The Motorola Razr 50 Ultra is an intriguing blend of cutting-edge design and innovative AI features. However, its own AI hardware is lacking with the phone banking on Google’s suite of third-party AI features for most of the heavy lifting. It has a standout cover screen that sets it apart from other flip phones and it offers a premium feel and a satisfying foldable design. That said, the performance and throttling issues may not fully justify its premium price. Additionally, the battery life is strictly mediocre.
Motorola has recently launched the next generation Razr, dubbed the Motorola Razr 50 Ultra, to much fanfare. Priced at ₹99,999, the Razr 50 Ultra introduces an even larger cover screen than the previous generation capable of running pretty much any app under the sun, unlike its fiercest competitors, which instantly makes it stand out. Furthermore, this device is marketed as more than just a foldable phone; it aims to be a powerhouse of AI capabilities.
However, with the launch of the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 6 looming on the horizon, does the Motorola Razr 50 Ultra do enough to cement its position in the Flip Foldable segment firmly? In this review, we will explore the various aspects of the Motorola Razr 50 Ultra, from its design and display to performance and AI features, to determine if it truly lives up to the hype.
Motorola Razr 50 Ultra Review: Build and Design
Priced at ₹99,999, the Motorola Razr 50 Ultra plays in the big leagues right alongside the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5 (review) and the OPPO Find N3 Flip (review). Motorola has ensured that the unboxing experience stands out, by not just including niceties like a colour-matched case but also the Moto Buds+ TWS earbuds that cost ₹9,999. While the inclusion of the Moto Buds+ may seem like a bonus, the inability to opt out of this to save some bucks could slight some people. Still, I’m not going to complain much since we are living in an age where some retail boxes omit chargers.
Design-wise, the Razr 50 Ultra features Gorilla Glass Victus on the cover display, a leather back, and an aluminium frame. It looks sleek and premium; worth every rupee you have paid for it. The phone measures 7.09 mm thick when unfolded and 15.32 mm when folded, weighing a manageable 188g. It’s not the slimmest foldable on the market, but its curved contours and light weight ensure it doesn’t feel unnecessarily bulky.
The crease on the foldable display is nearly invisible, which is a HUGE bonus. Motorola has revamped its hinge technology once again to reduce the visibility of the crease further, so props to the company there.
The Razr 50 Ultra is IPX8 certified, making it water-resistant, but it lacks dust resistance, which is a notable omission for a premium device. Motorola claims to have integrated a new cover design and brush filters to minimise dust damage though. The in-hand feel of the device is excellent, with the premium soft-touch leather providing a grippy texture.
However, the tall 22:9 aspect ratio of the main screen makes it challenging to reach the top of the display with one hand. Additionally, some apps do not display correctly on the cover screen, and orientation can get messed up when switching from the cover screen to the main display. These bugs should hopefully get fixed via future OTA updates.
All minor niggles aside, the Motorola Razr 50 Ultra is a masterclass in foldable design. OEMs should take a page out of Motorola’s book to know how to do a cover screen right.
Motorola Razr 50 Ultra Review: Display(s)
The Razr 50 Ultra features a massive 4-inch cover screen and a 6.9-inch inner display, both using LTPO pOLED technology with HDR10+ and Dolby Vision certification. You also get 165 Hz refresh rate support on both displays, making these some of the most kitted-out displays on a Flip phone. However, as of now, HDR doesn’t work on Netflix; only on YouTube, which is disappointing. And 165 Hz refresh rate only activates in certain games.
These displays offer vibrant colours and excellent brightness levels, making for a pretty impressive visual experience. I measured a maximum brightness of 1,375 nits on the main display and 1,116 nits on the cover display on Auto-Brightness Mode, which is pretty good.
The cover screen, in particular, is a standout feature, allowing users to run almost any app, a functionality unheard of among current flip phones on the market. This versatility transforms the cover screen from a simple notification display to a genuinely useful secondary screen.
Texting on the cover screen is surprisingly easy, thanks to its large size and responsive touch capabilities. Even gaming is feasible on the cover screen; playing Pokémon Unite, for instance, was a surprisingly smooth experience.
How does it perform with the Snapdragon 8s Gen 3?
The Motorola Razr 50 Ultra runs on Android 14 with Motorola’s HelloUI, providing nearly flagship specifications with a Snapdragon 8s Gen 3 processor, LPDDR5X RAM, and UFS 4.0 storage. With 12GB of RAM and 512GB of internal storage, the device offers ample space and RAM. However, the presence of a USB 2.0 port is a letdown, especially at this price point, where a USB 3.2 port would have been more appropriate.
Despite the high-end specifications, the performance of the Razr 50 Ultra is somewhat disappointing. The Snapdragon 8s Gen 3 processor, paired with 12GB of RAM and UFS 4.0 storage, should theoretically provide close to top-tier performance. However, in practice, the device falls short. In CPU benchmarks, the Razr 50 Ultra scored lower than the Moto Razr 40 Ultra in some tests such as GeekBench and PCMark Work. This performance gap is unexpected and concerning for a device marketed as a flagship.
