Review: Motorola Droid RAZR HD / MAXX HD for Verizon Wireless
Screen
The display measures 4.7 inches across the diagonal and packs in 1280 x 720 pixels, making it 720p, hence the “HD” label. The screen uses OLED technology rather than LCD. The display looks good, but I've seen better. While the resolution is excellent and display plenty bright, I noticed an unusually strong color shift when the phone is viewed from an angle. In other words, when looking at a white web site, the screen would turn blue if I tilted the screen and viewed it from an angle. Modern Combat 3 (preinstalled game) looked insanely good on the display, though. I was able to use the RAZR HD and MAXX HD outside without any problems.
Signal
I was able to test both phones in areas with 3G and 4G coverage. When coverage was solid 3G or solid 4G, the phones did fine. They connected to the networks with no problem, sped across the web, and didn't miss/drop any calls. I noticed trouble in the hand-offs between 3G and 4G networks, though. When used in areas that have spotty 4G coverage, the devices were prone to waffling between 3G and 4G. This slowed down web browsing a little bit as the phone decided which network it wanted to use. Otherwise, both devices worked well on Verizon's network.
Sound
Phone calls were loud and clear through the earpiece on both phones. I had no trouble hearing callers, even when walking down busy (and noisy) Manhattan streets. The tone of peoples' voices was a bit robotic sounding from time to time, but otherwise calls were mostly good. The speakerphone is loud enough for use in the home or quiet office, but not so loud it can serve in the executive boardroom. The call quality also nose-dived a bit when used via the speakerphone. Not in a disastrous way, but the difference was appreciable. When set all the way up, the ringers are loud enough to annoy all the dogs in the neighborhood. The vibrate alert is good and strong.
Battery
Battery life is, in a word, insane. The RAZR HD has a 2,530mAh battery. It's a significant battery. The MAXX HD shoots for the ridiculous with its 3,300mAh battery. Typical smartphones have batteries smaller than 2,000mAh. The RAZR HD blasted through an entire day with no problems. In fact, after 24 hours of regular usage it still had 70% battery life. Awesome. The MAXX HD pretty much has the best battery life of any device I've ever tested. I charged it all the way up (which takes a while, by the way), and set it to play Transformers: Dark of the Moon in a loop with the screen at 50% brightness. It was still running when I got up the next morning (about 9 hours later) and had 47% battery life left. How killer is that? This is a *phone* we're talking about, not a laptop.
Hands-On: Motorola RAZR HD, MAXX HD, RAZR M
Droid RAZR HD and MAXX HD Go On Sale October 18
Motorola Announces the RAZR HD and MAXX HD
Motorola Droid RAZR HD
Motorola Droid RAZR MAXX HD
