Motorola RAZR 2022 review: not flawless

The RAZR 2022 package contains, in addition to the smartphone, a transparent two-part rigid plastic cover, a 30W power supply and a USB-C / USB-C cable.

RAZR 2022 it is a leaflet of the same format as the previous RAZR and RAZR 5G. However, it changes in many respects and if the term RAZR at the beginning was synonymous with a thin device with a precise format: small chin integrated in the lower part of the same thickness of the smartphone when closed and a large secondary display on the front. If this last aspect has not changed, the rest has changed. RAZR 2022 is in effect one foldable smartphone more classic, although a device of this category can be understood as such.

The lower chin has disappeared and now the smartphone is divided into two exactly equal halves that perfectly overlap when closed. Also changes the design of the internal screen which is now “classic” and no longer has the notch at the top.

From a construction point of view, the smartphone is made of metal and is front-back protected by Gorilla Glass 5. At the rear with a satin finish that almost simulates the metal effect of the original RAZR. The closed smartphone is obviously a bit thick (17mm), but it’s notable length of 79.8 mm to have struck us in particular. It is a smartphone that in a certain sense fails in the purpose of “disappearing” in the pocket, where instead it still stands out due to its width. Once opened the width can still be seen (of course), but the large display will pay off.

Motorola RAZR 2022 is then splashproof and can therefore withstand splashes according to IP52 certification. The hinge is now more robust and the smartphone can be locked at various angles. In our case, moving the two halves forcefully, however, we can feel some movement.

That’s no cause for concern, but it sure betrays its premium build quality a bit.

The processor of this smartphone is the Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 octa core 3.2 GHz, with Adreno 730 GPU, 8 GB of LPDDR5 RAM and 256 GB of UFS 3.1 internal memory. Good connectivity: Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth 5.1, 5G, NFC and USB-C 3.1 output. In addition we also have support for eSIM for a second SIM. The performance of this CPU is a smartphone premium and the company has finally given up on mid-range processors for this product line. Given the small size of the foldable format in the long run, the processor has to limit performance a bit, but this is not reflected in a hot smartphone. Good stereo sound. We then have support for Dolby Atmos audio. The 3.5 mm audio jack is not present (as almost obvious).

RAZR 2022 has two main cameras: one 50 megapixel optically stabilized ƒ / 1.8 and a 13 megapixel wide-angle ƒ / 2.2 with auto focus to be able to take photos in macro mode.

The photos taken by this smartphone are more than decent for a top-of-the-range smartphone, even if they do not reach the level of the cameras premium. The images are sharp, although not always perfect from the point of view of the balance of colors and lights. Scrolling through our gallery you will see how however there are not many cases “indicted”. Less well in low light where the image quickly becomes muddy and lacking in detail. The manual night mode improves the situation slightly, but without reversing it positively. The wide-angle camera is decent overall, even if the focus is a bit slow at times. However, it allows us to at least make good macro photos. These two cameras can also be used with the smartphone closed to take selfies, making them more useful bikes for those who love to take self-portraits. The shooting interface from the external screen in fact allows you to select from many options and therefore also take advantage of the wide-angle and portrait mode (even in 4: 3, which I only discovered at the end of the test).

By taking “normal” photos you can still use the external screen to show the preview to the subject.

Videos can also be recorded in 8K, but we focused mainly on 4K. I 60fps they are compatible only with the main sensor, while the wide angle stops at 30fps. From the internal camera you stop instead in Full HD and so it is even if you use the main ones from the external screen. A pity, as well as a pity is the very narrow field of the main sensor when shooting videos from the external screen. In addition, when making videos in 4K at 60fps we noticed a slight drop in framerate in the first moments.

The main display of this Motorola RAZR 2022 is a large 6.7 inches with a resolution of 2400 x 1080 pixels (FullHD +) and made in technology OLED. The display may vary its refresh rate up to 120 Hz in daily use and up to 144Hz in some games.

This same display supportsHDR10 + and it is obviously foldable, despite having been completely re-engineered compared to the past. This allowed the central fold to almost disappear permanently. With the right light, at the right angle or by lingering over it with your finger you can still notice, but the step forward compared to the past is truly remarkable. In this Motorola bike has solved one of the main problems taken as an example by his detractors.

The external display is a 2.7 inch with a resolution of 800 x 573 pixels. It’s a more than decent screen for its purpose but perhaps we would have expected more. Not so much for the refresh rate at 60 Hz, as for the size and the olephobic treatment. Considering the size of the smartphone it could perhaps have been even larger and a better anti-fingerprint treatment would have improved its visibility. Despite this, it remains the largest external screen in circulation for this type of device.

As in all Motorola smartphones the software is the stock one Android 12 with few changes by the company. We have the various gestures borrowed from Moto Display, the game mode and Ready For for a really good desktop mode. You can then apply effects to video calls by default or expand the RAM virtually (even if the option is off by default). Thanks to the fingerprint reader on the right side (precise and fast) we can then open a side menu with your favorite shortcuts, without having to have other graphics on the screen.

The external screen now has a system of customizable panels. The most interesting is certainly that of the launcher, which essentially allows you to open any application on the external screen, thus significantly increasing its possibilities. It can be a bit cumbersome at first to remember to always place your finger on the fingerprint reader first, but you get used to it.

Too bad that once again Motorola has lost the opportunity to present its smartphone with the latest version of Android or with the updated security patches (currently stopped in August 2022).

The battery of this smartphone is from 3,500 mAh. Larger than in the past but clearly not generous. Understandable given the complexity of similar smartphones. With an intense medium use you always arrive at the end of the day, thanks above all to the energy optimization of this CPU. With intense use, however, you may have to charge it around dinner time to continue with use. It (obviously) also depends on how much you can limit the use thanks to the external screen. Charging is fast at 30W, while there is no wireless charging. Pity.

Motorola RAZR 2022 is launched at € 1199 a price in line with the market and much lower than its predecessor (which, however, is now 2 years old). It is a price once again, however, like all those of folding, only for those who can afford to take part in this “folding revolution” and certainly not for everyone.

It is also found on Amazon. Check the box below for any price drops.