This review is from: Motorola DROID RAZR MAXX 4G Android Phone, Black 32GB (Verizon Wireless) (Wireless Phone)
I thought I would upgrade to the iPhone 4S when I was eligible, but I felt blah about it. Everyone around me has an iPhone, which they love, but there were things that excited me more about with the new Android phones. I decided to go with the Galaxy Nexus because of its stellar reviews and high rankings on phone lists. I liked the screen size and resolution, and Android 4.0 is wonderful. However, the connectivity to service was awful. I lost service when making a call when walking out of the Verizon store — and in a major metropolitan area. I lost service on almost every call I made after that, which was frustrating and disappointing. The change the SIM card at Verizon, which didn’t change anything. Service was moderately better on 3G, but I still had problems, so I decided to return it. In addition, the battery life was very short, and it got uncomfortably hot while talking on it during the few times I was able to do so.
The day after I bought the Galaxy Nexus, the Razr Maxx was released, but, since I could only do one return at Verizon, I was hesitant to try another 4G phone. I was resigned to get the iPhone 4S, thinking it was the safe option (upgrades, streamlined opeeration, iTunes, etc.). But, after having the Galaxy Nexus for two days, the iPhone felt so small and heavy, and I knew I couldn’t use the widgets that I enjoy with Android. It’s silly, but I wanted to be excited about getting a new phone, and I wasn’t excited about the iPhone.
While the salesman was returning the Galaxy Nexus and preparing to set me up on the iPhone 4S, I wandered over to the Razr Maxx display. I liked it very much, so I decided to take a chance on another 4G phone, and I have been very happy with my decision.
SCREEN: I just prefer the bigger screen of the current line of Android phones of iPhone. The Razr Maxx screen may not have the much lauded pixel density of the iPhone 4/4S or the Galaxy Nexus, but it is very bright, and I barely notice a difference.
CONNECIVITY: No problems. And 4G really is very fast. I use it at home instead of WiFi since I was grandfather into an unlimited data plan.
PROCESSOR: Very quick. Just an occasional hick-up when going back to the home screen, probably due to the calendar and weather clock widgets I have running there. Not a big deal, and it may improve with ICS.
OPERATING SYSTEM: No, it doesn’t have Ice Cream Sandwich, but I am coming from Froyo, and this is much better. I can live happily with it until the ICS update arrives. Also, I am a Google fan, and I would have a difficulty time without navigation from Google Maps, which is something a friend who switched from the original Droid to iPhone misses greatly.
BUILD: I love how it feels. Much more comfortable that the Razr. I’m not using a cover on it yet, and may not put one one due to the great build quality (Kevlar, Gorilla Glass). However, I did put on a screen protector, “just in case!”
And finally, BATTERY: Fantastic. I was so conditioned by my old phone — and even by two days with the Galaxy Nexus — to constantly worry about the battery, but I worry no longer. I easily get through a day with moderate to heavy use, and the batter has yet to go below 30%. For me, it’s worth it.
I did research ad nauseum when my upgrade was approaching. I learned that no phone is perfect and no phone is for everyone. This one spoke to me, and I am enjoying it very much!
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This review is from: Motorola DROID RAZR MAXX 4G Android Phone, Black 32GB (Verizon Wireless) (Wireless Phone)
I was one of the first users to have the original HTC Droid Incredible; in fact, I pre-ordered it from Verizon before it came out and had it a day before it was released in stores, so I had the earliest model with the beautiful AMOLED screen (as opposed to the Super LED). My experience was very good with my Incredible: I had the slim extended battery from Seido (battery life still sucked), my Incredible worked smoothly with no bugs, the 8mp camera was pretty decent, it had plenty of space, and its 1gz processor was always fast enough to run anything I wanted. I saw a lot of Verizon android phones come out over the past 2 years that were sub-par to my Incredible. As a power user, I needed something that improved on battery life, had at least the same screen quality, had a dual core processor (to fight obsolescence), and had plenty of space. This phone has outperformed all my expectations.
BATTERY: First of all, the battery life is this phone’s biggest selling point. During my first day of use, I turned OFF the wifi and used 4gLTE (which is FAST!) because I have the unlimited plan for Verizon. I spent much of the day downloading all my old apps and setting up school email and personalizing all my settings. I also got engaged to my girlfriend on the same day, so one can imaging all the texting I did and picture messaging of the ring and all. We went out late to celebrate and I used it lightly while out showing off my new phone and its features and when I got home, I still had 25% battery! Just as the reviews report, the battery on this thing really out-does itself. What is even more impressive is I do not have a lump sticking out of the back due to an extended battery.
