Motorola Photon Q 4G (XT897) vs Samsung Galaxy Alpha (SM-G850M)
Side by side comparison between Motorola Photon Q 4G vs Samsung Galaxy Alpha phones, differences, pros, cons and full specifications. What's the better?
,
4.3"
TFT
TFT
540x960
8
MP
MP
1.3mp
1GB
RAM
RAM
Dual-core
1785
mAh
mAh
(Non removable)
vs
4.7"
AMOLED
AMOLED
720x1280
12
MP
MP
2.1mp
2GB
RAM
RAM
Octa-core
1860
mAh
mAh
(Removable)
What's the better phone? Samsung Galaxy Alpha (SM-G850M)
The phonemore's choice is much more technical than personal. Therefore, you shouldn't only consider this. Our goal is to help you, but what's important to us may not be important to you. You decide which one is the best! Comment!
3 Advantages 
21 Advantages | 19 Common items in both devices |
| 16 million |
| LED flash |
| Only digital zoom |
| Autofocus |
| 4G LTE / 4G LTE-A |
| Capacitive |
| Multitouch |
| +12 specs and more in the table below |
Check the comparison table below for more items that are not evaluated in comparison score above.
Highlight differences Clear highlight📱 Model features | ||
| Motorola Photon Q 4G (XT897) | Galaxy Alpha (SM-G850M) | |
| Change model | ||
| Model | Photon Q 4G (XT897) | Galaxy Alpha (SM-G850M) |
| Other model names | Motorola Photon Q 4G LTE Sprint, Motorola Asant | Vodafone Samsung Galaxy Alpha 4G LTE SM-G850M |
| Country or region available |  USA |   (Latin America), Brazil |
| Brand | Motorola | Samsung |
| Release date | 8/19/2012 | 9/1/2014 |
| Depth | 13.7 millimeters (0.54 inches) | 6.7 millimeters (0.26 inches) |
| Size (width x height) | 66 x 126.4 millimeters (2.6 x 4.98 in) | 65.5 x 132.4 millimeters (2.58 x 5.21 in) |
| Weight | 170 grams (5.95 ounces) | 115 grams (4.03 ounces) |
| Build, materials | feature not registered | feature not registered |
| Protection against water and others | Water splash resistant (don't immerse) | Not supported |
📲 Display | ||
| Motorola Photon Q 4G (XT897) | Galaxy Alpha (SM-G850M) | |
| Display type | TFT LCD | Super AMOLED |
| Screen size | 4.3" inches | 4.7" inches |
| Screen-to-body ratio | ~61.1% (screen-to-body ratio) | ~70.2% (screen-to-body ratio) |
| Display resolution | 540x960 pixels | 720x1280 pixels |
| Touchscreen | Capacitive Multitouch | Capacitive Multitouch 10-points |
| Pixel density (dot pitch) | 256 PPI | 312 PPI |
| Colors | 16 million | 16 million |
| Scratch-resistant glass | Gorilla Glass | Gorilla Glass 4 |
| Refresh rate | feature not registered | feature not registered |
| Display features | feature not registered | feature not registered |
🤖 Operating System | ||
| Motorola Photon Q 4G (XT897) | Galaxy Alpha (SM-G850M) | |
| System version | Android 4.0.4 Ice Cream Sandwich ICS | Android 4.4.4 KitKat |
| Firmware update | Android 4.1.2 Jelly Bean | Android 5.0.2 Lollipop |
| User Interface | feature not registered | feature not registered |
⚙️ Processor | ||
| Motorola Photon Q 4G (XT897) | Galaxy Alpha (SM-G850M) | |
| Chipset | 32bit: Qualcomm Snapdragon MSM8960 | 32bit: Samsung Exynos 5 Octa 5430 (20nm) |
| CPU | Dual-core, 1 processor: 2x 1.5GHz Krait (Dual-core) | Octa-core, 2 processors: 4x 1.8GHz ARM Cortex-A15 (Quad-core) 4x 1.3GHz ARM Cortex-A7 (Quad-core) |
