Motorola Razr And Razr+ (2024) Review: Phenomenal Flip Phones
The New Motorola Razr and Razr+ For 2024 Make Flip Phones Fun Again
| Motorola Razr and Razr+ (2024) - Available for $699.99 and $999.99 The new Motorola Razr and Razr+ for 2024 perform well, are well-designed and they are downright fun to use. |
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Sharp,
bright display with 120Hz refresh
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80W charging and included plug
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performance with Snapdragon 8 Gen 2
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Anyone who lived through the early 2000s is undoubtedly familiar with the original Moto Razr. This flip phone was iconic in the pre-smartphone era, but Motorola's attempts to revive it as a flat Android phone we nowhere near as successful. This new era of foldable phones has allowed the Razr to return once again, but this time they live up to the standard set by the original. It took a few generations to get the kinks worked out, but Moto's 2024 foldable flip phones are worthy heirs to the Razr name without giving up on modern sensibilities.
These phones exude retro futuristic style, and Motorola has gone to great lengths to make the external displays on the newe Razr and Razr+ quite useful, but the appeal doesn't go away when you flip them open. Motorola's 2024 Razr phones are sleek, speedy, and genuinely fun to use. If you're smitten with the foldable flip form factor, the Razrs might be an even better option than Samsung's more expensive Galaxy Z Flip 6.
Motorola Razr and Razr+ (2024) Features and Specs
Motorola Razr+ (2024):| Processor Platform | Snapdragon 8s Gen 3 |
| Display | 6.9-inch 2640 x 1080 pOLED @165Hz 4-inch 1272 x 1080 pOLED @165Hz |
| Memory | 12GB |
| Storage | 256GB |
| Rear-Facing Cameras | 50MP primary w/OIS, 50MP 2x telephoto |
| Front-Facing Cameras | 32MP |
| Video Recording | 4K60 |
| Battery | 4000mAh, 45W wired and 15W wireless charging |
| OS | Android 14 |
| Dimensions | Open: 73.99 x 171.42 x 7.09mm Closed: 73.99 x 88.09x 15.32mm |
| Weight | 189g |
| Connectivity | Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 5.4, NFC, 5G sub-6GHz |
| Colors | Green, blue, pink, peach Titanium Green, Titanium Blue,
and Titanium OrangeTitanium Green, Titanium Blue,
and Titanium Orange |
| Pricing | $999.99 |
Motorola Razr (2024):
| Processor Platform | Mediatek Dimensity 7300X |
| Display | 6.9-inch 2640 x 1080 pOLED @120Hz 3.6-inch 1056 x 1066 pOLED @90Hz |
| Memory | 8GB |
| Storage | 256GB |
| Rear-Facing Cameras | 50MP primary w/OIS, 13MP ultrawide |
| Front-Facing Cameras | 32MP |
| Video Recording | 4K30 |
| Battery | 4200mAh, 45W wired and 15W wireless charging |
| OS | Android 14 |
| Dimensions | Open: 73.99 x 171.30 x 7.25mm Closed: 73.99 x 88.08 x 15.85mm |
| Weight | 188g |
| Connectivity | Wi-Fi 6e, Bluetooth 5.4, NFC, 5G sub-6GHz |
| Colors | Orange, sand, gray Titanium Green, Titanium Blue,
and Titanium OrangeTitanium Green, Titanium Blue,
and Titanium Orange |
| Pricing | $699.99 |
At a glance, you might not be able to tell the new Razr and Razr+ apart. They have almost the same measurements, and the camera sensors are in the same places. The most obvious differentiator is that the Razr has a slightly smaller front display and an extra strip of "eco leather" to fill the space. The Razr+ is all-screen on the front of the flip.
The phones feel basically identical in the hand, sporting the faux leather we've seen on several of Motorola's previous phones. While plastic is not common on premium phones, this textured polymer is actually quite nice. It looks good, and the added grip is preferable for a phone that you're going to be twisting and torquing all day. The hinge doesn't make the Razr and Razr+ feel flimsy, either. When open, the aluminum frame comes together cleanly and feels as solid as any flat Android phone.
The phones also have the same hinge design, which is completely silent and smooth. We can't say too much about durability yet, but previous Razrs have held up well. The hinge is a possible point of failure, no matter how durable a foldable may be. Still, it's a trade-off you might want to make. These phones are tiny when folded, making them much more comfortable to carry around than any other device with a 6.9-inch display. We also cannot overstate how nice it is to hang up an annoying phone call by slamming the clamshell closed. Foldable flip phones are just plain cool.
The 2024 Razrs have a fingerprint sensor embedded in the power button. Motorola smartly put the power key near the hinge on the right edge. That means it's in about the same location whether the phone is open or closed, making it easy to find by touch. The sensor is fast and accurate. It's slightly wobbly compared to the adjacent volume buttons, but all the buttons are tactile and reliable.
The external displays vary between the Razr and Razr+. The lower priced Razr phone sports a 3.6-inch 1056 x 1066 display on the front. It extends all the way to the bottom (or top, depending on your perspective) of the phone, with cutouts for the two main cameras and the LED flash. The Razr+ 4-inch screen extends to just shy of the hinge, where the Razr has that extra strip of eco leather. The displays on both phones are covered with Gorilla Glass Victus.
