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Android Cellphones Software Hardware Technology

Razer Phone 2 Launches With Notch-less Display, Wireless Charging, and RGB Lighting (anandtech.com) 72

Posted by BeauHD from the new-and-shiny dept.
Last November, Razer unveiled a smartphone designed for gamers who value performance and power over bells and whistles like waterproofing and wireless charging. At an event Wednesday night, Razer took the wraps off its successor, aptly named Razer Phone 2, which sports a brighter, notch-less, 5.72-inch IGZO LCD display with a 2560x1440 resolution and HDR, wireless charging, IP67 water- and dust-resistance rating, and RGB lighting behind the Razer logo on the rear. Given the addition of waterproofing and wireless charging, the Razer Phone 2 appears to be much more well-rounded than its predecessor, making the decision all the more difficult when shopping for a premium, high-end smartphone. AnandTech reports: This display is rated at 645 nits peak, up to 50% higher than the previous Razer Phone, and also supports HDR. Razer states that the display also has wide color gamut, which turns out to be 98.4% of DCI-P3. Also on the front, it has two front facing speakers in identical positions to the previous generation, and it has a front facing camera and sensor (albeit with swapped positions). That front camera is an 8MP f/2.0 unit, capable of recording at 1080p60, a user-requested feature for streaming and selfie recording. The front of the device is Corning Gorilla Glass 5, an upgrade from GG3 in the last generation.

When we move to the rear, things change much more noticeably. Instead of the aluminum rear, Razer has a full Gorilla Glass 5 back, which helps enable Qi Wireless Charging, a much requested feature. This is alongside QuickCharge 4+ through a Type-C cable. On the rear we have the dual cameras, this time placed in the center just above the logo. This time around Razer has gone with a 20MP Sony IMX363 f/1.75 main camera with OIS, and an 8MP Sony IMX 351 f/2.6 telephoto camera to enable some extra zoom functionality. Below the cameras is the Razer logo, which has a full 16.8million color RGB LED underneath which users can adjust through the onboard Chroma software. The Razer Phone 2 is still very much power-focused, as it features Qualcomm's latest Snapdragon 845 CPU with a "vapor chamber cooling" which can allow the phone to draw 20-30% more power than other flagships. There's 8GB of LPDDR4X memory, 64GB of UFS storage with support for a microSD card, and a whopping 4,000mAh. Razer says their new smartphone will be priced at $799 and will start shipping in mid-November.
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Razer Phone 2 Launches With Notch-less Display, Wireless Charging, and RGB Lighting More

Razer Phone 2 Launches With Notch-less Display, Wireless Charging, and RGB Lighting

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  • Notchless? (Score:5, Insightful)

    by Joce640k ( 829181 ) on Thursday October 11, 2018 @03:18AM (#57459836) Homepage

    Is "Notchless display" a feature already? That didn't take long.

    • I'd be nice if at least all the phones that have a notch would allow to just show black around the notch (the LG G7 does just that). It's an option that doesn't cost much and would content many people.

      • Re:Notchless? (Score:5, Insightful)

        by tlhIngan ( 30335 ) <slashdot.worf@net> on Thursday October 11, 2018 @04:25AM (#57459946)

        I'd be nice if at least all the phones that have a notch would allow to just show black around the notch (the LG G7 does just that). It's an option that doesn't cost much and would content many people.

        The new Google Pixel 3 phones do that actually - you can "disable notch" and it just turns it black. But then it turns into a really big bezel, so it's really siz of one and a half dozen of the other.

        Of course, a nice use of the notch would be to have status icons that don't disappear - a full screen game for example could use everything but the notched area so the notch could still show useful status information like the time and signal status. Or perhaps it could be used for system buttons (back, home, etc) during full screen applications.

        • Re: Notchless? (Score:2, Insightful)

          by Anonymous Coward

          Know what would be really useful and attractive? A straight edge where a developer can put whatever they want, without having to figure out how to fix gimmicks.

        • So by turning it off. You have pixels that you will not be able to display anything on in both sides of the notch.

    • Re:Notchless? (Score:5, Insightful)

      by JaredOfEuropa ( 526365 ) on Thursday October 11, 2018 @05:04AM (#57460012) Journal
      So: notchless is a feature, but waterproofing is a frill. What gives?

      • Re: (Score:1)

        by Anonymous Coward

        Because for a decent gaming device a good display with a normal rectangular shape is mandatory and waterproofing is not.

      • ...designed for gamers who value performance and power over bells and whistles like waterproofing and wireless charging...

        Given the addition of waterproofing and wireless charging, the Razer Phone 2 appears...

        Yeah, this is a poorly-constructed summary. It really blurs what gamers feel are necessary features to have. Personally, I think most mobile gamers would like waterproofing, especially if they're playing in the loo.

    • Well the "removed notch" just means the phone has a big top and bottom bevel.
      Now the Notch is a trade off and I really don't get all the fuss about it. If you want your phone with a bevelless display, where the screen goes from edge to edge. (It looks nice, and you can maximize your screen resolution for its size. If you want this as a phone, currently with consumer technology you will need a notch to hold some of the gear camera, speaker, flash...
      Now for the Razer phone, the design choice was to have big

      • I personally don't get the obsession with eliminating the top, and especially the bottom, bezels. Width affects the max screen size that can fit in a back pocket, but portrait-orientation height? Pffft.

        Persondlly, I *like* having a reasonable bottom bezel, because it's really hard to hold a large, heavy phone with one hand & operate the back/home/whatever buttons with my thumb if they're all grazing the lower edge. IMHO, the most grippable phone I ever owned was my old Galaxy S3 with Seidio extended bat

    • Re: (Score:2)

      by lbmouse ( 473316 )
      It has two giant notches.

