Slashdot Mirror

← Back to Stories (view on slashdot.org)

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

Posted by BeauHD on 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.

72 comments

  1. But does it have by DFurno2003 · · Score: 0

    a headphone jack?

    1. Re:But does it have by Gabest · · Score: 1

      And FM radio?

    2. Re:But does it have by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      and IR?

      and removeable battery?

      and SD card slot?

      and dual sim?

      and stylus?

      and front facing stereo speakers?

      software updates in the next 4 years?

      we can thanks ESSENTIAL for the fact that NOTCHLESS has become a feature!

      I hope it is also shitless, bingless and free of planned obsolescence!

      and what about spyware-free?

      -----

      in addition... in what way is a GAMING phone supposed to be different from a FLAGSHIP phone??? I just don't get it.. It has nothing you wouldn't consider flagship features!

  2. Notchless? by Joce640k · · Score: 4, Insightful

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

    --
    No sig today...
    1. Re:Notchless? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Notchless option, only $300 extra. Buy now!

    2. Re:Notchless? by iampiti · · Score: 1

      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.

    3. Re:Notchless? by tlhIngan · · Score: 4, Insightful

      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.

    4. Re:Notchless? by JaredOfEuropa · · Score: 4, Insightful

      So: notchless is a feature, but waterproofing is a frill. What gives?

      --
      If construction was anything like programming, an incorrectly fitted lock would bring down the entire building...
    5. Re:Notchless? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

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

    6. Re: Notchless? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Insightful

      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.

    7. Re:Notchless? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Do you know is the notch "touch sensitive", like is there working digitizer there?

      I'm on a Nexus 6P now, and top left, top middle, and top right touches and swipes up / down are all set up to do different things. I could be fine with losing screen area, but I'm not fine with losing input area.

    8. Re:Notchless? by jellomizer · · Score: 2

      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 speakers this means you don't need a notch. but your camera will be embedded in the speaker. But these speakers give a top and bottom bevel. So your phone will not be edge to edge in display. Making the phone bigger for its screen size compared to the Notched equivalent.

      --
      If something is so important that you feel the need to post it on the internet... It probably isn't that important.
    9. Re:Notchless? by jellomizer · · Score: 1

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

      --
      If something is so important that you feel the need to post it on the internet... It probably isn't that important.
    10. Re:Notchless? by lbmouse · · Score: 1

      It has two giant notches.

    11. Re: Notchless? by Miamicanes · · Score: 2

      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 battery case... it put the center of mass comfortably low & provided a handy ridge to grip the phone with from behind. The phone couldn't lie flat, but it had a kickstand which mitigated 99% of the annoyance & overall, it rocked. Even though I eventually bought bigger batteries, I kept going back to the Seidio battery/case because it was SO much easier & more comfortable to hold.

      The big question, though... if you keep the phone in an Otterbox Defender-like case & the rear glass cracks, do you HAVE to fix it, or can you just say "fuck it, it's hidden inside the case anyway" & just leave it cracked without affecting anything besides "out of case" aesthetics?

      Also, does the glass help or hurt with heat-removal? Can the phone run at 100% max from power-on until battery-drained (say, if you're using Daydream VR), or will it go into thermal-throttling within a few minutes if you try (like a Nexus 6P does)?

    12. Re:Notchless? by thoughtlover · · Score: 1

      ...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.

      --
      No sig for you! Come back one year!
    13. Re: Notchless? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      You don't get that on vanilla Android any more. Even on a Pixel 1 the latest Android builds have move things around (time is on the top left now for example) so the center notch area doesn't get crowded by things that used to be up on the top right.

  3. Wireless charging? by Narcocide · · Score: 1

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

    1. Re:Wireless charging? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

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

    2. Re:Wireless charging? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0
      Yeah, I'm confused by that as well.

      a smartphone designed for gamers who value performance and power over bells and whistles like waterproofing and wireless charging

      Razer took the wraps off its successor, aptly named Razer Phone 2, which sports [...] wireless charging, IP67 water- and dust-resistance rating

    3. Re:Wireless charging? by jellomizer · · Score: 1

      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.
       

      --
      If something is so important that you feel the need to post it on the internet... It probably isn't that important.
    4. Re:Wireless charging? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      You should stop abusing your charging ports. I have never worn one out and I use phones for years. Nobody I know has ever worn one out.

    5. Re: Wireless charging? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Buy one or two of the magnetic charging cables then. Leave the magnetic mini tip adapter in the phone all the time and keep one mag cable at home and one at work.

