Highlights
- In a grand launch event, Motorola officially launched the all new Motorola Razr 40 family in India with Motorola Razr 40 Ultra being the higher-end model.
- Motorola Razr 40 Ultra price in India is Rs. 89,999.
- Scheduled to go on sale from July 15, 2023, the only variant of this phone is available with 8 GB RAM and 256 GB internal storage specifications.
- Users can now pre-book the Razr 40 Ultra on Amazon India by paying Rs. 999.
- The Razr 40 series phones will be available for purchase on online partner Amazon.com and retail partner at Reliance Digital stores.
- In this blog, we are sharing a First Look In-Depth Review of Motorola Razr 40 Ultra.
After much anticipation, Motorola has finally unveiled the “slimmest flip phone” with “the largest external display” in an ultra pocketable design. Well, as they say….Hello Moto, the Motorola Razr 40 series is here!
The Razr 40 series have two models – Razr 40 and Razr 40 Ultra, the latter being the higher-end model. Now, we know this sounds great and the smartphones definitely looks great too, but we are here to dig deeper.
In this article, we are taking a closer look at Motorola Razr 40 Ultra and sharing our First Look In-Depth Review of the device analysing its features and performance.
Let’s talk about the launch and Razr 40 series first.
In a grand launch event, Motorola officially launched the all new Motorola Razr 40 and Motorola Razr 40 Ultra in India, positing both devices as the most stylish flip phones in the market.
After hitting the Chinese market last month, the new foldable phones are all set to enter the Indian market with a starting price range of Rs 59,999.
The story of Motorola Razr goes long back. Moto’s original series of flip phones are often credited for rolling the ball for the brand and making Motorola’s stagnant cell phone division profitable again.
The Raze V3 model, back in 2007-08, sold more than 130 million units and became the best-selling clamshell phone in the world of the time. Although the series discontinued long ago losing its appeal in the middle of a growing market for touchscreens, the nostalgia still runs deep.
With the allure of foldable smartphones gaining momentum, Motorola Mobility reviving its “Razr” series again as a foldable smartphone shouldn’t be a surprise for anyone.
During the recent Motorola Razr 40 Series launch event in India, the Global Head For Customer Experience Motorola, Ruben Castano claimed, “no one knows more about foldable devices than Motorola.”
So, how accurate that claim can be? Let’s find out in our First Look In-Depth Review of the Motorola Razr 40 Ultra. We will be digging deeper into its features including design, display, camera, and hardware.
Motorola Razr 40 Ultra – A Quick Overview
The Motorola Razr 40 Ultra brings a 6.79-inch main pOLED display with an FHD+ resolution, a 165Hz refresh rate, 1,400 nits peak brightness, and support for HDR10+.
However, the major highlight of the smartphone is the 3.6-inch pOLED cover display, which as per the brand’s claim is the largest external display on a flip phone.
The external display practically is enough to work as a main screen. As for features, the external display comes with a 144Hz refresh rate, 1100 nits peak brightness and HDR10+ support.
Powered by Qualcomm Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 system-on-chip, the Razr 40 Ultra is paired with 8GB RAM and 256GB on-board storage configuration. It boots Android 13 operating system with customisation and personalisation features loaded on top.
The phone is powered by a 3,800 mAh battery, supported by 30W fast wired charging and 5W wireless charging.
Razr 40 Ultra sports a dual-camera system, featuring a 12-megapixel primary camera with and a 13-megapixel ultra-wide-angle camera. It has a 32-megapixel selfie camera available on the foldable screen in a punch-hole set-up.
Motorola Razr 40 Ultra – Key Features
Motorola Razr 40 Ultra Features
- Main display: 6.9-inch FHD+ pOLED Foldable Display
- External display: 3.6-inch pOLED Display
- Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 Mobile Platform
- 8GB LPDDR5 RAM
- 256GB built-in UFS 3.1 Internal Storage
- Rear Camera – 12-megapixel with OIS + 13-megapixel Ultra-wide
- Front Camera – 32-megapixel selfie camera
- 3800mAh non-removable Battery
- 30W TurboPower charging support and 5W wireless charging support
- Android 13 Operating System
Motorola Razr 40 Ultra – Pros & Cons
| Pros | Cons |
| ● World’s Largest External Display* – 3.6-inch pOLED
● World’s Slimmest Flip Phone* (As per brand’s claim) ● Great main display with ● Good software with 3 years of major updates ● Stereo speakers ● IP52 Water splash & dust resistant ● Corning Gorilla Glass on the cover display ● Side-mounted fingerprint sensor |
● Average battery capacity & slow wired charging speed
● Subpar main camera specs ● No optical zoom camera ● No micro SD card slot
|
First Look In-Depth Review
Motorola Razr 40 Ultra – Design and Build Quality
- Dimensions – Open: 73.95 x 170.83 x 6.99mm; Closed: 73.95 x 88.42 x 15.1mm
- Body – Corning® Gorilla® Glass Victus on both front and rear (Infinite Black); Corning® Gorilla® Glass Victus on front, Vegan leather on rear (Viva Magenta), 7000 series aluminum (frame)
- Weight – 188.5g (Infinite Black); 184.5g (Viva Magenta)
- Water Protection – IP52 Water-repellent design
Motorola Razr 40 Ultra knocks it out of the park when it comes to design. The whole foldable flip design is arguably the most stylish flip phones we have seen.
