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Motorola RAZR2 V9m Review
Performance:
Even though we felt visually cheated by the non-graphical UI that is used on the Verizon V9m, we rate its software performance greater than that of the Sprint model, since it is free from all the software issues that plague the Sprint V9m. The software is fast and responsive, with no lag time while going through the menu system, unlike the original Razr V3m.
The V9m comes with a slim 770 mAh battery, which is rated to give 3.5Hr of Talk Time or 12 Days of Standby Time. In our tests, after a few battery cycles, we were able to achieve up to 4Hr of Talk Time on a full charge, but Standby time (with no phone use) was only 3 Days. We are unsure how Motorola rated this phone with 12 Days of Standby time, since that is not realistic.
The reception on the V9m was excellent, and we were able to place and receive calls in areas where some other phones could not, such as the LG Chocolate and enV. During our testing we had no dropped calls and would rate the reception equal to that of the Maxx Ve. Call Quality through the earpiece speaker was also excellent. In Fact, the quality was slightly better than that of the Maxx Ve and A990. Voices were clear and lacked any type of static or background noise. The only thing that we noticed is that the volume on the earpiece doesn’t get as loud as that of other phones. This is not a problem most of the time, but is almost unusable in a car traveling at highway speeds with the window down. The Speakerphone quality is also on par with that of the Maxx Ve, with the volume being able to be turned up to High without any noticeable distortion. This also holds true with Ringtones being able to be played quite loudly without distortion.
Conclusion:
We came away from the Verizon V9m with mixed feelings. First and foremost, the styling of the phone is exquisite, with the high-luster dark pearl gray color, sleek lines, and slim design. But the fingerprints take away from this, since the phone is impossible to keep clean. The only part of the phone that is not fingerprint prone is that back, since it is coated with soft touch rubber. The External Display is the largest we’ve ever seen in a flip phone, and the QVGA quality is quite excellent, yet the functionality is limited since you cannot read incoming text messages on it. The 2MP Camera does take descent pictures, but does not compare to other camera phones with an AutoFocus and Flash, such as the Maxx Ve, enV, and A990. Music Playback sounded good and was easy to use with the large front display and touch-sensitive buttons. Out of all the features, the only two where this phone really shines is the Reception and Call Quality. Both were excellent and were the best out of any current phone being sold by Verizon, yet the earpiece speaker was not as loud as we would have liked.
As you can see, for each feature there is a drawback. That is why we have mixed feelings about this phone, more than any other we have recently tested. If you are coming from a low-end or entry-level phone, the V9m is a major upgrade, but if you are currently using a mid-level or higher device, such as the Maxx Ve, A990, enV, or Chocolate, the V9m is not a major upgrade in features, only in style and design. In the end, the V9m doesn’t really “do” anything that most other phones are not capable of, except it packages it in a stylish and slim body.
The ratings below are for the Verizon Wireless version of the Motorola V9m. They may differ from the Sprint version as the ratings are based on the way the phone performs, compared to the whole product line of its carrier.
PA rating
Motorola RAZR2 V9m Review
Verizon WirelessVerizon Wireless
Published on: 18 September, 2007 by PhoneArena Team
Even though we felt visually cheated by the non-graphical UI that is used on the Verizon V9m, we rate its software performance greater than that of the Sprint model, since it is free from all the software issues that plague the Sprint V9m. The software is fast and responsive, with no lag time while going through the menu system, unlike the original Razr V3m.
The V9m comes with a slim 770 mAh battery, which is rated to give 3.5Hr of Talk Time or 12 Days of Standby Time. In our tests, after a few battery cycles, we were able to achieve up to 4Hr of Talk Time on a full charge, but Standby time (with no phone use) was only 3 Days. We are unsure how Motorola rated this phone with 12 Days of Standby time, since that is not realistic.
The reception on the V9m was excellent, and we were able to place and receive calls in areas where some other phones could not, such as the LG Chocolate and enV. During our testing we had no dropped calls and would rate the reception equal to that of the Maxx Ve. Call Quality through the earpiece speaker was also excellent. In Fact, the quality was slightly better than that of the Maxx Ve and A990. Voices were clear and lacked any type of static or background noise. The only thing that we noticed is that the volume on the earpiece doesn’t get as loud as that of other phones. This is not a problem most of the time, but is almost unusable in a car traveling at highway speeds with the window down. The Speakerphone quality is also on par with that of the Maxx Ve, with the volume being able to be turned up to High without any noticeable distortion. This also holds true with Ringtones being able to be played quite loudly without distortion.
Conclusion:
We came away from the Verizon V9m with mixed feelings. First and foremost, the styling of the phone is exquisite, with the high-luster dark pearl gray color, sleek lines, and slim design. But the fingerprints take away from this, since the phone is impossible to keep clean. The only part of the phone that is not fingerprint prone is that back, since it is coated with soft touch rubber. The External Display is the largest we’ve ever seen in a flip phone, and the QVGA quality is quite excellent, yet the functionality is limited since you cannot read incoming text messages on it. The 2MP Camera does take descent pictures, but does not compare to other camera phones with an AutoFocus and Flash, such as the Maxx Ve, enV, and A990. Music Playback sounded good and was easy to use with the large front display and touch-sensitive buttons. Out of all the features, the only two where this phone really shines is the Reception and Call Quality. Both were excellent and were the best out of any current phone being sold by Verizon, yet the earpiece speaker was not as loud as we would have liked.
As you can see, for each feature there is a drawback. That is why we have mixed feelings about this phone, more than any other we have recently tested. If you are coming from a low-end or entry-level phone, the V9m is a major upgrade, but if you are currently using a mid-level or higher device, such as the Maxx Ve, A990, enV, or Chocolate, the V9m is not a major upgrade in features, only in style and design. In the end, the V9m doesn’t really “do” anything that most other phones are not capable of, except it packages it in a stylish and slim body.
The ratings below are for the Verizon Wireless version of the Motorola V9m. They may differ from the Sprint version as the ratings are based on the way the phone performs, compared to the whole product line of its carrier.
Pros
- Beautiful styling, ultra slim, and constructed out of stainless steal
- Large 2” QVGA External Display
- Reception and Call Quality
- Battery provides up to 4Hr of Talk Time
- Fast and Responsive software, yet it is not at “pretty” as the rest of the phone
Cons
- Fingerprint Magnet
- Battery must be removed to access MicroSD slot
- Data Port now uses MicroUSB connector, so compatible cables are harder to find
PA rating 
- Good
- out of 10
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