Moto X outperforms the competition in LTE network connectivity test

If you highly value the speed of your mobile connection, odds are you are packing a device that is fully capable of 4G LTE speeds. While various U.S. carriers will claim that their LTE network is the fastest, what’s equally important is how well your device actually performs when connected to a cellular network.

With that in mind, Signals Research Group recently conducted a test to determine which smartphones performed the best when it came to network connectivity. The handsets tested were the Samsung Galaxy S4, Samsung Galaxy Note 2, HTCOne, LG G2 and the Motorola Moto X. Interestingly enough, the Moto X managed a 35 percent higher average throughput than other devices in a variety of test scenarios. The Moto X also could sustain a data call at signal levels 9 db lower than that of other devices.

Now before we instantly declare the Moto X the best performing device in terms of network connectivity, it is important to note that the handset was tested on the 700MHz Band 13 (used by Verizon), while the remaining devices were tested over the 700MHz Band 17 (used by AT&T).

Although we would have preferred to see the Moto X tested using the same band as the others, Signals Research’s CEO Michael Thelander claims that the different bands should not cause any noticeable differences in the device’s performance due to the fact that the two bands are so close together on the spectrum chart.

[quote qtext=”I’m confident that if we had tested a Moto X phone that supported Band 17 in Band 17 that the results would be largely the same.” qperson=”Michael Thelander” qsource=”Signals Research’s founder and CEO” qposition=”center”]

Keep in mind that this is not a ‘speed test’, and instead was a sophisticated series of tests designed to determine the overall quality and reliability of the network connection. Each device had to go through 14.4 hours of testing in an anechoic chamber, and there were roughly 860 60-second tests conducted for each handset from a variety of different angles and 35 different power levels. The equipment used to perform the test Spirent Communications and ETS-Lindgren.

Now the big takeaway here isn’t necessarily to point out that the Moto X is the champion when it comes to cellular performance (even if true), but Thelander says that the study simply reinforces the idea that no matter how great an operator’s network is, the customer experience will be negatively impacted if the device’s individual performance on the network isn’t up to snuff.

For more details on the report, be sure to check out our article’s original source. For Moto X owners coming from a different LTE device, do you notice any real difference in terms of LTE performance over your previous device? Let us know what you think in the comments below.