What you need to know
- The Motorola Razr 2023 series will be released in more countries than last year's model.
- Motorola's latest clamshell foldable phones are also less expensive than their predecessors, with the higher-end Razr+ costing $1000.
- However, the Razr+ doesn't pack upgrades on the hardware front, with the phone being powered by the same Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 chipset.
- The Razr+ will be available on June 23 through select U.S. carriers and retailers, while the standard model's price and availability remain unknown.
Motorola's 2022 iteration of the Razr phone offered several improvements over previous versions, including a larger main screen and an extra camera, though it was only released in China and Europe. The new Razr 2023 family is taking things a notch higher, with the Razr+ (Razr 40 Ultra in non-U.S. markets) sporting a much larger outer display that takes up nearly half of the phone's rear panel. The best part is it's set to land in more markets.
The overall design of the new Razr series is a huge departure from the Motorola Razr 2022, with the standout distinctions being the cover screen and the improved hinge design.
Motorola Razr+
The Razr+ is the higher-end of the duo, with a 6.9-inch FullHD+ pOLED display on the inside, a refresh rate of up to 165Hz, and a peak brightness of 1400 nits. Its main selling point is a 3.6-inch pOLED outer screen with a refresh rate of 144Hz and a peak brightness of 1100 nits.
With a bigger outer display on the Plus model, Motorola currently has the upper hand in the clamshell foldable segment when it comes to size, as the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 4 only has a 1.9-inch cover display and the Oppo Find N2 Flip comes close with a 3.26-inch cover screen. The Razr+'s external display extends from the phone’s hinge and wraps around the camera lenses.
The bigger screen also adds functionality to Motorola's latest folding device, allowing you to read more information at a glance or type a text message without having to unfold the handset.
Additionally, Motorola emphasizes the software upgrades introduced to the new Razr, with expanded capabilities for the outer display. Custom panels in the new software allow you to open apps like Google News and Spotify, access weather updates and contacts, and view notifications on the fly by swiping left or right.
You can also customize the cover screen with various live wallpapers and Moto clock styles. Plus, the outer display lets you play games from Motorola and GameSnacks, such as Golf Adventures, Tiger Run, and Marble Mayhem.
There's also a dedicated Spotify panel that lets you control playback without unfolding the phone. To make listening to music a bit more immersive, Motorola has added two large stereo speakers into the mix with support for Dolby Atmos and spatial audio.
In an interview with CNBC earlier this year, Yang Yuanqing, the CEO of Motorola’s parent company Lenovo, teased a less visible crease on the new Razr when unfolded. In its press release, Motorola says the Razr 2023 series features a teardrop hinge to achieve that, though the phones are not the first to ship with this design upgrade. Some of the leading foldable phones launched recently, such as the Google Pixel Fold, also boast a less visible crease.
But the new Razr lineup is claimed to be the industry's thinnest clamshell foldable handset when flipped closed. The hinge system is paired with Ultra Thin Glass to minimize the display crease when the phone unfolds.
Inside, there aren't a lot of upgrades. The processor is the same Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 that's also found on last year's Razr, the RAM is still capped at 8GB, and the internal storage still maxes out at 256GB. That said, the battery is a larger 3,800mAh unit with a charging speed of 30W and wireless charging support of 5W.
As for its camera, the Razr+ features a 12MP and 13MP dual camera on the rear of the device, which is a step down from the previous model's 50MP and 13MP external cameras. On the main display, there's a 32MP selfie snapper that shoots quad-pixel 8MP stills. Thanks to the Razr’s outer display and foldable nature, you’ll be able to use the main camera for selfies as well. But whether Motorola's new foldable has seen low-light imaging improvements remains to be seen.
Like its predecessor, the new Razr series only supports sub-6GHz networks rather than the faster mmWave variant. The Razr+ will come in Infinite Black, Glacier Blue, and Viva Magenta colorways. It should be noted that the magenta variant is exclusive to T-Mobile.
The higher-end Razr will be available unlocked for $1,000 at AT&T, T-Mobile, Spectrum Mobile, Google Fi Wireless and Optimum Mobile, Best Buy, Amazon, and Motorola's online store from June 23. Preorders open on June 16.
Motorola will also release the phone in Canada for $1,300 on June 23 and in Europe for €1,200 starting today. In the coming weeks, the device is set to arrive in selected markets across Latin America and Asia.
Motorola Razr 2023
The regular Razr 2023 (Razr 40 in other markets) generally has the same specs as the Plus model when it comes to the internal display, charging speeds, connectivity features, and teardrop hinge system.
However, it has a smaller 1.5-inch OLED external display and is powered by a less powerful Snapdragon 7 Gen 1 chipset. Inside, there's only 8GB of RAM and 128GB of storage.
On the other hand, the Razr 2023 packs a bigger 4,200mAh battery and a better camera setup than the Plus variant. On the outer display, it boasts a 64MP main shooter capable of shooting quad-pixel 16MP photos. This is paired with a 13MP ultra-wide shooter. Meanwhile, the main display has the same 32MP selfie snapper as the Plus model.
The new Razr ships in Sage Green, Vanilla Cream, and Summer Lilac in North America in the coming months. It's also set for release in selected markets across Europe, Latin America, and Asia.
