Motorola Razr+ (2023)
The Razr is back and better than ever
Motorola might have taken some time off from launching its foldables in the US, but it’s raging back with the Moto Razr+. This year, the focus is all on the outer 3.6-inch display, which promises to let you do virtually anything without opening the phone. And when you need a larger screen, the 6.9-inch display inside feels just like the company’s other smartphones.
Motorola Edge+ (2023)
A more traditional flagship
The Edge+ is Motorola’s flagship for 2023, combining top-end specs like a Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 processor with a curved display that wraps around the body of the phone for a wholly unique look. At $800, it’s a far cry from the company’s usual budget fare, but if you’re interested in a high-end smartphone outside the Samsung-Apple duopoly, this one might be worth a look.
As Motorola attempts to boost its reputation in the U.S. market, we’d have to call it a smashing success in the first half of 2023. Not only did Motorola release a very competent flagship competitor to theGoogle Pixel 7andSamsung Galaxy S23in the Motorola Edge+ (2023), but it recently shocked the world by introducing its newest clamshell foldable — theMotorola Razr+. But how does Motorola compete with itself?
Comparing the Motorola Razr+ vs. theMotorola Edge+may seem like comparing apples to oranges since the two designs are so different, but for people looking for powerful and premium smartphones as their next daily driver, it’s good to know the strengths and weaknesses of each phone so you’re able to make an informed decision about which smartphone is best for you.
Price, specs & availability:
You can get the Motorola Razr+ unlocked or through the major U.S. carriers for $1,000 with 8GB of RAM and 256GB of storage. But you can also save big on this foldable with AT&T or T-Mobile.AT&T offers the phone for $5/monthfor 36 months ($180 total), and T-Mobile gives it for free if you add a Go5G Plus or Magenta MAX line. Plus, T-Mobile is the only place you can get the Moto Razr+ in the striking Magenta colorway.
The Motorola Edge+ is available through Amazon, Best Buy, and Motorola’s website for $800, with 8GB of RAM and 512GB of storage — the only model available. The unlocked version of the phone will work just fine with Verizon, T-Mobile, and AT&T, but you won’t find it on sale at your local carrier store.
Drastically different designs and displays
Although it isn’t surprising to say, the design of the Moto Razr+ and the Moto Edge+ couldn’t be more different, as is bound to be the case when comparing a foldable phone with a standard slab phone.
The Moto Razr+ has two displays; an outer display — the smaller one when it’s folded up — and the inner display you can use when the phone is unfolded. The inner display is a 6.9-inch, FHD+ pOLED display with a maximum refresh rate of 165Hz; it easily rivals thebest Android phoneson the market today. Of course, there is a bit of a crease in the center of the screen when the phone folds up, but we found it was much more shallow than its main competition, theGalaxy Z Flip 4, which makes scrolling across the screen with your finger a more desirable experience.
The biggest surprise on the Razr+ is actually relatively small, and that’s the 3.6-inch pOLED outer display with a 1:1 aspect ratio, so it is indeed a cute little square. This screen is bright and vivid and perfect for tasks like Telegram messaging and Spotify playlist hunting. Nearly every app can be run on this tiny little screen. While there is a learning curve to figuring out exactly how to use this screen effectively in your day-to-day, once you do, you’ll likely wonder why every foldable phone doesn’t have a screen like this.
The Motorola Edge+ is your more standard slab phone, meaning it only has one display, but it’s a pretty great one.
The 6.7-inch FHD+ pOLED is slightly curved at the edges, which, while reviewing the Moto Edge+, gave us a few problems, but overall was pretty effective. The maximum refresh rate of 165Hz makes everything you do on the device feel smooth and as crystal clear as possible. It’s also quite bright, reaching up to 1,300nits making it easy to see even in direct sunlight.
While the design of Razr+ will turn most people’s heads, you have to acknowledge the work that Motorola has put into the design of the Edge+ this year over theMotorola Edge+ (2022). The frosted glass exterior has been substituted with a luxuriously smooth matte black surface that shimmers when illuminated directly —similar to the finish found on some of OnePlus' recent flagships. Plus, Motorola went with an aluminum frame on the Edge+ this year over the plastic one on its predecessor. It’s a small change, but one that makes the phone feel like a more premium device that can command its price point.
Raw performance power on par
The Moto Razr+ and the Moto Edge+ have some absolute powerhouse chips powering them, with the Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 in the Razr+ and the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 in the Edge+. Don’t let the numbers fool you too much; when it comes to completing your daily tasks or running your favorite games, you’ll likely not notice any difference between the pure performance power. During our Razr+ review, our phones editor Will Sattelberg noticed that the Razr+ could run a little hot at times, but it was nothing alarming for a phone as thin as the Razr+, which is only 7mm thick when unfolded.
For those suffering from storage anxiety, the flat 256GB of Moto Razr+ may seem a little small, especially considering you’re able to’t use an SD card to expand it. The Moto Edge+ fairs slightly better by offering users 512GB but is also not expandable by SD card either.
