If you've longed for a Motorola DROID RAZR on AT&T, the Motorola Atrix HD is right up your alley.
The third device in the Atrix line, the Atrix HD packs a 1.5 GHz dual-core Snapdragon S4 CPU, a 4.5-inch HD display with ColorBoost, 8-megapixel camera with 1080p HD video recording, front-facing camera, 1,780 mAh battery, and a durable exterior, complete with KEVLAR and Gorilla Glass. It brings Android 4.0 with Motorola's custom UI, complete with on-screen buttons like the Samsung Galaxy Nexus. It's available from AT&T now for $99.99, making it an exceptionally priced Ice Cream Sandwich device.
I've had the Atrix HD for a few days, and for the price point, you really can't go wrong. Some initial impressions:
- I tend to prefer a more industrial looking device (iPhone 4S, EVO 4G LTE, etc.) so for me, Atrix HD isn't as beautiful as the DROID RAZR and RAZR MAXX - if anything, it feels more rounded and toy-like. Coming in at 8.4mm thin, it fits in the hand like the RAZR MAXX and is light enough to elicit the "wow, what is that?" comments. Plus, it offers a KEVLAR back and Gorilla Glass on the front, making it a great buy for those that are hard on their phones.
- The 4.5-inch HD display is absolutely gorgeous, and I continue to be amazed that I can pick up a phone with said specs for $99.99. Colors are incredibly vivid, rivaling many of the high-end contenders on the market. Some may be turned off by the on-screen buttons, as they do take up screen real estate and don't go away in places like YouTube and the Gallery app.
- It's the first Motorola device to ship with Android 4.0, and with it comes a slightly newer version of Motorola's UI than what you've seen on the RAZR and RAZR MAXX. Motorola's user interface appears to be less and less intrusive by the day, and it's evident here. In fact, it's probably the most like stock Android out of any skin on the market. From the menu structure to the fonts, you can tell that the UI is slowly phasing out (for now). As an added bonus, it packs some nifty little features, like the ability to view calls, text messages, and more (depending on the app) without clicking into the application itself.
- Packing a 1,780 mAh battery, overall longevity has been mostly decent. With moderate use, I've been able to make it 11-13 hours before needing to recharge the phone. Heavy users will want to carry spare chargers, as the battery is non-removable. I'm also slightly concerned that we'll see a Motorola Atrix HD MAXX at some point, which will inevitably frustrate early adopters.
- AT&T's 4G LTE speeds continue to impress in many markets, but in the Charlotte metro, they've mostly tapered off. I see download speeds between 3 and 9 Mbps on a regular basis, with upload speeds ranging from 2 to 5 Mbps. Various cities have reported speeds as high as 50 Mbps, so your mileage may vary. For those not in an LTE market, the device also supports the carrier's HSPA+ network.
At $99.99, this is one of the best-priced devices on the market, not to mention a great all-around Android device. It brings many of the best specifications of a $200 device to the $100 price point, making it a very attractive buy for a lot of people. This is a device that I could recommend to anyone, from a first-time smartphone buyer to a seasoned pro looking for a powerful device. Motorola's done a great job here.
Stay tuned for the full review!
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