      I liked it so much I bought a dozen tips and put most of my gizmos on them.

  4. Razer is malware by WaffleMonster · · Score: 4, Informative

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

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

    1. Re:Razer is malware by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

      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.

    2. Re:Razer is malware by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Insightful

      Razer's products aren't exactly aimed at a high calibre of person, and if somebody will pay $130, or even $152, 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.

    3. Re:Razer is malware by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      And their support is the absolute worst.

    4. Re:Razer is malware by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      They do have nice LED diodes, though.

    5. Re:Razer is malware by GuB-42 · · Score: 1

      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 going strong. No matter the brand, if the mouse that feels the best to you is $130, buy it.

  5. Most imnportant question here by Kokuyo · · Score: 2

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

    1. Re:Most imnportant question here by Tough+Love · · Score: 2

      Second most important question: where is the headphone jack?

      --
      When all you have is a hammer, every problem starts to look like a thumb.
    2. Re:Most imnportant question here by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Informative

      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)

    3. Re:Most imnportant question here by Kokuyo · · Score: 1

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

    4. Re:Most imnportant question here by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Funny

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

    5. Re:Most imnportant question here by Espectr0 · · Score: 1

      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.

      --
      Open Source Java Web Forum with LDAP authentication
  6. Razer not on the map by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    After what they did with their mouse drivers a few years ago I don't even think about them any more.

  7. Boring by quenda · · Score: 1

    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?...

    (sadly not real. yet.)

    1. Re:Boring by Kokuyo · · Score: 1

      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.

    2. Re:Boring by Tough+Love · · Score: 0

      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.

      --
      When all you have is a hammer, every problem starts to look like a thumb.
    3. Re:Boring by Vulch · · Score: 2

      Something like this?

    4. Re:Boring by Kokuyo · · Score: 1

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

    5. Re:Boring by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      "4G & WiFi and WiFi only models are available – enabling both data communications and mobile phone calls"

      Its powered by android OR linux...so yes its a phone. No trackpoint but if you're wanting to remote access, wtf do you care about a trackpoint...for a 6 inch screen?? you think touch screens are unreliable, wait until you have a 4cm x 4cm tiny little pad for your thick fingers to use..

    6. Re:Boring by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Apple is following on the notch as well. There were at least 2 android phones with notches before the iphone.

    7. Re:Boring by jon3k · · Score: 1

      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 move relative to your finger. So you could place your finger say, 1/2" below the cursor, so you could still see it, then move it where you wanted it and tap the screen to click. 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. So you can use the on-screen option for simple/quick mouse work and a real mouse when you were using an application(s) that required more mouse interaction.

    8. Re:Boring by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      You are, as usual, completely delusional.

      And it's iPhone. Not I-Phone. How hard is that? How, after over 10 years, can you still not figure that out? It's like watching someones angry grandpa try to talk about cellphones.

    9. Re:Boring by Tough+Love · · Score: 1

      I-Phone is just a lame, overpriced imitation of an Android phone. Nobody cool gets an I-Phone, just middle aged moms now.

      --
      When all you have is a hammer, every problem starts to look like a thumb.
    10. Re:Boring by jellomizer · · Score: 2

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

      --
      If something is so important that you feel the need to post it on the internet... It probably isn't that important.
    11. Re:Boring by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Wow, great story grandpa! You have so much wisdom about cell phones from 20 years ago. Please keep rambling about minor details from the past. I'm glad you found a social outlet.

    12. Re: Boring by Miamicanes · · Score: 1

      A Trackpoint isn't a touchpad... it's a tiny isometric pointer stick commonly associated with Thinkpads. And the whole point is that it enables you to use the mouse without having to lift your hand from the keyboard (something that the finger-pointing unwashed masses just don't seem to grasp the importance of).

      I hate finger-pointers. They're the users who ruined touchpads. Back in "the old days", touchpads acted like flat trackballs, but adjusted curving gestures to appear straight like a thumb-trackball did. Then, manufacturers all jumped on the "optimize touchpads for finger-pointers instead of thumb-sweepers", and touchpads became unusable by thumb-sweepers. They COULD have made touchpads dual-mode, but instead they just eliminated the thumb-optimizing DSP logic entirely. Fuckers, that's why we can't have nice things...

    13. Re: Boring by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Check out the GPD minis, on Amazon.
      No phone HW built in, but you can use Skype or any IP softphone and optionally the BT headset of your choice. Roaming data can be provided by either an overpriced usb modem or the hotspot device of your choice.

