Flip phones are the practical kind of foldable, and they deserve a practical price. For years, Motorola provided that. Component shortages threatened to change everything, but the base-model Razr 2026 came out almost scot-free.
It’s $100 more expensive than the Razr 2025, but the latest model has a fresh processor, a bigger battery, and an upgraded ultrawide lens to justify the extra cost. Of the three Razr 2026 series phones, this one is still the only model under $1,000 — and it somehow received the most attention.
|
Category |
Motorola Razr 2026 |
|---|---|
|
OS |
Android 16 (Hello UX) |
|
Display (internal) |
6.9-inch, Extreme AMOLED, 1080 x 2640, LTPO 120Hz, HDR10+, Dolby Vision, 3,000 nits peak brightness |
|
Display (external) |
3.6-inch, Extreme AMOLED, 1056 x 1066 LTPS 90Hz, HDR10+, Dolby Vision, 1,700 nits peak brightness |
|
Chipset |
MediaTek Dimensity 7450X |
|
RAM |
8GB LPDDR5X |
|
Storage |
128GB, 256GB |
|
Rear Camera 1 |
50MP (1.6μm Quad Pixel), OIS, f/1.7 |
|
Rear Camera 2 |
50MP ultrawide (1.28μm Quad Pixel), f/2.0, 122-degree FoV, Autofocus with macro support |
|
Selfie Camera |
32MP(1.28μm Quad Pixel), f/2.4 |
|
Audio |
3 mics, dual stereo speakers, Dolby Atmos |
|
Connectivity |
5G, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, NFC |
|
Security |
Fingerprint sensor, Face unlock |
|
Protection |
IP48, MIL-STD 810H titanium hinge, Gorilla Glass Victus |
|
Battery |
4,800mAh, 30W wired charging, 15W wireless charging |
|
Dimensions (open) |
73.99 x 171.3 x 7.25mm |
|
Dimensions (closed) |
73.99 x 88.08 x 15.85mm |
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Weight |
188g |
|
Colors |
PANTONE Hematite, PANTONE Violet Ice, PANTONE Sporting Green, PANTONE Bright White |
The Motorola Razr 2026 became generally available on May 21, 2026, at a retail price of $799.99. That is for the 256GB storage variant, which you can buy on Motorola’s website. There will also be a 128GB model available, but we don’t know how much it will cost. You can find the Razr 2026 at Best Buy and Amazon, as well as carriers like Verizon and Google Fi. The phone will make its way to T-Mobile in the coming months, and notably, AT&T is absent from the carrier availability list.
For a limited time, you can get free Moto Buds 2 Plus when you buy the Razr 2026 from Motorola. You can also save $200 with an eligible trade-in device.
The design of the Motorola Razr 2026 should feel familiar — it matches the Razr 2025’s dimensions exactly. At 15.85mm when closed, this is the thickest flip phone in the entire Razr 2026 series. Still, it doesn’t feel unwieldy when closed and feels even better opened, measuring 7.25mm. One thing the Razr 2026 has going for it is its weight, because this 188-gram handset is also the lightest phone in the lineup.
The biggest change compared to the Razr 2025 is the rear camera lens housings. The ones on the last-generation flip are smaller and smoother to run your fingers over, while the Razr 2026 has larger lens covers with sharp edges. It’s a small tweak, but the new rear cameras look better, and the design might prevent you from accidentally smudging the lenses while using the cover screen.
Speaking of the cover screen, it’s quite small. At only 3.6 inches, the external display doesn’t fully cover the top half of the phone. It has larger black display bezels and an additional bezel above the color screen that matches the back finish. There are things I can’t do on the Razr 2026 cover screen that I could on the Plus and Ultra models, so there’s surely a case for needing a larger one.
It’s good enough for shooting off a quick text message without needing to open up the phone, though. If the bezel is going to be large, I love Motorola’s choice to continue color-matching the bezel with the PANTONE colorways on the back. I used the Hematite finish, and it’s a textured material that feels incredibly satisfying and adds grip.
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The titanium hinge assembly is sturdy, even if it does make a bit of noise when you fold and unfold it. The folding display crease is more visible than on more premium foldables, but you quickly forget about it while using the device. The cover screen is made out of Gorilla Glass Victus. However, if it’s anything like my Razr 2025, you should consider using a screen protector or case. The rounded, curved cover display glass will inevitably pick up scratches over time.
Like last year’s model, the Razr 2026 sports IP48 dust- and water-resistance. It’s not completely dustproof, although I took it to the beach and didn’t have any issues with sand getting into the hinge.
