The phone has a gig of RAM like all Webtop compatible Motorola Android phones, and it can run that pared-down Linux desktop environment with the Firefox web browser when plugged into the new Lapdock 100 or other Webtop docking accessories. If you're not familiar with Webtop and the Lapdock, do check out our review and video review of the original Atrix, which covers these in detail.
The Moto has a front video chat camera that works with Gtalk video but we couldn't get outbound video working in Skype 2.5. It has a rear 8 megapixel camera with LED flash and there's a dedicated hardware camera button (all phones should have this). Images are a bit stark: sharp but not hugely color saturated, and as with many Moto phones, there's a significant delay the first time the camera starts up. Subsequent starts are quicker and there's minimal shutter lag. The camera can shoot 1080p video. The camera isn't as good in terms of image and video quality as the Samsung Galaxy S II on AT&T and the iPhone 4S, but it's acceptable.
Motorola knows how to make phones that work well as phones, and the Atrix 2 is no exception. Reception is above average, and call quality courtesy of Moto's CrystalTalk technology, is very good for both incoming and outgoing voice. The smartphone does a good job of combating ambient noise for outgoing voice, and incoming volume is adequate for home and office. The rear-firing mono speaker is quite loud and full once you raise volume up to 66% or higher. It doesn't ramp up evenly and is relatively soft at lower volume settings, but set it above 66% and it's very loud.
Battery life is quite good for a dual core smartphone with a large display. We chalk that up to Motorola's solid power management that features options to run at lower power overnight, and to the fairly large 1735 mAh Lithium Ion battery. We more often find batteries that high in capacity in power-hungry LTE and WiMAX 4G phones, and it's more than ample for this relatively power-frugal HSPA+ phone. Though the original Atrix had a slightly higher capacity battery, the Atrix 2 lasts equally as long on a charge.
Conclusion
For $99 with contract, this is a lot of high end Android goodness. If you're a Moto fan or simply are looking for the best Android phone you can get for little money, the Motorola Atrix 2 and LG Thrill 4G are our top budget picks on AT&T. In fact, it feels weird to call them budget phones since their specs are anything but budget. If you've got more to spend, the Atrix 2 has obvious competition from the Samsung Galaxy S II and iPhone 4S. However, we don't recommend buying a cheaper phone if you really prefer a more expensive model since the contract price is one tenth or less of what you'll spend in two years of monthly service payments. But if money is very tight and you're not wow-ed by the iPhone or the Samsung's Super AMOLED Plus display and extremely fast CPU, we wouldn't blame you for picking the Atrix 2. It has a sharp qHD display (higher resolution than the S II), a solid build, it works with the optional Webtop accessories and it has Motorola's one-two punch of great call quality and reception.
Price: $99 with a 2 year contract, $449 without contract
Websites: wireless.att.com, www.motorola.com/Consumers/US-EN/Home |
