Motorola Razr 40 review: An afforable flip smartphone at last

Razr is a well-known name from the days of classic clamshell smartphones and Motorola has been reviving the brand with foldable smartphones for a few years now. Like its predecessors, the Razr folds on the short edge. This allows for a smartphone display format as known in other devices, which easily fits into a trouser pocket when folded.

The Razr 40 Ultra impressed with a huge external display, which is perfect for selfies or quick answers to messages. With the Razr 40, however, Motorola is more economical and retro at the same time; like previous clamshell smartphones, there is only a small external display that shows the most important information. At the same time, the price has dropped significantly: The Razr 40 is available for US$755 (via Amazon in Green and Cream ) and is currently one of the cheapest foldable smartphones.

The case is based on the robust hinge design of the Razr 40 Ultra, which becomes indiscernible when opened. According to the first durability tests with the Razr 40 Ultra, the hinge also gives the impression of stability, but the inner display is still sensitive to scratches. And there is still a crease where the display is folded.

This is only really visible in backlight and is not too bothersome during operation, but still noticeable. The smaller external display, protected by Gorilla Glass Victus, makes the case of the Razr 40 even more robust, as well as pressure- and torsion resistant. However, this device possesses no more than IP52 certification, so good protection against dust and splash water is not guaranteed.

The Razr 40 weighs the same as the Razr 40 Ultra and is slightly thicker, but otherwise has the same dimensions. The smartphone is covered with imitation leather on most of the front and back, which gives the smartphone a very high-quality look. Available colors are Sage Green , Vanilla Cream and Summer Lilac , with the metal frame matching the color.

Like its more expensive sibling, the Razr 40 also exudes the new “Motorola scent” after unboxing, which was developed together with Firmenich, a fragrance manufacturer. With 8 GB of RAM and 256 GB of mass storage, the Razr 40 has a decent amount of storage, but slower flash memory than the Ultra. A microSD slot is not available, nor is a second SIM slot.

On the other hand, there is support for virtual SIM cards, so dual operation with a nano and an eSIM is possible. Again, Motorola only installs a USB 2. 0 port, so that data transfer to the PC via cable is slower and no image transfer is possible.

Accordingly, Ready For, Motorola’s link tool to the PC or monitor, also only works wirelessly. The Razr 40 comes with Android 13, and the manufacturer continues the tradition of installing stock Android without its own UI. There are also a few apps on the smartphone in which all the settings for device-specific functions are bundled, but otherwise there are no changes to the stock Android.

No third-party advertising apps are preinstalled, apart from Facebook. At the time of review, the security patches were from June 2023 and therefore still reasonably up to date. There should be further updates until June 2027, which is 4 years.

Android 14 has already been announced, and the manufacturer promises a total of three new operating systems. The Motorola Razr 40 supports WiFi 6E, so there are no limitations compared to the Razr 40 Ultra . Our test device proves to be even more stable in conjunction with our Asus ROG Rapture AXE11000 reference router in terms of data transfer and is also able to utilize very fast networks thanks to the sparsely used 6 GHz frequency range.

Full signal strength is available near the router and nothing changes at a distance of 10 meters and through 3 walls. Pages load very quickly. There is also a wide variety of mobile networks.

Hence, apart from a single 5G frequency, the Motorola Razr 40 can be used worldwide like the Razr 40 Ultra or other high-end smartphones. Mobile reception was always stable and very high in urban environments during our approximately two-week review phase. The tracking module can access all major satellite networks and our location is ascertained very quickly as soon as we step outside.

At three meters, the accuracy is at a good level. To test the smartphone’s real-world tracking capabilities, we went for a bike ride and took the Garmin Venu 2 smartwatch along as a comparison device. On open terrain with wider roads, the Razr 40 is very accurate in localization and very precisely charts the route taken.

In the narrow streets of the old town, localization is slightly less precise. Here it sometimes looks as though we scraped along the house walls and the smartphone is also slightly off track on the bridge. Overall, positioning accuracy is very high, so the Razr 40 can also be recommended to people who have high demands for navigation.

