Motorola Razr 40 review: An affordable flip smartphone at last ↺
Razr is a well-known name from the days of classic clamshell smartphones and Motorola has been reviving the brand with foldable smartphones for a few years now. Like its predecessors, the Razr folds on the short edge. This allows for a smartphone display format as known in other devices, which easily fits into a trouser pocket when folded.
The Razr 40 Ultra impressed with a huge external display, which is perfect for selfies or quick answers to messages. With the Razr 40, however, Motorola is more economical and retro at the same time; like previous clamshell smartphones, there is only a small external display that shows the most important information. At the same time, the price has dropped significantly: The Razr 40 is available for US$755 (via Amazon in Green and Cream) and is currently one of the cheapest foldable smartphones.
Possible competitors in comparison
Rating | Date | Model | Weight | Drive | Size | Resolution | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 86.4 % v7 (old) | 07 / 2023 | Motorola Razr 40 SD 7 Gen 1, Adreno 644 | 188.6 g | 256 GB UFS 2.2 Flash | 6.90" | 2640x1080 | |
| 87 % v7 (old) | 06 / 2023 | Motorola Razr 40 Ultra SD 8+ Gen 1, Adreno 730 | 188.5 g | 256 GB UFS 3.1 Flash | 6.90" | 2640x1080 | |
| 87.9 % v7 (old) | 10 / 2022 | Samsung Galaxy Z Flip4 5G SD 8+ Gen 1, Adreno 730 | 187 g | 128 GB UFS 3.1 Flash | 6.70" | 2640x1080 | |
| 87.2 % v7 (old) | 03 / 2023 | Honor Magic Vs SD 8+ Gen 1, Adreno 730 | 261 g | 512 GB UFS 3.1 Flash | 7.90" | 2272x1984 | |
| 87 % v7 (old) | 01 / 2023 | Motorola Razr 2022 SD 8+ Gen 1, Adreno 730 | 200 g | 256 GB UFS 3.1 Flash | 6.70" | 2400x1080 |
Case - Aluminum and imitation leather
The case is based on the robust hinge design of the Razr 40 Ultra, which becomes indiscernible when opened. According to the first durability tests with the Razr 40 Ultra, the hinge also gives the impression of stability, but the inner display is still sensitive to scratches. And there is still a crease where the display is folded. This is only really visible in the presence of backlight and is not too bothersome during operation, but still noticeable.
The smaller external display, protected by Gorilla Glass Victus, makes the case of the Razr 40 even more robust, as well as pressure- and torsion resistant. However, this device possesses no more than IP52 certification, so good protection against dust and splash water is not guaranteed.
The Razr 40 weighs the same as the Razr 40 Ultra and is slightly thicker, but otherwise has the same dimensions. The smartphone is covered with imitation leather on most of the front and back, which gives the smartphone a very high-quality look. Available colors are Sage Green, Vanilla Cream and Summer Lilac, with the metal frame matching the color.
Like its more expensive sibling, the Razr 40 also exudes the new "Motorola scent" after unboxing, which was developed together with Firmenich, a fragrance manufacturer.
Equipment - Slower flash memory
With 8 GB of RAM and 256 GB of mass storage, the Razr 40 has a decent amount of storage, but slower flash memory than the Ultra. A microSD slot is not available, nor is a second SIM slot. On the other hand, there is support for virtual SIM cards, so dual operation with a nano and an eSIM is possible.
Again, Motorola only installs a USB 2.0 port, so that data transfer to the PC via cable is slower and no image transfer is possible. Accordingly, Ready For, Motorola's link tool to the PC or monitor, also only works wirelessly.
Software - 4 years of updates
The Razr 40 comes with Android 13, and the manufacturer continues the tradition of installing stock Android without its own UI. There are also a few apps on the smartphone in which all the settings for device-specific functions are bundled, but otherwise there are no changes to the stock Android. No third-party advertising apps are preinstalled, apart from Facebook.
At the time of review, the security patches were from June 2023 and therefore still reasonably up to date. There should be further updates until June 2027, which is 4 years. Android 14 has already been announced, and the manufacturer promises a total of three new operating systems.
Communication and GNSS - Motorola Razr 40 with WiFi 6E
The Motorola Razr 40 supports WiFi 6E, so there are no limitations compared to the Razr 40 Ultra. Our test device proves to be even more stable in conjunction with our Asus ROG Rapture AXE11000 reference router in terms of data transfer and is also able to utilize very fast networks thanks to the sparsely used 6 GHz frequency range.
