When I reviewed Motorola’s reboot of the RAZR back in February, I was taken back to 2004, the apex of the first fetishized cellphone brand. I found the RAZR XT910, exclusive to Rogers in Canada, to be a worthy successor to the original’s seductive pedigree, if not the foremost smartphone on the market. With the recent Bell release of the Motorola RAZR V XT885, I find my mind drifting back to those cold February days (remember LINSANITY?) when the RAZR was my daily driver. The Motorola RAZR V is ostensibly a modified refresh of the XT910, with enough key differences to carve out its own niche in the RAZR legacy. So how does it compare?

As a modified refresh, much of my RAZR review applies to the RAZR V. Instead of writing the same review twice, I’ll instead focus on what makes the RAZR V stand apart.

Less of a RAZR, more of a wedge

The most obvious difference between the two devices lies in their external casing. At 7.1mm thin, with a 4.3″ screen and a kevlar back, I called the RAZR a hot piece of kit that walked the line between lightweight and durable without seaming cheap or clunky. However, the RAZR’s strong lines and wider-than-average bezel also made it slightly uncomfortable to hold in one hand, and the poorly implemented Super AMOLED screen could cause issues.

The RAZR V makes several physical changes to the original RAZR design, with mixed results. The RAZR V is a full 5mm narrower than the RAZR XT910, for a noticeably reduced screen bezel and more comfortable one-handed grip. The tradeoff for the reduction in width is an increase in thickness, to 8.3mm. This might not seem like much of an increase (the majority of the phone is as thick as the iPhone 4S), but the combined effect is a functional wedge to the original’s sleek, yet often uncomfortable, ergonomics. This impression is reinforced by an increased heft, which makes the RAZR V feel slightly more substantial in-hand.

The extra substance is marred by a reduction in build quality. While the RAZR V still features the original’s sexy kevlar backing, it is surrounded by a cheaper plastic; sometimes I felt as though I was holding the in-store demo version of the phone. The most disappointing change, however, comes to the RAZR V’s screen. While I was critical of the RAZR XT910′s AMOLED implementation, I feel as though the change to an LCD screen was a step in the wrong direction. While the over-saturation and off-axis color shifting are gone, so are the vibrant colours and deep contrasts. Quite simply, the RAZR V’s screen lacks any pop, sucking the life out of its contents and doing the most damage to the idea of the RAZR as a high-end brand.

I scream, you scream, we all scream for ICS

While the RAZR V contains essentially identical internals to the XT910, it does feature one significant upgrade in terms of OS: Android 4.0.4. Taking advantage of Ice Cream Sandwich’s smartphone focused UX, the RAZR V also features a toned down MOTOBLUR skin. Many of the superflous transitions and “ANDROID IS A SEXY ROBOT FROM THE FUTURE” aesthetics have been replaced by something much closer to stock ICS (down to the onscreen navigation icons), and it’s a welcome change. The RAZR V also features some new lock screen commands for quickly jumping into applications and functions, and an update to Smart Actions which now prompts the OS to suggest actions based upon usage. I only received a few suggestions (yes, I would like to save on battery life when my battery is low), but the promise for more is there, and I really feel that Smart Actions is one of Motorola’s key differentiators.

Something better or something different?

When I reviewed the RAZR XT910, I stated that the smartphone’s desirability was predicated on a question of preference: do you prefer the performance focused Betty, or the physically alluring Veronica? With the RAZR V, Motorola seems to have hedged the bet, with diminishing returns. The seductive aesthetics of the XT910 have been removed, but they were not replaced with a significant spec or feature bump to justify their departure. Unless your purchase decision is predicated on cost (we’ll call that the Midge option). At $0 on a three year contract or $399 straight up, Motorola has shifted the RAZR brand from flagship to bargain bin, and remains a viable option for those looking to purchase a solid off-contract.

That being said, the Motorola ATRIX HD LTE is just $50 on a three year contract from Bell ($599 straight up), and might be a better option for those net new subscribers willing to drop a Mackenzie King. It just so happens to be the next smartphone that the Guru has tapped me to review, so you might want to wait a week before making any final purchasing decisions.

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