Indeed, the Razr 5G is perhaps the best clamshell foldable out there. By some distance. It comes with a premium design (Hello! Moto!) that not only turns heads in its direction but also turns water away, thanks to a water repellent design. And of course, it is tough, made of metal and glass with 3D formed glass and 7000 series aluminum, capable of withstanding 2,00,000 flips. It comes with perhaps the most innovative camera arrangement – a 48-megapixel camera with a large f/1.7 aperture and OIS as well, for great videos and low light performance. What’s special? Well, when it is folded, the camera is a selfie camera, and when the phone is flipped open, it is the main camera. The phone can also do a lot even when it is shut, thanks to a large 2.7-inch quick view display, that lets you not just see notifications but also respond to them. Powering it is a Snapdragon 765G processor, and of course, as its very name indicates, the Razr now is global-ready and future proof with support for 5G. At Rs 1,24,999, the Razr is easily the foldable clamshell of choice in the Indian market today. It does face competition from the much-hyped Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5G, which has not yet been launched in India and its predecessor, the Galaxy Z Flip, but in our opinion, it pretty much outflips them. Let us explain why.
Flipping it on design!
And this is evident from the moment you clap eyes on them. The Razr 5G comes with 3D formed glass on both the front and back whereas the Z Flip devices have a plastic front. Now, we have nothing against plastic, but you have to admit that glass has a class of its own. The Razr 5G also features a Zero gap hinge design (patented) that protects the screen from dust and ensures that the phone shuts snugly.
On the other hand, there is a clear and visible gap visible in both Z Flip phones – not what you expect in a premium device, really. This difference in the folding manners of the two devices becomes even more evident when you open them – the Razr 5G maintains a unique teardrop shape of the screen inside the hinge resulting in a smooth main screen even after long usage. On the other hand, both the Z Flip devices tend to show “creases” on the display at the point of folding. Premium. The Razr is more resilient too, as it has P2i splash resistance. And well, it is a RAZR – you can flip it open with one hand, something that becomes a bit of a task with the Z Flips.
Flipping good displays
The Razr 5G’s dual displays offer a 21:9 aspect ratio which is very cinematic. The Z Flips on the other hand do not have this and the result is that watching content on the Z Flip is not quite as immersive as on the Razr. Then there is the external display – the two Z Flip devices have stuck to tiny 1.06-inch ones, which are designed mainly to show the time and a few basic notifications. The Razr 5G on the other hand comes with a large 2.7-inch display which not only shows you the time but also a number of notifications and also lets you respond to them. You can respond to messages with speech to text or even use a full-size keyboard to do so, and can activate apps such as Google Maps and YouTube Music – the external display (also called the Quick View display) actually has a navigation bar with its own gestures. It is not a dumb screen but a very smart, interactive one that brings out experiences and benefits which truly add value to the foldable experience.
Flip to shoot
The camera has got to be one of the coolest features of the Razr 5G. It is one powerful 48-megapixel camera with OIS that works as a selfie camera when the phone is shut and as a rear camera when the phone is open. For good measure, the RAZR ALSO has a 20-megapixel inner camera. In terms of potential, innovation, and performance, this setup easily trumps the very basic and conventional dual 12-megapixel camera set up on the Z Flip devices (which cannot be used as a selfie camera) and the rather basic 10-megapixel internal camera.
Flip for better connectivity
The Razr 5G comes with four antennas – two on the chin and two on the upper lip to ensure that RF performance is not compromised, whether the device is open or shut. However, antennas of the Z Flip devices get hidden when the phone is flipped shut, affecting its performance. Simple English? The Razr 5G handles connections just as well whether it is shut or open!
Flip to the future
This is simple – the Motorola RAZR 5G has 5G connectivity (hey, Moto was the device that even had 5G mods for its Z devices, remember). So, your premium device is ready for the network of the future. The original Z Flip does not support 5G, but its newer variant does. But then again, the Razr 5G also comes with global band support and with carrier aggregation (3X20 CA – 60MHz), which the Z Flip 5G does not. Only one of these is really going to be ready when the next-gen of wireless networks turn up.
Flipping for a smaller but better battery
The Z Flip devices come with 3300 mAh batteries as compared to the 2800 mAh on the RAZR 5G, but it is here that the second display of the RAZR wins it the day. Thanks to its effective second display, the RAZR 5G is fully capable and functional even when it is shut, reducing the need for always flipping the phone to use the bigger display. Users of the Z Flip, however, almost always have to flip open the phone, which means using that much bigger display almost every time you use the phone. It does not take a genius to figure out that this drains the battery. What’s more, the Snapdragon 765G is a very power efficient chipset while the 865 is a power-hungry one – the difference becomes very evident in terms of battery life.
Flipping for stock Android
The final winner for the Razr 5G is its UI, which is based on stock Android, and focuses on delivering a clean, bloat-free experience. It also comes with My UX which allows users to employ gestures like the chop-chop for the flashlight and double twist for the camera. Compared with this OneUI on the two Z Flip devices looks very cluttered indeed. It has the style, the design, the innards, and most important of all, the performance. If you are looking for a flip phone today, well, you might think the world has not changed for a while, because the answer is the same as it was more than a decade ago: the Motorola Razr 5G! Note: The Razr 5G comes at an effective price of Rs. 1,14,999 with a 10,000 Instant Discount (Online) and (Cashback) offline on HDFC Credit Cards and Debit & Credit Card EMI Transactions. In addition, Razr 5G users get a No Cost EMI schemes of up to 12 months (EMIs starting Rs 10,417/month only) from all leading banks and a special double data, double validity benefit with Reliance Jio. Motorola Razr 5G is now available for pre-booking online on Flipkart and offline at leading retail stores across India and goes on sale starting 12th October. Buy on Flipkart List of Offline Stores
