Motorola Razr 50 Ultra Review: The Razr+ 2024 Proves That Mighty Things Can Come in Small Packages

I recently attended the Brooklyn launch for the motorola razr 50 ultra (razr+ 2024) and the motorola razr 50 (razr 2024). In a full-circle moment, Paris Hilton, known for using RAZR phones throughout the mid-200s, was the event’s headlining DJ act; the next day, she was testifying before Congress on her experiences with troubled teen facilities*. Like Ms. Hilton, the motorola razr has come a long way, earning respect; the razr+ 2024 is now a full-fledged Android 14 foldable smartphone with a compellingly large outer display, a nearly imperceptible crease on the folding display, and a highly capable Snapdragon processor.

Shall we trip down memory lane for a moment?

The original razr, the RAZR V3, debuted in 2004 as one of the first phones to prioritize a sleek and stylish design over chunkier plastic flip phones of the time. Its ultra-thin profile and metallic body made it stand out; the clamshell design had a smooth, minimalist exterior, and the internal screen added to its visual appeal.

At its release, the RAZR V3 cost $500 and was positioned as a luxury item. With its laser-etched keys and electroluminescent “cool blue” backlighting, the keypad was visually striking and instantly fashionable.

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Compared to the usual plastic-bodied flip phones available at that time, the RAZR V3 had a premium metal shell, a relatively decent 1.3-megapixel camera, a large internal screen with a decent resolution, and an external screen that would flash caller ID information and any notifications.

It was a smash hit, and Motorola rode the wave with an extensive and effective marketing campaign that resulted in the RAZR V3 being prominently featured in blockbuster movies such as The Devil Wears Prada and popular TV shows like Lost and Entourage.

Everyone who was anyone seemed to carry one, including sports stars, movie stars, and, yes, early celebrity influencers like Paris Hilton, who rocked a hot pink model in 2005.

 

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But by the early 2010s, thanks to do-it-all convergent smartphones running Windows Mobile, Blackberry, iOS, and Android, many of us had moved on from flip phones to candy bar smartphones with larger displays and full PDA capabilities.

To counter that, Motorola released the Droid Razr in 2011, which was a pretty decent Android smartphone; the result was that for years, the Razr name no longer meant a sleek and stylish flip phone.

The 2011 Motorola Droid RAZR

In 2019, motorola returned to its RAZR roots and released a new $1499 moto razr Android 9 flip phone with a foldable main display. The foldable razr was back, and though it sported a plethora of 2019 updates, including a foldable main display, it still managed to pay plenty of nostalgic homage to the original RAZR V3.

Photo credit: Amazon

For 2024, the iconic motorola razr returns as the motorola razr 50 ultra (razr+ 2024) and the motorola razr 50 (razr 2024).

I’ve already covered the differences between the razer+ 2024 and the razr 2024 in a previous post, so let’s focus on the newest razr flagship, the motorola razr 50 ultra, also known as the razr+ 2024.

What’s in the Box?

The United States motorola razr 50 ultra comes with a USB Type-C cable, getting-started guides, and a SIM tool; there is no wall charger included in the box, which is the norm anymore.

Various reports say that in the EU market, the razr+ 2024 box also includes a 65W charger and a matching faux leather case that allows you to wear the razr like a bandolier. That doesn’t seem fair, but it’s not a deal-breaker.

The motorola razr 50 ultra (razr+ 2024) is available in Midnight Blue, Spring Green, Hot Pink, and the Pantone color of the year—Peach Fuzz —which, in my opinion, looks and feels eerily like flesh.

I’ll admit that I was happy to swap phones when my friend Rich said he’d rather have the Peach Fuzz version than the Midnight Blue he’d received, so that’s why the box shown is for the peach, but most photos for this review will be of the Midnight Blue. Thanks, Rich! 🙂

A Walk Around the motorola razr 50 ultra/razr+ 2024

The razr 50 ultra is water-resistant with an IPX8 rating, meaning it can withstand being submerged in up to almost 5′ of water for up to 30 minutes. That’s not an invitation to dunk it in the pool! But it does mean you can confidently carry it in just about any weather.

Keep in mind that, like most foldables, the motorola razr+ 2024 offers no dust resistance; while you’ll be just fine if caught in the rain with your phone, you might want to be careful with it in dustier environments.

The razr 50 ultra has Corning Gorilla Glass Victus covering its large, 4″ pOLED external display with a 1272 x 1080 resolution of 417 pixels per inch. This is quite a bit larger than the 3.4″ display on the current Samsung Z Flip series.

