Realistically speaking, is this a good deal?
Folding models have now become a part of the smartphone genre. Folding devices that open up to tablet size are great, but for those looking to make their system more compact , the flip-up style is also appealing.
In fact, I also prefer to carry small things, so I’ve been interested in bi-fold phones, and now here it is, finally arriving in usa. Motorola has announced a new bi-fold smartphone model, the Motorola RAZR 50 .
It features a 6.9-inch main display on the inside and a 3.6-inch outer display on the outside, making it a fun folding model with a large screen when open and convenient when closed .
The external display looks easy to use
The first thing that caught my attention was the exterior display.
This is a large outer display, just like last year’s ” Razar 40 Ultra ” ( the Razar 40 had a small screen and could only display the clock and notifications), and not only can you display the clock, but you can also place, launch, and operate app icons on it. It’s truly a second home screen .
You can launch the PayPay app to display barcodes, check chats on the LINE app, and more. Google’s AI, Gemini, will also be easily launched from the outside display.
The punch hole is quite prominent because it houses the rear camera. I thought that depending on the app, the punch hole might cover some areas, but when I launched the app, the camera area was a black band.
It feels like it’s a bit of a waste of space, but this size is sufficient for checking messages and emails, and being able to access frequently used apps immediately without having to flip it open every time you use it seems like it would be very convenient to use as a smartphone.
A shooting mode that makes good use of two screens. Very practical!
The camera function made me think, ” Two screens are really useful!”
Since there is a display on the rear camera side, you can take selfies with the high-quality rear camera (main: approx. 50 million pixels / ultra-wide angle: approx. 13 million pixels). It also supports gesture shooting , so you can take pictures hands-free by holding your hand over the camera.
It ‘s also super helpful that the subject can see how they are being photographed!
Even when you point your smartphone at someone on a trip or date, it will be easier to strike a pose instantly. You will also be less likely to ask for a retake after checking the photo you took, saying “Sorry, can I take it again?” Even when taking pictures of small children, you can see what pose and expression you are making on the screen. Just knowing this will help reduce the number of missed shots.
By the way, it seems that the external display can be turned off, so you can turn it off when taking pictures of bonsai to save power.
What was unique about this camera was that when you turned it on and held it at a 90 degree angle, it automatically started recording video. You could enjoy recording video just like you would with a video camera .
When the function was presented, I thought, “Really…?” But when I actually held it like this, my wrist was fixed in a good way, so it seemed easy to hold. It also seems to prevent camera shake, so it may be practical.
This is a high quality piece of hardware!
The main display is a 6.9-inch FHD+ pOLED display .
When opened, the screen is quite long (22:9) and the amount of information spreads all at once. This long display on a non-foldable device makes it difficult to store, but this one can be folded, so it’s effectively half the size . It’s nice that it fits compactly in your pocket.
The wrinkles in the folding area are not noticeable unless you look closely. I can tolerate them. It is true that light refracts in the center, but I don’t think that will be a weak point in everyday use.
They’ve also worked hard on making it thin, with a thickness of 7.25mm at its thinnest point . Even when folded to double in size, it’s still easy to handle.
It’s the fourth generation hinge structure, and as expected, it’s been polished up. The texture and usability are impeccable. The snap when closing the phone is very satisfying, and it reminded me of the time when I first got my flip phone and I would flip it endlessly without thinking .
Even though it has these moving parts, it has IPX8 waterproof performance . It can withstand immersion in water up to 1m. The Galaxy Z Flip 6 and Pixel 9 Pro Fold are the same, but the recent folding smartphones are amazing.
 With the price in mind, is this a realistic folding smartphone?
I only had a short time to touch the “Motorola Razr 50” at the launch event, but the design, hinge, body, and screen were all very well made! I felt the high quality of the hardware , and it gave me the feeling that it might be useful when I used it . It made me think about what life would be like with a foldable smartphone. Of course, it also supports FeliCa .
What’s more, the price is also realistic.
There are two versions of the model…
・Motorola Razr 50 (RAM 12GB / Storage 512GB): For MVNOs, electronics retailers, and e-commerce sites such as Amazon. The direct sales price is US$885.99
・Motorola Razr 50s (6GB RAM / 256GB storage): SoftBank model. SoftBank store price is US$811.38
It is as follows.
Honestly, the Razr 50. With this amount of RAM and storage capacity, this price really hits home…
The SoC is the mid-high MediaTek Dimensity 7300XÂ , so it’s not super high-end, but it felt smooth and snappy when I used it, and I don’t plan on playing heavy games on this practical device…
I’m excited to see if this is actually a good deal. The release date is September 27th. I’ll seriously check my wallet.
