It's a flip off! No, not like that. I'm talking about the battle of the flip phones, as Samsung just announced its latest, the Z Flip 5, at its Galaxy Unpacked event. This same year, of course, Motorola released its most powerful flip phone to date, the Razr 40 Ultra.
I've been using both devices to get a real-world feel about what makes them stand apart from one another. So which wins? Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5 or Motorola Razr 40 Ultra? Interestingly I think there are areas in which each device betters the other, so let's get to it in this Samsung versus Motorola face-off...
Galaxy wins!
1. The hinge just feels better
Now the Galaxy Z Flip 5 is almost exactly the same mass as the Motorola Razr 40 Ultra – they're 187g versus 185g respectively – but, for whatever reason, the Samsung just feels heavier. It's got this more robust sense about it when open, while I find the hinge mechanism to be a little more firm and resistive and, therefore, just feel better.
Granted, I've held the Razr 40 Ultra for longer and therefore, as a more used device, it could be that the Galaxy's more fluid hinge sensation will dither over time. But, right now, just on the basis of feeling and effectively build quality, for me the Galaxy Z Flip 4 takes it from the hands of the Razr 40 Ultra.
2. It's got a better IP rating
Adding to that feeling of greater robustness and a more satisfying hinge mechanism is another feature that you can't see at all: a better IP rating on the Galaxy, here IPX8 (meaning no dust ingress protection, but it can officially sit in a bath of 1.5m deep water for up to 30 minutes and be unaffected). Not new for the series, but still reassuring.
The Razr, by contrast, does also have an IP rating, except it's IP52. That means, unlike the Samsung it does have dust ingress protection, but its water-resistance is only good against spray, no submersion, so think more 'caught in a shower' than 'dropped in a swimming pool' resistance here.
Razr wins!
1. Both displays are larger
The Razr 40 Ultra features a 3.6-inch cover display, versus the Galaxy Z Flip 5's 3.4-inch one. Not much in it, no, but bigger is bigger. Not only that, the Motorola display supports a faster refresh rate (to 144Hz), whereas the Samsung screen is limited to 60Hz on the cover (which could be better for battery, I suppose).
Flip the phones open and it's a similar story: the Razr 40 Ultra's 6.9-inch display means it's larger than the Galaxy Z Flip 5's 6.7-inch display. I don't see any difference between the 144Hz and 120Hz offerings here to my eyes, though, so wouldn't read too much into that.
Whether you want a slightly bigger device or not in this format is a personal preference, of course, as the Samsung's smaller stature may actually appeal more to you. For me, though, I prefer the larger scale of the Motorola.
2. Adding apps to cover display is easier
Both the Galaxy and Razr can cater for apps on their cover displays, which can be fun and certainly makes for greater use-cases in both regards. But adding those apps to the screen is far, far easier on the Motorola – you simply need to go to the app screen on the cover display itself and hit the edit marker to the top right, where you can select any six apps you wish to display in the dedicated cover screen.
The Galaxy? My word it's a convoluted mess at this stage in time: you can't add apps to the cover screen from the cover screen itself, which is just bonkers. Instead you have to open the phone, go into settings, find Samsung Labs, then toggle on the apps which you want to appear. This app list is also limited, unlike with the Motorola, so there's less control here.
Everybody wins!
1. They're the same price
So I think the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5 looks better, feels better to use from a mechanical and build quality perspective. But I think the Motorola Razr 40 Ultra's larger displays and greater ease of use with its cover display make it a little easier to use from that perspective.
Both do look eye-catching, too, especially when you factor in the colour options (Viva Magenta for Motorola, Mint for the Samsung). And you needn't have to pine over which one to buy based on a cost basis – as both the Galaxy Z Flip 5 and Razr 40 Ultra are priced at £1,049.
When it comes to international pricing the Galaxy will sit at $999 US dollars, while the Razr is called the 'Razr+' in the US and costs $999, so again it's matched like for like.
