Razer Phone review: An Android handset with a sharp design and an obvious flaw

The journey to making a smartphone for Razer has been years in the making, though it accelerated somewhat in early 2022. The company caused Nextbit, a startup with a somewhat unique Android phone, the Robin. This was the latest in a string of relevant pickups for Razer, with Ouya and THX having gone before.

The end result was a production Razer fans have been screaming for: The Razer Phone. And while it doesn't run Windows (that ship has long sailed), it's an interesting device to united states for a number of reasons. For one, we've got to start looking elsewhere.

Razer is a brand that nosotros're increasingly impressed by. The Blade is arguably the all-time all-around gaming laptop money can buy, it has more than quality gaming peripherals than y'all can milk shake a stick at, and it isn't afraid to exercise something simply "because it can."

I've been using a Razer Phone since the launch event on November 1, and in that couple of weeks or so I've got to know information technology pretty well. Information technology's far from perfect, but it's easy to be impressed by.

Well-nigh this Razer Phone review

I take been using a Razer Phone provided past the company for review over a period of just over two weeks. It has been connected to the Three network throughout. The phone is currently running the September security patch and has received no OS updates in my fourth dimension with it so far.

There is an updated build (.852) which has a number of fixes and a reported increase in battery life that has pushed out to retail phones. Our unit is on a different rails and hasn't all the same received this, but the review will exist updated if at that place are whatsoever significant points to annotation.

For an alternative accept be sure to check out the review by our pals over at Android Central.

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Video walkthrough

Razer Telephone specs

Category	Specification
Operating System	Android 7.1.ane Nougat (Android 8.ten coming spring '18)
Display	5.72-inches Abrupt IGZO 2560 ten 1440 resolution 120Hz refresh charge per unit with UltraMotion sync Wide Color Gamut (WCG) Corning Gorilla Drinking glass 3
Processor	Qualcomm Snapdragon 835
RAM	8GB LPDDR4 (1600MHz)
Storage	64GB internal microSD carte (class x), 2TB max
Ports	USB Type-C Headphone adapter included
Audio	24-bit THX certified DAC (headphone adapter only) Dual front end facing speakers with individual amplifiers Dolby Atmos
Dual rear photographic camera	12MP AF f/one.75 Wide 12MP AF f/ii.vi Zoom Dual PDAF Dual tone, dual LED wink
Forepart photographic camera	8MP f/2.0
Battery	4,000 mAh Qualcomm Quickcharge iv.0+
Wireless Charging	No
Wireless	802.eleven a/b/g/n/air-conditioning Bluetooth iv.ii NFC
Bands	GSM: Quad-ring GSM | UMTS: B1/2/3/four/5/8 LTE: B1/two/3/4/5/vii/viii/12/17/19/20/25/26/28/29/30/66 TDD LTE: B38/39/40/41 | TD-SCDMA: B34/39
Biometric	Fingerprint scanner (side ability push)
Bootloader unlockable	Aye, directly through phone
Dimensions	158.five mm ten 77.seven mm x eight mm
Weight	197g
Price	$699 / €749.99 / £699.99

Razer Phone hardware

Present a phone is a phone is a phone. For the well-nigh part, all the big names in the space are producing variations on the same theme. Razer, to its credit, didn't jump on whatever bandwagons, and then there's no eighteen:9 ultra alpine display here or curved glass or (thankfully) boasts about DxOMark camera scores.

What nosotros accept is a telephone that looks pretty much exactly as you'd expect a piece of Razer hardware to. Information technology'south a no-fuss blueprint. A simple rectangle with squared off corners, glass on the front end, metal everywhere else, all black apart from the silver or light-green logo. It's also quite big, but non cumbersome. The metal corners are fairly soft in the hand, and the telephone is also pretty slim.

