There’s only one I’d choose

I like clamshell folding telephones. They’re the best kind issue for informal customers who wish to check out a foldable for the primary time. You’re not asking folks to alter how they use their cellphone. You merely open it up, do every thing you’ve been doing for the final 15 years in your conventional slab smartphone, after which fold it up while you’re performed.

I check each one I can get my arms on, and I used to be excited by the prospect of pitting this yr’s Motorola Razr Extremely up in opposition to the Galaxy Z Flip 7. Motorola’s worth will increase complicate the dialogue, however there are compelling causes to purchase each, even when there’s actually just one I would like in my pocket.

The Motorola Razr Extremely was my favourite smartphone of 2025, so I had excessive expectations for its encore — and I wasn’t disenchanted. Motorola’s shift in the direction of turning into a way of life model is on full show with the beautiful Orient Blue Razr Extremely colorway. The Alcantara end feels unbelievable, and other people will actually cease me when I’m out and ask what cellphone it’s.

It’s only a enjoyable cellphone to make use of, which is one thing I’m not at all times capable of say about at the moment’s flagships. It’s modern and trendy, and it has essentially the most eye enchantment out of any cellphone available on the market. I don’t thoughts the Galaxy Z Flip 7’s design. It simply feels industrial and utilitarian. I’ve little doubt it’s sturdy and constructed to final the course, but it surely does nothing for me.

Sure, Motorola didn’t materially improve the spec sheet for the 2026 Razr Extremely, however that bothers me much less the extra I take advantage of it. The Snapdragon 8 Elite is highly effective sufficient, and 16GB of RAM offers me sufficient overhead for every thing I wish to do (after which some).

Motorola did enhance the battery for 2026, becoming the Razr Extremely with a 5,000mAh silicon-carbon cell, and you’ll discover the distinction. I get virtually two days of use on a single cost, and when it’s time to prime off, I get to get pleasure from 68W wired charging. I nonetheless contend that considerably higher battery life is a extra vital quality-of-life improve than something a chipset enhance would have offered.

Samsung has labored to enhance the duvet display screen expertise on the Galaxy Z Flip 7, however I nonetheless favor what Motorola provides. I perceive it’s a small merchandise for fans who’re used to downloading a number of functions, however I like that I don’t want Good Lock or Multistar to get all of the apps I would like on the Razr Extremely’s outer show.

Despite the fact that I favor Samsung’s general software program expertise, Motorola’s performed a superb job of creating the transition between shows clean. I don’t run into too many compatibility points, and once I do, they’re simply corrected by adjusting the duvet show to work across the digital camera lenses. I don’t contemplate the Razr Extremely a disconnect system, however with the ability to scratch an Instagram scroll itch rapidly on the outer display screen is way preferable to a 30-minute doomscroll.

As I discussed earlier, the Snapdragon 8 Elite does the job. I don’t purchase a clamshell folding cellphone to play AAA cell video games all day or do intense work in Adobe Lightroom — it’s not that type of cellphone.

Motorola’s software program expertise is unoffensive if uninspired. Moto is promising three years of OS upgrades and 5 years of safety patches, which is substandard on this worth vary. It doesn’t assist that I don’t know what form these upgrades will take or when, as Motorola is infamous for making customers wait prolonged intervals for Android model upgrades. Nonetheless, it by no means takes away from my enjoyment of the cellphone, and possibly that’s the purpose.

I even benefit from the cameras on the Razr Extremely 2026. I might by no means confuse it for the flexibility you get on different flagship telephones, however the twin 50MP sensors on the Razr Extremely get the job performed. The photographs are detailed and saturated, precisely what I would like from point-and-shoot photos. I constantly get a social-media-ready photograph that matches nicely with the Razr Extremely’s theme. It’s in no way an ideal cellphone, and that worth is daunting, but it surely’s a lovely package deal.

If actual property is all about location, then selecting the Z Flip 7 over the Razr Extremely is all about software program. Samsung gives a extra dependable and higher software program expertise between the 2 telephones. My Galaxy Z Flip 7 already has One UI 8.5, and it’s operating nicely. In contrast to with Motorola, I’ve a greater image of what the prolonged software program help will appear to be.

Samsung provides a full seven years of help for each OS upgrades and safety updates on the Z Flip 7, and (for essentially the most half) has performed a superb job offering them in a well timed trend. I can’t say I’m an enormous Galaxy AI consumer, however for those who’re fascinated by getting the most recent Android options, the Galaxy Z Flip 7 is the foldable you’ll wish to contemplate.

Whereas I nonetheless favor the duvet show expertise on the Razr Extremely, Samsung has performed an honest job bettering it. Icons and notifications aren’t a catastrophe anymore, even for those who do must tweak just a few settings to get them good. I don’t like needing to obtain extra software program to get all of the apps I would like operating on the outer display screen, however when you make investments a bit time, the general expertise is nice. The Razr Extremely continues to be smoother and extra fulfilling, however the hole between the 2 isn’t as huge because it was once.

Identical to I don’t knock the Razr Extremely for having a Snapdragon 8 Elite, I don’t thoughts that the Z Flip 7 is powered by an Exynos 2500. I might’ve most popular greater than 12GB of RAM, however efficiency hasn’t been a problem. The Exynos 2500 isn’t stricken by the overheating and poor battery efficiency of chipsets of years previous. I get all-day battery life, though the Z Flip 7 doesn’t function the silicon-carbon cell of the Razr Extremely.

I don’t suppose folks purchase clamshell foldables for uncooked horsepower, and whereas fans may be upset, they aren’t the goal market.

After all, worth is a significant factor. The Z Flip 7 is a whole lot lower than the Razr Extremely, and that’s earlier than factoring in gross sales at this level in its lifecycle. I’m certain we’ll see aggressive reductions from Motorola over the course of the yr, as we at all times have, however you’ll nonetheless find yourself paying extra for the Razr Extremely. And whereas I imagine it’s price it for a cellphone I get pleasure from extra, I can completely see patrons preferring the Galaxy Z Flip 7 and saving some cash within the course of.

It’s vital to know that each telephones are stable. I favor the Motorola Razr Extremely for the explanations I’ve outlined, however you aren’t getting a foul system for those who go for the Z Flip 7. It’s well-built, with loads of software program help and options. Its shows are beautiful, and it takes good photographs.

Nevertheless, in order for you a bit extra aptitude together with your flip cellphone, I like to recommend the Razr Extremely. Sure, the worth is annoying, and Motorola has a lot to show with its software program, however I can’t put a worth on actually having fun with the cellphone I carry round in my pocket — it’s rarer than I’d prefer to admit in 2026.