📞 Should I Get the Motorola Razr+ or Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5 Flip Phone? 🔀
Foldable phones are becoming increasingly popular, offering a unique combination of portability and screen size. Two of the most anticipated foldable phones releasing soon are the Motorola Razr+ and Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5.
Both build upon successful previous iterations, with the Razr+ upgrading 2020’s Razr 5G and the Flip 5 improving on the Flip 4. They remain distinct – the Razr staying true to its retro flip phone roots, while the Flip 5 sports a more modern look.
Choosing between them ultimately depends on your priorities and use cases. This comprehensive comparison covers all the key factors to consider.
Design and Durability
The Razr+ modernizes the iconic Razr V3’s design with an industrial angular look. Folded, it has a chunky profile at 16.99 mm thick. The Quick View display feels spacious at 2.7” diagonal, but doesn’t support touch.
The Flip 5 has a softer pebble-like shape when closed, and is more compact at 15.9 mm thick. Its lozenge-shaped cover display stretches 1” taller and wider than the Razr+’s at 3.9″. It’s fully interactive, letting you control music, see notifications, and more without opening the phone.
Build quality favors the Flip 5, with a stronger aluminum frame compared to the Razr+’s plastic. Both have glass covers, but the Flip 5 uses tougher Gorilla Glass Victus+ on both sides versus the Razr+’s Gorilla Glass 5 screen and plastic rear shell.
For water resistance, the Flip 5 easily wins with an IPX8 rating allowing it to be submerged in 1.5 m of water for 30 minutes. The Razr+ lacks an IP rating and is only splash resistant.
Durability testing shows the Flip 5 improved significantly over its predecessors, now surviving over 400,000 folds. Still, there are concerns about long term display creasing. The Razr+ likely has similar durability, given its simpler vertically folding design.
Displays
Opened up, both deliver immersive flexible displays. The Razr+ has a 6.7” POLED panel with a crisp Full HD+ resolution. The Flip 5 steps it up with a 6.7” Dynamic AMOLED 2X display and seamless 120 Hz adaptive refresh rate.
The Flip 5’s display is also brighter at 1200 nits peak versus the Razr+’s 700 nits. Both support HDR10+ for vivid colors and rich contrast when viewing HDR videos.
An advantage of the Razr+’s display is having no front camera cutout. The Flip 5 continues the frustrating punch hole front camera design.
Performance and Battery Life
Performance is a key differentiation, with the Flip 5 housing Qualcomm’s newest Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chip. Early benchmarks show it outperforming the Razr+’s Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 by 15-25% and delivering better power efficiency.
Both pack 8GB RAM, but the Flip 5 offers up to 512GB storage versus the Razr+’s 256GB max. The Flip 5 also supports the latest UFS 4.0 storage and Wi-Fi 7.
For all-day battery life, the Flip 5 looks superior with a 3,900 mAh battery and new Snapdragon’s efficiency. The Razr+ has a modest 2,800 mAh capacity given its power hungry display. Charging is quicker on the Flip 5 at 25W wired versus 15W on the Razr+.
Camera
The Razr+ has capable dual 12MP cameras: a standard wide angle and ultra-wide. Its punch hole front camera is 32MP.
But the Flip 5 should capture better photos and video with a 50MP wide, 12MP ultra-wide and 10MP telephoto rear system. Its 10MP front camera enables sharp selfies. Unique camera features like Director’s View make vlogging easier on the Flip 5 too.
Software
Out of the box, the Razr+ runs Android 12 with Motorola’s light customizations. The Flip 5 has Android 13 with Samsung’s more heavily customized One UI 5 interface.
The Flip 5 offers superior long term software support, with 4 OS upgrades and 5 years of security updates guaranteed. The Razr+ will likely get 2 major OS updates and 2 years of patches.
One UI adds some Flip-friendly optimizations like Flex Mode, but Motorola’s software feels cleaner. Neither has major bugs reported so far.
Unique Features
Motorola retained fun features from classic Razrs like the sharp snap when closing the phone. The iconic Razr logo also lights up for notifications.
Samsung packs in S Pen support and DeX desktop mode on the Flip 5. Its flexi-hinge enables setting the phone at multiple angles hands-free.
For mobile payments, both support NFC but only the Flip 5 has an integrated fingerprint reader. The Razr+ awkwardly places it on the small chin below the Quick View display.
Price and Availability
The Motorola Razr+ is priced at $1400 USD and already available unlocked and through Verizon, AT&T, and T-Mobile. Only one 256GB model exists.
Samsung hasn’t announced Flip 5 pricing yet, but it will likely start around $1000 based on the Flip 4. The 128GB and 512GB models will be sold unlocked and by all major carriers.
Pre-orders should open by February, with general availability soon after the Feb/March announcement.
Motorola Razr+ vs Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5 Flip
For those seeking a modern take on the nostalgic flip phone, the Razr+ brings that fun factor at the cost of power and polish. Its quick view display enables scrolling notifications and controlling music on the outside. But performance, cameras and software support can’t match the Flip 5.
Power users who want a cutting edge foldable for productivity and creative uses are better off waiting for the Flip 5. Its refreshed hardware, versatile cameras, S Pen support and large interactive cover screen add up to the ultimate high-end flip phone. Just be prepared for the punch hole camera and slightly bulkier folded form factor compared to the Razr+.
In the end, choosing between the Motorola Razr+ and Samsung Galaxy Flip 5 depends on your budget and priorities. The Razr+ delivers foldable fun and simplicity, while the Flip 5 brings the latest specs and productivity. Either one lets you stand out with a unique phone that packs a big screen into a conveniently compact design.
tl;dr Key Comparisons
- Design – Razr+ nostalgic, Flip 5 more premium
- Displays – Flip 5 brighter, Razr+ no front camera hole
- Performance – Flip 5 faster with Snapdragon 8 Gen 2
- Cameras – Flip 5 more versatile with 3 rear, better selfies
- Software – Flip 5 gets more updates, One UI enhancements
- Price – Razr+ $1400, Flip 5 ~$1000 starting
So in summary, while both deliver the core foldable experience, the Flip 5 excels as a cutting-edge productivity powerhouse. But if simplicity and affordability matter most, the Razr+ brings back the flip phone fun. Evaluate your priorities and use cases to decide which innovative foldable phone is right for you.