Interestingly, the “Phone” app is a Motorola custom app based on Android’s open-source code. Nevertheless, the structure and functions are very similar to those of Google’s standard app. The voice quality is very clear via the earpiece, and our voice also reaches the other party very clearly via the microphone, even when we speak softly.

You can also make calls very well via the speaker and hands-free microphone, but users shouldn’t speak too quietly here. While the same 13-megapixel lens is used as the wide-angle lens on the back, like in the Razr 40 Ultra , the main camera has been replaced in the cheaper model: the most important lens in the Razr 40 is a 64-megapixel sensor from OmniVision, which offers slightly lower light sensitivity, but also features an optical image stabilizer. Photos look colorful and well-brightened at first glance, but on closer inspection they are not as sharp and slightly less detail-rich than the cameras of high-end smartphones when enlarged.

Nevertheless, the main camera of the Razr 40 can take very nice shots. The sharpness is good in low light; only dark areas could be brightened up a bit more. Videos can be recorded in 4K at a maximum of 30 fps, while 60 fps is also possible in lower resolutions.

The quality of hardware for video recordings is not that high for foldables anyway, and 8K is rarely found even in much more expensive devices. The resulting videos from the main camera of the Razr 40 are very good, but the viewfinder occasionally jerks during fast movements, which is not visible in the final picture. The autofocus could be a little faster, but this is unlikely to be noticeable in the absence of fast-moving scenes.

The wide-angle camera takes usable pictures and even captures some detail. The screen has a 32-megapixel lens, also from OmniVision, which takes bright selfies with good image quality, but a slight grid becomes visible at high magnification. We also put the main camera through its paces in the photo lab and in controlled conditions.

Photos are again slight blurry in full studio lighting, and uniform surfaces are often appear a little blotchy. Under illuminance of just 1 lux, the test chart is reproduced clearly. We like the fact that Motorola includes both a charger and a protective case with the Razr 40.

The manufacturer offers a 24-month warranty on smartphones purchased in the EU. This may differ in other regions, so buyers should double check before purchasing. The screen’s frame rate can be set at a maximum of 60 Hz or 144 Hz and is always dynamically controlled.

This works well and allows for very smooth operation. The touchscreen refreshes up to 240 times per second (even up to 360 times in games) and is very precise up the corners. As with the Razr 40 Ultra , it takes practice to open the Razr 40 with one hand.

This is because the hinge is tight, allowing you to hold the smartphone open in just about any position, which means you can often get by without a tripod for selfies or group photos. When opened in an L-shape, different apps can be displayed on the lower and upper part of the screen, so you can, for example, write on the lower part while the music playlist or a video runs on the top. The external display is also touch-sensitive, but is hardly useful for working due to its size.

Here, information can be retrieved more like on a smartwatch and simple media control is possible. The information on the external display is always available, even when locked. A fingerprint sensor is found on the right side in the standby button, which unlocks the phone quickly and reliably.

Facial recognition is also available and it works both when the phone is open and closed. However, it is not quite as secure since only 2D images are scanned. Hence, Android blocks its use after the phone has been locked for 4 hours.

The OLED main screen of the Razr 40 features an extended Full HD resolution, is very bright on average with a high resolution of 1,002 cd/m² and can display colors very accurately. Although we noticed PWM flickering, this can be mitigated via a DC dimming mode. The flickering then becomes more even and matches the frequency of the refresh rate, which should be much more comfortable.

Nevertheless, we recommend that sensitive people first try out the screen at low brightness before buying. In our measurements with the spectral photometer and CalMAN software, we did not detect a bluish cast and the screen can also be used very well to assess printing colors. For this you should select the color profile “Natural” in the settings.

The response times are typically short for OLEDs, which will please gamers. The display’s high brightness comes into play outdoors – even bright days do not pose any issues. The viewing angles also give no reason for criticism.

The graphics card in the Razr 40 is sufficient for 1080p gaming, at least if you are satisfied with 30 fps. If you want to play in higher resolutions, you’re actually better off with a real high-end SoC, but you’ll have to pay more. The difference in performance to flagship devices is significantly greater in terms of graphics power than in the processor unit.

