Revamped Razer Phone 2 goes after mobile gamers and movie lovers

Game on, Apple, Samsung and Google. They may currently be dominating phone buyers' attention with their latest updated smartphones, but remember, they are far from the only options.  While all three compete on top of the line specs, latest entrant Razer, has its sights set on a specific target: entertainment.

The gaming company, which doubled its size since last year to 1,500 employees, has built a rabid online following in the gaming community for its peripherals and PCs. Now, its back to trying to establish itself in the smartphone space with its latest phone, the Razer Phone 2.

Available for pre-order Thursday for $799 unlocked (compatible with AT&T, T-Mobile and Verizon), Razer's new device is priced in a similar range as Samsung's Galaxy S9+, Google's Pixel 3 and the soon-to-be-released iPhone XR. On a specs front, it rivals those devices as one would expect in a device at this price point.

Under the hood is a Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 processor with 8GB of RAM, 64GB of storage, wireless charging and support for the latest LTE networks. The rear cameras, a weakness on the first phone, have been revamped and are now two 12-megapixel Sony sensors centered in the middle of the phone with additional improvements made to the phone's imaging software. The 8-megapixel front camera can stream video at full HD resolution. 

But as with last year's phone, Razer is betting on its phone's display and design to distinguish it from others on the market. There's no notch or edge-to-edge display, a trend seen across many of the 2018 phone offerings. And although the phone features a similar design to its predecessor, there are some seemingly small but still welcome adjustments. 

The 5.72-inch display is now 50 percent brighter and continues to run at 120Hz, a higher refresh rate to make games, videos and day-to-day tasks such as scrolling smoother than traditional 60Hz displays found on other devices. The front stereo speakers, found along the top and bottom of the phone, have been boosted as well. 

Under the hood is a Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 processor with 8GB of RAM, 64GB of storage, wireless charging and support for the latest LTE networks. The rear cameras, a weakness on the first phone, have been revamped and are now two 12-megapixel Sony sensors centered in the middle of the phone with additional improvements made to the phone's imaging software. The 8-megapixel front camera can stream video at full HD resolution. 

But as with last year's phone, Razer is betting on its phone's display and design to distinguish it from others on the market. There's no notch or edge-to-edge display, a trend seen across many of the 2018 phone offerings. And although the phone features a similar design to its predecessor, there are some seemingly small but still welcome adjustments. 

The 5.72-inch display is now 50 percent brighter and continues to run at 120Hz, a higher refresh rate to make games, videos and day-to-day tasks such as scrolling smoother than traditional 60Hz displays found on other devices. The front stereo speakers, found along the top and bottom of the phone, have been boosted as well.