Motorola Droid RAZR Teardown

Teardown

Teardown

Teardowns provide a look inside a device and should not be used as disassembly instructions.

The Droid RAZR is here, calling upon state-of-the-art space-saving technology, as well as a bit of nostalgia. Claiming once again to have made the thinnest phone in the universe, the Droid RAZR touts impressive features packed into one package. For safety reasons, we will not be throwing it around to see if it will cut bikes and lamp posts (as its trailer suggests), or shooting it to verify if it's bulletproof (we know it's not) -- but we will be opening it up to see what gives it its phone, video, audio and gaming powers.

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Add Note Edit Step 1 — Motorola Droid RAZR Teardown  ¶ 

  • Is it Christmas already?? No, it's not even Thanksgiving, but we've already received a gift from Motorola—the Droid RAZR. The newest and thinnest addition to the dual-core Droid lineup, the Motorola Droid RAZR packs some impressive specs:

    • 1.2 GHz dual-core processor

    • 1 GB RAM

    • 16 GB internal storage + 16 GB microSD (expandable up to 48 GB)

    • 4.3" Super AMOLED display with Corning Gorilla Glass

    • 8 MP with HD video recording (1080p) rear-facing camera

    • Verizon 4G LTE network capability

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Add Note Edit Step 2  ¶ 

  • We have heard some mighty claims about the thinness of this phone, but how thin is it really?

  • Oh ... that thin. The claims are true; this phone is pretty darn thin.

  • The RAZR measures in at a mere 0.28 inches thin and increases to 0.42 inches at its love-handle the prevalent Motorola camera bulge.

    • For comparison, Verizon boasted with the release of the Droid Bionic in September that it was the slimmest 4G LTE phone at 0.43 inches thick.

  • There is no doubt that the Droid RAZR is exceptionally thin, but Motorola had to fit the internals somewhere. To compensate, the RAZR is also rather large, measuring in at 5.15 inches long and 2.71 inches wide.

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Add Note Edit Step 3  ¶ 

  • The micro-USB and micro-HDMI ports are located at the top of the phone, next to the 3.5 mm headphone jack.

  • Motorola likely chose this spot because the rest of the phone's slim profile would not be able to fit the ports.

  • Looking at the rear of the phone gives us a glance at the 8 megapixel HD camera and Kevlar rear cover.

  • The Droid RAZR contains an LTE SIM Card slot and a microSD card slot, hidden inside a secret compartment.

  • The phone ships with a pre-installed 16 GB microSD card (for some carriers), for a total capacity of 32GB of storage. It supports microSD cards of up to 64 GB.

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Add Note Edit Step 4  ¶ 

  • This is how the Droid RAZR stacks up to the Nexus S and the original Droid.

  • And when compared side-by-side, the Droid RAZR is clearly thinner than the iPhone 4S. However, the RAZR sports a much larger footprint that may make operating the phone difficult for folks with smaller hands. More on that later.

  • Here we show the Droid RAZR next to the original Motorola Droid. The extra half inch in either direction makes for a slightly awkward feel when holding the phone in one hand.

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Add Note Edit Step 5  ¶ 

  • The back cover is fastened tightly to the rest of the phone; removing it will be no simple task. If only we had another Droid RAZR to help slice this one open...

  • Having only one RAZR, we were forced to improvise. This task called for nothing less than... a dozuki.

  • With a little finagling, the back cover separates from the rest of the phone, exposing the battery and the cool Kevlar weave.

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Add Note Edit Step 6  ¶ 

  • How can something that provides so much rigidity bend so much? The thin plastic, mated with the woven Kevlar, provides a tough yet flexible back cover. With the tensile yield strength of Kevlar being on par with some steels, the back case is the least of our worries as far as critical future repairs go.

    • Kevlar ≠ bulletproof. Most ballistic vests feature layers upon layers of tightly woven Kevlar, as well as a large ceramic plate. Long story short, don't shoot your Droid RAZR and expect it to survive.

  • After twisting and contorting the back case, we shift our focus to what its removal has exposed.

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Add Note Edit Step 7  ¶ 

  • The Droid RAZR is equipped with two whiskey bottles liquid damage indicators: one on the bottom and one on the right side of the phone.

  • We recommend not sweating while holding this phone, as that indicator is mighty close to the edge!

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Add Note Edit Step 8  ¶ 

  • A flick of our spudger, a twist of our T5 torx screwdriver, a click of our heels, and badabing badaboom—the battery's disconnected.

  • It's quite the ordeal for removing the battery, but at least you don't have to rip the entire phone apart like a certain other phone we know.

  • Instead of the traditional battery connector socket or soldered wires found in other phones, the Droid RAZR utilizes contact points for its battery connector.

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