The Razr 40 Ultra is sleek and stylish. In fact, Motorola has claimed it to be “world’s slimmest flip phones.” It is only 6.99mm thick when open and 15.1mm thick when folded.
On top this, the whole foldable design of this phone is almost gapless when folded, which is rarely seen is flip phones available in the market.
The phone has a new teardrop hinge design form that at first look comes across as solid. All the while we had the phone in our hands, we repeatedly unfolded and flipped the phone to check its quality and we must say, we never faced any issues with the hinge.
An interesting aspect of the foldable design and the solid hinge design is the flexibility it provides to the device. The hinge design offers the ability to set up the phone at multiple angles and can be easily used a tripod when recording videos or taking video calls.
One thing to note, the Razr 40 Ultra is a huge device and so, one hand operation is something you shouldn’t expect. Even when the phone is closed, one hand operation doesn’t seem feasible.
The Razr 40 Ultra is available in two colour options, Infinite Black and Viva Magenta. While the Infinite Black colour variant has Corning Gorilla Glass Victus on both front and rear, the Viva Magenta colour variant comes in Corning Gorilla Glass Victus on front and Vegan leather on rear. Both variants, however, have the same 7000 series aluminum frame.
This phone comes with IP52 rating providing resistance against water splashes and minor dust particles. You also get a side-mounted fingerprint scanner, dual SIM with e-SIM support, and 5W wireless charging support.
Motorola Razr 40 Ultra – External and Main Display
- Main display: 6.9″ FHD+ pOLED display – LTPO, Foldable AMOLED, HDR10+, 10-bit, 120% DCI-P3 color gamut, Up to 165Hz refresh rate, Touch rate: 240Hz/360Hz (game mode only), Peak Brightness: 1400 nits.
- External display: 3.6″ pOLED display – Flexible AMOLED, HDR10+, 10-bit, 100% DCI-P3 color gamut, Up to 144Hz refresh rate, Touch rate: 120Hz/360Hz (game mode only), Peak Brightness: 1100 nits.
At first look, we have to say that the most attractive thing about Razr Ultra 40 is its huge external display on the front.
The brand is claiming it to be the largest and most advanced external display of any flip phone and it is definitely going to be the unique selling point you will be hearing the most about.
The 3.6-inch pOLED external panel cuts through the main camera rings and Motorola has not compromised on any of the other features. The display has got a 10-bit panel with HDR 10+ support, peak refresh rate of 144hz, and 1100 nits of peak brightness.
It also has a pixel density of 430 PPI along with the corning’s gorilla glass victus protection.
While the technical specification does look impressive on paper, the user-experience this display enables will surpass any expectations you may have. The external display home screen has space for everything that you can possibly think of doing with your smartphone.
You can perform almost every task on the external display of Moto Razr 40 Ultra. The possibilities are endless with the largest, most advanced external display of any flip phone.
The interactive display has been designed to be more immersive, personal, functional, and fun. You can use the external display to –
- Capture photos and videos like never before using a massive external display and hands-free recording.
- Set your route on the main screen, fold your phone, and view directions on the external display. All it takes is one tap for effortless navigation.
- Enjoy instant access to your favorite music and recommended artists on the dedicated Spotify panel – without having to open your phone.
- Also enjoy instant access to your favorite music at a glance – without having to open your phone.
- Express your personal style by selecting from a variety of clock styles and wallpapers.
- Play games, watch videos, make payments, and access all your favorite apps with the phone closed.
- Respond to messages with a full built-in keyboard and view important notifications – all without ever opening your phone.
Basically from scroll through your social media feed, replying to WhatsApp messages, checking Google Maps to simply making or receiving calls, you can do anything you want on the external display itself without having to open the main display of the phone.
