Flipping Out for Motorola's Latest: Hands On With the Motorola Razr+ and Razr

Motorola today introduced new versions of its iconic folding Razr phone. This time around, there are two models. There's the simpler and more affordable Razr, which will be out later in the year, as well as the premium Razr+, which features a spacious 3.6-inch external display and near-flagship specs. Motorola is betting on the big outer screen and fashion-focused details to capture the eye of the style-conscious buyer. The Razr+ is very much a Galaxy Z Flip 4 competitor, which Samsung is poised to update later this year. Will Motorola's fresh design appeal to folding phone enthusiasts? Here is our first look.

There's a brand-new design for both models of the Razr. The retro chin of the older model is now gone. Instead, the Razrs take on a modern look that strongly resembles the Galaxy Z Flip 4, Oppo Find N2 Flip, and others.

The two Razr models share a lot of the same features. You'll get a large 6.9-inch screen on the inside, an aluminum frame, Gorilla Glass Victus on the external screen, an IP52 rating for dust and water protection, as well as a new hinge that will support mid-way angles with a range of 40 to 130 degrees. The previous Razr either was open or closed, so this new range of angles is quite a welcome change.

Both phones also have stereo speakers with Dolby Atmos and Spatial Sound. One speaker is downward-firing, while the other can be found at the earpiece speaker on the top of the opened device in a small slit. The Razr and Razr+ can handle tap-to-pay thanks to NFC and the duo includes physical SIM slots as well as support for eSIM.

Both phones will ship with Android 13 and see three OS upgrades and four years of security updates.

Let's talk about the elephant in the room, which is the biggest difference between the two phones. The external pOLED screen on the Razr+ measures 3.6 inches in a 1:1 aspect ratio with a resolution of 1,066 by 1,056 pixels, a pixel density of 413ppi, and a refresh rate of 144Hz. Motorola is touting this as the largest external display on a flip phone. For comparison, the Razr has a 1.5-inch pOLED with 192 by 368 pixels, and the 2020 Razr had a 2.7-inch external display with 800 by 600 pixels.

The external screen was plenty bright under direct sunlight during the time we spent with the phone. There are two cameras embedded within the external screen, which could be an issue for those trying to type on the full-sized keyboard that can appear there. However, the camera placement did not cause any issues for me as my thumbs naturally hovered over the lenses to type.

Motorola created specialized mini-apps it calls Panels that are designed to fit the outer screen. They resemble the widgets you've probably seen on your Android phone. You are not stuck with just the Panels, however; you can use almost any app on the outer screen if you give the app permission to be there. This is done on an app-by-app basis. Motorola also allows you to bring apps from the inner screen to the outer screen in the settings, a feature called Continuity. For example, you could be working on a Google Doc on the inner screen, close the phone, and then you'll have the option to continue on the front screen depending on your settings. This Continuity feature worked seamlessly while testing it out.

If you choose to type on the front screen, a spacious keyboard shows up while the text input area is limited to a single line above the keyboard. The rounded corners felt comfortable in the hand and your index fingers will rest nicely on the flat hinge area.

The front screen seems like it will be incredibly useful for everyday tasks. Flipping the phone open could be more of a convenience than a requirement.

The Motorola Razr+ measures approximately 6.73 by 2.91 by 0.28 inches (HWD) when open. When closed, the Razr+ is approximately 3.48 by 2.91 by 0.59 inches. The weight of the device will depend on which color you get. The Infinite Black and Glacier Blue colors feature Corning Gorilla Glass Victus glass panel a matte finish on the non-screen portion of the device. (Victus also covers the external screen, though it's not matte.) Those devices weigh in at 6.65 ounces.

The bold Viva Magenta version features a vegan leather cover on the back panel. This causes the weight to drop just a little to 6.51 ounces. The vegan leather is scratch resistant and feels luxurious. In my experience, the glass-backed models felt good, but not quite as nice as the soft-backed Magenta variant. T-Mobile will be the only carrier to offer the Viva Magenta Razr+, although it will also be available unlocked on Motorola's site.

Motorola went big with the inner screen. The Razr+'s 6.9-inch display has a resolution of 2,640 by 1,080 pixels with a 413ppi pixel density along with a refresh rate of up to 165Hz. This is an appreciable upgrade from the 2,142 by 876 pixels of the 2020 model, and it matches the Z Flip 4 pixel for pixel. The 22:9 aspect ratio means that this is a tall, thin phone. The bend in the middle of the display is something you'll have to look for if you want to see it. It all but disappears when viewing content like images and movies.

The Razr+ is powered by the Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1. That's not the latest chip from Qualcomm, but should be plenty powerful for most people. It is a big step up from the previous generation of Razr, which packed a Snapdragon 765G. Apps loaded quickly and were very responsive, and opening up lots of apps did not phase the Razr+ in our short time with it. You'll get 8GB of RAM and 256GB of storage. There is no option for expansion, but that has become standard on many phones.

