Motorola Razr (2023)
The Razr (2023) is a brand-new clamshell foldable from Motorola that uses Snapdragon 7 Gen 1 chip, Android 13, and a 6.9-inch flexible screen.
Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5
The Galaxy Z Flip 5 is the latest entrant in Samsung’s Flip lineup. It packs a flagship-grade processor, a large cover screen, and dual 12MP rear cameras.
The foldable smartphone space has grown considerably over the last few years. We have more refinedfoldable flip phonesand an increased number of options on the market. The newMotorola Razr (2023)hopes to leave a mark on this budding segment with its mid-range pricing.
But does it make sense to go for the relatively affordable Motorola Razr (2023), or will you be better off shelling out flagship-level money and getting theSamsung Galaxy Z Flip 5, which is one of ourbest Android phone recommendations? Let’s find out.
Pricing, availability, and specs
One of the biggest highlights of the Motorola Razr (2023) (aka the Motorola Razr 40) is its price tag. It costs just $700 in the United States, and has already seen discounts to as low as $500. It began shipping on October 20 and is available via all major retailers.
In comparison, the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5 starts at $1,000 for its base 256GB model and goes up to $1,120 for the 512GB model. It’s available via all major online as well as brick-and-mortar retailers.
Before we delve into the nitty-gritty of the two phones, let’s look at their raw specifications.
Design and display
Featuring a clamshell design, the Motorola Razr (2023) and the Galaxy Z Flip 5 follow the same basic design principle, but their material and cover screen choices make them distinct. While both phones use an aluminum frame and a zero-gap metal hinge, Motorola has opted for a vegan leather back instead of a glass back like the Z Flip 5. Moreover, the Samsung clamshell has a larger 3.4-inch OLED cover display compared to the 1.5-inch OLED panel on the Razr.
Another design difference between the Razr and Flip is the IP rating. The Samsung phone is rated IPX8 for water resistance, whereas the Razr has an IP52 rating. So, the Razr may not be as water-resistant as the Flip 5, but it has dust resistance.
Coming to the displays, apart from the already mentioned cover screen, the Motorola Razr (2023) has a 6.9-inch full-HD LTPO OLED panel that supports up to 144Hz refresh rate, HDR10+, and 1400 nits peak brightness. The Flip 5 isn’t far behind but has a lower 120Hz refresh rate and a 6.7-inch full-HD panel. That said, what it lacks in refresh rate, it makes up in peak brightness, reaching up to 1750 nits on the phone.
The larger main screen on the Motorola phone makes it physically bigger, but only by a little.
Performance and battery life
The included processor is one of the biggest differences between Motorola and Samsung foldables. You get Qualcomm’s older, mid-range Snapdragon 7 Gen 1 chip with the Razr, whereas the Flip 5 uses the flagship-grade Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 for Galaxy chip. Although both are capable chips, the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 is more powerful and battery-efficient. As a result, while the Razr delivers a good experience in most tasks and doesn’t get heated, it falls behind the Z Flip 5 in gaming.
So unless you are a heavy user or a frequent gamer, you shouldn’t have any problems with the Motorola phone. Otherwise, it’s better to go for the Samsung phone because it can easily handle pretty much anything you throw at it, including graphic-intensive games.
The presence of the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 also helps Samsung on the battery front. Despite housing a smaller 3700mAh battery than Motorola’s 4200mAh, the phone offers almost the same battery backup as the Razr (2023). This means that it will last you through a day with heavy usage of either phone.
The Motorola phone does have one thing in its favor: faster 30W wired charging. But that’s about it, as it supports only 5W wireless charging and no reverse wireless charging. In contrast, Samsung’s Z Flip 5 can do 25W wired charging, 15W wireless charging, and 5W reverse wireless charging.
Motorola is known for its clean Android experience, which hasn’t changed with the Razr. You get a largely stock version ofAndroid 13, but there are some Motorola goodies, including ones that make the cover screen slightly useful. However, the cover screen is tiny, so you can’t run full-fledged apps. Instead, the company provides widgets that you can put on it. Plus, you can use it as a viewfinder while taking selfies from the primary shooter.
Meanwhile, the Android 13 version on the Galaxy Z Flip 5 is far more customized due to the inclusion of One UI 5.1.1. Samsung has also tried to make the cover screen more helpful so that you don’t have to flip open the phone every time a notification pops up. Apart from considerably larger widgets than the ones on Razr (2023), the Z Flip 5 cover screen also supports some apps officially, but you can usepretty much all with some tinkering.
Samsung shines on the software support front as well, promising four major Android OS updates and five years of security updates for the Z Flip 5. The Razr (2023), on the other hand, will only get three major Android OS updates and four years of security updates.
You get two rear cameras — one 64MP primary shooter and a 13MP ultra-wide camera — and a 32MP front shooter on the Razr (2023). The primary camera takes decent shots with plenty of detail and pleasing colors in daylight, but the same can’t be said for low-light situations. Also, the ultra-wide camera isn’t as great as the primary camera, and the shots look washed out. The internal selfie camera is surprisingly decent and offers enough detail, but you’re able to also use the rear primary camera for selfies using the cover screen as the viewfinder.
The Galaxy Z Flip 5 has a similar setup, although it has different specifications. For one, it houses twin 12MP cameras on the back — one regular and one ultra-wide, along with a 10MP selfie shooter. While these are not the best cameras from the company, they can take good photos and are more than enough for most people. Additionally, the Flip 5 outshines the Razr in the low-light photography area. Just don’t expect Galaxy S-series or Pixel-series level of low-light shots.
Which foldable is right for you?
There is a lot to like about both phones; however, the Razr (2023) and Galaxy Z Flip 5 target different sets of consumers. The Galaxy Z Flip 5 is most suitable for people who want and have the budget for the best foldable phone in the clamshell form factor. It houses a top-of-the-line processor for a zippy performance, a larger cover screen, and a long software support period. But of course, you will need to spend $1,000 or more for it.
Samsung’s clamshell flagship
The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5 has a lot to like. It benefits from Samsung’s experience in the foldable smartphone space, and the new larger cover screen can be helpful.
The Motorola Razr (2023) is perfect for anyone who wants to enjoy the foldable form factor without shelling out the big bucks. It has a decent processor, clean software, and decent cameras. But its cover screen is limited in functionality because of the size, and its cameras struggle in low light.
A mid-range foldable
The Motorola Razr (2023) opens the foldable smartphone space for a whole new set of consumers. It may not have the fastest internals, but it delivers a good experience.
