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I won’t sugarcoat it: Motorola’s first attempt at an upgrade to the foldable Razr was a complete failure.
The company has again corrected its mistakes with the new Razr 5G, which features updates across the board, from better cameras and a stronger hinge to a bigger battery.
And, at $ 1,399, it’s also slightly cheaper than the first-gen model. While Motorola has yet to announce an official release date, the company says the phone will be available unlocked this fall. As for the carriers, it will be available through AT&T and T-Mobile.
Having reviewed the first Razr in February, I am still a bit traumatized by the experience. In addition to an embarrassingly creaking hinge, the screen began to crack after only a few days. On top of that, the pricey $ 1,500 phone produced low-resolution images and barely a day of battery life.
But Motorola can only go up from here, right? Let’s analyze all the improvements.
Same shell design, with some tweaks
Overall, the Razr 5G looks almost identical to its predecessor – it has the same aluminum frame, but a bit smaller. On the front is a cover screen that opens up to a larger screen (which we’ll get to later). But on closer inspection, you will find that there are a few key differences.
For starters, the chin on the bottom of the phone is much smaller and no longer houses the fingerprint sensor. Instead, it is reserved for 5G antennas while the sensor has been moved to the back of the device. Not only does this make it much easier to open the device with one hand, it is also a much more natural gesture.
The 5G Razr doesn’t look that different from the first-gen version.
am very excited about this change, particularly since I had a tendency to rest my finger on my chin while using the phone. This would often result in the Razr recognizing my fingerprint and locking the device every time, which became super annoying after a while.
Motorola also made improvements to the hinge with a redesigned feel that has more of a spring. The first version felt super stiff to open and close with one hand, so hopefully this one allows for more of that classic folding phone feel.
The Razr 5G also features the same “zero gap hinge system,” which leaves minimal space between both halves of the phone when closed to help prevent dust and debris from touching the screen. And to avoid damaging the hinge, there is also a stainless steel cover that acts as a protective liner.
According to Motorola, a flip cycle test showed that the Razr 5G can “withstand up to 200,000 cartwheels, meaning it would take a power user more than five years to reach that level of use.” But whether or not you can avoid making that horrible crunch after a while remains to be seen.
As for color options, the Razr 5G is available in Graphite, Mercury, and Blush Gold.
An emphasis on information “at a glance”
On the front of the Razr 5G is a 2.7-inch QuickView touchscreen, while the interior features a 6.2-inch OLED HD “FlexView” display with a 21: 9 aspect ratio. If those specs sound familiar, it’s because Motorola kept both screens the same size as the first iteration.
However, you can now do more with the cover screen than simply check notifications. Basically, you can navigate through the most used functions using gestures. No need to open the phone every time.
This includes swiping up to the home screen, swiping left to activate the app tray, swiping right for the camera app, and more. If you are using Google Maps, you will also be able to view turn-by-turn directions or access playback controls with Spotify, Pandora, and YouTube Music.
Now, you can do more than check notifications from the cover screen.
With the main screen, meanwhile, Motorola said it focused more on durability, given that the phone’s predecessor had some issues. Like I said before, mine started to noticeably crack after a short time, making it difficult to use it on a daily basis.
In the Razr 5G, the screen is made of plastic again, but it is made up of five layers that Motorola says are “durable enough to put in the hands of consumers.” It also has a custom hard shell coating and a water repellent design to help protect it from spills.
Of course, as with the hinge, we will have to test it in person to see if the new Motorola phone is as durable as it claims.
Much more impressive cameras, thank goodness
While I’m relieved to see that Motorola set out to improve the durability of the Razr 5G, I’m more excited about the improved cameras.
The original model featured a 16-megapixel sensor on the front and a 5-megapixel sensor on the main screen – the same cameras you’d find on a budget phone. The Razr 5G, on the other hand, has a 48-megapixel sensor under the hood display and a 20-megapixel sensor inside.
But instead of having to open the phone, the 48-megapixel main camera doubles as a rear camera and for selfies, allowing you to access features such as portrait mode, spot color, group selfie and more. Additionally, you can also take advantage of the external display to help you align a shot before capturing it and preview the photo afterward.
Lastly, an expensive phone with camera sensors to match.
Other improvements to the main camera include optical image stabilization for both photos and video along with laser autofocus built into the time of flight (ToF) sensor. Motorola also says that the sensor has 4 times the low light sensitivity of its predecessor, which should help improve night shots. With the first-gen model, Night Vision on the Razr produced super blurry shots, so we’re hoping the improved technology will help.
As for software updates for the camera app itself, the quick controls have been redesigned over the shutter button. Now you can access features like flash much more easily if you hold the phone with one hand. Meanwhile, the carousel can now also be customized with modes you use a lot (like Portrait or Group Selfie).
What’s under the hood?
When it comes to its processor, the Razr 5G has a Snapdragon 765 processor but only supports the “slower” 5G sub-6 speeds. That only applies if 5G is currently available in your area.
It also works with Android 10, but you will still have access to Moto Actions, such as turning the phone to activate the camera app or making a chopping motion to turn on the flashlight. Motorola also introduces My UX, which allows you to customize themes like fonts, colors, icon shapes, and more.
While the Razr 5G only comes in one storage configuration, once again Motorola has increased it from 6GB / 128GB to 8GB of memory and 256GB of storage.
That bigger drum kit sounds promising
The phone also packs a larger battery than its predecessor, with a 2,800 mAh battery that comes with a 15 W TurboPower block for fast charging.
The last Razr had a 2,510 mAh battery. It would last me all day on weekends when I used it minimally, but when I was multitasking during the week (like checking emails, Slack messages, using Spotify, and streaming Netflix), I could barely get past five hours. So it’s safe to say that this is another improvement that I’m excited about.
Durability remains to be seen
It’s clear that Motorola took note of all the ways the first Razr failed – a delicate screen, an unpredictable hinge, a poor-quality camera, and questionable battery life – and tried to make the necessary changes.
However, while all of these improvements sound wonderful on paper, it remains to be seen if the Razr 5G holds up. I say this because I was really excited about the first version. And I remember how extremely disappointed I was when it didn’t live up to expectations.
Don’t let us down this time, Motorola.
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