Samsung Z Flip7 versus Motorola Razr 60: which flip phone is worth your money?

Australia’s flip phone market is heating up, with Samsung and Motorola vying for supremacy. But which foldable comes out on top for features, durability, and value? We put the latest models to the test to help you decide.

Australians now face two big choices if they want a flip phone: Samsung or Motorola.

It’s a contested market, with Samsung saying that the Flip is the model which lures more Apple users across to android, given its compact design and different take on the standard rectangular smartphone. About 25 per cent of Flip5 customers came from iOS, and Samsung has now released a more “affordable” to further entice Apple users.

Motorola has a storied history in mobile phones before it was split from its American parent in the late 2000s, snapped up by Google then sold to its current owner Lenovo in 2014.

And more than 20 years ago, it had a hit with the original Razr flip phone. It was the ‘it’ mobile phone before Apple up-ended the industry with the iPhone, leaving Motorola, Nokia and others struggling to adapt or exist.

Motorola is aiming to capture the sense of fun the original Razr generated in the mid-2000s.

Under Lenovo ownership, it is aiming to recapture that sense of mid-2000s fun, with its new range of Razr smartphones, which it began launching in 2020.

The new Razr 60 is priced from $1199 compared with $1499 for Samsung’s new “affordable” offering the Z Flip7 FE, and $1799 for the Flip7 flagship.

So what are the biggest differences, and is the extra coin for the Samsung models worth it?

Out of the box

The biggest difference is the software. Out of the box, the Flip7 comes with Android 16 and Samsung’s One UI 8, while the Razr has Android 15. Motorola will eventually upgrade to 16, but the timing is not clear.

A key advantage of the Samsung is that the Flip comes with seven years worth of upgrades, while the Razr offers three and four years of security patches.

If you plan on holding onto your phone for longer than that, the Samsung appears the more obvious choice. But the Razr has a few surprises that keeps it in the race.

The screen 

The Razr 60 has an edge over the Flip7, the front screen. While smaller – 3.6 inches versus Samsung’s 4.1 inches – it can support apps.

On the Flip, widgets – like weather, calendar and Samsung’s new ‘Now brief’ – and basic apps such as calculator, alarm and voice recorder can only be accessed on the front or cover screen.

Samsung's Z Flip7 cover screen can only access widgets and a set number of apps.

Whereas on the Razr, you can customise your front screen with whatever apps you have in your library – even Apple Music.

Both phones have a 6.9-inch main or unfolded display. Although the Razr is slightly taller, and the Flip7 slightly wider. The wider screen will make it easier to type if you have big hands. Both have a smooth 120hz refresh rate.

Durability 

Folding phones get a workout, with the hinge undergoing regular stress from all that opening and closing. The Razr has a new hinge strengthened with titanium, which Motorola says is four times stronger than surgical-grade stainless steel and has been tested to deliver up to 35 per cent more folds than the previous generation.

The Motorola Razr 60 features a new titanium hinge, which the company says can perform 35 per cent folds than the previous generation.

The Flip7’s has also had an upgrade, featuring a new Armor Flexhinge, which uses aluminium and “high-strength materials for smoother folds and long-lasting durability”. The same hinge is on its pricier Fold7. In our testing, the Flip7 provided a stiffer hinge, able to stay open at various angles when placed on a table. It lost its balance and fell flat before the hinge gave way. The Razr was also a stiff hinge, but when folded to about 30 degrees it would fall flat onto the table.

For screen protection, the Motorola has Corning Gorilla Glass Victus. The Flip7 features the second generation of this technology. Both aim for 2-metre drop protection, but Victus 2 is less likely to crack when dropped, with a fracture toughness of 0.82 megapascals versus 0.76 in the original Victus.

The Motorola Razr 60 delivers more vivid colours, unedited, of my dog Chief.

Battery

The Razr features a slightly bigger battery at 4500mAh versus 4300mAh on the Samsung. Both should run all day on a single charge, with Samsung saying its battery has been tested for 31 hours video playback.

The Motorola also has support for 30W charging, which Motorola says can charge a phone fully in 15 minutes. “90W TurboPower™ charging gives you up to 45 hours of battery life in just minutes,” Motorola says The Flip7 offers 25W wired charging.

Camera

The Razr has a 50MP main rear camera, with a f/1.7 aperture to allow more light onto the sensor. It also has an 13MP ultra-wide and macro lens, and a 32MP, f/2.4 (the lower the f stop the wider the aperture) main camera.

The Flip also features a 50MP, f/1.8 rear wide-angle camera, as well as a 12MP ultra-wide lens. It has a 10MP front camera.

Performance wise, the Razr appears to have more vivid colours straight out of the camera.

Artificial intelligence features 

Both phones have their own AI and Google Gemini. Samsung has aimed to turn its Flip into a personal assistant, using the cover screen cameras and AI, people can ask for fashion tips – what clothes look better on them – and how to strike a pose for the camera.

There is also an image eraser, audio clean-up tool, and the ability to take a picture of your fridge to get recipe ideas based on the ingredients you have.

The photo editing tools were easier to use on the Samsung, with the Flip able to better detect what images you wanted to erase compared with the Razr.

The Razr has air gestures, which are helpful for content creators and videojournalists who want to film themselves. Turn the camera app on and hold an open palm up, and a count-down will begin to take a still photo or video. A clench fist will pause a recording and showing your palm will resume it.

Bottom line

Samsung and Motorola offer top-notch flip phones. If you want to save money, go to the Razr 60. But if you’re more concerned about software updates and ongoing security support – particularly if you plan to keep your phone for three years or longer – take a look at the Samsung.

Originally published as Samsung Z Flip7 versus Motorola Razr 60: which flip phone is worth your money?