Using LPTO technology, the exterior display’s refresh rate can reach up to 165Hz for silky-smooth scrolling and responsive gameplay. The touch sampling rate, which determines how quickly the screen responds to touch inputs, goes up to 165Hz in game mode. The display can reach a peak brightness of 2400 nits for easy visibility even in bright sunlight.

When closed, the razr+ 2024 measures 3.47″ long by 2.92″ wide by 0.6″ thick, and it weighs 6.6 ounces. The external display is nearly edge-to-edge with thin bezels; it can run full apps, and it is large enough to actually be useful.

The motorola razr 50 ultra’s frame is made of aluminum. On the right side, with the phone folded, there are two volume buttons next to a power button with an embedded fingerprint reader, two microphones, and two antenna bands. The bottom half has two antenna bands.

The redesigned hinge makes up the top of the folded device. The hinge is highly capable; it will hold the razr+ 2024 open from a variety of angles.

When closing the phone and the hinge is at any angle less than 40º, the two halves of the clamshell will close together with a satisfying snap—and yes, you can hang up the phone by doing this.

Looking at the closed motorola razr 50 ultra, the top half holds two antenna bands and the SIM tray. The bottom half is clean except for the two antenna bands. The razr+ 2024 can accept one nanoSIM and an eSIM for a total of two lines.

When the motorola razr+ 2024 is folded, the top has a microphone and two narrowly centered antenna bands, while the bottom has two aligning antenna bands and the USB Type-C port.

The Midnight Blue motorola razr 50 ultra is the only two-toned model, and depending on the light, it appears to be more of a professional, dark grayish blue with a subtle contrasting stripe that is only noticeable if you are really looking at it. The vegan leather has a nice tactility that feels good in hand.

I honestly wouldn’t want to put a case on the razr+ 2024, though I feel it would be prudent to do so for drop protection.

When open, the razr 50 ultra measures 6.75″ long by 2.92″ wide by 0.3″ thick. The main display is a 6.9″ Full HD+ pOLED screen with a 2640 x 1080 resolution and a pixel density of 413 ppi. It features a refresh rate of up to 165Hz  and uses LTPO technology, meaning that the refresh rate will lower to conserve battery life on apps that don’t need the higher refresh rate.

I should note here that the current Samsung Z Flip’s main display is only 6.7″, so you’re also getting a bit more usable screen space inside.

The touch sampling rate is 220Hz, which increases to 300Hz when in game mode, and the display can reach a peak brightness of 3000 nits for easy viewing even in bright sunlight.

The razr 50 ultra’s selfie camera system includes a 32-megapixel camera with an f/2.4 aperture and an 8-megapixel camera with an f/2.4 aperture. The cameras support various shooting modes, including portrait, photo booth, and dual capture, and feature AI enhancements such as auto night vision and gesture capture.

The front camera can record 4K UHD videos at 60fps or 30fps and Full HD videos at the same frame rates; additional video modes include night vision, timelapse with Hyperlapse, and adaptive stabilization.

When the phone is turned off, the center crease on the main display is visible but not distracting; with the phone turned on, it is barely perceptible except by touch. It is not distracting; I consider it very well done.

The motorola razr 50 ultra/razr+ 2024 Main Cameras

The cameras on the exterior of the motorola razr 50 ultra protrude by about 1mm from the front display, adding a bit of visual interest without losing much screen real estate.

The 50-megapixel main camera has an f/1.7 aperture and optical image stabilization (OIS). A 50-megapixel telephoto lens with an f/2.0 aperture offers 2x optical zoom.

The main camera supports multiple shooting modes, including long exposure, dual capture, and night vision, while the telephoto lens offers modes like super zoom and live filter.

Perhaps the only thing I’m disappointed about is that there isn’t a wide-angle camera; instead, we get standard and telephoto cameras.

For video recording, the main camera can capture 4K UHD at 60fps or 30fps and 4K UHD HDR10+ at 30fps with electronic image stabilization (EIS). It also supports slow-motion recording at 960fps, 240fps, and 120fps in Full HD.

There is a cool trick that you can employ when shooting video with what motorola is calling “camcorder mode.”

To do this, you’ll hold the razr while open and twist it with your wrist twice quickly, which will launch the camera. You can then fold the razr from 45º to 135º with the camera app open and hold the phone in “camcorder orientation.” You’ll see what’s happening on the display directly in front of you, and a countdown will appear telling you that the video will start recording in 3, 3, 1.

On the black screen closest to your face, you can swipe up or down to zoom in or out or tap that area to end the recording.

The recording will automatically stop when you rotate the phone back to its open vertical position.

If you twist the phone twice quickly when the phone is closed, the camera will automatically open in selfie mode, using the main cameras on the front display. To capture a photo, all you have to do is touch the display anywhere.

