Motorola razr (2026) Review: The Most Affordable Folding Phone Got Just a Bit Better

6 min readMotorola’s entry-level razr has served as a basic entry point to the world of phones with foldable displays for years. While many folding phones seem almost prohibitively expensive, the razr has always been reasonably priced. Case in point: this year’s model starts at $800, significantly undercutting the rest of the foldable field, whether you’re looking at similar flip phones or a “book”-style model like the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold. And, better yet, Moto manages to do so without compromising on specs, design, or unique features.That said, while this year’s refresh upholds the brand’s commitment to delivering quality phones for less than Samsung and Google, the reality is that this year’s model is pretty light on new tech. In fact, the 2026 is nearly identical to its 2025 predecessor. So, while you won’t go wrong buying this phone, you’d be better off buying the 2025 version on sale while it's still available and saving some money. (This seems to be increasingly common advice in 2026. I’ve said as much about a number of TVs this year. And don’t get me started on the cost of PCs...) The razr, both this version and last year’s, is very solid, and a smart choice for folks who want to try a folding phone without spending an arm and a leg for the privilege.ProsHead-turning designLarge cover screenSolid compute performanceKey SpecsChipMediaTek Dimensity 7450XDisplay6.9-inch folding LTPO Extreme AMOLED (2,640 x 1,080p), 120Hz; 3.6-inch Extreme AMOLED (1,056 x 1,066p), 90HzCameraDual camera with 50MP main, 50MP ultra-wide, 32MP interior selfie cameraMemory8GB of RAM, 256GB of storageOther4,800 mAh battery, IP48 water- and dust-resistantThe razr’s Form Factor Is Becoming a Modern ClassicAside from some new colorways, the 2025 and 2026 Moto razr phones look and feel effectively identical. Honestly, that’s perfectly fine by me: There’s a lot to love here. With a large external display and a textured back cover in trendy Pantone colors, the phone makes a strong first impression, and gets a lot of interest from folks who may not know about it.Stefan VazharovThe razr’s 3.6-inch cover screen looks sharp, and is far more useful than the exterior displays on other foldables.My favorite thing about the razr, standard and Ultra, is its 3.6-inch external “cover” display. The bright AMOLED panel makes it very easy to take a quick glance and check quick notifications, the time, the weather, and so on. Pretty much every folding phone has a cover screen of some kind for those exact situations, but they’re often small and restrictive. The razr’s is far more legible, even at a distance, which makes it far more dynamic. While it’s far from perfect, I could effectively text and even use a web browser from the cover screen, which I wouldn’t dream of doing with other foldables. That makes it far more useful in those quick-use situations where flipping open your phone feels like an obstacle rather than a pleasure.Stefan VazharovThe back of the phone has a textured finish, which improves its handling.Stefan VazharovWhen you flip the screen open, the razr feels a lot like a standard (large) smartphone.But this is a flip phone: We’re here for what happens when you open it up. Inside the clamshell, the razr hides a 6.9-inch interior foldable display. That’s more or less akin to what you get from most large smartphones these days. And that is part of the pleasure of this phone: Many foldables feature XXL interior displays with strange dimensions that don’t always do much for browser windows or streaming content. The razr feels more like using a standard phone (in a good way): Gaming, streaming videos, and scrolling through social media feeds was a pleasure.And while there is still a crease in the middle of the display over the hinge, I found that it was less noticeable here than in older foldables. First-time foldable users, welcome, and yes, it is a bit annoying, but also... you have a screen that folds in two! That’s still kind of wonderful, even after all these years.Finally, and perhaps most importantly, the act of flipping the phone open and shut feels good. Both satisfying and sturdy, you shouldn’t need to baby this phone (too much). There’s no point in recommending a cheap phone if it’s just going to break, so I’m glad to see that they didn’t cut corners here.Not Much New Under the HoodHardware-wise, the 2025 and 2026 Moto razr phones are quite similar, though not exactly identical. This year’s version features a slightly more powerful MediaTek Dimensity 7450X processor and faster UFS 3.1 memory (versus Mediatek Dimensity 7400X and UFS 2.2 in the 2025 model). In theory, these should lead to slightly speedier operation, but neither one led to a noticeable difference during testing. It’s fast and runs Android well, with speedy load times and stutter-free multitasking.Specifically, Red Dead Redemption—my go-to game for Android testing—ran smoothly and well for a folding phone. If gaming’s a high priority, though, I’d stick with a conventional flagship phone like