Razer Phone
Razer is best known for its gaming PCs, but everyone knew what its acquisition of smartphone startup Nextbit meant: The company wanted to get into handsets too. The big question was, how does Razer, which prides itself as a gamer-first company, actually build a gamer-first phone? Few phone makers have bothered trying, and those that did like Sony and Motorola didn't find the success they were looking for. Razer's approach is a little different. With its new $699 Razer Phone, the company tried to balance pure power with a handful of fascinating hardware features. In doing so, Razer has built a gaming phone that you don't have to be a gamer to appreciate when it launches on November 17.
If you’re thinking of a phone with a powerful graphics processor that lets you play PlayStation- or Xbox-level games, think again. The Razer Phone has a spotlight feature that makes it unique, but it’s far from groundbreaking for the mobile gaming industry.
Some may call it old-fashioned, others would say that the Razer Phone's design takes a backseat to other priorities, catering to the needs of its target group. The Razer Phone's specifications are focused on maximum performance, a display with the highest refresh rate, a large battery for long running times and loud and good audio reproduction, rather than a front-filling display with rounded display corners.
From a distance, you might even think that the Razer phone is a Sony Mobile 2017 version 2.0, because the smartphone adopts and even expands the Sony Xperia smartphone's angular design, which is an unsung feature of the Sony Xperia range. Like the Sony Xperia XZ Premium, which I recently described in an in-depth review, the Razer Phone can stand upright. Even better than the Xperia XZ Premium, the Razer Phone can also be set up in landscape mode without an additional case and stand.
It's clear that a light push or even an air blast is enough to break the balance of the Razer Phone, but we personally liked the solid and angular design of the Xperia XZ Premium. If you don't like the angular design, you will most likely not like the look of the Razer Phone. But you can't please everybody, and inevitably some commentators will argue over the Razer Phone's "old school" design.
The quality of the Razer phone's workmanship is undisputed. The aluminium housing is very robust and our test device was not creaking or groaning in any way during the hands-on operation when pressed at critical points.
It’s the 5.7in, 2560x1440 display that really makes the Razer phone stand out. The real thing of wonder about the Razer Phone is its screen. No, it doesn't have the fancier slim-body 18:9 ratio that you'll find in some other modern smartphones. But in its 5.7-inch scale 16:9 form it does bring with it a considerable trump card: a 120Hz refresh rate panel, courtesy of Sharp's IGZO technology.
Razer Phone Camera
Having only spent a short time with the Razer phone, it’s the dual rear cameras we’re least convinced by. Razer has gone for a twin 12MP setup, with one wide-angle lens and a second telephoto - just like you get on the iPhone 8 Plus. The main lens has an f/1.75 aperture, which should be wide enough to throw plenty of light on the sensor, while the telephoto lens makes do with f/2.6.
Both use phase-detect AF, which is one of the faster types of single autofocus, but it would have been nice to see some laser assistance here like Google’s Pixel 2.
The dual-LED flash should help when the lights get dim, although there was no mention of optical image stabilisation, so you’ll need a steady hand to get the best low-light shots..
The demo area I used the phone in was rather dark, so I could only really test it in low light, but the results weren’t especially promising. There was a lot of image blur in my test shots with most of them proving near-on unusable.
This could be due to the lack of optical image stabilisation in the Razer Phone’s dual lens camera, or subpar image processing. It’s difficult to say at this point. Given the tricky conditions this pre-release handset was dealing with, it could be that photo quality steps up a notch
A final judgment on picture quality will have to wait until a full review, but it will be interesting to see how it stacks up against the Pixel 2’s phenomenal camera - and whether Google’s camera APK can improve things further, like it does when you install it on a OnePlus 5.
The Razer phone's hardware features mentioned above are indeed impressive on paper, but in comparison to the competition they are mostly identical. As with PC gaming, Razer can only use the hardware offered by chip manufacturers such as Qualcomm and co. Inside the Razer Phones is the fastest Qualcomm processor currently available on the market. The Snapdragon 835 still has 8 GB of RAM and 64 GB of internal memory in the form of UFS chips. The memory can be extended by up to 2 TB via MicroSD cards.
