The trend for folding phones is still on the up and the pioneering company of this technology, Motorola, have released the upgraded Razr 40 Ultra. Their previous model, the Razr 2022, was extremely popular and the Razr brand is now competing with Samsung’s Galaxy Z Flip range for the title of best folding phone. It is possible that the Razr may even emerge as the clear victor.

Though the Razr 40 Ultra has some major design upgrades from its predecessor, it ultimately falls short in performance which means Samsung remains the king of flip phones. However, the difference between the two brands has become so close it’s like the gap was shaved by a razor.

The Ultra model boasts an impressive external display that takes up almost the entire front when folded. This display has a range of applications, such as using the cameras, making calls, streaming services and even playing basic games.

Incorporated within this presentation is the two-camera system, which is the same 13MP ultrawide lens from Razr 2022 and a new 12MP main camera. The selfie camera, which is of little use, is also carried over from Razr 2022 and has a 32MP lens situated beneath the internal flexible screen.

The 2022 Razr also retains its Snapdragon 8 Plus Gen 1 processor, 8GB RAM, and 256GB internal storage. An improved 3,800mAh battery is included, which supports 30W fast charging and 5W wireless charging.

A look at the design and main features

The Razr 40 Ultra has a few design elements that make it more attractive than the Razr 2022. It measures 171 x 74 x 7mm and is more comfortable to use with one hand. Both the Infinite Black and Glacier Blue models use Gorilla Glass Victus on the rear, which gives them a weight of 189g, while the Viva Magenta, with its soft vegan leather back, weighs 185g.

When you open the phone, the edges of the display are not as pronounced as the previous Razr 2022 model. The hinge crease is as subtle on this version as it was on the Razr 2022, barely showing any dip. In comparison, the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5 has a visible bump.

The right-hand side has the volume and power buttons located above the hinge, with the power button doubling as a fingerprint reader. The left side is home to the microSD card slot, which can hold cards up to 1TB. On the lower edge is the USB-C port.

The headphone jack is situated next to one of the Dolby Atmos-enabled stereo speakers; the other is placed along the top edge. With an IP52 rating, this phone is more dust-proof than the Galaxy Z Flip 5, though not quite as water-resistant.

Motorola phones always offer excellent software, as it provides a near-stock Android experience without needing to purchase a Pixel. The Razr 40 Ultra is no different. It has simple, straightforward icons and menus, minimal additional apps and a range of customisation options. The phone is shipped with Android 13 pre-installed, and Motorola has confirmed that users can expect three years of software updates and four years of monthly security updates.

At the time of writing, not many apps have been adapted to work properly on the dual-screen setup, however those that have been are very beneficial. For instance, with the camera the viewfinder is completely shifted to the top display and the bottom one is left open for the buttons. Additionally, YouTube allows users to watch videos on the upper screen while simultaneously looking at comments and related content on the bottom.

A Peak at the Display

Gone is the rectangular panel of the Razr 2022, replaced by a full-size display just like the one in the new Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5. The specs on the 3.6in version are far better, with a 1,066 x 1,056 resolution and a quick 144Hz refresh rate. To protect against drops and scratches, a layer of Gorilla Glass Victus sits on top.

The internal display has gone through some modifications. The 6.9in AMOLED monitor now has a resolution of 2,640 x 1,080, which is more than the 2,400 x 1,080 resolution of the Razr 2022, and the refresh rate is incredibly fast at 165Hz. While few apps will take full advantage of the refresh rate, jumping between apps feels amazingly smooth and responsive.

The AMOLED display on the device offers great contrast and black levels, but the peak brightness doesn’t reach the same level as the Razr 2022. With an external light shining on the light sensor, the automatic brightness setting managed to reach 910cd/m², while the Razr 2022 managed to hit over 1,000cd/m².

The Razr 2022’s screen showed more color variation than one would expect given the price, but the Razr 40 Ultra has fixed that. The Saturated mode produces vivid, strong colors ideal for streaming, while Natural provides the most accurate sRGB display. When I tested this setting, it had an sRGB coverage of 93.4% and a total volume of 93.6%, with an average Delta E score of 1.3, which is much decreased compared to what the Razr 2022 displayed.

Performance and Battery Life

The Razr 40 Ultra and Razr 2022 both contain the same 3.19 GHz Snapdragon 8 Plus Gen 1 chipset, resulting in similar performance. If it weren’t for the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5, this would be acceptable. The latter phone, featuring the newer Snapdragon 8 Gen 2, outperformed the Razr 40 Ultra by 12% on single-core tests and 26% on multicore, while costing the same.

The GFXBench Car Chase GPU tests demonstrated a slight decrease in performance, with the Razr 40 Ultra registering 7fps lower than the Razr 2022 on the onscreen benchmark and 14fps lower on the offscreen. Nonetheless, the Razr 40 Ultra still handles graphic-heavy games proficiently, allowing me to play a few levels of Asphalt 9: Legends without any drop in frame rate.

When it comes to hardware, the battery life of the 3,800mAh unit is quite remarkable, as it lasted 21hrs 35mins in our looping video test. This is one of the most impressive performances of a flip phone, with the Galaxy Z Flip 5 surpassing it.

This model includes a faster charging time with the 30W charger; it takes approximately 28 minutes to reach 50% charge and just under an hour to reach a full charge. Additionally, the 5W wireless charging feature is a new inclusion on this model, which may not be as quick, but is still a great addition that brings it closer to the level of Samsung’s output.

Analysis of the Camera

In the same vein as other flip phones, the Razr 40 Ultra has a dual-camera setup at the rear, with a 12MP (f/1.5) wide lens. Although this appears to be a step down from the 50MP camera of the Razr 2022, the amount of megapixels isn’t the only factor to be considered.

The larger aperture on the new Razr 2023 permits more light to enter, thus improving its capability for low-light photography. The Razr 2022 was a bit of a let-down in this aspect, with odd colouring and a lot of noise appearing in the dark; however, the new model’s tones appear more natural even though the sharpness isn’t up to the desired level.

The 13MP (f/2.2) ultrawide lens is a feature that was also included in the Razr 2022 and it still works great. The colour and exposure balance are maintained just as well as with the wide lens, and the finer details turn out quite good, if not spectacular. The macro shots taken with this lens can be considered satisfactory, with well-defined edges around the subject and a pleasing out-of-focus background.

The Razr 2022 and Galaxy Z Flip 5 both offer 1080p and 4K video recording up to 60fps, with slow-motion settings of 120, 240, and 960fps. However, 8K recording is not available on either device, though this should not be a major issue for many users.

My Verdict

Had Motorola opted for the more recent Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 processor, it would have likely been crowned the new ruler of the flip phone world. However, due to the fact that it is offering last year’s performance at the same price as this year, it is a difficult place to be in, especially since the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5 offers more advanced hardware for the same amount of money.

Although it may not be the best, the Razr 40 Ultra certainly has its impressive moments. Its updated design is both more stylish and comfortable to use, while the bigger cover display is a great addition. Additionally, the battery life is one of the better ones currently found in flip phones. Despite not having any major leaps in performance, this phone is still the closest any brand has come to replacing Samsung as the top choice for flip phones.