Motorola RAZR Review

Motorola’s original RAZR defied convention with its impossibly thin form factor and laser-etched keys. Fast forward seven years and Moto’s latest incarnation of the RAZR series comes packing a dual-core processor, Android Gingerbread and an impressively thin Kevlar-coated body. But with contenders like the Samsung Galaxy Nexus and iPhone 4S in the market, it will need more going for it than just its size-zero physique.

Read out Samsung Galaxy Nexus review here
Read our Apple iPhone 4S review here

Motorola RAZR – sexy screen

The RAZR’s 4.3in Super AMOLED screen with qHD resolution is bright and vibrant, with deep blacks and colours that pop even when viewed from the side. Gorilla Glass scratch resistance is a bonus, though the screen is surrounded by a bit too much bezel for our liking, making it appear smaller than it actually is.

Motorola RAZR – the camera

In good lighting, the 8MP camera offers acceptable shots with natural-looking (albeit slightly cool) colours, though they can be lacking in detail at times. Things get noisy in low light conditions however, and videos recorded with the RAZR appear washed out and slightly grainy, which is a disappointment.

Motorola RAZR – tough body

The RAZR is an incredible 7.1mm thin, and at only 127g we often forgot it was in our pockets. The rear Kevlar construction gives the RAZR a premium, grippy feel and overall build quality is solid. The Xoom 2-like angled corners and thinness result in pleasant one-handed use and water-resistant internals are a nice, unexpected touch.

Review continues after the break...

Motorola RAZR – make a connection

A non-removable battery and microSIM slot may be a let-down for some, but a mini HDMI port and microSD slot make up for it. The plastic flap for microSIM and microSD access is a solid improvement over flappy rubber options, though the lack of an included mini HDMI cable is a bit of a gripe.

Motorola RAZR - under the hood

Moto has somehow managed to cram a 1.2GHz dual-core processor, 1GB of RAM, and a 1780 mAh battery in to the RAZR’s svelte body – plenty of power to output HD video via the mini HDMI port and deal with the latest 3D hardware intensive games that the Android Marketplace has to offer.

Motorola RAZR – tasty Gingerbread?

Moto has skinned Gingerbread with a custom homescreen, app drawer and lock screen. Transitions are fluid and snappy thanks to the RAZR’s internals, and you can even resize widgets a la Honeycomb, thanks to Motorola’s wizardry. An Ice Cream Sandwich update early next year should also be enough to satisfy fans of future-proofing.  

The Motorola RAZR is a premium-feeling handset with solid build quality, but it’s slightly let down by a screen-swallowing bezel. Apps and games run smoothly, but pinch-to-zoom could be more fluid while web browsing and viewing pictures. We still like it a lot, though, and with a future upgrade to Ice Cream Sandwich in the works and a Galaxy Nexus-beating camera, there’s no reason not to include the RAZR in a line-up for your next Android smartphone.