Two things you should know about me: First, I’m a sucker for nostalgia. And second, I’m a full-fledged, card-carrying member of the International Association of Unashamed Packrats (and damn it, you’d better believe I still have the card).

Between those two qualities — and also, you know, just the nature of my job — I rarely get rid of my own old smartphones. I’ve got a hefty stack of fined aged devices sitting in my desk, and every now and then, one of those dusty old demons actually comes in handy.

That was the case last week, when my wife’s Nexus 5X kicked the bucket without warning. While we waited for her warranty replacement to arrive, I powered up my ol’ 2014 Moto X, added her as a user, and had her up and running on it in no time — almost as if nothing had happened.

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