The Motorola Razr 2024: A Foldable Phone That Doesn't Cost a Fortune

Until recently, foldable phones seemed like a gimmick – a pricey way to show off next-gen display technology while tapping into nostalgia. But the Motorola Razr 2024, released in July, is a game-changer. This innovative, £550 gadget proves that foldables don't have to be prohibitively expensive.

With a larger external display than its predecessor, an impressive camera, and stellar battery life, the Razr 2024 is a practical phone that also doubles as a fun party trick.

While foldables like the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold and Flip, and the Google Pixel Fold have been vying for our attention and wallets for years, they remain relatively expensive, with the Z Flip 6 costing £870, and the Z Fold 6 and Pixel Fold coming in at £1,500 and £1,400 respectively. Motorola's 2019 revival of the beloved Razr line also came with a hefty £1,100 price tag, but the company has since managed to bring down the price of the standard Razr to £550 and the Razr Plus to £800.

The 2024 Razr addresses some of the reservations people have about foldable phones, but it's not without its drawbacks. The front display, for example, doesn't fully accommodate all apps, and there's a noticeable crease on the inside. However, the phone's features for the cover screen, such as previewing selfies or texting without unfolding, make the experience feel surprisingly normal.

The spacious internal display is perfect for split-screen mode, allowing you to use two apps simultaneously, and for enjoying videos on a larger screen that conveniently folds up when you're on the go. These small details demonstrate why a foldable phone, and a Razr comeback, might be worth considering.

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A Much-Needed Larger Cover Screen

The Razr 2024 addresses one of the major drawbacks of previous models: the cover screen. While the 2023 Razr had a tiny 1.5-inch display for swiping through apps and widgets, the 2024 model features a near-full 3.6-inch OLED display – essentially the same one found on the 2023 Razr Plus. (Those wanting a full-screen experience without the top bezel will have to upgrade to the Razr Plus, which is a shame, but a necessary incentive for Motorola.)

This makes the Razr's cover screen larger than the 3.4-inch external display on the Galaxy Z Flip 6, which dedicates a significant portion of that space to the camera cutout. With the same pixel density as the main display, switching between screens doesn't compromise image quality.

The Razr's cover screen becomes incredibly versatile, allowing for texting, taking photos, listening to music, and even browsing through social media – although the latter does involve some cropping and awkwardness. Despite this, using TikTok on the cover screen is surprisingly manageable, with scrolling and tapping functions remaining accessible. Instagram, on the other hand, presents more challenges, with images requiring scrolling to see the whole picture and Reels being awkwardly cropped.

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The Razr's Cameras: Taking Photos a Snap

The Razr 2024 boasts a 32-megapixel selfie camera on the internal display, and a new 50-megapixel main camera (the same as the 2024 Razr Plus) and 13-megapixel ultrawide camera on the back.

The ability to take photos with the rear cameras while the phone is folded shut is a fantastic feature, and launching the camera app on the cover screen provides a quick way to snap selfies. Standard mode photos are sharp, but images tend to be slightly more shadowed, and you'll have to work with awkward 1:1 or 3:4 aspect ratios instead of the standard 2:3 ratio.

Portrait mode via the cover screen does a decent job of focusing on the foreground, even with multiple people in the photo. However, it struggles a bit with blurring edges, resulting in patchy areas around subjects in some images.

The Razr also offers the option to flip the phone open and use the rear cameras for selfies, with the External Display Preview mode showing the image on the cover screen. This feature, which lets people see their picture as it's being taken, is a guaranteed crowd-pleaser.

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The Razr's Crease: Less Noticeable Than Before

A key concern for many people is how the phone feels to use when unfolded. The good news is that the Razr 2024 doesn't feel awkward or lanky, despite having a 6.9-inch internal display – roughly the same size as the Galaxy S24 Ultra. Apps like TikTok and Instagram feel natural on the tall screen, seamlessly blending into the familiar experience of scrolling on a standard phone.

The crease on the internal display is hardly noticeable during everyday use, disappearing almost completely when watching videos or scrolling through photos and apps. It's only visible when the screen is off. This is a significant improvement over last year's model, where the crease was still noticeable.

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Razr Battery Life and Performance

The Razr 2024 boasts impressive battery life, lasting over a day and a half with heavy use. Benchmark tests show the phone's battery lasting longer than the 2024 Razr Plus and the Galaxy Z Flip 6, likely due to the more power-efficient MediaTek Dimensity 7300X chip. The phone runs Android 14 out of the box, has 8GB of RAM, and 256GB of internal storage. While it offers three years of major OS updates, it's less than the seven years offered by Samsung on the Galaxy Z Flip 6.

The Razr 2024 supports 30-watt charging (charger not included), going from 0% to 58% in 30 minutes and fully charging in just over an hour. It also supports 15-watt wireless charging.

Benchmark tests place the phone's CPU performance below the Galaxy Z Flip 6 and the Razr Plus, though its graphics performance matches the Razr Plus. Despite this, the phone handles daily tasks smoothly, with apps launching quickly and videos transitioning seamlessly between portrait and landscape modes.

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Overall Thoughts

The 2024 Razr is a compelling offering, especially at its price point. The larger, 3.6-inch cover screen adds significant versatility, making it more practical for everyday use. The phone's battery life is exceptional, even with demanding tasks like streaming and social media browsing. While the internal display crease is still noticeable when the screen is blank, it doesn't detract from the overall experience.

The Razr's camera might not be as impressive as the Z Flip 6, but it's still capable of capturing good photos and videos, especially for social media. While the phone performs slightly lower in benchmark tests, this doesn't impact its ability to handle daily tasks efficiently.

Overall, the Motorola Razr 2024 demonstrates that you don't have to break the bank to enjoy a foldable phone. It's a practical, fun, and affordable device that might just change your mind about foldables.