I reviewed Motorola’s cheapest folding phone, and it’s brilliant

1 month ago

A personification taking nan Motorola Razr 40 retired of a pocket.

Motorola Razr (2023)

MSRP $700.00

“The Motorola Razr (2023) is 1 of nan champion folding telephone deals disposable today.”

Pros

Lightweight and compact
Camera is awesome for societal media
Fast artillery charging
Cute Moo characteristic brightens up nan screen screen
Dust and h2o resistance

Cons

No always-on screen
Slow wireless charging
Can get lukewarm erstwhile pushed hard

Compact folding smartphones are becoming much analyzable arsenic screen screens get bigger and they summation nan expertise to tally afloat apps, but nan Motorola Razr (2023) — besides known arsenic nan Razr 40 successful different parts of nan world — bucks that inclination and keeps nan elemental look that has propelled these mini folding phones into nan mainstream.

Don’t for 1 infinitesimal deliberation this is simply a bad point — because Motorola’s cheaper folding telephone still has everything you need. I’ve really enjoyed utilizing nan Motorola Razr (2023), and this is why.

About our Motorola Razr (2023) review

Our Motorola Razr (2023) reappraisal was initially published successful July 2023, pinch nan telephone referenced by nan “Razr 40” sanction (more connected that below). The reappraisal was updated successful October to adhd U.S value accusation and update nan phone’s sanction to “Razr (2023)” connected relationship of nan telephone launching successful nan U.S.

Razr (2023) aliases Razr 40?

A personification holding nan closed Motorola Razr 40.

Before I get into nan review, let’s clear up immoderate disorder astir what this telephone is really called.

It’s each Motorola’s fault, arsenic it seems to relish successful making things awkward. In nan U.K., Europe, and different regions, this is nan Motorola Razr 40. However, successful nan U.S., it’s called nan Motorola Razr (2023), and it’s sold present alongside nan Motorola Razr Plus. In nan U.K., nan Motorola Razr Plus is called nan Motorola Razr 40 Ultra.

It’s each very silly, arsenic nan only differences betwixt nan phones are nan sanction and wherever they are sold. The specifications, design, and everything other are identical. So while this is technically a reappraisal of nan Motorola Razr (2023), it’s besides a reappraisal of nan Motorola Razr 40. Hopefully, that’s cleared up nan disorder complete nan names.

Motorola Razr (2023): design

A personification opening nan Motorola Razr 40.

The past Motorola foldable I utilized was nan Motorola Razr (2022), and nan Razr (2023) is miles up of it successful position of build quality, materials, and design. Ditching nan played-out nods to nan past it seemed intent connected endlessly embracing has fixed Motorola freedom, and this has lent nan Razr (2023) its ain identity. The metallic chassis is surrounded by a soft, durable, tactile vegan leather that doesn’t pull fingerprints aliases stains — and tin moreover beryllium fixed a speedy scrub to get free of immoderate marks. My reappraisal exemplary is successful nan Sage Green color, and it looks superb adjacent to nan gunmetal grey aluminum of nan frame.

It folds without a gap, nan hinge is free of nan rattles and floppiness of nan Razr (2022), and it feels overmuch much for illustration nan precise and expertly dampened Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 4. It has nan correct grade of resistance, truthful it holds itself unfastened astatine various angles and feels satisfyingly costly erstwhile you unfastened and adjacent it. There are immoderate creaks and mechanical-type sounds erstwhile nan hinge is operating, but thing that causes concern. It each feels very well-engineered and made to last.

The little 3rd of nan beforehand contains a raised solid module pinch a mini screen surface and camera array wrong it. There’s a mini powerfulness cardinal pinch an integrated fingerprint sensor connected nan side, on pinch 2 mini measurement buttons. Yes, it’s each a spot connected nan small side, but nan controls are easy to find and press, though anyone pinch large fingers whitethorn find it requires getting utilized to. I person besides recovered I accidentally property nan powerfulness cardinal and put nan show to slumber erstwhile I’m utilizing nan telephone owed to its placement connected nan chassis.

It’s incredibly freeing to usage a telephone that folds up to half its size erstwhile it’s not successful use.

