Motorola Razr (2023)
The Motorola Razr (2023) is an exciting entry into the world of foldables — a clamshell smartphone with a price tag that’s more accessible than ever. While Motorola has cut a few corners to get here, it still delivers outstanding battery life and solid everyday performance.
Google Pixel 8
Google’s Pixel 8 checks all the right boxes for a smartphone in its class. While you won’t get the powerful camera systems of more expensive flagships, the Tensor G3 follows Google’s trend of delivering stunning photos with great performance and now an amazing seven years of Android updates.
TheMotorola Razr (2023)is one of the most exciting foldable smartphones we’ve seen, not so much for its features as its price. The 2023 Razr marks the first time since Samsungshowed off its original 2019 Galaxy Foldthat one ofthe best foldable smartphoneshas debuted in a more accessible sub-$1,000 price range.
Nevertheless, with a standard price tag of $700, there’s no doubt the design and engineering that goes into the clamshell form factor carries a premium. Does the Motorola Razr (2023) give you the best bang for your buck in other ways, or are you better off going with the more traditional design ofGoogle’s Pixel 8in the same price range? Let’s dig in and find out how these two popular phones compare.
Price, availability, and specs
The Motorola Razr (2023) has an MSRP of $700, but we’ve already seen it on sale for as low as $500 during Black Friday deals. It’s fair to say that you won’t have a hard time finding it at discounted prices during other sales events. It comes in a single 128GB configuration and is available unlocked directly from Motorola and other typical retailers like Amazon and Best Buy in Sage Green, Vanilla Cream, Cherry Blossom, and Summer Lilac.
The Pixel 8 saw a $100 price bump over its 2022 predecessor, which puts it in the same $700 category as the Razr for its base 128GB model. It’s available nearly everywhere that you can buy a smartphone, including the Google Store, Amazon, Best Buy, and most carriers. Black Friday deals are alsoknocking $150 off this year, and as with the Razr, it probably won’t be difficult to find other good deals throughout the year. It comes in hazel, obsidian, and rose finishes, and unlike the Razr, you can also get it in a 256GB configuration.
Motorola’s Razr (2023) and Google’s Pixel 8 couldn’t be more different in their designs, and this may be the most polarizing factor when deciding between the two.
If you’re looking for a clamshell style in this price range, the Razr (2023) is essentially your only current-gen option. Fortunately, it’s a good one when it comes to the design language. Motorola has left its classic Razr form factor behind and adopted a modern squared look akin toSamsung’s Galaxy Z Flip 5.
However, where the Razr (2023) stands out is in its colors and finish. The Sage Green, Vanilla Cream, Cherry Blossom, and Summer Lilac are all fun and vibrant, and every color comes with a grippy vegan leather finish on the outside that feels great in the hand.
The Pixel 8, on the other hand, has a much more traditional look that retains the now classic Google Pixel design language introduced with the Pixel 6. This year’s model has refined things with more rounded corners that provide a comfortable feel in the hand. The back is made of glossy and durable Gorillas Glass Victus that should withstand drops and scratches but can also be a bit of a fingerprint magnet.
When closed, the Razr is naturally smaller but thicker than the Pixel 8; however, that changes once you flip it open, where it’s nearly an inch (2 cm) taller and 1.5 mm thinner. That’s understandable since the Razr also sports a 6.9-inch inner screen compared to the Pixel 8’s 6.2-inch display.
As for durability, it’s probably not a big surprise that the Pixel 8 handily wins out over the Razr. While foldable phone engineering has significantly improved in recent years, you’re still dealing with a hinge mechanism, whereas the Pixel 8 has no such moving parts. Further, Google uses Gorilla Glass Victus on the front and back of the Pixel 8, while Motorola only applies that to the smaller outside screen; the flexible inner display can’t use anything nearly as durable and relies on the phone being flipped closed for protection. All this adds up to only an IP52 dust and water-resistance rating for the Razr — a decent rating for a foldable, but still nothing compared to the much better IP68 rating of the Pixel 8.
As a folding phone, the Razr has two screens — one on the outside, so you can see what’s going on when it’s shut, and a main screen on the inside.
These two screens are a mixed bag with the 2023 Razr. Unlike other recent flip phones, the AMOLED cover screen measures only 1.5 inches and is about as helpful as a smartwatch (or a previous-gen Galaxy Z Flip cover screen). It can display notifications, tiles, and cute animations, but it’s not practical for much else, which means you’ll have to flip the Razr open when you want to see any real information. Oddly, it’s also not an always-on screen — you have to tap it to wake it up and see what’s going on, at which point you just about might as well open the phone.
Fortunately, flipping the Razr open will greet you with a gorgeous 6.9-inch 144Hz pOLED screen that doesn’t pull any punches. You get 1080p resolution, HDR10+ support, 1,400 nits of peak brightness, and a wide color gamut. Other than a slightly lower refresh rate, it’s virtually the same display as you’ll find on Motorola’s more expensive Razr+ — although it’s hard to call 144Hz “lower.”
The Pixel 8 features a 6.2-inch 1080p display that also loses about 240 pixels in height compared to the Razr, which uses a 22:9 aspect ratio as opposed to the Pixel’s 20:9. However, Google makes up for this by delivering 2,000 nits of peak brightness. The screen’s variable refresh rate goes up to 120Hz, and while that falls short of the Razr’s 144Hz, it should be more than enough for most sets of eyeballs.
One thing the Motorola Razr (2023) and Google Pixel 8 have in common is their preference for a clean Android experience.
