I have the Razer Phone — ask me questions!

[Kida66]

Hello Alex! I currently have a note 8 and being an android junkie I'm always looking at new hardware. In your opinion is the razor phone a worthy compeitior to the note 8 and or a top tier android device. Early impressions?

 

[macrobeam]

Ginormous bezels worth it for those monster speakers? Do you have to actually press/click the button for a fp scan?

 

[B. Diddy]

Does it feel or act like a Nextbit Robin 2 (for better or worse)?

 

[madlaw1071]

Is there an AOD?

 

[Alex Dobie]

Is there an AOD?

Nope

Does it feel or act like a Nextbit Robin 2 (for better or worse)?

Feels a bit like the Robin.

Ginormous bezels worth it for those monster speakers? Do you have to actually press/click the button for a fp scan?

Matter of personal taste on the speaker/bezels. Yes, you have to click the button to use the scanner.

Hello Alex! I currently have a note 8 and being an android junkie I'm always looking at new hardware. In your opinion is the razor phone a worthy compeitior to the note 8 and or a top tier android device. Early impressions?

Depends on your priorities. Note 8 is a better all-round device for normals, but Razer isn't going for the mainstream market here.

Does it feel smoother than a pixel like some are saying? does their software offer built in theme support?

A little, but I'm still absolutely happy with the Pixel's responsiveness.

 

[Lucy Davies]

What's the back made of & how hot does it get with extensive gaming?

 

[pkcable]

As we may know this phone is made by the team who made the Robin phone. And the Robin has durability issues. Mine developed micro factures and had to be replaced under warranty. I believe many other had that issue. Also it ended up on Zack "jerryrig's" wall of shame. SO what's the deal with the structure of the Razor phone? Is it built better? Did they learn from mistakes of the past? Or could this be an issue again?

 

[Laura Knotek]

Will this device meet the same demise​ as the Robin? The Robin got discontinued shortly after it was released. Should this company be trusted for longevity?

 

[Bruce_Wayne8887]

The Razer phone is made of metal. I guess the same metal they use in their laptops, thats what they said at the keynote. So not the cheap plastic of the robin.

 

[B. Diddy]

Will this device meet the same demise​ as the Robin? The Robin got discontinued shortly after it was released. Should this company be trusted for longevity?

The main difference is that Nextbit was a true startup, while Razer is a much bigger and well-established company. I'm not an analyst, but I'd guess that this was Razer's big reason for buying Nextbit -- to develop their own gaming phone. If the phone sells well, I'd guess that Razer will give good support, but if it crashes and burns, they might just consider it a failed experiment and stick with desktops.

 

[mstrblueskys]

The main difference is that Nextbit was a true startup, while Razer is a much bigger and well-established company. I'm not an analyst, but I'd guess that this was Razer's big reason for buying Nextbit -- to develop their own gaming phone. If the phone sells well, I'd guess that Razer will give good support, but if it crashes and burns, they might just consider it a failed experiment and stick with desktops.

Hopefully it goes better than the Forge TV I have somewhere collecting dust.

Alex, how's the battery life with such a high powered screen? Does it dial back for mundane tasks or have a lower resolution setting?

 

[anon(3092520)]

I'm curious about those large speaker grilles on both ends. Do they look like they're going to collect dust, lint and grime?

 

[zizu101]

Alex, can you try unlocking the phone with your left hand index finger. i hold the phone with my left hand and want to know if i can comfortably unlock the phone by just holding and clicking.

 

[Andersj1992]

Alex, please tell me how the DAC performes

 

[Morty2264]

How does it feel in the hand? I am interested in this phone (let's get real: there are about four or five phones I'm interested in now...); but my hands are small and so I hesitate when the screen is 5.7." But it looks absolutely gorgeous and the specs are insanely good!

 

[KOAO]

It there anyway you could share the wallpapers? I saw a few that look good, so I am just asking.

Also, I know there is no Verizon support, but any chance you could pop in a VZW Sim, in the small but highly unlikely possibility it supports VZW?

 

[Guytronic]

Is it really impressive?...or is it the same old "I like it because it's new?"

 

[Alex Dobie]

How does it feel in the hand? I am interested in this phone (let's get real: there are about four or five phones I'm interested in now...); but my hands are small and so I hesitate when the screen is 5.7." But it looks absolutely gorgeous and the specs are insanely good!

It's big even for a 5.7in 16:9. If you have small hands, it's gonna be tough.

Alex, please tell me how the DAC performes

Pretty well. Powers a pair of big studio headphones just fine, but has issues working with phones besides the Razer Phone.

Alex, can you try unlocking the phone with your left hand index finger. i hold the phone with my left hand and want to know if i can comfortably unlock the phone by just holding and clicking.

No problem using my middle finger (left hand) to do that.

I'm curious about those large speaker grilles on both ends. Do they look like they're going to collect dust, lint and grime?

They can collect lint, but it's not terrible. I've certainly seen way worse in other phones like the Pixel 2 XL.

Will this device meet the same demise​ as the Robin? The Robin got discontinued shortly after it was released. Should this company be trusted for longevity?

I get the impression Razer has a roadmap here and this won't be a one-off. Nextbit was a scrappy startup, Razer is an established brand with a PC + accessory business making good money.

As we may know this phone is made by the team who made the Robin phone. And the Robin has durability issues. Mine developed micro factures and had to be replaced under warranty. I believe many other had that issue. Also it ended up on Zack "jerryrig's" wall of shame. SO what's the deal with the structure of the Razor phone? Is it built better? Did they learn from mistakes of the past? Or could this be an issue again?

Fine so far. Also this is metal, not plastic, which makes a big difference.

What's the back made of & how hot does it get with extensive gaming?

Aluminum with a soft-touch anodized coating. Feels nice.

 

[Morty2264]

It's big even for a 5.7in 16:9. If you have small hands, it's gonna be tough.



Pretty well. Powers a pair of big studio headphones just fine, but has issues working with phones besides the Razer Phone.



No problem using my middle finger (left hand) to do that.



They can collect lint, but it's not terrible. I've certainly seen way worse in other phones like the Pixel 2 XL.



I get the impression Razer has a roadmap here and this won't be a one-off. Nextbit was a scrappy startup, Razer is an established brand with a PC + accessory business making good money.



Fine so far. Also this is metal, not plastic, which makes a big difference.



Aluminum with a soft-touch anodized coating. Feels nice.

Thank you so much for letting me know!

 

[zizu101]

Thanks Alex.
Now we await the review.