Razer Phone 2 test and review: a top-notch gaming smartphone at a great price

Share the article, help the site!

Originally called the Razer Phone 2, it's the second phone from gaming brand and hardware specialist Razer, and according to the company, it's designed by gamers for gamers.

At first glance, this isn't the most interesting gaming phone this year. It doesn't have the cool design or wealth of peripherals offered by the rival ROG phone. Instead, it received update 0.5, which aims to fix minor issues that hampered the original Razer Phone's reach to everyday people.

But Razer's changes, which include improved maximum screen brightness, improved internals, and the addition of wireless charging, are positive. This coupled with a superb sound system and super HDR-ready means the phone is still a dream for active mobile gamers.

However, ongoing issues with the camera and boxy design continue to hinder its appeal to everyone else. If gaming isn't your main concern, you'll still be better off investing in a competing flagship like the Samsung Galaxy S9 and iPhone XR.

Specifications

Video review:

CPU

A fast processor and 8 GB of memory are necessary requirements for gaming gadgets

If we take synthetic tests, the iPhone 11 Pro Max with the A13 Bionic chip takes the lead. But, the Razer Phone 2 is much faster in everyday use. Here we will pay tribute to the characteristics: the fast and powerful Snapdragon 845 processor with a cooling system and 8 GB of RAM. But the performance is largely influenced by the screen - its refresh rate is 120 Hz. Even if you lower this parameter to 90 Hz, in order to save battery, the difference will be visible immediately.

The image displayed on the display is difficult to distinguish from the real one. Switching between working application screens is lightning fast - however, now all manufacturers of top-end devices are trying to do this.

A fast processor and 8 GB of memory are necessary requirements for gaming gadgets. But the Razer Phone 2 has a unique feature - Vapor-Chamber cooling. With it, the smartphone, even if a demanding toy is running, will not overheat. But this is precisely what leads to a decrease in the processor clock frequency, as a result, a drop in FPS (frames per second). Games will always work stably on Phone 2.

Equipment

The black box in which the gadget comes looks solid. It has a matte surface, with the company logo on top. The packaging immediately evokes a feeling of anticipation of something special. To open the cover, you need to pull the tab on the side, after which the Razer Phone 2 and the rest of the contents appear.

The package includes a USB-C cable, a massive fast charging unit, an adapter for connecting 3.5 mm headphones, a paper clip and various papers.

Unpacking in English:

Software

Razer continues to collaborate with the developer of the popular Nova Launcher. This means that smartphone owners will receive a close to pure version of Android with numerous settings.

There are several pre-installed applications made by Razer, such as Chroma. This program allows you to change the color of the logo on the back of your smartphone. Razer Cortex is a gaming shell similar to Nvidia GeForce Experience on Windows.

A feature called Game Booster allows you to customize the appearance and performance of games. You can reduce the resolution to improve frame rates or set all settings to maximum. This does not work in all games, but only in some that support this feature.

The main drawback of the Razer Phone 2 is the lack of the latest version of Android 9. It will certainly come in an update, but the developers have had three months to install the latest version of Android now.

Appearance and materials

Its predecessor could hardly be called a beautiful smartphone. The rough lines of the body without the slightest hint of rounded corners turned off many. Nevertheless, for some reason the company decided that this design concept was very successful, so it was almost completely transferred to the Razer Phone 2. Visually, the new product and the previous model are generally difficult to distinguish from each other. Yes, the smartphone looks a little ridiculous, but at the same time this makes it recognizable. It definitely won’t be confused with other devices. There will be people who will like this look.

The device is housed in a case consisting of an aluminum frame and tempered glass on the front and back panels. I was surprised by the fact that in the 2022 flagship the glass is completely devoid of any rounding at the edges; there is not even a simple 2.5D effect here. Minimalism is put at the forefront here, probably so that nothing distracts a person from gaming battles. There is a spectacular customizable RGB backlight on the back cover in the form of a corporate logo, this slightly brightens up the generally very discreet appearance of the Razer Phone 2.

Judging by the presence of the IP67 protection standard, which prevents dust and water from entering the case, the device was created not only for gamers, but also for active people. The sharp chopped shapes of the body do not have a very good effect on the ergonomics of the smartphone. The sharp edges cut into the palm every now and then, which is not very pleasant.

On the front panel, two huge perforations are immediately noticeable at the bottom and top - powerful stereo speakers are hidden under them. Over time, dust will clog into these holes, after which the front panel will no longer look so cool, tested on last year’s model. The space above the screen is also occupied by a conversational microphone, sensors and a camera.