Due to the size of the large external screen, Motorola could only squeeze in a 3,800mAh battery into the Razr+. We wish that was a bit larger, but at least the device supports 30W fast wired charging along with 5W wireless charging. There is a USB-C port on the bottom of the device, but it is limited to USB 2.0 speeds.

When it comes to 5G, the Razr+ supports sub-6GHz 5G, but not mmWave. That means that it will not be able to take advantage of the higher speeds and lower latency offered by mmWave 5G networks (specifically Verizon's). Importantly, it supports C-band spectrum, which means it gets strong mid-range speeds (~300Mbps) on AT&T and T-Mobile. It supports speedy Wi-Fi 6E for the best potential Wi-Fi performance. There's also Bluetooth 5.3, which gets you the strongest connections to your peripherals like wireless headphones.

The Motorola Razr+ packs three cameras. The camera array in the external display features a 12MP main camera with optical image stabilization and a 13MP ultrawide camera with a field of view of 108 degrees. Video capture tops out at 4K at 60fps for the main rear camera, while the wide camera maxes out at 4K at 30fps. The inner screen camera has a 32MP sensor and shoots 8MP shots (binned by a factor of four).

Due to the double screen setup of the Razr+, your subject can see what you're seeing thanks to the external screen. That preview may perk up the person you're taking a photo of. If it doesn't, you can always have the external display show off cartoon smiley faces to get a laugh. Additionally, you have the option to use the exterior cameras for selfies. These features can make the Razr+ more fun to use than your standard candy-bar phone.

The regular Razr comes in three colors that Motorola calls Sage Green, Vanilla Cream, and Summer Lilac. When the device is closed, you'll be dealing with a vegan leather finish (except for the secondary display). When open, the Razr is 6.72 by 2.91 by 0.29 inches, making it a tiny bit shorter and thicker than the Razr+. When closed, you are holding a little 3.47-by-2.91-by-0.62-inch device that weighs 6.65 ounces.

Motorola says that the secondary display on the Razr is for digital minimalists. That makes plenty of sense considering how small it is. It has a 1.5-inch pOLED screen with a refresh rate of 60Hz. You will be able to see glanceable information like the weather and the time, but interactions are not on the level of the Razr+'s secondary screen, which feels almost like a mini-phone on its own.

That smaller screen introduces some benefits. Motorola was able to pack a larger 4,000mAh battery thanks to the internal space savings. It supports 30W fast charging and 5W wireless charging like the Razr+. Additionally, the extra room allowed for a beefy 64MP main shooter in the Razr with OIS and laser autofocus. Video capture tops out at 4K at 30fps on the two rear cameras. The front-facing cameras in the inner display are the same on both the Razr and Razr+

That inner display is similar to the Razr+, with the same size, resolution, and pixel density. However, the Razr tops out at a refresh rate of 144Hz. We found the screen to be responsive and bright. The slightly lower refresh rate did not seem to distract in any way compared to the Razr+'s 165Hz panel.

Inside, a Qualcomm Snapdragon 7 Gen 1 is at the heart of the Razr along with 8GB of RAM and 128GB of storage. Like the Razr+, the Razr supports sub-6GHz 5G (no mmWave), Wi-Fi 6E, and Bluetooth 5.3.

The Motorola Razr+ will go on presale at Motorola.com on June 16. T-Mobile's presale of the device will start a day earlier, June 15. The phone has a retail price of $999.99, which matches the Samsung Z Flip 4. If you're comparing these two phones, the Flip 4 has the better water resistance rating with IPX8, meaning it can be submerged in water. The Razr+ and Razr's IP52 rating can only handle dripping water and splashes. Battery life may be a concern on the Razr+ since it needs to power the large inner screen and the big outer screen, but we'll save any real criticisms for our full review.

AT&T, Google Fi Wireless, and Spectrum Mobile will also carry the Razr+. Unlocked versions will be at Amazon and Best Buy. The new flip phone will be available in stores on June 23. Notably, Verizon is not listed as a carrier for the Razr+ (which could be due to its lack of mmWave support). AT&T plans to offer a special promotion for the phone, wherein it will charge just $5 per month for 36 months for new and existing customers. That's just $180 in total, representing a savings of $820. That's quite a discount.

The Motorola Razr will be out later this year, but a firm date has not been announced. Pricing is also unknown, but taking a look at those specs, you'd be inclined to believe the Razr will cost significantly less than the Razr+. Motorola said that there would be a "meaningful lower price on the Razr" while declining to specify exactly what price that is.

PCMag will post a full review of the Motorola Razr+ in the weeks ahead, so stay tuned for our folding phone coverage.

This newsletter may contain advertising, deals, or affiliate links. Subscribing to a newsletter indicates your consent to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You may unsubscribe from the newsletters at any time.

Your subscription has been confirmed. Keep an eye on your inbox!

. Fully Mobilized