Motorola Razr 50 review: Foldable smartphones are growing every year as brands come out with innovative smartphones. When you think of foldables, the first brand that comes to mind is Samsung, but their foldable models are quite expensive. While these devices dominate the smartphone market, Motorola is also one such brand that has picked up the pace with the introduction of feature-packed clamshell folding smartphones, giving tough competition to Samsung.
Earlier this year, I used the Motorola Razr 50 Ultra, the flagship of the company’s foldable series. Well, the company last month launched Motorola Razr 50, the younger brother of its flagship foldable smartphone, in India at an affordable price of just Rs 64,999. I’ve been using this smartphone for about two weeks to see how it compares to the flagship Razr 50 Ultra. So, check out more about the Motorola Razr 50 and why it’s perfect for first-time foldable smartphone users.
Motorola Razr 50 review: Design and display
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This year, Motorola introduced several upgrades to the Razr 50 compared to last year’s Razr 40. However, it looks and feels very similar to the Razr 50 Ultra. This smartphone features a 3.63-inch cover display, which is slightly smaller than the Razr 50 Ultra and significantly larger than the Razr 40, giving users a full-screen experience. The new generation of foldable devices is finished with vegan leather on the rear panel of the buttons and a thin strip just above the cover display. The leather material used in smartphones has a luxurious feel and is resistant to dust and fingerprints. I received the Spritz Orange color variant of the Razr 50 smartphone, but it also comes in Beach Sand and Koala Gray colors.
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When it comes to durability, the Motorola Razr 50 is backed by a 6000 series aluminum frame with curved edges. The company has also redesigned the hinge to look very quick and sturdy, and it’s covered in stainless steel. It also has IPX8 dustproof and waterproof performance, which is often found in foldable smartphones.
Coming to the display experience, the Motorola Razr 50 features a 3.63-inch OLED display with a 90 Hz refresh rate and a 6.9-inch pOLED LTPO display with a 120 Hz refresh rate. As we mentioned earlier in our review of the Motorola Razr 50 Ultra, the cover display allows users to perform any task with confidence without having to go through the hassle of navigating to the main screen. However, we found it difficult to use certain cover display actions due to the placement of the rear camera. Additionally, I wasn’t a big fan of the foldable phone’s 6.9-inch display, as it looked quite large in my outstretched hand.
Apart from these, the viewing experience was vibrant as the colors were vibrant and detailed. However, the bezels are quite thick and noticeable, which can hinder your viewing experience. It also features Widevine L1 support for FHD and HDR10+ viewing experience on streaming apps. Overall, the design and display of the Motorola Razr 50 is promising and will not disappoint users.
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Motorola Razr 50 Review: Camera
The Motorola Razr 50 features a dual rear camera setup consisting of a 50MP main camera and a 13MP ultrawide camera. In terms of photography, this smartphone is just as impressive as its sibling, the Razr 50 Ultra. I’ve used a lot of Motorola devices, including the high-end Edge 50 series, but the camera experience is quite different on foldable devices, and I just don’t seem to like it. First, there is an extreme level of saturation, which brightens the scene and takes away the natural tones of the scene. On the other hand, the Razr 50 also displayed inaccurate colors that could hinder the user experience.
In most scenarios, the main camera captured decent images with acceptable detail, sharp views, and vibrant colors. However, both daytime and nighttime shots were highly saturated. Well, being able to edit images using a third-party app might be good for social media use. When you use the 13MP ultra-wide camera, you’ll notice that the images are slightly darker because the light isn’t captured properly. On the other hand, there are inaccuracies in the white balance, making the image look average. However, we must emphasize that the Motorola Razr 50 took excellent portrait images with natural blur and accurate edge detection.
When it comes to selfies, the smartphone has a 32MP sensor that captures decent images, but it can sometimes show a pink tint on your face and look like a filter. However, if the lighting is right, you can take some social media-worthy selfies.
Motorola Razr 50 review: Performance
The Motorola Razr 50 is powered by a customized MediaTek Dimensity 7300X SoC, carefully selected for its clamshell-style folding. Although the smartphone manages to provide promising results in everyday use, the processor has some drawbacks that slightly affect multitasking. That choice is questionable, as we’ve seen it on several midrangers. Moreover, the LPDDR4X RAM and UFS 2.2 also didn’t feel underwhelming considering the smartphone is priced at Rs 64,999.
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Over time, I found it easy to perform basic operations on both screens, including social media, camera apps, OTT content, text messages, and more. However, after prolonged use, you may notice a slight lag or that switching between apps isn’t as smooth as you’d like. However, you can easily play graphics-intensive games for 30-45 minutes without facing any major issues. Additionally, this smartphone does not have any serious overheating issues, making it a decent device for first-time foldable smartphone users. However, if you’re looking for a foldable device for multitasking and heavy lifting, you can skip the Motorola Razr 50.
Motorola Razr 50 Review: Battery
The Motorola Razr 50 is powered by a similar 4,200mAh battery, which offers longer battery life. The smartphone easily lasts up to 8 hours with moderate usage like scrolling social media, watching OTT content, taking tests, making calls, and other functions. It supports 30W fast charging and takes just over an hour to fully charge your device. However, the battery may drain faster than usual when you perform intensive tasks such as playing games or watching FHD content.
Motorola Razr 50 Review: Verdict
After reviewing all the major aspects of Motorola Razr 50, we recommend this smartphone to users who want to experience a foldable smartphone at an affordable price. The Motorola Razr 50 sports an eye-catching, compact and stylish design. It provides a seamless transition from the cover to the main display for a smooth experience. It may not be able to capture images like a high-end foldable device, but it can take enough images to be social media worthy. Additionally, it also has a long battery life, making the overall experience smooth for users when using the device in their daily activities.
However, if you are looking for flagship performance, top-notch cameras, multitasking, and other heavy usage, you can also opt for the Motorola Razr 50 Ultra, which is priced higher than the base version.