For navigation, only soft buttons are used; the Razer Phone 2 does not have physical ones. The right edge contains the volume key in the form of two separate buttons and a tray with two nanoSIM + microSD slots, on the left side you can see the power key, which has an integrated fingerprint sensor. The only element at the bottom is the USB Type-C connector, which is also used for listening to music. A noise-canceling microphone is placed on the top edge. The new product is available in black, its dimensions are 158.5 × 79 × 8.5 mm.

Design

What do the 2022 flagships have in common? Glass back surface. It is available even in budget smartphones. Glass has a premium feel, even if it has no practical use. On flagships there is still usually a benefit, since glass allows you to offer wireless charging. This is not possible on devices with metal cases.

Wireless charging is also available on the Razer Phone 2. It supports the Qi standard, which means compatibility with numerous trays and docking stations. Razer itself sells a 15W charger for $100. Of course, glass reduces the durability of smartphones because it breaks easily.

The 1st generation Razer Phone felt like a real tank. It could be dropped and hit without fear for its performance. Now, it is advisable to purchase a case to protect the device from drops and preserve the Gorilla Glass 5 glass. Of course, the glass makes the device look more sophisticated, and the dark color option makes the Razer logo stand out from its background.

The logo is not green or gray, it is an RGB LED backlight. The pre-installed Chroma app lets you change colors and select different lighting patterns. For example, it may flicker or fade slowly.

Related posts:

• The best apps and games on Android and iOS as of June 27, 2021
• The best apps and games on Android and iOS as of June 13, 2021
• The best apps and games on Android and iOS as of 06/06/2021
• The best apps and games on Android and iOS as of May 30, 2021
• The best apps and games on Android and iOS as of May 23, 2021

When receiving notifications from different applications, the backlight may light up in different colors. For example, a Gmail message will appear in red, while a WhatsApp message will appear in blue. The Razer Wireless Charger also has a built-in LED indicator with the same trick. This allows you to see notifications from afar without unnecessary noise. Unfortunately, you cannot set different notification colors on your smartphone and charger.

The dual rear camera is centered above the Razer logo. There is a flash between the two cameras. There is nothing else of interest here, except for stains and fingerprints on the glass.

Screen

One of the main advantages of a smartphone is definitely its display. There is no fashionable elongated screen here; the company decided to go the traditional route, equipping the new gaming phone with a high-quality IPS matrix with a 16:9 ratio.

The display diagonal is 5.72 inches. This is quite enough to enjoy games, especially since the picture clarity is excellent thanks to the huge resolution of 1440 × 2560 pixels. DPI density: 513 ppi. This is all good, of course, but sophisticated users will no longer be surprised by such delights.

But gamers will like the support for a 120 Hz refresh rate; with such characteristics, the gaming experience becomes much more enjoyable. It's a pity that other manufacturers still ignore this solution. In many respects, the matrix has become better than the one in its predecessor. Improved maximum brightness, contrast and color rendition.

The finger glides easily on Gorilla Glass 5, as there is a chic oleophobic coating. There are no issues with the image at all; the only complaint we can make is the ugly black frame that frames the screen. It doesn’t fit in any way with the premium nature of the device.

Razer Phone 2 - Display

The Razer Phone 2's display has received a slight upgrade, increasing maximum brightness to 645 nits. This is to help it meet mobile HDR standards.

Holding it next to the original Razer phone, the screen is definitely brighter, but it's far from the brightest. Competing flagships like the LG G7 and Galaxy S9 easily beat it on this front.

Despite this, the 5.7-inch IGZO LCD screen remains one of the best on the Razer Phone for several reasons, the biggest of which is its variable refresh rate. The refresh rate means that unlike most phones, the Razer Phone 2 can run at different refresh rates depending on what it's doing.

If it's doing something static, it might reduce the number of images it displays per second to save battery. If it's doing something intense like playing games, it can peak up to 120Hz, offering players a smoother experience.

The excellent ultramotion technology also powers the Razer Phone 2 and remains a key selling point for gamers. Ultramotion is a similar technology to G-Sync. It syncs the GPU to the Razer Phone 2's refresh rate to reduce screen lag. A combination of factors resulted in games like PUBG looking smoother and more responsive than on competing flagship phones.