The features alone, which are comparable to those of the maximum configuration of the OnePlus 5, should be enough to be able to play along with the current smartphones in terms of performance. But Razer doesn't want to just play along. The ambitions are higher for the gaming specialist and its fans. You want to get the maximum possible performance out of the hardware, so that the demanding gamer gets a maximum of frames at maximum detail level.
Razer Phone OS
The Razer Phone runs pure, stock Android 7.1.1. There’s no bloatware at all. Some of the stock apps like the dialer and messaging app are themed to Razer’s green color, but you can customize them to your liking.
Customization is a huge part of the software experience on the Razer Phone, and it’s largely thanks to the launcher Nova Launcher Prime. Nova Launcher is a third-party launcher that lets you tweak everything on the home screen to your liking, and it has been around on the Google Play Store for quite some time. It’s also our pick for the best Android launcher, as you can install it over any traditional launcher on any Android phone.
There will be a Theme Store with licensed content, starting with game partners and moving on from there, at launch, but it wasn’t available at the time of our briefing.
Razer Phone Speakers
The Razer Phone doesn't just want to be understood as a pure gaming smartphone. It is intended to provide the player or even normal smartphone users with good media playback capabilities. The two forward-facing speakers blast music, game audio and video soundtracks directly towards the user. The output directly on the smartphone is Dolby Atmos certified. The certificates are good, but I was still pleasantly surprised by the volume of both speakers during the hands-on.
They are seriously, seriously impressive. Bad news for fans of the good old headphone jack, because the Razer phone doesn't have a 3.5mm jack on the phone itself. To connect analog headphones, there is a USB type C dongle, which has a THX-certified DAC inside.
Each speaker has its own amp and has been tuned to Dolby Atmos standards, and together they provide a '3D visualization' of sound – this means they sound just as good when you’re behind the phone as when you’re in front of it. If you don't want to listen directly to the speakers and you don't want to use cable headphones, then there might be a third option with the Razer Phone—Bluetooth 4.2 with aptx support. The Razer Phone we tried did not come with aptxHD and Bluetooth 5.0. However, since other smartphones with similar hardware configurations can offer Bluetooth 5.0 and aptxHD, it is quite likely that the manufacturer will still be able to provide these features via software update. Unfortunately, Razer couldn't tell us whether this is feasible during the hands-on.
Razer Phone Battery
Razer has squeezed a sizable 4,000mAh battery into its smartphone – it's one of the largest power packs in any phone, which we hope will result in a decent battery performance.
We’re told that this enables ‘play all day’ battery life, which we’re not used to when it comes to gaming on a handset – you’ll have to wait for our full review to see if it can live up to that billing.
It’s a shame you don’t get wireless charging (the tech is impossible to add to a phone with a metal chassis right now) but QuickCharge 3.0 means you should be able to top up without waiting for too long.
Razer Phone Price
The Razer Phone will launch for £699 on 14 November, with preorders starting on 3 November.
In among recent near-£1K phones, the Razer doesn't only standout with this unique feature, it has the capacity to bring top-spec gaming to a wider audience.
Verdict
Razer seems to have done just enough to make a decent first impression with the Razer Phone. It might not be the last word in cutting-edge design but with its unique 120Hz display and a laundry list of high-end components, it really does set itself apart from 2017’s other flagships, and I'm genuinely excited by the massive 4,000mAh battery.
That said, it’s easy to appreciate such excellent audio and smooth gaming experience on a mobile device. The dual-amplified stereo speakers are features we’d like to see on every phone in the future. No smartphone does it better than Razer.
if you aren’t already sold by the company’s signature Ouroboros logo on the back. Gamers will appreciate how smooth and responsive their games feel, and die-hard Razer fans will be grateful of another piece of kit to add to their collection.
