Razer Phone 2 Images Leak Confirming Disappointing Trend In Android Flagships
Razer is going to be releasing another smartphone built for gaming, one that will presumably look similar to the company's first generation Razer Phone, but with upgraded hardware and features. However, it doesn't look like Razer will be upgrading the second-gen handset with a 3.5mm audio jack, and feature that isn't included on the current generation model either.
Notorious inside man and leaker Evan Blass (@evleaks on Twitter) posted to social media what looks to be an official press render of the Razer Phone 2. He said it's "almost identical to the first one from a design perspective," though stopped short of posting any detailed specs. About the only thing he acknowledged is that it lights up, referring to the logo on the back.
Enough politics for today. pic.twitter.com/5nUc3xdden
— Evan Blass (@evleaks) September 28, 2018
It's a sleek looking device, as is the current model. The leaked image provides a partial view of the bottom, and sure enough, there's no 3.5mm headphone jack. Unless it's hiding out on the top (unlikely) or side (even more unlikely), Razer will once again be shunning the popular feature.
This is something that Razer co-founder and CEO Min-Liang Tan addressed on Facebook last year after introducing the original Razer Phone. The decision came down to being able to have a bigger battery and better audio if leaving the 3.5mm jack out of the equation.
I see a lot of feedback on the removal of the headphone jack on the Razer Phone - and I wanted to share some of the thought process when we made the decision.
By removing the headphone jack—we were able to increase the battery size significantly (I estimate we added 500maH more), improve thermals for performance and a whole lot more.
The trade off was not having the jack - but what sealed it for me was that we were able to get audiophile quality sound with the dedicated 24-Bit THX Certified DAC adapter—and I made sure we included that with every phone. Which basically means we give even better quality headphone audio for those who want to hold on to their analog headphones.
On top of that, we've released the HammerHead USB C (retails at $79.99) and the HammerHead BT with all day battery life (US$99.99—or free with Paid to Play!) which makes it a complete solution.
So in short, removing the headphone jack gave better performance, more battery - and on top of that, better headphone audio performance with existing headphones and the option to go completely wireless or jacked in via USB.
I can't speak for other phone companies who made the decision to remove the headphone jack—but I think you guys can see why we did so.
Another solution would have been to design a custom battery, but Min-Liang Tan said that would have delayed shipping by months, increased the price by $100, and potentially increased the risk of battery issues. Those same reasons presumably apply to the Razer Phone 2.
Audio jack aside, we can see a dual rear camera arrangement on the rear of the phone, with an LED flash squished between the two sensors. As for what's on the inside, we suspect the Razer Phone 2 will arrive with a Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 processor and 8GB of RAM, while retaining (or improving upon) the 120Hz UltraMotion screen.
For anyone who needs a refresher, the current generation Razer Phone boasts a 5.7-inch IGZO display with a 2560x1440 resolution and 120Hz refresh rate, Snadragon 835 SoC, 8GB of RAM, 64GB of internal storage + microSD card slot, an 8MP selfie camera, dual 12MP rear cameras, front-facing stereo speakers, and a 4,000 mAh battery.