Speaking of the main display, Motorola really went all out to offer the best to users. The main display is 6.9-inch FHD+ pOLED with a 165Hz refresh rate, 1400 nits peak brightness, and support for HDR10+.
Now, with the wonders of the external display, it may appear that the inside large display is barely needed, but we figured it is not entirely true.
There are many functions for which the main internal display is actually needed. This includes basic functions such as writing or reading e-mails to streaming for longer hours.
One interesting aspect of the main internal display is that it is a LTPO panel, which means it can go down to as low as 1Hz refresh rate. Now, thanks to this features, the Razr 40 Ultra will enable better battery efficiency in the long run.
You also get a touch sampling rate of 360Hz on both the external and the internal main display and it definitely comes handy while playing games.
Because of the high touch sampling rate, both displays, especially the external one registers touches swiftly.
Motorola Razr 40 Ultra – Software, Hardware and Performance
- Processor – Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 Mobile Platform
- Memory (RAM) – 8GB LPDDR5
- Internal Storage – 256GB built-in UFS 3.1
- Operating System – Android™ 13
When it comes to hardware, the Razr 40 Ultra doesn’t use the latest flagship chipset but instead it has the already tried and tested Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 Mobile Platform.
Now, no complains here because 8+ Gen 1 may not be the latest version but it is definitely one the powerful chipsets available today.
This when combined with 8GB LPDDR5 and 256GB built-in UFS 3.1 internal storage enhances the overall performance of the device like no other.
The processor, being one of the bests from last years, ensures fast speeds, smooth multitasking, and responsive app launches.
Whether you’re gaming, streaming videos, or running resource-intensive applications, the Razr 40 Ultra handles it all with ease. There is no lag that you will notice.
In fact, the gaming experience we would say is top-notch as well. You can play games such as BGMI are super smooth even when played on higher settings.
The processor’s optimized architecture delivers exceptional performance while maintaining energy efficiency, ensuring that your device keeps up with your demanding tasks without compromising battery life.
As for the software, the Razr 40 Ultra comes with Android 13 and it is mostly bloatware free. It appears Motorola has paid attention to overall user-experience as there are no ads and it offers a clean UI to the new user.
The optimized software ensures efficient resource management, further boosting overall device performance and responsiveness.
The refined user interface, enhanced privacy controls, and improved security measures, ensuring a secure and user-friendly experience. Lastly, the brand is promising 3OS updates, so any minor issues hopefully can be fixed with a quick software update.
In summary, the Motorola Razr 40 Ultra offers a stellar performance experience. It is evident that this device is designed to handle demanding tasks effortlessly.
Whether you’re a power user, avid gamer, or multitasker, the Razr 40 Ultra’s performance capabilities set a new benchmark in the world of smartphones.
Motorola Razr 40 Ultra – Camera
- Rear Camera Hardware – 12MP (f/1.5, 1.4μm) | OIS + 13MP (f/2.2, 1.12μm) | Ultra-wide + macro | FOV 108°
- Front Camera – 32MP selfie camera
Talking about the cameras, the Motorola Razr 40 Ultra comes with a 12-megapixel primary sensor with OIS support and a 13-megapixel ultra-wide angle camera. The camera house follows a customary pattern of a dual camera set up on the front cover that almost every flip phone follows.
Although the camera specs might lose a megapixel war when compared to some of the other major flagship devices, the performance more than makes up for it. The one thing we particularly loved about the camera is the natural and even toned pictures these camera produces.
Photos from the main camera are not artificially sharpened and overly contrast-heavy, which makes them more natural in appearance.
Moreover, the shots get vibrant colours and not over-saturated, which is a running problem in many smartphone cameras.
The Rear Camera Software is also impressive. These technologies definitely optimize the image quality, enhance colors, and improve dynamic range, resulting in visually appealing photos and well-balanced exposure.
The main sensor supports Burst Shot, Auto Smile Capture, Spot Color, Smart Composition, Shot Optimization, Active Photos, Dual Capture, Live Filter, Portrait Mode, Panorama, HDR, Auto Night Vision, Pro Mode, Super Resolution and Google Lens™ Integration.
While the Wide & Macro sensor also supports Burst Shot, Auto Smile Capture, Spot Color, Smart Composition, Active Photo, Dual Capture (as wide), Live Filter, HDR, Night Vision (as wide), Auto Night Vision (as wide), Pro Mode and Google Lens™ Integration.
