HTC Rezound vs Motorola Droid Razr

[sean76]

I've had the Rezound since last night...been plugging at it non stop. I will say this..
Its the best HTC device on VZW...I honestly like the overall look better on the Amaze.. but thats a whole different convo.

Comparing it to say the Razr is a tough one. IMO with the Razr, you just open the box and get plugging away. With HTC and the Rezound I just feel like there's so much tweaking to do...what can I say,, I've been away from HTC for a while...lol

As for stuff Like the screen.. the clarity and sharpness is very good...its a really clear LCD is how I'd chalk it up ...its got decent viewing angles...however, yes...the screen looks a bit washed out.. don't forget I've been using a Razr the past few days...and to be honest,,,,I prefer Super Amoled in long term use...ever since I had the Fascinate I've been so hooked on Amoled technology. Oh well...is what it is.

Form factor has to go to the Rezound, its just really comfortable to hold and use. The wide feeling of the Razr is just very hard to get used to...the Rezound just feels more natural.

Speed and all that...The nod goes to the Razr...in my testing it was just faster. Not light years faster...but just faster in areas like opening up apps, and simple stuff...Like typing in the keyboard...crazy that HTC still has keyboard lag.

Battery...lol! They're both not going to win any awards.

Camera...shocker

The Rezound is good...but color is way off, even with tweaking...its just off. The Razr to me was quicker, and just took overall better shots.

And in testing both.. The Rezound gets warmer then the Razr when you start beatin it down and putting some pressure on it...

again this is just stuff I'm seeing from it in the last 12-15 hours...

Is it a good device...Yes.. absolutely!
Is it bringing something incredibly new to the table....no! Its pretty much a really BIG incredible 2 in my eyes. HTC really needs to ramp things up with the next version of sense...its just getting really long in the tooth IMO.

 

[motm95]

So you returned your Razr for a Rezound?

 

[sean76]

So you returned your Razr for a Rezound?

Well I returned the Razr because of the crazy screen issue I was having. Had a bunch of blotchy spots on the screen while the screen was black and on. Honestly didn't feel like going through 5 handsets to find a good one...lol.

So decided to give the Rezound a try.

It's a fine handset...but over all I just feel the Razr has more punch and the OS and UI just felt smoother in every day use.

The designs are so different, so there will people on one side of the fence for the Razr and people on the other for the Rezound and Sense...comes down to what the person likes better.

 

[you2]

How does call reception (both receiver and sender) compare between the two devices as well as sound in general (videos, and such) ?
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Beginning to sound like no clear winner

Well I returned the Razr because of the crazy screen issue I was having. Had a bunch of blotchy spots on the screen while the screen was black and on. Honestly didn't feel like going through 5 handsets to find a good one...lol.

So decided to give the Rezound a try.

It's a fine handset...but over all I just feel the Razr has more punch and the OS and UI just felt smoother in every day use.

The designs are so different, so there will people on one side of the fence for the Razr and people on the other for the Rezound and Sense...comes down to what the person likes better.

 

[rushmore]

Subjective stuff. Sean mentions he has big hands, so easier to hold the Razr than others can. I prefer the Rezound, but at $688, I prefer using my Droid 3 for now- do have a discount in January I can use.

If the Nexus had a microsd, I would go for that perhaps, but do not want to reduce my media I carry on device (a step back from the Droid 3 seems silly to me). I am NOT a fan of relying on cloud data, since travel enough to where that is not practical.

4G could be the trump card, since reviews and users state the 4G reception is better on the Rezound. Catch is no 4G in my direct area to test this assertion.

Reviews and perception are all over the place for both devices, so test for yourself and be happy.

 

[sean76]

How does call reception (both receiver and sender) compare between the two devices as well as sound in general (videos, and such) ?
-
Beginning to sound like no clear winner

Both real good...I left that out by accident!

I'd say to pick a clear winner would be almost impossible. By far the best 2 handsets that I've come across when it comes to call quality. Both very loud and clear in my testing.

 

[sean76]

Subjective stuff. Sean mentions he has big hands, so easier to hold the Razr than others can. I prefer the Rezound, but at $688, I prefer using my Droid 3 for now- do have a discount in January I can use.

