The Razer Phone is a gaming-first smartphone that bundles high refresh graphics with premium audio into a handheld device. It is the first Android smartphone by the company known for its high end gaming notebooks and peripherals. The 5.72-inch Phone features a 120 Hz UltraMotion screen, dual front speakers, and a large 4,000 mAh battery. It’s got the latest Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 processor with a massive 8GB of RAM that’s all encased in 8mm thin aluminum body.
UltraMotion’s adaptive refresh technology synchronizes the GPU and display to remove image tearing or lag while driving efficient power usage. Its Quad HD IGZO LCD display delivers vibrant and sharp images with a wide color gamut. Note, that’s LCD not OLED (as used in the latest iPhone X). However, Razer Phone is priced $300 less than iPhone X and $50 less than Galaxy S8.
Regarding its sound quality, Razer flanks the screen with front-firing speakers with dual dedicated amplifiers. Audiophiles will appreciate its THX-certified USB-C audio adapter with a 24-bit digital audio convertor (DAC) for use with any headphone.
Hard core users can fine-tune their experiences with the Razer Game Booster app, and the phone’s thermal design reduces throttling to maximize power and performance. The Razer Phone packs a large 4,000 mAh battery, one of the largest capacities found on smartphones today. Plus, Qualcomm Quick Charge 4+ enables rapid charging.
Like most flagship phones today there are dual rear 12 MP cameras with a dual-tone flash. Also on the back is Razer’s triple-headed snake logo in silver. However, 1,337 sets of Razer Phone Special Edition models will be available with the company’s iconic green logo.
Razer Phone comes with Android Nougat and Nova Launcher Prime for extreme customizability of the Android experience to suit every taste and need. Google Assistant Integration is built-in, and an upgrade to Android Oreo is expected in spring 2018.
It should be noted, not every Android video game is optimized for 120Hz refresh. So Razer has partnered with a few gaming companies to get games developed that show off the capabilities of the phone. These gaming partnerships include:
- “Arena of Valor” from Tencent
- “Final Fantasy XV Pocket Edition” from Square Enix
- “Gear.Club” from Eden Games
- “Lineage 2: Revolution” from Netmarble Games Corporation
- “Old School RuneScape” from Jagex Limited
- “RuneScape” from Jagex Limited
- “Shadowgun Legends” from Madfinger Games
- “Tekken” from BANDAI NAMCO Entertainment Europe
- “Titanfall: Assault” from NEXON Co., Ltd. and Particle City, Inc.
- “World of Tanks Blitz” from Wargaming Group Limited
Price and Availability
The Razer Phone (64GB model) will be available on November 17, 2017 for US$699.99 / €749.99 / £699.99 in the US, UK, Ireland, Germany, France, Denmark and Sweden. The Razer Phone will also be available on Amazon.com and at selected Microsoft Store locations in the USA. Razer has exclusively partnered with Three to be its launch carrier in Europe.
