Motorola Razr 2026 vs. Razr 2025: A few steps forward, one big step back

Motorola made a name for itself selling budget foldables as part of the Razr lineup, with recent models starting at as little as $699. Amid the smartphone component shortage, hitting that price point just isn't possible anymore. So, the Motorola Razr 2026 is here with a price tag that's $100 more expensive and with half the storage. Believe it or not, the Razr 2026 got the most upgrades out of any model in the new series despite that key downgrade.

Still, it may be tough to justify buying the Razr 2026 at its new $799 price point when the last-generation model can be had as low as $500. There are upgrades, but are they enough for the new model to command its inflated cost? Let's find out by comparing the Razr 2026 to the Razr 2025, and helping you decide which model is right for you.

Motorola Razr 2026 vs. Razr 2025: Design and displays

The design and displays of the Motorola Razr 2026 and Razr 2025 are extremely similar. That shouldn't be too surprising, since this is a tried-and-true Razr form factor that usually stays the same to enable an affordable price. From the outside, these two budget Razrs are identical. They have the same 15.85mm thickness when shut and weigh exactly 188 grams each.

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The similarities extend to the screens, where both the Razr 2026 and Razr 2025 have 3.6-inch cover displays and 6.9-inch main displays. The smaller outer screen allows Motorola to put a colorful bezel above the display matching the PANTONE finishes on the back. I'm sure most people would prefer the larger Plus or Ultra cover screens if given the choice, but the PANTONE chassis on the front is certainly a nice compromise.

Even the brightness and refresh rates of each display are consistent across the two models. The Razr 2026 and Razr 2025 both sport a 120Hz main screen with 3,000 nits of peak brightness. Meanwhile, the cover screens only support 90Hz refresh rates and 1,700 nits of peak brightness.

In terms of durability, the two phones have a titanium-reinforced hinge mechanism and IP48 protection against dust and water. They're not completely dustproof like the Google Pixel 10 Pro Fold, but the IP48 rating is decent for phones at this price point. The two phones each offer Gorilla Glass on the cover screen for scratch and crack protection.

For the second straight year, the base-model Razr offers the most expansive set of colorways of the Razr models. The Razr 2026 is sold in PANTONE Hematite, PANTONE Violet Ice, PANTONE Sporting Green, and PANTONE Bright White. For the Razr 2025, you can choose between PANTONE Spring Bud, PANTONE Gibraltar Sea, PANTONE Parfait Pink, and PANTONE Lightest Sky.

Motorola Razr 2026 vs. Razr 2025: Hardware and specs

Aside from the aforementioned downgrade to 128GB storage, the Motorola Razr 2026 upgrades the Razr 2025's hardware in numerous ways. The MediaTek Dimensity 7450X chip is more powerful than the 7400X inside the Razr 2025, even though both models have 8GB of memory. These are both still budget chipsets, but the Razr 2026 will have a slightly newer and more powerful processor than the Razr 2025.

Each phone comes with stereo speakers and Dolby Atmos audio. For connectivity, you get Bluetooth 5.4 Low Energy support, 5G, and Wi-Fi 6E. There's a fingerprint sensor on the side power button for biometrics, in addition to face unlock compatibility.

Motorola Razr 2026 vs. Razr 2025: Cameras

The biggest quality-of-life upgrade is the new battery. The Razr 2026 includes a fresh 4,800mAh battery capacity, enabling a longer runtime. The Razr 2025's 4,500mAh is solid for the price point and form factor, but the newer model takes battery capacity to the next level. Both phones support 30W wired charging and 15W wireless charging.

Finally, we have the cameras. Both phones utilize a 50MP rear primary camera and a 32MP front-facing camera on the inside. However, the Razr 2026 upgrades the ultrawide camera to use a 50MP sensor and a wider 122-degree field of view. The Razr 2025's ultrawide lens is only 13MP and has a slightly narrower 120-degree field of view. If you care about the quality and detail of your wide shots, the Razr 2026 will offer a noticeable improvement.

There are software tweaks and new features to the Razr 2026 camera system, too. You get a Frame Match feature that uses software to add a stencil-like overlay to the camera viewfinder. So, you'd take a picture of the angle you want, hand the Razr 2026 over to your photographer, and they'll match the viewfinder with the outline to take the perfect photo of you. It all but eliminates bad photos, even with inexperienced photographers.

The Razr 2026 also adds Rotate to Zoom, which lets you twist your wrist to zoom in or out in camcorder mode. While the Razr 2025 does have camcorder mode, it's unclear whether these new features will come to the older model.

Motorola Razr 2026 vs. Razr 2025: Which should you buy?

It's rare that I compare two smartphones and end up at the conclusion that both phones are solid values at their respective price point, but that's where the Razr 2026 and Razr 2025 have left me. I wish the Motorola Razr 2026 either kept its $699 price point or retained its 256GB of storage. However, with rising smartphone prices industry-wide, the Razr 2026 is still a decent value even with only 128GB of storage. It launches with Android 16 and three years of Android OS upgrades to follow, so it'll be able to last.

Meanwhile, the Razr 2025 only has two Android OS upgrades remaining, and it has weaker hardware overall (excluding that coveted 256GB storage). The price reflects the hardware, though, since you can find brand-new Razr 2025 phones for around $500. It's a win-win scenario, because you can take the weaker hardware and shorter software support window to save, or you can pay more for the upgrades and longer support.

If you can wait, my recommendation would be to be patient and let Razr 2026 discounts come to you. In a few months, we'll probably see Motorola and partner retailers take $100 or $200 off the price of a Razr 2026. That would certainly sweeten the deal, and make the Razr 2026 just as good of a value as the cheaper models that came before it.