If the Nexus had a microsd, I would go for that perhaps, but do not want to reduce my media I carry on device (a step back from the Droid 3 seems silly to me). I am NOT a fan of relying on cloud data, since travel enough to where that is not practical.

4G could be the trump card, since reviews and users state the 4G reception is better on the Rezound. Catch is no 4G in my direct area to test this assertion.

Reviews and perception are all over the place for both devices, so test for yourself and be happy.

Rush you hit it! For me it doesn't matter so much about the size...either one fits my needs...a person with smaller hands should deff go with the Rezound...its a pleasure to handle.

As for 4G....those the same so far! Drops with data here and there....could be a vzw thing at this point.

 

[vzwuser76]

I coulda swore I read a few people saying that the Razr ran hotter than the Rezound when pushing them. Like the Razr was hot and the Rezound was just warm. Was that you Rush who was saying that in your review?

 

[sean76]

I think the deal breaker for me is that I grabbed the incredible the day it came out a year and a half ago...and to me this just feels like the same sort of phone....well more like the incredible 2....just thicker.

So being the I have to have the newest stuff type of person...I'll probably return the Rezound and go on a hunt for the perfect Razr with no screen issues.

And if I get it, that phone will most likely be my daily phone for about 3 months.

The Nexus will fall on the heels of Quad core phones, and phones that will have newer designs, cameras, etc...so I will most likely skip it if the release does in fact roll into Dec....

 

[moparharn]

and played with both. The Rezound had a screen that was easier for me to read, and a keyboard that more accurately typed the words I was trying to hit. The Razr almost felt too light to me. Honestly, my original droid x compared favorably to both of them if you don't include speed. I like the feel and look of my droid x, its screen is just a clear as both of the new phones. I think I have to wait to see whether the Gnex is the best of the bunch. Battery life and options is going to be a big thing for me, I do not want to be stranded without power when carrying just the phone. A rezound with the extended battery will likely have the longest life of all three, but I do not know what extended batteries will be available with the Gnex. Also, the in store pictures taken on both the rezound and razr when displayed on the phone screen was significantly better on the rezound. My experience so far.

 

[breadnatty08]

I think the deal breaker for me is that I grabbed the incredible the day it came out a year and a half ago...and to me this just feels like the same sort of phone....well more like the incredible 2....just thicker.

So being the I have to have the newest stuff type of person...I'll probably return the Rezound and go on a hunt for the perfect Razr with no screen issues.

And if I get it, that phone will most likely be my daily phone for about 3 months.

The Nexus will fall on the heels of Quad core phones, and phones that will have newer designs, cameras, etc...so I will most likely skip it if the release does in fact roll into Dec....

Well, Sean, you could always wait for this phone (if it ever makes it to VZW):
DROID RAZR with 4.5″ 720p HD Screen and 13MP Camera Appears in China? – Droid Life: A Droid Community Blog

 

[kishin14]

Thanks for your comparison Sean. I got the Rezound about 2 hours ago. Initially I was going to just check it out, wait for the Gnex then decide. But once I actually saw it and held it, I was sold. I've been playing with it nonstop since. The funny thing is, the two traits that really sold it for me were the stuff you like more on the razr: form factor and screen.

I actually like the form factor much more than the razr, which was just too plain wide for me. The rezound may look like other HTC phones, but since I've never own one before, it's not something that looks old to me. I also think the red accents (especially the soft keys) make it look very unique. I also have no problems with the thickness, but I'm also coming from the D3, which was almost as thick (but actually feels thicker because of its clunky form factor) It's also noticeably lighter than the D3.

As for the screen, I can't believe how crisp it is. At first, it may be hard to tell as not every app or icon is optimized for 720p res. However, my 720p wallpapers simply look stunning. I use a live WP app called multipicture LWP so every homescreen has a different background that changes constantly as you scroll. As for my 720p video rips... well consider my officially mind blown.

I just couldn't go for another pentile display. Not everyone will get used to it like some say. I never did on my D3. I was able to tolerate it because the high pixel density on the D3 made it less pentily than 4.3 inch phones, but the color banding made some of my videos that looked fine on my old DX almost unbearable to watch on the D3.