For everyone else? We’ll have to wait for a full review, when we can stack it up against its big-name rivals. But the early showing is certainly positive.
Razer Debuts it's First Gaming Smart Phone
Razer is best known for its gaming PCs, but everyone knew what its acquisition of smartphone startup Nextbit meant: The company wanted to get into handsets too. The big question was, how does Razer, which prides itself as a gamer-first company, actually build a gamer-first phone? Few phone makers have bothered trying, and those that did like Sony and Motorola didn't find the success they were looking for. Razer's approach is a little different. With its new $699 Razer Phone, the company tried to balance pure power with a handful of fascinating hardware features. In doing so, Razer has built a gaming phone that you don't have to be a gamer to appreciate when it launches on November 17.
If you’re thinking of a phone with a powerful graphics processor that lets you play PlayStation- or Xbox-level games, think again. The Razer Phone has a spotlight feature that makes it unique, but it’s far from groundbreaking for the mobile gaming industry.
Razer Phone Design
Some may call it old-fashioned, others would say that the Razer Phone's design takes a backseat to other priorities, catering to the needs of its target group. The Razer Phone's specifications are focused on maximum performance, a display with the highest refresh rate, a large battery for long running times and loud and good audio reproduction, rather than a front-filling display with rounded display corners.
From a distance, you might even think that the Razer phone is a Sony Mobile 2017 version 2.0, because the smartphone adopts and even expands the Sony Xperia smartphone's angular design, which is an unsung feature of the Sony Xperia range. Like the Sony Xperia XZ Premium, which I recently described in an in-depth review, the Razer Phone can stand upright. Even better than the Xperia XZ Premium, the Razer Phone can also be set up in landscape mode without an additional case and stand.
It's clear that a light push or even an air blast is enough to break the balance of the Razer Phone, but we personally liked the solid and angular design of the Xperia XZ Premium. If you don't like the angular design, you will most likely not like the look of the Razer Phone. But you can't please everybody, and inevitably some commentators will argue over the Razer Phone's "old school" design.
The quality of the Razer phone's workmanship is undisputed. The aluminium housing is very robust and our test device was not creaking or groaning in any way during the hands-on operation when pressed at critical points.
Razer Phone Display
It’s the 5.7in, 2560x1440 display that really makes the Razer phone stand out. The real thing of wonder about the Razer Phone is its screen. No, it doesn't have the fancier slim-body 18:9 ratio that you'll find in some other modern smartphones. But in its 5.7-inch scale 16:9 form it does bring with it a considerable trump card: a 120Hz refresh rate panel, courtesy of Sharp's IGZO technology.
So what does this mean? Ultimately, the screen has a higher refresh rate, at up to 120 frames per second - which is double that of current smartphones. That means smoother visuals that gamers crave.
Notice we say “up to” 120fps? That's because the Razer Phone can be fixed to a given frame-rate maximum - 120, 90, 60, 30, 25 - or, thanks to the company's UltraMotion technology, can actively sync an app's ongoing frames-per-second with the graphics processing unit (GPU) to avoid tearing, ghosting or any other such nasties.
Notice we say “up to” 120fps? That's because the Razer Phone can be fixed to a given frame-rate maximum - 120, 90, 60, 30, 25 - or, thanks to the company's UltraMotion technology, can actively sync an app's ongoing frames-per-second with the graphics processing unit (GPU) to avoid tearing, ghosting or any other such nasties.
Razer Phone Camera
Having only spent a short time with the Razer phone, it’s the dual rear cameras we’re least convinced by. Razer has gone for a twin 12MP setup, with one wide-angle lens and a second telephoto - just like you get on the iPhone 8 Plus. The main lens has an f/1.75 aperture, which should be wide enough to throw plenty of light on the sensor, while the telephoto lens makes do with f/2.6.