I want to item nan durability. The Razr (2023) has an IP52 rating, which astatine first glimpse is “worse” than nan IPX8 recovered connected immoderate different folding phones. However, this isn’t wholly accurate. While nan h2o guidance isn’t arsenic comprehensive, it is safe to usage successful nan rainfall and should beryllium OK pinch a splash.

But much interestingly, nan standing shows nan Motorola Razr (2023) has particulate resistance. This is very invited and very different successful foldables, arsenic particulate tin termination a folding smartphone beautiful quickly — just inquire Samsung. A “5” successful nan IP standing is 1 measurement down from nan apical level and intends it has been engineered to debar harmful particulate deposits entering nan phone.

The buttons connected nan broadside of nan closed Motorola Razr 40.

Beyond really bully nan telephone looks and feels, nan propulsion for maine is nan Razr (2023)’s convenient size and weight. It fits successful immoderate pocket, including my garment pocket, and doesn’t measurement them down excessively. I emotion nan measurement I tin clasp it — folded up successful nan thenar of my manus — and really it doesn’t gaffe and descent astir connected tables.

It’s conscionable 188 grams, which is ray for a modern phone, 7.5mm heavy erstwhile unfolded, and though it’s 15.8mm heavy folded up, nan small, quadrate style masks it really well. It’s incredibly freeing to usage a telephone that folds up to half its size erstwhile it’s not successful use, and refreshing to spot Motorola springiness its caller scope of folding phones a existent creation personality of their own.

Motorola Razr (2023): screens and performance

A personification holding nan unfastened Motorola Razr 40.

The 6.9-inch, 144Hz refresh complaint soul surface is very soft and looks fantastic, but it is rather reflective, thing that I find is an rumor pinch each folding smartphones and presume it’s down to nan ultrathin solid utilized to protect them. But pinch a highest brightness of 1,400 nits, it’s nary problem outside, moreover successful beardown sunlight. I haven’t noticed nan crease astatine all. The 1.5-inch OLED screen surface is very mini and displays a action of widgets that tin beryllium swiped through, aliases you tin swipe up to position your notifications. Outside of seeing them, you’ll person to unfastened nan telephone to do thing meaningful.

It’s evidently excessively mini to tally apps, but what boggles my mind, and thing I tin nary longer springiness Motorola a walk for, is that it’s not an always-on screen. The institution argues that this saves artillery life, but really overmuch artillery tin nan mini surface really usage up to show a timepiece and a notification alert? Samsung manages connected nan Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5, arsenic does each different non-folding telephone isolated from a Motorola. It ruins immoderate usefulness nan screen surface whitethorn person because if you’re going to pat nan screen, swipe up to spot notifications, and past pat erstwhile again to spot much detail, you whitethorn arsenic good unfastened nan phone.

The Motorola Razr 40's screen screen, pinch nan Moo character.

On nan affirmative side, typical mention needs to spell to Motorola’s characteristic wallpaper which lives connected nan screen screen. You tin spot it successful our photos, and its sanction is Moo. Throughout nan day, Moo’s animated activities connected nan surface lucifer what you whitethorn beryllium doing — brushing your teeth, working, commuting, aliases eating — and pinch a tap, adds successful different action for illustration drinking java aliases offering you a wound to eat. Rarely do these features drawback my eye, but Moo is incredibly tiny and fun. I’m going to miss Moo erstwhile I move to different phone.

I’m going to miss Moo erstwhile I move to different phone.

Unlike nan Razr Plus, nan Razr (2023) doesn’t usage a flagship processor. Instead, it’s a midrange Qualcomm Snapdragon 7 Gen 1, and this is nan first telephone I’ve utilized it in. Despite its non-flagship status, it has performed well, happily coping pinch messaging, calls, apps, and multitasking. The Razr (2023) tin show 1 floating model complete different aliases 2 apps successful split-screen mode. Unfortunately, there’s nary dedicated media power position for illustration Samsung’s Flex Mode erstwhile you watch YouTube videos pinch nan telephone half-folded.