I'm still concerned about the battery life. So I'll have to see how that shakes out. But as someone who prizes A/V quality above all else, I don't think there's a better phone on the market right now in this regard.

 

[nlsme]

I got the chance to play with both for a while yer other day. I was super excited about the Razr, till I saw the screen. Only marginally better than the Bionics, and nowhere near the Charges. The rezound, on the other hand blew me away. The only things holding me back from picking it up on the spot, was my past experiences with HTC battery life, and the lack of the GNex to compare it to. The Razr is no longer an option, the screen sucked, imho.

 

[Sportster]

You guys talked me into checking it out. Gonna go tommorrow and look at it. If the screen is that nice and hopefully the sound is phenomenal as I use it as my daily listener on Pandora, Power Amp,etc etc. That all checks out good I may just go for this instead of the Nexus....MAYbe..

 

[racerdj]

I tried both for a limited time at the Verizon store and came down on the Rezound side. I was fending off a hard sell for the Razr and on the Verizon website they are still really pushing the Razr. Why the hard sell on the Razr and soft sell if any on the Rezound? Sales commissions? Mine is due in tomorrow morning.

 

[zeale]

I work for a Verizon retailer so I got to play with the RAZR some when customers bought it, and I ended up getting the Rezound for myself. Here's my take:

The RAZR is clearly Motorola's best offering in awhile. The Droid X2, 3, and Bionic were all lacking in anything new enough to make someone upgrade out of the X. The RAZR got a lot right with this latest phone. The super AMOLED screen is very colorful, and the phone's hardware feels very sleek. The interface is nice and fast, but it's not my cup of tea.

The Rezound's screen is simply amazing. While it doesn't have the "OMG" colors of the AMOLED screens, the resolution makes this thing look like printed paper when you're reading it. The pixel density is unreal, and it is very noticable when the phones are side-by-side. HTC's new Sense 3.5 adds a lot of great features, too. I personally love the Sense interface which made my decision easier.

For those worrying about the size of the phone, don't! The Rezound, while thicker, actually feels better in my hand. The RAZR is wide enough to where its thinness almost feels awkward when trying to use it with one hand. The back of the Rezound is curved and it just feels good. It's a good weight that feels significantly less bulky in every sense of the word when compared to the Thunderbolt (which I also owned). This isn't to say that the RAZR isn't good .. it is.. but don't be scared away from the Rezound because you think it's too big because it's not.

So which one is best? Honestly, either one is a very solid choice right now. The phone are similar enough that I would make your decision based on the cosmetic aspects. Do you like Motorola's UI or Sense? Super AMOLED or a sharper resolution? Wide and thin or narrow and a little thicker?

 

[racerdj]

I work for a Verizon retailer so I got to play with the RAZR some when customers bought it, and I ended up getting the Rezound for myself. Here's my take:

The RAZR is clearly Motorola's best offering in awhile. The Droid X2, 3, and Bionic were all lacking in anything new enough to make someone upgrade out of the X. The RAZR got a lot right with this latest phone. The super AMOLED screen is very colorful, and the phone's hardware feels very sleek. The interface is nice and fast, but it's not my cup of tea.

The Rezound's screen is simply amazing. While it doesn't have the "OMG" colors of the AMOLED screens, the resolution makes this thing look like printed paper when you're reading it. The pixel density is unreal, and it is very noticable when the phones are side-by-side. HTC's new Sense 3.5 adds a lot of great features, too. I personally love the Sense interface which made my decision easier.

For those worrying about the size of the phone, don't! The Rezound, while thicker, actually feels better in my hand. The RAZR is wide enough to where its thinness almost feels awkward when trying to use it with one hand. The back of the Rezound is curved and it just feels good. It's a good weight that feels significantly less bulky in every sense of the word when compared to the Thunderbolt (which I also owned). This isn't to say that the RAZR isn't good .. it is.. but don't be scared away from the Rezound because you think it's too big because it's not.

So which one is best? Honestly, either one is a very solid choice right now. The phone are similar enough that I would make your decision based on the cosmetic aspects. Do you like Motorola's UI or Sense? Super AMOLED or a sharper resolution? Wide and thin or narrow and a little thicker?

Excellent comments and I agree with you.

