Review | Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 4 vs Motorola Razr 2022: foldable smartphones compared side by side – which is better?

We compare new foldable smartphones from Samsung and Motorola to see how they fare against each other in terms of design, features, performance and battery

The Razr’s outside screen enables watching YouTube and controlling apps like Spotify, but the Flip 4 has a better camera, UI and hinge, and folds smaller

Reading Time:3 minutes

Motorola’s Razr 2022 (right) and Samsung’s Galaxy Z Flip 4. While the Razr’s cover display is bigger and more functional, the Flip 4 is the all-round better buy for its superior camera, UI and hinge. Photo: Ben Sin

Published: 4:15pm, 19 Sep 2022Updated: 4:23pm, 19 Sep 2022

The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 4 is an excellent foldable phone that continues the momentum created by last year’s Z Flip 3. This year though, the Flip 4 has competition – at least in mainland China – because Motorola has launched an update to its Razr clamshell series.

Which model comes out on top in a side-by-side comparison?

Design and hardware

Each phone is an Android with a 6.7-inch (170mm) screen that folds in half horizontally, in a way reminiscent of clamshell mobile phones from the early 2000s. Motorola has tapped into that sense of nostalgia by continuing the Razr brand name that is synonymous with flip phones from that era.

The Motorola Razr 2022 (left) and the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 4. Photo: Ben Sin

Despite the two phones having the same screen size, the aspect ratios are different: the Flip 4 has a 22:9 screen while the Razr has a wider 20:9 screen. The Razr’s extra screen width makes typing easier, but the Flip 4 folds to become more compact than its competitor, fitting snugly into small breast pockets.

The hinges of both phones can stay in a fixed position at various angles, allowing the phones to sit in an L-shape for hands-free video calls or selfies. Samsung’s hinge feels much sturdier, though.

The Flip 4 is rated IPX8 for water resistance, meaning the phone can survive being splashed by water. The Razr has no stated water resistance.

The Razr’s cover display is much larger than the Flip 4’s, allowing for navigation of apps like YouTube and Spotify, as well as the reading of emails. Samsung’s more rectangular outside screen can only show widgets.