Full signal strength is available near the router and nothing changes at a distance of 10 meters and through 3 walls. Pages load very quickly.
The Razr supports a wide variety of mobile networks. Hence, apart from a single 5G frequency, the Motorola Razr 40 can be used worldwide like the Razr 40 Ultra or other high-end smartphones. Mobile reception was always stable and very high in urban environments during our approximately two-week review phase.
| Networking | |
| iperf3 receive AXE11000 | |
| Honor Magic Vs | |
| Samsung Galaxy Z Flip4 5G | |
| Average of class Smartphone (34.8 - 1875, n=189, last 2 years) | |
| iperf3 transmit AXE11000 | |
| Honor Magic Vs | |
| Samsung Galaxy Z Flip4 5G | |
| Average of class Smartphone (40.5 - 1810, n=191, last 2 years) | |
| iperf3 transmit AXE11000 6GHz | |
| Motorola Razr 2022 | |
| Motorola Razr 40 | |
| Average of class Smartphone (229 - 1945, n=79, last 2 years) | |
| Motorola Razr 40 Ultra | |
| iperf3 receive AXE11000 6GHz | |
| Average of class Smartphone (668 - 1864, n=79, last 2 years) | |
| Motorola Razr 2022 | |
| Motorola Razr 40 | |
| Motorola Razr 40 Ultra | |
The tracking module can access all major satellite networks and our location is ascertained very quickly as soon as we step outside. At three meters, the accuracy is at a good level.
To test the smartphone's real-world tracking capabilities, we went for a bike ride and took the Garmin Venu 2 smartwatch along as a comparison device. On open terrain with wider roads, the Razr 40 is very accurate in localization and very precisely charts the route taken.
In the narrow streets of the old town, localization is slightly less precise. Here it sometimes looks as though we scraped along the house walls and the smartphone is also slightly off track on the bridge.
Overall, positioning accuracy is very high, so the Razr 40 can also be recommended to people who have high demands for navigation.
Telephony and Voice Quality - Clear and distinct
Interestingly, the "Phone" app is a Motorola custom app based on Android's open-source code. Nevertheless, the structure and functions are very similar to those of Google's standard app.
The voice quality is very clear via the earpiece, and our voice also reaches the other party very clearly via the microphone, even when we speak softly. You can also make calls very well via the speaker and hands-free microphone, but users shouldn't speak too quietly here.
Cameras - Not quite high-end level
While the same 13-megapixel lens (as in the Razr 40 Ultra) is used as the wide-angle lens on the back, the main camera has been replaced in the cheaper model: the most important lens in the Razr 40 is a 64-megapixel sensor from OmniVision, which offers slightly lower light sensitivity, but also features an optical image stabilizer.
Photos look colorful and well-lit at first glance, but on closer inspection they are not as sharp and slightly less detail-rich than the cameras of high-end smartphones when enlarged. Nevertheless, the main camera of the Razr 40 can take very nice shots. The sharpness is good in low light; only dark areas could be brightened up a bit more.
Videos can be recorded in 4K at a maximum of 30 fps, while 60 fps is also possible in lower resolutions. The quality of hardware for video recordings is not that high for foldables anyway, and 8K is rarely found even in much more expensive devices.
The resulting videos from the main camera of the Razr 40 are very good, but the viewfinder occasionally jerks during fast movements, which is not visible in the final picture. The autofocus could be a little faster, but this is unlikely to be noticeable in the absence of fast-moving scenes.
The wide-angle camera takes usable pictures and even captures some detail.
The screen has a 32-megapixel lens, also from OmniVision, which takes bright selfies with good image quality, but a slight grid becomes visible at high magnification.
Image Comparison
Choose a scene and navigate within the first image. One click changes the position on touchscreens. One click on the zoomed-in image opens the original in a new window. The first image shows the scaled photograph of the test device.
Main camera - flowerMain camera - surrounding environmentMain camera - low lightWide angle
We also put the main camera through its paces in the photo lab and in controlled conditions. Photos are again slightly blurry in full studio lighting, and uniform surfaces often appear a little blotchy.
Under illuminance of just 1 lux, the test chart is reproduced clearly.
Accessories and Warranty - Bumper in the package
We like the fact that Motorola includes both a charger and a protective case with the Razr 40.
