Razer's foray into smartphones failed to have much staying power but that doesn't mean the company didn't learn a few lessons from the experience.
Speaking about the company's time in the mobile market at SXSW Sydney, Razer CEO Min-Liang Tan described the experience as "somewhat painful."
According to him, Razer spent around $150 million to get into the smartphone arena. Despite that sizable investment, it didn't last more than a few years against handset heavyweights like Apple and Samsung.
That's not to say the brand had no lasting impact on the category though. Looking back, Tan isn't shy about taking credit for the ecosystem of gaming smartphones that have sprouted up in Razer's absence.
In retrospect, Tan also acknowledged the degree to which being a public company informed its decision to enter the smartphone market.
“Fundamentally speaking, one of the big reasons was really because we were a public company at that juncture," he said, noting that this experience later contributed to his decision to take the company private in 2021.
The Razer Phone only stuck around for two generations before the line was discontinued, with the first incarnation launching in 2017 and the follow-up landing in 2018.
In the years since, Tan said that he's heard many call for Razer to get back into the game.
"We tend to put benchmarks in terms of what's important," he explained.
Specifically, he noted that Razer were the first smartphone brand to offer the kind of high refresh rate screens and vapor chambers that have since become common among flagships like the Galaxy S24 Ultra.
If Razer does take another crack at making smartphones, don't expect that hardware to be compete with the iPhone SE.
"We're very privileged to have a brand and a user base and fan base that really appreciates technology. So that's something we've always been very focused on. We just want to make the best possible product from he design and engineering [perspective],"
"We're never going to be all things for all people so if somebody is looking for a budget product and stuff like that, there are lots of brands that make great products out there and you can get good value for money from products out there," Tan said.
Ultimately, Tan said that Razer tends to design products for itself and that hose products tend towards being no-holds-barred when it comes to specs and features.
"You just want to make the very best and that comes with its fair share of problems as my sales team would tell me. If you're always looking for the most premium level, it is very challenging. I understand that," Tan said.
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