Motorola Razr 50/razr (2024) review

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Introduction

A large cover screen and water resistance - doesn't sound like much, but it's just what the plain Razr was missing last year, and now the Razr 50 gets it. Motorola's vanilla clamshell foldable takes things a notch up, turning it into another viable alternative to the Galaxy Z Flips.

As with other Motorolas, it's worth pointing out some nomenclature peculiarities. The Razr 50 is the name for the global model, and it's being sold more or less unchanged under the Razr 2024 moniker in the US. Since we have a Razr 50 unit in our hands, that's the name we'll be using throughout the review, but our findings should be equally applicable to the motorola razr (2024).

Motorola Razr 50 • Motorola razr 2024

Okay, back to what's new on the Razr 50. The phone gets the Razr 40 Ultra's cover display - in size and proportions at least, if not in refresh rate. While the Razr 40 only had a tiny panel on the outside, the 50 gets the complete cover screen experience - with full-blown apps and proper camera viewfinder.

The other big thing is the IPX8 water resistance - more and more foldables are now rated for submersion and so too is the Razr 50. The Galaxies' major selling points are getting fewer.

There are a handful of other changes, but none is all that major. The main camera is now 50MP instead of 64MP, but the sensor size remains the same, so it's not exactly a downgrade. The chipset is another such side step - a Dimensity 7300X in place of the Snapdragon 7 Gen 1 doesn't quite qualify to be called an upgrade. Perhaps a certain demographic will appreciate the faster wireless charging (15W vs. the old model's 5W), but the unboxing section below will reveal another development in this general area that's not necessarily for the better.

Motorola Razr 50 specs at a glance:

• Body: 171.3x74.0x7.3mm, 188g; Glass front (Gorilla Glass Victus), silicone polymer back (eco leather), aluminum frame (6000 series), hinge (stainless steel); IPX8 water resistant (up to 1.5m for 30 min).
• Display: Main: 6.9" Foldable LTPO AMOLED, 1B colors, 120Hz, HDR10+, 3000 nits (peak), 1080x2640px resolution, 22:9 aspect ratio, 413ppi; Cover: 3.6" AMOLED, 1B colors, 90Hz, HDR10+, 1700 nits (peak), 1056x1066px, 413 ppi, Gorilla Glass Victus.
• Chipset: Mediatek Dimensity 7300X (4 nm): Octa-core (4x2.5 GHz Cortex-A78 & 4x2.0 GHz Cortex-A55); Mali-G615 MC2.
• Memory: 256GB 8GB RAM, 512GB 12GB RAM; UFS 2.2.
• OS/Software: Android 14.
• Rear camera: Wide (main): 50 MP, f/1.7, 1/1.95", 0.8µm, dual pixel PDAF, OIS; Ultra wide angle: 13 MP, f/2.2, 120˚, 1/3.0", 1.12µm, AF.
• Front camera: 32 MP, f/2.4, (wide), 0.7µm.
• Video capture: Rear camera: 4K@30fps, 1080p@30/60fps, gyro-EIS; Front camera: 4K@30fps, 1080p@30/60fps.
• Battery: 4200mAh; 30W wired, 15W wireless.
• Connectivity: 5G; eSIM; Dual SIM; Wi-Fi 6e; BT 5.4; NFC.
• Misc: Fingerprint reader (side-mounted); stereo speakers.

Motorola Razr 50 unboxing

The Motorola Razr 50 arrives in a black cardboard box that's even longer than the already pretty tall unfolded Razr. Sure enough, the packaging inside is scented - typical Motorola.

The notable omission from the contents is a charger - the previous model had one in the box, and this year's 50 Ultra's bundle also contained an adapter. There's still a USB-C cable here, though.

Just like the Ultra, the Razr 50's package also includes a protective case in a color that matches the phone, complete with a carrying strap. The case needs to be attached to the phone with the adhesive strips - otherwise, it won't stay securely on it.

We're inclined to think that this accessory won't be to a lot of people's tastes, and it makes a bit more sense to be sold separately rather than being included with every Razr. Particularly as the power adapter got axed - the whole situation is rubbing us the wrong way.