[Review] Motorola ATRIX 4G

(This post will focus solely on the phone aspect of this device. The laptop dock, while a brilliant feature, has little bearing on the functionality of this device as a smartphone.)

The Motorola ATRIX 4G is the first Android smartphone of the new generation on AT&T’s network. Previously only the Samsung Captivate, part of the Galaxy S line, had been available as a high-end Android offering for the AT&T network. Now, with the introduction of both the ATRIX and the HTC Inspire 4G, AT&T finally has the ability to compete with other major carriers outside of its Apple iPhone offering. The Motorola ATRIX 4G itself won “Best of Show” at CES 2011 in January, but as of its February 25 release date, how has it stood up to the test? Read on to find out!

Hardware:

            The Motorola ATRIX 4G has been hailed as “the most powerful smartphone” on the market, and to say otherwise would likely be false. That being said, once the rest of the new generations of smartphones are finished being unveiled (such as the eagerly anticipated Samsung Galaxy S II), the ATRIX may not be at the forefront of the line-up. However, that does not make the current specs any less impressive.

             The phone, first and foremost, sports the brand-new NVIDIA Tegra II dual-core 1GHz processor. Backed up by a healthy 1024 MB of computer-grade RAM, this makes for a fast little phone. (Hands-on testing of the device did reveal some lag, which will be addressed later in this post as it more greatly relates to software rather than hardware.) A 1930 mAh battery, probably the largest ever used in a mobile phone, provides plenty of power to keep the device running throughout the day without the need for a midday, or even late-day recharge. It features 16GB of internal storage, though 6GB of that are already designated as OS and Bloatware space, but a microSD card slot allows for an expansion of up to 32GB, giving you the potential for 48 GB of storage, far more than necessary for most people. A-GPS is built solidly into the device and functions flawlessly, along with an Accelerometer and a Compass. As far as connectivity goes, the device works on AT&T’s “4G” network (elaborated on later in this post), as well as having Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n and Bluetooth 2.1.

              A 4-inch capacitive touchscreen with a resolution of 960x540 graces the front of the device, being given the name “qHD”. This quite literally means “quarter-HD”, as the resolution is exactly one-quarter of a full HD (1080p) display. The resolution nearly rivals the “Retina Display” of the iPhone 4, being so crisp and clear that pixels are only distinguishable with intense eye-squinting mere millimeters away from the display. The extremely scratch-resistant “Gorilla Glass” covers the display, though the rear cover is made of a fairly cheap feeling plastic. Despite the feel, this plastic rear does allow for easy access to the battery, SIM card, and microSD slot, with the Motorola ATRIX 4G being hailed as “one of the easiest phones to work on”. The casing around the display is relatively minimalist, and the weight comes in around 4¾ ounces.

             The ATRIX also features a rear-facing camera of 5MP with Dual LED flash, allowing for 720p video recording at 30 FPS with a purported update to 1080p coming with the next OS upgrade, and a front-facing VGA camera for video-calling (0.3MP for those who prefer numbers). A microHDMI port is located on the side of the device for multimedia-out, and a microUSB port is located beside it for charging and syncing with computers. A 3.5mm headphone jack is located on the top of the phone, next to the power button/fingerprint scanner, a nifty device for the more security minded.

Software:

            The ATRIX 4G sports Android 2.2 “FroYo”, though Motorola has promised an upgrade to Android 2.3 or possibly even 2.4 shortly after launch, rumored to be on March 18th. With the upgrade should come “dual-core optimization” and support for 1080p video recording. The web browser supports Adobe Flash 10.1, and the native media player supports a wide variety of formats. This is essential to the ATRIX, as it features a Multimedia Screen that is activated whenever the phone is connected to an HDMI capable display, from which all media on your phone can be displayed in full 720p. For those who like having movies on the go, the extra storage space is perfect for this.

As per the name of the phone, one of the more lucrative aspects of the device is the “4G”, but this is more of a network aspect rather than a hardware aspect. For AT&T, and Verizon, true LTE 4G is still waiting for a 2012 or 2013 rollout across their respective networks. Current “4G”, however, is what AT&T has been referring to as a “backhaul” of their network, upgrading the 3G network to comparable 4G speeds. This still utilizes 3G cards, but don’t let it fool you, it is blazing fast compared to current “3G” speeds. 

              The device comes installed with Motorola’s own custom interface for Android, called “Motoblur”, something that has long been a point of contention for Motorola users. In previous incarnations, Motoblur had been known to cause lag in Android devices, nearly rendering them unusable, but with the processor and memory of the ATRIX, these effects are severely diminished. Motoblur is also very “social-network” minded, creating easy access to and integration of all your contacts across all social networks. This may not appeal to every user, but with the ever-growing presence of social-networks in the daily routines of many people, it was a logical move to make on Motorola’s part.  Motoblur also allows for the movement and resizing of “widgets” across each of its seven home screens, allowing for the fast access to widgets that Android inherently allows, but goes further by making them customizable to the liking of each individual.

             A large variety of apps come pre-loaded on the ATRIX, including popular ones such as “Code Reader”. As an Android device, the presence of Google Search and Voice Search functions are built into the OS, allowing for quick access to features such as Google Navigation. This, along with the built in GPS, turns your device into a nearly full-fledged GPS with turn-by-turn directions, eliminating the need for a second device. Other apps that do not come pre-installed but are created specifically for the device are apps such as the NVIDIA TegraZone, which features a series of games that are made to take advantage of the NVIDIA Tegra II Dual-core processor found inside the phone.  Scrolling and switching between apps and home screens is also extremely fluid and fast, once again proving the capabilities of the Tegra II processor.

Overall:

              Overall, the phone is an excellent device, and does in fact live up to its name as “the most powerful smartphone”.  However, some features, such as “Motoblur”, do create a minor amount of lag, and the camera seems to be lacking at only 5MP as opposed to the 8MP cameras found on other phones of the same generation. While some may argue that 4” is too small of a display considering that 4.3” to 4.5” screens seem to be becoming popular, the crystal-clear resolution makes it hard to deny how beautiful the display is. Even without the accessory gimmicks such as the laptop dock that Motorola has tried very hard to popularize, the Motorola ATRIX 4G can easily receive top marks on any scale, being given a 9/10 by ModernTechUpdate.