Motorola RAZR V3
Phone Scoop Review
Jul 11, 2005 by Eric Lin
In-depth review of Motorola's iconic RAZR V3 high-end clamshell GSM phone for Cingular and T-Mobile. read review ›
User Reviews
Average Ratings
OK +
I've had the V3 several days now and keep going back-and-forth on it.
Pros:
.. First Moto that I've really been able to get along with (being strong Nokia fan). So that's a plus. I can actually deal with the V3's menus as they're pretty intuitive.
.. RF and voice quality are excellency (Cingular in DFW area), however I have had it drop two calls where previous phones held signal.
.. Speaker phone really good, along with ring volume and call volume.
.. Form factor takes some getting used to. One-handed opening OK, two handed opening will cause some fumbling until you remember where to grab.
.. Keyboard is nicely manageable, but selection and directional keys take some getting used to.
Cons:
.. Screen is really difficult to read in direct sunlight. External screen (to me anyway) is almost useless. Almost seems like it's there so Moto can say it has one.
.. Address book really sucks. Although I've figured out how to store multiple numbers in the same entry and just display one name per entry, no capablility for storing additional notes, address, etc, for an entry. This is a real problem for me personally 'cause I use(d) that for storing PIN numbers, Acct numbers, extensions, log ins, etc.
.. Moto's manual is worthless
For clarity of calls and reception the phone's great. For usability and integration of functionality (for me personally) it's "iffy".
Snything is better after owning the MPX 220!
Let me preface this by stating that before my MPX 220 debacle I owned the V600 so you'd think by now I'd swear off Motorola.
Well good thing I didn't. I love the RAZR. Sure it doesn't have Edge or a more powerful camera, but I don't uses either enough for it to be a breaking point. Also the address book stinks, but I was used to one with the V600 which I used happily a mere two months ago. Plus the V3's bluetooth works consistently.
People go on and on about the looks of the phone but I like it because it fits neatly into my pocket. Also it is more comfortable in my hand than I feared it would be.
Sp in brief, if you don't care about cameras or browsing the internet too much this phone is great. It's slim, functional and works unlike the MPX 220.
To me this is a perfect "second phone". I'm getting a Treo 650 for work but when I go out I can merely switch to this phone (a great bonus of sim card technology) to avoid carrying a bulky phone. So in many ways the RAZR is perfect.
As far as Cingular goes, I live in the NYC area so everyone's service is great. But having moved from Florida I can definitely feel for those of you with spotty coverage.
Awesome Phone, A few flaws
My philosophy is that you buy once and you buy right. After waiting 18 years to get a cell phone I decided to get the Razr over the Motorola V710. I loved the 710, but after the recalls and reported problems I fell in love with the Razr. No the Razr isn't perfect, and no it is not a cheap investment. With money aside, the phone is awesome. Super small, great screen, great functionality, and great reception. I had a problem with cingular, but they were able to fix it (but I was on hold for a while). Heres the breakdown:
Pros:
Does tons of stuff for ya
Big Screen
Very Slim
Stylus
Reception
Cons:
Not the best off angle LCD viewing (but it doesn't matter cause you look at your phone straight on)
Doesn't record movies (So what, it kills your battery anyways)
No expansion Card (After long thought I realized I didn't need it)
A little slow to respond to commands (Life goes on)
I like my Razr and I am very pleased with Cingular's service.
Great so Far
I left Verizon so I can have this phone. I was real nervous about losing their great service, but so far Cingular has been great. In the two weeks, I have only dropped 1 or 2 calls, and I am on the phone all day. This phone is so much better than the v710, you can even close the phone with the speaker on. I think Motorola made up for that mistake by making this phone.
Motorola homerun!
Motorola hit a homerun on this phone. It is the Cadillac/Mercedes Benz of phones. I had a chance to see phone and use it courtesy of my Motorola Area Representative. I work for Cingular and have seen alot of great phones come and go but this phone totally takes the cake.
RAZR uhh okay
There are a few things to say about this device...
Pros;
1.Large internal screen
2.Clear
3.Sound Quality is the best that I have had with this company
4.Over all this is a pretty cool phone, it really is neat
Cons;
1. Price
2. Bulky(wide load)
3. As clear as the screen is the pictures are not that good, the are just bad .
It's a Great Phone!
All I have to say is that it is a great phone for those looking for a phone.
If you want a all in one wonder, this is not it, though if rumours are true, when moto makes the razrberry you can join us in singing its praises :)
Great reception, form factor, so it's a bit wide, but not that wide. Screen clarity amazing! BT support.
Batt life could be made longer, a higher amp batt could fix this.
I like my phone as a phone, and use txt messaging a bit, while I could get my domain email, I choose not to. For surfing, the account options for cingular to glance at are worthwhile, but I wouldn't surf per se.
Was worth the $$$ I spent, and that's really the only way anyone can make a personal decision as to how they like it IMO.
V3
I had the V3 for a month. Love this phone. I had upgraded from the LG1200. The V3 batter life is exceptional. The phone fits very comfortable in my hands. I love the flexibility that the phone offers in saving contacts, phone number and email address. The reception is better than my LG.
Response to earlier reviews
Some information in a few reviews has been incorrect. Cingular definitely NOW has insurance for the phone, which I believe covers basically anything you could do to the phone, and the phone book does accept multiple numbers for a contact, so I'm not sure what the complaints have been there. Maybe this is updated software, but the new black Razr does do this. Great signal for the phone, supposed to be some of the best, so people whose phones are dropping calls probably just have lousy service, which can't be attributed to the phone itself.
Best Phone Ive Ever Owned
Phone works great everywhere i go, even at the lake where my previous phones lacked highly when it came to reception. This phone is not only a real head turner (how i met my future wife!!) but it also comes stock with all the features in the world that will meet any expectation you would ever want out of a gsm phone. So if you are thinking about buying, buy it.
