The Galaxy Z Flip 4 has new rivals

Motorola was the first to reveal a clamshell foldable phone back in 2019, as the company’s reimagined Razr offered a folding screen. Samsung stole all the glory with the Galaxy Z Flip series though, beating Motorola to actually launching in markets. But the Lenovo-owned brand is back with new Razr foldables for the US market.

The company announced the 2023 Razr and Razr Plus today, and the two phones are both unsurprisingly clamshell foldables. They also share several features in common, such as a nifty IP52 rating for both splash and dust resistance, a respectable update pledge (three major OS updates and four years of security patches), and wireless ReadyFor support for connecting to external screens. Otherwise, they differ in a number of areas.

Motorola’s top-end model stands out thanks to a 3.6-inch square cover display here, dwarfing the Galaxy Z Flip 4’s relatively tiny external screen. This has a pretty sharp 1,066 x 1,056 resolution, along with a 144Hz refresh rate. We hope Motorola has tuned this screen for battery life, as a super high refresh rate and relatively high resolution could have a major impact on endurance.

But the best thing about this external screen is that you can run a variety of apps on it. The company even noted that you can play games like Subway Surfers on this screen. Thankfully, you can also force unsupported apps to launch if they aren’t optimized for the screen size, although your mileage will vary here.

The Razr Plus also brings a 6.9-inch FHD+ folding OLED screen (165Hz, 22:9), featuring ultra-thin glass, LTPO tech, and 1,400 nits of peak brightness. Motorola says you should expect a reduced display crease here, which should please those who thought Samsung foldables had giant display gutters.

Motorola’s upmarket foldable also uses last year’s Snapdragon 8 Plus Gen 1 chipset. This is still a beefy chip, so you should expect smooth performance here. Other notable specs include a 3,800mAh battery with 30W wired charging and 5W wireless top-ups. This isn’t the biggest battery we’ve seen on a clamshell foldable, putting it on a similar footing as the Galaxy Z Flip 4. Much like Samsung’s foldable again, you’re not getting a charger in the box.

Don’t expect the most impressive camera phone setup in the world here, but the 12MP main camera (f/1.5, 1.4-micron pixels, OIS) and 13MP ultrawide rear shooter (with autofocus) should do the job well enough. Otherwise, a 32MP shooter is available on the screen for selfies. But you can also use the cover screen in conjunction with the rear cameras to take higher-quality selfies.

In a rather cool touch, Motorola is also offering a Photo booth mode on both main and selfie cameras. This allows you to place the phone in Flex Mode, with the mode then taking a photo every three seconds (with up to four shots taken). This is a neat alternative to Samsung’s Single Take feature in Flex Mode and also stands out from non-Samsung clamshell foldables, which usually don’t offer automated capture modes.

Other Razr Plus features include stereo speakers, a triple microphone system for improved call quality, Gorilla Glass Victus on the back and cover screen, and eSIM support.

Like the idea of a foldable phone but don’t want to pay for the Razr Plus? That’s where the standard Razr comes in. The phone differs in a number of ways from the Plus variant, starting with a 1.5-inch cover screen (60Hz) akin to Samsung’s Flip line.

You’re still getting a 6.9-inch FHD+ OLED screen with LTPO tech here, but expect a 144Hz refresh rate instead of the Plus variant’s 165Hz rate. Either way, you’re getting a very high refresh rate screen here.

The standard Razr also differs from the more premium model by switching to the Snapdragon 7 Gen 1 processor. This should still deliver a respectable level of horsepower, though.

Oddly enough, this model gains a bigger battery (4,200mAh), while still retaining 30W wired and 5W wireless charging. As for camera details, the Razr brings a dual rear camera system featuring a 64MP main shooter and 13MP ultrawide lens (with autofocus), while a 32MP shooter is on duty for selfies. The Plus variant’s Photo Booth option is also present here for easy hands-free snaps.

Other notable Razr features include eSIM support, stereo speakers, Gorilla Glass Victus on the cover screen, and triple mics for improved call quality.

Want the best Motorola foldable experience possible? Then you’ll need to splash out $999 for the Razr Plus when it goes on sale, matching Samsung’s flip phone at launch. Pre-orders begin on June 16, while open sales take place from June 23.

There’s just one 8GB/256GB variant on offer, although you’ve got your choice of Infinity Black and Glacier Blue color options (complete with glass backs). Motorola’s website and T-Mobile are also offering a Pantone Viva Magenta color option with a vegan leather back.

Unfortunately, Motorola’s standard Razr won’t be available alongside the Razr Plus at first. Instead, the vanilla phone will be launching “in the coming months” after June. Motorola didn’t dish out a price tag but said the phone will be “meaningfully cheaper” than the Razr Plus.

Expect to find the new Razr in a single 8GB/128GB option, in Sage Green, Vanilla Cream, and Summer Lilac color schemes. All three options come with vegan leather backs.