What you need to know
- Motorola launches the Razr 2023 in North America after the phone launched in other regions as the Razr 40.
- The Razr 2023 features the Snapdragon 7 Gen 1 chipset, a 144Hz OLED display, and a large 4100mAh battery.
- The phone comes with a new software addition dubbed Moto Unplugged, which lets users "disconnect" form their phone.
- The 1.5-inch external display lets users check the time, view notifications, and more.
After launching and releasing the well-received Razr Plus earlier this year, Motorola is finally bringing its cheaper Razr (2023) to North America.
The phone actually launched alongside the more expensive (and impressive) Motorola Razr Plus back in June, but the company inexplicably held off bringing it to the States, instead launching it in global regions as the Razr 40. It's likely Motorola wanted to give the flagship Plus model time to shine because the Razr (2023) is quite impressive in its own right, starting with the price.
At $699, the Razr (2023) is the cheapest foldable to reach North America, undercutting just about every other foldable phone on the market and even more conventional phones. For example, the new Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro start at $699 and $999, respectively. And while you'd expect it to come with significant compromises, you'd be somewhat wrong.
As you can see, the phone sports a rather small 1.5-inch external display, a significant departure from the large 3.6-inch cover screen on the Razr Plus. While you won't be able to run full apps on the screen, you can still view notifications, control music, check the weather, and more.
Next to the display is a 64MP dual camera setup, all of which are encased in a black bar covered with Gorilla Glass Victus. As for the phone's design, Motorola went with premium vegan leather instead of glass, which is soft to the touch and comes in a few vibrant colors, including Vanilla Cream, Summer Lilac, Sage Green, and Cherry Blossom (light pink).
On the inside is a 6.9-inch FHD+ OLED display with a 144Hz refresh rate. It uses a waterdrop-style hinge to minimize any crease where the phone folds. There's even IP52 water and dust resistance, just like the Plus.
Powering everything is a Snapdragon 7 Gen 1 chipset, which is actually quite capable of an upper-midrange chip. There's 8GB of RAM and 128GB of internal storage, although these days, that may seem a bit low to some. Fortunately, the Razr (2023) has plenty of juice, as Motorola was able to stuff a 4200mAh battery with 30W wired charging support (5W wireless). This should hopefully get you through the day with relative ease.
The phone runs Android 13 out of the box and will receive three OS upgrades and four years of software support. Motorola is also including new software dubbed Moto Unplugged, which sounds a bit like Focus Mode, letting you "disconnect" from your phone and letting only select apps through to send notifications.
Preorders for the Razr (2023) start on October 12, and the phone goes on sale through select carriers such as T-Mobile and AT&T on October 19. Retailers like Amazon and Best Buy will sell the phone unlocked, and for a limited time, it will be available at a $100 discount, making it even more of a steal.
