Motorola Razr 40

Motorola Razr 40 Review

The Motorola Razr 40, launched on June 21, 2023, marks Motorola’s foray into the mid-range foldable market. It seeks to balance the appeal of a flip phone design with practical performance and a more accessible price point.

Design

The Razr 40 embodies a sleek, foldable form factor. It measures 170.8mm in height, 74mm in width, and a slim 7.4mm in depth when unfolded. The device weighs 188.6g, which feels substantial yet manageable. Its hinge mechanism allows the phone to fold completely flat. The build includes a side-mounted fingerprint sensor and a variety of color options: Sage Green, Vanilla Cream, Summer Lilac, Grape Compote, and Cherry Blossom. The hinge and overall build quality feel robust.

Display

The primary display is a 6.9-inch foldable LTPO AMOLED panel with a 21:9 aspect ratio, a resolution of 1080 x 2640 pixels and a pixel density of 413 ppi. It boasts a 144Hz refresh rate, supporting 1 billion colors, HDR10+, and a peak brightness of 1400 nits. The screen is protected by Corning Gorilla Glass Victus. The display includes features like DC dimming, a hole-punch notch, and is certified by SGS. A contrast ratio of 5,000,000:1 contributes to deep blacks and vibrant colors. The pOLED technology ensures a smooth experience with smooth transitions.

Performance

The Razr 40 is powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 7 Gen 1 (4 nm) chipset. The octa-core CPU is configured with 1x2.4 GHz Cortex-A710, 3x2.36 GHz Cortex-A710, and 4x1.8 GHz Cortex-A510 cores. Graphics are handled by an Adreno 644 GPU. The phone features 8GB of LPDDR4X RAM and 256GB of UFS 2.2 internal storage. While lacking a microSD card slot, the phone achieves an AnTuTu score of approximately 699,600 (v10), placing it in the mid-range performance bracket. The combination handles everyday tasks and moderate gaming quite effectively.

Camera

The Razr 40 features a dual rear camera setup: a 64MP primary camera with an f/1.8 aperture and OIS, and a 13MP wide-angle lens with an f/2.2 aperture that also serves as a macro lens. The rear camera system captures detailed photos with good dynamic range. The selfie camera is a 32MP sensor with an f/2.45 aperture, delivering clear selfies. Video recording capabilities include 4K at 30fps and 1080p at 30/60fps, all with electronic image stabilization (EIS). Camera features include Time-Lapse, 4K Video, Digital zoom, Dual camera, Digital image stabilization, Optical Stabilization (OIS), Ultra stable video, Autofocus, Touch focus, Phase detection autofocus (PDAF), Laser autofocus (LAF), Continuous shooting, Geotagging, Panorama, Face detection, White balance settings, ISO settings, Exposure compensation, Scene mode, Self-timer, RAW, and Night Vision.

Battery Life

The device incorporates a 4200mAh Li-Polymer battery. It supports 33W fast charging and also 8W wireless charging. The phone also has reverse charging capabilities, allowing you to charge other devices wirelessly. The battery provides sufficient power for a day of moderate use.

Software

The Razr 40 ships with Android 13, with an upgrade path to Android 16. The user interface is clean and near-stock, with subtle Motorola enhancements. It ensures a smooth and user-friendly experience.

Connectivity

The phone supports dual SIM (Nano SIM + Nano SIM / eSIM), with 5G, 4G LTE, 3G, and 2G network connectivity. It also includes NFC, Wi-Fi 6 (802.11ax), Bluetooth 5.3 LE, and various GPS navigation options (GPS, A-GPS, GLONASS, Beidou, SUPL, and Galileo). The USB Type-C 2.0 port supports OTG, Mass Storage, and Host functions.

Pricing

The Motorola Razr 40 is positioned in the medium price range. Prices for the 8GB/256GB configuration vary, hovering around $479 - $551 depending on the retailer.

Overall Verdict

The Motorola Razr 40 offers a compelling mix of style and functionality within the foldable market. Its sleek design, vibrant display, and capable mid-range performance cater well to a broad audience. While not a flagship contender, its camera system, decent battery life, and clean software experience make it a strong contender in the mid-range foldable category. The inclusion of wireless charging is also a plus. The Razr 40 represents an attractive option for consumers seeking the allure of a foldable without the premium price tag.