Both use phase-detect AF, which is one of the faster types of single autofocus, but it would have been nice to see some laser assistance here like Google’s Pixel 2.
The dual-LED flash should help when the lights get dim, although there was no mention of optical image stabilisation, so you’ll need a steady hand to get the best low-light shots..
The demo area I used the phone in was rather dark, so I could only really test it in low light, but the results weren’t especially promising. There was a lot of image blur in my test shots with most of them proving near-on unusable.
This could be due to the lack of optical image stabilisation in the Razer Phone’s dual lens camera, or subpar image processing. It’s difficult to say at this point. Given the tricky conditions this pre-release handset was dealing with, it could be that photo quality steps up a notch
A final judgment on picture quality will have to wait until a full review, but it will be interesting to see how it stacks up against the Pixel 2’s phenomenal camera - and whether Google’s camera APK can improve things further, like it does when you install it on a OnePlus 5.
Razer Phone Performance
The Razer phone's hardware features mentioned above are indeed impressive on paper, but in comparison to the competition they are mostly identical. As with PC gaming, Razer can only use the hardware offered by chip manufacturers such as Qualcomm and co. Inside the Razer Phones is the fastest Qualcomm processor currently available on the market. The Snapdragon 835 still has 8 GB of RAM and 64 GB of internal memory in the form of UFS chips. The memory can be extended by up to 2 TB via MicroSD cards.
The features alone, which are comparable to those of the maximum configuration of the OnePlus 5, should be enough to be able to play along with the current smartphones in terms of performance. But Razer doesn't want to just play along. The ambitions are higher for the gaming specialist and its fans. You want to get the maximum possible performance out of the hardware, so that the demanding gamer gets a maximum of frames at maximum detail level.
Razer uses software tweaks that are already known from Samsung's Galaxy S and Note series and the LG V30. This refers to additional software functions that adjust the clock rate of the processor and the resolution of the display, depending on the app requirements. Razer dubs this set of functions "game booster" and here the user can define whether the four performance cores of the Snapdragon 835 SoC should perform their service at full or lower clock rate.
According to Tom Moss, Razer was able to use the technical know-how accumulated over many years in heat dissipation for the Razer Phone. A heat pipe and two-layer heatspreader ensure that the smartphone does not overheat in continuous use and under full load. Whether the Razer solution really pays off in continuous operation as one would expect is something we have to find out in our upcoming review.
Razer Phone Gaming
Razer is working with a number of developers to adapt their games to run at screen refresh rates that take advantage of the full power of the Razer Phone's GPU, although there are already a number of games available on the Play Store that are frame rate unlocked.
This allows games on the Razer Phone to exceed the 60fps limit of every other Android phone, resulting in smoother and quicker in-game experiences. We played Riptide GP: Renegade and Titanfall Assault during our time with the Razer Phone, and the gameplay was slick and the graphics impressively smooth. Importantly, the frame rate count doesn’t tick up unless it needs to during intense action, saving battery life.
At launch some of the big names that have worked alongside Razer to bring an enhanced gaming experience to the phone are Shadow Gun Legends, Final Fantasy 15 and Shadow of Valor, with a number of smaller games also available from day one.
Razer’s working with more partners constantly, and also working with them to create themes for the phone.
Something else you’ll get on the Razer Phone, but which wasn’t ready for us to see during our hands-on time, is the firm’s Game Booster app. Game Booster will allow you to control frame rate, refresh rate, resolution and background processes.
Load it up and it’ll find all the games on your phone and enable you to tinker with individual settings for each game, allowing you to customize your gaming experience just how you like it. You’ll have to wait for our full, in-depth Razer Phone review to find out what it’s like.
According to Tom Moss, Razer was able to use the technical know-how accumulated over many years in heat dissipation for the Razer Phone. A heat pipe and two-layer heatspreader ensure that the smartphone does not overheat in continuous use and under full load. Whether the Razer solution really pays off in continuous operation as one would expect is something we have to find out in our upcoming review.