I reviewed nan Razr (2023) aft nan Nothing Phone 2, which has a Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1, and I person not noticed immoderate existent capacity quality betwixt them for regular tasks. However, it tin get rather lukewarm erstwhile playing games (even elemental ones for illustration Pocket City), shooting video, and erstwhile really pushing nan telephone pinch aggregate apps. It’s not each of nan time, though, suggesting nan power buildup whitethorn person to do pinch package optimization, truthful updates whitethorn amended it successful nan future. It’s ne'er hot, conscionable noticeably warm, truthful don’t fto it put you off.

Motorola Razr (2023): camera

The camera module connected nan Motorola Razr 40.

There are 2 cameras wrong nan main module connected nan Motorola Razr (2023): a 64-megapixel main camera pinch optical image stabilization (OIS) and laser autofocus, on pinch a 13MP wide-angle camera pinch a 120-degree section of position that besides takes macro shots. It tin sprout video astatine up to UHD solution astatine 60 frames per 2nd (fps) and return slow-motion videos too. The 32MP selfie camera sits astatine nan apical halfway of nan surface erstwhile nan telephone is unfolded.

However, it’s amended to usage nan main cameras for selfies. When nan telephone is closed, a double property of nan powerfulness cardinal turns nan screen surface into a preview of nan viewfinder, and while it’s excessively mini to thief pinch composition, it’s capable to spot yourself and return advantage of nan amended cameras for your selfies. When nan telephone is open, it tin beryllium activated erstwhile you return photos too, but it only shows a weird animation look that doesn’t look to execute immoderate usability astatine all.

The main camera is decidedly 1 of Motorola’s amended ones. Photos are colorful and lively, pinch tons of item and conscionable nan correct magnitude of saturation and HDR. They are suited to sharing online without overmuch editing. However, they tin beryllium a small soft, and nan camera tin lavation immoderate colors out, resulting successful an unnatural look, but this doesn’t hap to each photo.

There’s not ever overmuch consistency of vulnerability betwixt nan main and wide-angle camera, but I for illustration nan much melodramatic reside of nan Razr (2023)’s wide-angle, and nan inconsistency is nary worse than galore different telephone cameras astatine this price. Even nan macro camera tin return bully photos, but nan deficiency of autofocus makes it hit-or-miss if you seizure one. Video is good successful bully light, but it’s choppy successful mediocre light, and erstwhile recording, nan viewfinder stutters unnervingly.

Using nan Motorola Razr 40's screen surface camera preview.

The Motorola Razr (2023)’s camera isn’t rather arsenic bully arsenic the Galaxy Z Flip 4’s awesome camera, but I’ve enjoyed utilizing it. It’s not designed to return connected nan camera champs for illustration nan 1 connected nan Google Pixel 8 Pro, and it’s a shame nan screen surface is simply a small underutilized, but wide there’s capable expertise to support you happy and entertained.

Motorola Razr (2023): software, calls, and connectivity

Notifications connected nan Motorola Razr's screen screen.

The Motorola Razr (2023) comes pinch Android 13 installed, presumably pinch an update to Android 14 coming successful nan not-too-distant future. The magnitude of changes to nan acquainted Android creation connected Motorola’s broadside is minimal, and nan package is mostly fuss-free. The screen surface doesn’t tally afloat apps but has a prime of Panels — including nan weather, a timer, entree to your almanac and contacts, positive a media subordinate and measurement control. The surface is responsive and fast.

I’ve had nary problem pinch app compatibility erstwhile utilizing nan unfastened phone, and nan velocity is location to move betwixt them arsenic you want. There’s a shortcut sheet that slides successful from nan broadside of nan screen, and it’s easy to activate split-screen multitasking. The camera app is not only quick, but it besides has my favourite shortcut — a double property of nan powerfulness key. Videos look bully connected nan screen, and nan speakers are large without wholly sacrificing clarity.

According to Motorola, nan Razr (2023) is going to get immoderate decent ongoing update support. It’s promising 3 years of awesome OS updates and 4 years of information updates. This is shorter than what Samsung and OnePlus offer, but it matches Google’s support (sans nan Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro) and is reasonable for an precocious midrange phone. The Razr (2023) has happily pulled successful 4G and 5G signals, calls sound clear, and I’ve successfully linked nan Bluetooth to wireless earbuds and a Tag Heuer Connected Calibre E4 smartwatch.

