Newsletter
Motorola launched its new flagship clamshell smartphone recently, the Motorola Razr 40 Ultra, or as it’s known in the US, the Motorola Razr+. Having said that, we’re here to compare that phone to its predecessor, we’ll compare the Motorola Razr+ vs Motorola Razr 2022. This new model not only brings a larger outer display, but also a number of improvements under the hood, amongst other things.
We’ll first list the specifications of both devices, and will then move to compare them across a number of categories. We’ll compare their designs, displays, performance, battery life, cameras, and audio performance. They are very similar in some ways, but… spoiler alert… it’s hard to deny the Razr+ is the better phone overall. Still, for some of you, the upgrade may not be worth it. So, let’s dive in.
Specs
| Motorola Razr+ | Motorola Razr 2022 | |
| Screen size | Main: 6.9-inch fullHD+ LTPO AMOLED (foldable, 165Hz) Secondary (Cover): 3.6-inch AMOLED display (flat, 144Hz) |
Main: 6.7-inch Foldable P-OLED display (foldable, 144Hz) Secondary (Cover): 2.7-inch G-OLED display (flat, 60Hz) |
| Screen resolution | Main: 2640 x 1080 Secondary (Cover): 1056 x 1066 |
Main: 2400 x 1080 Secondary (Cover): 573 x 800 |
| SoC | Qualcomm Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 | Qualcomm Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 |
| RAM | 8GB/12GB | 8GB/12GB (LPDDR5) |
| Storage | 256GB/512GB (UFS 3.1), non-expandable | 128GB/256GB/512GB (UFS 3.1), non-expandable |
| Rear cameras | 12MP (f/1.5 aperture, 1.4um pixel size, OIS, PDAF) 13MP (f/2.2 aperture, 108-degree FoV, 1.12um pixel size) |
50MP (f/1.9 aperture, 1.0um pixel size, OIS, PDAF) 13MP (f/2.2 aperture, 121-degree FoV, 1.12um pixel size, auto HDR) |
| Front cameras | 32MP (f/2.4 aperture, 0.7um pixel size) | 32MP (f/2.5 aperture, 0.7um pixel size, auto HDR) |
| Battery | 3,800mAh, non-removable, 30W fast wired charging, 5W wireless charging Charger included (not in the US) |
3,500mAh, non-removable, 33W wired charging Charger included |
| Dimensions | Unfolded: 170.8 x 74 x 7mm Folded: 88.4 x 74 x 15.1mm |
Unfolded: 167 x 79.8 x 7.6mm Folded: not available |
| Weight | 184.5/188.5 grams | 200 grams |
| Connectivity | 5G, LTE, NFC, Bluetooth 5.3, Wi-Fi, USB Type-C | 5G, LTE, NFC, Bluetooth 5.2, Wi-Fi, USB Type-C |
| Security | Side-facing fingerprint scanner | Side-facing fingerprint scanner |
| OS | Android 13 | Android 12 MYUI 4.0 |
| Price | $999 | N/A |
| Buy | Amazon | Motorola |
Motorola Razr+ vs Motorola Razr 2022: Design
The Motorola Razr+ is actually a lot narrower than the Razr 2022. It is also slightly taller, and slightly thinner. You’ll definitely feel the narrower form factor, as the difference is quite considerable, 74mm vs 79.8mm. When folded, the Razr+ is almost two millimeters thinner. The Motorola Razr 2022 does have more aggressive curves on its corners. The difference is not huge, but it’s noticeable.
The Motorola Razr+ definitely feels better in the hand overall. Both phones have a centered display camera hole, and thin bezels. The Razr 2022’s top and bottom sides are also curved to a degree (from left to right), unlike what we see on most smartphones. Both devices do have two cameras on the back, and rather large displays. The Motorola Razr+ does have a larger outer panel, though, at 3.6 inches, compared to 2.7 inches on the Razr 2022.
Both devices do have good crease control, but the Motorola Razr+ does feel a bit more sturdy. Neither phone has a proper IP rating, but they do have a water-repellent coating that we’re used to seeing from Motorola. Both devices are also quite slippery, unless you get the eco leather variant of the Motorola Razr+, in which case you’ll get a better grip. On top of everything, the Motorola Razr+ is also lighter than the Razr 2022, 184.5/188.5 vs 200 grams.
Motorola Razr+ vs Motorola Razr 2022: Display
There is a 6.9-inch fullHD+ (2640 x 1080) display on the Motorola Razr+. That panel is foldable, and it offers a 165Hz refresh rate. Do note that it’s an LTPO panel, so it offers an adaptive refresh rate. HDR10+ content is supported here, and this display goes up to 1,400 nits of brightness at its peak. The second display on the phone measures 3.6 inches, and offers a resolution of 1056 x 1066. It is an AMOLED display which supports up to 1 billion colors, and a 144Hz refresh rate. HDR10+ content is also supported here, and the display goes up to 1,100 nits when it comes to brightness. The Gorilla Glass Victus protects this panel.
