Motorola Razr M review

Does Telstra's latest 4G handset perform like it looks?

Motorola Droid Razr M review
TechRadar reviews the Droid Razr M

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The Razr M is a light, snappy little phone. It's a pleasure to whip across its multiple home screens, and those Circle widgets are just plain adorable. However, there's a lot of competition from other 4G ready handsets, even from within Motorola. Should consumers be opting for the Razr HD or should they dive into the M?

Droid Razr M review

We liked

If there's one thing we love about the Razr M (and there's certainly more than one), it's the satisfying agility of this phone. Small enough to be carried comfortably, yet it packs a screen that's colourful and plenty big. Still, it's not too large that its cumbersome in the hand. Its 1.5 Ghz processor and 1GB of RAM provide snappy performance, even if you go crazy with the Widgets and app icons. It runs Android 4.0: Ice Cream Sandwich beautifully, and we're looking forward to seeing what it can do with Android 4.1: Jelly Bean.

Call us tacky, but we grew to like the handset's unusual two-tone appearance. You have to stand out from the sea of iPhones somehow. Finally, Telstra's 4G LTE network did not disappoint, which is essential since it's the exclusive carrier for the Razr M and its bigger sibling.

We disliked

The fidelity of the camera and screen's resolution were disappointing. High-quality streaming videos were blurrier than we would have liked, and the indoor pictures taken by the Razr M were nothing to write home about. Finally, since the battery just barely makes it through the day, the option to swap in a fresh cell would have been really nice.

Verdict

The Razr M is a jack-of-all-trades kind of phone. It's overall performance and premium make it a winner; it's just surprisingly snappy and sturdy for how affordable it is. The combination of ICS and Motorola's own UI is both functional and attractive.

We'd recommend the Razr M to consumers who want a balanced, affordable 4G phone with a premium feel. You might forget that it's in your pocket, but keep an eye on that data use. Those overage fees add up.