Verdict: A premium foldable that finally pressures Samsung
The Motorola Razr Fold is a premium book-style foldable phone that pairs a thin, tablet-like inner screen with a tall outer display, aiming to rival Samsung’s Galaxy Z Fold series through strong performance, polished design, and long-term software support while charging a clear flagship price. From the first unfold, it feels like Motorola’s most confident foldable yet: slim, stylish, and surprisingly practical. This is not a tech demo for early adopters; it is a credible daily driver that can stand beside the best foldables on the market. My bottom line: the Razr Fold is excellent for power users and creators who will use the big display, cameras, and stylus support, but its premium cost and a few typical foldable compromises mean it is not the obvious choice for everyone.
Design, displays and everyday usability
Motorola’s first book-style foldable opens like a compact tablet rather than a flip phone, with a form factor that feels familiar but more refined than early folding bricks. Closed, it looks like a slightly thick but handsome slab, helped by a textured rubberized back that improves grip and hides fingerprints. Unfolded, it is impressively thin at 0.19 inches, even edging out ultra-slim slab phones, and weighs 8.6 ounces, which is acceptable for a device doing double duty as phone and tablet. The outer 6.6-inch 21:9 display (1080x2520) and the inner 8.1-inch 2232x2484 panel are sharp, bright LTPO pOLED screens; the inner runs at 120Hz, while the outer hits 165Hz, making scrolling and gaming feel fluid. Both look gorgeous, but the inner crease still catches glare and can be felt when swiping, a reminder that foldable screens are not yet invisible.
| Spec | Motorola Razr Fold |
|---|---|
| Fold type | Book-style foldable phone with vertical hinge |
| Outer display | 6.6" 21:9 1080x2520 LTPO pOLED, up to 165Hz |
| Inner display | 8.1" 2232x2484 LTPO pOLED, up to 120Hz |
| Thickness (open) | 0.19 inches (excluding camera bump) |
| Weight | 8.6 ounces |
| Glass / protection | Outer: Gorilla Glass Ceramic 3; Inner: Ultra Thin Glass |
Performance, audio and thermals: thin but powerful
Under the hood, the Razr Fold runs a Snapdragon 8 Gen 5 with 16GB of RAM and 512GB of storage, a combo that puts it close to the fastest Android phones around. In synthetic tests, it delivers strong 3D performance, and in real games it holds up: it can run Neverness to Everness at maximum cinematic settings at a mostly steady 60FPS over more than 30 minutes, with only the occasional stutter. According to one test, it even maintained 70% consistency in 3DMark’s Steel Nomad Light stress test, which is impressive for such a thin chassis. Thermals are well controlled; after long play sessions the phone is barely warm, not scorching. Stereo speakers are loud and well matched to the big inner display, making media and games far more immersive than on a standard slab phone. Add DisplayPort 1.2 output over USB-C and you can plug into a monitor for a laptop-like setup.
Cameras, software and where it stands against Samsung
Motorola did not treat the Razr Fold as an experimental camera phone; it packed a triple rear camera system that can credibly compete with leading flagships from other brands, plus sharp selfie cameras front and inside. The result is a foldable that is “a rather excellent all around shooter for big and small subjects near and far.” On the software side, you get a clean Android 16 build with light customisation and an AI button for quick note-taking and image tools, without heavy bloat. The promise of seven years of Android OS and security updates puts it on par with long-support rivals and makes this expensive device feel like a safer long-term buy. Crucially, the Razr Fold’s performance is strong enough to rival the Galaxy Z Fold 7 and even challenge the newer Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra, despite those using a more advanced Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5. That makes it one of the first Motorola foldables you might pick instead of Samsung, not just alongside it.
Pros
- Two bright, high-refresh LTPO pOLED displays in a manageable form factor
- Thin design without major sacrifices to performance or battery life
- Powerful Snapdragon 8 Gen 5 with 16GB RAM and strong sustained 3D performance
- Capable triple-camera system that delivers excellent all-round results
- Seven years of Android OS and security updates for long-term use
Cons
- Inner display crease shows glare and can be felt when swiping
- No microSD card slot despite clear space in the SIM tray
- Premium pricing makes it cost about twice as much as many other good phones
Buy if / Skip if
- Buy the Motorola Razr Fold if you want a book-style foldable phone that can genuinely replace both your phone and small tablet while staying slim.
- Skip the Motorola Razr Fold if you mainly care about value and are happy with a standard flagship that costs far less.
- Buy the Motorola Razr Fold if you prioritise long-term support and plan to keep one device for many years.
- Skip the Motorola Razr Fold if you are sensitive to display imperfections and know the visible inner crease will annoy you.
- Buy the Motorola Razr Fold if you are considering a Samsung Galaxy Z Fold alternative and want similar power, cameras and multitasking with a cleaner Android skin.
- Skip the Motorola Razr Fold if you need expandable storage and rely on microSD cards for media or work files.
