Motorola Razr 50 Ultra reparability saga unfolds in new teardown video

The Razr+ 2024 - or Razr 50 Ultra outside the United States - might be Motorola's highest-end and most efficient foldable smartphone yet. It still has its special $899 pre-order price on Amazon at the time of writing - as well as a new teardown video.

PBKReviews has found that, while it is possible to disassemble and re-assemble a Razr 50 Ultra without damaging it, the process takes a lot of extra steps compared to the average smartphone.

They include making sure that the clamshell's vegan leather rear panel (shown in the new Hot Pink color option chosen to commemorate the 20th anniversary of the original Razr flip phone) and new exceptionally large 4-inch cover display are adequately heated with a heat-gun or hair-dryer before trying to pry either off.

In addition, its cooling system consists of a small aluminum plate over the RAM chip as well as the more predictable graphite film and thermal paste, which just might get lost if attempting to replicate this teardown.

Furthermore, the new foldable Motorola flagship has 2 batteries, both of which lack pull-tabs and require isopropyl alcohol to remove, which might be one of the most common repair procedures the device might require in the future.

The Razr+ 2024 also seems replete with Philips-head screws, metal brackets and ribbon cables - not to mention a wireless charging coil that also integrates its NFC antenna.

Finally, PBKReviews declined to remove the smartphone's main 165Hz display for fear of damaging it, and also for the lack of the proper adhesive to put it back on in any case.

All in all, the new Razr's complicated design earned it a reparability score of just 5.5 out of 10 - then again, that might be more understandable in a relatively compact foldable smartphone.