The Motorola Razr 2022, on the flip side, has a 6.7-inch fullHD+ (2400 x 1080) AMOLED display, which is foldable. It offers up to 1 billion colors, and has a 144Hz refresh rate. HDR10+ content is also supported here, and the panel has a 20:9 aspect ratio. The cover display on the phone measures 2.7 inches, and offers a 573 x 800 resolution. That is an AMOLED panel too, and has a 60Hz refresh rate.
The displays on both smartphones are good enough, when it comes to image reproduction and general look. They’re vivid, and offer good viewing angles. They also offer good touch response. The Razr+’s 165Hz refresh rate is not always active, of course, due to battery life reasons. Both main displays are well-adapted to the content, and the scrolling is smooth. The cover display on the Razr+ has a higher refresh rate, but the difference won’t be as noticeable as it would have been on larger panels.
The Motorola Razr+ does have better displays overall. Outer displays on both phones are quite useful, as you can run basically anything on them. Any app, which is not something we can say for clamshell foldables from other companies, at least not out of the box.
Motorola Razr+ vs Motorola Razr 2022: Performance
The Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 SoC can be found in both smartphones. Motorola coupled LPDDR5 RAM with that SoC in both phones, while you’ll also find UFS 3.1 flash storage in both smartphones. So, in terms of performance-related hardware, they’re basically on the same level. Does that reflect on actual performance, though? Well, both phones do perform admirably, to be quite honest.
The Motorola Razr 2022 can keep up with the Razr+ when it comes to performance, without a problem. That’s a good thing, of course. From that standpoint, you do not have a reason to upgrade. Both devices do a great job when it comes to regular, everyday tasks, and also more intense tasks, such as playing games. They do get warm, but never to the point they felt uncomfortable to use. The Razr+ seemed to be a bit cooler, but it could just be a placebo effect. They’re quite similar in that regard.
Motorola Razr+ vs Motorola Razr 2022: Battery
The Motorola Razr+ includes a 3,800mAh battery on the inside, while the Razr 2022 comes with a 3,500mAh battery. The Motorola Razr+ does have a larger battery pack, and that does reflect on battery life too, despite the fact it also has a higher refresh rate on its displays, and a larger outer display. Getting over 7 hours of screen-on-time on the phone is not a problem. In fact, we were able to get around 7.5-8 hours of screen-on-time on it, consistently. That’s a great result for a flip phone.
The Motorola Razr 2022, on the other hand, doesn’t offer bad battery life, but it’s not nearly as good as what the Razr+ offers. At first, it offered over 6 hours of screen-on-time without a problem, but the updates did improve that. Getting over 6.5 hours should not be much of an issue, but that’ll depend on how much you use the outer display, of course. The battery life on these two phones can vary a lot, depending on your usage in general. Which display you use more, and by what margin. There are also apps to consider, signal strength, and more. In other words, you may get entirely different results, so keep that in mind.
When charging is concerned, they’re on the same level, when it comes to wired charging, at least. 30W charging is supported here. The Motorola Razr+ also offers 5W wireless charging, which is something the Motorola Razr 2022 doesn’t have, at all. The Motorola Razr 2022 does include a charger in the box, while that may depend on the market for the Razr+. So take note of that, you may need to get a charger separately.
Motorola Razr+ vs Motorola Razr 2022: Cameras
The Motorola Razr+ includes a 12-megapixel main camera, and a 13-megapixel ultrawide camera (108-degree FoV). The Motorola Razr 2022, on the flip side, has a 50-megapixel main camera, and a 13-megapixel ultrawide unit. The images during the day do look good on both phones, but a bit different. Neither phone tends to punch up the saturation to liven up shots, they prefer to keep things closer to real life.
That is a problem at times, as the images can look a bit dull. The Razr+ tends to provide underprocessed images at times, and also miss in HDR situations from time to time, but rarely. That’s something Motorola can fix via an update, and chances are it will happen. Ultrawide cameras are a step below the main ones, and that is especially noticeable on the Motorola Razr 2022.
When it comes to low light shots, the Motorola Razr+ is an easy winner. It does a really good job in low light, even in demanding scenarios with neon lights, and street lights in the same scene. It also manages to keep noise in check, unlike the Razr 2022, where noise is often visible in low light images. The Razr 2022 also has a yellowish hue in low light, which is not exactly flattering.
Audio
Both of these phones include a set of stereo speakers, and they’re both good enough. They’re actually very similar too. The loudness seems to be about the same, and the quality as well. You will get good audio, as long as you’re not expecting miracles.
What they do not have is a 3.5mm headphone jack. You’ll need to use their Type-C ports for wired audio connections. If you prefer to go wireless, do note that the Razr+ supports Bluetooth 5.3, and Razr 2022 Bluetooth 5.2.