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ZDNET's cardinal takeaways
- Motorola's Razr+ challenges the thought that you request a flagship telephone for a flagship experience.
- In regular use, it feels identical to the much costly Razr Ultra crossed astir tasks.
- The Razr+ is the champion of Motorola's 2026 series, balancing show with cost.
Back successful the day, smartphone lineups were simple. You had the modular exemplary and the bigger, amended Plus enactment for radical consenting to walk a spot more. Then things got complicated. Companies began introducing Pro phones, Ultra models, Fan Editions, and more.
Along the way, the Plus devices began to consciousness similar the awkward mediate child. Too costly for bargain hunters but not premium capable for large spenders. I've reached a constituent wherever I inquire myself: What is the constituent of a Plus exemplary successful 2026? Why not conscionable connection a basal exemplary and the Ultra and telephone it a day?
That preconception changed aft spending the past fewer weeks with the 2026 Motorola Razr+ arsenic my regular driver. The Razr+ is the Motorola telephone I usually ignore. It's not arsenic inexpensive arsenic the basal Razr nor arsenic premium arsenic the Razr Ultra. But aft my clip with it, the mobile instrumentality ne'er felt similar a compromise; rather, it felt similar the mentation astir radical should buy.
Oddly enough, the Razr+ is hardly discussed online. Much of the attraction goes to the Razr Ultra. I deliberation that's a mistake. The Razr+ deserves acold much attraction than it's getting. It is the smartest foldable Motorola has successful banal close now.
It's astir indistinguishable from the Ultra
Apart from color, you'd beryllium hard-pressed to archer the Motorola Razr+ from the Razr Ultra. The 2 foldables stock astir identical dimensions, with the Razr+ being ever truthful somewhat lighter. It's astir 10 grams lighter than the Ultra. While that doesn't dependable similar much, it is noticeable successful mundane usage.
Motorola didn't chopped corners connected the physique prime for the Razr+. It inherits galore of the flagship model's plan elements. Both diagnostic a titanium-reinforced hinge for greater durability and longevity.
Their outer displays are made of Corning Gorilla Glass Victus, safeguarding the sheet against scratches and occasional drops. They adjacent transportation an IP48 rating, meaning these devices tin past little submersion underwater.
Also: I tested Motorola's $1,500 Razr Ultra, and it's truthful adjacent to being my imagination flip phone
When it comes to physique quality, the Razr+ feels little similar a mid-tier foldable and much similar a flagship device. The halfway carnal acquisition is virtually identical to that of the Razr Ultra. When it comes to hardware performance, the Razr Ultra wins connected paper, but the Razr+ delivers capable velocity that astir radical volition ne'er consciousness similar they're settling for less.
A show spread that doesn't substance for most
When it comes to sheer numbers, the Razr Ultra is the better-performing telephone by a state mile. Powered by the Snapdragon 8 Elite chipset, the Ultra scored astir doubly arsenic precocious arsenic the Razr+ successful the benchmark tests I ran. Graphical tests showed an adjacent larger gap. As a telephone reviewer, I was surely impressed.
But astir consumers don't attraction astir numbers. They attraction astir however rapidly apps open, however responsive the telephone feels, and whether it tin support up with their regular routine. Unless you're editing videos connected your telephone oregon playing Genshin Impact astatine its highest graphics settings, overmuch of the Ultra's other horsepower volition spell unused.
During my 2 weeks of testing, I utilized the Razr+ the aforesaid mode everyone I cognize uses their device: answering messages connected WhatsApp, scrolling done X, taking photos, streaming videos, navigating with Google Maps, and bouncing betwixt apps passim the day. At nary constituent did the telephone consciousness slow. Apps opened quickly. Multitasking ran smoothly. Animations were fluid. I was ne'er reminded that I wasn't utilizing the Razr Ultra.
Also: Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 7 vs. Motorola Razr Ultra: I've utilized both, and this telephone is my pick
I went into the acquisition afloat expecting to miss the horsepower of the Snapdragon 8 Elite. At the end, I wholly forgot the Razr Ultra adjacent existed for a little period. The benchmark numbers whitethorn overgarment a melodramatic picture, but successful mundane use, the quality betwixt the 2 is nonexistent.
Camera and price
I volition springiness the Razr Ultra props for having the amended camera system. Motorola gave its flagship a larger 1/1.56-inch sensor, allowing it to seizure much airy and nutrient photographs with little representation noise, greater dynamic range, and much detail. The Razr+, meanwhile, relies connected a smaller 1/1.95-inch sensor.
While its camera performs good successful daylight, the Razr+'s hardware limitations bounds its low-light performance. Nighttime shots taken by the Razr+ contained much noise. Image details weren't arsenic sharp, and immoderate airy sources appeared overexposed. Below is an representation that I took with the Razr+ astatine an indoor concert. For the astir part, it looks decent, but you volition announcement immoderate of the problems I conscionable mentioned, similar the sound and overexposure.
That said, is the Razr Ultra's camera worthy paying an other $400? (The Razr Ultra retails for $1,500 portion the Razr+ costs $1,100.) For me, the reply is no. The spread isn't ample capable to warrant specified a large terms differential. All of the shots I took with the Razr+ inactive looked vibrant and colorful, cleanable for posting connected societal media.
Also: I converted my Motorola Razr into a portable PC, and it was amazingly capable
Unless smartphone photography is simply a apical priority, the Razr+ is much than susceptible of getting the occupation done. You could instrumentality that wealth and bargain a coagulated digital camera for astir $400.
Writer's take
After spending astir 3 weeks with the Motorola Razr+, I've travel distant with a precise antithetic presumption of the device. I assumed it would beryllium the awkward mediate kid of its series. It would beryllium stuck betwixt the affordability of the modular Razr and the premium acquisition of the Razr Ultra, without genuinely excelling astatine either -- a jack-of-all-trades, master-of-none situation.
Instead, I realized it mightiness really beryllium Motorola's champion 2026 foldable. This instrumentality is the astir sensible of the trio. It delivers an acquisition precise akin to the Ultra, minus the precocious terms tag. The acquisition has reframed the flagship for me. I don't deliberation the Ultra is worthy $1,500. The Razr+, connected the different hand, has earned its stripes and is my caller favorite.
If you're funny successful the Razr+, present is simply a great clip to buy it due to the fact that Motorola volition springiness you a escaped brace of Swarovski Moto Buds Loop earbuds with purchase.
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