
The fight for the best Android phone is hotter than its ever been right now. Classic big hitters like the Samsung Galaxy S23 are being rivalled by a host of other devices like the Xiaomi 13 and the Vivo X90 Pro+.
But there's a new competitor courtesy of Motorola which may take the crown. The Motorola X40 has just been unveiled in the Far East. It features the all new Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 processor, which promises a 25% faster GPU and a 35% faster CPU among a host of other upgrades.
The display is a 6.7-inch OLED panel, with a whopping 165Hz refresh rate. That will be important for fans of the best gaming phones, as users will get a large surface and fantastic graphics for mobile gameplay. It also makes it one of the highest refresh rates you can get on a modern smartphone.
There's a 4,600mAh battery to keep things powered all day, and 125W fast charging, which Motorola claim will take you from 0 to 50% in just 7 minutes. Wireless charging is also supported, though it's limited to a rather measly 15W. Still, with wired charging speeds as fast as that, it's unlikely to offend many.
For shot-snapping, the X40 packs 50MP sensors for main and ultrawide duties, and a 12MP unit with a 2x optical zoom. Those are modest for a flagship phone, but I'd expect a premium variant with a beefier camera – like this years' Motorola Edge 30 Ultra.
In terms of storage and RAM, the base model will pack 128GB and 8GB respectively, increasing up to 512GB of storage and 12GB of RAM at the top end.
What's most impressive, though, is the price. Directly converted from the Far Eastern list price, the X40 retails for around $490 / £400 / AU$730. No, that's not a typo – £400 for a phone of that quality.
Sign up to the T3 newsletter for smarter living straight to your inbox
Get all the latest news, reviews, deals and buying guides on gorgeous tech, home and active products from the T3 experts
At that price, the X40 could be vying for the best cheap phone at the same time. Of course, prices in Western markets rarely translate directly from their Far Eastern counterparts, but it's a great place to start.
And when we're looking at a spec sheet like this at that price, it's hard to see why you'd go for anything else.
Sam is an award-winning journalist with over six years of experience across print and digital media. As T3’s Senior Staff Writer, Sam covers everything from new phones and EVs to luxury watches and fragrances. Working across a range of different social media platforms alongside his written work, Sam is a familiar face for fans of T3. When he’s not reviewing snazzy products or hunting for stellar deals, Sam enjoys football, analog photography and writing music.
-
How to use weights for cardio
Can't stand the treadmill? Good news! A pair of dumbbells can boost your cardio fitness and calorie burn
By Bryony Firth-Bernard Published
-
Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge material rumours have got me really excited
This could be a game-changer for phone design
By Sam Cross Published
-
You can now use a Samsung Galaxy SmartTag with any Android phone, but there's a catch
There's a clever way to get your Galaxy Tag working on other Android phones
By Chris Hall Published
-
Your affordable Samsung TV could be getting a massive feature update anytime now
Samsung's premium TVs aren't the only ones getting extra smarts
By Carrie Marshall Published
-
One major Samsung Galaxy S25 upgrade could make all phones better going forward
It's just not clear when rival handsets might get it
By Britta O'Boyle Published
-
Samsung sneakily confirms its tri-fold phone for release this year – blink and you missed it
A passing reference to a multi-fold device compounds rumours of a new device
By Chris Hall Published
-
Samsung's Vision Pro rival to get a big boost from a clever Google acquisition
Google is buying HTC's XR division to work on Android XR – the driving force behind Project Moohan
By John McCann Published
-
Samsung just shocked everyone with the S25 Edge
What is the Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge?
By Sam Cross Published
-
Samsung is prioritising Google Gemini over its own Bixby – and that's a great sign for users
I'm hoping this is a sign of great things to come
By Sam Cross Published
-
Extra Samsung Galaxy S25 marketing leak shows new features before launch
Is there anything left to learn?
By Britta O'Boyle Published