Motorola Razr review

Google’s planned acquisition of Motorola may have just been approved, but it isn’t yet stamping its name on new products from the American smartphone manufacturer. Google branding is currently reserved for the imminent, Samsung-made, Galaxy Nexus and so Motorola’s newest model instead trades on a name first used on a iconic clamshell mobile phone from almost 10 years ago — the RAZR.

It's extremely thin.

Mobile technology has moved on since then, of course, and the new Motorola RAZR is an Android smartphone with a 4.3in touchscreen. It doesn’t have a flip-open clamshell design, but it does retain one if its predecessor’s hallmark features — it’s extremely thin. Although a bulbous top end containing the camera and loudspeaker prevents the RAZR from breaking the world’s thinnest smartphone record, the rest of the case is a a mere 7.1mm thick, which is thinner than the already very thin Samsung Galaxy S II.

The back panel is made from laser-cut Kevlar that manages to be both light and extremely tough.

Motorola has managed to make the RAZR feel exceptionally sturdy, though. The back panel is made from laser-cut Kevlar that manages to be both light and extremely tough (though it feels a little like Lino flooring). Together with the Corning Gorilla Glass screen and minimal plastic frame, the whole case is extremely rigid and even splash resistant (at least according to Motorola), yet weighs just 127g.

HDMI, microUSB and 3.5mm headphone sockets sit on the top edge, while microSIM and microSD card slots are hidden under a flap on the left. Volume and power buttons sit on the right, but these suffer from the same too-shallow design as those on the HTC Titan and Radar.