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It's not easy to turn heads in the mobile industry in 2018. At best, we see new handsets come out to critical acclaim but also a sense of stifled boredom. Maybe it is the best of its kind yet, but so what? Apart from the fact that it ticks every box, what does it bring to the table that's new? Fortunately, Razer has decided to get into the mobile market. The gaming hardware company is now on its second generation smartphone, the Razer Phone 2, and it's staying true to its original vision: a handset for elite mobile gamers. This puts the device in an interesting position. It's a luxury product – it should not only compete with the best but somehow achieve more. That's where the 120Hz refresh rate comes in, and the RGB light-up logo.
But the price tag is telling. While it's certainly competing with other premium devices at $ 799 – like the Pixel 3, for instance – it still is not enough. The main reason is probably that the Razer Phone has too little brand recognition (or not the right kind – when I say the name most people think it's a reincarnation of the famous Motorola Razr), however, I think the price is appropriate in other ways , too. Firstly, because the market is still nascent, and secondly, because Razer is still finding its way through mobile hardware. The Razer Phone 2 is an excellent phone, but it does not tick every box just yet.
120Hz still wows
Let's start with the display since it's the major selling point of the device. While it may seem like hyperbole, the screen's 120Hz refresh rate is nothing short of mind-blowing. When you switch to the setting (it's set to 90Hz by default), the display can change its image at 120 frames per second. That's twice as often as a regular smartphone. Additionally, Razer Phone 2 has 120Hz touch sampling, which allows for input to be captured at a much faster rate. The latest iPhones have this tech, and it plays a role in how smooth interactions feel (something Apple fans love to brag about) – and that's paired with a 60Hz display.
It is hard to convey just how much this rate of improvement is higher than the overall experience when it comes to not only gaming but also simple mobile browsing. In recent years, there's been a little new mobile technology that has felt like a significant, generational step forward. Bezel-less or nearly bezel-less devices come close, but that's a divisive change, one that introduced the much-maligned notch. I feel like everyone could get behind 120Hz displays, though. Every interaction is so vastly improved, from Pokémon Go to scrolling through Twitter.
The only real downside is the fact that the display is not OLED (the tech is not there yet), and the IGZO LCD screen is a lot dimmer and warmer than you'll be used to premium Android flagship. Rest assured, though, that it's significantly better than last year's Razer Phone – around 50 percent better, in fact, going from 380 nits of brightness to 580 nits.
The display is now well within the realm of acceptability, although you may find yourself in the screen on a sunny day. But that's a small price to pay for the most buttery smooth interaction experience I've ever felt.
Powering this handset is a Snapdragon 845 chipset – standard issue for 2018 flagships. It's a strong performer, with 2018's biggest smartphone, and it comes with a Qualcomm Adreno 630 GPU, plus the gigabit LTE-capable X20 modem. There's also 64GB of internal storage and an impressive 8GB of RAM, which is what it's all about. goes out the window. If any device could make use of spare RAM, it's one dedicated to 3D gaming, and it does not, well, there's no harm in it being there.
Performance and design in practice
In my gaming experience with my phone, my longest session lasted roughly two hours. I played Lara Croft Go (120Hz-optimized game) non-stop during that time period, and the experience remained consistent throughout. No slowdowns and no crashes. I can not say the same for overheating – the phone runs a bit hot during processing-intensive tasks (around 110 degrees Fahrenheit).
I can not say that it is an indictment of the phone's cooling system, or it is working just as it is designed to be fairly evenly spread across the back of the phone. It's not uncomfortable, but it does make me a little concerned for the 4,000mAh battery – it could contribute to a quicker degradation than usual. For now, battery life is an excellent aspect of the Razer Phone 2. When I'm just doing it, I'm just doing it. Goal gaming causes a fairly precipitous drop, as might be expected. In other words, you could lose 50 percent of charge. If the phone's completely dormant, you'll lose about a percent per hour.
The only real issue I had with the Razer Phone 2's overall gaming experience is the device's design. It is perhaps the most comfortable phone I've ever used, and I've used several Sony phones over the past few years. I will note that I have quite a lot of hands, but it is a large, angular, and heavy (36 grams heavier than the Pixel 3 XL, to be precise). Sure, I appreciate the 5.72-inch display, but at what cost? My pinky finger almost broke off every time I tried to rest the phone on it. The handset is also a very dangerous device, but it is also a little bit more expensive than its size and slippery glass back. All this taken together comes close to a deal-breaker for me. The design is not practical.
