Motorola Razr 2026 vs. Razr 2024: Is it finally time to upgrade?

Motorola officially unveiled the 2026 Razr series in April 2026, and to nobody's surprise, it was just a mild refresh of the 2025 models. The base Razr 2026 model has been Motorola's most popular so far, which is why it gets four new colors compared to the rest. Other than a few nips and tucks, Motorola has done something unexpected. It slashed the Razr 2026's base storage to 128GB (depending on where you get it) and raised the price by $100. It's a rather odd strategy to pull for your most popular model, but here we are.

While the 2026 Razr doesn't make much sense if you already have the 2025 model, what about the 2024 Razr? Units of this two-year-old model are still being sold online and at nearly half the price of the 2026 model. We absolutely loved the 2024 Motorola Razr, so this really begs the question — which one do you buy?

Motorola Razr 2026 vs. Razr 2024: Design & displays

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Even after two years, the 2026 Motorola Razr has the exact same dimensions and weight as the 2024 model. I was hoping for a slimmer and lighter phone, but that hasn't happened. Both phones are 7.3mm thick when unfolded and 15.9mm when folded. They weigh 188 grams, which isn't bad and is about the same as the Galaxy Z Flip 7. The good news is that phone cases should be interchangeable, so you'll have plenty of variety.

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What has improved is the dust protection. From just an IPX8 rating on the 2024 Razr to an IP48 rating on the 2026 model, you should expect stronger resilience against solid particles. The 2026 model is also MIL-STD-810H-certified for ruggedness, a feature absent even on the 2025 Razr. Hinge durability has also improved from stainless steel on the 2024 Razr to titanium on the 2026 model.

On the surface, both phones might look quite identical, but the 2026 Razr is sturdier and more durable.

Like the dimensions, the displays on both models are pretty much the same, too. The 2026 Razr and 2024 Razr feature 6.9-inch folding screens with 120Hz refresh rates and up to 3,000-nit peak brightness. The external display is the same, with a 3.6-inch AMOLED panel, a 90Hz refresh rate, and up to 1,700-nit peak brightness.

Usability should be nearly identical on both phones. The 2024 Razr's displays were a joy to use during our review, with excellent sunlight legibility, snappy touch response, and fantastic colors. The massive outer display lets you use most apps without needing to unfold the phone, which we found mighty convenient.

Since there haven't been any major changes to the displays on the new model, you should have a similar experience no matter which you choose.

Motorola Razr 2026 vs. Razr 2024: Specs & hardware

The Motorola Razr 2026 starts at $800 for the 256GB model. There's also a 128GB variant available at carrier stores like Verizon. This is quite the price bump for minor changes, and what used to be a $700 phone with the same storage. It comes in four PANTONE shades (shown above) called Hematite, Violet Ice, Bright White, and Sporting Green.

The 2024 Motorola Razr isn't officially sold on Motorola's site anymore, but you should easily find it on other platforms like Amazon for around $399. This is for the 256GB variant, which makes it an incredible value. The 2024 model comes in three shades: Koala Grey, Beach Sand, and Spritz Orange. Finding the shade you want might get tougher as there are probably limited units in circulation right now.

You can see the full specifications comparison in the table below.

The Motorola Razr 2026 uses an updated MediaTek Dimensity 7450X SoC, compared to the Dimensity 7300X SoC found in the 2024 Razr. In our experience using the latter phone for a better part of a year, performance was never really an issue. Apps and games ran smoothly on the 8GB of RAM, and the same should be true for the 2026 model. The upgraded SoC should help deliver more efficient AI performance, too.

Battery life should get a nice boost with the 2026 Razr thanks to the larger 4,800mAh battery. The 2024 Razr already got a nice boost in battery life with its 4,200mAh capacity, and the newer model should do even better. Charging speeds have stayed the same with both models supporting 30W wired and 15W wireless charging.

The 2026 and 2024 Motorola Razr models have been promised three Android OS generation updates. The 2026 model ships with Android 16, while the 2024 model came with Android 14. Motorola seemingly rolled out the Android 16 update for the 2024 Razr a few months ago, which leaves it with just one upgrade left: Android 17.

When we reviewed the 2024 Razr, not all of the advertised software features had launched yet, but over time and with subsequent updates, things got a lot better. Motorola's AI features have also matured a lot since then, but still trail behind what Samsung and Google offer.

Motorola Razr 2026 vs. Razr 2024: Cameras

One of the biggest underwhelming things about the Razr 2024 was the camera experience. The main 50MP sensor was good for most casual shooting sessions, but the 13MP ultrawide was average at best. Apart from that, the camera app was quite finicky in the beginning with random stutters and slowdowns, but this improved with updates. More than anything, we were a bit disappointed by the overly processed look of all the photos the 2024 Razr took.

These issues have been mostly fixed with the 2026 Razr. Colors are handled better, although the Razr 2026 can still struggle with dynamic range. The ultrawide experience is better thanks to the 50MP camera sensor. Video recording capabilities are the same on both phones, with the maximum supported resolution being 4K at 30fps.

Motorola Razr 2026 vs. Razr 2024: Which one should you buy?

The Motorola Razr 2026 is the more future-proof phone for sure, but I can't recommend spending $800 on it right now, since we all know the price will drop in the next few months. Motorola is famous for delivering deep discounts on its products during sales, so it's only a matter of time before we see a correction. The 2026 Razr will deliver better battery life, better gaming performance, and will get more OS updates. But if you just want the Razr experience without spending so much, I'd say settle for the 2024 model.

The Razr 2024 is still one of the best Motorola phones out there, and you're really not losing out too much in my opinion. It's still due to get Android 17, the displays are practically the same as the 2026 model, and battery life is solid. Plus, at just $400, there isn't any better foldable at this price, so you'd better grab it while stocks last. Even after the final OS upgrade, the phone should continue to get security updates and patches for another year or so.

If you currently have the 2024 Razr and are not having any major issues, you might want to skip the upgrade to the 2026 model, and there isn't that much new to justify upgrading.