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Clamshell cell phone with crystal-clear voice quality
- Very good call quality
- 2-megapixel camera
- Built-in GPS
- Generally good battery life
- Overpriced, some reviews say
- Restricts third-party apps
- No microSD slot
- Can't access music, camera unless phone is open
The Motorola Razr 2 clamshells have been sold by six carriers, but at this writing they have been discontinued by all but T-Mobile. (An unlocked version is also available.) The other models are still available via secondary vendors online. But if you go that route, make sure you know which carrier it was originally made for, because there are major software differences in each model. The T-Mobile, for instance, is alone in having a Linux operating system, but PCMag.com's Sascha Segan says most of the Linux open-source advantage is negated by "a pernicious, stupid T-Mobile policy" that prevents third-party software like Opera Mini from accessing the Internet. On the other hand, the T-Mobile V8 "produces the best sound quality I've ever heard on a GSM phone." Some reviews decry the lack of high-speed 3G network connectivity on the T-Mobile V8 (it's 2G). The Razr 2, in all of its iterations including T-Mobile's Razr2 V8, is consistently lauded for its spectacular voice quality. PCMag reviews all but the Cricket Wireless version and gives Editors' Choice awards to all but the Alltel model, and even that one is rated as "very good" and tested faster than the AT&T, Sprint and Verizon models in a roundup of the four.
In reviewing the T-Mobile model, PCMag's Segan suggests the BlackBerry Pearl as a cheaper, better-featured option, albeit with just decent voice quality. In any case, all the Razr2s have a 2-inch external screen and a 2.2-inch internal screen -- most reviewers are impressed, but CNET's Kent German says the main screen is too low-res. The Razr2 also has a 2-megapixel camera, music and video players and 2 GB of built-in memory. (The T-Mobile Razr2 V8 lacks a microSD slot.) Its alphanumeric keypad is flush but with some tactile feel, reviews say. Battery performance varies greatly from source to source. The V8 has another quirk -- you need to open the clamshell to start the music player or use the camera. CNET's German criticizes this, but an owner review on Amazon.com says it prevents accidental music playing.
PCMag.com reviews five Razr2 models -- although the T-Mobile V8 is reviewed months after the others and isn't included in a head-to-head roundup with the others. CNET reviews a pre-production model of the V8 but also offers owner reviews. Consumer Reports tests an unlocked version of the Motorola Razr2 V8. There are some T-Mobile owner reviews at Amazon.com. We also found a number of reviews looking at slightly different models sold in Hong Kong.
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Our Sources
1. PCMag.com
Like four other Razr2 models reviewed previously, the T-Mobile version gets an Editors' Choice. The Linux-based OS is held back by what Sascha Segan calls a "pernicious, stupid T-Mobile policy" that prevents third-party Java applications from accessing the Internet.
Review: Motorola Razr2 V8, Sascha Segan, Jan. 24, 2008
2. ConsumerReports.org
The T-Mobile Motorola Razr2 V8 is rated in a chart with more than 50 other standard cell phones. An unlocked version is tested.
Review: Cell Phone Ratings, Editors of ConsumerReports.org
3. OS News
This is a thorough review that focuses on the T-Mobile Motorola RAZR2 V8's Linux operating system. The problem is, the review model was provided by a vendor and is the model sold in Hong Kong. Reviewer Eugenia Loli-Queru guesses that the version sold in the United States might have some differences.
Review: Review: The Linux-based Motorola RAZR2 V8 (Hong Kong version), Eugenia Loli-Queru, Aug. 17, 2007
This thin review calls the Motorola Razr2 V8 "a solid phone for any music lover or fans of the original MotoRazr" and says you shouldn't pay more than about $200. But it's skimpy in the details, failing to mention even the Linux OS.
Review: Motorola Razr2 V8, Damon Brown, Feb. 7, 2008
5. CNET
CNET rates a preproduction model as "very good," not the Motorola Razr2 V8 that T-Mobile sold to the public, and it's difficult to ascertain the differences. CNET doesn't describe the Linux operating system. About 20 owner reviews combine for a slightly lower score.
Review: Motorola Razr2 V8 (T-Mobile), Kent German, Oct. 15, 2007
6. GSMArena.com
The Motorola Razr2 V8 gets high scores from thousands of voters, and there are hundreds of user comments as well. But it does seem that an unspecified percentage were purchased outside the U.S. market, and there's no way to tell which ones are for a T-Mobile version or an unlocked one.
Review: Motorola RAZR2 V8, Contributors to GSMArena.com
7. Amazon.com
Just a handful of mostly positive owner reviews is posted here. Some mention the lack of a microSD slot. One likes the fact that you have to open the phone to use the music player (and camera), an issue cited as a negative in a major professional review.
Review: Motorola Razr2 V8 Phone (T-Mobile), Contributors to Amazon.com