 

[rushmore]

Thanks for your comparison Sean. I got the Rezound about 2 hours ago. Initially I was going to just check it out, wait for the Gnex then decide. But once I actually saw it and held it, I was sold. I've been playing with it nonstop since. The funny thing is, the two traits that really sold it for me were the stuff you like more on the razr: form factor and screen.

I actually like the form factor much more than the razr, which was just too plain wide for me. The rezound may look like other HTC phones, but since I've never own one before, it's not something that looks old to me. I also think the red accents (especially the soft keys) make it look very unique. I also have no problems with the thickness, but I'm also coming from the D3, which was almost as thick (but actually feels thicker because of its clunky form factor) It's also noticeably lighter than the D3.

As for the screen, I can't believe how crisp it is. At first, it may be hard to tell as not every app or icon is optimized for 720p res. However, my 720p wallpapers simply look stunning. I use a live WP app called multipicture LWP so every homescreen has a different background that changes constantly as you scroll. As for my 720p video rips... well consider my officially mind blown.

I just couldn't go for another pentile display. Not everyone will get used to it like some say. I never did on my D3. I was able to tolerate it because the high pixel density on the D3 made it less pentily than 4.3 inch phones, but the color banding made some of my videos that looked fine on my old DX almost unbearable to watch on the D3.

I'm still concerned about the battery life. So I'll have to see how that shakes out. But as someone who prizes A/V quality above all else, I don't think there's a better phone on the market right now in this regard.

I HEART my D3. Did you pay full price for your Rezound?

 

[kishin14]

I HEART my D3. Did you pay full price for your Rezound?

No. I was going to at first. I got the D3 with my wife's upgrade and gave her my DX. I had a loyalty upgrade available but initially I thought that if I took the loyalty upgrade I'd lose out on my current unlimited data plan, which I'll never give up. But the manager at the verizon store I went to told me that I could take use the loyalty upgrade and still keep unlimited data. I did have to play $20 for the right to upgrade early (my actual upgrade date was 3/12). However, I also got a corporate discount so I ended up paying $269+$20 plus tax for the rezound. I'm now under contract until 11/13 and will have to pay full retail if I want another phone early. But something tells me that I'll be just fine with the rezound for quite some time.

Also, I'm not getting rid of the D3. It's a world phone so I'll use it every time I leave the country, which is about twice a year.

 

[sean76]

Well, Sean, you could always wait for this phone (if it ever makes it to VZW):
DROID RAZR with 4.5″ 720p HD Screen and 13MP Camera Appears in China? – Droid Life: A Droid Community Blog

Now that looks like a keeper...never make it here..lol

 

[rushmore]

No. I was going to at first. I got the D3 with my wife's upgrade and gave her my DX. I had a loyalty upgrade available but initially I thought that if I took the loyalty upgrade I'd lose out on my current unlimited data plan, which I'll never give up. But the manager at the verizon store I went to told me that I could take use the loyalty upgrade and still keep unlimited data. I did have to play $20 for the right to upgrade early (my actual upgrade date was 3/12). However, I also got a corporate discount so I ended up paying $269+$20 plus tax for the rezound. I'm now under contract until 11/13 and will have to pay full retail if I want another phone early. But something tells me that I'll be just fine with the rezound for quite some time.

Also, I'm not getting rid of the D3. It's a world phone so I'll use it every time I leave the country, which is about twice a year.

Ditto here too, since go to England for family.

 

[rushmore]

Now that looks like a keeper...never make it here..lol

Apparently no microsd on it.

 

[sean76]

Apparently no microsd on it.

Somebody must have told them that Samsung did really well with the Galaxy Nexus when it got released and it had no micro SD card.....huh! Wait! What Galaxy Nexus that got released? ....lmaoooo

 

[SPD]

Went into Verizon yesterday and tried both out. Like many have said, the Razr is unbelievably thin, but it's too wide for my liking and doesn't feel great in the hand at all. The Rezound however is not as thick as I would have thought, Coming from a TB, it's a lot easier to hold and feels great in the hand. The screen blows the Razr away IMHO. Needless to say my Rezound will be here today

 

[ncampbell21]

I have the Incredible and love Swype. I was wondering if the Rezound has Swype installed?