Google has long been known for delivering “pure” Android, and the Pixel 8 is no exception; it ships with the latest Android 14 release, with Google’s light-touch Pixel experience software on top. While the Motorola Razr (2023) only arrives with Android 13, it’s also a pretty stock configuration with Motorola’s My UX there primarily to power the device’s unique hardware features rather than trying to “improve” the Android experience.
However, the Pixel 8 wins out for longevity, as Google is now promising a staggering seven years of major Android updates for its latest phones. That means a Pixel 8 purchased today with Android 14 will someday be able to run Android 21.
Motorola hasn’t traditionally had a great track record for Android updates, although it’s working to extend the life of its higher-end phones. The Razr (2023) will get three more years of software updates plus four years of security patches. Since it ships with Android 13, that should take it to Android 16, but that still can’t compare to Google’s new game plan. Plus, Motorola’s Android updates tend to arrive more slowly, so Razr owners will most likely need to be content to live a bit behind the curve.
Performance
Motorola had to cut a few corners to get its foldable down to a more wallet-friendly price, and perhaps the biggest of these was the chip inside. The Razr (2023) is powered by last year’sSnapdragon 7 Gen 1. This older but capable chip should prove more than adequate for everyday use, however.
While the 2023 Razr won’t win any speed records, and serious gamers and multitaskers may want to shy away, it performs very smoothly for browsing, social media, and switching between apps. It falls down a bit in background performance — apps often need to be reloaded when you’ve been away from them for a while — but daily tasks perform just as smoothly as they would on a more expensive flagship.
The Pixel 8 sits in an entirely different class thanks to Google’s more powerful Tensor G3 chip. However, like previous generations of Google’s in-house silicon, this chip is optimized to handle complex machine-learning features like Google’s astonishing newMagic Editorrather than delivering raw performance to demanding mobile games. Like the Razr, it will handle everyday tasks with aplomb without lagging or stuttering, but it’s not a gaming powerhouse.
Battery life
Motorola’s 2023 Razr packs in a 4,200mAh battery, which is slightly lower than the 4,575mAh used in the Pixel 8. While that might make you think Google’s phone will run longer, it turns out the opposite is true.
Both smartphones will easily deliver enough battery life to get you through a typical day — and then some. However, the 2023 Razr can provide up to 50% more run time. Motorola has generally led the pack in battery life; in this case, that’s undoubtedly helped along by the Snapdragon 7 Gen 1 chip, which was one of the most power-efficient chips of its generation. Your mileage will also vary with the Razr depending on how often you flip it open rather than just checking the cover screen, which consumes far less power than the main display.
Unfortunately, the Razr is held back by poor wireless charging speeds. While the Razr (2023) and Pixel 8 are roughly on par for wired charging (30W vs 27W), the Razr only supports five-watt wireless speeds. That’s not bad if you leave it sitting on a charger at your desk all day or on a bedside table overnight, and it’s actually better for your battery’s health, but you’ll definitely want to plug in if you’re in a hurry. By contrast, the Pixel 8 can charge wirelessly at 12 watts from most Qi-compatible chargers and up to 18 watts if you opt for Google’sPixel Stand 2.
Motorola doesn’t typically lead the pack when it comes to the cameras on its phones, which are often best described as capable rather than exceptional. The Razr (2023) follows this trend with decent hardware — a 64-megapixel (MP) main camera and 13MP ultrawide combo on the outside — that’s hampered by image processing limitations.
The 2023 Razr does an admirable job for a foldable in its price range, with snapshots that are fine for casual sharing on social media. Still, the results aren’t anything exciting, and it’s particularly weak in low-light situations, especially when there’s motion involved. It also lacks consistency, sometimes producing images with less naturally balanced colors.
That’s a stark contrast to the Pixel 8, which, despite having cameras with slightly lower hardware specs, produces some of the best photos you’ll get from a smartphone in this price range. This is where the Tensor G3 punches well above its weight class with computational photography features and image processing that make the most of its 50MP main and 13MP ultrawide cameras.
Google pioneered advanced night mode photography, so it’s no surprise that it takes excellent photos in low light, even when dealing with fast-moving subjects. The AI image processing produces photos that are always vibrant, balanced, and ready to share without needing any adjustments.
Which one is right for you?
For most folks, the choice between the Motorola Razr (2023) and Google’s Pixel 8 comes down to the design. Unless you’re really sold on the idea of an Android flip phone, the Pixel 8 is generally the better choice, as you’re getting much more bang for your buck.
The Pixel 8 features the best camera system of any smartphone in its class, a powerful Tensor G3 chip that delivers groundbreaking and almost magical AI features, a compact and comfortable design, and a staggering seven years of Android updates. It’s easily the top Android phone in its price range.
Google’s Pixel 8 is still the best smartphone you can buy for under $700. It’s compact and comfortable to hold while delivering unsurpassed photographic capabilities, AI features, and an unprecedented promise of seven years of major Android updates.
Nevertheless, if you find the clamshell foldable style really appealing and don’t want to spend a bundle to get it, Motorola’s 2023 Razr is a solid choice that delivers good everyday performance and excellent battery life with an impressive inside screen. Just be aware that you’re still paying a premium for the design and will be making a few sacrifices to get there compared to other phones in its price range.
Motorola’s Razr (2023) delivers good value among foldable smartphones thanks to its excellent battery life, impressive inside display, and smooth performance for everyday tasks. It also comes in fun colors and a vegan leather exterior finish. However, there’s no doubt you’re still paying a premium for the foldable experience.
