Motorola Razr Plus vs Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 4: Which foldable should you buy?

If the foldable phone market were a school cafeteria, Samsung — and only Samsung — would be sitting at the cool kids’ table. Oh, and there won’t be any other students in the room either. Because over the past four years, the Korean giant has had a firm grasp on what is marketed every year as the next big thing in mobile: handsets that can bend, flip and fold from one form factor to another. Can

Also: Motorola Razr hands-on: Leaving Samsung behind, the new Gen-Z flip phone has arrived

That’s what makes new entrants like Motorola’s Razr and Razr Plus so intriguing. Like Samsung’s Galaxy Z Flip series, Motorola has gone with a clamshell approach to foldables, prioritizing portability and ease of use over high performance and endurance. And while the two Razr models have yet to be tested, one thing is certain: Samsung finally has competition.

If you’ve been cross-shopping between the new Razr and Samsung’s foldable, you’ve come to the right place. Below, I’ve broken down the key reasons to buy one model over the other. And, trust me, it’s not as one-sided as you’d hope.

Specifications

You should buy the Motorola Razr Plus if…

1. You want a more functional outdoor display

The 3.6-inch display is larger than the 1.9-inch display; Math Checks! As far as I can remember, Samsung’s Galaxy Z Flip models have suffered from the problem of the outer screen being too small. So, instead of feeling like a tiny phone display, the cover screen was more like a smartwatch.

Too: Flip the phones over to digital cameras, Gen Z’s love of retro gadgets is smarter than you realized

With the Motorola Razr Plus, the company hasn’t embedded a large panel on the front, but it refreshes at 144Hz, which is closer to the visual quality of the unfolded display below it. Motorola also put some thought into the external display’s software, allowing users to personalize their own “panels” of widgets, apps, and games.

And if you want to quickly reply to a text message or email, you can do so comfortably without ever needing to open the Razr.

2. Media consumption is the primary use case

If you like watching movies and shows, mindlessly scrolling through social media or both, the Motorola Razr Plus is the better medium of both. In addition to the better external display, the 6.9-inch internal panel is also larger than Samsung’s 6.7-inch. And for smoother graphics, the display refreshes at 165Hz, compared to the Z Flip’s 120Hz.

3. A less slippery phone is preferred

No one ever says they wish their phone could slip out of their hands, right? Be it the glossy backing or the frosted glass, the first thing I do when I open a new phone is the case. This was true with last year’s Galaxy Z Flip 4, which felt like a bar of soap when used open.

Luckily, the Motorola Razr Plus comes in what can only be considered the company’s flagship color at this point, Viva Magenta. It’s the same color that won Pantone’s Color of the Year and has slowly but surely made its way into Motorola’s other mobile devices. Apart from the red and pink color mix, the Viva Magenta finish comes in vegan leather material, which makes the Razr Plus very comfortable to hold.

You should buy the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 4 if…

1. You’re all about deals, savings and discounts

With consumer electronics, two things are usually certain over time: software patches and discounts. Since release, Samsung has not only been able to refine and apply any necessary bug fixes to the Galaxy Z Flip 4, but also slashed the price of the model as post-launch demand dropped.

Also: The Galaxy Z Flip 4 solves these two big problems for me

As a result, you can find Galaxy Z Flip 4 in the market as low as $500 now, $500 less than its retail price and less than what Moto is charging for the Razr Plus ($999). Not to mention, the Galaxy Z Flip is available in more major carrier stores, including Verizon, so discounts are easier to find through installment plans.

2. You are worried about the durability of foldables

Foldables have come a long way since they first hit the market, and the progress in durability is largely attributed to Samsung. With the Galaxy Z Flip 4, the flexible glass display can be folded up to 200,000 times, and the gadget has been given an IPX8 rating. This means that you can use the phone in the rain and shower and literally submerge it in more than a meter of water.

By comparison, the Motorola Razr Plus only has an IP52 rating, which means it can sustain a “direct spray of water from up to 15 degrees vertically.” Rainford Solutions,

3. Bespoke Lines Speak to You

The Viva Magenta is hard to top, but if you want to customize your flippable to the color of the hinge, Samsung will give you that freedom with Bespoke Programs For Galaxy Z Flip 4. You don’t have to pay extra to personalize the colors of the phone’s front and back panels and hinges, but like most custom-made orders, an additional week or two of processing time is required.

options to consider

best folding option

samsung galaxy z fold 4

The Galaxy Z Fold 4 is the best foldable phone you can buy right now, although its phone-to-table form factor takes some learning.

Best Motorola Alternative

motorola edge plus

It’s not flippable, but the Motorola Edge Plus with a 165Hz display offers the company’s best software experience.

best compact option

Samsung Galaxy S23

If you want a compact Samsung phone but are not ready to jump on the foldable bandwagon, then the Galaxy S23 is your best bet.