The Razr (2026) is why Motorola keeps winning

The Motorola Razr was one of my favorite phones of 2025. It embodied everything that’s made Moto successful during its resurgence, with a sleek, stylish design, solid performance, and a reasonable price.

Naturally, I was excited about the chance to test the 2026 base Razr ($799.99 at Amazon), but also mindful of Moto’s frustrating price increases — especially given that the company didn’t materially change the Razr’s spec sheet. Still, it’s a phone that doesn’t disappoint. There aren’t any glaring compromises or limitations that force me to recommend something else. And if you’re in the market for a fun folding phone, the Razr is once again the device that should be in the most pockets.

The Motorola Razr knew what it wanted to be when it grew up

There’s a theme that’s played out over the past few years, and it best explains why the Razrs have resonated with buyers. Motorola set out to build a fantastic clamshell foldable with the Razr, while Samsung aimed to design a great Galaxy device that happens to fold in half with the Z Flip — and there’s a difference. Casual buyers are the target audience for the Razr lineup, and Motorola never forgets that.

It starts with the design. The Motorola Razr isn’t a huge departure from its predecessor, and if it weren’t for the new colorways, you’d have a hard time telling them apart. It still features a 3.6-inch cover screen, a color-matched aluminum frame, and a textured backing. I love the full 4-inch outer display on the top-tier Razr Ultra (2026), but part of me prefers that the vanilla Razr’s design carries over to the front of the device on the base model.

It’s a sleek, stylish, and fun phone that always starts a conversation whenever I pull it out, and that’s absolutely part of the appeal of owning one. Its curved frame is a pleasure to hold — a stark contrast to the almost industrial feel of the Galaxy Z Flip 8.

Just because the outside hasn’t changed doesn’t mean Motorola didn’t make any improvements. The hinge is the best I’ve felt on a Razr. I pulled out my Razr Plus from 2023, and it feels like an unfolded lawn chair by comparison. The Razr also carries an IP48 rating for dust and water resistance. That’s not the robust protection you’ll find on most candy bar phones, but it’s better than nothing. Foldables still require a certain level of mindfulness that you don’t need with traditional slab smartphones, but the Razr isn’t a device that you need to baby.

The cover screen sets the Motorola Razr apart

I want an outer display that discourages me from unfolding my phone, and the Motorola Razr does just that. It’s a fantastic experience, and it’s ready to go out of the box. I don’t have to install any additional software for customization. I can go straight to the apps tile, tap the pencil icon to edit, and add any apps I’d like, without limitation. You’ll occasionally run into an aspect ratio issue with a program that doesn’t play nice on the Razr’s 3.6-inch display, but the ease of use is a trade-off I’m willing to make. It’s ideal for social media, as I can scratch that itch with a five-minute scroll instead of opening up my phone and watching 30 minutes slip away.

The tiles are easy to use and customize, and I’ve even grown to enjoy the little minigames Motorola includes for the cover screen. They are fun time-wasters that are easy to start up. I’ve played the soccer game more than I’d like to admit, and the overall fun factor is definitely part of the Razr’s appeal.

Thankfully, unfolding the phone is also a fantastic experience. The Razr’s inner display is a gorgeous 6.9-inch AMOLED panel that refreshes at 120Hz. Yes, it’s limited to 1080p, but I’ve never found that to be a limitation on the device. It’s bright enough to view comfortably outdoors, and it’s an HDR10+ panel. Videos and games look fantastic. Motorola has shipped some of my favorite smartphone displays over the last few years, and the Razr’s is no exception.

The Razr’s performance isn’t surprising anyone

Benchmark scores are never a perfect metric for buying advice, but this is a rare instance where the numbers accurately reflect real-world usage — the Razr is a decisively mid-range performer. The Dimensity 7450X chipset paired with 8GB of RAM will get the job done for most tasks, but if you start demanding more (like cranking an intense game up to max settings), you’ll feel it start to chug.

Still, I’ve never felt held back by its day-to-day performance with those expectations in place, and most users won’t experience any issues. I understand it’s a hard pill to swallow, especially since Motorola isn’t charging a mid-range price for the base Razr. However, folding form factors carry a premium, and clamshell devices like the Razr aren’t typically designed with enthusiasts in mind. Samsung and Google raised the prices of their flagships this year. It’s an uncomfortable reality in 2026, but it shouldn’t turn you away from the Razr.