SCREEN: I have no problem with it. It is a beautiful display and is slightly better than my old Droid Incredible AMOLED display. The best part about it is I do not need to turn down the settings like brightness and screen timeout like I did to conserve on battery. Some reviewers have compared this screen to the beautiful screens of the Samsung Droid Nexus and iPhone4s, which both have 300+ pixel/inch density. Sure, you MIGHT notice a difference if you were to put them side by side on same photo. However, I do not notice anything in terms of a lack of quality or really see any pixels. Coming from my old Incredible (which has the same AMOLED tech), this has a very slightly better pixels/inch and remains beautiful to look at and easy on my eyes. Also to note, it has a Corning Gorilla Glass screen. This is the same glass screen covering as the iPhone4s and makes it extremely hard. I’m still using a screen cover because I do not want to chance anything.
PROCESSOR: The Razr MAXX has a 1.2gz dual core processor. My old Incredible had a single core 1gz snapdragon processor, which ran things smoothly. After using the Razr Maxx, I can tell the difference. The same games, apps, and video feel like they run like butter. The Droid Incredible would have a very slight lag before it ran something fast and smooth. The Droid Razr does not have that lag. There are other phones that have a dual core 1.5gz processor; honestly, there really should not be any difference in performance that one notices.
CAMERA: Wow, great camera on this thing. I proposed to my girl friend at the local Botanical Gardens and the camera takes amazing photos both close up and far away. Digital zoom is excellent and the best part is NO SHUTTER LAG! When you press the snap button, BAM! That’s the picture you get! There is no holding the phone steady as you wait for it to capture the photo. I can’t be more pleased.
SMART ACTIONS: Great job Motorola! Take a moment to check out the Smart Actions features. This allows you to program your Droid Razr Maxx (or regular Razr) to automatically change settings or launch applications. When I showed this to my fiance’s brother, who is a big iPhone user, his eyebrows raised and he was impressed. For example: - I set my phone so when I arrive at my work’s address, my phone will automatically go into vibrate mode. - I set my phone so it makes all text messages/email notifications quiet during my sleeping hours during work nights - My phone automatically puts the screen dimmer and turns off sync when battery reaches below 25% - My phone now notifies me to charge it at night if it is below 25% battery life - *This program does pretty much whatever you want. If you have done programming, you might know what a “macro” is. It is a macro creation tool. In short, it allows you complete automatic control over your phone. It is EXTREMELY easy to use, especially if you choose from the large sample list of tasks.
SPACE: Advertises as a total of 32gb. Need I say more? The system reserves 8gb for its own use, it leaves 8gb of internal memory for user use, and it comes with a 16 gb MicroSD card. In reality, the user gets 24 gb of space, which…
This review is from: Motorola DROID RAZR MAXX 4G Android Phone, Black 32GB (Verizon Wireless) (Wireless Phone)
This is the best phone i have ever owned period, it was an upgrade from the first generation Droid (which i was generally happy with).
Pros: - The 4.3 inch Super AMOLED Screen is gorgeous, colors are brilliant and the blacks are deep & rich. - Voice quality is outstanding, no matter what else it does, this is still a phone and the primary feature for me. - SPEED, this may be true for all Verizon 4G LTE phones. Downloads are blazing fast. You can easily enjoy movies, sports, or videos without interruption. - THE BATTERY is simply ridiculous. I have always had an issue with batteries and often carried a spare. While it is true the battery is not removable, i need to repeat myself… it is simply ridiculous. Today i ran video, audio and calls on & off all day and still have juice to spare (granted its new). - It is not an Apple, i like choice in my life and am growing concerned about Apple’s market dominance. I enjoy and am delighted to support options. - Build – this is a solid phone with Gorilla Glass front and Kevlar backing, (note i am 6′ so i have to laugh when people say this is to big a phone, like gloves, I guess it depends on your hand size). - 32 GB – 16 GB internal & 16 GB on a Micro SD minus the normal OS requirements - Duel Core chips. - Idiot guides for those who have a disdain for instructions. They walk you through smart actions which extend battery life and reduce the need to manage daily functions. - Smart camera / audio slide with out necessitating needless menus and turning on off the phone. - Audio nice sound / player & the 4 G LTE allows for excellent streaming via Pandora, Spotify, Google music, Amazon or anything but i-tunes. - No slide out keyboard, a feature i did not like about the original Droid.
Cons: - There is a learning curve esp comming from my original Droid. But like a new car navigation system or PC for that matter each new model requires time for maximum benifit. - Price is this model worth 50-100 more (than the Droid RAZR) for what is essentially just a bigger battery? - Odd curved corners not as elegant as some of the new phones. - 1.2 Mhz processor wish it was 1.5 (although i don’t really know what the difference would be but more, more, more = future proof on these things). – No Ice Cream Sandwich (it will get there and from my friends with the Nexus there are still bugs and apps in 4.0 which need to be addressed & updated). - Camera esp in low light could be better.
At the end of the day nothing is perfect and each new season will surely see newer /better phones but i am very happy with this model.
