Review SummaryMotorola Atrix 4G Hardware

Design and build quality:

The Motorola Atrix 4G is 4.6 inches tall, 2.5 inches wide, and 0.4 inch thick. It weigh just 4.8 ounces and its slim profile makes it easy to slip into a pants pocket. It has tapered edges and rounded corners that makes it look sleek and comfortable to hold. Build quality is pretty solid although it’s said to lack the premium feel of the company’s other handsets such as the Motorola Cliq 2 and Droid X.


Screen:

While it’s not quite as hi-res as the iPhone 4′s Retina display (960 x 640 pixels), the Atrix 4G’s qHD screen is very bright and crisp. Web pages displayed sharp images while hi-res YouTube videos possessed lots of brightness and vivid colors. Viewing angles are on a par with other big-screened devices such as the Evo 4G and the Droid X.


Camera:

The 5 megapixel shooter on the back of the device cranks out impressive shots in both high- and low- light, and can be customized quickly for various settings. The camera also functions as a 720p video camera, and reviewers get great results capturing HD content on the device. Even in low light, the results looked sharp. Overall the back camera of the Atrix 4G is more than good enough to replace your basic point and shoot. In addition to the 5-megapixel camera, there is a front-facing VGA camera, which you can use to take self-portraits and make video calls.


Ports and Others:

On the left side of the handset you’ll find the Micro USB and HDMI ports; while the SIM and microSD card slot is tucked away behind the battery cover, which is pretty easy to pry off. The Atrix 4G boasts a fingerprint scanner that also doubles as the phone’s power button. Users can enable this extra layer of protection within the usual Android security settings to augment their PIN or password.

Motorola Atrix 4G Laptop Dock

Motorola offers a laptop dock (cost $499) that allow users to access the contents of their Atrix with a more PC-like experience. Most reviewers, while loving the idea of being able to browse smartphone content on a laptop dock, were disappointed with the smartphone-powered laptop when actually using it. Navigating (via the touchpad) through the various windows and views on the Webtop interface is found to be awkward and unwieldy as the touchpad does not support multitouch gesture. Consequently, users are forced to manually grab the scroll bar to move through pages.

Motorola Atrix 4G Software

The Motorola Atrix 4G runs Android 2.2 with Motoblur, not with the more recent Android 2.3 (Gingerbread). So the phone does not support SIM calling, near-field communications (NFC) for mobile payments, or the enhanced front-facing camera technology that Gingerbread offers. Still, Android running on the dual-core processor is a very nice (and responsive) environment to work in.


Like other phones with MotoBlur, the Atrix 4G features Motorola widgets designed to display information at a glance. These include messaging, Social Networking, and Weather. While handy, they are said to be not feeling quite as robust as offerings from competitors, such as HTC’s Sense UI.

Motorola Atrix 4G Performance

The Motorola Atrix 4G comes with Nvidia’s new dual-core 1GHz Tegra 2 processor, a full 1GB of RAM plus 16GB of ROM. A microSD card slot, able to accept cards up to 32GB, provides additional storage. In everyday tasks, the Atrix 4G felt speedy. For instance, reviewers were able to launch the camera in just 1 second, compared to the 3 it took the Inspire 4G. Scrolling between homescreens or managing apps and widgets was silky smooth.


In terms of phone calling quality, not only is the earpiece on this phone loud and exceptionally clear, but the speaker on the back delivers crisp, full-bodied audio when listening and downloading android music or on a speakerphone call. Caller on the other end is able to hear loudly and clearly as well. Motorola clearly put some money into using high-quality microphones for the Atrix.

Motorola Atrix 4G Battery Life

The Motorola Atrix 4G ships with a 1,930mAh lithium ion battery with a rated talk time of 9 hours and up to 10.4 hours of standby time. In actual battery drain tests, it gets between 7 and 10 hours of continuous talk time on a single charge.

Conclusion

For AT&T users, the Atrix is probably the best Android option you have. The $499 laptop dock however does not worth the money unless the price goes down.

