What Reviewers Say About the Razer Phone, a Smartphone for Gamers

Razer, best known for its top-of-the-line gaming PCs and accessories,, just came out with a smartphone built with gamers in mind.

The Razer Phone, not to be confused with the once-popular Motorola Razr flip phone, is an Android smartphone built for mobile gamers. It includes an enhanced display, audio quality and processing power all meant to improving the smartphone gaming experience.

Here’s what the reviewers are saying about the Razer Phone.

TechRadar’s John McCann found that the Razer Phone was more likely to appeal to a niche market than gain broad popularity:

Razer fans will likely appreciate what’s being offered here, but it’s difficult to make a case for why this phone is worth the money for more general users. It feels more like a “nice to have” device than a game-changer.

McCann also found that the Razer Phone’s best features included its display, sound quality and power. But he considered the weak camera, small game selection and lack of headphone jack to be the biggest drawbacks. He added that the design is a bit blocky and “uninspired,” as well as heavier than many other modern smartphones.

Andy Boxall of Digital Trends actually found the build quality to be a positive note for the Razer Phone, and noted that the included headphones have solid sound quality. He said that people will either love or hate the design aesthetic. Overall, Boxall emphasized the phone screen’s unique 120Hz refresh rate as its best quality:

The good news is these games look and feel amazing at 120Hz. Slick isn’t a descriptive enough word. It really does change the gameplay experience. It’s not more fun, but the game is more playable and you feel more in control of what’s happening.

Forbes contributor Ewan Spence also found that the refresh rate and power gave the Razer Phone an edge over the competition when it comes to gaming. But he ultimately found that the Razer Phone won’t have wide-ranging appeal.

Razer has an existing relationship with this community. The community trusts the Razer name and sees it as a fashionable choice as well as a trusted manufacturer. That makes selling a niche smartphone (and the Razer Phone is clearly a niche smartphone) an attractive proposition.

Overall, the reviewers seemed to agree that if you like Razer’s existing products or find yourself playing lots of games on your smartphone, the Razer Phone could be a compelling choice. Casual gamers and other smartphone owners can steer clear, though.

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