Motorola continues to offer the closest experience to “stock” Android you’re able to get on a modern-day flagship, which comes with the advantages of being clean and simple, but the disadvantages of feeling a little less fully realized than some other companies' take on Android. You may be a little disappointed if you’re used to Google’s amazing call features or automatic song detection. Still, it’s not like Motorola hasn’t done any work; the additions here are mostly for the better. You’ll find some awesome weather and clock widgets, along with handy motion gestures to access the camera or turn on the flashlight quickly. These features are on both the Edge+ and Razr+, but the software gets a little more interesting on the folding phone.
The software Motorola has put into the small outer screen is unlike any other foldable we’ve seen yet— especially in this form factor. Instead of simply offering a fixed set of apps for the outer panel or mirroring the regular launcher, the display features its own launcher. The launcher has nine panels: Home, Apps, Calendar, Contacts, Games, Spotify, Google Fit, and Google News. While most of these are pretty self-explanatory, the App panel is truly something special.
Instead of overwhelming you with a complete app drawer, Motorola provides a personalized selection of whitelisted apps to appear on the main page. If you want to add more choices, simply tap the pencil icon in the top-right corner. Organizing your apps is a breeze — just drag and drop them to rearrange their positions. Even that is just the tip of the iceberg and shows why the Razr+ is such a monumental step forward for clamshell foldable everywhere.
Cameras are the weakest link
Motorola’s cameras have long been considered weak, often falling short compared to its competitors. However, with the Moto Edge+, there’s a slight shift in that narrative. While it doesn’t completely change the game, it’s the first time in a while that Motorola’s camera system can hold its own.
The primary 50MP f/1.8 lens is quite capable, standing up to the main sensor of theGalaxy S23+in many aspects; it even has a slightly larger sensor. You’ll likely get pretty good results if you’re capturing photos outdoors during the day or in other well-lit indoor environments. Plus, the color accuracy is pretty good. We weren’t as impressed with the 50MP f/2.2 ultrawide sensor, but it won’t botch the job if you want to take a quick snap to share on social media.
Lastly, the 12MP 2x telephoto lens isn’t too special, and the image stabilization once you go past the optical zoom and into digital zoom is subpar compared to what Google offers on the Pixel.
While the Moto Razr+ may be breaking new ground regarding form factor and software, it has not kicked the trend of clamshell foldable phones with bad cameras.
The 12MP main sensor and 12MP ultrawide sensor don’t really stand up to any normal slab phone and perform much worse than even the Moto Edge+. They aren’t unusable cameras by any means with enough light, but phone photography enthusiasts likely won’t be too happy with the results from either camera. Motion, in particular, is a huge issue for these sensors, so don’t expect any great action shots.
The most fun you’ll have with the Razr+ camera is with some of the software gimmicks it’s included because of its foldable design, like the ability to hold the phone at a 90-degree angle to take video that is reminiscent of camcorder days of the early 2000s. It’s a neat party trick, just like the photo booth option for the selfie cam, but you won’t be making any great works of art with it either.
A Foldable battery is still worse than a slab battery
Foldable batteries have rarely been able to reach the same performance levels as a standard slab phone due to the form factor requiring less battery capacity and the increased screen real estate, so it’s no surprise that the Moto Edge+ edges out the Razr+ in an endurance competition.
I wouldn’t call the battery life on the Razr+ bad, but I wouldn’t call it good, either. It’s serviceable. About five hours of pure on-screen time with the larger inner display is all you’ll get. With average use; you should be able to make it last for most of your day. The Moto Edge+, however, has pretty great battery life. It’s possible to push it to multiple days if you’re only using it lightly or moderately, and you’ll still see about 7 hours of screen on time if you’re using it heavily.
The small under-4,000mAh battery of the Razr+ can only charge up to 30W, which is quite slow compared to the 68W fast-charging speed of the Edge+.
Which should you buy?
As you may have suspected, there isn’t necessarily a clear winner when comparing the Motorola Razr+ vs. the Motorola Edge+ since they are two very different designs, but there are plenty of reasons to buy (or not buy) each one.
Undoubtedly, the Moto Razr+ is a huge step forward for clamshell foldable phones everywhere. Everything from the design to the outer display to the impressive software Motorola has included enables this foldable to be a must-buy for anyone who is looking to be on the bleeding edge of technology. Of course, being foldable comes with some common drawbacks, like subpar camera performance and only average battery life at best, but if you think you can live with the downsides, there’s no reason not to get the best clamshell foldable out on the market right now.
Your move, Samsung
The Moto Razr+ is Motorola’s most powerful folding phone yet, combining a Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 with an expansive 3.6" outer display capable of both apps and games. If you don’t mind the downsides, like middling battery life and subpar cameras, then this could finally be the foldable phone you’ve been wanting.
Of course, foldables are still in the early stages of their existence, and although Motorola is taking a giant leap forward, you may feel safer sticking with a more traditional design. The Moto Edge+ is a great flagship by pretty much any standard, and it’s a great alternative for those who don’t like Google or Samsung’s approach to Android. The software is a little bare bones, and the camera could be better, but you’ll have a great time using this phone for years to come.
Great alternative to Google or Samsung
The Moto Edge+ gives you almost everything you can ask for in a 2023 flagship. With top-end specs, like a Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 processor and a gorgeous display it’s a far cry from the company’s usual budget fare. It’s an $800 phone that looks, feels, and performs the part, making it a fantastic alternative to Google and Samsung in the Android market.