Motorola Atrix 4G User ReviewsMotorola Atrix 4G Expert ReviewsBonnie Cha from Cnet says:Given Rating: The laptop dock is a decidedly cool (and pricey) feature, but the dual-core Motorola Atrix 4G has plenty to offer on its own. The smartphone packs speed and high-end features into a sleek package and earns its place at the top of AT&T’s Android lineup.
Joshua Topolsky from Engadget says:Given Rating: The Atrix 4G might be our favorite Android device that we’ve tested. It’s got specs that run laps around most other devices, which should make most potential purchasers feel a little safer about laying out cash for a smartphone right now. We’re not saying the phone doesn’t have its issues — and we’re really not big fans of Motorola’s skinning — but this is a powerhouse of a device in a sleek package, and Android’s openness to customizing means you’ll be able to turn it into a phone that feels like your own. So yes, yes to the Atrix 4G, because it is an awesome phone.


The bigger question you have to ask yourself is whether or not you should spring for the accessories, and our answer to that is closer to something like “probably not.” We want to love the HD dock and the laptop dock (the laptop dock especially!), but it’s hard to warm up to these devices when they don’t really deliver on the experience you’re paying for. Our advice? Skip the laptop dock and get a good netbook (there are tons of options) and spring for the tethering plan so you can use the “4G” you’re paying for (check your area for coverage, of course). If you absolutely need your phone to pull double duty as an entertainment dock, just get a long HDMI cable — you, and your wallet, will thank us later.
Brian Oliver Bennett from Laptop Magazine says:Given Rating: On its own, the $199 Motorola Atrix 4G is among the top phones in AT&T’s lineup. Its bright and crisp screen, powerful processor, and fingerprint reader mark it as a remarkable Android phone. Likewise, the $499 Laptop Dock shows real innovation on the part of Motorola, even if its keys are on the small side. Also, the $189 Entertainment Dock, when coupled with the Bluetooth keyboard and mouse, makes for a compelling 10-foot experience. Motorola deserves a lot of credit for pushing the boundaries of mobile computing.


The main thing holding back the Atrix 4G is AT&T’s HSPA+ network. We’re simply not seeing 4G speeds right now, which diminishes this handset’s value for entertainment and productivity. We hope those 4G speeds do arrive, because the Atrix 4G is truly the most versatile smart phone we’ve ever tested.
Reviewer from Phone Arena says:Given Rating: We’ve got to hand it to Motorola once again as they carefully planned and thought out every aspect of the ATRIX 4G. Is it revolutionary? We wouldn’t go that far, but it’s downright awesome! This isn’t just another high-end Android smartphone out there on the market, it dives into new territory and takes the leap of faith by adding in some interesting new functionality that unanimously chops down borders with its webtop app and optional docks. For $199.99 on-contract, this is hands down the best Android smartphone on AT&T’s lineup. Sure we would’ve loved to see a better design for the handset, but considering that it’s crowned as “the world’s most powerful smartphone,” it’s quite a fitting remark – especially when its 1GHz dual-core NVIDIA Tegra2 processor makes it fly so rapidly in almost everything it does. Additionally, we love the new functionality that comes along with its multimedia and laptop docks. In fact, it’s daring and impressive at the same time! So if you’re looking for a smartphone right now, there is no reason why the Motorola ATRIX 4G should be on the top of your list.
Mark Sullivan from PC World says:Given Rating: This dual-core phone is fast and boasts solid data speeds, but the Atrix-powered laptop accessory is a good idea poorly executed.
Sascha Segan from PC Mag says:Given Rating: The Motorola Atrix could be the start of a revolution. Hopefully, it isn’t the end. The Atrix’s bugs and frustrations mean it isn’t a smartphone for beginners. The HTC Inspire 4G and Apple iPhone 4 both have more stable and mature interfaces. For that reason, the Editor’s Choice for AT&T smartphones stays with iPhone 4, which is simply a more mainstream, safer choice. But for the adventurous, the Atrix simply does what no other smartphone does, and that alone, is impressive.
Marc Saltzman from Digital Trend says:Given Rating: While it’s powerful and secure, the Motorola Atrix 4G won’t blow you away as a smartphone. It’s certainly as good as any other Android devices on the market, if not a tad better in most departments – but it’s what you can do with it that makes it stand out from the crowd. That is, the accessories make the phone a lot more compelling.


