Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 4 vs. Motorola Razr 2022: Finally, some real competition

Deciding between the Galaxy Z Flip 4 and Motorola Razr 2022 is challenging because they're both fairly impressive in their own right. However, the decision is made easy when only one is available in a ton of regions, and the other is only available in a handful.

Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 4 vs. Motorola Razr 2022: Pricing and availability

Samsung announced the Galaxy Z Flip 4 on August 10, 2022, and preorders opened the same day. The phone starts at $999 — the same as its predecessor — although if you want more storage, you'll shell out $1140 or $1220 for 256GB or 512GB, respectively. The Galaxy Z Flip 4 hits store shelves on August 26, 2022, and is available globally.

The Motorola Razr 2022 was announced on August 11, 2022, after the company canceled its launch event the week prior. The device was initially only launched in China, although a European launch later occurred in late October. In the U.K. and Europe, the phone is only available in the 8/256GB configuration and retails for £949 and €1,199, respectively.

Depending on where you are, you're paying a bit less or more than Samsung's Galaxy Z Flip 4. However, a North American launch is yet to be confirmed, where the Galaxy Z Flip 4 reigns supreme among the best foldable phones. It's unclear how Motorola plans to price the phone if and when it launches in the United States.

Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 4 vs. Motorola Razr 2022: Design and displays

Motorola really changed things up this year when it comes to the design of the Razr 2022. The company ditched the prominent chin found on its predecessors like the Motorola Razr 5G, leaving behind the nostalgic design of the Razr phones of yore for something more modern. The Razr 2022 now features a full-screen design when unfolded, sporting a larger 6.7-inch AMOLED display. It's also the first foldable phone to feature a 144Hz display, which mobile gamers may love.

The device also has a wider aspect ratio at 20:9. When closed, the Razr 2022 is much more square and angular than its predecessors. In many ways, the design is closer to the Galaxy Z Flip 4 than previous Razr models. Fortunately, Motorola kept the larger 2.7-inch external display, which gives users more room to interact with notifications and other functions.

On the other hand, no one would blame you if you mistook the Galaxy Z Flip 4 for the Galaxy Z Flip 3. Its design is pretty much identical, which in many ways is a good thing, and in other ways, not so much. The Galaxy Z Flip 3 was a popular phone for its clean design and customizable colors. Samsung is clearly banking on now that the Galaxy Z Flip 4 features more than 70 color combinations that buyers can choose from.

Samsung retains the 6.7-inch Dynamic AMOLED 2X display, which can transition between 1Hz and 120Hz, depending on the content displayed. While it doesn't hit the 144Hz of the Razr's main display, it's likely much more efficient. However, it's also taller, which some users may have issues with, particularly when using the phone one-handed.

There's also the matter of the crease. While Samsung has taken measures to minimize it on the Flip, it's still very much present. Meanwhile, Motorola's new "Star Trail" hinge also minimizes the crease, which was already negligible in the previous model.

Unfortunately, Samsung also kept the 1.9-inch external display, which is, fortunately, larger than Samsung's earlier Flip models. Still, we would prefer something more akin to the Razr's external display, which gives users much more room for activities.

However, Samsung definitely has the win in terms of durability, thanks to the IP rating on the Galaxy Z Flip 4, whereas Motorola sprinkles a water-repellant coating on the Razr 2022. Definitely handle it with care.

Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 4 vs. Motorola Razr 2022: Specs

This is where things get interesting. The Galaxy Z Flip 4 and Razr 2022 offer many similar internals, but Motorola manages to one-up Samsung in several categories.

As far as similarities go, both phones are powered by the Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 chipset, Qualcomm's latest flagship SoC powering many of the best Android phones launching in the second half of 2022. Base models both sport 8GB of RAM and 128GB of non-expandable storage, with a model featuring double the storage. However, outside of the display size, that's pretty much where the similarities end.

While both phones are available with up to 512GB of storage, Motorola outfits this model with 12GB of RAM, while Samsung retains 8GB for each configuration of the Galaxy Z Flip 4. This should make the Razr 2022 more capable when it comes to running and suspending apps. However, as noted before, storage and RAM options are limited outside of China.