Here are some shots taken using the main cameras of 40 Ultra
There’s also a 32-megapixel camera on the inside for selfies and video calls. Now, here is the catch.
Because of the foldable design of Razr 40 Ultra, there is really no point in using the selfie camera on the front when you can actually use the primary camera and even the ultra wide angle for taking selfies and even selfie videos for that matter.
The software programming of the selfie camera, even though you may or may not use it, is almost the same as the main camera.
The HDR performance of both front and back camera also seem pretty decent at first look. They control bright sources of light quite efficiently.
Overall, although performance is decent enough and the phone design actually makes the photo photography experience quite decent, the camera of Razr 40 Ultra is one of its weak spots.
Motorola Razr 40 Ultra – Battery and Connectivity
- Battery Size – 3800mAh non-removable
- Charging – 30W TurboPower™ charging support and 5W wireless charging support (charger sold separately)
Battery is probably one department where Razr 40 Ultra visibly feels underwhelming. The battery capacity is much lower than anything you see in ambitious flagship devices.
Although, if we compare it to other flip phones in the market, Razr 40 Ultra actually has a slightly bigger battery as compared to the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 4.
The Razr 40 Ultra features a 3,800mAh battery that supports 30W wired and 8W wireless charging.
Now, the battery consumption of a flip phone is different from our regular smartphones. And the actually battery life, for a phone such as the Razr 40 Ultra, totally depends on the usage of external display which is bigger.
Overall, for an average user, the 3800mAh battery should last a day demanding a charge only by the end of the day.
Now, let’s talk about the connectivity features of Razr 40 Ultra.
This phone is 5G enabled along with various other connectivity features such as Bluetooth v5.3, NFC, Wi-Fi, eSIM + physical SIM, Type-C port (USB 2.0) and location services such as GPS, A-GPS, LTEPP, SUPL, GLONASS and Galileo.
The 5G performance is definitely going to be impressive as the phone is compatible with both Airtel and Jio networks.
First Look – Verdict
So, all-in-all, after our in-depth first look analysis, we can definitely say that Motorola Razr 40 Ultra has dared to take a big step forward for the foldable smartphone market.
The external display is going to be the unique selling point of the device and it might just start the trend of foldable phones using the maximum outer cover space to give similar large size external display.
Moreover, the inner display of Ultra is also really nice and sharp. The software experience is refined and the performance is decent. Although the battery capacity may seem subpar on papers, we can say the overall the battery life is dependable.
One more thing, the Razr 40 Ultra deserves all appreciation for its sleek and stylish design. The phone’s major attraction, apart from the external display, is its gapless foldable design.
Now, as for recommending this phone, we surely believe it is one of the best foldable device we have seen since the appeal of this form of smartphones started increasing.
So, when we compare Razr 40 Ultra with other foldable devices available in the market, the large external display is actually where it wins the battle.
Motorola Razr 40 Ultra – My Mobiles Rating
Design – 4.5/5
Display – 4/5
Camera – 3/5
Battery – 3/5
Performance – 4/5
Overall – 3.5/5
Buy Motorola Razr 40 Ultra For
- World’s Largest External Display* – 3.6-inch pOLED
- World’s Slimmest Flip Phone* (As per brand’s claim)
- Great main display with
- Good software with 3 years of major updates
- Stereo speakers
- IP52 Water splash & dust resistant
- Corning Gorilla Glass on the cover display
- Side-mounted fingerprint sensor
Motorola Razr 40 Ultra – Price & Availability
Motorola Razr 40 Ultra price in India is Rs. 89,999. Customers can further avail a Rs 7000 cashback using ICICI Bank Credit Cards.
Scheduled to go on sale from July 15, 2023, the only variant of this phone is available with 8 GB RAM and 256 GB internal storage specifications.
Users can now pre-book the Razr 40 Ultra on Amazon India by paying Rs. 999.
The Razr 40 series phones will be available for purchase on online partner Amazon.com and retail partner at Reliance Digital stores.
Motorola Razr 40 Ultra is expected to be available in two colour options that includes Viva Magenta and Infinite Black colours.
