On the left is the Motorola Razr and on the right is the Galaxy Z Flip.
Sarah Tew/CNET
If you're a fan of foldable phones, February has been a good month. Motorola launched its new Razr foldable phone, with retro looks, a clamshell design and a tall folding screen. On Tuesday at the Samsung Unpacked event in San Francisco, the Galaxy Z Flip debuted, which also has a flip-phone design with a foldable screen. The Razr and Galaxy Z Flip have as much in common, like their tall 21:9 ratio screens, as they do that's different, including the fact that Motorola's foldable screen is plastic while Samsung uses a piece of ultra-thin glass.
But on Sunday, Zack Nelson from the YouTube channel JerryRigEverything posted a video showing that the foldable glass on the Z Flip actually behaves and is damaged like plastic. He found that even his fingernail was capable of leaving scratches on the phone's screen at a point in the test where real glass would have typically resisted markings.
Samsung didn't immediately respond to requests for comment.
The Z Flip is Samsung's follow-up to the Galaxy Fold, while the Razr is Motorola's first and only foldable phone. I spent a week testing the new Razr for an in-depth review, and I had some hands-on time with the Z Flip at the Unpacked event. Here are how the two phones compare.
Read: 8 Galaxy Z Flip features to try first
The Razr costs $1,499, while the Z Flip costs $1,380. In terms of specs, the Z Flip has a more powerful processor, two rear cameras, Android 10, a bigger battery and twice the storage. The Razr uses an eSIM and is sold as an exclusive on Verizon. The Z Flip has a SIM card and can be bought on any major US carrier.
They are roughly the same size, but the Razr feels heavier. When closed, the Z Flip has a square shape that mimics a Nintendo Gameboy Advance SP, the classic handheld console from 2003. When opened, the Z Flip has a taller 6.7-inch OLED screen, while the Razr has a 6.2-inch display.
On the Galaxy Z Flip you can see a crease. It doesn't seem as obvious as the one on the Galaxy Fold. On the Razr, you don't see a crease, but you can see the edges of two steel plates used to flex and stiffen the display.
Both the screen and body on the Z Flip fold perfectly in half. On the Razr, the screen folds in half, but the bottom of the body is longer than the top, like that of the original Razr flip phone from 2004. The Razr's prominent chin is tall and sits flush when the body is closed.
Flipping both phones open and closed is a blast. The Z Flip is easier to get leverage and flick open one-handed while the Razr has a more controlled open and close. As far as slamming the phone shut, the Z Flip's looser hinge offers a more satisfying "zwap" sound.
Both phones have an external display. The Z Flip has a 1.1-inch wide, pill-shaped screen on the outside that lets you answer phone calls, interact with notifications and take selfies as well as display the time, date and battery status. I should note that both phones accumulate smudges quite a bit, but the Galaxy Z Flip is on a whole other smudge level.
See also
- Galaxy S20, Galaxy S20 Plus and S20 Ultra specs: What's new and what's different?
- Samsung's Galaxy S20 Ultra raises the bar on phones in 8 ways
- Galaxy Z Flip phone: 6.7-inch foldable display, available Feb. 14 for $1,380
- All our Samsung Unpacked coverage
The Razr's exterior 2.7-inch Quick View display works in two ways. When the phone is locked, it becomes a Peek Display and lets you view notifications. When you unlock the screen, you get additional access to a mini control panel (brightness, flashlight, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and selfies) and you can interact with notifications. Tap and hold an icon for a quick peek at messages and notifications. It's wonderfully discreet.
For more on how these two phones differ, check out our spec chart below. And for more information on the other devices Samsung unveiled this week, read everything the company announced at Unpacked.
Samsung Galaxy Z Flip specs compared to Motorola Razr
| Samsung Galaxy Z Flip | Motorola Razr | |
| Display size, resolution | Internal: 6.7-inch FHD Plus Dynamic AMOLED; 2,636×1,080 pixels / External: 1.1-inch Super AMOLED; 300×112 pixels | Internal: 6.2-inch, foldable pOLED; 2,142×876 pixels (21:9) / External: 2.7-inch glass OLED, 800×600 pixels (4:3) |
| Pixel density | 425ppi (internal) / 303ppi (external) | 373ppi (internal screen) |
| Dimensions (inches) | Folded: 2.99 x 3.44 x 0.62 ~ 0.68 in. / Unfolded: 2.99 x 6.59 x 0.27 ~0.28 in. | Unfolded: 6.8 x 2.8 x 0.28 in. / Folded: 3.7 x 2.8 x 0.55 in, |
| Dimensions (millimeters) | Folded: 73.6 x 87.4 x 15.4 ~17.3 mm / Unfolded: 73.6 x 167.3 x 6.9 ~ 7.2 mm | Unfolded: 172 x 7 2 x 6.9mm / Folded: 94 x 72 x 14mm |
| Weight (ounces, grams) | 6.46 oz.; 183g | 7.2 oz.; 205g |
| Mobile software | Android 10 | Android 9 Pie |
| Camera | 12-megapixel (wide-angle), 12-megapixel (ultra wide-angle) | 16-megapixel external (f1.7, dual pixel autofocus), 5-megapixel internal |
| Front-facing camera | 10-megapixel | Same as main 16-megapixel external |
| Video capture | 4K (HDR 10) | 4K |
| Processor | 64-bit octa-core | Qualcomm Snapdragon 710 (2.2GHz, octa-core) |
| Storage | 256GB | 128GB |
| RAM | 8GB | 6GB |
| Expandable storage | TBA | None |
| Battery | 3,300 mAh | 2,510 mAh |
| Fingerprint sensor | Side | Below screen |
| Connector | USB-C | USB-C |
| Headphone jack | No | No |
| Special features | Foldable display, wireless PowerShare, wireless charging, fast charging | Foldable display, eSIM, Motorola gestures, splash proof |
| Price off-contract (USD) | $1,380 | $1,499 |
| Price (GBP) | £1,300 | Converts to £1,170 |
| Price (AUD) | UK price converts to AU$2,500 | Converts to AU$2,185 |
Samsung Galaxy Z Flip impresses from almost every angle 50 Photos
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Originally published last month.
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