    14. Re:Boring by Lost+Race · · Score: 1

      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.

  8. Waterproofing is not a 'bell and whistle", MORON. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Fuck you cock-gobblign Slashfags.

    Your articles SUCK, just like you do.

  9. Re:I can't imagine real gaming on a phone. My $0.0 by Ormy · · Score: 2

    I completely agree with you on every point.

    However, if this phone had a 3.5mm headphone jack and an AMOLED display I'd buy it immediately (I'd prefer it smaller, 5 inch screen is perfect for me). I like the hardware specs (plenty of RAM) and I love they have retained a microSD slot (my biggest gripe with my OnePlus 5) and I love that they have not included a notch (I'd throw money at them just for that choice alone if I could afford to). I would never game on it for reasons stated by parent, but I like to have a device with top-end hardware specs so I know it won't feel painfully slow even after 3-4 years

  10. Re:I can't imagine real gaming on a phone. My $0.0 by Cederic · · Score: 4, Funny

    The wife plays some of those mindless garbage things similar to candy crush on hers
    [...]
    Games on a PHONE are for children.

    Why are you married to a child?

    playing PC games, as time and circumstances permit, since way back when 300baud was fast
    [...]
    fleapower of a phone

    Could I suggest seeing a medical professional regarding your apparent senility?

  11. stop being sheeple! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    You do not need a new phone. Buying one will not make you cool or sexy or desirable. Buying one will show the wold just how incredibly shallow and gullible you are.

    1. Re:stop being sheeple! by HarrySquatter · · Score: 1

      Why are you so obsessed with what other people do with their money?

    2. Re: stop being sheeple! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Why are you obsessed with people who could only be your grandfather if your mom rubbed herself regularly with cumstains on mousepads?

  12. Re:I can't imagine real gaming on a phone. My $0.0 by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Could I suggest you imagine yourself at age 80 before you go knocking people who are?

    (And, no, I'm not the same AC. Nor will I be 80 years old for a while yet.)

  13. Doesn't even hit the "must haves" by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

    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

    1. Re:Doesn't even hit the "must haves" by HarrySquatter · · Score: 1

      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?

    2. Re:Doesn't even hit the "must haves" by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I understand that some games have some sound effects and music worth hearing, but maybe the players don't want to bother others around them, and don't care for bluetooth head-phones?

    3. Re:Doesn't even hit the "must haves" by UnknownSoldier · · Score: 1

      Bluetooth uses more battery life then a headphone jack.

      Hard to game when your phone is dead.

    4. Re:Doesn't even hit the "must haves" by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Bluetooth is high latency and thus unwanted anyway.

      One may simply build more crap into the USB power supply : audio jack (!) as well as USB-A or USB-C or other things.
      But as USB-C is more expensive than old regular USB, more demanding, I don't think we're seeing the USB-C ecosystem we'd need and USB-C isn't even used by cheap phones. Like Nokia 3.1, released May 2018 : micro-USB 2.0 and supports OTG.

      Will anyone come up with dual USB at last?
      On a phone like this Razer, imagine a USB-C port on which side.
      Then you can plug headphones or line out and power again. You can even plug the USB-C plug on either side, as long as the phone doesn't care you're using it "upside down" (the first smartphone I had did that, all four screen rotations were legal)

  14. Re:I can't imagine real gaming on a phone. My $0.0 by HarrySquatter · · Score: 0

    Who let grandpa loose again?

  15. no android pie support yet by Espectr0 · · Score: 1

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

    --
    Open Source Java Web Forum with LDAP authentication
    1. Re:no android pie support yet by ennis99 · · Score: 1

      as a gamer, i'm really happy to hear that. From what is written, it will be a really powerful phone, which promises full functionality and durability. I can not wait to see that and see if he keeps his promises. https://downloader.vip/the-pir... https://downloader.vip/yify-yt... https://downloader.vip/rargb/

  16. Counterpoint. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Full width notch.

  17. Re:I can't imagine real gaming on a phone. My $0.0 by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    The display is a high refresh one (120Hz) so it's still a highlight of this phone. Might be a rather bright one too.

    That leaves audio jack as the lacking feature, and perhaps or probably Razer spyware - then again I'm not fond of Google Play either. Nor do I trust online games.

    Running real linux on these highest end Snapdragon chip might become a thing? Imagine if after these few years you're able to install real Linux on this. But I don't know what hardware not in the SoC needs its drivers be revere engineered (touch screen, camera, something else?)