Motorola Razr 40 Ultra – In-The-Box Contents
- The Motorola Razr 40 Ultra
- Charger
- USB Type-C cable
- User guides
- SIM Ejector Tool
- Protective case
MOTOROLA RAZR 40 ULTRA SPECIFICATIONS
Key Specs
| RAM | 12 GB |
| Processor | Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Plus Gen 1 |
| Rear Camera | 50 MP + 50 MP + 12 MP |
| Front Camera | 60 MP |
| Battery | 3640 mAh |
| Display | 6.73 inches (17.09 cm) |
General
| Launch Date | July 18, 2023 (Unofficial) |
| Operating System | Android v13 |
Performance
| Chipset | Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Plus Gen 1 |
| CPU | Octa core (3.2 GHz, Single core, Cortex X2 + 2.75 GHz, Tri core, Cortex A710 + 2 GHz, Cortex A510) |
| Architecture | 64 bit |
| Fabrication | 4 nm |
| Graphics | Adreno 730 |
| RAM | 12 GB |
Display
| Display Type | P-OLED |
| Screen Size | 6.73 inches (17.09 cm) |
| Resolution | 1080 x 2400 pixels |
| Aspect Ratio | 20:9 |
| Pixel Density | 391 ppi |
| Bezel-less display | Yes with punch-hole display |
| Touch Screen | Yes, Capacitive Touchscreen, Multi-touch |
| Refresh Rate | 120 Hz |
| Screen to Body Ratio (claimed by the brand) | 70.7 % |
Camera
| MAIN CAMERA | ||
| Camera Setup | Triple | |
| Resolution | 50 MP f/1.88, Primary Camera 50 MP, Ultra-Wide Angle Camera 12 MP f/2.2, Depth Camera |
|
| Autofocus | Yes | |
| Flash | Yes, LED Flash | |
| Image Resolution | 8150 x 6150 Pixels | |
| Settings | Exposure compensation | |
| Shooting Modes | Continuous Shooting High Dynamic Range mode (HDR) |
|
| Camera Features | Digital Zoom Auto Flash Face detection Touch to focus |
|
| Video Recording | 1920×1080 @ 30 fps | |
| FRONT CAMERA | ||
| Camera Setup | Single | |
| Resolution | 60 MP, Primary Camera | |
| Video Recording | 1920×1080 @ 30 fps | |
Battery
| Capacity | 3640 mAh |
| Type | Li-Polymer |
| Removable | No |
| Quick Charging | Yes, Rapid, 33W |
| USB Type-C | Yes |
Storage
| Internal Memory | 512 GB |
| Expandable Memory | No |
| Storage Type | UFS 3.1 |
Network & Connectivity
| SIM Slot(s) | Dual SIM, GSM+GSM |
| SIM Size | SIM1: Nano, SIM2: eSIM |
| Network Support | 5G Not Supported in India, 4G Supported in India, 3G, 2G |
| VoLTE | Yes |
| SIM 1 |
4G Bands:
TD-LTE 2300(band 40)
FD-LTE 1800(band 3) 3G Bands:
UMTS 1900 / 2100 / 850 / 900 MHz
2G Bands:
GSM 1800 / 1900 / 850 / 900 MHz
GPRS:
Available
EDGE:
Available
|
| SIM 2 |
4G Bands:
TD-LTE 2300(band 40)
FD-LTE 1800(band 3) 3G Bands:
UMTS 1900 / 2100 / 850 / 900 MHz
2G Bands:
GSM 1800 / 1900 / 850 / 900 MHz
GPRS:
Available
EDGE:
Available
|
| Wi-Fi | Yes, Wi-Fi 4 (802.11 b/g/n) |
| Wi-Fi Features | Mobile Hotspot |
| Bluetooth | Yes, v5.1 |
| GPS | Yes with A-GPS, Glonass |
| NFC | Yes |
| USB Connectivity | Mass storage device, USB charging |
Multimedia
| Loudspeaker | Yes |
| Audio Jack | USB Type-C |
Sensors
| Fingerprint Sensor | Yes |
| Fingerprint Sensor Position | Rear |
| Other Sensors | Light sensor, Proximity sensor, Accelerometer, Compass, Gyroscope |
FAQS
Q1. How to change the Moto Razr 40 Ultra’s animated clockface?
Answer. Go to Settings > External display > Lock screen clockfaces.
Or, unlock the external display, touch & hold its home screen, then touch Lock screen clockface.
Select a design and any included options, like colour.
Q2. How to allow app transition from internal to external display in Moto Razr 40 Ultra?
Answer. When you flip the phone closed, your screen automatically locks, and when you unlock the external display, you are back on its home screen. If you want to keep the external display unlocked and continue using the app on it, then set the app to transition.
Steps Set app to transition-
Go to Settings > External display.
- Touch App behavior.
- Next to the app name, touch , then select how you want the app to transition the large screen to the small:
- Don’t transition (default).
- To touch an icon on the external display to continue using the app after you flip closed, select Tap to transition.
