Galaxy Z Flip vs New Motorola Razr: Why Do We Need Foldable Smartphones Anyways?

It seems that all that tech innovation we see in smartphones today is simply no match for nostalgia. It turns out there's a market for people who miss flip phones, so much that mobile manufacturers are running against time to produce the ultimate, most successful, and prettiest folding smartphones.

More and more models of foldable phones are being released by different phone makers in what seems to be a non-stop competition to produce the best and most aesthetically appealing folding smartphone.

Phone makers want consumers to reminisce about the cell phones they once owned, prior to the smartphone era, without sacrificing any of the high tech features that today's smartphones boast. 

In addition to the nostalgia aspect often linked to flip phones, users are showing increasing interest in purchasing tablet-like cellphones that can fit into one's pocket at the end of the day.

Major mobile phone innovators have been working so hard over the past few years, trying to come up with the one cool gadget that can meet all these demands in the hopes that people will rush to own it regardless of the price.

So far, Huawei has managed to impress with its Mate X device, which has been the first folding phone supporting 5G connections. Motorola has also released its 2019 Razr edition which stirred different reactions among cell phone enthusiasts. And Apple has reportedly been exploring plans for a foldable edition of the iPhone, especially after receiving a patent to produce one in May 2019.

Last but not least, and despite its failure to present a flawless Galaxy Fold last year, Samsung is back in the game, successfully releasing its Galaxy Z Flip just a week ago.

Samsung Galaxy Z Flip vs Motorola 2019 Razr

We get a taste of what to really expect in the foldable phone genre, there are two devices worth reviewing at the moment: the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip and the Motorla 2019 Razr.

According to many initial reviews, the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip ($1380) appears to be a flagship device, unlike the Motorola 2019 Razr ($1500) which is lacking many high-tech features that most smartphone users have seek in a phone these days.

With ultra-thin folding glass, the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip folds vertically up to more than 200k times and is fitted with the "Flex mode", enabling it to automatically adjust to a laptop-like position, so users can watch videos while they text their friends.

So which of the two is the ultimate folding machine? That depends what you would want a smart "flip" phone in the first place.

Processor, Storage, Battery, and Network

The Galaxy Z Flip operates with a snapdragon 855+ and has an 8 GB RAM. Users can also enjoy huge storage that reaches up to 256 GB. The Z Flip is also equipped with an irreplaceable 3300 mah and supports wireless charging. 

On the other hand, the Motorola 2019 Razr provided with a non-removable 2510 mah battery tries to save battery life with a slower processor, having the old snapdragon 710. It also has a 6 GB RAM running the 128 GB phone. 

With these specifications, the Motorola phone seems to fall far behind the Galaxy Z Flip, until you realize that it overshadows it by promising to support 5G networks later this year. 

Camera

The Samsung folding phone seems to take the lead here too, thanks to two rear 12 MP cameras; regular and ultra-wide ones. It also has one 10 MP front-facing camera for selfies.

Motorola's folding device has only one rear camera with 16 MP resolution and another front-side camera with 5 MP.

External Display

Because of their clamshell designs, both phones can display notifications, function as selfie cameras, and allow users to respond to phone calls using their tiny viewfinder, but Motorola's Razr presents what it calls "Peak Display" offering users the ability to read parts of texts and emails they received.

The Hinge

One drawback reported by users of both phones was the still-obvious hinge which can be seen and felt while scrolling down the screen. Yet, some users pointed out that the smooth glass out of which Samsung has created its Galaxy Z's screen serves to make the hinge less obvious. 

In an online comment, one user argued that "the main difference between the two phones is that Motorola's Razr represents style and nostalgia, while Samsung's represents style and function."