New flip phones: The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip & the Motorola RAZR
It’s 2020, and the popular TV sitcom, Friends, has been off the air for 16 years. The Fresh Price is no longer fresh, Taco Bell took the gordita off the menu long ago, and flip phones are no longer a thing.
Until now.
Yep, that’s right. Both Motorola and Samsung have announced brand new flip phones. Ladies and Gentlemen, meet the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip and the new Motorola Razr. These phones have the overall look and feel of those nostalgia inducing gadgets from the 90’s, but with one twist (or bend). This new generation of flip phones features bendable, high resolution, AMOLED screens, and modern smartphone internals (Source).
Samsung Galaxy Z Flip vs Motorola Razr
Being the only phones on the market that have this form factor, naturally, these two phones have a lot in common. There are, however, some major difference. From a specifications perspective, the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip takes the cake.
Powering the Galaxy Z Flip is a powerful Snapdragon 855 processor, the same chip found in the Samsung Galaxy S10 Lite, Oneplus 7, and ASUS Zenphone 6Z. The Motorla Razr, on the other hand, uses the lower powered Snapdragon 710. This kind of CPU is usually only found on more obscure, mid-range phones, from much less popular manufactures. Having less RAM, a smaller battery, and a lower resolution screen than the Galaxy Z Flip, the Motorola Razr leaves a lot to be desired in the performance department (Source).
When it comes to physical design, however, the Motorola RAZR is the winner. In the hand, the RAZR simply feels more solid. Its water resistant, has less of a visible screen crease, and most people feel that its design is more intentional and thought out.
They both have secondary screens that are visible when the phones are closed, but Samsung’s implementation in this area is poor. The Galaxy Z Fold’s external screen is tiny, and can only show a few notifications, where the RAZR’s is much larger, and much more usable.
Are foldable phones worth it?
Short answer: no
Long answer:
Yes, but just not right now.
When comparing the smartphone and clothing industries over time, one finds that smartphones have gotten a lot bigger, but pockets have not. As the demand for bigger phones grows larger, we need a way of easily storing these things on our person when we aren’t using them. All joking aside, phones have gotten pretty large. If you have ever put a top-end flagship in your pocket, you know what I’m talking about, so there actually is a growing demand for a phone that can be folded into a smaller form factor.
The problem is that although impressive, these things simply aren’t ready for prime time. The Samsung Galaxy Z flip and the Motorola Razr represent foldable screen devices’ first steps out of obscurity, and into the main steam. They are more than just a gimmick, but they are still very clearly first generation devices that include lots of flaws and compromises.
