Motorola Razr 5G: A Sharp Folding Phone Reboot For 2020 [Hands-On]

Hi, this is Wayne again with a topic “Motorola Razr 5G: A Sharp Folding Phone Reboot For 2020 [Hands-On]”.
The only thing better than bringing back a classic is getting a second chance to do it even better.. A little over a year ago, Motorola reinvented its legendary Razr clamshell as a bleeding edge, foldable smartphone., But as a first generation foldable, it carried compromises. High price carrier exclusivity and doubts about dependability., All it took, was some stiff, Samsung competition to render that first Razr reboot an also-ran, an indignity that Motorola is today able to address.. I’M MrMobile – and this is your first look at the new Motorola Razr, the Razr 5G.

(, upbeat electronic music, ). Okay, confession time., You remember how mere moments after laying hands on the first Motorola Razr revival. Last year I told you I was buying one Well. I didn’t because I couldn’t justify switching to exclusive launch carrier Verizon. And that’s one of the first problems, the new Razr solves. Yep, no matter which corner of the box you look at. You won’t find a carrier logo because the new Razr is available, unlocked in over 35 markets with an actual physical SIM tray this time around, instead of an eSIM. Serial SIM swappers rejoice. Moving up and around the corner.

From that addition, we find a subtraction. See in order to streamline the Razr’s distinctive chin. The fingerprint sensor has been moved to the back where it’s been cleverly combined with the cutout for the Motorola logo., It’s lower on the body than on most phones.

So the new ergonomics take a little getting used to, but you can now use it as a notification shade shortcut. Speaking of ergonomics, man. This thing is a treat to hold. It’s thicker wider and slightly shorter than last year’s model, with a more rounded flip on its top half and a new back plate on its bottom, both made of Gorilla Glass 5.. I’M not crazy about the switch from plastic when it comes to my polished, graphite review sample here, which slips and slides on soft surfaces much more readily than the old Razr did.

And, as you can see, I’ve already got a scratch or two on it. After just a few days., But the two other available, colorways swap the glossy finish for a satin one and with one of them, Motorola finally brings back the metallic silver color of the original 2004 era. Razr.. That company calls it Liquid Mercury but might as well be called Michael Fisher.

Kryptonite. Inside familiar components have been tuned up.. It’S the same.

Poled display ensconced teardrop style within a similar stainless steel hinge, but the display is now stretched more tightly across the metal supports underneath and the hinge now has fewer moving. Parts. Motorola tells me that’s meant to cut down on the potential for the kind of noises that caused such concern on last year’s review, devices. And at first listen. It is substantially quieter than the Razr 2019 review sample.

I’Ve carried since March. Motorola says this new hinge. Should be good for 200,000 flips or about five years, if you flip it 100 times a day. I’ll talk more about how I plan to evaluate that claim.

In my full review. ( light electronic music ) On the software side, the Razr 5G builds on the improvements that came with the Android 10 update, which were focused on letting you do things like send messages from the external display on the earlier Razr.. That display continues to be the Razr’s biggest advantage against Samsung’s Galaxy Z, Flip and the Razr 5G takes it a step further by letting you do ( chuckles ), almost anything out here, including opening almost any app you want..

Now. Why would you want to subject yourself to this comically compact calendar say Well battery life. The more functionality of the phone can offer on the smaller easier to power cover display the longer the phone will.

Last. Endurance should also be helped by an 11 % boost in power pack capacity over last year and a much newer processor as well.. That Snapdragon 765G underpins a host of upgrades across the spec sheet from doubled storage to two more gigs of RAM to an all new optically stabilized camera, to a foursome of low band 5G antennas split between the flip’s edge and the chin..

Now, as you know, I’m not big on specs. Too much ink was spilled. Fretting about the older silicon under the hood of last year’s Razr, which continues to run just fine., But I’d be lying.

If I said, I couldn’t tell a difference between these two. In the time I’ve had with the new model, every interaction has been smoother quicker and really just as fast as you’d expect from any 2020 flagship. Remember.

This is basically the same spec sheet as what powers the OnePlus Nord.. I don’t mind the lack of a high refresh rate display. At this point.

Clamshell foldables don’t need any more battery drains than absolutely necessary, but I am sad to see that Motorola couldn’t find room for a wireless charging coil in here or any kind of charging faster than 15 watts. For 2020. That’S pretty slow.! I’M testing the new Razr over the next few days and my review will devote a lot of time to the camera and battery life, both of which came up short on the 2019 model.. But when you look at these hardware, improvements and you take them together with the end of Verizon exclusivity and a new price point that undercuts the Galaxy Z Flip 5G. Well, that’s just the kind of combination. Motorola really needed to close the gap with the competition and reinvigorate a foldable segment that for a while there was starting to look like it belonged entirely to Samsung..

The new Motorola Razr goes on sale at Best, Buy B. .