The QHD extension also ensures that icons and text are uniformly sharp. My only minor quibbles with the screen are its old 16:9 aspect ratio and slightly off-color white color. This issue was especially noticeable when it was next to the iPhone XR and LG G7, which is a shame since the screen is otherwise quite well calibrated.

Blacks aren't as deep as AMOLED, but they're good enough to give the screen decent contrast, and colors don't look too cool or too warm, giving rendered images a nice, realistic feel.

Razer claims it stuck with the base 16:9 aspect ratio because it handles most movies, but it made the phone feel a little old school and flabby compared to rival flagships like the Galaxy S9, which has an 18.5:9 aspect ratio .

Specifications and performance

As befits a modern flagship, the Razer Phone 2's hardware is very good. The powerful Snapdragon 845 up to 2.8 GHz with built-in Adreno 630 graphics is responsible for its operation. This processor is used in devices throughout 2022; it has earned a reputation as an excellent gaming solution. The chipset can handle absolutely everything that can be loaded onto a smartphone today. According to synthetic tests, Razer's flagship is comparable to the latest top-end devices from leading manufacturers.

Since this is a gaming phone, the developers took care of such an important point as heating. The hero of the review is equipped with a cooling system for internal components, which is an evaporation chamber. All this will help to avoid an increase in temperature inside the case, so the device is not in danger of throttling even after prolonged loads.

The high-speed LPDDR4X 8 GB RAM copes well with its tasks. The storage capacity is 64 GB; no other memory configurations are provided. However, if necessary, you can put a memory card in a separate slot; microSD up to 1 TB is supported.

The new flagship makes wireless connections using Bluetooth 5.0 A2DP LE, Wi-Fi a/b/g/n/ac modules with support for two frequencies and Wi-Fi Direct technology, GPS and GLONASS. They didn’t forget to put an NFC sensor here, the importance of which is growing every day. The finger scanner is located quite conveniently, the thumb finds it easily, and the fingerprint is recognized quickly and without errors. For 4G communications, Razer Phone 2 is equipped with all the necessary frequencies, so it is fully suitable for use in our country.

Improved screen and protection

From the front, the Razer Phone 2 looks exactly the same as its predecessor. The speaker grilles wrap around the screen and are equally large in size. The screen itself still has a diagonal of 5.7 inches. The power button on the right side doubles as a fingerprint scanner inside the aluminum frame. The volume button is double round in shape and is located on the left.

An LCD IGZO screen with support for the HDR10 standard is used, and the stereo speakers are Dolby Atmos certified. This smartphone is aimed primarily at entertainment, which requires a good picture and good sound. The resolution is 2560 x 1440 pixels, but even more interesting is the screen refresh rate of 120 Hz. The more frames per second the screen produces, the smoother the games run. However, apps and the operating system itself also benefit by becoming smoother and more responsive.

The screen has rich colors, but the blacks on it are not as deep as on OLED screens. The brightness was increased by 50% compared to last year’s smartphone and the difference is obvious. When watching the same video on two smartphones side by side, you can see differences in detail and color saturation. The main thing is that the dark picture is better visible, since the brightness of the screen has increased.

The speakers look the same as before, but the sound and bass have been improved. The stereo channels are separated more clearly, which can be heard in games. This promotes immersion while gaming and watching movies.

An IP67 protection certificate has appeared, which means it can be immersed in water for half an hour at 1 m. Even the presence of speaker grilles on the front does not interfere with protection.

There is no headphone jack, but there is a THX-certified 24-bit digital-to-analog converter. It improves the sound in wired headphones, which can be connected via an adapter. Razer also offers USB-C headphones with active noise cancellation, but they are sold separately.

Autonomy

Due to the presence of 120 Hz technology in the smartphone screen, the issue of autonomy becomes acute. After all, such parameters will inevitably entail considerable energy expenditure. Moreover, the display here has 2K resolution. Therefore, you cannot do without a large battery. And the Razer Phone 2 did not disappoint in this regard, because it has a 4000 mAh battery built into its body. But even with such a capacity, you shouldn’t expect miracles in terms of work duration due to the reasons given above. Claimed up to 10 hours of operation with active use. That is, the device will last a maximum of daylight hours.

The missing energy reserve can be replenished using Quick Charge 4+ fast charging. The battery is filled to 50 percent in just half an hour. Moreover, the new gaming phone is equipped with 15 W wireless charging, but you will have to fork out for the device necessary for this process. You can buy an expensive branded accessory in the form of a stand with beautiful customizable lighting or any other with the Qi standard.