The manufacturer offers a 24-month warranty on smartphones purchased in the EU. This may differ in other regions, so buyers should double check before purchasing.
Input Devices & Operation - Fingerprint sensor on the side
The screen's frame rate can be set at a maximum of 60 Hz or 144 Hz and is always dynamically controlled. This works well and allows for very smooth operation. The touchscreen refreshes up to 240 times per second (even up to 360 times in games) and is very precise up the corners.
As with the Razr 40 Ultra, it takes practice to open the Razr 40 with one hand. This is because the hinge is tight, allowing you to hold the smartphone open in just about any position, which means you can often get by without a tripod for selfies or group photos. When opened in an L-shape, different apps can be displayed on the lower and upper part of the screen, so you can, for example, write on the lower part while the music playlist or a video runs on the top.
The external display is also touch-sensitive, but is hardly useful for working due to its size. Here, information can be retrieved more like on a smartwatch and simple media control is possible. The information on the external display is always available, even when locked.
A fingerprint sensor is found on the right side in the standby button, which unlocks the phone quickly and reliably. Facial recognition is also available and it works both when the phone is open and closed. However, it is not quite as secure since only 2D images of the user's face are taken. Hence, Android blocks its use after the phone has been locked for 4 hours.
Display - Bright and fast
The OLED main screen of the Razr 40 features an extended Full HD resolution, is very bright on average with a resolution of 1,002 cd/m² and can display colors very accurately.
Although we noticed PWM flickering, this can be mitigated via a DC dimming mode. The flickering then becomes more even and matches the frequency of the refresh rate, which should be much more comfortable. Nevertheless, we recommend that sensitive people first try out the screen at low brightness before buying.
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||
Brightness Distribution: 85 %
Center on Battery: 982 cd/m²
Contrast: ∞:1 (Black: 0 cd/m²)
ΔE Color 0.93 | 0.5-29.43 Ø4.91
ΔE Greyscale 1.4 | 0.5-98 Ø5.2
98.6% sRGB (Calman 2D)
Gamma: 2.188
| Motorola Razr 40 P-OLED, 2640x1080, 6.9" | Motorola Razr 40 Ultra P-OLED, 2640x1080, 6.9" | Samsung Galaxy Z Flip4 5G Dynamic AMOLED , 2640x1080, 6.7" | Honor Magic Vs OLED, 2272x1984, 7.9" | Motorola Razr 2022 OLED, 2400x1080, 6.7" | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Screen | -54% | -7% | -81% | -68% | |
| Brightness middle | 982 | 928 -5% | 795 -19% | 803 -18% | 500 -49% |
| Brightness | 1002 | 943 -6% | 800 -20% | 809 -19% | 495 -51% |
| Brightness Distribution | 85 | 93 9% | 97 14% | 97 14% | 98 15% |
| Black Level * | |||||
| Colorchecker dE 2000 * | 0.93 | 2.21 -138% | 1 -8% | 2.27 -144% | 1.99 -114% |
| Colorchecker dE 2000 max. * | 2.52 | 6.74 -167% | 2.5 1% | 5.99 -138% | 5.37 -113% |
| Greyscale dE 2000 * | 1.4 | 1.6 -14% | 1.5 -7% | 3.9 -179% | 2.7 -93% |
| Gamma | 2.188 101% | 2.304 95% | 2.37 93% | 2.25 98% | 2.202 100% |
| CCT | 6480 100% | 6577 99% | 6466 101% | 6234 104% | 6663 98% |
* ... smaller is better
Screen Flickering / PWM (Pulse-Width Modulation)
| Screen flickering / PWM detected | 180.3 Hz |  | |
The display backlight flickers at 180.3 Hz (worst case, e.g., utilizing PWM) . The frequency of 180.3 Hz is relatively low, so sensitive users will likely notice flickering and experience eyestrain at the stated brightness setting and below. In comparison: 53 % of all tested devices do not use PWM to dim the display. If PWM was detected, an average of 8705 (minimum: 5 - maximum: 343500) Hz was measured. | |||
Series of measurements at a fixed zoom level and different brightness settings
In our measurements with the spectral photometer and CalMAN software, we did not detect a bluish cast and the screen can also be used very well to assess printing colors. For this you should select the color profile "Natural" in the settings.
The response times are typically short for OLEDs, which will please gamers.