It’s pricey, but the LapDock worked like a charm, and should be an appealing alternative to travelers who want a lightweight laptop while on the road. The HD Multimedia Dock also worked well for consuming media, but a few other smartphones today have an HDMI output option for a television.


At the very least, AT&T customers itching to pick up a new Android phone should try out the Motorola Atrix 4G and accessories..
Jonathan S. Geller from BGR says:The Motorola ATRIX 4G is a very impressive product that brings an impressive set of accessories and peripherals to market that extend the smartphone into something much, much more. Looking at the phone specifically, it’s a feature-packed Android 2.2 device that has a vivid, high resolution screen, and a screaming fast dual-core CPU making it the fastest phone in the market. We didn’t honestly notice the phone to be that much faster than normal 1GHz-powered handsets, except under extreme circumstances, but that’s expected. We’d say without question that the Motorola ATRIX 4G is one of the best Android smartphones to ever be available from AT&T. The accessories it brings with it aren’t going to push you to buy the smartphone, but the concepts are pretty wild and really do widen your eyes and make you step back to see what cellphones nowadays are capable of doing, and doing well. The fact we’re at a time where a phone can power a full computer is incredible, and it’s great to see a fine device like the ATRIX 4G be the first to do it. If you’re ready to go, you’ll have to wait just a little longer to get your hands on one, as the device is available for pre-order starting this Sunday and is set to be released on March 6th for $199.
Vincent Nguyen from Slash Gear says:If there’s one thing the Motorola ATRIX 4G shows, it’s that there’s no shortage of innovation in the smartphone market. The Laptop Dock may be expensive – and Palm may have previewed the idea with the Folio, and Redfly even attempted to commercialize it with the Celio – but Motorola deserves some kudos for bringing it to market and to a major carrier. There’s certainly no shortage of geek appeal, and the HD Desktop Dock is similarly useful, but right now the Webtop interface falls short of what a simple, WiFi-tethered netbook would deliver. The HD Desktop Dock is good, but its core abilities are readily served with a far cheaper HDMI cable. Early adopters can probably justify one or both, but mainstream users will likely want to wait for Motorola’s engineers to finesse the experience.


Mediocre 4G data speeds aside, meanwhile, the ATRIX itself is a solid, very usable smartphone lifted from among the Android crowds by its lightning fast performance and pixel-rich display. The combination of Tegra 2 and qHD resolution add up to one of the best Android experiences to-date. Rivals will soon begin snapping at the ATRIX 4G’s heels, but in terms of as much future-proofing as you can lock-in over the course of a two-year agreement, today the Motorola offers the best starting point.
Steve Kovach from Business Insider says:For AT&T users, the Atrix is the best Android option you have. (Not like there’s a lot of competition). If you’ve been dying for the same great Android experience people have been enjoying on Verizon, T-Mobile, or Sprint, then this is your phone.


On the other hand, the laptop dock is a waste of $500. If the price goes down — way, way down — you may want to consider it. Otherwise, stick with your netbook.
Motorola Atrix 4G VideosMotorola Atrix 4G SpecificationWeight4.76 ouncesScreen Size4.0-inchResolution540 x 960CPU1GHz Nvidia Tegra 2 (dual core)RAM1 GBInternal Storage16 GBExternal StorageSupports up to 32GB microSD cardBattery Life9 hours talk timeFront CameraVGARear Camera5MPBluetooth2.1+EDROperating SystemAndroid 2.2 (Froyo)