Motorola Razr 2 V8 review

Average user rating

6.2

good

Average user rating from 6 users

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Motorola Razr 2 V8 user reviews

February 17, 2008

Posted by: skcmedia

"I want to like it, but I don't"

What I like:

I love the large screen and the camera is far superior to my Nokia 6300

What I don't like:

Quoted battery life is a lie.

Review:

I have always loved Motorola phones and have never had a bad experience with one. I was delighted when O2 offered it to me for free on an upgrade. Sadly, within a few weeks I returned it due to the phone freezing and the outer screen displaying gobbledegook!

The replacement phone arrived and I dutifully charged the battery. The next day I took it to work and the battery was almost exhausted before the end of the day. I don't make calls but text on my phone. Aware that I had been playing with it far more than average I charged it again. The battery life is simply awful. Whilst my work does not require me to travel, and therefore can charge it daily, my Nokia needed a charge once a week with on occasion a little top up.

The build quality is poor unlike my V3i. The flip jerks as it is lifted open and kind of clicks as it is closed. If you are not careful the battery compartment can slide up easily when you go to get the phone from your pocket. The user interface is brilliant but I prefer the old Moto menu system. Sadly, I miss the old graphics for sending and receiving a text. Now the front screen 'warms up' and then a white box just appears. Trivial I know but it shows a lack of engagement with users as this was one of its pluses.

There are 3 themes to choose from and apart from shading differ only slightly from one another. To scroll through and listen to the in built ring tones you need to highlight the tone you want to listen to and press enter to bring up the play options. You need to do this for every tone. To use a specific tone after you have played it you need to go back and insert it. A real step back from the old menu system. The quality of the tones is poor as some of the tones as used on moto's for years sound old and ill put together.

I rarely make calls but when I do, the sound quality is the usual high standard. Crystal clear quality. The text messaging is easy and fast. It takes only a few minutes to get used to it. But when you go back to a Nokia you realise just how they have mastered it compared to Motorola.

The screen is clear and bright but like so many things with Motorola, an age behind Nokia. My old Nokia had 10 million colours whilst the Moto sticks to 262,000. Still impressive but when you have had better it goes against it.

Overall, happy to accept all of the above other than build and battery life. Where they get the figures from I do not know. Motorola needs to engage more with its users and its time for a new 'classic' from them. Sadly, the RAZR2 is not it.