Display Response Times
| ↔ Response Time Black to White | ||
|---|---|---|
| 1.3 ms ... rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined | ↗ 0.6 ms rise |  |
| ↘ 0.7 ms fall | ||
| The screen shows very fast response rates in our tests and should be very well suited for fast-paced gaming. In comparison, all tested devices range from 0.1 (minimum) to 240 (maximum) ms. » 4 % of all devices are better. This means that the measured response time is better than the average of all tested devices (20.9 ms). | ||
| ↔ Response Time 50% Grey to 80% Grey | ||
| 1.7 ms ... rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined | ↗ 0.8 ms rise |  |
| ↘ 0.9 ms fall | ||
| The screen shows very fast response rates in our tests and should be very well suited for fast-paced gaming. In comparison, all tested devices range from 0.165 (minimum) to 636 (maximum) ms. » 5 % of all devices are better. This means that the measured response time is better than the average of all tested devices (32.8 ms). | ||
The display's high brightness comes into play outdoors - even bright days do not pose any issues. The viewing angles also give no reason for criticism.
Performance - Easily enough for everyday use
The Qualcomm Snapdragon 7 Gen 1 in the Motorola Razr 40 offers significantly less power than the Snapdragon 8-class processors used in high-end smartphones.
However, whether you really notice this in everyday use depends heavily on the individual usage behavior: users who run very complex apps such as photo editing or video editing, play demanding games and run lots of background processes may notice that the performance reserves are not quite enough. But if you mainly surf the internet, chat with friends or watch videos, the processor in the Razr 40 is completely sufficient.
| UL Procyon AI Inference for Android - Overall Score NNAPI | |
| Samsung Galaxy Z Flip4 5G | |
| Average of class Smartphone (1267 - 75143, n=147, last 2 years) | |
| Motorola Razr 40 Ultra | |
| Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 7 Gen 1 (7374 - 29413, n=5) | |
| Motorola Razr 40 | |
| Honor Magic Vs | |
| AImark - Score v3.x | |
| Motorola Razr 40 | |
| Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 7 Gen 1 (668 - 47384, n=4) | |
| Average of class Smartphone (82 - 307528, n=139, last 2 years) | |
| Honor Magic Vs | |
| Motorola Razr 40 Ultra | |
The graphics card in the Razr 40 is sufficient for 1080p gaming, at least if you are satisfied with 30 fps. If you want to play in higher resolutions, you're actually better off with a real high-end SoC, but you'll have to pay more. The difference in performance to flagship devices is significantly greater in terms of graphics power than in the processor unit.
GFXBench (DX / GLBenchmark) 2.7: T-Rex Onscreen | 1920x1080 T-Rex Offscreen
GFXBench 3.0: on screen Manhattan Onscreen OGL | 1920x1080 1080p Manhattan Offscreen
GFXBench 3.1: on screen Manhattan ES 3.1 Onscreen | 1920x1080 Manhattan ES 3.1 Offscreen
GFXBench: on screen Car Chase Onscreen | 1920x1080 Car Chase Offscreen | on screen Aztec Ruins High Tier Onscreen | 2560x1440 Aztec Ruins High Tier Offscreen | on screen Aztec Ruins Normal Tier Onscreen | 1920x1080 Aztec Ruins Normal Tier Offscreen | 3840x2160 4K Aztec Ruins High Tier Offscreen
| 3DMark / Wild Life Extreme Unlimited | |
| Samsung Galaxy Z Flip4 5G | |
| Motorola Razr 2022 | |
| Honor Magic Vs | |
| Motorola Razr 40 Ultra | |
| Motorola Razr 40 | |
| 3DMark / Wild Life Extreme | |