Speaker and RGB light delights
That's not good, but. In fact, the front-facing speakers bring us back to a kid-in-a-candy-store delight. I know how to play music and podcasts from my smartphone speakers. It's the best way to make audio with you if you do not have a multi-room audio system set up. It's unpleasant when the sound quality is still and quiet, but I still do it. That's how committed I am to this lifestyle. Thankfully, the Razer Phone 2 made to listen to music and have a great experience.
These speakers are so, so loud. Up to 103.3 loud decibels. You can easily hear your audio even if you're washing dishes or taking a shower. The quality is pretty good, too. It's not the best thing I've ever heard, but at mid-range volumes the Dolby Atmos-enabled speakers produced well-balanced sound with a lot of body. Even when you are at the highest possible volume – it's only mildly tinny and the highs do not seem blanketed. Wired headphone performance is satisfactory too, though nothing exceptional. In close comparison with the Pixel 2 using Razer's new wired USB-C Hammerhead earbuds (no headphone jack, unfortunately), I found the Pixel 2 's audio did more depth and crispness, but in day-to-day use, I didn 't notice much of a difference.
IP67 waterproofing, which is excellent for peace of mind. IP67 waterproofing, which is excellent for peace of mind. In addition, the company is allowed to use a metal backing device, allowing for wireless charging. But the most important design element, in my eyes, is the RGB light-up logo. I have the "breathing" light-up rhythm, which immediately made the device feel like a robot, an effect that's only heightened by the fact that the lights tell you about notifications – blue for Facebook, yellow for Snapchat etc. – and alerts you when battery is low with a red light. Never have i felt more guilty about having a charging cord. I love the RGB light-up logo so much that it almost makes up for the uncomfortable, blocky design of this mobile gaming beast. But not quite.
Camera and UI
Razer Phone 2. First off, the camera. The first Razer Phone earned itself an exceptionally bad report card when it came to the camera. The issues are many, ranging from poor dynamic range to slow motion capture and speed to poor camera UI app. This time around, it's a much more respectable shooter, and one of them has a lot to do. It swapped last year's Samsung-made sensors for new ones from Sony's IMX line, plus did some work on the software, and UI app. What we have, though, is a camera that's just okay.
Right: Razer Phone 2. Left: Pixel 2.
It does not come close to achieving the rich detail and color of the camera. The photos tend to come out, and there is a tendency towards blowing out light areas of a given scene. That being said, it's not a bad overall shooter, hey, it's a gaming phone. For what it's worth, it has been made to come to the fore, at least not for me – and the same probably goes for anyone who is only an intermittent mobile photographer.
As for UI, from a few gaming enhancements, Razer is sticking with near-stock Android, a choice that was lauded last year. Out of the box, the new handset runs Android 8.1 Oreo, though, which tempers the excitement. When I spoke to Razer, a company representative said to be committed to regular updates. Razer Phone, which launched in November 2017 with Android 7.1 and Nugat Android 8.1 Oreo 5 months later in April. Hopefully this year the company does not fall behind and maybe accelerates its pace – a premium Android smartphone is nothing if it's not well-supported. We have positive note, the phone continues to feature the Nova Launcher Prime, which is extremely customizable and likely to many Android users already – a very smart choice for a new mobile brand.
Should you buy it?
It depends.
Partially, your carrier might factor into the decision. Verizon's network will not be able to do that – Verizon's network will not be able to do that. I did not work on this project, but it worked just fine, but Project Fi is not supported yet. In short, it's probably best to proceed with a bit of caution; If you do not buy the Razer Phone 2, keep it in good condition so you can return it if it does not work well on your network.
Does Razer do enough to stake its place in the smartphone market as a luxury gaming experience? In most ways, yes. Its 120Hz refresh rate and powerful specs make it easy to use, and the front-facing speakers and RGB light-up logo just add to the fun. Having said that, there are a few key drawbacks, including camera and design. Razer is well on its way to being the best you can get – it's just not quite there yet.
Do not buy it …
If you need a great camera, do not care very much about gaming, and comfortable design is important to you.
Buy it …
If you're looking for an amazing performance experience coupled with features you'll be hard-pressed to find other flagship products.
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