Motorola razr 40: In a slab-dominated world, Motorola brings some retro chic into the fold with a twist in the Razr 40.
Flip phones may not be hot again, but the flip is making a comeback, and the foldable Motorola Razr (coming to AT&T, T-Mobile and Verizon on Feb.
6 for $1,500) looks to have nailed a mix of style and usability at a comparatively reasonable price.
The Razr 40 might not be the flagbearer for the series (the honor belongs to the Razr 40 Ultra) but it is a strong and proud member of the premium mid-range devices club.
So, is this nothing but nostalgia gimmick or a genuine, functional smartphone? Let’s dive in.
Design: Nostalgia Reimagined
The Motorola Razr 40 is about style and feel. It’s one of the smallest smartphones when folded, and effortlessly slides in a pocket or bag.
The rear is covered in a smooth, classy vegan leather finish for a soft touch, and while it’s not the onlybig change this year; The hinge is a huge step forward — smooth, rigid, and way less creaky than the early foldables.
Unfolded, the device features a tall, skinny 6.9-inch pOLED display with slim bezels and a hole-punch selfie camera.
On the outside, there’s a 1.5-inch secondary display, which is fine for common tasks like checking the time, controlling music and reading notifications.
At only 188g, it’s light for a foldable, and you get that ‘cool factor’ that people will give you the third degree about.
Screen: Long, color, and smooth
The primary internal display is a 6.9-inch Full HD+ pOLED screen with 144Hz refresh rate. That is higher than most phones at this price, and scrolling feels ultra-smooth.
The colors are rich, blacks are deep, and the viewing experience is deeply immersive — especially for videos or reading.
And the outer display is of course small, so think of it as a supplement to your primary screen time. But it’s a fun extra for brief exchanges.
Performance: Mid-Range Muscle, Flagship Feel When I got my hands on the Galaxy S10, the first thing I wanted to do was open its 16:9 video content into full-screen mode.
In terms of hardware, the Razr 40 is powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 7 Gen 1, with 8GB RAM and 256GB storage.
It’s not a flagship chip, and it doesn’t have a 90- or 120-hertz display, so its performance won’t be as fast day to day (think: browsing, multitasking, videos, playing less-taxing games).
Apps launch smoothly and the near-stock Android UI means there is next to no bloatware and it still looks clean. It’s speedy and intuitive and refreshingly uncluttered.
For gamers, casual games play without a hiccup, but more demanding games such as Genshin Impact or Call of Duty Mobile may require settings to be tuned down to eliminate dropped frames.
Camera: Good Enough, but Not Revolutionary
On the back, the Razr 40 features a 64MP main camera with OIS, and a 13MP ultra-wide lens.
The primary camera handles itself nicely during the day, providing us with natural colors, sharp details and a balanced dynamic range. Portrait mode is also very good, with only fair edge detection.
Its ultra-wide is okay for landscape shots, but isn’t great when it comes to sharpness and low light.
For selfie enthusiasts rather, it also sports a 32MP front camera, which should prove to be pretty handy when snapping a picture with the phone half-folded as this acts as its own mini tripod.
Low-light photography is a tad disappointing. Night mode helps, but noise starts to show up, and details get muddy.
Battery & charging: One full day of usage
The 4200mAh battery may sound small for a regular phone, but for the size of a foldable, it’s all up for the task.
It easily gets through a normal day with moderate usage. You receive 30W wired fast charging and wireless charging is supported in another win for convenience.
Pros and Cons
Pros:
Slim and attractive foldable design
High refresh rate pOLED inner screen
Clean, near-stock Android UI
Okay primary shooter with OIS
Wireless charging support
Cons:
Outer screen is very limited
Not built for heavy gaming
Camera performance is just so-so in low light.
No IP rating for complete water resistance.
Mid-level specs for mid-expensive pricing
Motorola razr 40: Verdict: Flip with Function
The Motorola Razr 40 is not designed to be an absolute performance beast. Instead, it’s offering a distinctive design, clean software and decent specs for people who want to stand out.
It’s perfect for users who want something stylish, portable and effective — without a commitment to the most expensive foldables.
It’s not perfect, but as a device that marries nostalgia with functionality, the Razr 40 is one of the more compelling foldables you can buy without breaking the bank.