| Samsung Galaxy Z Flip4 5G | |
| Motorola Razr 2022 | |
| Honor Magic Vs | |
| Motorola Razr 40 Ultra | |
| Motorola Razr 40 | |
| 3DMark / Wild Life Unlimited Score | |
| Samsung Galaxy Z Flip4 5G | |
| Motorola Razr 2022 | |
| Honor Magic Vs | |
| Motorola Razr 40 Ultra | |
| Motorola Razr 40 | |
| 3DMark / Wild Life Score | |
| Motorola Razr 40 Ultra | |
| Motorola Razr 2022 | |
| Honor Magic Vs | |
| Motorola Razr 40 | |
| 3DMark / Sling Shot Extreme (Vulkan) Unlimited Physics | |
| Motorola Razr 40 | |
| 3DMark / Sling Shot Extreme (Vulkan) Unlimited Graphics | |
| Motorola Razr 40 | |
| 3DMark / Sling Shot Extreme (Vulkan) Unlimited | |
| Motorola Razr 40 | |
| 3DMark / Sling Shot Extreme (ES 3.1) Unlimited Physics | |
| Motorola Razr 2022 | |
| Motorola Razr 40 | |
| Samsung Galaxy Z Flip4 5G | |
| 3DMark / Sling Shot Extreme (ES 3.1) Unlimited Graphics | |
| Motorola Razr 2022 | |
| Samsung Galaxy Z Flip4 5G | |
| Motorola Razr 40 | |
| 3DMark / Sling Shot Extreme (ES 3.1) Unlimited | |
| Motorola Razr 2022 | |
| Samsung Galaxy Z Flip4 5G | |
| Motorola Razr 40 | |
| GFXBench (DX / GLBenchmark) 2.7 / T-Rex Onscreen | |
| Motorola Razr 40 Ultra | |
| Samsung Galaxy Z Flip4 5G | |
| Motorola Razr 40 | |
| Honor Magic Vs | |
| GFXBench (DX / GLBenchmark) 2.7 / T-Rex Offscreen | |
| Honor Magic Vs | |
| Samsung Galaxy Z Flip4 5G | |
| Motorola Razr 40 Ultra | |
| Motorola Razr 40 | |
| GFXBench 3.0 / Manhattan Onscreen OGL | |
| Motorola Razr 40 Ultra | |
| Samsung Galaxy Z Flip4 5G | |
| Motorola Razr 40 | |
| Honor Magic Vs | |
| GFXBench 3.0 / 1080p Manhattan Offscreen | |
| Honor Magic Vs | |
| Motorola Razr 40 Ultra | |
| Samsung Galaxy Z Flip4 5G | |
| Motorola Razr 40 | |
| GFXBench 3.1 / Manhattan ES 3.1 Onscreen | |
| Motorola Razr 40 Ultra | |
| Samsung Galaxy Z Flip4 5G | |
| Honor Magic Vs | |
| Motorola Razr 40 | |
| GFXBench 3.1 / Manhattan ES 3.1 Offscreen | |
| Honor Magic Vs | |
| Motorola Razr 40 Ultra | |
| Samsung Galaxy Z Flip4 5G | |
| Motorola Razr 40 | |
| GFXBench / Car Chase Onscreen | |
| Motorola Razr 40 Ultra | |
| Honor Magic Vs | |
| Samsung Galaxy Z Flip4 5G | |
| Motorola Razr 40 | |
| GFXBench / Car Chase Offscreen | |
| Honor Magic Vs | |
| Motorola Razr 40 Ultra | |
| Samsung Galaxy Z Flip4 5G | |
| Motorola Razr 40 | |
| GFXBench / Aztec Ruins High Tier Onscreen | |
| Motorola Razr 2022 | |
| Samsung Galaxy Z Flip4 5G | |
| Motorola Razr 40 Ultra | |
| Honor Magic Vs | |
| Motorola Razr 40 | |
| GFXBench / Aztec Ruins High Tier Offscreen | |
| Motorola Razr 40 Ultra | |
| Honor Magic Vs | |
| Motorola Razr 2022 | |
| Samsung Galaxy Z Flip4 5G | |
| Motorola Razr 40 | |
| GFXBench / Aztec Ruins Normal Tier Onscreen | |
| Motorola Razr 2022 | |
| Motorola Razr 40 Ultra | |
| Samsung Galaxy Z Flip4 5G | |
| Honor Magic Vs | |
| Motorola Razr 40 | |
| GFXBench / Aztec Ruins Normal Tier Offscreen | |
| Honor Magic Vs | |
| Motorola Razr 40 Ultra | |
| Motorola Razr 2022 | |
| Samsung Galaxy Z Flip4 5G | |
| Motorola Razr 40 | |
| GFXBench / 4K Aztec Ruins High Tier Offscreen | |
| Motorola Razr 2022 | |
| Motorola Razr 40 Ultra | |
| Honor Magic Vs | |
| Samsung Galaxy Z Flip4 5G | |
| Motorola Razr 40 | |
Even when internet surfing, the Razr 40 with its Snapdragon 7 achieves significantly fewer points in the benchmarks than the fastest SoCs on the market. Nevertheless, pages open very quickly and images are usually already available while scrolling, so the difference here is rather theoretical.
