Razer Phone 2 test – Consequences of repeatability

The American company, which is one of the main manufacturers of computer accessories, is once again trying its hand at the smartphone market. The first model of the Razer Phone did not bring a revolution, although it tried to prove that the smartphone is also a great tool for a real player. Another model with a two in the name, at least theoretically, should bring better solutions and fix the errors of its predecessor, did it happen? I will try to answer this question.

Appearance and screen

Looking at the latest Razer product, you get the impression that the manufacturer adheres to the principle of “proven things do not change”. Even though the competition is outdoing itself in minimizing bezels and creating ever more fancy screen notches, and above all, changing the aspect ratio to the more handy 18: 9, Razer remains deaf to these suggestions. And this is how we get practically a carbon copy of the previous model with only slight changes.

The structure is a large square block with pleasantly rounded sides, consisting of two glass parts (both protected by Corning Gorilla Glass 5) connected by a large 8.5 mm thick aluminum frame. Above and below the screen (5.72 inches with an aspect ratio of 16 by 9) there are large, almost 1 cm stereo speakers hidden under the grille. Unfortunately, dust and other particles of dirt notoriously get into the fine mesh of the masking mesh, which in the long run does not look aesthetically pleasing.

On the back of the housing, just below the protruding island on which two cameras are placed, we find a large and illuminated, characteristic Razer brand logo. Interestingly, the fingerprint reader is integrated into the power button on one of the sides of the device. The whole weighs 220 grams, and thanks to the massive housing it gives the impression of a durable and solid construction. An important element is that the device provides a degree of protection in accordance with the IP67 standard, offering complete resistance to dust and partial immersion in water (maximum depth 1 m) for 30 minutes.

The Razer Phone 2 boasts a 5.72-inch IPS (IGZO) display with a 1440 x 2560 resolution and 16: 9 aspect ratio with an oleophobic coating, which should result in less susceptibility to fingerprints. The screen is characterized by a really great color reproduction and a high contrast ratio, as well as a very high refreshment level of 120 Hz. As a result, image clarity is second to none even at strong tilting angles, and a brightness of 580 nits ensures full readability in strong sunlight. I must admit that despite the fact that the AMOLED matrix is ​​not used, the display in the new Razer model defends itself from all sides and is its strongest advantage.

System and hardware facilities

The smartphone management system is Android 8.1 (Oreo) equipped with the popular NOVA Launcher overlay. You can see that Razer preferred to use ready-made solutions than create something of their own from scratch. This has its advantages, because NOVA Launcher has a lot of personalization options, and most importantly, it is the equivalent of a completely pure Android without unnecessary third-party extras. On the other hand, you have to take care of the software facilities that make your work easier. In terms of security, the device uses only the fingerprint reader integrated with the power button. Unfortunately, it only slightly protrudes beyond the outline of the housing, which makes it difficult to use without looking. However, you can not have any objections to the speed of its operation.

Razer, for his part, added something else. We have a modified camera application, a dedicated store with themes, and a corresponding option in the settings that allows personalization of the illuminated logo – Razer Chroma (RGB). The last addition is a mobile equivalent of the PC version of Cortex and is responsible for the gaming side of the device. It allows you to overclock smartphone components, as well as create individual profiles for installed games. This is not the end. From the program position, we will be able to download suggested productions rewarded with appropriate points, which are a virtual currency in the Razer online store.

So the longer we play a given production, the more points we collect, which will make tangible prizes even more attractive (keyboards, mice, etc. branded computer hardware). Admittedly, the idea is great and it actually shows the potential of mobile entertainment, especially when we consider the 120 Hz display and a large list of games that actually use the screen’s capabilities.

The manufacturer focused on strong components, after all, the device is to enable trouble-free gameplay in all available productions currently available on Google Play, including the most demanding ones. Despite the high configuration, i.e. the Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 octa-core processor supported by 8 GB of RAM memory, the device suffers from “thermal throttling”, which results in reduced performance due to excessive heating.

The synthetic tests run one after the other showed a lower and lower result as the device grew warmer. You could say that this is something unacceptable about a smartphone designed for games. Interestingly, Razer boasts of a rebuilt cooling system (steam chamber), unfortunately it clearly and perceptibly did not work as it should. The device was able to reach an uncomfortable temperature in a relatively short time, especially under heavy load. It’s hard to say whether it was due to a damaged test specimen or not working out the whole thing. In any case, in everyday work and during short sessions, the smartphone offered satisfactory performance and smooth operation.

Music and connectivity

As I mentioned at the beginning, the device is equipped with double and quite large stereo speakers with Dolby Atmos support. I must admit that their quality can be a positive surprise, the speakers generate really clean and loud sounds with a clear separation of individual parts. In addition, we get access to extensive options responsible for the full characteristics of the sounds. It is a pity that Razer gave up the standard 3.5 mm jack connector, partially compensating for this with a 24-bit DAC built into the USB-C adapter (which can be found in the sales package).

The manufacturer provided for 64 GB (about 57 GB available) of built-in high-speed UFS memory with the possibility of expanding it with an additional micro SD memory card (up to a maximum of 1 TB). In terms of communication with the world, we get practically everything that a smartphone from the top shelf should have, i.e. dual-band Wi-Fi 802.11 a / b / g / n / ac – 2.4 and 5 GHz, Bluetooth version 5.0 with the possibility of NFC contactless payments and sensitive GPS receiver. For full happiness, only the Dual SIM option was missing.

apparatus

The photographic side of the device offers a dual camera with a resolution of 12 MP and f / 1.75 aperture and a telephoto lens (f / 2.6), thanks to which we can get a 2x optical zoom. Before getting to the details, it is worth paying attention to the relatively organic possibilities of the factory camera application. You can see that Razer has modified the software and available functions, and as a result of these treatments we do not get a manual mode, what’s more, the program does not offer other formats than 4: 3. So if we want to use the 16: 9 full screen format, we will be forced to reach for any replacement from Google Play.

To put it mildly, the quality of the photos is not thrilling, with good lighting the results will be acceptable, after dark the results will remain mediocre at best. Optical image stabilization partially saves the day, but not enough to be considered a decisive factor.

Self-portrait supporters will be rather disappointed. The front camera with an 8 MP matrix and f / 2.0 aperture does not stand out significantly from the competition, offering a very average level of photography with clear problems with the selection of exposure.

The possibility of registering films has also been reduced to the necessary minimum. In Options, we can only change the resolution, including UHD 4K. It is in vain to look for “slow motion” and optical stabilization.

Drums

The 4000 mAh battery provides 32 hours of continuous work, provided that we limit the gaming sessions to the necessary minimum. Unfortunately, with more powerful use, this time can be reduced by half if we switch the processor to high performance. A nice addition is support for 24W fast charging (Quick Charge 4), which allows you to charge the battery from 0 to 50% in less than 40 minutes. Theoretically, there is a possibility of wireless charging in the Qi standard (at least according to the specifications), although the test specimen, for unknown reasons, lacked this function.

Summary

Most likely, in the intention of the manufacturer, Razer Phone 2 was to be an original product that would continue the traditions, while at the same time being a tribute to the brand’s fans. Hence the archaic screen format and the controversial structure reminiscent of ancient times. It’s nice that strong components have been taken care of, good stereo speakers and a backlit logo on the back of the housing. Nevertheless, at the price of PLN 3499 and the assumption that we are dealing with a gaming smartphone, everyone may feel disappointed, especially against the background of thriving competition.