Help other customers find the most helpful reviews
Authors bio is coming up shortly. 
Uninspired by iPhone, returned Galaxy Nexus, happy with Razr Maxx,
I thought I would upgrade to the iPhone 4S when I was eligible, but I felt blah about it. Everyone around me has an iPhone, which they love, but there were things that excited me more about with the new Android phones. I decided to go with the Galaxy Nexus because of its stellar reviews and high rankings on phone lists. I liked the screen size and resolution, and Android 4.0 is wonderful. However, the connectivity to service was awful. I lost service when making a call when walking out of the Verizon store — and in a major metropolitan area. I lost service on almost every call I made after that, which was frustrating and disappointing. The change the SIM card at Verizon, which didn’t change anything. Service was moderately better on 3G, but I still had problems, so I decided to return it. In addition, the battery life was very short, and it got uncomfortably hot while talking on it during the few times I was able to do so.
The day after I bought the Galaxy Nexus, the Razr Maxx was released, but, since I could only do one return at Verizon, I was hesitant to try another 4G phone. I was resigned to get the iPhone 4S, thinking it was the safe option (upgrades, streamlined opeeration, iTunes, etc.). But, after having the Galaxy Nexus for two days, the iPhone felt so small and heavy, and I knew I couldn’t use the widgets that I enjoy with Android. It’s silly, but I wanted to be excited about getting a new phone, and I wasn’t excited about the iPhone.
While the salesman was returning the Galaxy Nexus and preparing to set me up on the iPhone 4S, I wandered over to the Razr Maxx display. I liked it very much, so I decided to take a chance on another 4G phone, and I have been very happy with my decision.
SCREEN: I just prefer the bigger screen of the current line of Android phones of iPhone. The Razr Maxx screen may not have the much lauded pixel density of the iPhone 4/4S or the Galaxy Nexus, but it is very bright, and I barely notice a difference.
CONNECIVITY: No problems. And 4G really is very fast. I use it at home instead of WiFi since I was grandfather into an unlimited data plan.
PROCESSOR: Very quick. Just an occasional hick-up when going back to the home screen, probably due to the calendar and weather clock widgets I have running there. Not a big deal, and it may improve with ICS.
OPERATING SYSTEM: No, it doesn’t have Ice Cream Sandwich, but I am coming from Froyo, and this is much better. I can live happily with it until the ICS update arrives. Also, I am a Google fan, and I would have a difficulty time without navigation from Google Maps, which is something a friend who switched from the original Droid to iPhone misses greatly.
BUILD: I love how it feels. Much more comfortable that the Razr. I’m not using a cover on it yet, and may not put one one due to the great build quality (Kevlar, Gorilla Glass). However, I did put on a screen protector, “just in case!”
And finally, BATTERY: Fantastic. I was so conditioned by my old phone — and even by two days with the Galaxy Nexus — to constantly worry about the battery, but I worry no longer. I easily get through a day with moderate to heavy use, and the batter has yet to go below 30%. For me, it’s worth it.
I did research ad nauseum when my upgrade was approaching. I learned that no phone is perfect and no phone is for everyone. This one spoke to me, and I am enjoying it very much!
Was this review helpful to you?
|Sets a minimum standard for all my future smartphones,
I was one of the first users to have the original HTC Droid Incredible; in fact, I pre-ordered it from Verizon before it came out and had it a day before it was released in stores, so I had the earliest model with the beautiful AMOLED screen (as opposed to the Super LED). My experience was very good with my Incredible: I had the slim extended battery from Seido (battery life still sucked), my Incredible worked smoothly with no bugs, the 8mp camera was pretty decent, it had plenty of space, and its 1gz processor was always fast enough to run anything I wanted. I saw a lot of Verizon android phones come out over the past 2 years that were sub-par to my Incredible. As a power user, I needed something that improved on battery life, had at least the same screen quality, had a dual core processor (to fight obsolescence), and had plenty of space. This phone has outperformed all my expectations.
BATTERY: First of all, the battery life is this phone’s biggest selling point. During my first day of use, I turned OFF the wifi and used 4gLTE (which is FAST!) because I have the unlimited plan for Verizon. I spent much of the day downloading all my old apps and setting up school email and personalizing all my settings. I also got engaged to my girlfriend on the same day, so one can imaging all the texting I did and picture messaging of the ring and all. We went out late to celebrate and I used it lightly while out showing off my new phone and its features and when I got home, I still had 25% battery! Just as the reviews report, the battery on this thing really out-does itself. What is even more impressive is I do not have a lump sticking out of the back due to an extended battery.