Battery and autonomy

The gaming flagship is not the best on the market in terms of battery life - it is somewhere in the middle due to the IGZO screen, which consumes a lot of energy at high refresh rates, although it is considered more energy efficient compared to classic IPS displays.

According to the GSMArena website, Razer Phone 2 with a backlight brightness of 200 cd/m2 can withstand:

• 26:05 hours of communication on the 3G network.
• 8:32 hours surfing the Internet.
• 6:55 hours of video playback.

QC 4+ support allows you to charge your phone from zero to 50% in 30 minutes using the “native” adapter included.

In terms of autonomy, it’s not the best and is inferior to the flagships of other brands, but there are simply no competitors on the market with similar displays, so it’s unknown how other smartphones would behave.

Sound quality

The new product has chic front-facing speakers that cannot fail to impress. The sound coming out of them is very powerful, clear and spacious. Watching movies and playing games with such stereo sound brings great pleasure. Each of the speakers is equipped with an amplifier, so the volume of the device exceeds 100 dB.

The specifications also include a 24-bit audio chip for external sound with Dolby Atmos technology. This is one of the best phones in terms of sound quality, if not the best. In headphones, the situation is similar to other flagships based on the 845 “dragon”, whose codecs allow you to enjoy high-quality sound without a dedicated DAC.

Performance

Inside the gaming smartphone there is a still current Snapdragon 845 chip, equipped with a standard set of modules and an Adreno 630 graphics processor. There is also 8 GB of RAM and 64 GB storage.

The processor is indeed powerful and guarantees the highest performance, but Razer’s merits are not there. The only solution the company's engineers have made is the cooling system, which is responsible for effectively dissipating the heat generated by the processor. Judging by the diagram, a complex system with a large heat dissipation area is used inside smartphones.

The use of an effective system gave the expected result - the phone is able to operate for a long time at high frequencies, that is, at maximum load, without reducing the frequency. Ultimately, a decrease occurs, of course, but this applies to all models, without exception. For example, the well-known Xiaomi Pocophone F1, after loading for 10 minutes, is forced to reset frequencies, which is why the overall processor performance drops by approximately 30%.

The Sony Xperia XZ3 has an even worse cooling system - the processor gets very hot after 1.5 minutes of peak load, the frequencies are automatically reset and the power drops by more than 40%.

The Razer Phone 2 is much better in this regard - after 75 seconds, overall performance drops by only 20%, and remains at around 80% for the rest of the time.

This indicates a high-quality cooling system that prevents the processor from heating up above normal and allows it to reveal its potential.

operating system

Initially, the smartphone runs on Android 8.1 Oreo, however, it is already known that an update to the latest version 9.0 Pie will arrive very soon. The developers did not invent their own graphical shell; they took a simpler route, slightly modifying the desktop using the popular Nova Launcher Prime application. Therefore, the customization options are exactly the same as in the regular launcher from Google Play. In fact, the gadget is based on pure Android, which many will like.

Equipment and appearance

At the moment the only color (not counting limited editions) is black

The gaming smartphone is delivered in a large cardboard box, and when you open it, the first thing you see is a letter from the founder of Razer. In the following compartments there are other smaller boxes. In them:

• Charger;
• Type-C to Type-C cable;
• Type-C – mini-jack adapter;
• a paperclip for removing the SIM card tray;
• accompanying documentation.

Each cable is protected by a fabric braid, which is in the spirit of this brand.

Let's move on to the appearance. Many with ergonomics and device designs, making them rounded, with curves. Only Sony continues to produce traditional rectangular gadgets. Razer specialists followed in her footsteps.

The new Razer Phone 2 looks like a brick, with slightly rounded edges so that they do not “cut into” the palm. At the same time, the design assumes straight lines and simple geometric elements, which will be an advantage for lovers of a “laconic” style.

The side edges are slightly rounded so as not to “cut into” the palm

The smartphone case is metal. On the back cover there is a brand logo and a slightly protruding side of the cameras. The execution style is minimalism, which is reflected even in the controls (round volume control keys). The power button is combined with a fingerprint scanner. Despite its simplicity, the design differs from similar devices.

However, beauty is beauty, but it would also be worth thinking about ergonomics. Here she is clearly “limping” - the phone is large, slippery and far from the most comfortable. You'll have to get used to it, otherwise there's a high chance of accidentally dropping it.

