In 2024, few people will be happy with a phone, but this is the Motorola Razr Plus, baby.
Of course, cell phones are amazing little computers. The Razr Plus sells for $999, and rightfully so. But they are mature products—tools rather than objects of pleasure—and for the most part, they have blended into the background noise of our lives. But the Razr Plus is different, and not just because it folds in half.
Let me give you an example: One of the background options for the media controls on the cover screen is a carousel. As music plays, the record rotates with a camera cutout in the center. Press the pause button and the stylus will lift away from the record and stop. Are you kidding me? so cute.
I love the Razr Plus so much that it’s a bit more disappointing than any old phablet. The cover screen is very convenient – even more so this year, with some useful UI improvements. It has an IPX8 rating, which significantly improves water resistance. This hinge improvement makes the crease almost disappear when you use the inner screen. important things! But in the long run, the meaningful improvements and enjoyable moments don’t entirely offset the Razr Plus’ shortcomings.
If you’re new to the modern flip phone, let me introduce you to the elevator pitch: a big phone on the inside, a small phone on the outside. Once you open the phone, you have a regular smartphone with a large screen that can perform all the typical operations. But when you close it, the cover screen almost acts like a second phone, so you can do basic things like check notifications and reply to text messages without having to open the phone and face everything on the big screen. Personally, I love them.
Motorola sells two modern versions of its classic flip phone: the Razr Plus and the more basic Razr. This year, both Razr models come with larger screens. Compared to last year’s 3.6-inch screen, the Razr Plus is 4 inches wider diagonally. It might even be the same size as the screen Your first iPhone, although it feels compact compared to modern phone displays. The bezel at the top of the screen (did we call it forehead?) is much smaller than on the previous generation. It almost makes last year’s model look like a prototype.
There are even more ways to customize your cover screen this time. You can select a few app shortcuts to place directly on the cover screen’s homepage – previously, you had to swipe to a separate panel to access any app. The calendar panel has been greatly improved, showing more information through more view configurations.
Even the flow of allowing apps to open on the cover screen is better. On last year’s model, you had to open the phone to approve apps for the cover screen – only once per app, but per app. Now you can notify approvals and open apps directly from the cover screen. You actually have three options: allow, disallow, or—my favorite—“not now,” which allows me to slowly back off without committing when I mindlessly click on thread notifications. Satan, not now.
Overall, the screen-covering experience is much better than the previous generation; more mature and not like you’re testing beta software. I’d use this over the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5 every time, yes I know good lock. Motorola has put a lot of thought into every aspect of the display, and it shows. Oh, and before we talk about the other phone connected to this phone, let’s take a look at the two additional screens: Google Assistant (including Gemini!) and the always-on display. All my dreams will come true.
The cover screen is pleasing to the eye, but the inner screen is bland. It’s a 6.9-inch 1080p OLED, and while the resolution didn’t bother me too much in my testing, the screen is large enough to benefit from a higher pixel count. It’s not as bright outside as I’d like. it is beautifulbut you can definitely get a better display on a phablet for the same money—or Even a little less.
The good news is that Motorola has a new hinge design this year that minimizes the creases that appear when the phone is fully extended. There’s also an upgraded IPX8 rating; there’s no official dust resistance. The Razr Plus is certified for full submersibility in fresh water, which is a big improvement over the previous generation’s “splash-proof” rating. Importantly, the IPX8 rating also puts the Razr Plus on the same level as the Galaxy Z Flip 5 (and likely the upcoming Z Flip 6).
The soft-touch feel on the back panel is as good as ever, but the bright pink model I tested came with a new “vegan suede” material, which I don’t think is a change for the better. It feels more papery, and I don’t think it will wear well over time; my review unit had some faint scratches that didn’t go away when I tried sanding them with my fingers. Considering this isn’t some bougie boxes – This is Actual cell phone— This looks bad. Other colors – Peach Plush, Midnight Blue and Spring Green – come in vegan leather finishes, such as Last This year’s pink model, for what it’s worth, seems pretty good.
Razr Plus uses Snapdragon 8S Gen 3 chipsetIn Qualcomm’s increasingly confusing product lineup, it occupies a position as a mid-range or low-end flagship. In the U.S., the Razr Plus comes with 12GB of memory and 256GB of storage – decent numbers. This combination is enough for my daily use and can be used for a long time Pocket City 2 Sessions don’t add much weight. I have zero complaints about the battery life, which is a real compliment for flip phones since they tend to come with smaller batteries. The Razr Plus’s 4,000mAh battery provides enough power to get through a day of heavy use.
But again I ask Motorola to work on its software support. The Razr Plus comes with three years of operating system upgrades and four years of security updates. That’s okay; for most people, four years is probably long enough. But Samsung and Google are now promising seven years of support for their high-end phones — even the $499 Pixel 8A comes with seven years of support. I can’t help but want more from a $999 phone. Motorola’s track record on timeliness isn’t great either. 2023 Razr Plus owners Just started getting the Android 14 update — Android 15 is only a few months away from being released, and it doesn’t look good.
Camera performance has been another weak point for Motorola over the past few years, and unfortunately, that doesn’t change with the Razr Plus.
Motorola appears to be trying to solve this problem with a new feature called Photo Enhancement Engine, which is said to use artificial intelligence to improve noise reduction in low light, improve bokeh in portrait mode photos, and improve dynamics. scope. That sounds like a laundry list of everything phone makers have used artificial intelligence in the past decade. Regardless, there are some core issues that the new photo processing pipeline has yet to address: poor subject isolation in Portrait mode, unconvincing background blur, and uneven color reproduction.
The system knows how to take advantage of bright, abundant light – I took some great photos at the top of my hike. But medium light is still a challenge, with flat overly bright images and reds saturated to the point of clipping.
The Razr Plus swaps out last year’s ultra-wide-angle lens for a 2x telephoto lens, giving it some nice zoom options for portraits. There’s also 4x digital zoom for a wider range, and as long as there’s enough light, the quality is good. Without the ultra-wide angle on the rear panel, you wouldn’t have the same chance of getting everyone in the group selfie, but the main camera is wide enough to get several people in the photo.
So, here’s the dilemma: I love using the Razr Plus, but I find it hard to recommend it. Cover screens are a staple of the flip phone experience, and everything about it is better this time around. It’s easier to use, does more useful things, and is more customizable. If you’re a flip phone lover like me, it has all the right features.
But I wouldn’t recommend it to anyone who’s more interested in a flip phone or who finds the nostalgia factor appealing. You can get better cameras in phablets for a lot less, and a good camera is important for a camera you carry with you every day. Motorola also has a spotty record when it comes to timely software updates. And the internal screen simply doesn’t meet the standards of modern flagship phones.
If the $999 Plus price seems steep, the standard 2024 Razr is worth a look. Unlike last year, it sports a large screen like its siblings and also has an IPX8 rating. I haven’t tested it yet, but the price of $699 is very attractive for this set of features. at the same time, Galaxy Z Flip 6 is coming soon. Motorola could learn a thing or two from Samsung’s approach to software, namely quick updates and long support times. But then again, Samsung could also take some inspiration from the Razr Plus – it’s a delightful phone.
Photography: Allison Johnson/The Verge