Razer Phone Gaming
Razer is working with a number of developers to adapt their games to run at screen refresh rates that take advantage of the full power of the Razer Phone's GPU, although there are already a number of games available on the Play Store that are frame rate unlocked.
This allows games on the Razer Phone to exceed the 60fps limit of every other Android phone, resulting in smoother and quicker in-game experiences. We played Riptide GP: Renegade and Titanfall Assault during our time with the Razer Phone, and the gameplay was slick and the graphics impressively smooth. Importantly, the frame rate count doesn’t tick up unless it needs to during intense action, saving battery life.
At launch some of the big names that have worked alongside Razer to bring an enhanced gaming experience to the phone are Shadow Gun Legends, Final Fantasy 15 and Shadow of Valor, with a number of smaller games also available from day one.
Razer’s working with more partners constantly, and also working with them to create themes for the phone.
Something else you’ll get on the Razer Phone, but which wasn’t ready for us to see during our hands-on time, is the firm’s Game Booster app. Game Booster will allow you to control frame rate, refresh rate, resolution and background processes.
Load it up and it’ll find all the games on your phone and enable you to tinker with individual settings for each game, allowing you to customize your gaming experience just how you like it. You’ll have to wait for our full, in-depth Razer Phone review to find out what it’s like.
Razer Phone OS
Customization is a huge part of the software experience on the Razer Phone, and it’s largely thanks to the launcher Nova Launcher Prime. Nova Launcher is a third-party launcher that lets you tweak everything on the home screen to your liking, and it has been around on the Google Play Store for quite some time. It’s also our pick for the best Android launcher, as you can install it over any traditional launcher on any Android phone.
There will be a Theme Store with licensed content, starting with game partners and moving on from there, at launch, but it wasn’t available at the time of our briefing.
Razer Phone Speakers
The Razer Phone doesn't just want to be understood as a pure gaming smartphone. It is intended to provide the player or even normal smartphone users with good media playback capabilities. The two forward-facing speakers blast music, game audio and video soundtracks directly towards the user. The output directly on the smartphone is Dolby Atmos certified. The certificates are good, but I was still pleasantly surprised by the volume of both speakers during the hands-on.
They are seriously, seriously impressive. Bad news for fans of the good old headphone jack, because the Razer phone doesn't have a 3.5mm jack on the phone itself. To connect analog headphones, there is a USB type C dongle, which has a THX-certified DAC inside.
Each speaker has its own amp and has been tuned to Dolby Atmos standards, and together they provide a '3D visualization' of sound – this means they sound just as good when you’re behind the phone as when you’re in front of it. If you don't want to listen directly to the speakers and you don't want to use cable headphones, then there might be a third option with the Razer Phone—Bluetooth 4.2 with aptx support. The Razer Phone we tried did not come with aptxHD and Bluetooth 5.0. However, since other smartphones with similar hardware configurations can offer Bluetooth 5.0 and aptxHD, it is quite likely that the manufacturer will still be able to provide these features via software update. Unfortunately, Razer couldn't tell us whether this is feasible during the hands-on.
Razer Phone Battery
We’re told that this enables ‘play all day’ battery life, which we’re not used to when it comes to gaming on a handset – you’ll have to wait for our full review to see if it can live up to that billing.
It’s a shame you don’t get wireless charging (the tech is impossible to add to a phone with a metal chassis right now) but QuickCharge 3.0 means you should be able to top up without waiting for too long.
Razer Phone Price
In among recent near-£1K phones, the Razer doesn't only standout with this unique feature, it has the capacity to bring top-spec gaming to a wider audience.
Verdict
if you aren’t already sold by the company’s signature Ouroboros logo on the back. Gamers will appreciate how smooth and responsive their games feel, and die-hard Razer fans will be grateful of another piece of kit to add to their collection.
For everyone else? We’ll have to wait for a full review, when we can stack it up against its big-name rivals. But the early showing is certainly positive.
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