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6 Ways the Droid RAZR MAXX HD Beats the Samsung Galaxy Note 2

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While there will certainly be many smartphone buyers who opt to purchase the big names of 2013 including the Samsung Galaxy S4, iPhone 5 and the HTC One, others looking deeper will find that there is more out there than just those three big names. Two such devices are the Samsung Galaxy Note 2 which has been extremely successful and the Motorola Droid RAZR MAXX HD, Motorola’s latest and greatest smartphone.

Read: 6 Ways the Samsung Galaxy Note 2 Beats the Droid RAZR MAXX HD.

Last year, AT&T launched the Samsung Galaxy Note to tons of skepticism. Despite the skepticism about a smartphone with a massive 5.3-inch display, the Samsung Galaxy Note went on to sell extremely well and prompted many consumers in the United States to hope for more carriers with the Samsung Galaxy Note 2.

Fortunately, consumers got their wish as Samsung produced a Samsung Galaxy Note 2, a 5.5-inch monstrosity that arrived not just for AT&T but for Sprint, T-Mobile, U.S. Cellular and Verizon. And since the end of last year, the Samsung Galaxy Note 2 has sold more than five million times around the world, figures that were likely helped along by the massive launch in the U.S. and a real consumer interest in a smartphone of that size.

After all, the Samsung Galaxy Note 2 is a unique device that offers an S Pen stylus with custom software among other benefits. The Galaxy Note 2 though, despite its unique qualities, has some valiant opponents in the smartphone market. One of those devices is the Motorola Droid RAZR MAXX HD, Motorola’s latest and greatest smartphone.

In the latter half of 2012, Motorola announced the Droid RAZR MAXX HD to replace its original Droid RAZR MAXX which became one of the more popular Android smartphones on the market. The Droid RAZR MAXX HD wasn’t a huge change from the previous version but it did bring some likeable features to the table including its HD display.

It also has some features that we think beat the features of the Samsung Galaxy Note 2. So here now are six ways that the Droid RAZR MAXX HD beats the Galaxy Note 2.

Huge Stock Battery

One of the biggest draws of the Motorola Droid RAZR MAXX HD is its massive battery which, at 3,300 mAh, is a much bigger stock battery than most smartphones including the Samsung Galaxy Note 2’s.

Indeed, the Samsung Galaxy Note 2 features a large battery as well, checking in at 3,100 mAh. However, the Droid RAZR MAXX HD outlasts even the Galaxy Note 2’s which is one of its closest competitors.

The Droid RAZR MAXX HD features superior battery life.

The Droid RAZR MAXX HD features superior battery life.

The Droid RAZR MAXX HD is able to pick up eight hours straight browsing over 4G LTE and is able to offer up to 21 hours of continuous talk time as well. It also can get up to 14 days on standby, which is pretty incredible for a phone.

While the Samsung Galaxy Note 2 has a big battery, it simply cannot live up to the power of the Droid RAZR MAXX HD’s battery which is among the very best on the market. Of course, Galaxy Note 2 owners can install an extended battery for more power but that’s going to cost extra money. The Droid RAZR MAXX HD gets it done without the extra cost.

Design

One of the nice things about Motorola smartphones are their well-built designs. The Droid RAZR MAXX HD is no exception. The device not only features scratch-resistant Gorilla Glass on the front, but it also offers Kevlar material to help protect against drops and falls, common when using a smartphone.

In our experience, the device has been able to withstand drops onto concrete without any type of harmful damage. It also features water-repellent nanocoating which makes it water-resistant to wet hands, rain, or if it somehow falls into a puddle on the ground. It might also help to mitigate damage received if dropped into a toilet.

The Droid RAZR MAXX HD features a design comprised of heavy duty materials.

The Droid RAZR MAXX HD features a design comprised of heavy duty materials.

The Galaxy Note 2 doesn’t feature this type of nanocoating and it also doesn’t feature Kevlar material. Instead, the device is made up entirely of plastic which not only makes it feel cheap but is also going to be less durable than the Droid RAZR MAXX HD’s design. The Droid RAZR MAXX HD is also .1mm thinner than the Galaxy Note 2 but that’s not the real story.

Instead, it’s the quality of design, and those who are susceptible to dropping their phone will likely want to give the Droid RAZR MAXX HD a hard look.

More Pocketable

Those who haven’t encountered the Samsung Galaxy Note 2 should know that the phone is an absolute monstrosity due to its 5.5-inch display. Its footprint is larger than most smartphones and users with smaller hands could run into trouble trying to use it with one hand. It’s also going to take up quite a bit more room inside a jean pocket.

 

The Galaxy Note 2 is much larger than the Droid RAZR MAXX HD.

The Galaxy Note 2 is much larger than the Droid RAZR MAXX HD.

The Droid RAZR MAXX HD’s display is much smaller than the Galaxy Note 2’s, measuring in at 4.7-inches, which means that the device is smaller than the Galaxy Note 2’s. That means it’s much easier to grip using one hand, the design also helps, and it will fit more snugly inside of a jean pocket.

