One of the best Android phones of 2014 just got a major update - here's what it's like to use it

Motorola just unveiled its next major flagship phone - the Moto X Style, and at first glance it seems like a great value compared with the latest iPhones or Samsung competitors.

It's an updated version of the Moto X with a larger screen that has a sharper resolution, a better camera (although we haven't tested it yet), and fast-charging technology built in.

It only costs $400 without a carrier contract, which is noticeably cheaper than other unlocked phones.

That's a savings of $100 to $300 over an unlocked Samsung Galaxy Note 4 or an iPhone 6 Plus unlocked, both of which come with large screens just like the Moto X Style.

The first thing I noticed when holding the Moto X Style is that it feels noticeably heavier than last year's Moto X. It doesn't have the same lightweight feel as its predecessor. That's not to say it's necessarily bulky, but don't expect it to feel the same as the 2014 edition Moto X.

That being said, the front of the phone looks slick and attractive. The white bezels on the front of the phone are glossy, which gives the phone a nice clean look.

As is the case with Motorola's previous Moto X phones, you'll be able to customize how the back of the phone looks via the company's Moto Maker studio. Here's what the Moto X Style with a wooden back looks like:

When picking up the Moto X Style, you'll also notice that it looks a lot like Google's Nexus 6. Both phones are around the same size and feature a similar rounded edges. Here's what the Nexus 6 looks like for comparison's sake:

The Moto X Style seemed to perform smoothly during my limited demo with it. As is the case with Motorola's previous phones, it runs a clean version of Android, which makes it really easy to use. That means it's just Android as Google made it, without any additional apps or services. This makes the interface very fluid and less cluttered than that of some other Android phones.

Motorola is talking up how much better the camera on the Moto X Style is compared to last year's Moto X. Photos that I shot on the phone in Motorola's demo space seemed clear, but it's really hard to determine the image quality without viewing it on a larger screen, such as a monitor. All I could really gather about the camera was that it launched quickly with little delay, which is great for instances when you'd want to take photos quickly.

We'll have to spend more time with it before deciding if it's better than last year's model, but if you're looking for an Android phone with a big screen it'll be hard to find a phone cheaper than the Moto X Style.