Razer Phone 2 Brings Chroma, Vapor Chamber Cooling

Razer is doubling down on gaming phones. The Razer Phone 2, which still sell for $799 when pre-orders begin on Oct. 11 at 12:01 a.m. PT, has Chroma RGB lighting, a vapor chamber cooling system, new cameras and better performance.

That performance comes from a Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 with an Adreno 630, which, when paired with a vapor chamber cooling system, Razer says makes it 30 percent more more powerful than the last phone.

At first glance, the Razer Phone 2 doesn’t look like a big jump over its predecessor. While it looks mostly the same from the front, it now features a glass back (which allows wireless charging) and features an Chroma RGB version of Razer’s tri-headed snake logo.

If you’re wondering if that’s a battery suck, well, yes and no. Razer has different battery modes for the logo, so you can make it cycle through colors or just serve as Android’s notification light.

But what you’ll really notice is the 5.7-inch IGZO display with a 120 Hz refresh rate and 120 Hz touch sampling rate. It even makes the occasionally clunky Android feel faster than usual. Razer claims it's 50 percent brighter than the last phone. Netflix has certified the Razer phone for HDR.

The front-facing speakers are even louder than before with Dolby Atmos software (that THX investment is certainly paying some dividends). Speaking of the front, there are also a new 8MP front-facing camera that supports streaming in FHD.

The rear features repositioned dual cameras with Sony IMX sensors; one is a wide-angle lens with optical image stabilization, while the other is a telephoto lens with 2x zoom.

All of this is powered by a 4,000 mAh battery, which the company says will power the phone for 10 hours. It also charges wirelessly, and Razer is selling a $100 base with its own Chroma lighting.

Razer popularized the gaming phone category last year, though competition is heating up, with Asus also launching a new gaming phone shortly.