| GPU graphical controller | feature not registered | ARM Mali-T628 MP6 |
| Performance (benchmark) | feature not registered | feature not registered |
💽 Memory and storage | ||
| Motorola Photon Q 4G (XT897) | Galaxy Alpha (SM-G850M) | |
| RAM memory | 1GB LPDDR2 | 2GB LPDDR3 |
| Internal storage | 8GB (5GB available) | 32GB (25GB available) |
| External storage | Until 32GB microSD, microSDHC (dedicated slot) | Not supported |
📶 Mobile networks | ||
| Motorola Photon Q 4G (XT897) | Galaxy Alpha (SM-G850M) | |
| Dual-SIM | Not supported | Not supported |
| SIM card | 1 slot (Single-SIM) Standard mini-SIM (2FF) | 1 slot (Single-SIM) nano-SIM (4FF) |
| Maximum Download / Upload | 100/50 Mbps | 150/50 Mbps |
| Network technology | 2G, 3G, 4G | 2G, 3G, 4G |
| Frequency, bands | Expand band details Collapse details | |
| GSM MHz band | Quad-Band 850/900/1800/1900 | Quad-Band 850/900/1800/1900 |
| Primary 2G network | CDMA 800/1900, GSM 850/900/1800/1900 | GSM 850/900/1800/1900 |
| Primary 3G network | CDMA2000 1xEV-DO, UMTS 850/1900/2100 | UMTS 850/900/1900/2100 |
| Primary 4G network | LTE 1900 | LTE 800/1800/2600 |
| Primary 5G network | Not supported | Not supported |
| Primary data network | GPRS, EDGE, CDMA2000 EV-DO Rev A, UMTS, HSDPA, HSUPA, HSPA+, LTE | GPRS, EDGE, UMTS, HSDPA, HSUPA, HSPA+, LTE, LTE-A |
| Secondary 2G network | Not supported | Not supported |
| Secondary 3G network | Not supported | Not supported |
| Secondary 4G network | Not supported | Not supported |
| Secondary data network | Not supported | Not supported |
📷 Camera | ||
| Motorola Photon Q 4G (XT897) | Galaxy Alpha (SM-G850M) | |
| Back camera (main camera) | 8 megapixels | 12 megapixels |
| Main camera resolution | 3264x2448 pixels | 4608x2592 pixels |
| Video recording (primary) | Full HD (1920x1080) 30 fps | 4K UHD (3840x2160) 30 fps |
| Flash | LED flash | LED flash |
| Focal aperture | feature not registered | f/2.2 (aperture) |
| Focal length | feature not registered | feature not registered |
| Sensor size | feature not registered | feature not registered |
| Pixel size | feature not registered | feature not registered |
| Autofocus | Autofocus | Autofocus |
| Touch focus | Supported | Supported |
| Image stabilization | feature not registered | EIS: Digital stabilization |
| Zoom | Only digital zoom | Only digital zoom |
| Face/smile detection | Face detection | Face detection, Smile detection |
| BSI sensor | Not supported | Not supported |
| HDR | Not supported | HDR photo/video only main camera |
| Camera extras | feature not registered | feature not registered |
📸 Front camera | ||
| Motorola Photon Q 4G (XT897) | Galaxy Alpha (SM-G850M) | |
| Front camera (secondary) | 1.3 megapixels | 2.1 megapixels |
| Front camera resolution | 1280x1024 pixels | 1920x1080 pixels |
| Video recording (secondary) | HD (1280x720) | Full HD (1920x1080) |
| Front flash | Not supported | Not supported |
| Focal aperture | feature not registered | feature not registered |
| Focal length | feature not registered | feature not registered |
| Sensor size | feature not registered | feature not registered |
