Nostalgia is a hell of a drug, and one that multimillion-dollar tech companies take advantage of all the time. From Netflix listings that are stuffed full of remakes to the retro consoles that line store shelves for Christmas, it’s hard not to approach this reboot culture without some cynicism. That is why the unveiling of the new Motorola Razr initially filled us with equal parts glee and trepidation.
As one of the most iconic phones in history (and one we used with pride and joy), it’s impossible not to fall for the hype, without the fear of getting hurt. With a folding screen magically crammed into the classic Razr design, however, the new Razr appears to be everything a gadget fan could wish for and more. Having been lucky enough to get our hands on one in the flesh, we’re happy to report that our ticket for the hype train appears to be very much justified.
Old dog, mind-blowing tricks
When closed, the Razr is essentially a wider version of the original, with the shape, chin and stealth black paint job all present and accounted for. It even sports the same 14mm thickness when closed too.
The most noticeable difference is a large external screen (more on that later), but on the whole, it feels simultaneously both wonderfully familiar and refreshingly novel. Open it up, though, and something truly special happens.
Hidden within the sleek black clamshell is a 6.2-inch plastic OLED display, which inexplicably manages to smoothly unfold and reveal its full glory when the Razr is flipped open. Motorola invested an incredible amount of research into the new Razr’s hinge, which is the secret sauce behind the display’s contortion skills.
We won’t dive into the details too much, but it’s essentially comprised of moving plates, allowing the screen to fold back into itself at the joint and form a bell shape. This not only protects the screen from creasing when folding, but it also means that there are zero gaps when the Razr is shut, completely protecting the screen from dust and debris.
When fully open, the hinge also forces the screen to remain completely rigid and flat, providing the same experience you’d find on any other regular smartphone. Unlike Samsung’s Galaxy Fold, there’s also no noticeable crease to distract you, which is a big win for the Moto camp.
Speaking of the Fold, Motorola stated that it tested out various prototypes, including handsets that followed the Fold’s regular-to-big screen philosophy. It finally opted for the current design – namely, a regular smartphone that folds down to half the size. This wasn’t, apparently, purely an excuse to revive the Razr for the sake of it. Rather, this form factor is aimed at people who want a more pocketable, easier-to-handle smartphone experience.
Specced for purpose
We’re not ones to dive into clock speeds and benchmarks, but at €1,599 (around £1,366), you’ll probably want to know what you’re getting for your pile of cash. The answer is a single 16MP camera, a mid-range processor and a 2,510mAh battery.
Camera aside, those specs don’t inspire much, but Motorola is adamant that every single component was carefully chosen with design in mind. The processor, it believes, is more than fast enough to deal with everything you’ll throw at it while being very power efficient. Given the smaller-than-average battery, we can only hope the claim of all-day battery life proves to be true.
Beyond that, though, Motorola believes that the Razr will inherently change the way you use your phone. The external display allows you to read notifications and reply to messages and emails, control music and use the Google Assistant, all without having to flip your power-hungry screen open.
Not only that, but we’re also told that this quick-fire use of the external display also means you’ll be less tempted to fire open full apps and get lost in a thumb-scrolling black hole. The cynics among us might label this as an excuse for the small battery, but we can also see how Motorola’s philosophy could work.
Call it a comeback
Motorola hasn’t exactly lit the phone world ablaze for a long time, but the Razr could change that. While its ludicrously high price tag will make it more of an exclusive luxury for early adopters to start with, the Razr is definitely paving the way for a new generation of incredibly exciting tech.
Will it be the phone of choice for spec fiends? Absolutely not, but make no mistake, this is an absolutely wondrous combination of nostalgic design and ingenious engineering and our first impressions have left us with a big goofy smile on our face.
In a world stuffed with identi-slab smartphones, the new Razr is a welcome hurricane of fresh air.