With advances in technology, video games have moved into smaller, portable machines. What was once seen as mere mobile games and thus not considered real gaming has now entered the mainstream, thanks to games such as PUBG and Fortnite, as well as the portability and accessibility of smartphones everywhere. So what’s a gaming company focused on making some of the best gaming hardware to do? Get into the game and create their own phone, which is exactly what Razer last November, and it has now developed the follow-up, the Razer Phone 2.
For their first phone, the Razer Phone wasn’t that bad. It was specifically catered for gamers, offered a great display, front-facing speakers, and was an all encompassing, powerful machine that ran mobile games at its best quality. But that was all last year. The US$799 Razer Phone 2 is available in the US, and is slated to go on sale here by the end of the month.
The first noticeable difference between the first generation of the Razer Phone and the second is the Razer logo at the back of the phone. No, Razer did not change their logo, but it lights up. Chroma baby! Fitted with Razer’s Chroma lighting, users of the phone will be able to change the lighting between three different modes: Static, Spectrum Cycling, and Breathing. The colours can also be customized to change colour when a notification comes in, so blue for the girlfriend, and alarm red for the wife? But yeah, this feature screams gaming.
The light-up logo is now on a glass back that’s super glossy, but is also a fingerprint magnet compared to their previous matte back. But once you overlook the prints, the phone looks sleek and a bit more modern, though they did keep the blocky design of the previous phone.
Of course, it’s not a gaming phone if it doesn’t have the hardware to prove it. First, there’s the display. It has a true 120Hz display that promises to give better performance with no lag or stuttering. Razer also claims that the new display is 50% brighter than the first one.
Another improvement is the rear cameras, which are now in the middle top of the device, instead of on the top left-hand side. The new Sony sensor should produce better photos than the previous one. Add in water resistance, along with wireless fast charging, and it’s obvious that Razer wants to go up against the best there is.
The new Razer Phone also kept the front-facing speakers from the previous model. They claim that it is louder and clearer than before, due to the upgraded hardware and the addition of Dolby Atmos. Speaking of Dolby Atmos, the Razer Phone 2 is capable of streaming Netflix shows on HDR with Dolby Surround 5.1.
The Razer Phone 2 has a 4,000mAH capacity battery, promising an even longer, truly mobile gaming experience. Razer claims the new phone will last up to 10 hours on a single charge.
Previously seen only on their PCs, Razer is also adding the Razer Cortex to their phone. The app will help users organise their games and recommend the latest games that are optimised for 120 Hz gaming. Just like the PC version, the app will let users change their phone settings, either manually or through presets already provided.
The Razer Phone 2 is available for pre-order on Razer’s site with a price of US$799. Check this space for news on a local launch.
Specification | Razer Phone 2 |
---|---|
Processor and Cooling | Quad Core Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 (2.80 GHz) with Adreno 630 GPU, Vapor Chamber Cooling |
System memory | 8 GB (LPDDR4X) |
Storage – internal | 64 GB UFS |
Storage – external | SIM + micro SD slot (up to 1 TB) |
Display | 5.72-inch IGZO LCD 1440 x 2560 120 Hz, Wide Color Gamut UltraMotion Technology Corning Gorilla Glass 5 Multi-touch Anti-Fingerprint Protection |
Rear cameras | 12 MP AF f1.75 Wide with OIS 12 MP AF f2.6 Telephoto Dual PDAF (Phase detection Autofocus) Dual tone, dual LED flash Video: Up to 4K video recording with stereo audio |
Front camera | 8 MP FF f2.0 1080p Video |
Sound | Stereo front-facing speakers Dual Amplifiers / Dolby Atmos Technology USB-C to 3.5 mm Audio Adapter with 24-bit DAC |
Power | 4,000 mAh Li-Po battery Qualcomm QuickCharge 4.0+ Wireless Fast Charging |
Water resistance | IP67 |
Size | 158.5 mm x 78.99 mm x 8.5 mm |
Dea wishes she could play the latest Tomb Raider or Uncharted, but she can’t, so instead she reads and watches other people play. On her down time, you can probably find her re-reading Captain Marvel. The Carol Danvers one.