It's been over a decade since Motorola launched the Defy, a device that was one of the first rugged smartphones to hit the market. The product line lasted just over a year before Motorola Mobility, which was about to be bought by Google, called it a day after the launch of Defy+ and Defy Mini. Fast forward to 2021 and Motorola, now owned by Lenovo, has partnered with Bullitt Group, a specialist in rugged smartphones and brand revitalization, to relaunch the Defy and tap into the seemingly growing market of independent gig carriers (think bikers Deliveroo and Uber Eats).
Prices and availability
The Motorola Defy will be available in select markets in Europe and Latin America in the coming weeks starting at € 329 / € 279 (around € 390), although prices may vary by country. No date has been given for the device's launch in other territories.
(Image credit: Avenir)
Integrated
The Defy doesn't look like any of the rugged smartphones we've used in recent times - it's taller than most, not as wide as expected, and surprisingly thin. At 170 x 78 x 11mm and weighing 234g, it is lighter than all recently tested IP68 smartphones while offering MIL SPEC 810H, as well as being drop and water resistant.
(Image credit: Avenir) Aesthetically, it's one of the few outdoor smartphones that comes close to the design of a regular consumer phone. You'd think, from a distance, that this is a phone with a tough, protective TPU outer shell with a textured rubberized finish.
(Image credit: Avenir) The teardrop-shaped hole that hides the 8-megapixel selfie sensor sits atop a large 6,5-inch HD+ display with a 20:9 aspect ratio. The latter is covered with a layer of Corning Gorilla Glass Victus 0,7mm thick and retracts 0,5mm; Ideal for avoiding unwanted scratches.
(Image credit: Avenir) The SIM card tray sits on the left side of the phone, while the volume, power, and custom (push-to-talk) buttons sit on the right. At the top is a 3,5mm headphone jack, a rarity on phones released in 2021.
(Image credit: Avenir) The bottom edge hides a downward-firing speaker and USB Type-C port, without a protective flap, which isn't a good idea in our opinion. On the back, you'll find three photo sensors (48-megapixel, 2-megapixel depth, and 2-megapixel macro), an LED flash, and a fingerprint sensor emblazoned with the Motorola logo.
(Image credit: Avenir) Note that there's a location for a strap on the bottom left of the smartphone, a thoughtful addition. Motorola hasn't confirmed if there will be other accessories that may have been useful for digital nomads, tradespeople, or field workers.
(Image credit: Avenir)
Team
Technical sheet The Motorola Defy comes with the following hardware:
UPC: Qualcomm Snapdragon 662
GPU: Adreno 610
RAM: 4 GB
Storage: 64 GB
Screen size: 6,5 inches
Resolution: 1600 x 720
Weight: 234g
Size: 169,8 x 78,2 x 10,9 mm
Rear camera: 48 megapixels, 2 megapixels, 2 megapixels
Frontal camera: 8MP
Operating system: Android 10
Battery: 5Ah The Defy is one of the few rugged smartphones that is not powered by Mediatek. Instead, it uses the Qualcomm Snapdragon 662, a midrange octacore system on a chip that does 4G. The data sheet also lists 4 GB of RAM and 64 GB of on-board storage that can be increased with a microSD card. The screen is a 6,5-inch screen with a resolution of 1600 x 720 pixels. That's far less than smartphones in this price range and will result in blurrier pictures and images, though it varies wildly by user. There's also NFC, Wi-Fi 5, Bluetooth 5.0, a 5000mAh battery, a 20W charger, a lanyard, a USB Type-C cable, and depending on where you are, a pair of headphones.
(Image credit: Avenir)
Use
The phone is well built and pleasantly portable compared to some of the behemoths we've tested in the past. Its larger footprint means it doesn't feel maneuverable as your weight is distributed over a larger area. Its larger form factor means one-handed operation is entirely possible. Benchmarks Here's how the Motorola Defy performed in our round of benchmark tests:
PCMark (Job 2.0): 6456
Average: 5055
Passmark CPU: 2282
Androbench (sequential): 305 (sequential read); 223 (sequential write)
Androbench (random): 125 (random game); 53 (random writing)
3DMark Wild Life Volcano: 376
LinPack MFLOPS: 1131 Motorola decided to release Defy on Android 10 instead of the newer Android 11 due to the maturity of the platform. However, they have promised to deliver Android 11 later along with security updates until 2023. Don't expect the Defy to perform like a mid-range smartphone; the entry level is where it belongs; the Motorola Moto G9 Play is the smartphone it's built on, a device that sells for less than half. It clocked up some of the lowest numbers we've seen in 2021 across the board with graphics, and the Adreno 610 GPU is a particularly sore spot. There's almost no bloatware on the phone other than a sales team communications app called Mototalk and a dedicated Moto app that simplifies the often tricky path to seamless customization. There are no business-oriented features like Samsung's Knox that allows you to create a digital clone of your phone.
Final verdict
When it comes to value for money, the Defy sits at the bottom of the pile with components normally found in entry-level phones compared to the Ulefone Armor 9. But it's not just the speed of its phone is also about what happens when things go wrong. Chinese manufacturers Doogee, Ulefone, Blackview and Oukitel can't really compete for aftermarket support given the global reach of Motorola and Lenovo. The phone comes with a two-year warranty, Android Enterprise support (with Google Zero Touch enrollment), two-year security updates, and two-year enrollment and provisioning. Basic policy tested with leading EMM (Enterprise Mobility Management) solutions ). So while its performance is significantly below average, its overall finish, build quality, and after-sales service are some of the best we've seen. SMBs or those looking for a business smartphone with a little more oomph will need to carefully consider the pros and cons before making a decision. Price - Motorola Defy: ▼