The effortlessness of nan package and friction-free personification acquisition lucifer nan convenience of nan style and creation of nan Razr (2023), and it is specified a pleasance to use.

Motorola Razr (2023): artillery and charging

The closed Motorola Razr 40, showing nan charging port.

It’s a 4,200mAh artillery wrong nan Motorola Razr (2023), making it larger than nan 1 fitted to nan Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 4, nan Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5, and its much costly Moto folding sibling, nan Razr Plus. My varied usage extends to astir 3 aliases 4 hours of surface clip per day, chiefly connected Wi-Fi, and this takes astir half of nan standby clip from nan battery. However, it’s usually beneath 50% by nan extremity of nan day, making 2 afloat days of observant usage unlikely.

That said, I’ve not had immoderate concerns nan artillery wouldn’t past maine a afloat day, moreover if it progressive playing games and watching videos. Use nan telephone hard, and it decidedly won’t past 2 afloat days. A 5G relationship appears to taxation it rather a lot, and you should expect to only get 3 to 4 hours of surface clip from a azygous complaint erstwhile utilizing it.

The Motorola Razr (2023) supports 30-watt charging, and utilizing nan included Turbo Power charger artifact and USB cable, it took 30 minutes to scope astir 70% — and connected to afloat charged successful astir 50 minutes. This is practically half nan clip it takes to recharge nan Galaxy Z Flip 4, and moreover faster than nan Oppo Find N2 Flip. However, phones for illustration nan OnePlus 11 complaint overmuch faster.

It besides has wireless charging, but astatine conscionable 5W, it’s not going to break immoderate velocity records, making it only suitable to support nan artillery topped up erstwhile a charger is available. Battery life is often a sticking constituent connected mini foldables, which don’t person overmuch abstraction wrong for monolithic cells, but nan Razr (2023) is 1 of nan amended examples available, pinch astatine slightest a afloat day’s usage and little than an hr to recharge.

Motorola Razr (2023): value and availability

The Motorola Razr (2023) is disposable for acquisition successful nan U.S. astatine a unit value of $700 — nan aforesaid value arsenic nan Google Pixel 8. At nan clip of publication, Motorola is offering a promotional discount of $100 off, knocking nan Razr (2023) each nan measurement down to conscionable $600. This $100 discount will yet spell away, but knowing Motorola, it’ll almost surely bring nan waste backmost moreover if you miss it nan first clip around.

For comparison’s sake, nan Motorola Razr Plus retails for $1,000 and is occasionally discounted to $800. The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5 besides has a $1,000 MSRP, though it excessively tin beryllium recovered connected waste regularly. Regardless of each that, it’s safe to opportunity nan Motorola Razr (2023) is nan cheapest folding telephone you tin bargain coming — and by a important margin, too.

Motorola Razr (2023): verdict

The unfastened Motorola Razr 40, seen from nan back.

I emotion nan Motorola Razr (2023). There’s very small fuss aliases pretentiousness to it, and it’s truthful overmuch amended for it. The compact flip creation is its large feature, and Motorola has done nan correct point by not overcomplicating everything other — and keeping nan value down. This is simply a pick-up-and-use-every-day smartphone, pinch nary request to study dozens of features you’ll astir apt ne'er use. And you besides won’t beryllium bothered by crushingly short artillery life aliases beryllium upset by a rubbish camera. It’s reliable, good-looking, and fun.

Using nan Razr (2023) for nan past fewer weeks has been great, arsenic it’s truthful convenient to transportation astir and use. On nan antagonistic side, I americium disappointment by nan determination not to make nan screen surface show nan clip and notification alerts each nan time. The wireless charging is simply a spot of a token effort, and nan processor doesn’t look to bask being pushed hard. Outside of this, it’s a awesome bargain and presently astir nan cheapest measurement to get into foldable smartphones. Motorola’s connected a roll successful 2023, and I urge taking advantage of it.