At the moment, the only color (not counting limited editions) is black. The Razer Phone 2 is a well-fitted metal brick.

Cameras

The flagship from Razer takes pictures using the main camera, which combines two modules with a resolution of 12 megapixels. The main lens is equipped with a Sony IMX363 sensor, wide-angle optics and an f/1.75 aperture. The additional module for blurring the background has an IMX351 sensor and an f/2.6 aperture.

The camera's arsenal includes fast Dual Pixel autofocus, optical stabilization and 2x zoom without loss of quality. For shooting at night, a two-color LED flash is used. Video recording in 4K and Full HD is supported, while audio is captured in stereo.

The front camera has an 8-megapixel sensor with f/2.0 aperture. It is possible to record videos in 1080p at 30 and 60 fps.

Let's talk about the shortcomings

It's not that the Razer Phone 2 isn't perfect; it's much better than the first version. Many will still be concerned about its format, which is severely incompatible with the reality of 2018. While other manufacturers are trying to give us the thinnest, roundest bodies and edge-to-edge displays, Razer offers a monolith cut from a piece of metal with a granite block design.

The phone is huge, has sharp edges and is not the most comfortable to use with one hand. With a 5.7-inch screen, Phone 2 is larger than the Samsung Galaxy S9+, which has a 0.5-inch larger display. Razer chose this shape for some reason. Thanks to it, gamers, i.e. the target audience, receive a device that meets their specific expectations.

This, however, is a subjective flaw, but the quality of the camera here leaves much to be desired. During the private presentation where I first saw the phone, company representatives said that the Razer Phone 2 has a much better camera than its predecessor. And they didn't lie. The Phone 2 has a better camera than the first Razer, but it's not the best overall. These are not even the TOP 10 good smartphone cameras.

Yes, you can use the dual module to take relatively decent photos. The main lens with a 12-megapixel resolution and a wide angle takes good pictures in sufficient lighting, although the dynamic range is very average and detail leaves much to be desired. The second 12MP sensor with twice the focal length is a complete disappointment. Not only is it much darker than the first (f/2.6 vs f/1.75), but it also captures colors and detail.

This lens is best reserved for backlit scenes or portraits only. A longer focal length better reflects the proportions of the person photographed and also separates the subject from the background without resorting to software tricks. Speaking of software tricks, we have a portrait mode, but it doesn't work well here. The camera takes a long time to find the subject and separate it from the background, and when it does, the results are pretty bad.

It's a shame, because when you switch to portrait mode on the front, the 8-megapixel camera will do it. Here you can see a reference to players who may want to play with the comments on the video. However, I must warn you that it is better to record audio using an additional headset rather than through the 2 microphones built into the Phone 2.

Conclusion

Razer did not radically change its gaming flagship, preferring its gradual development. Various improvements are, of course, noticeable, but they are mostly spot-on. But even in this form, the Razer Phone 2 is a formidable force among other not so numerous gaming devices. There is almost everything that a gamer's soul desires, although you will have to put up with some annoying shortcomings.

pros

Technical stuffing Wireless charging Waterproof case Optical stabilization Excellent stereo sound NFC Side finger scanner Screen with a frequency of 120 Hz.

Introduction

What makes a smartphone gaming? It needs processing power to handle modern mobile games smoothly. You need sufficient battery capacity and a good cooling system. Add here a high-quality screen, sound, easy-to-use software and your smartphone is ready. Almost. This was the first Razer Phone. It fell slightly short of being a great device because it had a mediocre camera. Especially when compared with other smartphones at the same high price.

Good cameras and water resistance like IP67 are no longer an optional bonus. Ultimately, this is a smartphone where gaming is only part of the job. You also need to call, take photos, watch videos, enter text messages, etc. The device should be able to do all this perfectly. The developers from Razer also know about this, so they tried to correct past shortcomings in the new Razer Phone 2. This is not only a gaming smartphone, but also a flagship smartphone. Judging by the short time that journalists had to familiarize themselves with it, the correction process was a success.

Sound

The phone does not have the usual 3.5 jack, but does have an adapter

The Phone 2's sound quality is comparable to the iPhone Xs - the sound is just as loud, rivaling laptops, but deeper. It is unknown how the Razer brand achieved this result, especially considering the IP67 standard.

However, a decent screen paired with clear and loud sound makes this device a godsend for those who like to watch video content and play mobile games.

Fans of listening to music on headphones were also not left out. True, the phone does not have the usual 3.5 jack, but it does have an adapter.