Price

Like many older Android smartphones, the Droid RAZR MAXX HD and the Samsung Galaxy Note 2 have cheap pricing through places like Amazon. However, not everyone can buy their smartphone through Amazon and there are also others that simply can’t use Amazon to purchase their device.

Some prefer to buy their device through the carrier itself and if that’s the case, the Droid RAZR MAXX HD is going to be the more affordable option through Verizon.

Verizon offers the Droid RAZR MAXX HD for $199.99 on-contract as opposed to the Samsung Galaxy Note 2 which is currently running for a whopping $299.99 on-contract.

Those who can go through Amazon won’t find a cheaper Galaxy Note 2 either. Right now, the Droid RAZR MAXX HD is $99.99 on-contract while the Samsung Galaxy Note is more expensive, sitting at $150 on-contract.

Speakers

While neither phone has them advertised as go-to features, both the Droid RAZR MAXX HD and the Samsung Galaxy Note 2 feature external speakers that are used for everything from talking to someone on speakerphone to watching a movie with a sibling on the couch to playing a game without headphones in the car.

Motorola's Droid RAZR MAXX HD features powerful speakers.

Motorola’s Droid RAZR MAXX HD features powerful speakers.

The speakers on the Samsung Galaxy Note 2 are good, but in our experience, the speakers on the Droid RAZR MAXX HD have performed better when watching a movie or playing a game.

Motorola’s device not only offers crisp and clear audio but they also are extremely loud. Those looking for high quality phone calls, speakerphone conversations, gaming sounds or movies will want to take a closer look at the Droid RAZR MAXX HD as it features fantastic speakers.

Less Intrusive Software

The Galaxy Note 2 and the Droid RAZR MAXX HD are not Nexus devices which means that neither of them come with a vanilla version of Android. However, Droid RAZR MAXX HD has less intrusive manufacturer software than the Galaxy Note 2, something that for many, is a benefit.

Samsung has loaded up the Galaxy Note 2 with a ton of features, many of them useful, many of them more gimmicky than functional. What this means is that Android experience that Google intended is significantly more cloudy on the Galaxy Note 2 thanks to Samsung’s tweaks.

Samsung's fingerprints are all over the Galaxy Note 2 software.

Samsung’s fingerprints are all over the Galaxy Note 2 software.

The Droid RAZR MAXX HD runs MotoBlur, Motorola’s skin, but it’s far less intrusive than Samsung’s software which is nearly inescapable.

So while the Droid RAZR MAXX HD isn’t exactly vanilla, there are fewer manufacturer footprints, especially after its latest software update which killed much of its bloatware.

7 Comments

7 Comments

  1. Charles G

    03/18/2013 at 5:53 pm

    And what about loyalty? I am one of Moto’s Photon 4 G owners still running Android 2.35 on a smartphone that is less than 2 years old. I suspect they couldn’t care less about us because it didn’t sell well enough for them to bother. Who’s to say they won’t dis Droid Rzr Maxx owner too? On the other hand Samsung is not about to piss off the millions worldwide who bought the Note 2 and not upgrade the system to at least Android 5.0. After Moto’s broken promise to me, I refuse to ever trust them again (and frankly the Photon 4 G has been a quirky frustrating phone that I will gladly dump May 1).

    • Stefan

      03/18/2013 at 8:25 pm

      FWIW, I just had an OS update pushed to my dual core android phone and it has basically destroyed the phone. It used to fly seamlessly but now it runs like poop. Enjoy the fact that u are still “allowed” to have an OS that is compatible with ur phone’s hardware. I do NOT thank my phone mfr for the free “upgrade.”

      • Charles G

        03/18/2013 at 8:36 pm

        Android 2.3.5 is no picnic on the 4 G. I read and other stuff while I wait for it to load pages and programs. And crashes are frequent no matter how many times I factory reset.Moto did me no favors.

  2. Esther

    03/18/2013 at 7:24 pm

    Thank you very much for the information about Motorola Droid Razr Maxx Hd. As I live in Australia this product is not sold here & would have to purchase this overseas. Any thought of reputable store who post this item overseas?

    • Denis

      03/19/2013 at 4:36 am

      Try to look at computeruniverse.net

    • Denis

      03/19/2013 at 4:46 am

      In computeruniverse Motorola Razr HD 16GB Android black 430.26EUR Shipped to Australia. Unfortunately, not HD version….

      Another british shop clove.co.uk

  3. Nostromo

    03/18/2013 at 7:29 pm

    I’m reading and responding to this thoughtful article on my MAXX HD. It’s been a rugged and stellar performer over five months of use. The battery is more giving and resilient now than when new; given, perhaps, a degree of ‘seasoning’ with constant use and a predictable recharging regimen. I have hopes that something like a RAZR MAXX HD4 will be along in due time and then I will keep my present MAXX HD as backup or present it to one of my nieces or nephews.

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