The Moto X from 2013 was one of my favorite smartphones of all time. Motorola, owned by Google back then, debuted a build-a-phone workshop that let you customize the handset’s design, from changing the color on the front and back to adding different accents for the buttons. You could even throw in a signature for an extra dose of personalization.
That kind of playful nature remains elusive in the smartphone world, but there are glimpses thanks to companies like Nothing and Motorola. Case in point: the new Razr 2025 family, consisting of the Razr Ultra, Razr+, and Razr. Motorola could have taken the Samsung approach and kept the ordinary glass-slab design we’re used to for its folding phones, but no. The Razr Ultra lets you choose between Alcantara, wood, leather-inspired, and satin-inspired designs. The base Razr comes in bright, punchy colors, with acetate, nylon, or leather-inspired finishes.
I have the Pantone Spring Bud Razr, a leather-inspired mint green color—my wife’s eyes lit up when she saw it (and asked if she could take a bite, naturally). Even my hard-to-impress dad stoically said, “It’s a nice color.” I love the FSC-certified Pantone Mountain Trail on the Razr Ultra even more, which is a real wood back that exudes class. Guess what? The original Moto X had a wood back, too. They might not be customizable, but these Razrs look great, feel great, and there’s nothing that looks like ’em.
Refined Edges
Photograph: Julian Chokkattu
The Razr 2025 lineup is not wholly different from last year’s models. Quite literally, the Razr+ 2025 ($1,000) is almost the same as the Razr+ 2024, now with the company’s titanium-reinforced hinge plate for better durability. Its specs are identical, which is likely why Motorola didn’t bother sending a review unit. Instead, I’ve been testing the Razr 2025 ($700) and the Razr Ultra ($1,300).
Adding a third entry into the Razr lineup adds unnecessary complexity, so I’m adding a spec table here to help you make sense of these devices. Essentially, the Razr Ultra is the best of the best, with the latest flagship Snapdragon 8 Elite chipset, higher storage and RAM options, the biggest battery, faster charging speeds, a dedicated AI button, and even a more durable ceramic glass screen. It also has better cameras and is the only one that offers Dolby Vision video recording for richer colors in your footage. The Razr+ sits a rung below, though its battery life is its weakness since it has the smallest capacity, and the Razr remains one of the cheapest folding flip phones.
Performance is excellent, though this is more meaningful on the base Razr model, which has given me some choppy performance in prior models. You might still see some stutters here and there on the $700 phone, but it’s sparse, and overall, I’ve been quite happy with it. The displays—external and internal—have been high notes on both phones, even if I prefer the slightly larger screens on the Razr Ultra. They get plenty bright, and the high refresh rates make everything appear fluid.
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