The Razr also has the advantage when it comes to several other specs. We already mentioned the 144Hz display, which in some ways could be seen as an improvement over the Flip 4's lower 120Hz refresh rate (although Samsung's is likely more efficient). Motorola also has faster charging at 33W compared to the 25W wired charging on the Galaxy Z Flip. Samsung has one advantage, however, by offering wireless charging, which the Razr 2022 lacks.

Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 4 vs. Motorola Razr 2022: Cameras

When it comes to cameras, Motorola has the upper hand, at least on paper. The Razr 2022 features a 50MP primary sensor capable of 4-to-1 pixel binning with a secondary 13MP ultrawide camera. 50 seems to be the magic number this year, with many high-end Android phones sporting this exact resolution. 

We've seen some good results from similar cameras. However, Motorola isn't known to push the envelope regarding its camera software and processing, so we're curious to see the results.

Still, we're happy to see a secondary sensor on the Razr 2022, given that its predecessors both features only one rear camera.

Meanwhile, you'd have to squint to see the difference in camera hardware between the Galaxy Z Flip 4 and its predecessor. It features a 12MP primary sensor and a 12MP ultrawide camera. That's not really a bad thing, as Samsung has proven time and again that its image processing can easily overcome seemingly weak hardware. But seeing as how the Galaxy Z Fold 4 cameras received a major upgrade, the Z Flip 4 can seem like a bit of a disappointment.

As far as selfie cameras go, the Galaxy Z Flip 4 features a 10MP shooter, while Motorola goes with a 32MP sensor capable of 4-to-1 pixel binning. However, if you prefer, both phones can utilize the primary sensor for selfies, thanks to their external displays.

Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 4 vs. Motorola Razr 2022: Software

When it comes to software, Samsung and Motorola both take different approaches. Samsung has a heavily skinned One UI on top of Android, while Motorola keeps things pretty light with a near "stock" experience thanks to MyUX.

Samsung has taken strides to optimize One UI for foldables, going so far as to work with Google and others to make sure that users get a good experience. For instance, Flex Mode allows users to use their phone hands-free while recording. These capabilities are expected to improve with One UI 5 based on Android 13.

Meanwhile, it seems like Motorola is just getting the hang of foldable-specific software. The company often adds its own functions into its near "stock" version of Android, some of which we really appreciate, such as gestures to turn on the flashlight, start up the camera, or open an app shortcut bar.

The Razr 2022 runs a pretty stock version of Android 12, although with a bit of added flair. Otherwise, it's roughly what you'd expect from the likes of a Pixel phone.

Motorola has also upgraded its foldable experience, such as the new Flex View mode that's largely similar to the mode on Samsung's phone. The larger external display also lets users interact with notifications and various "cards" for functions like weather, news, and more.

One area where Samsung has most OEMs beat is software support. The Galaxy Z Flip 4 will receive four OS upgrades and five years of software support. However, Motorola is not so generous with its phones, and many of its flagships receive two OS upgrades and an extra year of support. The Razr is expected to only receive two major OS upgrades, and one of them will be the upcoming Android 13 update.

Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 4 vs. Motorola Razr 2022: Which should you buy?

Interestingly, the decision isn't very cut-and-dry when comparing the devices themselves. Samsung has definitely proven that it's taking foldables seriously, and has worked to ensure a great experience while increasing durability. However, the Galaxy Z Flip 4 is an iterative upgrade over its predecessor, offering little in the way of actual upgrades.

Meanwhile, the Motorola Razr 2022 is a bit of a resurgence for the company, thanks to its new design and flagship specs that in many ways surpass the Galaxy Z Flip 4. However, Motorola's track record with foldables isn't as robust, with its previous offerings largely falling flat.

If we were going just based on specs, the Motorola Razr 2022 seems to be the best choice given its better camera hardware, larger external screen, faster internal display, and extra RAM. However, if you're going for the overall experience, you might want the Galaxy Z Flip 4, as Samsung has put a lot of thought into One UI and making it bend to the needs of foldables as they become more mainstream.

Now that the Motorola Razr 2022 is available in the U.K. and Europe, it's a bit easier to get your hands on one. However, major markets such as the United States are still left out, leaving consumers waiting for a real competitor for the Galaxy Z Flip 4.

If you need a clamshell foldable phone now, the choice seems pretty clear.