visibility in direct lighting.


Android
Operating system
Operating system
Android
1.7 GHz
Processor
Processor
1.7 GHz
5"
Screen Size
Screen Size
5"
10+ MP
Camera
Camera
10+ MP
2130 mAh
Battery


What the Critics Are Saying...


Brighthand
Brighthand

The Motorola Droid Ultra is a good phone, bottom line. It's fast, stable, and sports excellent software with fun features. It's also wonderfully designed, with only its glossy build providing pause for consideration. However, the smudge fingerprint magnetism is easily remedied with a case, which wil...

- Jamison Cush, Brighthand
Android Police
Android Police

The DROID Ultra is an okay phone. The nearly-stock software is fantastic, and shows hints of greatness in Touchless Control and Active Notifications. It's also both the most sturdy and the thinnest phone I've ever used, which certainly appeals to many potential buyers. Motorola's typically excellent...

- Jeremiah Rice, Android Police
Engadget
Engadget

The Motorola Droid Ultra is a great mid-range phone with lots of compelling features that many potential buyers will find interesting. It does have its negatives, though -- this is essentially a Moto X riddled with Verizon branding, a glossy and fingerprint-prone finish and a nonsensical price. But...

- Brad Molen, Engadget
Tech Hive
Tech Hive

The Motorola Droid Ultra may have all the same features and specs as the Moto X, but the phone lacks the personality it needs to differentiate itself from the crowd.

- Armando Rodriguez, Tech Hive
Phone Scoop
Phone Scoop

- Eric M. Zeman, Phone Scoop


Prices (Where to Buy)




Common Questions


We've got you covered! Download a free PDF copy of the Motorola DROID Ultra user manual here.


Motorola backs up the DROID Ultra with a 1 Year parts & labour warranty.


If your DROID Ultra has problems and is still within its warranty period, you could contact Motorola support or the retailer you purchased the phone from. You'll find Motorola's contact information here. If your phone is off warranty and needs repair for a physical problem such as a broken screen or bad battery, you should visit an authorized service centre or a local phone repair shop. You can also connect with others in The Informr Community Forum to find and share answers to questions.




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Quick view

Screen Size
5"

The Motorola DROID Ultra's screen size is 5 inches with 720 x 1280 pixels resolution.

Processor
1.7 GHz

There is a Motorola X8 Dual core 1.7 GHz processor (CPU).

OS

The phone runs on the Android 4.2.2 Jelly Bean operating system (OS).

Camera
10+ MP

You can take photos with the phone's onboard 10+ MP camera.

There is also a secondary front facing camera with 2+ megapixels resolution.

Storage
16 GB

Internal memory is 16 GB. No external card slot is available for expansion.

Battery
2130mAh

The phone is powered by a Lithium-Ion (Li-Ion), 2130 mAh battery. Motorola's performance ratings are 336 minutes Wi-Fi surfing.

DROID Ultra Specs

Overview
Release Date August 20, 2013
Regions Available USA
Operating System Android 4.2.2 Jelly Bean

