Things have come a long way since Verizon’s first 4G phones. Not only has the carrier’s 4G coverage expanded hugely but device manufacturers have improved their offerings – and prices – noticeably.

All this means the current two best offerings from Verizon – the Motorola DROID RAZR and the HTC Rezound are both seriously good 4G devices. But which one edges out the other?

DROID RAZR

Let’s start with Motorola’s latest, the RAZR. In two words it’s fast and strong.

Fast because it’s running 4G LTE network connectivity, packs a dual-core 1.2 GHz processor and has a very useful 1 GB of LP DDR2 RAM.

Result? It’s zips along both online and when using apps. Not only does stuff work but stuff works fast. The only real lag noticeable is when using Moto Cast, the built-in personal cloud storage system that allows you to sync files and media to and from the Razr. But even that lag is minimal and doesn’t detract from the overall speedy feel of the phone.

The RAZR is strong because with it’s reinforced with Corning Gorilla Glass and laser-cut KEVLAR casing. In fact, it’s probably the best-protected phone ever. And if you think all that extra protection means a smartphone feels like you’re trying to grip a brick, think again.

Motorola have done an incredible job of squeezing a state–of-the-art device into a size and shape that’s the thinnest 4G smartphone on the market today.

User Reviews
Take a look at the online reviews and you’ll see the speed of the phone praised again and again. If you’re upgrading from Verizon 3G or from a non-4G LTE network like Sprint, T-Mobile or (except for a few cities) AT&T, the speed of the net on the RAZR is guaranteed to blow you away. This is the speed carriers have been promising consumers since the dark ages of 3G. Only this time it’s for real.

Tasks that would normally take forever on other phones and networks happen in a second or two.

It’s actually pretty hard to find a negative review about this phone. The one complaint the comes up here and there is battery life, which is always an issue to consider with a 4G phone (which are more power hungry than legacy 3G devices).

That said, the RAZR includes a number on built-in enhancements to help keep track of and reduce battery drain not only to an acceptable level but to one that beats just about any other 4G phone you can buy today.

Final Verdict: The best Verizon 4G phone available right now.

Best Price is Amazon‘s $169.

HTC Rezound

A close second to RAZR, the HTC Rezound has a higher price (even online) and hasn’t yet achieved fanatical reviews of the Motorola. But that doesn’t mean it doesn’t have a few interesting trick up its sleeve.

There are two main areas which the Rezound excels at – audio and photography.

On the audio side, the Rezound is equipped with Beats Audio built-in, meaning the music you play is reproduced faithfully – complete with deep, rich bass tones, a full mid-range and clear high notes. Both the multimedia player and the speakers are top quality and the Rezound also comes with a set of lighweight Beats headphones custom developed to sound great with the Beats audio profile on the phone player.

Let’s be clear. The audio isn’t going to replace the experience of listening with the kind of sound setup you might have at home or in the car but it’s not designed to. It’s designed to provide the best sound on a phone and arguably it does.

The Rezound camera is a large 8-megapixel affair that works great in most light situations, including very low-light. That’s because of the advanced sensor technology HTC have given the Rezound, as well as the large f2.2 aperture on the lens. For our money, this is the best camera on a phone to date.

User Reviews
If you take a look at the online reviews of the Rezound you’ll find the high quality of the audio and camera mentioned frequently, along with some gripes about battery life and call quality, neither of which match the high standard set by the RAZR. Other than that it’s a solid device.

Final Verdict: If the RAZR wasn’t around this would be our favorite Verizon 4G phone. It’s still worth considering if more of your phone time is spent enjoying audio & video that other things. Great for mobile photography.

Best Price: Amazon’s $199.