Motorola is understood for its reasonably priced Android telephones, usually undercutting the competitors with fashions providing tons of worth for the value. That’s why it is no shock that the corporate did the identical with the brand new Razr (2023), a cellphone that is lastly making its solution to North America for simply $699. That makes it the most cost effective new foldable you should purchase for those who dwell within the United States, a truth that ought to positively pique your curiosity.There are some apparent downgrades when in comparison with the dearer Motorola Razr Plus, however whenever you’re speaking a few foldable cellphone that prices lower than most conventional flagship telephones, that is to be anticipated. Still, even with extra “midrange” specs, the Razr (2023) — which I lovingly seek advice from because the “Razr Minus” — has lots going for it and may be the gateway drug to a brand new world of foldables for a lot of.Today’s finest Motorola Razr 2023 offersMotorola Razr (2023): Price & availability(Image credit score: Derrek Lee / Android Central)Motorola introduced the Razr (2023) in June of 2023 earlier than later launching the cellphone in North America in October of the identical yr. The cellphone retails for $699, with an preliminary provide chopping the value down to simply $599. There is just one configuration, with 128GB of storage and 8GB of RAM.The system is on the market in a number of totally different shade choices, together with Sage Green, Vanilla Cream, Summer Lilac, and Cherry Blossom.Motorola Razr (2023): What I like(Image credit score: Derrek Lee / Android Central)When it involves the design, Motorola takes a little bit of a special method with the Razr whenever you evaluate it to its Plus counterpart. The general design is identical, however the Razr trades the glass cowl panels for a vegan leather-based end (one thing solely discovered on the Viva Magenta Razr Plus), whereas the body takes on a extra brushed steel end in comparison with the relatively shiny body on the Plus. The result’s a cellphone that feels and appears fairly stylish, and in some methods, I favor it to the flashier Razr Plus.When opening the cellphone, you are met with a big 6.9-inch 144Hz OLED panel, making it one of many highest refresh charges on a foldable cellphone. And the crease is simply as minimal as on the Plus show, maybe much more so. It’s pretty punchy and vibrant at 1400 nits, though I usually wrestle with foldable shows outdoor because of the smudginess of the built-in display protectors, and this cellphone is not any totally different.(Image credit score: Derrek Lee / Android Central)And the hinge, whereas technically the identical one used on the Plus, someway feels a lot sturdier, nearly to the extent of the Galaxy Z Flip 5. It’s in a position to hold the highest half of the show propped up at varied angles however with out the extent of wobbling that I expertise on the Plus. Swipe to scroll horizontallyCategoryMotorola Razr (2023)OSAndroid 13Show (inside)6.9-inch, pOLED, FHD+ (2640 x 1080), 144Hz LTPO, 1400 nits, 22:9Display (exterior)1.5-inch, OLED, 194 x 368, 60Hz, 1000 nits, 2:1ChipsetSnapdragon 7 Gen 1RAM8GB LPDDR4XStorage128GB, USF 2.2Audio3 mics, stereo audio system, Dolby AtmosConnectivity5G, Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth 5.3, NFCSecurityFingerprint sensorProtectionIP52, Gorilla Glass VictusBattery4200mAh, 30W wired charging, 5W wirelessDimensions (open)73.95 x 170.82 x 7.35mmDimensions (closed)73.95 x 88.24 x 15.8mmWeight188.6gColorsSage Green, Vanilla Cream, Summer Lilac, Cherry BlossomThe general efficiency of the Motorola Razr is truthfully fairly good. The Snapdragon 7 Gen 1 powering the cellphone will not be the top-of-the-line chipset from Qualcomm, however it positively will get the job completed. Paired with 8GB of RAM, the cellphone is ready to deal with a lot of my each day duties with out faltering. It additionally handles gaming effectively, able to taking part in Honkai: Star Rail on excessive settings with little downside. And for those who’re actually daring, you possibly can even play on the best settings to present the cellphone a problem, though count on the Razr to get heat because it tries to maintain up, not less than on the highest half of the system.The clean efficiency is probably going aided by Motorola’s mild tackle “stock” Android. MyUX is a largely related expertise to what you may discover on a Pixel cellphone however with the same old Motorola prospers, equivalent to its personal tackle customization, helpful gestures like twisting twice to activate the digicam or chopping twice to set off the flashlight, and wi-fi Ready For, which is able to flip your cellphone right into a desktop or a webcam in your laptop.There’s additionally a brand new “Moto Unplugged” function that launched alongside the cellphone, and it is positioned as a neat solution to disconnect whenever you want a break out of your cellphone and the world. In actuality, it is actually simply Motorola’s model of Focus Mode, which is already obtainable on the cellphone by way of Google’s Digital Wellbeing.