We unbox the Cherry Mobile Razor 2!

It seems that Cherry Mobile never runs out of new products to release, and since last week we’ve managed to unbox a couple of them already. Well, it’s still pretty much of the same today -not that we’re complaining, of course. Today, we’ll be unboxing the successor to their skinny smartphone, the Razor, aptly called the Razor 2.0. Does the new smartphone have what it takes to stay true to the Razor legacy?

Cherry Mobile Razor 2 specs

• 1.2GHz Qualcomm quad-core processor
• 1GB of RAM
• 4.7-inch HD IPS display Dragontrail Glass Protection, 720 x 1280 resolution
• 4GB of storage expandable via micro SD
• 12-megapixel camera with AF and flash
• 2-megapixel front camera
• Wi-Fi b/g/n, Bluetooth 4.0, GPS
• Dual-SIM (micro SIM)
• 1780mAh
• Android 4.3
• Php 6499

Packaging and contents

Like the Ultra, we were a bit surprised at the plain box the Razor 2 came in, especially after unboxing Cherry Mobile’s recent Omega offerings. It seems that the fancy, die-cut boxes have been reserved for the Omega lineup, with the other non-Omega smartphones receiving the plainer boxes.

In the box is the Razor 2 itself, along with a USB cable, charger, some nice looking headphones as well as a user manual. Cherry Mobile also threw in the same funky rubberized USB cables that was included in the Omega Icon, which means you’ll be getting two USB cables with the Razor 2.

Initial Impressions: thinner, faster, lighter than the original

When we first received the box of the Razor 2 from Cherry Mobile’s messenger when it was delivered to the Unbox HQ, we thought they shipped an empty box by mistake judging from how light it was. Of course, they didn’t ship an empty box at all, it’s just that the Razor 2 is really, crazy thin and light compared to its predecessor.

Even with the battery in the phone, the Razor 2 only weighs in at an astounding 100 grams which weighs next to nothing, especially if you’ve used other, heavier smartphones before. It’s also only 7mm thin, which means it’s ridiculously easy to hold and use for extended periods of time.

To achieve this fantastic weight, Cherry Mobile opted to go with an all plastic build (aside from the display) which has its pros and cons. The back of the Razor 2 is a gloss grey deal that’s dotted with light grey dots that break up the monotonous color of the device. While it looks great, it’s also a smudge magnet, a characteristic it shares with the 4.7-inch HD IPS display. To the Razor 2’s credit, the back of the device isn’t slippery at all, which is usually the case with some smartphones that have gloss finishes.

It’s also important to note that while the extremely light weight of the Razor 2 makes it easy to carry around and use, it also makes it feel a bit cheaper and toyish, though it can be argued that it’s all a matter of preference. Whatever our personal feelings are about the design of the Razor 2, there’s no denying that it’s one very sexy phone.

The Razor 2 is also a departure when it comes to the design of the Android navigation keys on the bottom of the bezel. Instead of the traditionally marked ones, the Razor 2 uses one big center circle that acts as the home key and two smaller circles flanking it. While pleasing to the eyes, it also makes it hard to actually know which key is which, especially when you’re just using the phone for the first time. We’re sure that we’ll be able to adjust, but like anything related to change, it’s a bit of a pain to memorize which key does what.

Unlike the original Razor, Cherry Mobile opted to go with a Qualcomm chip for its successor rather than sticking with a MediaTek one. This time around, it’s a Qualcomm quad-core processor chugging along at 1.2GHz, paired with 1GB of RAM. While the battery capacity for the Razor 2 isn’t a drastic change compared to the original, only going up by a measly 30mAh (1780mAh compared to 1750mAh) it’s important to remember that Qualcomm’s chips are usually more energy efficient compared to their MediaTek counterparts. Of course, only a full review and battery drain test will show if the Razor 2’s battery life is better than the original.

The Razor 2 also sports a customizable lock screen, though the overall experience is still mostly stock Android 4.3. Navigating through the UI of the Razor 2 is extremely pleasant. Transitions are smooth without a hint of lag, which is pretty impressive, especially when you consider just how thin the Razor 2 is.

That’s it for this unboxing. Watch out for the review soon.