If always a telephone could exist as well loud it would exist the Razer Phone

Part of the reason for its size and the slab-like advent comes around the front. At commencement glance, you'd be forgiven for thinking Razer went bananas when the phone passed through the bezel department. These are no ordinary bezels; they're all grille with some of the loudest sounding smartphone speakers y'all'll ever hear nestled behind them. If always a phone could be too loud, it would be the Razer Phone. Those speakers are likewise a magnet for every little bit of grit and fluff in your pocket.

That sets the tone for what Razer has washed elsewhere on this phone. Just the Razer Blade Pro had all the highest-end hardware within it just considering it could, and so also does the Razer Telephone. There are things missing that phone nerds may lament: There's no wireless charging because metallic, there'south no headphone jack, there'due south no IP rating. If the lack of any of those things keeps you awake at night when looking for a new phone, you'll have to walk away.

This phone is fast. Razer fast.

But what in that location is, really is the cutting border. The Razer Telephone is powered past a Snapdragon 835 processor with 8GB of RAM. That means it'south fast. Really fast. Razer fast. In that location's 64GB of internal storage with an expansion slot for up to 2TB when someone makes a microSD menu that big. It has QuickCharge four+, and at its launch, it's the merely phone in the world to back up this. It's got dual-cameras, a fingerprint sensor hidden in the ability push button. And a ridiculous display.

For its Blade laptops, Razer partners with Sharp to use its IGZO panels and the same thing can exist said of the Razer Phone. It's 1440p in resolution, simply nearly impressively of all, supports a blistering fast 120Hz refresh charge per unit. No other Android phone maker tin lucifer that right now, and it does make a difference. When you run into it, you tin can't unsee it, fifty-fifty at its 90Hz default setting. Everything dances around on this display, crisp, fast, and very colorful. If you similar a vivid display, you'll love this 1.

There are things to be aware of with the display, though. The first is that it'southward manner also reflective so on a bright day yous'll be seeing more than of your own face up looking dorsum at you than you will your content. Information technology also actually needs to be brighter, and the adaptive brightness setting in software is the outset thing you should turn off considering it'due south incredibly ambitious. Indoors or in the shade information technology looks stunning, but there'south a little work to be washed for the next telephone for sure.

What you may or may not miss the most is the headphone jack. With everything else within the phone it was a sacrifice Razer was willing to make, simply the compromise is the THX-certified USB-C headphone dongle with 24-bit DAC.

I take two simple things to say nigh this. Firstly, the sound is astounding. With a good pair of headphones, this is a serious music thespian for serious music fans. The 2d is, information technology's a dongle, and I already misplaced it with no sign of being able to order a replacement. This is unfortunate because without the dongle you get no THX DAC.

It may exist piece of cake to go hung upwardly on what is missing from the Razer Phone, especially if things like walking in the rain or charging wirelessly are items y'all put towards the top of your phone buying list of requirements. You can't have wireless charging on a metal phone and yous can't accept water or dust resistance on a phone with gigantic speaker grilles on the front. Cold hard facts.

But refocusing on everything else, yous have a phone that hangs with the large boys. We weren't expecting a half-assed approach from Razer, bluntly, and information technology delivered. A few niggles aside this is a remarkable piece of hardware.

Razer Phone software

When Razer makes a laptop, information technology has Microsoft doing the operating organisation. It's kind of the same with Android, but Google doesn't do all of the work, so Razer boffins need to get involved. For the most part, the software is near-stock Android, albeit at this point 7.one Nougat, not eight.0 Oreo.

There'southward a good reason for this, and an update volition be coming in Q1 2022, just simply put the first-party stuff underneath like UltraMotion ways that nigh-stock or non, there's a lot of coding to be done to make sure it all works properly. Personally, I'm happier Razer played safe and went with what they know would piece of work, rather than race to say they're one of the first to have the new version and brand a mess of it.

If the Razer Phone is to be your first feel of Android, at least it isn't heavily customized every bit you'd find from the likes of LG or Samsung. The launcher is the popular Nova Launcher Prime with a few custom Razer green accents dotted effectually, and the pre-installed theme shop lets you lot get artistic with how you desire the rest of the phone to look. In that location'south even a Razer Toaster theme which is pretty funny. It also looks great with the Microsoft Launcher applied.