Photos Taken with the motorola razr 50 ultra/razr+ 2024

Here’s a selection of photos taken with the motorola razr 50 ultra; I was pleasantly surprised by how it did with portraits and selfies, but low-light situations can be hit or miss when you are trying to catch a quick shot and don’t have time to really get things dialed in.

Motorola razr 50 ultra/razr+ 2024 Processor and Battery Life

The motorola razr 50 ultra (razr+ 2024) is powered by the Snapdragon 8s Gen 3 Mobile Platform, and it runs Android 14 with a Hello UX software overlay, which offers personalized experiences, advanced ecosystem connectivity, and comprehensive security settings. It comes with 12GB of LPDDR5X RAM and 256GB of UFS 4.0 internal storage.

There is also an option to employ a RAM boost, which will take your 12GB RAM and boost it by 4, 6, 8, or 12GB for a total of 24GB RAM; or you can opt to use AI auto, which will optimize your device’s memory use by adding up to 12GB to the base 12GB RAM.

This option comes as the default, and I’ve found it to be the sweet spot for getting the speeds you need when you need them.

The combination of the Snapdragon processor, LPDDR5X RAM, and the RAM boost makes for a phone that is remarkably nimble and that operates without lags or stutters, even with multiple apps open while playing games or doing any of the other things you would usually use your phone for, like answering emails, editing photos, surfing, watching videos, and replying on social media.

The motorola razr 50 ultra’s battery has been upgraded to 4,000mAh from the last razr+ 2023’s 3,800mAh. In a torture test, I kept the main screen on the highest brightness while streaming HD video over Wi-Fi; I got just under 13.5 hours of use before the battery gave me the red flag; this is more than respectable.

In real-world testing, I’ve found that I can easily use the motorola razr+ 2024 for an entire day with about 45% left at 8 p.m. This may be because I can do so much on the exterior display without even opening the phone. I’ve also found that I can get through about a day and a half of use before I have to top it off, which is excellent in my book.

The razr+ 2024 can be charged at speeds up to 45W using a cable and up to 15W for wireless charging; it can also provide 5W reverse wireless charging to top off your earbuds. Compare this to the Samsung Z Flip’s 25W using a cable and up to 15W for wireless charging, with 4.5W reverse wireless charging.

Using a 65W charger takes about an hour to charge the phone from 0 to 100%; using a flat 15W Qi charger takes almost two hours. I have no issues with either of the charging speeds.

I’m tempted to get a MagSafe-compatible phone case, though (if/when one exists), because it would be lovely if I could charge the Razor 50 Ultra on my favorite MagSafe desktop charger, the Nomad Stand One Max.

Finally, it is worth noting that motorola has committed to three years of OS upgrades and four years of security patches. This falls slightly short of the four years of OS updates and five years of security patches that Samsung offers on the Z Flip5.

Using the motorola razr 50 ultra/razr+ 2024

The razr+ 2024’s large 4″ external display steals the show here; it is a game-changer for handling simple tasks without opening the phone. You can place up to four app shortcuts on the main screen and load it up with additional app shortcuts or widgets for your calendar, weather updates, games, Spotify, and more.

Quite a few apps, including Gmail and the calculator, run almost in their full form on this screen. This allows you to manage simple tasks quickly. You can also set which apps you want to open on the external display when you shut the phone with them on the main display.

The motorola razr 50 ultra is one of the first in the brand’s lineup to feature dedicated AI tools; these include Google’s Gemini app, which can be useful for things like getting step-by-step instructions on a project, help planning trips and activities or even assistance when writing thank-you notes or emails.

You can also use Gemini to help when brainstorming ideas or to seamlessly access information from Google apps and services like Maps, YouTube, Flights, Gmail, and Drive.

Motorola doesn’t miss an opportunity to show you ways to use and customize the phone, which is handy if you’re new to foldables or motorola in general.

When you purchase either the razr+ 2024 or the razr 2024, motorola is throwing in a three-month subscription to Gemini Advanced, which includes 2 TB of cloud storage and access to Google’s most advanced AI models through the Google One AI Premium plan.

More AI features will come to the motorola razr 50 ultra in the next few months, including prioritized summaries of communications, instant conversation recording, and memory-capturing capabilities, which should be fun to check out once available.

Even with all of this available personalization, the Motorola razr+ 2024 never seems to feel cluttered or overloaded. In fact, I like this Hello UX as much as I like OnePlus’s OxygenOS, with Pixel’s stock Android still being my favorite.

