The Motorola Razr (2022) is no longer the newest Razr phone around with the Razr 40 series taking that title in 2023.
The Razr 40 line-up consists of two foldables that carry the same nostalgia-driven flip design that has seen a resurgence in recent years. Here’s how the top-end Razr 40 Ultra compares to last year’s Razr (2022).
The Motorola Razr 40 Ultra has a more spacious cover screen
According to Motorola, the Razr 40 Ultra has the largest external display found on any flip phone right now. The pOLED cover screen measures 3.6 inches, which is 0.9 inches more than the 2.7-inch front display on the Razr (2022).
That’s more space for all the new clock styles, games and custom app panels arriving on the new phone.
The cover screen on the Ultra also has a much higher resolution and a faster refresh rate than that on the 2022 phone at 1056 x 1066 and 144Hz compared to the 800 x 573 resolution and 60Hz refresh rate on last year’s Razr foldable.
The slow refresh rate was something we encountered issues with on the Razr (2022) as it seemed to cause games designed for the smaller cover screen to stutter, so we’re excited to see Motorola make improvements in this area.
Motorola Razr (2022)
The Motorola Razr (2022) has a bigger camera
While most specs on the Ultra have remained the same or seen an upgrade as the last year has passed, the camera is one area that seems to have gone in the other direction.
Both the Razr 40 Ultra and the Razr (2022) have three cameras – two on the outside of the phone and one on the larger inner display. Both phones take advantage of a 13-megapixel wide/macro sensor and a 32-megapixel selfie camera for video calls, but the main camera is where the biggest difference here lies.
The Motorola Razr 40 Ultra comes with a 12-megapixel main camera that uses Instant Dual Pixel PDAF technology for fast and accurate performance in a variety of lighting conditions. The camera also has a wide f/1.5 aperture to help create soft-focus backgrounds and OIS to minimise the effects of shaky hands.
Last year’s Razr (2022), meanwhile, packs a larger 50-megapixel camera with a slightly less wide f/1.8 aperture, OIS and the ability to record 8K/30p video.
We don’t know much about the Ultra’s video skills just yet and a high megapixel count doesn’t necessarily indicate a better camera. However, it’s interesting to see that Motorola may have taken a step back in this area.
The Motorola Razr 40 Ultra has a larger battery
According to Motorola, the battery in the 40 Ultra is larger than that in the previous generation, which should mean that the phone will last longer on a single charge (though the bigger, faster cover screen likely requires quite a bit of that power).
Motorola hasn’t revealed the exact size of the battery, but the 2022 model carried a 3500 mAh battery.
Both phones support Motorola’s 30W TurboPower fast charging.
Motorola Razr 40 Ultra
The Motorola Razr 40 Ultra comes in more colours
While the Motorola Razr (2022) certainly wasn’t boring to look at, the muted Satin Black seemed like an odd choice to pair with such a fun and nostalgic design.
The Razr 40 Ultra comes in a new array of matte and vegan leather finishes in Infinite Black, Glacier Blue and the vibrant Viva Magenta.
The Motorola Razr (2022) is cheaper
While the Razr (2022) was quite pricey at launch at £949, the foldable has since seen its price slashed to £799.99 – the same price as the new Motorola Razr 40.
The 40 Ultra, meanwhile, crosses the £1000 mark at a much steeper £1049.99.
