Motorola Razr 2022 review: finally modern, not for nostalgics

We’ve noticed Motorola’s gear shifting in a noticeable way over the past few months. Many new smartphones, all very interesting and an Edge 30 series that did not disappoint and that, on the contrary, demonstrates how it is possible to create interesting products with a correct and not excessive price positioning. A policy that has proved to be solid also on the software side with a very pleasant customization of Android and an update policy that is improving year by year and which today guarantees, for some models, 3 major updates and 4 years of patches.

Razr 2022 is part of this renewal strategy, completely changing the initial concept of the product: of the references to the past, only the name remains, Razr in fact, and on an aesthetic level it changes everything by projecting the Motorola leaflet to the present day and making it damn better than its predecessors. .

Starting right from the design, Razr 2022 makes no compromises and eliminates all those iconic elements that the Razr series had a few years ago. A smartphone that, if we want, could be more anonymous, more similar to other devices and without particular color combinations that can make it captivating.

A change that, however, leads to a much better usability and which is therefore appreciable. However, the weight, size and thickness that are greater in all cases also change. Bigger battery, better hardware, and better-performing cameras certainly played a role in the design of the Razr 2022, but the hinge locking mechanism certainly played an important role as well. Now not only is it much more solid, but it has allowed Motorola to certify the IP52 smartphone and significantly decrease the visibility of the fold.

On a constructive level, I would have expected a further step upwards: in fact, he noticed some noise in the opening and closing, probably due to the plastic film, and a certain softness of the hinge during voluntary twisting. A small game that does not bother to use but which I point out.

If the hinge and the closure system have improved a lot, bringing Razr 2022 to the first place among the folding with this form factor tested to date, the display has also undergone a nice improvement. Now we find a bright 6.7-inch pOLED with 144Hz refresh (120Hz really usable in the interface) which offers an excellent quality of vision.

Texts, applications, internet and multimedia contents will always be visible with excellent quality and even outdoors, the peak brightness boost allows a clear view even in sunlight. In this circumstance, at particular angles, the crease could be noticed more but it is more a visual issue than a tactile sensation under the fingertip.

Then there are all the Motorola customizations with Moto Display and advanced screen management.

EXTERNAL DISPLAY

Important paragraph for the external screen, now larger and more comfortable to use. A screen that, with its 2.7 inches, allows you to interact quite well with different applications, especially when it comes to speed reading, on-the-fly replies and voice messages. This last interaction is the one I used the most as it allowed me several times not to open the smartphone, managing to interact without any problem with Telegram and Whatsapp.

The limit is still the size itself and although Motorola has taken care of the software making the external screen usable with almost all applications, the gestures and interaction modes are too large and similar to those you will use with the internal screen. This makes the usability of the external screen a little too “wide” in relation to its size and, with some applications, you will not always be able to have a clear and correct view of the buttons, functionality and UI of the app itself.

In short, a very comfortable external display, improved in everything, managed well by the software but still too small to be used for things that go beyond reading notifications and replying to messages.

As mentioned, the software experience is consistent, well organized and very pleasant. The merit is twofold: on the one hand Razr 2022 is a real top of the range that takes full advantage of the 8GB of RAM (+2 RAM boost that I have not activated personally) and the Snapdragon 8+ gen.1 processor. On the other hand, Android 12 customized by Motorola is that perfect compromise between UI and intelligent features that are well integrated with the system and not invasive.

Moto, this is the name of the app that collects all the additional features, also allows those who are not particularly experienced to understand the potential of the smartphone and activate all the accessory options.

Positive surprise the Ready For which, both wireless and via cable, using the video output on Type-C, continues to improve and mature. The desktop interface is very responsive, well designed and very easy to control. Many settings also for keyboards and external inputs and above all management of the resolution and the way of managing audio streams. There remains the limit for streaming content from the most popular platforms which is not available with the Ready For but which can be exploited with a possible cast if the app allows it. The easy UI for managing games and other Ready For features is also good, even if it is only a screen that uses desktop mode.

On the other hand, the mirroring with a Tablet (which also works as a closed phone and which does not prevent you from using the smartphone with different apps and modes) where the smartphone UI is projected is interesting: potentially interesting but a bit slow and jerky the management of the phone in this way (wireless of course).

There are also advanced options for games with a context menu that allows the optimization of the experience and there is also a small side menu for the quick launch of applications by simply double-tapping the fingerprint reader without pressing the button.

Motorola Razr 2022 is finally expected to receive 3 major updates and 4 years of security patches with Android 13 expected in Q1 2023.

Having said all this, in everyday use I certainly appreciated the convenience of putting Razr 2022 in my pocket. Be careful though, I’m used to having a Zenfone 9 as my main smartphone which is among the smallest top of the Android range on the market. Razr 2022 does not actually have a very different volume but being shorter when closed, it fits better in the pocket despite the greater thickness (it also depends on the type of trousers).

The management of the UI is also very good which, thanks to the much larger display and the elimination of the lower part present on previous generations, allows it to be used at the fingertips with the gestures always well received. The only real limit is the width of the smartphone. The frames are in fact not thin and being symmetrical throughout the body, they widen the smartphone that already has a 6.7-inch display. So with one hand it will not be easy to reach the whole screen making the use and the on-the-fly opening of the product less “hit and run”.

As for autonomy, I don’t have much to say: the live battery showed how the day ends well despite the 3,500mAh. Razr 2022 is not a smartphone suitable for heavy work use and is not designed for those who spend all day in front of the phone. On the one hand it would be inconvenient to open and close the display continuously, on the other hand it is designed for an audience looking for something different and who in any case does not have to sacrifice too much on the battery side.

Unfortunately, the Wireless charging is missing which is probably the only major shortcoming of this Razr 2022.

Well instead the reception, dual sim support via eSIM and vibration. Stereo audio of course, even for the speakerphone, although I did not find the audio in the capsule particularly strong: I would prefer a few more decibels.

Razr 2022 is not a cameraphone and there is little to say about this. There are no flexible display products that offer a photographic experience comparable to that of their respective classic flagships and Razr is no exception. The main 50MP still offers a very good performance and has OIS. This is a now classic lens that allows you to get consistent shots during the day and good in the evening. Nothing exceptional and unseen is meant, but HDR works well and you certainly won’t be disappointed.

The wide angle instead is not up to the product: during the day it is sufficient but offers an uneven grain and quite different colors compared to the main one with significant variations even by taking the same photo several times. At night it barely reaches sufficiency with so much noise and little definition.

On the other hand, the macros which, using the same sensor, are well defined and with a fairly narrow focus. Obviously you need light, better during the day, but overall they are more than good.

Videos that reach 8K at 30fps but which are recommended in 4K at 60fps and are stabilized and with good audio. To note the presence of nice settings in the shooting and recording modes that allow you to use the dual internal and external cameras and also the selection of a main color in the scene that will be kept while all other colors will be made gray – nice.

Razr 2022 is the right piece that the brand was missing: modern, top of the range, with well-designed software and with many advanced features. It loses a lot of the retro charm of the old Razr but the usability advantage is so high that you will certainly not go back. The price is correct with respect to competitors and the type of product.

Obviously it pays the price of the devaluation of Z Flip 4, the main antagonist, and of a width certainly not contained. If you choose it, however, you will not be disappointed and you will use it with great pleasure.

VOTE 8