Razer Phone looks great with Microsoft Launcher.

Rather than bog down in the Androidy-ness of it all (It's an Android telephone, get figure), I'm more interested in what Razer has done to the feel across a few colorful accents and themes.

Primarily, that is Game Booster, an app on the phone not different Razer Cortex on your PC. Information technology allows you to customize your functioning either to go the most from the phone, salve as much bombardment life as possible and make sure your games run at their best.

Game Booster is exactly what you think it is: A turbocharger for your mobile games

On a game by game ground, you're able to customize the clock speed, frame rate, and resolution, and Game Booster will automatically kicking in when you launch that title. Razer has been working with game developers to optimize for the Razer Telephone, its 120Hz display, and the UltraMotion sync. Nonetheless, Razer is preferential towards UltraMotion, providing a slick experience over only ramping upwards the frame rate.

Games like gear.guild and Titanfall Attack are already bachelor, with a new Final Fantasy mobile game and Shadowgun Legends two names still to come up. Minecraft, also, information technology seems is a game that supports Razer's high refresh rate. Loonshit of Valor was trumpeted at the launch effect, though Tencent is patently holding off a public release of its super-optimized version.

Game Booster sounds like a pain, but since yous're only actually interested in setting it up for your games, it doesn't accept long, and it's nothing more than a slider on your part. Move it effectually until it meets the settings y'all want, and you're done.

The Razer Phone is obviously targeted at gamers, and though some may scoff, serious mobile gaming continues to rise. Titles like Vain Glory already accept healthy competitive scenes, and its games similar this that should be best on Razer Phone. The gaming experience is important, and Razer delivers. The combination of the sheer power of the phone, the UltraMotion sync, the optimization work and the high refresh rate brandish produce a mobile gaming feel like no other. It's shine, fast every bit hell, looks fantastic on that IGZO display and invites you to really enjoy playing.

Razer's record on software updates is an unknown quantity for at present

Where Razer will be tested besides OS updates is on the monthly Android security patches. The all-time of the bunch are now on the Nov patch while the Razer Phone is languishing on the September release. These are important, and then nosotros'll be keeping a close watch on how up to date Razer stays.

It's also worth pointing out on my ain unit there are some issues that remain outstanding as the phone is selling to consumers. It's even so running an uncertified build, and I can't use Android Pay considering the phone thinks its either rooted or has had the bootloader unlocked. The bootloader can be unlocked, by the way, if you're into tinkering, but mine is not. These issues may be linked together, simply I'm saturday waiting for an update that will hopefully make it all better.

Razer Telephone bombardment life and camera

These 2 are grouped together as a tale of the good and a tale of the less so. And honestly there'due south not a lot to say about the battery life beyond: Information technology's excellent.

The 4000mAh battery in the Razer Phone is certainly towards the larger end of what's out there right now, and it's more than practiced plenty for a twenty-four hours of use. In most cases, I've been getting to a twenty-four hour period and a half with betwixt 5 and six hours of screen-on time. And that includes days where at that place's a couple of hours gaming and watching Mixer streams.

In that location are no worries with the battery whatever.

But then you become to the camera. The hardware sounds pretty solid on newspaper, a pair of 12MP sensors (no OIS), one wide angle, one telephoto and a "seamless zoom" between the two. There is no magic button that goes from wide to zoom. The thought is that it acts like a regular camera. And then when yous zoom in the phone intelligently switches between the two.

I kickoff saw the Razer Phone three weeks earlier the launch effect, and it was articulate it was going to be a race to get information technology finished for launch. The sad truth is that the photographic camera correct now isn't up to scratch for a phone which costs $700. Personally, I don't think it's almost every bit bad equally Alex Dobie over on Android Primal who called it "calamitous," merely and then information technology's also possible he has a faulty unit.

