Hands-on: Moto Razr 5G Review

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Motorola is back with a new and improved Razr which is 5G ready and fixes most of the issues that plagued the first foldable Razr that went official late last year. But how well does it justify its INR 1,24,999 price tag?

We got to spend a day with the new moto, and while that wasn’t enough time for a full Moto Razr 5G review, we got to gather our thoughts around what the second generation Razr is all about. Let’s talk about what we liked what we didn’t.

Motorola Razr 5G India Price and Specs

Model Motorola Razr 5G
Display Internal: 6.2 inches, pOLED, 876 x 2142 pixels
External: 2.7-inches, gOLED, 800 x 600 pixels
Cameras External: 48MP f/1.7 (rear) + OIS + TOF
Inside: 20MP (f/2.2, above primary display)
Processor Qualcomm Snapdragon 765G octa-core
Memory 8+256GB
Software Android 10 (Stockish)
Battery 2800mAh with 18W fast charging
Miscellaneous Sub-6 5G, 4G LTE, VoLTE, Dual SIM (Nano + eSIM), USB Type-C port, NFC, Bluetooth 5.1, dual-band Wi-Fi 802.11ac, fingerprint reader, face unlock, and GPS
Colors Polished Graphite
Weight About 190g
Price 8+256GB – INR 1,24,999
Offers:
1) Rs. 10,000 Instant Discount (on Flipkart) and Cashback(offline) on HDFC Credit Card regular and EMI transactions & Debit Card EMI transactions.
2) No Cost EMI schemes of up to 12 months from all leading banks.

Moto Razr 5G: Box Contents

We had the pre-production Moto Razr 5G with us, so retail packaging could differ. The box shape and size remain similar to what we had with the last iteration. Here’s what we got inside:

  • Handset docked vertically
  • 18W Turbo Charging adaptor
  • USB Cable for charging and data transfer
  • SIM ejector door and documentation

Also Check: Revisiting LG G8x ThinQ dual-screen – Did LG get it right the first time?

Moto Razr 5G: Design and Build

The Moto Razr 2020 had an industrial design with a unique hinge implementation, but it was clearly rough around the edges. The new Motor Razr 5G is more polished and feels more like a phone you’d pay that high-end price for. 

To start with, Motorola uses aircraft-grade aluminum and polished glass for its construction. The Razr hinge has been engineered to soft-fold the display in order to keep the crease to a minimum and it is tighter this time around.

When you fold the phone, the display is pushed in a tear-drop shape within the hinge which helps avoid hard crease and allows the phone to shut with a negligible gap between the two folds.

Expecting a totally crease-free foldable might be a little too optimistic at this point in time. Again, time was a limitation but after folding and unfolding Razr 5G to our heart’s content (the hinge has been tested for 200,000 flips), there was no hard crease but our fingers could feel some undulations on the display.

The curved top and bottom edges and the gratifying snap when the phone shuts close are a few factors that are reminiscent of the retro feel of the original Razr – and we’d say these details make the Razr distinct and add to its appeal.

We couldn’t flip the Razr 5G open with just one hand but had no trouble with single-handed usage. The hinge doesn’t lend as much control as Samsung’s foldable hinge, though. You can either shut the phone or snap it open, but can not hold it to any in-between position.

There is no IP rating, but Motorola assures that the phone is water-repellent or splash-proof. This time there is a nano-SIM card slot and users can further add a secondary eSIM.

Overall, the phone is extremely comfortable to wield and to pocket.

The fingerprint sensor is now positioned on the back within the Moto dimple, where it’s more convenient to access when the phone is folded close. In the unfolded state, however, the fingerprint reader lies in the lower half and that’s not a placement we are used to. 

The primary “flex view” display is a 6.2-inch POLED panel with a 21:9 aspect ratio and 2142 x 860-pixel resolution. It didn’t feel unnaturally elongated while watching videos or with regular use. The OLED display is sharp, has deep blacks and punchy colors. The software also has the option to switch to natural color tones.

It’s still too early to comment on the display quality. For anyone who’s asking, the Moto Razr 5G currently supports up to 720p HD resolution streaming on Netflix and Prime videos. 

Also Check: Best Foldable phones to buy in 2020

Moto Razr 5G: Quick-View Cover Display

Motorola hammers in the advantage of the cover display. Unfolding your phone for every basic task can get annoying real fast. That’s precisely why a good cover display is one that will give you fewer reasons to actually flex the primary screen.

The outer quick-view display is still the same 2.7-inch 800 x 600 resolution OLED panel, but it’s been empowered to do a lot more. To start with, apps like YouTube and basic functions like checking notifications and making calls worked surprisingly well on the small screen. You can also twist your hand or slide left to fire the selfie camera and taking selfies didn’t feel like a problem.

We could also type without much difficulty, which makes it well suited for quickly responding to messages if not for lengthier conversations. 

As for other use cases, we could engage with music playback control, navigation, and converse with Google Assistant without any itch to flip the phone open. Motorola also mentioned that Google Pay will work directly from the quick view screen, but we couldn’t try that out in our limited time with the phone. 

When you flip open the phone the same app is seamlessly passed on to the bigger display. The software also lets you decide apps that you wish to be passed on from the primary screen to the smaller cover display when you flip the phone close. 

How much you can do on the cover display and how efficiently you can do as much is where a lot about the Moto Razr experience should hinge on. Of course, saying anything with certitude about its efficacy would require us to be habituated to the Razr over a longer duration of time.

Moto Razr: Performance Hardware and Software

Specs see an upgrade, but they are still decidedly mid-range. The Moto Razr now has a Snapdragon 765G octa-core chipset with 8GB RAM and 256GB storage. While not exactly high-end, that’s enough horsepower to smoothly cruise through demanding loads and surely good enough considering the unique form factor and target consumers.

Like all moto phones, this one too runs stock Android software spiced with some moto refinements. Gestures work smooth, dark mode feels pleasing, and there is no bloatware or adware to be wary of. 

The 2800mAh battery capacity doesn’t sound very inspiring but in our limited usage time, the battery lasted longer than expected. We are inclined to believe that light and moderate users who take to the cover display for basic tasks will be able to muster a full day usage as Motorola claims. And an 18W Turbo fast charger is bundled in the box. 

A 48MP sensor with an F1.7 aperture lens serves as both front and rear cameras. There is also a 20MP sensor inside that should come in handy while attending video calls with the Razr in its unfolded state. We didn’t get to play around much with the camera but like all other Moto Razr 5G hardware, the camera strikes as more mid-range than flagship.

Moto Razr 5G First Impressions

Moto Razr 5G shows improvements in all aspects over the last Razr iteration and hence feels a lot more refined and premium. The specs don’t match regular flagships phones that cost as much but that was never the endplay. Besides, the hardware seems reasonable enough to support and substantiate a decent experience.

The quick-view display is one primary factor that helps Moto Razr stand apart from Samsung Galaxy Z Flip and it has evolved to be more functional.

At the end of the day, Motorola is still banking on the cool factor and nostalgia. We showcased Moto Razr to as many people as we could and gauged their reaction. The certain panache associated with a folding screen always managed to elicit awe and astonish people – and for better or worse that remains to be the biggest draw of Foldables right now.

Moto Razr 5G Unboxing & First Impressions in Hindi

 

Deepak SinghDeepak Singh
Deepak has more than 8 years of experience in covering technology for several eminent publications in India. He currently leads an enthusiastic team of young writers at Smartprix and tries to uphold the highest quality standards.

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