There are two main elements that immediately stand out during the presentation in Madrid of the latest generation of Motorola Razr foldables: on the one hand, speaking of hardware, there is the large external display of the new top of the 40 Ultra range, wider than any other seen so far on a clamshell foldable. On the other hand, there is the strategic (and unprecedented) choice of presenting the leaflet in two versions: the premium and more performing one and then another, the Razr 40, priced below 900 euros but with very similar characteristics and user experience, apart from the smaller external screen and a less powerful processor. It is a version designed to conquer the large market of those who would like a folding car but are not willing to spend the approximately 1200 euros necessary for the premium version.
In short: in what has now become a competition to the last inch between foldable manufacturers, where the secondary screen takes up more and more space and gains more and more functions, Motorola relaunches by taking the lead. And it does so with products that, after the first contact in Madrid, seemed valid and potentially capable of grow the spread of a segment that is popular, but which currently represents just 1% of smartphone sales in Italy.
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The top of the line: Razr 40 Ultra
The first thing that stands out about the Razr 40 Ultra is definitely the 3.6″ pOled external display with 144Hz refresh rate. Not only is it large, but it allows for the first time to interact with all the functions of the phone even when it is closed. For example, you can reply to messages, use Google maps for navigation, check notifications, even play video games specially made by Motorola in collaboration with GameSnacks. Screens can be customized with the Moto Clock widget by choosing styles and colors, and thanks to the performance of the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Plus Gen 1 processor, configured with 8 GB of Ram and 256 GB of space, run fast and smooth. Among them, the one dedicated to Spotify stands out, which Motorola has developed together with the streaming service to improve the user experience.
When opened, the Razor 40 Ultra displays a display interno pOled FlexView da 6.9” with a refresh rate that even reaches 165 Hz, FHD + resolution and support for HDR10 +. The teardrop hinge with dual-axis tracking stretches the screen without leaving a visible ridge (at least in the case of the fresh production models that we were able to touch), and then make it fold up without leaving the slightest space between the two halves of the smartphone, which thus has a thickness of just 15.1 mm.
Beautiful design, which combines elements such as tempered glass Gorilla Glass with an opaque finish or vegan leather of the back in the 3 colourways developed together with Pantone (as already with the convincing Edge 30 Neo): Infinite Black, Glacier Blue and the beautiful Viva Magenta, exclusively licensed to Motorola. The battery is a 3800 mAh with 30W wired and 5W wireless charging, with which according to Motorola a whole day of use would be guaranteed. The audio stereo benefits from the coupling between Dolby Atmos and Spatial Sound by Moto.
Finally, the photographic part: like all foldables, the Razr 40 Ultra also has a dual camera that does not excel in terms of technical characteristics (there is not physically enough space in the foldables to insert super-performing components, which would in any case increase costs), but which makes its duty and also stands out because it is well integrated into the large external display. Here we find a 12 MP main sensor with Instant Dual Pixel PDAF, f/1.5 aperture and optical stabilization. The second camera has a 13 MP ultra-wide-angle and macro sensor. Do not miss the classic 32 MP front camera. Thanks to the external display, it is also possible to use the main camera to take selfies. Already available in stores, the Motorola Razr 40 Ultra costs 1199 euros.
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Affordable style: the Razr 40
Featuring the same form factor as the premium version, the Razr 40 is a model born to conquer a younger audience. Here the external display stops at 1.5”, and yet it is very effective in showing notifications, which flow smoothly with each touch. Also in this case the colors Sage Green, Vanilla Cream and Summer Lilac were developed with Pantone, while the back seemed very beautiful and functional, made of vegan leather and worked in such a way as to ensure a firm grip and resist dirt. Here too the cameras are 3, with the main one equipped with a 64 MP sensor with optical stabilization and laser autofocus and the second ultrawide with 13 MP sensor and macro function. To these is added the 32 MP front, convenient to use when the foldable is in flex mode, that is, placed as if it were a notebook.
Here the processor is a less performing Snapdragon 7 Gen 1, supported by 8/128 GB of memory, while the battery rises to 4200 mAh. It will cost 899 euros and should be in stores by July.