Razer Phone Review

Welcome

Razer Phone Review

Verdict

The Razer Phone is packed full of power and potential, but the stumbling block is its niche appeal. Its design may not blow people away, but the super stereo speakers and gaming-focused display will appeal to some.

For (+)

• Excellent speakers
• Display tuned for gaming
• Plenty of power under the hood

Against (-)

• Camera a weak point
• Only a handful of games
• No headphone jack 

 The Razer Phone is built for gamers, with high-end specs, silky smooth screen and powerful stereo speakers. But do gamers want a smartphone dedicated to gaming? 

When you download the new patch, you'll see that Razer has added 2X zoom to the app, and that shutter speed across the board of lighting conditions has been sped up. Additionally, Razer claims that the image sensor generally produces less noise in dark places and thus, clearer shadows. Best of all, it says that users will find that it takes better photos than before.
We'll be checking out the camera app update shortly and will note if there's anything new that we discover.

We'll be checking out the camera app update shortly and will note if there's anything new that we discover.]
With so much competition at the top end of the mobile market, and flagship handsets already offering great screens and a whole lot of power for gaming, the Razer Phone is a bold play from a firm well known for its gaming laptops and peripherals, and which is now hoping its legions of fans will buy into its latest device.
This Android phone is focused on two core elements: the screen and the sound. 
Its 5.7-inch display packs the world’s first 120Hz refresh rate on a smartphone, and it’s flanked by Dolby Atmos-tuned stereo speakers. The result is a handset that boasts some seriously strong credentials when it comes to visuals and audio, and with plenty of power under the hood.

Razer Phone Specs

Weight: 197g
DimensionS: 158.5 x 77.7 x 8mm
OS: Android 7.1.1
Screen size: 5.7 inches
Resolution: 1440 x 2560
CPU: Snapdragon 835
RAM: 8GB
Storage: 64GB
Battery: 4,000mAh
Rear camera: 12MP + 12MP
Front camera: 8MP  

 - The Razer Phone price is $699, £699.99 -   

-You can pick it up from Razer’s online store in the US and UK, while those in the UK also have the option it grab it on contact exclusively at Three. In the US, you’ll have to buy it at full price. -

The Razer Phone release date was November 17 in a number of countries including the US, UK and Canada.
Razer told us it’s currently looking at bringing the phone to Australia, while India has been ruled out and the Middle East is a possibility later along the line.

Display

• World's first 120Hz smartphone gaming display
• 5.7-inch LCD IGZO QHD (1440 x 2560)

Razer started with the screen when it came to build the Razer Phone, as it’s essential to the gaming experience – and it provides an experience you can’t get on any other phone in 2017.
On paper, the 5.7-inch LCD IGZO QHD (1440 x 2560) display protected by Gorilla Glass 3 may not seem like anything special, putting it on a par with many of its rivals in terms of size and resolution; however there’s more to this screen than meets the eye.
Razer has opted for LCD technology over the brighter, more colorful AMOLED tech you’ll find in the likes of the Galaxy S8 and Google Pixel 2 XL because it has the ability to deliver higher refresh rates and frame rates. That’s ideal, of course, for 3D gaming.
The result is a display which boasts a 120Hz variable refresh rate, and is capable of up to 120fps (frames per second). It means movement on screen is silky smooth – even just scrolling through your Twitter timeline you can appreciate the higher frame rate as it glides effortlessly, and more quickly, beneath your fingers.

Dive into the settings and you can select the refresh rate you want for the display, with 60Hz, 90hz and 120Hz being your options. Increasing the refresh rate sees scrolling become smoother, and animations (app opening and so on) slicker.

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Flicking between refresh rates and performing the same action (such as scrolling through your Twitter feed) does present a smoother, more satisfying experience at 120Hz, but those without a keen eye on refresh rates will find the difference minimal.
Of course, the main reason for that fast refresh rate is gaming, and we’ll cover that in more detail on the next page of this review.
Razer fans will likely appreciate what’s being offered here, but it’s difficult to make a case for why this phone is worth the money for more general users. If feels more like a ‘nice to have’ device than a game-changer.
Dive into the settings and you can opt to downscale the display resolution to Full HD (1080p), which improves battery life.
However, we found the Razer Phone’s battery lasted a full day on a single charge pretty comfortably, so we didn’t require this function.

Desing

• Square, blocky and a little uninspired
• No headphone jack, but audio adapter with built in 24-bit DAC in box

If the design of the Razer Phone looks familiar, that’s because the gaming giant purchased startup smartphone maker Nextbit back in January 2019 – igniting rumors that it was planning on launching its own smartphone – and it’s used the design of Nextbit’s only handset, theNexbit Robin here.
The three key visual differences between it and the Razer Phone are the latter’s slightly taller, wider build, its new black paint job, and the increased size of the speaker grilles on the front. It’s also a lot heavier at 197g, versus the 150g Robin
 All of this means the Razer Phone is square, blocky and, if we’re honest, a little uninspired in the looks department – especially when you consider that 2017 has given us the Galaxy S8 and iPhone X ...
It’s not a bad design, and it’s more comfortable to hold landscape then you’d expect with its flat edges and angular corners, but its looks are polarizing. 
We met some people during our time with the phone who loved the design, but the majority we spoke to were less enamored with what Razer has done.

 The phone boasts the same finish as other Razer products, in an attempt to win fans of the brand over, and it was designed based on the phone being primarily used in landscape orientaion for gaming, which partly explains the larger bezels above and below the display.

Speakers

 

• The best speakers on a smartphone
• Tuned to Dolby Atmos standards and first to be THX-certified

Another important feature of the Razer Phone are the speakers, and we’ll get right to it. The dual front-facing speakers on this phone are, hands-down, the best speakers on any smartphone at the moment.
Each speaker has its own amplifier, and they've been tuned to Dolby Atmos standards and are the first smartphone speakers to be THX certified. Together they provide a '3D visualization' of sound, meaning they sound just as good when you’re behind the phone as when you’re in front of it.
The impressive stereo and immersive qualities make it sound like Razer has packed in more than just the two speakers, and you notice the quality every time you listen to audio on the handset.
From quick YouTube clips and Twitter videos to movies and games, the Razer Phone speakers aren’t just loud, they’re also crisp and clear. While there is some bass, it’s not going to be shaking the floor – this is still a smartphone, not a large sub box.

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