[SeanPlunk]

Engadget Review.

Unfortunately, we can't say the same about its battery life. With the exception of the RAZR Maxx, Motorola seems to have struggled with power management across its product lineup -- this was a pain point for the original Droid RAZR and the Atrix HD, for instance. The Photon Q's 1,785mAh battery appears to be a modest improvement, but it still isn't close to the Galaxy S III or EVO 4G LTE. Our endurance test, which entails playing a video on endless loop at half brightness and regularly-scheduled email / social media notifications in the background, lasted six hours and 18 minutes. (We also need to clarify that these tests were taken using an EVDO network, which means the battery could theoretically be closer to the RAZR and Atrix, since both devices were tested in an LTE zone.) In terms of real-world usage, a process that involves an occasional call, regular social media updates, taking a few pictures, emailing, texting and roughly 15 minutes of gaming, we made it through almost 11 hours. It will get you through a business day, but it may not be great for nocturnal types who like to go out for a night on the town.

Unlike your typical slate -- a form factor that comes in a plethora of shapes, sizes, colors and specs -- it's much more difficult to find a suitable device that offers a full QWERTY keyboard, if you're hunting for one on the higher end. Sadly, carriers often treat phones with slide-out keyboards as second-class citizens, which means that QWERTY fans will rarely find a truly top-notch product. Indeed, the Photon Q 4G LTE is one of the best phones on the market for its form factor. It performs well and its spec sheet is quasi-respectable, but we can't call it a premier offering for Sprint (not with a straight face, anyway). At $200, this particular handset feels a bit out of place sitting next to heavyweights like the Galaxy S III and the EVO 4G LTE. Chop its price in half, and Motorola will have itself a strong contender in that price range.