Motorola Razr 5G vs Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5G: Battle of the clamshells

In the dawn of modern foldables, Motorola’s reimagined Razr and Samsung’s Galaxy Z Flip were some of the first phones to take advantage of the new technology and develop an ultra-compact mobile form factor. This year, both companies have released new and improved versions of their respective clamshells, delivering more polished foldable experiences in the Razr 5G and Galaxy Z Flip 5G. But which one deserves your attention? Let’s take a deeper look.
 

Motorola Razr 5G vs Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5G: Design

Both Motorola and Samsung’s latest clamshells follow the design language of their predecessors. Samsung’s next-gen Z Flip is visually identical to the original with the same luxe glass body, but in new black and bronze color variants. On the other hand, the Razr 5G sports some refinements from last time around, trading its plastic body for sleek glass and boasting a new, tapered bottom chin for a more premium feel.

Unfolded, the Z Flip 5G is larger than the Razr 5G and offers a hole punch selfie camera, while the Razr still sports a notch. When closed, the Z Flip offers a small ticker display, while the new Razr’s other face is still dominated by its larger external screen. Both devices are quite pocketable, though the Razr is about fifteen percent thinner.

Motorola Razr 5G vs Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5G: Display

The 6.2-inch display on the Razr 5G is the same plastic OLED panel as last year’s, but it’s been re-engineered for better durability and a more solid feel. Like the previous model, a special teardrop hinge mechanism allows the display to be flat, with no crease. On the other hand, the Z Flip 5G has the same 6.7-inch ultrathin glass panel for theoretically better durability, though it still has a permanent crease where the display folds.

On the outside, the Razr 5G’s 2.7-inch Quick View display can access shortcuts and run full apps—a big step up from the Z Flip’s 1.1-inch ticker display, which lets you do about as much as a Fitbit. Both of these external displays are the normal glass variety.

Motorola Razr 5G vs Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5G: Specs & Performance

2019’s Razr had a disappointing spec set, but this year’s is a marked improvement with a Snapdragon 765G processor and 8GB of RAM. This is a similar setup to many of the budget flagships we’ve seen recently, like the OnePlus Nord, Pixel 4a, or LG Velvet. It’s more than enough for most users, though not the absolute best.

If the latest and greatest is what you need, the Galaxy Z Flip 5G has you covered with the Snapdragon 865+, the top chipset on the Android side. It’ll be more than enough for power users and gamers alike, especially with 8GB of RAM behind it. Like the Razr 5G, it also has 256GB of internal storage space and no expandable memory.

For charging, the Razr 5G has a 2,800mAh power cell, which is said to offer all-day battery life thanks to smart power management and the efficient SD765G chipset. There’s also 15W TurboPower charging on board for speedy top ups. The Z Flip 5G has the larger battery at 3,300mAh, with the same 15W charging speeds. It also features Qi 2.0 wireless charging, something that’s missing on the Razr.

Motorola razr (2020)

Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5G

Display

Size

6.2 inches

6.7 inches

Technology

OLED

Dynamic AMOLED

Screen-to-body

83.24 %

81.04 %

Features

Ambient light sensor, Proximity sensor

HDR support, Ambient light sensor, Proximity sensor

Additional display

2.7 inches, 800 pixels 600 x, OLED

1.1 inches, 112 pixels 300 x, Super AMOLED

Hardware

System chip

Qualcomm Snapdragon 765G SM7250-AB (7 nm)

Qualcomm Snapdragon 865+ SM8250-AB (7 nm)

Processor

Octa-core, 2400 MHz, Kryo 475, 64-bit

Octa-core, 1x 3.1GHz Kryo 585 + 3x 2.42GHz Kryo 585 + 4x 1.80GHz Kryo 585, 64-bit

GPU

Adreno 620

Adreno 650

RAM

8GB LPDDR4

8GB LPDDR4

Internal storage

256GB, not expandable

256GB, not expandable

OS

Android (11, 10)

Android (12, 11, 10), Samsung One UI

Battery

Capacity

2800 mAh

3300 mAh

Charging

Motorola TurboPower

Qualcomm Quick Charge 2.0

Talk time (4G)

 

36 hours

Internet use

 

LTE: 13 hours; Wi-Fi: 13 hours

Music playback

 

41.00 hours

Video playback

 

17.00 hours

Camera

Rear

Single camera

Dual camera

Main camera

48 MP (OIS, Laser and PDAF)

12 MP (OIS, PDAF)

Specifications

Aperture size: F1.7; Focal length: 26 mm; Sensor size: 1/2"; Pixel size: 0.8 μm

Aperture size: F1.8; Focal length: 27 mm; Sensor size: 1/2.55"; Pixel size: 1.4 μm

Second camera

 

12 MP (Ultra-wide)

Specifications

 

Aperture size: F2.2; Pixel size: 1.12 μm

Video recording

3840x2160 (4K UHD) (30 fps), 1920x1080 (Full HD) (120 fps), 1280x720 (HD) (240 fps)

3840x2160 (4K UHD) (60 fps), 1920x1080 (Full HD) (240 fps), 1280x720 (HD) (960 fps)

Features

Time-lapse video, Hyperlapse, EIS

HDR, Time-lapse video, Hyperlapse, Continuous autofocus, EIS

Front

20 MP

10 MP

Video capture

1920x1080 (Full HD) (60 fps)

3840x2160 (4K UHD) (30 fps)

Cellular

5G

n2, n5, n25, n41, n66, n71, n78, Sub-6, mmWave

n2, n5, n25, n41, n66, n71, SA, NSA, Sub-6

See the full Motorola razr (2020) vs Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5G specs comparison or compare them to other phones using our Specs Comparison tool.

Motorola Razr 5G vs Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5G: Software & Features

Motorola and Samsung have each outfitted their devices with the latest version of their proprietary UI systems. The Z Flip’s software is not markedly different from any other Samsung device, given that the ways to interact with it in its closed position are limited.

On the other hand, the Razr’s Quick View display has its own gesture-based UI, where users can customize which apps, shortcuts, and contacts to access when the device is folded. The inner display runs the same, near-stock Android 10 as its Motorola brethren as well.

Motorola Razr 5G vs Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5G: Cameras

Both devices feature capable camera systems both folded and unfolded. The Z Flip 5G is outfitted with a 12MP, dual-lens rear camera which can also be used for selfies when folded, while a 10MP selfie shooter lives in the inner display.

The Razr 5G has received a major photography upgrade since last year, sporting a 48MP main sensor that shoots selfies when closed like its rival. The sensor boasts optical image stabilization as well. On the inside, it also has a 20MP selfie camera for video conferencing on the large screen. The camera setup looks good, though we’ll have to test it out before offering conclusive statements.

Motorola Razr 5G vs Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5G: Pricing & Availability

The Z Flip 5G was announced back in July and is currently on sale on Samsung’s website in the unlocked variant, or as carrier-locked versions on AT&T or T-Mobile. The phone costs $1449 in either color, up from the $1299 of its predecessor.

The Motorola Razr 5G will also be available unlocked from a large number of retailers or from carriers like AT&T or T-Mobile. The new Razr costs $1399, down from last year’s $1500, narrowly undercutting Samsung’s offering.

Who wins?

So which foldable wins? Well, both are great visions into the possibilities of foldable technology. The Z Flip boasts much more impressive specs and a more polished feature set, but it’s essentially a normal smartphone that folds. On the other hand, the new Razr is inferior in the hardware aspect but offers more useful and exciting ways to interact with the device when closed. Either way, both smartphones represent major improvements from the first generation of foldables and point the way to an even better future.