Even when internet surfing, the Razr 40 with its Snapdragon 7 achieves significantly fewer points in the benchmarks than the fastest SoCs on the market. Nevertheless, pages open very quickly and images are usually already available while scrolling, so the difference here is rather theoretical. The performance deficit is more noticeable in the storage: The Motorola Razr 40 still uses older UFS 2.

2 flash, while current high-end smartphones already make use of UFS 3. 1 or even UFS 4. 0 storage.

Thus, data transfers can take a long time and loading times can also be longer. The Razr 40 achieves a maximum of 60 fps in the games tested, although it requires low settings in PUBG Mobile. A maximum of 46 fps is possible in Diablo: Immortal.

You should be able to achieve a stable 30 fps in most games. Frame rates were measured using the GameBench software suite. The Razr 40 is not an uncompromising gaming phone, but the performance provided should easily suffice for casual gamers.

Under long, high loads, the Razr 40’s case temperatures can rise up to 51. 2 C. This temperature increase is strongly limited to certain spots and is rarely reached in everyday use, but the smartphone can definitely get warm when gaming in high ambient temperatures.

The SoC also throttles, but much less than in other foldables. The smartphone’s earpiece is used as a second speaker, so stereo effects are possible together with the main speaker on the case’s lower edge when opened. The speakers are not quite as loud, but they sound very clear and reproduce music in a nuanced way.

Those who prefer to use external devices can connect them via USB-C or Bluetooth. A large selection of codecs is available for the latter: in addition to standards such as aptX HD or LDAC, there are also (still) quite unusual variants such as LC3 or LHDC V3/V4. The Razr 40 is a fairly economical foldable smartphone, especially under load.

This is likely due to the lower maximum performance, while it is more on par with the comparison devices under low load or even consumes a little more energy. At 4,200 mAh, the battery of the Razr 40 is more powerful than that of the Razr 40 Ultra or the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip4 . This is reflected in good runtimes for a foldable, with 12:23 hours in our WLAN test.

If you look at all smartphones, there are certainly some that last significantly longer. But you should easily get through a work- or school day on one battery charge, even under somewhat more intensive use. The smartphone can be charged with a maximum of 30 watts.

The foldable is full again in less than 1:30 hours after the battery is completely drained. Wireless charging, as in the Razr 40 Ultra , is also available on the cheaper model. Motorola makes cuts to the Razr 40 in some painful, but ultimately right areas in order to be able to offer a relatively cheap flip and foldable smartphone.

US$755 is certainly still a high price, but at least around $300 cheaper than the Razr 40 Ultra . In return, you have to sacrifice the large external display, but those who only used it for checking notifications will be satisfied with the smaller screen, for which Motorola has found some clever additional uses. The flash storage is also a little slower.

The lower performance will be particularly noticeable for hardcore gamers and users who need every last bit of power, particularly in multitasking with demanding apps. Everyone else gets a fast system for everyday life, which is packed in a stylish and stable case that impresses with long runtimes for a foldable. The screen is bright and the stock Android gets long updates.

The fact that Motorola only installs a USB 2. 0 port was already a problem with the Razr 40 Ultra and is also annoying with the Razr 40. Ready For only works via WiFi, even if a wired connection is offered in the menu.

The cameras are decent, but not at the high-end level. Those looking for a camera smartphone will definitely find better alternatives in this price range. As an economical foldable with a mini external display and a little less power, the Motorola Razr 40 fills an interesting gap and looks very stylish at the same time.

The price of the Razr 40 Ultra has hardly fallen so far ( US$1,049 at Amazon ), but is still an interesting alternative with much more power and a large external display. The Galaxy Z Flip4 is hardly cheaper, so the Razr 40 is (still) pretty much alone in its price range. The Motorola Razr 40 is listed on Amazon USA for $755.

00 in the colors Green and Cream . Prices are as of 25. 07.

2023 and are subject to change. .