It’s not all perfect for the Motorola Razr (2026)

If you are looking to poke holes in Moto’s narrative for the Razr this year, I’d focus on the software instead of the price. My Razr is still running an July security patch (since updated to May), which actually isn’t that bad in my experience with Motorola devices. Moto promises three years of Android upgrades and five years of security patches. That’s easily doubled by Google and Samsung phones that cost half the price, but that’s not the only problem. I honestly can’t tell you what those updates will look like. Android 16 is running well on my Razr, but I’d be shocked if Android 17 arrived any time soon.

Like with my current Razr, it’s not unusual for bi-monthly updates to slip to tri-monthly, and if you’re someone interested in the latest and greatest Android features, the Razr isn’t for you. However, Motorola’s Hello UI skin is clean, and your favorite Moto Gestures are all here. Do I wish Motorola offered more years of support and in a more timely fashion? Sure, but most Moto buyers I speak with know precisely what they are getting and are comfortable anyway.

Motorola is offering something Samsung won’t

The Motorola Razr features a 4,800mAh silicon-carbon battery, which is something I should be saying about the more expensive Galaxy Z Flip 8, but I can’t. Despite the price increase, the Razr punches well above its weight in battery life. I easily get two days on a single charge with moderate usage. The battery figures tell the story, but they also translate to real-world use. Yes, not unfolding the phone helps, and the cover screen draws less power, but I love a phone that doesn’t give me a single moment of battery anxiety.

Unfortunately, the phone’s 30W wired and 15W wireless charging speeds lag behind its more expensive sibling, the Razr Ultra, but I’m pleased with the results. Silicon-carbon battery technology absolutely makes a difference in every device I’ve tested it in, and I love that Motorola is bringing it stateside.

I enjoy what Motorola’s done with the cameras (with or without AI)

Motorola bills the cameras on the Razr (2026) as “AI-powered,” and while I couldn’t tell you what that translates to after the snap, I do like the results. Photos are sharp from the phone’s dual 50MP sensors. I would’ve preferred a telephoto lens to an ultrawide, but I appreciate that Motorola made both 50MP. I hate seeing a dramatic drop-off in quality when I switch to the ultrawide lens, and I haven’t experienced that on the Razr.

In good lighting, you’ll get an image I’m used to from Motorola over the last few years. They are detailed with deep contrast and saturated colors. I love my Pixel photos, but I contend the Razr delivers a more social-media-ready image, with vibrant hues. Low-light performance is adequate, but you can start to see images get a little soft. It’s nothing I can’t live with, but if you love nighttime photography, a Pixel 11 is a better choice.

The 32MP selfie camera captures decent images with good Portrait mode performance, but I’d use it sparingly. It’s much better to use the main cameras with the cover screen as a viewfinder when taking photos of yourself and friends. In addition, Moto’s Flex View on the Razr is a fun way to capture video that reminds me of how you’d hold a ’90s camcorder — just another cool way to use a flip phone.

Motorola Razr (2026) review verdict: Should you buy it?

All told, the Motorola Razr is a phone I want in my pocket. I’ll admit that I’m a bit fancy, so I carry the Razr Ultra when I can, but I never feel cheated when I put my SIM in the base Razr instead.

I mentioned my Razr Ultra ($1499.99 at Amazon), and it’s an excellent phone, but the price tag is daunting. I also enjoy the Razr Plus ($1099.99 at Amazon); it’s a great deal, but I still believe you get enough of the clamshell experience for much less with the base Razr.

The Galaxy Z Flip 8 ($1199.99 at Amazon) is another story. I respect what Samsung’s done. It’s a reliable foldable with solid performance, decent battery life, and excellent software support. One UI on the Z Flip 8 is more robust than the software you’ll find on the Razr, and it’ll be updated more frequently and for longer. However, the phone is missing something I want in clamshell foldables. It lacks style, and I don’t get the same sense of excitement pulling it out of my pocket. And don’t forget, it’s much more expensive, even if the specs justify the price gap.

Motorola didn’t improve much this year, but the items the company focused on make a lot of sense for the form factor. Motorola improved the cameras and battery life, and the cover screen experience is fantastic, which is precisely what clamshell buyers want.