| Jetstream 2 - Total Score | |
| Samsung Galaxy Z Flip4 5G (Chrome 105) | |
| Average of class Smartphone (13.8 - 387, n=166, last 2 years) | |
| Motorola Razr 40 (Chrome 114) | |
| Honor Magic Vs (Chrome 111) | |
| Motorola Razr 40 Ultra (Chrome 114) | |
| Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 7 Gen 1 (64.3 - 115.8, n=5) | |
| Speedometer 2.0 - Result | |
| Average of class Smartphone (15.2 - 569, n=151, last 2 years) | |
| Motorola Razr 40 Ultra (Chome 114) | |
| Honor Magic Vs (Chome 111) | |
| Motorola Razr 40 (Chrome 114) | |
| Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 7 Gen 1 (61.5 - 87.4, n=5) | |
| WebXPRT 4 - Overall | |
| Samsung Galaxy Z Flip4 5G (chrome 105) | |
| Average of class Smartphone (22 - 271, n=156, last 2 years) | |
| Motorola Razr 40 Ultra (Chrome 114) | |
| Honor Magic Vs (Chrome 111) | |
| Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 7 Gen 1 (58 - 92, n=5) | |
| Motorola Razr 40 (Chrome 114) | |
| WebXPRT 3 - Overall | |
| Average of class Smartphone (38 - 347, n=79, last 2 years) | |
| Motorola Razr 40 Ultra (Chrome 114) | |
| Honor Magic Vs (Chrome 111) | |
| Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 7 Gen 1 (106 - 114, n=2) | |
| Motorola Razr 40 (Chrome 114) | |
| Octane V2 - Total Score | |
| Samsung Galaxy Z Flip4 5G (Chrome 105) | |
| Motorola Razr 40 Ultra (Chrome 114) | |
| Average of class Smartphone (2228 - 100368, n=206, last 2 years) | |
| Honor Magic Vs (Chrome 111) | |
| Motorola Razr 40 (Chrome 114) | |
| Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 7 Gen 1 (21143 - 34866, n=7) | |
| Motorola Razr 2022 (Chrome 108) | |
| Mozilla Kraken 1.1 - Total | |
| Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 7 Gen 1 (1208 - 2686, n=5) | |
| Average of class Smartphone (277 - 28190, n=164, last 2 years) | |
| Motorola Razr 40 (Chrome 114) | |
| Honor Magic Vs (Chrome 111) | |
| Motorola Razr 40 Ultra (Chrome 114) | |
| Samsung Galaxy Z Flip4 5G (Chrome 105) | |
* ... smaller is better
The performance deficit is more noticeable in the storage: The Motorola Razr 40 still uses older UFS 2.2 flash, while current high-end smartphones already make use of UFS 3.1 or even UFS 4.0 storage. Thus, data transfers can take a long time and loading times can also be longer.
| Motorola Razr 40 | Motorola Razr 40 Ultra | Samsung Galaxy Z Flip4 5G | Honor Magic Vs | Motorola Razr 2022 | Average 256 GB UFS 2.2 Flash | Average of class Smartphone | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AndroBench 3-5 | 66% | 23% | 37% | 41% | -13% | 48% | |
| Sequential Read 256KB | 955.8 | 1816.8 90% | 1598.77 67% | 1695.2 77% | 1768 85% | 887 ? -7% | 1859 ? 94% |
| Sequential Write 256KB | 804.3 | 1352.6 68% | 987.09 23% | 1296.5 61% | 1149 43% | 694 ? -14% | 1445 ? 80% |
| Random Read 4KB | 290.8 | 362 24% | 308.23 6% | 270.2 -7% | 315 8% | 228 ? -22% | 278 ? -4% |
| Random Write 4KB | 257.5 | 472.3 83% | 245.94 -4% | 300.1 17% | 332 29% | 238 ? -8% | 310 ? 20% |
Gaming - Maximum 60 fps on the Razr 40
The Razr 40 achieves a maximum of 60 fps in the games tested, although it requires low settings in PUBG Mobile. A maximum of 46 fps is possible in Diablo: Immortal. You should be able to achieve a stable 30 fps in most games. Frame rates were measured using the GameBench software suite.
