It is that time of the year. The season of flips and folds! And the first one to join the race is Motorola with its bumped up flip phone with lots of improvement including AI integration. Motorola Razr 50 Ultra was officially launched in India last month. Available in a single variant of 12GB RAM and 512GB storage, the flip phone is priced Rs 99,999. Here’s our Motorola Razr 50 Ultra review.
Not to start a debate, but I firmly believe the original Motorola Razr line of flip phones are the best design-oriented mobile phones the industry has seen, ever. The sharp and stylish Razr V3 with the flat keypad and iconic outer display still rules.
Novelty is something the name Motorola Razr always had, what it needed in the touchscreen era was a product that could compete with segment leaders and still maintain the design philosophy. The natural progression of smartphones to flips-and-folds presented the perfect opportunity, which Motorola didn’t miss.
After a couple of hits and misses with Razr models, last year we got the Motorola Razr 40 series as the brand’s decisive entry into the era of foldable phones. And now within a year, we have an updated Motorola Razr 50 series.
It is time to take a closer look at the new Motorola Razr 50 Ultra to understand if getting this upgraded Razr flip smartphone would be a smart move.
Motorola Razr 50 Ultra – Main Specifications
- 6.9-inch FHD+ pOLED Main display
- 4.0-inch pOLED display External display
- Snapdragon 8s Gen 3 Mobile Platform
- Android v14
- Gemini, moto ai agent
- 12 GB LPDDR5X RAM + RAM Boost 3.0
- 512GB built-in Storage
- 50MP Rear Main Camera with Telephoto Lens
- 32MP selfie camera
- 4000mAh Battery
- 45W TurboPower™, 15W Wireless, 5W Reverse Charging
- Dual stereo speakers with Dolby Atmos® featuring Spatial Sound
- IPX8 Water-resistant design
Motorola Razr 50 Ultra – Pros and Cons
| Pros | Cons |
| Largest Cover Display on a Flip Phone Huge FHD+ pOLED Main Display Solid Build Quality with Certification for 600,000 Folds Dual stereo speakers with Dolby Atmos® Wireless and Reverse Charging Support Moto Buds Powered by Bose inside the box Google Gemini AI Integration with 3-month free subscription | No Ultrawide Lens Support No HDR Support on Netflix Chipset could have been powerful |
Motorola Razr 50 Ultra – Design
The first thing you would notice about the new Razr 50 Ultra is the size of the cover screen. It fills up the whole outer body and as per Motorola’s claim, this is the largest outer display on any flip phone. But more on the displays later, let’s discuss the design first.
There is a polished smooth-finish 6000 series high strength aluminium frame and a strong mechanical hinge that connects the two equal halves of Motorola Razr 50 Ultra’s main display. The hinge is where Motorola has visibly worked this time. It’s sturdy and easy to operate. Suitable for one-hand operation, the reduced spring tension gives it proper support for times when you like to snap-shut your phone during a call or otherwise. If certain online reviewers are to be believed, the phone is certified for 600,000 folds, which should be more than enough for at least four years.
Motorola has also reworked the fold radius to ensure there are no gaps when folded. This further ensures dust protection and makes the overall quality more reliable.
The power button is on the right side and also works as the finger-print scanner. The IPX8-rated underwater protection means you will get a 30-minute protection window underwater with depth up to 1.5m.
As for colour variants, Motorola has decided to go with a fun Pantone colour pallet. The back finish only adds up overall finish. You get the vegan leather finish for the Peach Fuzz, Spring Green and Midnight Blue variants. And a Vegan Suede finish for the Hot Pink variant, which might not be available in India during the initial sale.
Motorola Razr 50 Ultra – Cover and Main Displays
Like I mentioned above, we have to talk about the cover display. The size of the cover display, being the largest ever on a flip phone, is one of the main highlights if not THE highlight. There is nothing you can do on the phone that you can’t do on this 4-inch cover screen. The minimum bezels open up space and you get a corner-to-corner screen. You can easily reply to messages, get Google Map directions, use the camera for selfies or use it as a preview screen of the camera, and even play games like Genshin Impact.
But it is not only the size that changes the game. The cover display is also highly capable. It features a 10-bit pOLED panel with HDR10+ support, 100 percent DCI-P3 colour coverage and a 165Hz refresh rate. The 2400nit peak brightness might not be at par with the main display but it has decent visibility even in outside daylight. It also has Corning® Gorilla® Glass Victus on front for display protection.
