Motorola Photon 4G
Key specs
Critic consensus
“The Motorola Photon 4G is Sprint's super-duper, top-of-the-line phone. It can even double as a nettop PC in a pinch. The Photon one of the most powerful Android handsets you can buy today, and a shining example of what a smartphone in 2011 should be. It's a no-brainer for our Editors' Choice.”
“The Motorola Photon 4G is one powerful and versatile smartphone, boasting a first-rate industrial design, brilliant display, excellent gaming performance, and a sharp (albeit sluggish) camera. The HDMI mirroring works smoothly, and those looking for desktop-like functionality can spring for the HD Station dock. Mobile professionals will appreciate the global roaming capability--though not the cost of roaming--as well as the Exchange support and security features.Like all Sprint 4G phones, we wish the Photon 4G would automatically connect to Mobile WiMax when in range, but at least the downloads were snappy once in 4G mode. And while we prefer the Sense interface of the HTC EVO 3D, Sprint gives you the option of customizing the look and feel of this handset with Sprint ID packs. Overall, the Photon 4G is one of our favorite Sprint phones.”
“Just like its Verizon relative the Droid 4, the Motorola Photon Q 4G LTE provides one of the best Android smartphone typing experiences available. Other benefits are its modern Snapdragon S4 processing, bright and colorful screen, and Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich software. Unless you're committed to BlackBerry, a habit I strongly urge you to kick, the Photon Q is must buy for physical keyboard addicts looking for their next Sprint purchase.”
“With its stunning display, impressive battery life and solid performance, the Photon 4G comes very close to dethroning Samsung's mighty Galaxy S II as king of the Android hill. This is simultaneously Motorola's and Sprint's best handset ever -- it takes everything we praised about the Droid X2, adds WiMAX support, a global GSM / HSPA radio and WebTop capability, then wraps it up in a much sleeker package. All that's missing now is a laptop dock and a better camera -- one with a proper two-stage shutter key and 1080p video recording with continuous autofocus. For those who, like us, prefer the flexibility of GSM, have a tendency to root for the underdog and are concerned with AT&T's acquisition of T-Mobile, it's the first phone compelling enough to justify a switch to Sprint.”
Watch before you decide
In Depth
The Motorola Photon 4G is one of US Cellular’s best mobile phone offerings to date, offering many great hardware and software features. But when compared to other phones from the competition, just how good is the Photon 4G in terms of overall usage and user experience?
Well, imagine your first time using a smartphone with a screen that’s larger than your palm. Oh, you’ve never been able to experience that before? Then that’s the perfect excuse to get your hands on this one. It features a 4.3-inch qHD touchscreen display, an 8MP camera, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, and support for 4G wireless networks. There’s a 1GHz processor and 1GB RAM onboard, which should make navigating menus and using apps mostly trouble-free. And speaking of apps, it supports all kinds of software products that are designed to work with Android version 2.3.
Back to the hardware side of things, this Motorola also comes with microUSB and HDMI-out ports, which makes it useful for applications that involve the use of stand-alone computers or computer peripherals. And when not connected to any such things, it lends itself to a variety of mobile Internet related uses, including mobile Web browsing thanks to its support for EV-DO Rev. A, HSDPA, and LTE.
Battery life is one of its weak points, as it only comes with a 1700 mAh capacity unit, possibly the best thing they could fit in its 12mm thin casing. It certainly has a lot of features that could be put to good use, only don’t expect more than one full day’s worth of usage without interruptions for charging.
Need to Know: Motorola Photon 4G
1. Support for a wide range of mobile networks ensures fast and reliably mobile data connections wherever there is network coverage. (The Good)
2. Inclusion of kickstand allows for comfortable usage on the go. (The Good)
3. Default operating system is seriously outdated and limiting considering the kind of specs it is packing. (The Bad)
4. Relatively low-capacity battery unit gives disappointing battery life, especially for users who constantly use 4G. (The Bad)
What people actually want to know
When was the Motorola Photon 4G released?
The Motorola Photon 4G was released on July 10, 2011.
How long does the battery last on the Motorola Photon 4G?
The Motorola Photon 4G has a 1,700 mAh battery.
Does the Motorola Photon 4G have a headphone jack?
Yes, the Motorola Photon 4G has a 3.5mm headphone jack.
Where can I get support for the Motorola Photon 4G?
Visit Motorola's official support page for warranty info, repairs, and troubleshooting.
Where can I download the Motorola Photon 4G manual?
You can view and download the Motorola Photon 4G manual on our dedicated manual page.
Questions & answers
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