From my perspective, the photographic camera is currently adequate, and nothing more. My own standards aren't nearly as high as many people'southward (all I have photos of is my kids). But with my reviewer's caput on there are things which need to be fixed very quickly. The good news is Razer has multiple photographic camera updates in the pipeline. The bad news is that none have so far arrived.

One of the biggest points of concern is the stock camera app. This alone doesn't give y'all a good feeling because it's completely devoid of whatsoever features whatever beyond an HDR toggle, a timer and an exposure slider. In that location are no manual controls, no creative tools, not even a panorama style built in. The good is that the Razer Phone fully supports the latest camera APIs from Google, so if you can get concur of a camera app from the Play Shop with manual controls, it'southward automatically a much better experience, even if it ways you can't go into the telephoto lens.

Merely there's more to the camera than but the app. Focusing has been generally snappy plenty for me, only at times it can be erratic. The seamless zoom isn't very seamless at all; it's jerky, dull to react and ultimately ends upwardly in zooming in too far most every time. Pic quality isn't awful in well-lit situations, though images are definitely on the soft side. When the light disappears, it's pretty bad, though, with noisy, grainy images mostly what you'll be getting.

It's pitiful because it feels rushed and clearly unfinished. That'south not the Razer we're accepted to, and while I'm pretty comfortable the camera experience will get better, the telephone is now on sale, and it hasn't changed since the launch outcome. For folks who prioritize a practiced photographic camera, you can't recommend the Razer Phone right now. Because honestly, we're however to see how good it can be.

Razer Phone review bottom line

And then, Razer'due south get-go smartphone. A phone for gamers, not a gaming phone. Is information technology a winner? Mostly, yes. Every bit a kickoff endeavor, there is no uncertainty that the Razer Phone is a mightily impressive piece of equipment. It ticks every box when it comes to high-end phone specs, and Razer should be commended for trying something different.

This isn't a "me too" telephone, following the Samsung/LG/Apple tree trail. Razer had a vision for what information technology wanted to put inside a smartphone that would appeal to its fans. To gamers. And on that front, you can't deny they hit it out of the park.

Sure, the brandish is too cogitating and non bright enough outdoors, but when y'all tin run into it well, what a brandish it is. Information technology's vivid and abrupt, but much like a PC monitor, it'due south the high refresh charge per unit that is the difference maker. It'southward hard to put into words, but when you come across a phone that tin can return its UI at 120 FPS, going back to even half, this is like someone is scratching at your optics. The performance to go with it, be that gaming or everyday apply, is exemplary.

The Razer Telephone is a beast.

Pros:

• First-class build quality.
• Impressive display with 120Hz refresh rate and UltraMotion sync for gaming.
• Bang-up battery life.
• About stock Android.
• Superb speakers.

Cons:

• Mediocre camera.
• Display is too cogitating and could be a little brighter.
• Giant speaker grilles are magnet for fluff.

But, information technology'southward a beast with a big flaw and that would be the camera. I'thousand OK not marking it down for having no wireless charging or an IP rating because neither of those ii features are possible given the design of the phone. But y'all can't ignore the camera.

It's non my biggest concern buying a phone, and fifty-fifty here, the refresh rate of the display and the overall functioning outweighs information technology for me, but that'due south not going to fly for anybody. Many people volition put a proficient camera at the top of the listing and correct at present I can't say it'due south good at all.

But taking that aside, the rest of the phone is a job well done. If you're like me, you'll miss the headphone jack, but the quality of the audio through that THX dongle is a worthwhile trade-off. Simply don't lose information technology.

For a first try though, Razer did a bang-up job hither. The hardware is superb, the software is fast and bloat complimentary and compared to other flagships, $700 isn't a bad price either. Razer fans will dear it. People looking for something a little different will beloved it too. I've no desire to put this phone down anytime soon, and I am confident Razer volition evangelize the fixes where needed. Information technology's likewise the showtime of a journey, and for a company like Razer, who knows where this is going to lead.

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Source: https://www.windowscentral.com/razer-phone-review

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