And it is also the most intelligent cover display that you can get. Yes, you get easy access to Google Gemini app and all you have to do is press and hold the power button on the side and say “Hey Google.” One noticeable issue is the camera blocking the send button when you try text prompts in full screen mode on the cover display. An easy solution to this is either you exit the full screen mode or use voice assistant instead.
The main display, on the other hand, boasts a massive 6.9-inch Full HD+ pOLED LTPO panel with HDR10+ and and 120% DCI-P3 colour gamut. Similar to the cover display, you also get up to 165Hz refresh rate on the main display ensuring a rather smooth performance. The 3000 nits Peak Brightness ensures proper screen visibility for outdoor usage.
Motorola Razr 50 Ultra – Hardware and Software
Motorola has packed the Snapdragon 8s Gen 3 processor to achieve a balance between performance and power efficiency. However, we have mostly seen this chipset in affordable smartphones such as Motorola’s own Edge 50 Ultra or the Realme GT 6. This should be your reminder to keep the expectations with the processor in check.
There is only one memory variant with 12 GB LPDDR5X RAM supported with RAM Boost 3.0. And it is supported with 512GB built-in storage.
The processor easily supports everyday tasks and is also capable of handling graphic heavy functions. However, the foldable design presents obstructions in smooth gaming performance. To put it simply, this is not a gaming phone. While the bendable main screen is not the most ideal way of indulging in heavy duty games, the cover screen even though the largest in the segment is too small for a proper gaming experience.
In benchmark tests, the Razr 50 Ultra does stand strong but from nowhere class-leading. The scores 1894 for its single-core processor and 4455 for multicore performance. As for the GPU test, it recorded a somewhat better 9037 score.
With respect to the thermal management capability of the Razr 50 Ultra, we can firmly say that the devices can handle heat. Even during extended use or gaming sessions, you can expect slight noticeable warmth as it manages heat levels. This credit goes to the 4nm process of the chipset and Motorola’s thermal design.
Motorola Razr 50 Ultra – Camera
Motorola has upgraded the entire camera system of this flip phone for better this time. It is a major step-up from what we have seen in the previous version of this phone. The phone features a 50MP main sensor, boasting a large 1/1.95” size and a bright f/1.79 aperture. The entire setup significantly enhances the light gathering that helps in capturing clearer and bright pictures even in low light conditions.
The camera system has optical image stabilisation (OIS), 2x optical zoom and all-pixel autofocus features. The end result you get is crisp and clear shots in various conditions.
You also get a telephoto lens for portraits. As for selfies, users get two options. The phone comes with a capable 32 MP front-facing camera and in addition, you can also use the main rear cameras for self-portraits. Enhancing the overall photography experience, the external display that is a huge 4.0-inch panel can be used as a viewfinder. This allows subjects to see exactly how they’ll appear in the shot. This particular feature can completely transform the way we take pictures and give us a subject perspective for better end results or rather we should say, more desired results.
Motorola has also incorporated an AI-powered Photo Enhancement Engine that dynamically alters image parameters for better. This feature enhances the picture quality resulting in photos with improved dynamic range and reduced noise. You also achieve more vibrant colour tones in the images while retaining detail and naturality.
Overall, the camera performance of Motorola Razr 50 Ultra is impressive and a massive upgrade from what we saw in the previous version of the phone.
Motorola Razr 50 Ultra – Battery
The compact size of the device might suggest that you will have to compromise with the battery capabilities. However, we appreciate Motorola for not making any drastic cuts in important hardware. The Razr 50 Ultra packs a commendable 4,000mAh battery. Paired with the efficient Snapdragon chipset and adaptable refresh rate displays, this battery should offer all-day usage for most people.
Additionally, the phone excels in charging capabilities. It features 45W TurboPower wired charging for fast recharges, 15W wireless charging, and 5W reverse wireless charging, which lets you power up other devices when needed.
Verdict
The Motorola Razr 50 Ultra might look similar to the Razr from 2019 from a distance, but you can definitely see the effort that went into reworking the design philosophy. The brand has achieved massive upgrades and deserve every bit of praise for right intentions.
The Razr 50 Ultra’s biggest highlight is its large cover screen. And what is more impressive is that it is not just for show and can actually perform every function that you expect from the main panel. It’s super useful for checking notifications, using Gemini, and interacting with various widgets. Plus, it comes with a better hinge design, long-lasting battery, and a relatively solid chipset, making it a well-rounded choice.
Feature Image – Motorola