- To automatically see the app on the external display after you flip closed, select Auto transition.
- Use Continue icon on external display
If you selected Tap to transition, when you’re using an app and you flip the phone closed, you’ll see the app icon and Continue in the lower corner of the external display. Touch it to continue using the app.
Q3. What is the aspect ratio of the Motorola RAZR 40 Ultra?
Answer. 20:9. Motorola Razr 40 Ultra has a 6.73 inches (17.09 cm) Liquid Retina display. It offers HD screen resolution of 1080 x 2400 Pixels pixels display. It has an aspect ratio of 20:9.
Q4. What are the dimensions of the Motorola RAZR 40 Ultra?
Answer. Body Dimensions of the Motorola RAZR 40 Ultra –
- Unfolded: 170.8 x 74 x 7 mm
- Folded: 88.4 x 74 x 15.1 mm
- Weight 5 g or 188.5 g (6.53 oz)
Q5. What sensors can be found in Motorola Razr 40 Ultra?
Answer. The Moto Razr 40 Ultra comes with multiple sensors such as Fingerprint reader, Proximity + light sensor, Ambient light sensor, Accelerometer, Gyroscope, eCompass and Hall sensor.
6) What is Moto Razr 40 and Razr 40 Ultra First Impressions: Pricing and availability?
Ans) The Moto Razr 40 is a more affordable option of the two. The device comes in a single 8GB RAM + 256GB storage configuration at Rs 59,999. With the ICICI Bank Credit card and Credit Card EMI transaction offers you can get the phone at an effective price of Rs 54,999.
On the other hand, the Moto Razr 40 Ultra wants to go neck-to-neck with the Galaxy Z Flip 4. It costs Rs 89,999 for the sole 8GB RAM + 256GB storage configuration. The above-mentioned discounts allow buyers to get up to Rs 7,000 in discounts.
7) What are Moto Razr 40 First Impressions?
Ans) The Razr 40 is available in three colours: Sage Green, Summer Lilac, and Vanilla Cream. While all three colourways look quite stunning, we spent most of our time with the Lilac variant. Looking at the pricing difference, it’s quite obvious the younger sibling had to cut some corners. It misses out on a larger cover screen from the Ultra variant but gets a 1.47-inch display instead.
This cover screen immediately reminded us of the Galaxy Z Flip, which had a slightly smaller screen estate. The screen is still useful as it displays recent notifications, contacts, weather details, event details, music, peek display (wannabe always-on), and more. We are yet to check if it allows you to pick up phone calls or reply to texts, though it seems very unlikely.
Unfortunately, the cover screen cannot help you take selfies by displaying a viewfinder. Instead, it displays funny little emoji wallpapers, not useful but still fun. It’s an AMOLED panel that refreshes at 60Hz with a peak brightness of 1000 nits.
The entire screen module protrudes a bit, with two circular cameras accompanying it. It features a 64-megapixel primary camera and a 13-megapixel ultra-wide angle camera. The in-hand experience is quite sophisticated, partially thanks to the faux-leather finish at the back. It has slightly curved sides, which help with the grip. The right side of the device features a volume rocker and a power button which doubles up as a fingerprint sensor.
The Razr 40 is IP52 rated, which means it’s not just water but dust resistant. This is perhaps the first time we see any dust resistance in a foldable, so it’s a pretty big deal.
Motorola has chosen to keep the branding minimal, with a shiny logo on the bottom portion. There’s no extra flamboyance on the hinges. Speaking of which, while the hinge is designed to hold the display for watching content, taking selfies, and more — we found it to be a bit stiffer than the one on the Ultra. When folded, there’s no visible gap on the sides, which is good.
Upon opening the phone, we were greeted by a tall 6.9-inch LTPO OLED display with relatively minimal crease. It features a punch hole cutout at the top, holding a 32-megapixel selfie camera in place. The panel has a refresh rate 144Hz, so the animations were buttery smooth.
The Razr 40 is powered by a Snapdragon 7 Gen 1 chipset, the only phone with this processor in India, as of now. As mentioned, it comes in a lone 8GB LPPDDR4X RAM and 256GB UFS 2.2 storage variant. It packs in a 4,200mAh battery inside with support for 30W wired charging and 8W wireless charging.
8) Moto Razr 40 Ultra First Impressions
Ans) The Razr 40 Ultra is a direct competition to the Galaxy Z Flip 4 (Review) – they’re a little late to the party, but they are there. But, with the massive and very functional cover screen, this one might just have the Flip’s cake and eat it too. The outer display isn’t just big; it’s loaded too. It sports a 3.6-inch pOLED display which covers 100 per cent of the DCI-P3 colour gamut.
