4 phones you can buy instead of the Motorola Razr 2025
If you're looking for one of the best folding phones, the new Motorola Razr 2025 is likely high on your list. It offers the iconic Motorola experience at a more affordable price than its siblings, and as I discovered in our Razr 2025 review, it still feels just as premium, especially thanks to its larger battery.
However, folding phones won't be for everyone, and while the Razr 2025 features cutbacks in well-done ways, it's still not as premium as its more illustrious siblings. There's the Razr Plus 2025, essentially the same as the Razr 2024, and the new Razr Ultra 2025, the best flip phone you can buy right now.
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If you're not set on the Razr 2025 and want to explore the best alternatives, here are five phones you can buy instead, and why.
Motorola Razr Ultra 2025
You can't talk about flip phones without including the best right now, the Motorola Razr Ultra 2025. It brings the essence of the Ultra concept to flagship phones, and while it doesn't feature dedicated telephoto lenses like its nonfolding namesakes, the Razr Ultra 2025 packs everything else you could want from a flip phone.
The Razr Ultra 2025 is powered by the same Snapdragon 8 Elite that powers most of the best phones. It's the full 8-core version, not the 7-core, less powerful version used in thin phones like the Oppo Find N5. It has the largest main display of any flip phone at 7 inches, the biggest battery at 4,700 mAh, and two 50MP cameras that capture great photos in most lighting conditions.
The 4-inch Cover Display takes over the entire front of the phone and offers the full suite of Motorola's software features. These allow you to use the display like a 4-inch smartphone and run any app or widget. Like every phone, there's a lot of AI with Motorola and Google Gemini introducing new AI features, offerings from Microsoft CoPilot and Perplexity preloaded, and three months free of Perplexity Pro.
If there's something the Motorola Razr 2025 is missing for you, the Razr Ultra 2025 almost certainly solves it. The distinct wood finish is also available only on Motorola's flagship flip phone.
Google Pixel 9a
If the $700 price tag on the Razr 2025 is too high for you, and you like the clutter-free, material design of the Razr 2025 interface, you should consider the affordable Google Pixel 9a. It offers the core experience of the flagship Pixel 9 series, but does so at a significantly lower price.
Starting at $499, it's $200 cheaper than the Razr 2025 and offers a dual camera paired with Google's camera algorithm prowess. The 48MP main camera is particularly capable, while the 13MP main camera may yield similar results to the Razr 2025, although it does lack autofocus capabilities.
The Pixel 9a is powered by the flagship Tensor G4, which is Google's answer to the Apple A18 or Snapdragon 8 Elite used by Apple and many others. One particularly noteworthy feature is the 5,100 mAh battery, the largest of any Pixel and 13% larger than the 4,500 mAh battery in the Razr 2025.
Apple iPhone 16 Plus
If you like the Razr 2025's size and don't mind compromises, like the lack of a telephoto camera, and want an equally large display and battery, you should consider the Apple iPhone 16 Plus. It offers a dual camera setup like the Razr 2025, and the range of iPhone 16 colors is also quite stylish, just like Motorola's new smartphone.
Battery life is a key strength of the Razr 2025, and the iPhone 16 Plus is equally impressive. The A18 processor is rapid and should be smoother than the MediaTek Dimensity 7400X in the Razr 2025. The 48MP main camera and 12MP ultrawide are fairly evenly matched with the 50MP and 13MP cameras used in Motorola's base flip phone.
The iPhone 16 Plus costs more than the Razr 2025, and there are definite downgrades, such as a lower refresh rate and a lack of an always-on display. The iPhone 16 Plus also lacks the wow factor that the Razr 2025's form factor naturally provides, but it's a great option if you aren't ready to switch from Apple's ecosystem.
OnePlus Open
If you like the idea of a folding phone but prefer the book-style form factor that turns a smartphone into a tablet, look no further than the OnePlus Open. Although it's over a year old, it remains the best all-around book-style folding phone in the US. Many are sold outside the US, including its successor, the Oppo Find N5, but this is the best in the US right now.
One reason to pick the Open over a newer device like the Pixel 9 Pro Fold or Galaxy Z Fold 6 is its camera. The triple camera setup pairs a 48MP main with a 48MP ultrawide and a 64MP telephoto lens with 3x optical zoom that can take great photos at up to 100x. The Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 is two generations old, but the OnePlus Open still offers a fast experience, and the 4,805 mAh battery lasts for days.
You could also consider many other phones instead of the Razr 2025, but the list is far shorter than you may expect. The Razr 2025 punches above its price and proves that the best folding phones can be both affordable and fabulous.
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