  • Wait, are we supposed to care about wireless charging here or not?

    • Re: (Score:1)

      by Anonymous Coward

      With that name they should actually put a razor on one edge.

    • It depends on if you want the phone or not, and the phone that you do want has or doesn't have such feature.

      I personally like it. As the #1 reason why I need to get a new phone over the past 20 years is the charging port gets worn out. So I cannot charge the phone.
       

  • Razer is malware (Score:5, Informative)

    by WaffleMonster ( 969671 ) on Thursday October 11, 2018 @03:48AM (#57459880)

    Everything from Razer including basic HID devices is basically malware. Their "privacy" policy is literally worse than Facebook.

    https://www.razer.com/legal/pr... [razer.com]

    • Re: (Score:1)

      by Anonymous Coward

      and that same policy covers their notebook computers and pc peripherals if you install any of the supporting software.

      why a fucking configuration program for a keyboard or mouse needs access to the internet or a privacy policy in the first place.... they should be paying us to use their overpriced shit.

    • Re: (Score:2, Insightful)

      by Anonymous Coward

      Razer's products aren't exactly aimed at a high calibre of person, and if somebody will pay $130 [newegg.com], or even $152 [newegg.com], for a mouse because they think it'll make them better at Fortnite, then you may as well take their information as well. It's not like they'll care.

      • Re: (Score:2)

        by GuB-42 ( 2483988 )

        Input devices are underrated.

        I don't know how good these mice really are but $130 for a good mouse is not too shocking for me. Compared to a $1500 PC, it is not that much, it will probably last longer, and it can really make your life better. Same thing for keyboards. I have some friends who bring their old Razer mice with them when they have to use a computer, even at work. Personally I have a MX Revolution that maybe costed me $100 but it has outlasted thousands of dollars of hardware and it is still goin

  • Most imnportant question here (Score:3)

    by Kokuyo ( 549451 ) on Thursday October 11, 2018 @04:00AM (#57459898) Journal

    Is that LED crap on the back usable for notifications? If no, go fuck yourself Razer.

    • Second most important question: where is the headphone jack?

    • Re: (Score:3, Informative)

      by Anonymous Coward

      If only you could actually read.

      >There are also three active levels:
            >Low (RGB LED is only on when a notification pops up)
            >Medium (led is on when screen is on)
            >High (led is on all the time)

      • Re: (Score:2)

        by Kokuyo ( 549451 )

        I did in fact miss that. Follow-up: Can color finally reliably be chosen per app?

        • Re: (Score:3, Funny)

          by Anonymous Coward

          Yes, by default green = hangouts, blue = facebook, flashing red/white/blue = presidential alerts/MAGA tweet.

    • yes, but no. yes, because it can be controlled. no, because who the fuck would leave a phone screen down and keep flipping it back and forth.

  • Another generic Android phone. They all look like iPhones now.
    I know, once you've perfected the form factor, why mess with it, but it makes for dull upgrades.
    Remember when Nokia seemed to be putting LSD in the design team's coffee??
    The banana phone, the split qwerty keyboard, the rotary dial, and of course the teardrop Nokia 7600.

    You want exciting, check out this new Motorola RAZR flip phone:
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?... [youtube.com]

    (sadly not real. yet.)

    • Re: (Score:2)

      by Kokuyo ( 549451 )

      I still want a 6 inch laptop with hardware keyboard and trackpoint with phone on the outside (think Nokia Communicator 9500).

      I am THIS close to glueing a chinesium Bluetooth keyboard to my phone....

      No seriously, If I can work out how to design a hinge that won't snag on my clothing I will make myself a frankenphone that will scare the living daylights out of any iPhone snowflake out there.

      • Re: (Score:3)

        by Vulch ( 221502 )

        Something like this? [planetcom.co.uk]

        • Re: (Score:2)

          by Kokuyo ( 549451 )

          Yes, if they added phone capabilities and a trackpoint. You can't remote access GUIs for shit with a touchscreen...

          • Re: (Score:2)

            by jon3k ( 691256 )
            I believe this can be solved with software. In my opinion, with that tiny space, you're better off using the touchscreen with a mouse cursor than trying to shoehorn in a trackpoint or touchpad. The Citrix client used to actually have a really great way of doing this on iOS (and possibly android?) devices where you enabled it and it showed a cursor on the screen. You didn't place your finger ON the cursor (which would obscure it). You just placed your finger on the screen anywhere and the cursor would mo

            • Alternatively you could also include bluetooth support so if you needed better control and had time/space to setup you could just use a full blown mouse.

              The Gemini has (er, will have, if they ever build it) two USB ports.

      • The problem is that a 6" laptop is too small to do real work with, while to big and clumsy for a mobile device.

    • They all look like iPhones now.

      Wrong, I-Phones look like Android phones now. Remember how I-Phone 4 looked, that ugly narrow thing? Samsung proceeded to kick Apple's butt with a range of big, beautiful displays and Apple had to follow. Now Apple follows Android, well, except for the notch, no thanks for that.

  • Doesn't even hit the "must haves" (Score:1)

    by Anonymous Coward

    Not a gaming phone without expandable storage and headphone jack. These are basic must-haves if you're trying to persuade ppl to buy your device over competition...which this fits squarely into as "meh" and "oh...another one of those'

    It's great that you add superfluous things like wireless charging (which you cant use while gaming) but no headphone jack (so you also can't charge and game without dongles)

    Makes no sense from a usability perspective and that's a shame

    • It does have expandable storage.

      64GB of UFS storage with support for a microSD card

      And what does a headphone jack have to do with something being a gaming phone? How is a game's performance affected by the lack of a headphone jack?

  • ships with android 8.1 and no mention of upgrades. old razer 1 still hasn't received an update nor even has been announced.

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