Motorola Razr Plus review

 

At the beginning of June, when I tried the Motorola Razr Plus for the first time, I was immediately asking myself if it was going to be my favorite smartphone of the year; and this was after using the phone for barely more than an hour. I've been using the Razr Plus for a little under two weeks now, and even after discovering some of its flaws and peculiarities, I still can't shake that sensation. Even though I'm writing this review, I still can't shake that feeling.

Is the Motorola Razr Plus the most remarkable phone I've used in terms of its technology so far this year? No. Is it the very finest smartphone money can buy in 2023 for the vast majority of people? Furthermore, no! However, out of all the mobile devices I've tried so far in 2018, this is the one that has given me the greatest enjoyment. My experience with flip phones foldables has led me to conclude that the Motorola Razr Plus is, without a doubt, the most enjoyable and engaging of all of them.

Specifications

Display	6.9-inch POLED with 165Hz
Weight	184.5g
Processor	Qualcomm Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1
RAM/Storage	8GB with 256GB
Battery	3,800mAh with 30W charging and 5W wireless
Camera	12MP wide, 13MP ultra-wide, 32MP front
Durability	IP52
Price	$999

Motorola Razr+ Review: Display

The Razr+'s exterior 3.6-inch pOLED display startled me most. Its 1:1 screen aspect ratio and 1066 x 1056 pixel resolution make it sharp and detailed. It has the same pixel density as the primary display!  The external display let me run several programs and games and type messages with its on-screen keyboard. The layout's size was virtually comparable to the keyboard's main display, making one-handed swipe gestures easy. Due to restricted real estate, certain apps didn't scale well on the exterior display. 

That didn't affect native apps like Gmail and Google Maps, but Chrome's narrow view made web browsing difficult. One game I tried on the external monitor seemed squashed, so don't expect perfect graphics. Despite that, I like how the Razr+'s external screen can be customized with clocks, animated backgrounds, and more.

For the main 6.9-inch FHD+ OLED display, I have few complaints. First, its 1,084 nit peak brightness made it viewable in sunshine. In comparison, the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 4 reached 772 nits. The Razr+ screen offers all the OLED panel attributes I adore, like wide viewing angles with low distortion and vibrant colors. Its seamless 165Hz refresh rate makes it ideal for gaming and viewing films.

Motorola Razr Plus: performance and battery

The Motorola Razr Plus uses a Qualcomm Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 processor like many 2022 top Android phones. Although it's not Qualcomm's latest chipset, the Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 is very competent. Apps open immediately, games run smoothly, and 8GB of LPDDR5 RAM lets you multitask. Razr Plus performance has never been an issue. This also applies to 5G phone performance. The Motorola Razr Plus supports sub-6 5G but not mmWave. That may sound like a concern for a $1,000 smartphone, but it didn't affect my testing. In well-covered locations on T-Mobile's 5G network in southwest Michigan, the Razr Plus can easily download over 1Gbps like my iPhone 14 Pro. 

How hot the Razr Plus gets is my major complaint. After 20 minutes of Marvel Snap, the Razr Plus's cover screen gets really warm. During typical use, the phone doesn't heat up, but when I game for lengthy periods, it does. Due to the Razr Plus' form factor and size, Motorola may have had to reduce heat management compared to other Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1-equipped phones. It's hardly a deal-breaker, but it surprised me. How about battery life? The Razr Plus' 3,800mAh battery lasts a day like the Galaxy Z Flip 4's. With two hours of screen time (on the main display), 30 to 50 minutes of gaming, and frequent use of Twitter, Outlook, Microsoft Teams, Duolingo, TikTok, and Instagram, I usually finish most days on the Razr Plus with 15% or less. 

This includes checking notifications, responding to Telegram messages, and playing Stack Bounce (it's great) on the cover screen. This battery life is fine. Ideally, the Razr Plus could last a day-and-a-half or two days on a charge, but foldable flip phones won't be able to do that for a long. Motorola Razr Plus consistently lets me get through a whole day, which is OK with me. The charging scenario is similar to mine. The Razr Plus has 5W wireless and 30-watt wired charging. Moto's charging options are nice, but nothing groundbreaking.

Motorola Razr Plus: cameras

Almost every smartphone cuts corners, and folding phones usually mean camera quality. The Motorola Razr Plus has a 12MP f/1.5 camera with OIS. A 32MP selfie camera and 13MP ultrawide camera with a 108-degree field of view are within.

 With those specs, the Razr Plus' camera system shouldn't be impressive. A good camera setup can provide great images, therefore I wouldn't call it "bad." However, a $1,000 smartphone is not the finest.

The Razr Plus' camera consistency is its major issue. The soda bottle photo and my kitty on my lap are great! Other times, the Razr Plus falls short. The shot of my dog above shows his rich, nearly orange fur. He has a natural tan. It fails to capture my black cat cleaning herself, eliminating her fur detail and unable to keep up with her activity.

Motorola Razr Plus: verdict

Motorola Razr Plus isn't ideal. There are numerous major problems that make the $1,000 price tag hard to accept. The camera system is adequate, but not for a pricey phone. From the Galaxy Z Flip 4, photo quality has declined, and the Galaxy Z Flip 5 may follow suit. One-day battery life is the minimum for a premium smartphone in 2023, and the Razr Plus' charging choices, while OK, are nothing new.

Despite those flaws, I've loved the Motorola Razr Plus. One of the most fun phones I've used this year. I don't want to stop using the Razr Plus because of its great cover screen, design, and software. It's not the most advanced or affordable phone, but it's unlike anything I've used before.