In terms of the mid range smartphones currently available, the RAZR i is one of the best options to go for; the Motorola produced smartphone is primarily distinguished by its processor performance, as well as by its edge to edge touchscreen – the RAZR i also runs the latest version of Android, and while it might not have all the bells and whistles of an iPhone 5 or the Samsung Galaxy S III, it’ll still give you an efficient battery life, a slick interface, and one of the best screen to handset ratios for the current market.
Motorola RAZR i
The Motorola RAZR i forms part of Motorola’s ongoing efforts to gain a stronger position in the smartphone market, with black and white variants of the RAZR i joined by the RAZR DROID and the RAZR MAXX. One of the strongest features of the RAZR i is its partnership with Intel for a 2 GHz processor – using single core and multi threading technology, this processor gives Samsung and Apple a run for their money in terms of performance.
Battery Life
The battery life for the RAZR i is also strong, with the smartphone’s 2000 mAH battery allowing for around 20 hours of talk time, and about 30 hours of moderate activity, excluding heavy Internet usage or playing with apps. As an object, the RAZR i handset features an edge to edge screen that takes the recent trend for larger and more full screen phones to a new level.
Screen
You get a 4.8 x 2.4 x 0.3 frame for the RAZR i, with the screen stretched to the edges; in this way, the RAZR i is more compact than some of the larger smartphones on the market, and participates in trends for moving away from analogue buttons and touchpads for a full touch screen experience. The RAZR i screen has a pixel density of 256 ppi, and is Super AMOLED – to deal with the increased screen size, Motorola provide Kevlar and Gorilla Glass protection.
OS
The RAZR i’s recent update to Android Jelly Bean means that you get the fastest and best performing version of the OS – this includes all the features that you’d get with another Android phone, from WiFi to Bluetooth and GPS, all sped up with Android’s Project Butter update; when combined with the Intel processor, and by some useful Motorola only widgets for navigating between apps and tools, you can enjoy a smooth interface.
Camera
Where the RAZR i does lose a bit of ground to its higher priced rivals is in terms of its camera and extra features – an 8 MP main camera does the job without being anything to particularly write home about (although it does have HD and multi shot options, and works well with geo-tagging). Natural daylight is best for getting the sharpest pictures, while the front facing camera is best used for video chats.
Cost
Taken together, the RAZR i is recommended if you want to avoid the premium price bracket for contracts and handsets for other smartphones, but still want quality – monthly contracts for the RAZR i can be found for less than £20, and the handset only costs around £300, about half as much as you’d expect to pay for a top of the range phone. In this way, you can make savings over pricier phones, while still enjoying the large screen and super fast processor that the RAZR i provides.
