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Foldable Android phones have been on the market for quite a while now. A lot of handset manufacturers are no stranger to foldable hardware, with big brands such as Samsung, Motorola and Oppo (to name a few) each offering buyers their own take on flexible-screened smartphones.
Perhaps in North America, the top foldable devices would have to be from Samsung and Motorola, given the non-existent market presence of devices from the likes of Huawei and Honor, for example. For buyers after a compact foldable, the top two choices at the moment would have to be the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip5 and the Motorola Razr+, two seemingly similar devices that take slightly different approaches in terms of features.
With that in mind, you might be leaning towards Samsung’s Z Flip 5 – after all, the South Korean electronics giant has built a reputation for its Galaxy line, which has carried over to its newer foldables. What does it get right versus the Moto Razr+? Let’s take a look.
Display Hardware
Samsung phones are known for a lot of things, and one of these is display quality – Samsung’s expertise with developing smartphone display panels over the years has trickled down into its foldable devices, and the Z Flip 5 is no exception. One consideration is the Razr+’s cover display, which comes with a sharper 1056 x 1066 pixel resolution versus the Z Flip5’s 720 x 748 resolution, but Samsung’s Dynamic AMOLED technology gives the Z Flip5 an edge over Motorola’s offering in terms of color saturation, as well as a higher peak brightness of 1750 nits.
Software Features
One of the best things about Android is that you can get it in different flavours, which will be a very subjective affair in terms of preference. With that being said, the Galaxy Z Flip5 takes a more “lively” approach towards Android with a ton of customization options thanks to One UI, versus the more subdued method of the Razr+, which is something akin to what you’d see on Google Pixel phones.
As such, One UI gives users a ton of different apps and features for personalization, meaning you can switch up everything from the user interface all the way to system functions thanks to software solutions like Good Lock, and Samsung’s very own Flex Mode, which is specially designed for foldable devices. Of course, not every user will appreciate how overwhelming One UI can be at times, but at the end of the day it trumps the Razr+’s “cleaner” interpretation of Android.
Camera Quality
Another area where the Z Flip5 emerges victorious is with camera quality. Yes, the Motorola Razr+ gives users a compelling choice with regards to camera quality, but Samsung’s experience in developing camera hardware gives it an edge over the Razr+, resulting in images with slightly better balance in contrast, dynamic range, as well as color temperature.
The Galaxy Z Flip5 also manages to excel with video recording, thanks to more stabilized footage, and even the ability to let users switch between lenses while recording seamlessly (video on the Razr+ tends to pause when swapping lenses). There’s also Flex Cam mode that comes with a set of useful camera tricks, such as allowing users to take photos with the device in different angles, all hands-free.
Device Ecosystem
It’s clear that Samsung has built the Z Flip 5 to work seamlessly with its hardware and software ecosystem, offering Galaxy users a device setup with features similar to what Apple has been doing with its device ecosystem. The Z Flip5 works wonderfully with other Samsung products such as the Galaxy Watch series, as well as the Galaxy Buds devices.
By comparison, Motorola has focused mostly on developing smartphones, and aside from some branded earbuds and the rather unimpressive Moto Watch 100, there’s not much for Moto fans in the way of first-party devices and an ecosystem.
Software Updates
Going back to software, it’s safe to say that most Android devices nowadays come with regular system updates, and both devices are no exception to this. Motorola has stated that the Razr+ will get up to three years of Android updates and four years of bi-monthly security updates, a commendable effort for sure.
On the other hand, we’ve seen what Samsung is capable of when it doubles down on system updates, and with the massive improvements introduced in One UI, the Z Flip5 is scheduled to come with longer support for system and security updates, totalling up to four major Android OS updates, in addition to up to five years of security patches.
Final Thoughts
With all that being said, it’s clear that both phones have their own strengths, although we can say that the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip5 is definitely no pushover. Motorola has done a splendid job with its latest foldable, giving users a ton of improvements compared to its underwhelming first efforts. At the same time though Samsung isn’t ready to give up its reign yet, and it’s obvious that the Z Flip5 comes down as one of its best handsets yet.
How about you? Do you feel that the Z Flip5 is worth getting, or is the Razr+ the foldable for you? Let us know your thoughts!
More Galaxy Z Flip5 Content:
- Galaxy Z Flip 5 versus Moto Razr+ Camera Comparison
- Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5 beats Motorola Razr Plus in Hinge Durability
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