The external screen outshines the main screen on the vanilla Razr 40 by having a 144Hz refresh rate. It can also go up to 1100 nits of peak brightness. Currently, the Razr 40 Ultra has the most practical cover screen for a flip phone on the market.
The cover display in itself acts as an entire smartphone.
You can easily open apps, reply to messages, pick up calls, watch movies (barring the awkward black bars), doom scroll through social media apps, and more. It’s protected by Gorilla Glass Victus to avoid scratches when kept in your pocket.
While all that is good, the cover display seems to be missing an oleophobic coating since it picks up smudges left, right, and centre. The outer screen is very helpful while taking selfies, as it acts as a viewfinder.
The bottom right side of the cover display is occupied by a flash and camera module, with a 12-megapixel primary camera and a 13-megapixel ultra-wide angle camera.
On the numbers front, the Ultra seems inferior to the vanilla variant. But hey, remember, megapixels aren’t always everything. We’ll test both phones for their camera output in our full review.
The Razr 40 Ultra is available in two colours: Infinite Black and Viva Magenta — the former has a Gorilla Glass Victus protection on the rear, with a coarse texture.
The latter is what caught our eye more often. The colour is very rich, and the back panel is covered in faux leather, which also helps with the ergonomics. The button placements on both phones are the same.
The phone is quite sleek, even when folded. This is thanks to the hinge, which helps lower the gap between the two halves. The hinge is quite solid, and opening the phone with one hand is nearly impossible. In our short period with both phones, we noticed it does not completely open and remains slightly bent. Like the younger sibling, this hinge can also hold the device for watching movies, taking selfies, and more. The Razr 40 Ultra also offers IP52 certification against water and dust.
The inner display is as tall as the Razr 40, but the major difference is the 165Hz refresh rate and 1400 nits of peak brightness. On first impressions, both phones’ displays seem to be quite good.
The Razr 40 Ultra is powered by the Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1, another place where it gets the upper hand over its younger sibling. It also has a lone 8GB LPPDDR5 RAM and a 256GB UFS 3.1 storage variant. Inside, the Razr 40 Ultra opts for a smaller 3800mAh battery with support for 33W wired charging and 5W wireless charging. Both foldable run on Android 13 out of the box.
9) What are Moto Razr 40 and Razr 40 Ultra First Impressions: Initial thoughts?
Ans) Both the Razr 40 siblings are, without a doubt, promising offerings from the house of Motorola. The Moto Razr 40 is the cheapest and more accessible clamshell foldable on the market, and its only competitor is the year-old Galaxy Z Flip 3.
While Motorola had to cut some corners in the processing and cover display department, it’s still a good offering for someone who always wanted to flaunt a foldable.
The larger battery should help the Razr 40 breathe for extended hours.
On the other hand, the Razr 40 Ultra’s selling point is its massive outer screen. Motorola wants you to stick to the cover screen for almost all of your tasks, and we don’t have an issue with that.
10) What are the Pros & Cons of the Motorola Razr 40 Ultra ?
Ans) Pros
* Great display and software Strong battery performance Competitive price for the spec Cover/exterior display is really useful
Cons
* Camera results could improve Wireless charging is slow
11) How is the Design of Motorola Razr Ultra ?
Ans) * 170.8 x 74 x 7mm (open), 88.4 x 74 x 15.1 mm (closed), 184.5g or 188.5g
* Gorilla Glass Victus cover, Gorilla Glass Victus or vegan leather rear, Aluminium frame
* IP52 water and dust resistant
* Infinite Black, Glacier Blue and Viva Magenta colours
Motorola gets a lot right with the latest Razr. It’s a compact phone that turns a big smartphone screen into something portable that easily fits in a pocket. It’s even got rounded edges to make it comfortable. It makes it nice to hold, but conversely, also means that it loses some of its Razr-ness.
The Motorola Razr – historically – has been a sharp, angled phone. It wasn’t named after a razor for no reason. And yet, the 2023 versions don’t have anything particularly sharp and angular about them at all. They’re rounded, soft and friendly. While the very first model looked like it might cut you, this just wants to give you a cuddle.
It’s a good-looking phone that snaps shut leaving no gap between the two halves of the phone. That means you’re not likely to find dust and debris finding its way in there. At least, not as easily as you might on the Galaxy Z Flip 4, with its gap near the hinge.