(Image credit score: Derrek Lee / Android Central)Motorola additionally guarantees three OS upgrades and 4 years of software program updates, and whereas it is nonetheless lower than what Samsung or Google provide their newest telephones, it is nonetheless praise-worthy for an organization that all the time appears hesitant to assist its telephones for very lengthy.Battery life can also be a spotlight of the Razr. Motorola stuffed a 4200mAh battery into this cellphone, which is simply 100mAh shy of the OPPO Find N3 Flip. I discover that whereas it could possibly’t fairly hit the total day that I get from the OPPO cellphone, the Razr nonetheless will get me by means of many of the day, and I’ve a lot much less nervousness when going out than I do with the Razr Plus. It additionally helps that the cellphone has 30W wired charging, though the 5W wi-fi charging leaves lots to be desired.Motorola Razr (2023): Cover display(Image credit score: Derrek Lee / Android Central)The cowl display expertise is vastly totally different from what you may discover on the Razr Plus. Instead of a giant show taking on a lot of the quilt panel, you may discover a black bar housing the relatively small 1.5-inch show and twin cameras (which I’ll get to later).This show is not probably the most purposeful, and it is largely meant for glancing at info and notifications. Customization is proscribed to a handful of panels for climate, calendar, contacts, media, a timer, and the audio recorder. You can swipe between these in a carousel on the quilt display whereas swiping down from the highest will current Quick Settings with choose toggles. Swiping up will present any obtainable notifications, which you’ll be able to preview instantly on the quilt display, and a few will allow you to do issues like delete an e-mail, however for many interactions, you may be prompted to open the cellphone.Image 1 of 3(Image credit score: Derrek Lee / Android Central)(Image credit score: Derrek Lee / Android Central)(Image credit score: Derrek Lee / Android Central)There’s a sure simplicity to it that form of jogs my memory of a smartwatch — one thing that is not meant for use on a regular basis and even change your cellphone, simply to verify notifications and perhaps look at info on occasion. That stated, even my Galaxy Watch 5 lets me reply instantly from the show. Still, I am unable to think about Motorola stuffing a full keyboard on this tiny 2:1 display.This cowl display is supposed to present the naked minimal whereas nonetheless serving its function of letting you determine whether or not or not it is value it to open your cellphone. Media controls are primary, however they work effectively sufficient, and surprisingly, you possibly can nonetheless take selfies and shoot movies utilizing the quilt display to preview the shot, though your view and controls will probably be restricted.Motorola additionally contains varied clock types to present the quilt display some persona, which is a pleasant contact contemplating its restricted performance. But general, that is in all probability not the primary promoting level of the Razr, and it is a disgrace Motorola could not put a bigger show on the skin, just like the 1.9-inch panel on the Galaxy Z Flip 4. Maybe subsequent yr.Motorola Razr (2023): What might use some work(Image credit score: Derrek Lee / Android Central)The Motorola Razr (2023) could have a better decision digicam than the Plus mannequin, however that does not essentially imply that pictures are higher. Don’t get me fallacious, I do not suppose the Razr takes dangerous photographs, however just like the Plus, the pictures usually go away me wanting extra, whether or not it is extra punch, extra distinction, extra correct white stability, or one thing else. The cellphone additionally appears to have bother with balancing colours at occasions.Overall, the cellphone takes tremendous photographs, and every now and then, it will take an incredible picture, however it’s very inconsistent and certain will not win any blind picture contests towards higher-end Android telephones. However, pit it towards low cost Android telephones, and it’d pull one thing off. Night photographs are pretty respectable, and it manages to seize extra element than the Razr Plus in 2x zoom.Image 1 of 10(Image credit score: Derrek Lee / Android Central)(Image credit score: Derrek Lee / Android Central)(Image credit score: Derrek