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There seem to be very few changes between the original Razer Phone and the upcoming Razer Phone 2
The existence of the Razer Phone 2 was recently confirmed by the company following an earnings report which highlighted the relative success of the first Razor Phone, while subsequently making it clear the follow-up handset is coming. The image above provides an early look at what the new Razer Phone 2 will look like. The image was provided to AndroidHeadlines by a reliable source.
Those familiar with the design of the original model will immediately question the reliability of this image as the phone shown here looks exactly like the original Razer Phone. Which is probably the main takeaway to note, as Razer does not seem intent on changing the design in any meaningful way – at least when it comes to the front of the device as there are no details regarding the back to make any firm suggestions that the entire design remains unchanged. To really highlight how much these two phones look alike from the front, here is a look at the Razer Phone 2 (right) compared to the original Razer Phone (left).
As the image highlights, besides the lock screen image and the date, the two versions of the phone are almost identical. Although there are some very subtle differences when looking a little closer. For example, on the newer Razer Phone 2, the side bezels do look as though they are that little bit larger. Likewise, in spite of what appears to be an almost identical-looking camera configuration, located in an identical position, this image suggests the alignment of the front-facing camera setup has changed slightly. Otherwise, the rest of the front of the Razer Phone 2 appears to be a carbon copy of the Razer Phone with the same emphasis on a squared-off shape, traditional 16:9 aspect ratio and significant top and bottom portions. Which would suggest the Razer Phone 2 is going to be very much of the same, excelling in the same departments like the display and speakers, while likely trailing in the same areas as well. That said, it’s possible there will be some design surprises included in the new model which are not so clearly evident in this image. For example, it has been recently rumored the Razer Phone 2 will feature Chroma LED effects. Which, if correct would bring the company’s new smartphone product range more in line with its other products. Although how immersive the Chroma LED effects are (compared to the use of Chroma on other Razer-branded products) remains to be seen. At present, the speculation points to notifications as one of the primary uses on the Razer Phone 2.
Design aside, and if previous rumors are to be believed, then it would seem the inside of the phone will lack in evolution as much as the design does. For example, the Razer Phone 2 has been spotted getting benchmarked recently, not once but twice, and on both occasions, the phone was noted powered by 8GB RAM and the Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 SoC. While this level of RAM is certainly at the higher end in general, it’s no different to the level of RAM attached to the previous Razor Phone. In addition, though the use of the Snapdragon 845 will represent a step forward considering the original model sported the Snapdragon 835, it still arrives in this handset months after appearing in virtually all other flagship devices in 2018, and just ahead of when Qualcomm is expected to announce its latest and greatest flagship mobile SoC solution. In addition to the quoted RAM and SoC, current rumors suggest up to 512GB of storage will be on offer, and the operating system version in use will be Android 8.1 (Oreo).
While all the rumors further add to the notion the Razer Phone 2 is going to be very much the same as the original Razer Phone, that’s not necessarily going to be a bad thing. After all, the Razor Phone was never really positioned as a mainstream option but instead arrived branded as a ‘gamers phone’ and the same is likely to be true of the successor. Not to mention, although a lot of the design points and specs seem unchanged, some of these were a little ahead of their time to begin with, and so it stands to reason the new phone will offer a heightened level of performance to buyers. For example, the original Razer Phone’s display garnered much praise due to its QHD resolution and industry-first 120Hz refresh rate. Which coupled with some of the loudest speakers on a smartphone resulted in a great option for those looking for a high-performing media machine. This is in addition to the original model also boasting a comparatively-high 4,000 mAh capacity battery. Which is likely to be another area Razer will continue to push forward with in the Razor Phone 2 to ensure the smartphone is capable of sustaining a decent level of daily usage considering its high-demanding nature.
It should also be pointed out that there’s a very good chance much of the actual changes will happen at the software level this year. For one, the software-based camera experience on the original model left a lot to be desired and was one of the main criticisms leveled at the smartphone during its release. To the point where shortly after the phone was unveiled the company announced it would be pushing out new updates with a view to improving the camera UI experience. Therefore, it would make sense for Razer to ensure the newer model hits the ground running this time with a more fleshed out and robust UI in general. Finally, the new render also suggests the Razer Phone 2 may be announced or released on October 10, just under a year after its predecessor debuted.