the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra. The price is only a little bit higher, but the phone comes with a more powerful processor and offers better battery life.Speaking of battery, regardless of which model year you pick, the razr will easily get you through a day of use without causing charging anxiety. The 2026 is slightly more efficient, but it’s not a big enough difference to warrant picking it over the older model if you can get it on sale.Versatile Multi-Camera Setup (for a Flip Phone)As always, the biggest upgrades to the 2026 razr are in the camera department. The new phone features a dual-camera stack on the back with an upgraded 50-megapixel (MP) primary camera and a 50-megapixel ultrawide camera. The ultrawide lens is substantially more capable than the 13-megapixel wide lens on the 2025 razr, bringing more detailed shots to go with extended versatility to crop into image highlights when shooting in full resolution.While folding phone cameras tend to lag behind the systems in standard flagship phones, I found that the razr can take some very sharp, shareable photos, especially in well-lit conditions. Low-light images aren’t the best for the money, and that’s understandable. Foldable flip phones simply can’t accommodate larger image sensors as successfully as conventional handsets, especially in lower price tiers.And thanks to that large cover screen, taking selfies is a breeze, even with the phone flipped shut. All I had to do was flick my wrist while holding the device and tap on its screen to snap them.Motorola razr (2026) cameraThat said, this is not a top-tier phone camera. It’s very solid for a flip phone, but the sensors are comparatively small, and the primary camera stack lacks a third camera with a telephoto lens, which empowers top phone cameras with longer zoom and better performance at range. As with gaming, if photography is your primary concern, a folding phone is probably not the right choice: A similarly priced Samsung Galaxy, Google Pixel, or even Motorola’s own Edge phone will all serve you better. But that doesn’t mean your shots won’t look good.So, Should You Buy the Motorola razr (2026)?I love the Moto razr. This year’s version and the 2025 model. If you’re thinking about getting a folding phone, but you’re worried about price, this is the perfect compromise.But, as I said at the top, my recommendation comes with a caveat. Given the relatively meager improvements to this year’s phone, I think you’re better off either buying last year’s model or, better yet, holding off for this model to go on sale.Motorola has a history of cutting prices shortly after launch, and I expect the same thing will happen here. Available for less than $700 shortly after its launch, I think the 2026 razr earns its flowers with a slightly beefier chip, larger battery, and higher-resolution ultrawide camera.If you need to upgrade now, go for the 2025 model, which goes for $550 as of July 17, 2026. You’ll still get everything that makes the razr a great phone. And Moto has committed to supporting it with Android updates until at least 2029, which is a sufficiently long upgrade cycle for a foldable device.Alternatively, you might also consider going with last year’s Motorola razr Ultra, a more powerful take on the razr with a Qualcomm Snapdragon Elite chip, twice the RAM and storage capacity, and a bigger foldable screen. Since it too has been replaced by a very similar 2026 refresh, the 2025 razr Ultra will currently run you about $800, same as the standard 2026 razr. That’s 50 percent off its original price, and quite a bargain for the specs. Shockingly, picking this phone gives you an array of options that let you optimize for price, for power, or for longevity (the 2026 razr will get security updates for an extra year): No matter what you choose, though, you’re walking away with a great phone.Shop Motorola razr (2026)Motorola razr (2026)Now 20% OffMotorola razr (2026)Now 15% OffMotorola razr (2026)Now 15% OffStefan is an award-winning consumer technology editor with over a decade of experience in reviewing gadgets, particularly smartphones, tablets, smartwatches, desktop and laptop computers across multiple form factors and platforms, as well as accessories for them. He also covers televisions and audio equipment, including headphones, earbuds, wireless speakers, and soundbars. Since joining Hearst in 2015, Stefan has contributed to BestProducts, Popular Mechanics, and numerous other publications. Prior to his current role, he served as the US Editor for GSMArena.com.Mike Epstein is a Senior Commerce Editor at Hearst Enthusiast Group, producing reviews for buying guides Popular Mechanics, Runner’s World, Bicycling, and Best Products. Prior to joining Hearst, he was a video game and technology critic for over 10 years, with bylines at IGN, Gamespot, Variety, Lifehacker, Kotaku, GamesRadar, Flavorwire and Digital Trends, among others. Now, he’s a jack of all trades, helping reviewers share everything they know about all kinds of technical gear, from snowblowers, to running shoes and bicycles, and every kind of gadget imaginable.