In a world of iPhone, Galaxy and OnePlus handsets, Razer's hoping that you'll let your gamer flag fly and dare to be different with its first-ever smartphone.
Available starting November 17, the $699 Razer Phone is on a par with many of the flagship phones currently on the market in terms of power, but as the only smartphone "made for gamers, by gamers," it's definitely worth your attention. If you're looking to get your hands on Razer's compelling new device, here are your best options.
Razer Zone
For now, Razer's website is the only place where you can get your hands on the new phone (for now). Razer has a quick registration form for interested consumers to fill out so they can receive a notification when the smartphone becomes available.
Retailers and Carriers
Razer hasn't partnered with any carriers to date, so don't expect to see the handset pop up on any of the big four's sites. I do expect the Razer Phone show up on Amazon shortly after the device officially launches. Since it's unlocked, the phone will work on T-Mobile and AT&T.
MORE: Best Unlocked Smartphones - Phones Under $200, $300, $500
Why Buy the Razer Phone?
So just what makes the Razer Phone so special? For starters, it's the world's first smartphone to feature Ultramotion technology, which allows the phone to reach a 120-Hertz refresh rate. It also syncs up the screen refresh rate with the processor which makes for smoother, prettier graphics with little to no stuttering or lag. When I enabled the frame counter on games like Dead Trigger 2, I saw frames as high as 74 fps.
However, as cool as those silky-smooth graphics and high frame rates are, the screen isn't as bright as I would like, especially compared to the likes of the iPhone 8 Plus or the Samsung Galaxy S8.
But where Razer Phone really shines is its audio. It's simply the loudest smartphone I've ever heard. Both of the front-firing speakers have an integrated amplifier to produce volume that would put most laptops to shame, let alone smartphones. But the audio isn't just loud, it's also clear and spacious thanks in no small part to the Dolby Atmos software preinstalled onto the handset. When I watched the Black Panther trailer, the explosion to free Klaw had actually weight to it. However, I would like the low-end sounds to have a bit more punch.
Bottom Line
I'm not totally convinced that consumers are looking for a dedicated gaming phone, but the Razer Phone has a lot of interesting features that could potentially prove me wrong. However, there are a few things that keep the Razer Phone from making to the top of my list including a missing headphone jack anda camera that is a step behind the competition. Still, the Razer Phone is still a bold first entry for Razer and the smartphone industry as a whole.
