Inside Motorola's Slim SLVR

Motorola’s engineers’ ability to pack components closely together without affecting RF performance was key to the SLVR’s design, Lalla said. A J-shaped antenna at the bottom of the phone is connected to the main pc-board by a thin coax cable.

"There aren’t as many ‘mechanical heroics’ in the SLVR as there are in the RAZR," said Portelligent’s Carey, "but it’s a thoughtful layout. The circuit boards and the battery nest alongside each other nicely. The fact that component vendors hid complexity allows Motorola to reduce board size and stack two boards together to form a relatively compact system."

Carey estimated the SLVR to be less expensive to build than the RAZR, with anodized aluminum used in place of cast magnesium. Its keypad is manufactured with a non-conductive, vacuum metallization process that gives it a metallic look and feel without affecting RF performance.

"The phone’s internal PAA-resin plastic frame and associated stamped metal components provide strength without the cost of cast enclosures," Carey said. "Additional contributions from the anodized aluminum exoskeleton and the stiffness of the internal battery give the SLVR structural rigidity and a solid feel."