ZDNET Key Points
- The Motorola Razr (2024) now priced at $699.
- It’s an improved version of last year’s budget foldable Moto phone, with a larger external display, better performance, and all-day battery life.
- The camera remains the weakest point of this device and you only get three major Android upgrades.
So you’re looking for a foldable phone. Whether it’s your first, or second, or third phone — if you refuse to go back to “normal” non-foldable phones and are looking to save some money, there’s no better foldable phone on the market right now. Motorola Razr.
Also: I tried Samsung’s Galaxy Z Flip 6 and it’s basically a high-tech fidget spinner
The latest version of Motorola’s flip phone gets all sorts of upgrades from last year’s model: a larger external display, faster performance, better water resistance, and increased brightness, all for the same $699 price. Are there any downsides? Sure, but anyone looking for a mid-range foldable phone should look no further.
Starting with the cover display, which has been significantly improved over the previous generation. The display has grown from 1.5 inches to 3.6 inches — the same size as the cover display on the 2023 Razr Plus. That means you can run apps, play games, and use detailed widgets to see important information at a glance.
Also: I tried Samsung’s Galaxy Z Flip 6 and it’s basically a high-tech fidget spinner
To be clear, none of these features are available on the old Razr. Sure, you get some widgets and controls to look at on its tiny 1.5-inch screen, but there’s no denying that it gets cramped pretty quickly. The new Razr cleverly avoids that problem with a much larger screen, and that’s the upgrade I appreciate the most.
Speaking of which, the main display looks great too. It shares many of the same specs as the old Razr’s display, including the size, P-OLED panel, and Full HD+ resolution. The refresh rate is a bit lower at 120Hz compared to 144Hz, but the difference is negligible. The most important thing is the increased brightness; the new Razr can reach 3,000 nits, which makes the screen much easier to see in direct sunlight, especially through sunglasses.
The crease is still there, of course, but Motorola has toned it down compared to the previous Razr. It’s not as noticeable when viewed head-on, but you can definitely still see it. The hinge has also been upgraded with increased durability, which is important for long-term use.
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Motorola has also certified the Razr and Razr Plus IPX8, which means you can submerge either one in up to a meter and a half of water for up to 30 minutes. You might be wondering why there’s an “X” where you’d normally see a “5” or “6” in that rating, and that’s because Moto doesn’t test for dust resistance. However, the company did tell me there’s some level of protection against small debris, so there’s that.
The design also includes some premium materials on the exterior. My Koala Gray version comes with a vegan suede material, while the Beach Sand and Spritz Orange (aka the best color) come with vegan leather. The suede on the gray model feels both smooth and grippy, and I haven’t noticed any stains settling in. Of course, it’s unclear how well the material will hold up over time, but it seems to have worked well in my initial testing.
Also: I tested Motorola’s new Razr Plus (2024) and it makes the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip feel outdated
New to Motorola’s Hello UX are a number of AI upgrades, including a brand-new Moto Assistant that can reference images, remember what others say, and manage your notifications. Unfortunately, that feature isn’t available yet. Instead, the only “new” AI feature I was able to test is Google Gemini, which is built into both the foldable and the wraparound displays. You can replace Google Assistant entirely with Gemini, and use the same “Hey Google” command to ask questions or give reminders.
I also really like the Razr’s battery life. Motorola packs a 4,200mAh cell into the device, and it’s capable of getting through a full day with 20-25 percent left in the tank after a 16-hour workday. It recharges at 30W, which is admittedly slow by today’s standards, but still fine for an overnight charge. You also get 15W wireless charging, which is convenient, but there’s no reverse wireless charging.
The biggest downside to the new Razr, however, is the camera. The 50MP f/1.7 main camera is frankly unimpressive. It takes decent photos in daylight, but quickly falls apart in most other situations.
A sample from the 50MP main camera on the Motorola Razr (2024)
Max Buondonno/ZDNET
The 13MP ultra-wide camera is simply unreliable. The quality drops off significantly between the two sensors, with the ultra-wide not capturing the same amount of light and detail as the main sensor. Video quality from both seems choppy and over-processed, and portrait mode is passable. I appreciate the fact that you can use the external screen as a viewfinder for your subject, but with cameras as disappointing as this, it’s nothing more than something nice to have on the occasional shoot.
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Video quality is also disappointing, as are selfies taken with the 32MP front camera. Overall, unless you tend to apply a bunch of filters to your photos, you’ll be disappointed.
I also don’t like the software support that Motorola promises. It only guarantees three years of major Android upgrades and four years of security patches, while other manufacturers offer five to seven years of updates. Maybe you’ll get more than three years out of your phone, maybe you won’t, but it would be nice if Motorola gave you the option to get more than three years of updates.
One more note: The Razr tends to get quite hot during normal use. It could be due to the extra heat from the summer or the fact that I took more photos than usual outside of my review period, but I noticed that it got hot quite often and didn’t cool down as quickly as other phones. I guess? It’s a physical thing that has to do with the specs, the battery, and the fact that this thing is pretty thin.
ZDNET Buying Advice
The Motorola Razr (2024) is a great phone for those just getting into the clamshell form factor. While the camera isn’t the best, the rest of the Razr is incredibly solid, especially for its $699 price tag. Sure, you’ll find more premium foldable phones out there, but if you’re looking to save some money (or perhaps buy it as a secondary phone), this is the one to get.