The Razr 50 Ultra also suffers from throttling issues, which become evident during extended use or intensive tasks, and also through the CPU Throttling Test. The device heats up significantly while gaming or running benchmarks leading to performance drops and occasional stuttering.
As for software, Motorola’s Hello UI is one of the best Android skins out there. It has minimal bloatware in the form of third-party apps and the skin is very close to the beloved Stock Android interface. Moto also promises three years of software updates and four years of security updates. The UI is extremely functional with an array of features and customisation opportunities. Features such as Smart Connect set it apart from the competition too.
AI Features and Digit AI-Q Score
Motorola has heavily marketed the AI capabilities of the Razr 50 Ultra, positioning it as a device with advanced AI features. The Gemini AI on the cover screen is one such highlight. Motorola also offers users three months of Gemini Advanced features for free, including 2TB of Google Cloud storage. The AI camera features, such as Photo Enhancement and Super Zoom, aim to improve the photography experience. Additionally, Motorola promises access to Google Photos’ Magic Eraser, Photo Unblur, and Magic Editor. There are also some in-house Moto AI features that allow you to generate wallpapers based on text prompts and images.
Sadly, the Razr 50 Ultra’s own hardware AI performance was underwhelming in benchmarks. Tests assessing object recognition, face recognition, camera scene detection, and image deblurring showed mediocre results. Surprisingly, the less expensive Moto Edge 50 Ultra outperformed the Razr 50 Ultra in these AI tests. The Motorola Razr 50 Ultra scored 32/100 in our Digit AI-Q test.
Despite the abundant AI features, the AI processing of the device does not live up to expectations. The AI capabilities are heavily reliant on third-party software, with much of the heavy lifting done by Google’s AI tools rather than Motorola’s own innovations. The potential is there, but the execution falls short.
Motorola Razr 50 Ultra Review: Cameras
The camera setup on the Razr 50 Ultra includes a 50 MP primary lens and a 50 MP telephoto lens, but it lacks an ultra-wide lens. The omission of the UW lens may disappoint some users who prefer the flexibility of wide-angle shots. Personally, I find the telephoto lens more useful than an ultra-wide, but preferences vary among users.
In terms of performance, the cameras deliver good results. Portrait shots are impressive, with good detail and natural bokeh effects. Daylight shots have fantastic levels of detail and great dynamic range. The phone’s 2x telephoto shooter maintains decent colour consistency and the quality of the photos is top-notch.
However, low-light performance is less stellar, with noticeable lens flare. But the photos are still sharp, and surprisingly, portrait mode is exceptionally good in low light.
Sadly, the camera app suffers from lag, particularly when switching between modes or accessing advanced features. Additionally, the phone heats up significantly during extended photo sessions. I hope these issues get ironed out with future OTA updates.
Video recording on the Razr 50 Ultra is competent but not outstanding. While the stabilisation works well in most conditions, there are occasional hiccups, particularly in low-light or high-motion scenarios. The audio quality during video recording is acceptable, but not exceptional, with some background noise and distortion in noisy environments.
Overall, the camera performance of the Razr 50 Ultra is pretty good. The photos are impressive in daylight and low light, but the lens flare issue in low light docks some points in this segment.
Motorola Razr 50 Ultra Review: Battery Life
The Razr 50 Ultra is equipped with a 4,000 mAh battery, which offers about a day’s worth of usage under typical conditions. This is adequate but not impressive, especially considering the power-hungry features and large displays of the device.
For heavy users, particularly those who engage in gaming or extensive multimedia consumption, the battery life may fall short, necessitating a mid-day recharge. The phone lasted 898 minutes, which equates to a little over 14 hours, in our 4K video loop test, which is average.
The device supports wireless charging, which is a convenient feature for users who prefer a cable-free charging experience. However, the charging speed, both wired and wireless, is average.
Power management is another area where the Razr 50 Ultra could improve. The device tends to drain the battery quickly under heavy load, and the power-saving features are not as effective as those on competing devices.
Should you buy the Razr 50 Ultra?
The Motorola Razr 50 Ultra is an intriguing blend of cutting-edge design and innovative AI features. However, its own AI hardware is lacking with the phone banking on Google’s suite of third-party AI features for most of the heavy lifting. It has a standout cover screen that sets it apart from other flip phones and it offers a premium feel and a satisfying foldable design. That said, the performance and throttling issues may not fully justify its premium price. Additionally, the battery life is strictly mediocre.
The cover screen is a highlight though, offering unprecedented functionality for a flip phone. Additionally, both displays are top-notch in terms of specs and the build quality is amongst the best in this space. However, with the imminent launch of the Galaxy Z Flip 6, potential buyers might want to wait and compare before making a decision.
Motorola Razr 50 Ultra Key Specs, Price and Launch Date
| Release Date: | 04 Jul, 2024 |
| Market Status: | Launched |
Key Specifications
Storage
256 GB
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Battery capacity (mAh)
4000
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Rear Camera Megapixel
50 + 50
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Screen size (in inches)
6.9
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Dhriti Datta
Perpetually sporting a death stare, this one can be seen tinkering around with her smartphone which she holds more dear than life itself and stuffing her face with copious amounts of bacon. View Full Profile
