Samsung Galaxy S3 Vs. Motorola Droid Razr Maxx: Which Verizon Smartphone is Better?

By Johnny Wills | Jul 23, 2012 09:28 AM EDT

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Motorola Droid Razr Maxx has been the one of the best selling smartphones at Verizon Wireless, with just iPhone 4S to beat. The smartphone is well known for its Kevlar design, gorgeous display and monstrous battery. And, after the Android 4.0 ICS update, the Droid Razr Maxx is nothing short of a beast.

However, the recent arrival of Samsung's latest flagship smartphone - the Galaxy S3 - has posed a strong challenge to Droid Razr Maxx sales. Samsung is taking the game to the next level this time. Galaxy S3 has overtaken iPhone 4S in terms of popularity and is targeting the next iPhone, dubbed iPhone 5, which is expect to arrive this fall (possibly in October).

Here is the detailed comparison of the two Android giants - Motorola Droid Raz Maxx and Samsung Galaxy S3

Design and Display

Design-wise, the Droid Razr Maxx is no different from the original Droid Razr. It has the same Kevlar backplate and same arrangement of ports and buttons. The design is at least better than that of Galaxy S3. However, the 4.3-inch PenTile qHD display is a real letdown for the device - not a 2012 flagship smartphone standard. The Galaxy S3 also has a PenTile Matrix display, but it is bounded so finely in AMOLED panels that there is no negative impact on user experience with the HD display. Galaxy S3's display yields better clarity, sharpness and vividness than Droid Razr Maxx's.

Processor and Memory

Motorola Droid Razr Maxx runs on dual-core 1.5 GHz Cortex A9 processor fitted on TI OMAP 4430 chipset, with 1GB of RAM and 8GB of internal storage. For expandable memory options, it supports microSD card up to 32GB, with 16GB memory card included in the package. Samsung Galaxy S3 has a clear win with dual-core 1.5 GHz Snapdragon S4 processor with 2GB of RAM, 16/32GB of build-in storage and microSD card support up to 64GB.

Connectivity

Both - Motorola Droid Razr Maxx and Samsung Galaxy S3 - will benefit from Verizon's super-fast LTE network. Most of the connectivity offerings are same in both these smartphones. The unique connectivity feature in Droid Razr Maxx is dedicated HDMI port; while in Galaxy S3, the unique feature is NFC connectivity for apps like S Beam.

User Interface

Both the smartphones run Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich - Droid Razr Maxx with OTA update and Galaxy S3 out of the box. Motorola' skin has SmartActions software on the top. Webtop app is also there. But still, there is nothing cutting edge in the software. Samsung takes a lead here with a lot of innovative software features like S Voice, S Beam, Smart Stay eye tracking, Direct Call, Pop-up Play, AllShare, etc.

Camera

The two smartphones in action come loaded with 8-megapixel rear camera, accompanied by LED flash, which can do 1080p video recording at 30fps. In case of the Droid Razr Maxx, the camera sensor is identical to its predecessor, while Galaxy S3's camera sensor is a huge liftoff from the Galaxy S2. Razr's camera still struggle in low-light conditions and indoor image are a bit contemptible. Video quality is just above average. On the other hand, Galaxy S3 has one of the best snappers in the market.

Battery Life

Batter life is the section, where the Droid Razr Maxx has a clear win over most of the smartphones, inducing the Galaxy S3. The 3300 mAh unremovable battery lasts quite a long time. For talk time, the handset is rated at 21 hours. Galaxy S3 packs 2100 mAh battery, which is rated at 15 hours of talk time.

Conclusion

Samsung Galaxy S3 is overall a better smartphone in both hardware and software offerings. However, features only cannot decide a winner. Pricing also plays a big role. Unfortunately, pricing is also a big letdown for Motorola. The Droid Razr Maxx is priced at $299 on two-year contract with Verizon Wireless. On the other hand, the Galaxy S3 costs just $199 (for 16GB version) on a similar contract.

Motorola Droid Razr Maxx is one of the best selling smartphones at the Big Red. But, comparing it with the mighty Galaxy S3 seems to be an unfair as Droid Razr Maxx is capable of surviving barely a few rounds. If Motorola wants to defend its position at Verizon Wireless, it needs to slash the prices of Droid Razr Maxx to competitive levels and launch a new smartphone on Verizon, something like the AT&T's Atrix HD, which boasts updated Snapdragon S4 processor, HD display and is priced at just $99.