Motorola has been on a … well, roll in 2011, offering some terrific mobile phones and smartphones. Their Atrix pair, the base unit and the Atrix 2, are no exceptions.

Let’s take a look at both of them and see what the differences and the similarities are between them.

Overview

First, both models are very cool devices with great resolution, speed and functionality.

The Atrix is a tad on the heavy side but not uncomfortably so. The Atrix 2 weighs in even heavier and edges toward taxing comfort with extended use.

Unfortunately, the Atrix is a slick device: It’s easily dropped when handled or manipulated from portrait orientation to landscape orientation. Advice: Get a textured case for this handset. Ditto, the Atrix 2.

The screen size tops the iPhone series and many Android and Windows Phone 7 models, but the OS has nothing to do with it. The larger model of the two, the Atrix 2, sports a slightly larger screen, expected from its larger dimensions.

The processor lends lightning speed, and you can tell just how hard it’s working as the lower right corner gets rather toasty after extended use, just as PCs, tablets and laptops experience.

As with other paired reviews, we’ll list only differences in the second set of specifications. No line entry means the data is identical to the other model.

Motorola Atrix Specifications

Dimensions: 117.8 x 63.5 x 11 mm / 135 g
Display: 4.0 inches / TFT capacitive touchscreen / 540 x 960 pixels at 275 ppi
Operating System: Android 2.2 Froyo, upgradeable to 2.3 Gingerbread
Speed: 1 GHz Dual core, Cortex A9.
Memory: 1 GB RAM / 16 GB internal, expandable to 32 GB with microSD slot.
Battery: 1785 mAh / Talk: up to 8.5 hours / Standby: up to 382 hours.
Camera: rear: 5 MP, 2592 х 1944 pixels, autofocus, LED flash / front: 1.3 MP. / Video: via later upgrade, 1080p.
Connectivity: WiFi 802.11 a/b/g/n, DLNA, WiFi Hotspot / 2G: GSM 850, 900, 1800, 1900
/ 3G: HSDPA 850, 900, 1900, 2100 / GRPS / EDGE / HSDPA / HSUPA

Additional comments: Excellent battery life. Lovely upgrade option. Not ICS-slated, though. Brilliant memory capacity. Not the fastest video capture on the market but quite decent otherwise. Facebook, Twitter and MySpace integration. QuickOffice organizer. Photo editor. Usual Google package.

MP3 / WAV / WMA / eAAC+ player; 1080p MP4 / H.263 / H.264.WMV / Xvid / DivX at 30 fps playback.

Motorola Atrix 2 Specifications

Dimensions: 126 x 66 x 10 mm / 147 g
Display: 4.3 inches / TFT capacitive touchscreen / 540 x 960 pixels at 256 ppi
Operating System: Android 2.3 Gingerbread
Memory: 1 GB RAM / 8 GB internal; 2GB microSD card included, expandable to 32 GB by microSD card.
Camera: rear: 8 MP, 3264 x2448 pixels / autofocus / LED flash / Video: 1080p at 240 fps / front: (same)
Connectivity: (same but for) HSDPA 850, 1900, 2100.

Additional comments: Bulkier with a larger screen but otherwise identical to the Motorola Atrix, save the operating system. The Gingerbread upgrade on the Atrix overrides that last bit, though, so no real difference in the OS. Rear camera is a bit better than the one on the Atrix with higher capability.

Overall opinion: Choose your model size and screen size to suit your needs. Both models are terrific options.