| Pixel size | feature not registered | feature not registered |
🔉 Sound and multimedia | ||
| Motorola Photon Q 4G (XT897) | Galaxy Alpha (SM-G850M) | |
| Loudspeaker | Supported | Supported |
| Active noise cancellation | 2 microphones or more | 2 microphones or more |
| Radio | Not supported | Not supported |
| TV | Not supported | Not supported |
| Video formats | MP4, H.264, H.263, WMV | MP4, H.264, H.263, WMV |
| Audio formats | MP3, WAV, WMA, AAC+ | MP3, WAV, WMA, eAAC+, FLAC |
🔌 Connectivity | ||
| Motorola Photon Q 4G (XT897) | Galaxy Alpha (SM-G850M) | |
| USB | MicroUSB 2.0 | MicroUSB 2.0 |
| Audio output | 3.5mm jack | 3.5mm jack |
| TV output | Micro HDMI Type D | Not supported |
| Bluetooth | 4.0 + A2DP | 4.0 + A2DP |
| WiFi | 802.11 b/g/n [wifi4] (2.4GHz) | 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac [wifi5] (2.4GHz, 5GHz) WiFi Direct, hotspot |
| DLNA | Supported | Supported |
| GPS | A-GPS, GeoTagging | A-GPS, GeoTagging, GLONASS |
| NFC | Supported | Supported |
| Infrared port | Not supported | Not supported |
🧭 Sensors | ||
| Motorola Photon Q 4G (XT897) | Galaxy Alpha (SM-G850M) | |
| Sensors | Accelerometer Ambient light sensor Compass Proximity sensor | Accelerometer Ambient light sensor Compass Fingerprint sensor Gyroscope Proximity sensor |
| Vibrating alert | Supported | Supported |
🔋 Battery | ||
| Motorola Photon Q 4G (XT897) | Galaxy Alpha (SM-G850M) | |
| Battery type | Li-Ion: lithium-ion (Non removable) | Li-Ion: lithium-ion (Removable) |
| Battery capacity | 1785 mAh | 1860 mAh |
| Charger, watts | Wired charging | Wired charging |
| Inductive / wireless charging | feature not registered | feature not registered |
| Talk time autonomy | 7.5 hours | 11 hours |
| Standby | 220 hours (9.2 days) | feature not registered |
➕ Other features | ||
| Motorola Photon Q 4G (XT897) | Galaxy Alpha (SM-G850M) | |
| Call control | Voice dialing, Voice recorder, Voice commands | Voice dialing, Voice recorder, Voice commands |
| Messaging | SMS (Swype), MMS, E-mail, Push mail | SMS (Swype), MMS, E-mail, Push mail |
| Hands-free calling | Supported | Supported |
| Video calling | Supported | Supported |
| Ringtones | Polyphonic and customized | Polyphonic and customized |
| Web browser | HTML, XHTML, HTML5, Flash player | HTML, XHTML, HTML5 |
| Antenna | Internal antenna | Internal antenna |
| Qwerty physical keyboard | Retractable QWERTY keyboard | Not supported |
| Miscellaneous | • Colors: Black • HDMI 1.4 connector • Dual-mode CDMA/GSM phone • Motorola SmartActions • DLNA • HAC (M3/T3) • 3D stereo sound • 3G/4G Wi-Fi Mobile Hotspot up to 8 devices • ColorBoost display • Splash-proof phone • Java framework | • Colors: Black, Silver, White, Gold, Blue • USB OTG On-The-Go • Dual Shot camera (video + photo) • Fingerprint sensor (PayPal certified) • Dropbox 50GB • ANT+ support |
☢️ Radiation rate | ||
| Motorola Photon Q 4G (XT897) | Galaxy Alpha (SM-G850M) | |
| SAR 1.6W/kg (USA, Mexico, etc.) | feature not registered | 0.76W/kg (head), 1.02W/kg (body) |
| SAR 2W/kg (Europe, UK, etc.) | feature not registered | feature not registered |