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As for the displays, they’re cut and pasted from the Razr 2025. The cover screen is a pOLED panel with 1,700 nits of peak brightness and a 90Hz refresh rate. I have no issues with the cover display’s responsiveness, but that low peak brightness rating will make you squint in direct sunlight. Although I would’ve taken a larger or brighter cover screen, this one will do just fine.
The main display is unchanged, too, and it doesn’t feel like a compromise. It’s a 6.9-inch AMOLED that feels just like a traditional slab phone, complete with a 120Hz refresh rate and 3,000-nit peak brightness rating. I have no qualms with the folding display here — it’s a superb panel for the price.
The Android 16 software is a joy to use on the Razr 2026. Motorola’s Hello UX skin shares a lot with stock Android, so it’s easy to switch from a phone like a Google Pixel to the Razr 2026 without missing a beat. Motorola makes thoughtful additions where they’re needed. This year, features like Android 16’s Live Updates are making their way to the flip phone and its cover screen for the first time. You can now follow notifications in real time, such as the status of a delivery order or a rideshare request.
Regardless of the cover screen’s size, Motorola’s software experience is excellent. You can run any app on the cover screen without the hassle — it just works. As I alluded to earlier, apps like Chrome are tricky to use on the compact display. The things you’ll actually want to use the cover screen for, like checking the weather, changing the song, or replying to a notification, all work great.
The Razr 2026 has always been at the low end of the Motorola flip phone totem pole, and naturally, it doesn’t have the most power. That’s starting to become a concern, considering the phone’s $100 higher starting price, but the new MediaTek Dimensity 7450X is passable for now.
It doesn’t represent a significant performance leap over the Dimensity 7400X in the Razr 2025. In fact, it only scored marginally better in benchmarks, and in one case, performed worse.
| Row 0 – Cell 0 |
Geekbench 6 (single-core / multi-core) |
Geekbench AI (CPU, quantized) |
3DMark Wild Life Extreme (score / fps) |
|
Motorola Razr 2026 (MediaTek Dimensity 7450X) |
1,102 / 3,055 |
1,835 |
1,068 / 6.40 |
|
Motorola Razr 2025 (MediaTek Dimensity 7400X) |
1,088 / 3,047 |
1,883 |
1,022 / 6.12 |
The big MediaTek Dimensity 7450X upgrade is not performance — this chip uses the same 4nm process node and core architecture as its predecessor. Instead, the advantage here is an upgraded Release 17 5G modem, which is said to offer improved power efficiency and more reliable connectivity.
In daily use, the Razr 2026 still slows down at times. It gets overwhelmed with quick actions, especially in direct sunlight when the phone gets hot. For instance, if I want to snap a photo, I need to quickly unlock my Razr 2026, open the camera app, and hit the shutter button. This should take a second or two, but on the Razr 2026, it can take upwards of five seconds for the camera viewfinder to appear. That could mean missing a moment, so there are situations where the Razr 2026’s weak processor could bite you.
Overall, if you exercise a bit of patience — and understand some actions will take a few seconds longer on the Razr 2026 compared to a flagship — the phone will serve your needs.
Fans of wide shots will be happy to know that the Razr 2026’s ultrawide camera is now 50MP, joining the 50MP primary shooter. There’s no telephoto lens, but you can take optical-quality shots at 2x zoom using sensor crop. The camera system has a Macro Vision feature that lets you take close-up shots, too. On the inside is a 32MP selfie camera, although I prefer using the rear cameras and the cover screen for selfies.
Motorola puts a lot of emphasis on color, with PANTONE-validated colors and Dolby Vision for video. This can be hit-or-miss in practice, because the high dynamic range occasionally over-highlights certain parts of images, leaving others oddly dark. You can see this effect in some of the camera samples below, where the blue sky is incredibly bright in some parts and dim in others.
Overall, the dual 50MP rear camera provides good quality and detail for the price point.
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For a small flip phone, the Razr 2026 also has a big battery. It’s 4,800mAh, so Motorola fit an extra 300mAh of capacity compared to the Razr 2025 without making the phone thicker. It’s impressive, and the 30W wired charging speeds and 15W wireless speeds make the Razr 2026 a battery and charging champion.
All told, the Razr 2026 is sitting pretty in this year’s lineup. It’s the only model I’d feel comfortable recommending at full price — the Razr Plus 2026 and Razr Ultra 2026 are overpriced and share too much in common with their predecessor. The last-gen Razr 2025 isn’t much of a threat here because it’s only $200 cheaper and only has two Android OS upgrades remaining. Once again, this is the phone to buy if you want a foldable without spending a fortune.
The value flip
Despite the $100 price hike, the Motorola Razr 2026 is still a steal. It offers a more powerful chip, a bigger battery, and a sharper ultrawide camera. The cover screen is more cramped than the other Razr 2026 models, but its software still beats the Galaxy Z Flip 7 FE.