SCREEN: I have no problem with it. It is a beautiful display and is slightly better than my old Droid Incredible AMOLED display. The best part about it is I do not need to turn down the settings like brightness and screen timeout like I did to conserve on battery. Some reviewers have compared this screen to the beautiful screens of the Samsung Droid Nexus and iPhone4s, which both have 300+ pixel/inch density. Sure, you MIGHT notice a difference if you were to put them side by side on same photo. However, I do not notice anything in terms of a lack of quality or really see any pixels. Coming from my old Incredible (which has the same AMOLED tech), this has a very slightly better pixels/inch and remains beautiful to look at and easy on my eyes. Also to note, it has a Corning Gorilla Glass screen. This is the same glass screen covering as the iPhone4s and makes it extremely hard. I’m still using a screen cover because I do not want to chance anything.
PROCESSOR: The Razr MAXX has a 1.2gz dual core processor. My old Incredible had a single core 1gz snapdragon processor, which ran things smoothly. After using the Razr Maxx, I can tell the difference. The same games, apps, and video feel like they run like butter. The Droid Incredible would have a very slight lag before it ran something fast and smooth. The Droid Razr does not have that lag. There are other phones that have a dual core 1.5gz processor; honestly, there really should not be any difference in performance that one notices.
CAMERA: Wow, great camera on this thing. I proposed to my girl friend at the local Botanical Gardens and the camera takes amazing photos both close up and far away. Digital zoom is excellent and the best part is NO SHUTTER LAG! When you press the snap button, BAM! That’s the picture you get! There is no holding the phone steady as you wait for it to capture the photo. I can’t be more pleased.
SMART ACTIONS: Great job Motorola! Take a moment to check out the Smart Actions features. This allows you to program your Droid Razr Maxx (or regular Razr) to automatically change settings or launch applications. When I showed this to my fiance’s brother, who is a big iPhone user, his eyebrows raised and he was impressed.
For example:
- I set my phone so when I arrive at my work’s address, my phone will automatically go into vibrate mode.
- I set my phone so it makes all text messages/email notifications quiet during my sleeping hours during work nights
- My phone automatically puts the screen dimmer and turns off sync when battery reaches below 25%
- My phone now notifies me to charge it at night if it is below 25% battery life
- *This program does pretty much whatever you want. If you have done programming, you might know what a “macro” is. It is a macro creation tool. In short, it allows you complete automatic control over your phone. It is EXTREMELY easy to use, especially if you choose from the large sample list of tasks.
SPACE: Advertises as a total of 32gb. Need I say more? The system reserves 8gb for its own use, it leaves 8gb of internal memory for user use, and it comes with a 16 gb MicroSD card. In reality, the user gets 24 gb of space, which…
Read more
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|Ever Ready,
This is the best phone i have ever owned period, it was an upgrade from the first generation Droid (which i was generally happy with).
Pros:
- The 4.3 inch Super AMOLED Screen is gorgeous, colors are brilliant and the blacks are deep & rich.
- Voice quality is outstanding, no matter what else it does, this is still a phone and the primary feature for me.
- SPEED, this may be true for all Verizon 4G LTE phones. Downloads are blazing fast. You can easily enjoy movies, sports, or videos without interruption.
- THE BATTERY is simply ridiculous. I have always had an issue with batteries and often carried a spare. While it is true the battery is not removable, i need to repeat myself… it is simply ridiculous. Today i ran video, audio and calls on & off all day and still have juice to spare (granted its new).
- It is not an Apple, i like choice in my life and am growing concerned about Apple’s market dominance. I enjoy and am delighted to support options.
- Build – this is a solid phone with Gorilla Glass front and Kevlar backing, (note i am 6′ so i have to laugh when people say this is to big a phone, like gloves, I guess it depends on your hand size).
- 32 GB – 16 GB internal & 16 GB on a Micro SD minus the normal OS requirements
- Duel Core chips.
- Idiot guides for those who have a disdain for instructions. They walk you through smart actions which extend battery life and reduce the need to manage daily functions.
- Smart camera / audio slide with out necessitating needless menus and turning on off the phone.
- Audio nice sound / player & the 4 G LTE allows for excellent streaming via Pandora, Spotify, Google music, Amazon or anything but i-tunes.
- No slide out keyboard, a feature i did not like about the original Droid.
Cons:
- There is a learning curve esp comming from my original Droid. But like a new car navigation system or PC for that matter each new model requires time for maximum benifit.
- Price is this model worth 50-100 more (than the Droid RAZR) for what is essentially just a bigger battery?
- Odd curved corners not as elegant as some of the new phones.
- 1.2 Mhz processor wish it was 1.5 (although i don’t really know what the difference would be but more, more, more = future proof on these things).
– No Ice Cream Sandwich (it will get there and from my friends with the Nexus there are still bugs and apps in 4.0 which need to be addressed & updated).
- Camera esp in low light could be better.
At the end of the day nothing is perfect and each new season will surely see newer /better phones but i am very happy with this model.
Was this review helpful to you?
|