The Razr 40 is not an uncompromising gaming phone, but the performance provided should easily suffice for casual gamers.
Emissions - Hot under long load
Temperature
Under long, high loads, the Razr 40's case temperatures can rise up to 51.2 C. This temperature increase is strongly limited to certain spots and is rarely reached in everyday use, but the smartphone can definitely get warm when gaming in high ambient temperatures.
The SoC also throttles, but much less than in other foldables.
(-) The maximum temperature on the upper side is 51.5 °C / 125 F, compared to the average of 35.1 °C / 95 F, ranging from 21.9 to 63.7 °C for the class Smartphone.
(-) The bottom heats up to a maximum of 46.8 °C / 116 F, compared to the average of 33.9 °C / 93 F
(+) In idle usage, the average temperature for the upper side is 27.1 °C / 81 F, compared to the device average of 32.8 °C / 91 F.
3DMark Wild Life Stress Test
| 3DMark | |
| Wild Life Stress Test Stability | |
| Motorola Razr 40 | |
| Honor Magic Vs | |
| Motorola Razr 40 Ultra | |
| Motorola Razr 2022 | |
| Samsung Galaxy Z Flip4 5G | |
| Wild Life Extreme Stress Test | |
| Motorola Razr 40 | |
| Honor Magic Vs | |
| Samsung Galaxy Z Flip4 5G | |
| Motorola Razr 40 Ultra | |
Speakers
The smartphone's earpiece is used as a second speaker, so stereo effects are possible together with the main speaker on the case's lower edge when opened. The speakers are not quite as loud, but they sound very clear and reproduce music in a nuanced way.
Those who prefer to use external devices can connect them via USB-C or Bluetooth. A large selection of codecs is available for the latter: in addition to standards such as aptX HD or LDAC, there are also (still) quite unusual variants such as LC3 or LHDC V3/V4.
Motorola Razr 40 audio analysis
(±) | speaker loudness is average but good (77.3 dB)
Bass 100 - 315 Hz
(-) | nearly no bass - on average 16.4% lower than median
(±) | linearity of bass is average (10.6% delta to prev. frequency)
Mids 400 - 2000 Hz
(+) | balanced mids - only 3.8% away from median
(+) | mids are linear (6% delta to prev. frequency)
Highs 2 - 16 kHz
(±) | higher highs - on average 6.3% higher than median
(±) | linearity of highs is average (7% delta to prev. frequency)
Overall 100 - 16.000 Hz
(±) | linearity of overall sound is average (19.9% difference to median)
Compared to same class
» 28% of all tested devices in this class were better, 7% similar, 65% worse
» The best had a delta of 12%, average was 37%, worst was 134%
Compared to all devices tested
» 48% of all tested devices were better, 7% similar, 45% worse
» The best had a delta of 4%, average was 25%, worst was 134%
Motorola Razr 2022 audio analysis
(±) | speaker loudness is average but good (81.9 dB)
Bass 100 - 315 Hz
(-) | nearly no bass - on average 20% lower than median
(±) | linearity of bass is average (12.1% delta to prev. frequency)
Mids 400 - 2000 Hz
(+) | balanced mids - only 2.9% away from median
(±) | linearity of mids is average (9.6% delta to prev. frequency)
Highs 2 - 16 kHz
(±) | higher highs - on average 6.8% higher than median
(±) | linearity of highs is average (8.8% delta to prev. frequency)
Overall 100 - 16.000 Hz
(±) | linearity of overall sound is average (20% difference to median)
Compared to same class
» 28% of all tested devices in this class were better, 8% similar, 64% worse
» The best had a delta of 12%, average was 37%, worst was 134%
Compared to all devices tested
» 48% of all tested devices were better, 8% similar, 44% worse
» The best had a delta of 4%, average was 25%, worst was 134%
Battery Life - Good runtimes for a foldable
Power Consumption
The Razr 40 is a fairly economical foldable smartphone, especially under load. This is likely due to the lower maximum performance, while it is more on par with the comparison devices under low load or even consumes a little more energy.
