Motorola Razr Plus 2024 vs. Razr 2024: Which foldable should you buy?

It’s officially summer, which means it’s time for hot weather, beaches and pools, and folding phones. Yep, nothing says summer more than a hot new phone like the new Motorola Razr line.

But wait a minute, there are two Razrs! You have the Razr 2024 and Razr Plus 2024. So, which one are you supposed to get? Don’t worry — here are the details on both so you can decide which flip phone is right for you.

Motorola Razr Plus 2024 vs. Razr 2024: specs

Razr Plus 2024 vs. Razr 2024: design

With last year’s Razrs, you could clearly tell which one was the higher-end model since one had a large cover screen while the other had a small display panel. This year, however, the differences are less stark.

Both the Razr 2024 and Razr Plus 2024 are clamshell flip phones that look very similar. They both have Motorola’s new hinge design that is 30% smaller than last year’s, which also makes both phones easier to flip open. Both phones also have a dual-camera layout on the cover display and even have similar dimensions when open and closed.

But when you look at the cover displays, there is key difference. The Razr 2024 has a smaller 3.6-inch cover display (but larger than last year’s 1.5-inch cover screen), with a strip of color sitting above the screen (a forehead?). The Razr Plus 2024, on the other hand, has a 4-inch cover display, which is larger than last year’s, and it takes up the full cover with thinner bezels.

The Razr 2024 only comes in three colors: Koala Grey, Beach Sand, and Spritz Orange. The Razr Plus 2024 has four colors: Midnight Blue, Spring Green, Peach Fuzz, and Hot Pink. All of the Razrs have leather backs, which add a nice grip and feel good in the hand.

But aside from the differences in the cover, the Razr 2024 and Razr Plus 2024 look almost the same.

Razr Plus 2024 vs. Razr 2024: displays

Now, let’s talk displays. After all, that’s one of the most important aspects of any folding phone.

The Razr 2024 has a 3.6-inch pOLED cover display with 1056 x 1066 pixel resolution at 413 pixels per inch (ppi) density with a 90Hz refresh rate and peak brightness of 1,700 nits. The main display is a 6.9-inch FHD+ pOLED display at 2640 x 1080 resolution and 413 ppi with 120Hz refresh rate and up to 3,000 nits of brightness.

The Razr Plus 2024 has a larger 4-inch pOLED cover display with 1272 x 1080 resolution at 417 ppi, with a refresh rate of up to 165Hz and 2,400 nits brightness. The main display is a 6.9-inch FHD+ pOLED display with 2640 x 1080 resolution at 413 ppi and 22:9 aspect ratio, up to a 165Hz refresh rate, and 3,000 nits peak brightness.

One common problem with foldable phones is the crease on the inner display. Thankfully, Motorola has always done pretty well with a hardly noticeable crease on the Razr phones, and that remains true with both of these as well. In our hands-on with both the Razr and Razr Plus, we felt that the crease was pretty much nonexistent on both devices. Again, the new hinge makes it easier to open the phones with a simple wrist flick.

Another big improvement that Motorola added for both models is an always-on cover display.

Razr Plus 2024 vs. Razr 2024: performance and software

Though there are a lot of similarities on the outside, there are bigger differences on the inside.

The Motorola Razr 2024 uses a MediaTek Dimensity 7300X chipset and has only 8GB RAM. But the Razr Plus 2024 runs on Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8s Gen 3 with 12GB RAM. Both phones only have 256GB storage.

Both the Razr 2024 and Razr Plus 2024 come with Android 14 out of the box. Motorola is also adding a bit of AI magic to both Razr devices with Moto AI. Many of these AI tools are for the camera and photos. The Razr Plus specifically has a new feature called the “Photo Enhancement Engine,” which improves overall dynamic range and detail, creates better software-based bokeh effects, and reduces noise for lowlight photos. There are also some AI tools to help get better action shots.

Motorola also includes Google Gemini on both phones right out of the box, and you can even access Gemini on the cover displays. There is an image generation app, Magic Canvas, and a tool called Style Sync, which lets you take a photo and upload it to generate wallpapers based on that image. Other AI tools include notification summaries and the ability to recall contextual information from messages, but these appear to be coming later.

Motorola has been slacking on the software upgrade department, however, especially when compared to the competition from Samsung, Google, and even Apple. Both new Razrs will only get three years of software upgrades, which pales in comparison to the five to seven years from the competitors.

Razr Plus 2024 vs. Razr 2024: cameras

While both the Razr 2024 and Razr Plus 2024 have a dual-camera system, there are some big changes between them.

First off, the Razr 2024 has a 50-megapixel main camera with a 13MP ultrawide lens. Meanwhile, the Razr Plus 2024 has a 50MP main shooter and a 50MP telephoto lens with 2x optical zoom. Both phones have a 32MP selfie camera.

As you can see, Motorola decided to scrap the ultrawide lens on the Razr Plus 2024 and replace it with a telephoto one instead. The Razr 2024 keeps the ultrawide lens but has no telephoto, so that means no optical zoom.

This is where you need to think about which camera you would use more: ultrawide or telephoto. If you prefer capturing more of a landscape or want to fit more people into a single group photo, then the ultrawide may be a better choice. But if you want to get good-quality close-up shots from afar or capture a lot of portraits, then the telephoto is the way to go.

Razr Plus 2024 vs. Razr 2024: battery life

Though both the Razr 2024 and Razr Plus 2024 look similar in size, there is a noticeable difference in terms of battery size and charging.

The Razr 2024 has a 4,200mAh battery, 33W wired fast charging, and 15W wireless charging. Meanwhile, the Razr Plus 2024 has a slightly smaller 4,000mAh battery, 45W wired charging, and 15W wireless charging. It also supports 5W reverse wireless charging, which the Razr 2024 does not.

Razr Plus 2024 vs. Razr 2024: price and availability

If you want to grab either of these new Motorola Razr phones, you don’t need to wait too long — both phones will be available for preorder starting July 10, with general sales beginning July 24.

The Razr 2024 will cost $700. The July 10 preorder will only be from T-Mobile, but starting July 24, you can get it universally unlocked from Motorola, Amazon, and Best Buy. It will also become available at T-Mobile, Consumer Cellular, and Xfinity Mobile on July 24. Beginning July 25, you can get it at Cricket, Spectrum Mobile, Straight Talk, Total by Verizon, Visible, Google Fi Wireless, Optimum Mobile, and USCellular. Boost Mobile will get it later this summer.

And for the Razr Plus 2024, which costs $1,000, you can preorder it on July 10 from T-Mobile, AT&T, Motorola, Amazon, and Best Buy. It will then go on sale July 24, and if you want the universally unlocked version, it will be available at Motorola, Amazon, and Best Buy.

Motorola Razr Plus 2024 vs. Razr 2024: verdict

If you’re in the market for a flip phone, both Razrs seem like excellent choices.

Those who want the largest and best cover display with an always-on screen on a flip phone, a telephoto camera, more powerful performance, and faster charging should consider the Razr Plus 2024. It comes in four beautiful colors and is a great choice for $1,000.

But if you have a slightly tighter budget, the Razr 2024 is still a fantastic value. With the new large cover display, great performance, and large battery, you get a lot to love for $700.

We still have to put both new Razrs to the test in our full reviews, but from first impressions, you can’t go wrong with either, depending on your budget.