Motorola RAZR i
Motorola aims a shot at the big boys
by combining a premium processor and superb display in the RAZR i
Welcoming Intel
What really sets the Motorola RAZR i apart
from the competition is the Intel processor that powers the device. It blitzes
through most everyday tasks and handles even the most complex tasks with
absolute ease
Camera quality
Although Motorola isn't really known for
its cameras, the RAZR i includes a useable camera for the most part. Colors
look superb, but the camera isn't as good in low light conditions
Android 4.0
You'll find Android 4.0 in full force here
and it comes with all the familiar features. Motorola has also included a few
extra touches to try and improve your Android experience
Pixel perfect
There's no denying that the highlight of
the RAZR i has to be its magnificent Super AMOLED display. We can't stress
enough just how crisp and clear it makes everything look
Motorola
RAZR i
The Motorola RAZR i lacks the design features
found in the One SV, but it certainly makes up for it in other areas. Each side
of the phone is encased with a thick plastic, with the backplate having a nice
rubberized feel to it. Despite being one of the smallest devices of the group,
it feels noticeably heavier than the rest. This could be to do with the visible
screws used to hold different areas of the case in place. It isn't an ugly
device, but it doesn't have much going for it.
Turning on the device reveals something
completely different, however. The 4.3-inch Super AMOLED screen looks amazing
and colors really stand out. It doesn't have the same pixelation problem as the
S3 Mini and One SV and runs the Xperia T into a close second for having the
best display of the bunch.
Turning
on the device reveals something completely different, however. The 4.3-inch
Super AMOLED screen looks amazing and colors really stand out.
Motorola's custom skin is the lightest in
the group and certainly the most Android-like, and it works well for the most
part. Browsing is great and thanks to the Intel-powered processor onboard, it
handles multitasking extremely well. The only problem we found was when first
booting up the smartphone -you'll notice a bit of lag when you first use it.
Motorola doesn't fill its phones with
unnecessary bloatware, so although you won't find lots of pre-installed apps on
the RAZR, you have plenty of free space to add your own apps through the Play
store. The expandable micro SD slot on the right-hand side of the phone means
you'll be able to swap micro SD cards whenever you need to.
Motorola's
custom skin is the lightest in the group and certainly the most Android-like
There's certainly a lot to like about the
Motorola RAZR i. Not only does it feel well made and has a superb screen, it
also feels more like an empty shell that users can fill with the stuff they
want on their Android phone. If you can look behind the uninspiring and
slightly dodgy design choices Motorola has implemented here, then the RAZR i
might be the perfect mid-range phone for you.
Motorola RAZR I specs
Information
·
Price $485
·
More information www.motorola.com
Technical Specs
·
Operating system: Android 4.0
·
Processor: Cortex-A91.2GHz dual-core
·
Storage: 1GB RAM, 16GB storage (expandable up to
32GB via micro SD)
·
Dimensions: 130.7 x 68.9 x 7.1mm
·
Weight: 127g
·
Display size: 4.3-inch Super AMOLED
·
Display resolution: 540 x 960 pixels
·
Connectivity: Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n, Bluetooth 4.0,
GPS, HSDPA 14.4 Mbps, HSUPA 5.76, micro USB
·
Camera: 8-MP rear, 1.3-MP front, 1080p full HD
video recording
Head-To-Head
·
Design and build: The rubberized back of the
RAZR i is one of few plus points. The phone has an awkward bezel and has several
visible screws on show.
·
Features: Android users want to be able to add
their own apps and media to their devices. The RAZR i lets you do this thanks
to a lack of bloatware and plenty of spare space.
·
Battery life: The 1780mAh battery is good enough
to get you through an entire day without needing to charge, but hardcore users
may need to keep a charger handy.
·
Value for money: Compared to the competition,
the RAZR i isn’t cheap. For the most part, however, you’re getting some great
software and an overall very good device.
Verdict: 4/5
·
A solid offering that provides everything you
could want in an Android phone. Some poor design touches do let it down
The winner...
HTC One SV
With so many devices falling into the
mid-range category, it was hard enough picking the best four devices on offer,
let alone choose a winner from the shortlist. In the end, we had to think about
the phone that best met our expectations and what the average user wants from
an Android smartphone.
HTC
One SV is a winner
After deliberating, the HTC One SV really
stood out against the competition for several reasons. It was unmatched in
terms of the fantastic design - the various colour layers and gorgeous curved
backplate really set it apart. It also is a great example of how custom skins
are slowly gaining ground on the pure Vanilla Android experience, and the same
can be said not only about HTC Sense, but also TouchWiz and Motorola’s skin
too.
It has some nice software touches and a
good selection of pre-installed apps too, most of which are incredibly useful,
even if you’ll find better alternatives to them on the Play store.
Dig a little deeper and you’ll even find a
full Android 4.0 experience, with promises of an update to Android 4.2 sooner
rather than later.
As we’ve previously mentioned, the One SV
is also one of the most cost-effective ways to get your hands on a 4G phone,
and for that reason alone makes it worth a look. If you haven’t got the cash to
splash out on its bigger companion, the HTC One, the SV will be a more than
suitable replacement.