| Off / Standby |   0.1 / 0.2 Watt |
| Idle |  0.8 / 1.2 / 1.4 Watt |
| Load |
3.5 / 5.5 Watt |
    
| |
Key:
min: ,
med: ,
max: Metrahit Energy | |
| Motorola Razr 40 4200 mAh | Motorola Razr 40 Ultra 3800 mAh | Samsung Galaxy Z Flip4 5G 3700 mAh | Honor Magic Vs 5000 mAh | Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 7 Gen 1 | Average of class Smartphone | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Power Consumption | -28% | 19% | -66% | -62% | -43% | |
| Idle Minimum * | 0.8 | 0.9 -13% | 0.56 30% | 1.3 -63% | 1.012 ? -27% | 0.885 ? -11% |
| Idle Average * | 1.2 | 1.1 8% | 0.71 41% | 1.7 -42% | 2.19 ? -83% | 1.451 ? -21% |
| Idle Maximum * | 1.4 | 1.3 7% | 0.79 44% | 2 -43% | 2.3 ? -64% | 1.608 ? -15% |
| Load Average * | 3.5 | 5.5 -57% | 3.59 -3% | 7 -100% | 5.84 ? -67% | 6.55 ? -87% |
| Load Maximum * | 5.5 | 10.3 -87% | 6.45 -17% | 10.1 -84% | 9.26 ? -68% | 9.92 ? -80% |
* ... smaller is better
Power consumption: Geekbench (150 cd/m²)
Power consumption: GFXBench (150 cd/m²)
Battery Life
At 4,200 mAh, the battery of the Razr 40 is more powerful than that of the Razr 40 Ultra or the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip4.
This is reflected in good runtimes for a foldable, with 12:23 hours in our WLAN test. If you look at all smartphones, there are certainly some that last significantly longer. But you should easily get through a work- or school day on one battery charge, even under somewhat more intensive use.
The smartphone can be charged with a maximum of 30 watts. The foldable is full again in less than 1:30 hours after the battery is completely drained. Wireless charging, as in the Razr 40 Ultra, is also available on the cheaper model.
| Motorola Razr 40 4200 mAh | Motorola Razr 40 Ultra 3800 mAh | Samsung Galaxy Z Flip4 5G 3700 mAh | Honor Magic Vs 5000 mAh | Motorola Razr 2022 3500 mAh | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Battery Runtime | -5% | -12% | 1% | -24% | |
| Reader / Idle | 1452 | 1422 -2% | 1435 -1% | ||
| H.264 | 1052 | 1013 -4% | 1089 4% | ||
| WiFi v1.3 | 743 | 669 -10% | 657 -12% | 756 2% | 565 -24% |
| Load | 274 | 259 -5% | 271 -1% |
Pros
Cons
Verdict - Motorola shows how to cut back
Motorola makes cuts to the Razr 40 in some painful, but ultimately right areas in order to be able to offer a relatively cheap flip and foldable smartphone.
US$755 is certainly still a high price, but at least around $300 cheaper than the Razr 40 Ultra. In return, you have to sacrifice the large external display, but those who only used it for checking notifications will be satisfied with the smaller screen, for which Motorola has found some clever additional uses. The flash storage is also a little slower.
The lower performance will be particularly noticeable for hardcore gamers and users who need every last bit of power, particularly in multitasking with demanding apps. Everyone else gets a fast system for everyday life, which is packed in a stylish and stable case that impresses with long runtimes for a foldable. The screen is bright and the stock Android gets long updates.
The fact that Motorola only installs a USB 2.0 port was already a problem with the Razr 40 Ultra and is also annoying with the Razr 40. Ready For only works via WiFi, even if a wired connection is offered in the menu. The cameras are decent, but not at the high-end level. Those looking for a camera smartphone will definitely find better alternatives in this price range.
As an economical foldable with a mini external display and a little less power, the Motorola Razr 40 fills an interesting gap and looks very stylish at the same time.
The price of the Razr 40 Ultra has hardly fallen so far (US$1,049 at Amazon), but it is still an interesting alternative with much more power and a large external display. The Galaxy Z Flip4 is hardly cheaper, so the Razr 40 is (still) pretty much alone in its price range.
Price and Availability
Motorola Razr 40
- 07/24/2023 v7 (old)
Florian Schmitt
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The selection of devices to be reviewed is made by our editorial team. The test sample was provided to the author as a loan by the manufacturer or retailer for the purpose of this review. The lender had no influence on this review, nor did the manufacturer receive a copy of this review before publication. There was no obligation to publish this review. We never accept compensation or payment in return for our reviews. As an independent media company, Notebookcheck is not subjected to the authority of manufacturers, retailers or publishers.
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