I would be shirking my editorial duty, if I didn’t mention a couple of things that you should keep in mind when using the motorola razr 50 ultra or the razr 50, for that matter:

1. Even though the Gorilla Glass Victus on the front display should be quite tough and scratch-resistant, it would be smart to put a screen protector on the outer display. One of the reviewers I know who attended the Brooklyn event managed to put a light scratch on his when it rubbed against something in his pocket; he’s not even sure what did it. If you don’t put a protector on yours and you keep it in a pocket, make sure the phone is the only thing in your pocket, just to be safe.
2. Motorola says the vegan leather on the razr’s back is durable, stain-resistant, and won’t fade. But when I was talking to another reviewer who had received the Hot Pink razr+ 2024 at the launch event (a day after we were given our review units), they showed me that their phone was already starting to show some “hand grease” discoloration on the pink vegan leather’s edges. Your mileage will vary, but just be aware that lighter colors —used without a case—may show hand stains, while a darker color will be less likely to do so.

Should You Buy the motorola razr 50 ultra/razr+ 2024?

If you’re in the market for a foldable phone and you can’t quite see yourself with something as large as a book-style Samsung Galaxy Z Fold series, Google Pixel Fold, or OnePlus Open, going with a much more pocketable Flip-style is a great alternative.

After tomorrow’s Samsung Unpacked event, your US flip-style foldable flagship options will be the motorola razr 50 ultra and the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip6. If you want to save some money, you can consider the motorola razr 50/razr 2024 for $300 less.

But if we’re talking flagships: even though the Z Flip 6 will almost certainly have the ever so slightly “better” Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 processor instead of the razr+ 2024’s Snapdragon 8s Gen 3 if the rumors and leaks are true, Samsung is sticking with the 3.4″ display; at this point, with the razr 50 ultra as its competition, that just isn’t good enough.

With the motorola razr 50 ultra, you get a highly capable smartphone with 12GB RAM (plus up to another 12GB with RAM boost), 256GB storage,  excellent battery life, fast charging, and relatively decent cameras (for a foldable) for $999.99. There will be plenty of carrier incentives that will knock the price down even further, making this excellent flip-foldable an even better buy.

We’ll know tomorrow if Samsung sticks to its $999.99 Z Flip starting price for the 256GB model; if they opt to raise it for any reason, that will be yet another reason to consider the motorola razr+ 2024 instead. Update: Indeed, Samsung raised the price to 41099 before any incentives or trade-ins.

Perhaps the only thing I would have done differently on the razr+ 2024 is substitute an ultra-wide for the telephoto camera, but that’s just my personal preference, and it might not be yours. And yes, I would have given it at least another year of OS and security updates. Even so, I still think the motorola razer 50 ultra is the better Flip-foldable option.

The motorola razr 50 ultra/razr+ 2024 retails for $999.99; it is available directly from the manufacturer and other carriers and retailers, including Amazon and Best Buy.

Source: Manufacturer supplied review sample

What I Like: Thin and stylish flip phone with a large, 4″ exterior display that can run just about any app well; Brilliant 6.9″ main display with a barely perceptible crease; Excellent battery life; Can accept a nanoSIM and an eSIM for a total of two lines; Snapdragon 8s Gen 3 is a highly capable processor; 12GB of LPDDR5X RAM with up to 12GB of RAM boost; 256GB of UFS 4.0 internal storage

What Needs Improvement: No ultra-wide camera; Only three years of OS updates and four years of security updates

*If you haven’t heard about Ms. Hiton’s testimony before Congress, it’s definitely worth reading. Kudos to her, and I hope that her testimony makes a difference.

Carrier Options:

The motorola razr 50 ultra/razr+ 2024 is available for pre-order at T-Mobile, AT&T, motorola.com, Amazon, and Best Buy starting tomorrow. It will be sold at T-Mobile and AT&T and will be available universally unlocked at the motorola site, Amazon, and Best Buy starting on July 24th.

In Canada, it will retail for $1299.99. It will be available for pre-order at motorola.ca starting tomorrow and from select carriers and retailers beginning on July 24th.

AT&T

AT&T’s new and existing AT&T customers can get the motorola razr 50 ultra/razr+ 2024 for just $5.99 – with no trade-in required, starting on July 24th.

T-Mobile

T-Mobile’s  new and existing customers can get the motorola razr 50 ultra/razr+ 2024 FREE or half off with the following offers:

• FREE motorola razr+ 2024 or motorola razr 2024 when adding a line or switching to Go5G Plus/Next
• Half-off (up to $500 off) the motorola razr+ 2024 or motorola razr 2024 when trading in an eligible device and switching to Go5G

T-Mobile will exclusively carry the new hot pink motorola razr+ 2024; they will also have it in Midnight Blue. You can pre-order starting on July 10th, and they will have them in-store on July 25th.