Moto is launching the phone in three colours: Infinite Black, Glacier Blue and Viva Magenta. The last of those is the only one that features a soft vegan leather back rather than glass. That gives the pinkish-reddish model a softer feel on the palm, but the matte, frosted glass on the other two has a great, smooth texture too.
12) How is the Cover screen of Motorola Razr Ultra ?
Ans) * 3.6-inch AMOLED
* 1056 x 1066 resolution
The revamped cover display on the Razr 40 Ultra is undoubtedly its highlight feature. It’s the largest cover screen we’ve seen on a modern folding flip phone, and – crucially – massively bigger than Samsung’s own Z Flip 4 display. It pushes all the way down to the edges, surrounding the dual cameras.
To make the most of it, Moto has refreshed the cover screen software to give you easy access to interactive elements like notifications, quick settings, weather, calendar and even a dedicated full-screen Spotify player interface.
It can be used to load all manner of other apps too, so if you’re navigating somewhere on Google Maps, particularly while walking, you don’t need to open your phone to see the next turn – for instance.
For a lot of those apps you can choose to have it expand to fill the entire surface area, or cropped to just above the display. The latter option can be useful for those apps that have interface elements that are blocked by the two cameras in the corner. Switching from full screen to cropped is simple too, all that’s needed is a long press on the bar/line near the bottom of the screen.
13) How is Internal screen and software of motorola Razr ultra ?
Ans) * 6.9-inch flexible LTPO AMOLED display, 165Hz refresh rate
* 1400 nits peaks brightness, 1 billion colours
* 1080 x 2640 resolution, 413ppi
* Android 13
Open it up and you get a large 6.9-inch pOLED flexible display with some impressive specs. It’s an LTPO panel so it can ramp up and decrease refresh rates quickly and efficiently, from as low as 1Hz and 165Hz. It’s HDR10+ compatible too.
It’s a really great display, and yet there is a feeling that in saying that, I should probably lead with a caveat: for a foldable screen.
Foldable displays do have a couple of disadvantages over traditional smartphone displays, and that’s almost entirely down to the materials used to make it a usable flexible display. The permanently attached screen protector is – essentially – a plastic film.
Plastic film is also slightly less fluid and slippery under the finger, so you don’t always get the same effortless fluidity as glass offers when swiping and interacting with the display. It’s not bad, but it’s worth knowing. If you’re used to using plastic film protectors on your phone screens already, it’s not an issue at all.
The other potential issue is longevity.
As displays go, though, it’s very good. It’s a bright panel that delivers plenty of light, colour and contrast to give good impact to videos and games of all kinds. And because the crease is almost invisible, there’s no jarring distortion in the middle of the display. Once it’s open, you can watch it and play on it just like you would a candy bar smartphone. It’s nice and smooth too, thanks to the high refresh rates.
There is a clean approach to the software. There are a couple of Motorola-created apps and features, like the clock and weather widget and gestures for launching the camera, but on the whole, it feels very similar to the software you’d get on a Pixel. This light touch makes it really easy and convenient to use and means it’s not loaded with the tonnes of additional apps you’d find on the Samsung competitor.
The only thing it’s missing is decent Flex Mode optimisation. In the camera app you’ll see the camera view move up to the top of the display when the screen is folded at an angle, but it doesn’t do that in any other app. Samsung has got the advantage here, especially in video apps where you can have video controls on the bottom half and video on the top.
14) How is the Hardware and battery of Motorola Razr Ultra ?
Ans) * Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 – 8GB RAM – 256GB storage
* 3800mAh battery – 30W wired charging – Wireless charging
* Android 13 – Flex Mode
It may seem unusual for a pretty expensive phone in 2023, but Motorola opted to fit the Razr 40 Ultra with last year’s flagship chipset. That’s not necessarily a bad thing though, because that chipset is the Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1. It’s fast, powerful and battery friendly.
In fact, despite having only 100mAh more than the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 4, there was never the sense that I had to be austere with my phone usage.
When it needs to be refilled again there’s a 30W wired charging capability that’ll get you topped again fairly quickly. It’s not as fast as the fastest wired chargers out there, but given the relatively small-capacity battery, it’s quick enough to be convenient. A 30 minute charge delivering enough juice to comfortably get through an afternoon. It has the benefit of wireless charging too, but at 5W that’s laughably slow and definitely only worth using overnight on a bedside table.
15) How is the Cameras of motorola Razr ultra ?
Ans) * 12MP f/1.5 primary camera – PDAF
* 13MP ultrawide and macro camera
* 32MP selfie camera