Lee / Android Central)(Image credit score: Derrek Lee / Android Central)(Image credit score: Derrek Lee / Android Central)(Image credit score: Derrek Lee / Android Central)(Image credit score: Derrek Lee / Android Central)(Image credit score: Derrek Lee / Android Central)(Image credit score: Derrek Lee / Android Central)(Image credit score: Derrek Lee / Android Central)Video is not nice both, and the cellphone usually suffers from the identical downside because the Razr Plus, the place it would noticeably drop frames whenever you begin to report a video and generally in the midst of recording.A draw back of getting such a small cowl display is that selfies with the first cameras are slightly arduous to take and orient. And with the quilt display, you are restricted to straightforward picture mode, video, and portrait. Swiping up toggles between broad and ultrawide, however you get no entry to further picture choices.Of course, whenever you’re taking a bunch of photographs, you’d in all probability need a variety of storage to, you already know, retailer them. Unfortunately, the Razr (2023) solely comes with a 128GB variant within the U.S., with no choice to increase or pay for a 256GB mannequin. I’m not fairly positive why Motorola would restrict this, however at the moment, 128GB is not that a lot; I do not care how reasonably priced this cellphone is.Lastly, whereas I just like the design and the truth that I haven’t got to fret about breaking glass (other than the small cowl display), the vegan leather-based usually holds on to scratches, they usually can generally be tough to eliminate.Motorola Razr (2023): Competition(Image credit score: Derrek Lee / Android Central)In the United States, the Motorola Razr (2023) has one principal competitor: The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5, which is positioned as a extra flagship smartphone than the Razr. Thus, you may discover a extra highly effective chipset, higher cameras, and a a lot greater cowl show. However, the draw back to all that energy is that the Flip’s battery life can endure, struggling to get by means of a full day. The Razr is prone to final an enormous longer whereas additionally costing you lots of of {dollars} much less.Another flip cellphone we get pleasure from is the OPPO Find N3 Flip. While not precisely U.S.-bound, the Flip enjoys an all-day battery life, a powerful triple-camera system, and a relatively trendy design. It additionally has a big cowl show, however the vertical orientation makes the implementation slightly awkward and extra restricted than what one would count on from such a big display. And do not count on the cellphone to hit retail shops in North America.Elsewhere, there’s the TECNO Phantom V Flip, which can also be positioned as a midrange flip cellphone. It, too, has an all-day battery, spectacular construct high quality, and a leather-based again, whereas TECNO affords it at a less expensive value than the Razr. That stated, the digicam system is proscribed, there is not any IP score, and the software program is not actually as much as par.Motorola Razr (2023): Should you purchase it?(Image credit score: Derrek Lee / Android Central)You can buy this if…You’re focused on foldable telephonesYou do not wish to spend some huge cashYou need a cellphone that performs effectively and lasts all dayYou should not purchase this if…You need a helpful cowl displayYou need constantly good digicam high qualityYou take a variety of moviesMotorola has completed one thing really particular right here. The Razr (2023) is the proper instance of the corporate’s potential to deliver high-value merchandise to market whereas undercutting the competitors to get it completed. The $699 Razr (2023) is the form of cellphone I might hope to see from the likes of Samsung and even Google as a solution to make foldable telephones extra accessible.Keep in thoughts I do not suppose this cellphone is for everybody. There are apparent compromises right here, such because the relatively restricted cowl display, inconsistent digicam system, and weak water resistance score. If you are on the lookout for a very flagship expertise, this is not it. But at a value that falls effectively beneath most of the prime Android telephones you will get as we speak, this may very well be extra of an ideal first foldable cellphone than the dearer Razr Plus, and that, my pals, is the true plus.
The Motorola Razr (2023) is your most cost-effective solution to get a foldable cellphone, whereas nonetheless providing a robust Snapdragon chipset, a powerful 144Hz show, and all-day battery life. If you are inquisitive about foldables however do not wish to spend an excessive amount of to get one, that is the cellphone to think about.
Motorola Razr 2023: Price Comparison