Both external screens are responsive, but the Razr+ is faster (165Hz vs 90Hz) and brighter 2400nits vs 1700nits). That said, the Razr's external screen still looks good and is readable outdoors. These screens are big enough that you can actually get things done without opening your phone. The Razr's 3.6-inch screen can be cramped with unoptimized apps, but the 4-inch Razr+ screen is surprisingly usable.
Flip the phones open, and you'll get almost identical 6.9-inch OLEDs. The only difference is the maximum refresh rate, which is 165Hz for the Razr+ and 120Hz for the Razr. They both have an impressive peak brightness of 3000nits. However, Motorola's ambient light sensors are somewhat unreliable, taking too long to increase brightness and sometimes falling short of compensating for very bright conditions. When the brightness ramps up correctly, these phones are usable outdoors. However, the displays are extremely reflective—even more so than the average flat phone.
There's a pre-installed screen protector glued to the flexible OLED, which is the case for all foldables. Unlike some other flip phones, there's no awkward cutout around the hole punch selfie camera. The screen doesn't feel quite as solid as a flat glass display, but it's not tacky or soft enough to visibly flex when pressed. All foldable OLEDs have at least some creasing where the panel bends. However, Motorola's waterdrop-style hinge hides the crease much better than Samsung and Google foldables.
Motorola Razr and Razr+ (2024) review: Software, AI Experience And Update Support
The 2024 Razr and Razr+ run Android 14 with Motorola's light-touch interface, which is called "Hello UX" now. There are only a few pre-installed apps, and they're all removable. Motorola didn't include the spyware-laden 1Weather app that it loads on all its cheaper phones, which is a relief. In general, it's clear that Motorola put a lot of thought into how to optimize Android for the foldable form factor. Not only do you get a clean, lightweight version of Android with useful extras, there are numerous features tied to the external display.
Motorola doesn't emphasize its gesture features as much as it used to, but they're still excellent additions to the experience. You can toggle the flashlight with a chop-chop gesture, and a quick twist opens the camera. These also work when the phone is closed, making it a snap to take a selfie without opening the phone. Motorola also has a desk clock mode, allowing you to prop the phone up like a tent or stand to see the time, notifications, and playback controls at a glance.
Moto lets you manage the external screen separately from the main display—it has its own settings for the home screen and lock screen, as well as a series of customizable info panels, an app drawer, widgets, and even a selection of games from Google's GameSnacks lineup. You can open most apps on the external screen with close to full functionality, but chat apps are a particularly good use case. You can check your notifications, open the linked app, and type your reply without ever unfolding the phone. The on-screen keyboard fits very well on both the Razr+ and Razr screens. You can even multitask using standard Android gestures on the external display.
The latest Razrs come pre-loaded with Google Gemini as the default assistant app. You can install and switch to Assistant, but it's pretty clear Moto and Google expect you to use Gemini. The app is included on the external display, giving you quick access to Google's chat bot. These phones also get Gemini Advanced free for three months (usually $20/mo), offering larger context windows and the ability to upload files. Motorola has added a few other AI features like Magic Canvas to create AI images and Style Sync to create new system themes. The Razr+ also has Magic Compose, which suggests text replies with configurable tone. That's similar to one of Samsung's Galaxy AI features, but we didn't find either version very useful.
There is a potential problem with the software, though. Motorola has only committed to supporting these phones with updates for three years. That means you'll get Android updates through version 17, but security patches and OS updates end there. This is not long enough for a premium smartphone in our opinion. Compare this update policy to Google or Samsung, which promise seven years of updates, and the Razrs don't look as hot.
Motorola Razr and Razr+ (2024) Cameras
The camera setup is another place where the 2024 Razrs vary, but only a little. The Razr has a 50MP primary camera along with a 13MP ultrawide on the outside. On the inside, it has a 32MP shooter in a hole punch. The Razr+ has the exact same 50MP primary sensor and 32MP internal selfie camera. However, it has a 50MP 2x telephoto camera in place of the ultrawide from the standard phone. Oddly, this sensor doesn't have optical stabilization—only the 50MP primary on both phones gets that.
Motorola is not known for being at the top of the heap in camera performance, but the Razrs do have one big advantage over most competing phones. The primary cameras are facing you when the phone is closed. With those big external screens, you can use these cameras to shoot selfies and group shots that look much better than what you get from the average selfie camera.
Using those cameras to take photos of the world around you, however, doesn't usually work as well. The 50MP primary camera is passable—it even takes very good photos in some situations. There are two main issues, both of which we've seen on other Moto phones. Taking photos of anything moving is tough unless you're outside in perfect light. Capture times shoot upward indoors, leading to blurry action shots.
Motorola's image processing is also hit and miss. Too often, the white balance is dramatically different from one shot to the next. Moto also has a tendency to over-sharpen edges and smooth out noise, which causes fine details to become smudged. Colors are good with the primary and ultrawide cameras, but the telephoto shots we've taken look muted.
The ultrawide sensor on the cheaper Razr is nothing amazing, but it serves its intended purpose well. It's got a nice, wide field of view, and the edges of the frame aren't too distorted. I also has autofocus, which means it supports macro photos and landscapes alike.
The 2x telephoto sensor on the Razr+ is also competent, but it suffers from the same processing foibles as the other cameras. It does give you more reach if you want to zoom in to better frame your subject, but you can't go much past 3x before images get hazy.
You shouldn't buy the Razr or Razr+ if photos are one of your primary concerns. While you can get some solid images with proper lighting, phones like the Pixel 8a and Galaxy S24 will offer better results.