Compare Android Smartphones

Processor Motorola X8 Dual core 1.7 GHz
Internal Storage 16 GB
RAM 2 GB
Hearing Aid Compatible Yes
TTY/TDD Yes
Noise Cancellation Yes
SAR Head: 1.54 W/kg
Body: 0.32 W/kg
Manufacturer Warranty 1 Year
Accessories Included AC Charger, Manual, Data Cable
Cellular
Networks
GPRS, EDGE, 1xRTT, EV-DO Rev. A, HSUPA, HSPA+, LTE
Mobile / Cellular Data
4G/LTE
Push-to-talk (PTT) No
Wi-Fi Calling Unknown
Voice over LTE (VoLTE) Unknown
SIM card size
Nano-SIM
Dual SIM No
Connectivity
USB Micro-USB 2.0
USB OTG Support No
GPS Type A-GPS
Infrared No
Bluetooth 4.0
Bluetooth Profiles A2DP, AVRCP, BPP, DUN, OPP/FTP, HID, HFP, HSP, PAN
Bluetooth Audio Codecs SBC
Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n
Mobile Hotspot Yes
Memory Expansion Slot No
NFC Yes
Data Tethering Compatibility Yes
Camera
Main Camera
Resolution / Aperture
10+ Megapixels
Zoom
4x digital
Flash
Yes (LED)
Additional Rear Camera Info
Auto focus, Geotagging, Multi-shot, Panorama, HDR
Video Recording Formats
3GP / 3GPP, H.264 / AVC, MPEG-4, WMV, RealVideo
Video Recording Parameters
Full HD (1920 x 1080 pixels), 60 fps
Front Camera
Resolution / Aperture
2+ Megapixels
Additional Front Camera Info
Self-portrait
Video Recording Parameters
Display / Screen
Type Color
Technology AMOLED
Colors 16.7 million
Resolution 720 x 1280 pixels
Pixel Density 294 pixels
Size 5 inches
Secondary Display No
Sensors Ambient Light, Proximity, Motion / Accelerometer, Gyroscope, Digital Compass
Multi-Touch Yes
Fingerprint-Resistant Coating No
Additional Display Features Capacitive touch screen
Power & Battery
Battery Type Lithium-Ion (Li-Ion)
Battery Capacity 2130 mAh
Removable Battery No
Wireless Charging No
Fast Charging No
Video Playback Time Unknown
Internet Use (Wi-Fi) Up to 336 minutes
Internet Use (Cellular) Unknown
Talk Time Unknown
Standby Time Up to 13 days
Mixed Usage No
Physical Characteristics
Design Type Bar
Material Plastic
Colors Black, Red
Dimensions [H x W x D] 13.7 x 7.1 x 0.7 cm (5.4 x 2.8 x 0.3 in)
Weight 140 grams
Water Resistant / Waterproof Unknown
Rugged design No
IP Rating No
Headset Jack 3.5mm
External Speakers Yes
Input / Navigation
Sleep / Wake Key Yes
Home Key Yes
Input / Keyboard Type Touchscreen
Navigation Type Touchscreen
External Volume Control Yes
Fingerprint Sensor No
More
Additional Information

Messaging: SMS, MMS, Google Talk
Multi-Use Smart Phone / PDA: Yes
Graphics: Yes
Backlit Illumination: Yes
Zoom / Magnification: Yes
Screen Orientation Lock: Yes
Predictive Text Entry: Yes
Voicemail Key: Yes
Voice Commands: Yes
Keypad/Screen Lock: Yes
Multiple Numbers Per Contact: Email address, Other fields
Contact Groups: Yes
Voice Activated Dialing: Yes
Photo Caller ID: Yes
Web Browser: Yes
Email Client: Yes
Email Protocols: POP3, IMAP, SMTP, Microsoft Exchange
PC Synchronization: OTA
ECML / Digital Wallet: Yes
Audio Formats: MIDI, MP3, eAAC+, AAC+, AAC, AMR-WB, Real Audio, WMA, WAV, AMR-NB
Video Playback Formats: 3GP / 3GPP, H.264 / AVC, MPEG-4, WMV, RealVideo
Streaming Video: Yes
Custom Ringtones: Yes
Vibration Alert: Yes
Downloadable Ringtones: Yes
Ringer ID: Yes
Speakerphone: Yes
Haptic Feedback: Yes
Data Tethering: Yes
Mobile Hotspot: Yes
Wi-fi Encryption: WPA2
Viewable document types: DOC, DOCX, PDF, PPT, PPTX, XLS
Games: Downloadable
Apps: Downloadable, Pre-installed
Included Software / Apps: -
Calendar, World Clock, Alarm, Stop Watch, Timer, Calculator, Maps, Voice Memos / Recorder



Other Names (AKA):

- Has built-in Barometer
- Last for 28 hours of mixed usage

Related Links Manual (PDF)
Motorola DROID Ultra Reviews
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