While Samsung is still the established leader in foldable phones — you know, the ones that go from a regular candy bar-style phone to a tablet-sized screen when you open them — the category has slowly become more and more crowded.
In the US, it’s mostly been a battle between Samsung’s Galaxy Z Fold line and Google’s Pixel Fold, but internationally there’s been a lot more competition. Now, Motorola is ready to seriously enter this space with the Razr Fold.
First shown at CES 2026 in January, Motorola’s first book-style foldable is finally about to be released. The Razr Fold will be available for pre-order on May 14, 2026 and will ship on May 21 for $1,899.99 / £1,799.99 unlocked (we’re awaiting confirmation of the phone’s availability in Australia).
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That’s still a lot of money, but it actually undercuts the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7, which starts at $1,999 / £1,799 / AU$2,899, by $100 in the US. It also lands a bit higher than the $1,799 / £1,749 / AU$2,699 Google Pixel 10 Pro Fold, making it clear that Motorola isn’t treating this device as an experiment – it wants to compete at the top.
Under the hood, the Razr Fold is powered by Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Gen 5 processor, coupled with flagship-level performance designed for heavy-duty multitasking, gaming, and everything else you expect from a modern foldable.
A more serious take on the Razr identity
You also have the choice between Pantone Blackened Blue and Pantone Lily White, the latter offering a particularly premium textured satin finish. There aren’t any fun Pantone shades like we’ve seen on Motorola’s Razr flip phones, but the overall design looks a lot more serious – clearly aimed at buyers who are considering a Galaxy Z Fold or Pixel Fold instead. I won’t lie, though – I miss some of his cell phone siblings’ personality.
After spending a brief hands-on time with the Razr Fold at Motorola’s Hollywood Hills mansion, the biggest takeaway was how slim and ergonomic it is in an undeniably premium package.
Foldables can sometimes feel heavy or poorly balanced, but Motorola seems to have nailed the weight distribution here. Whether folded or fully opened, the Razr Fold never felt too heavy on one side or the other. It’s just 4.55mm when folded – the Galaxy Z Fold 7 is 4.2mm when opened – and 9.98mm when closed. It also weighs 243g.
The 6.6-inch external display is large enough to handle most everyday tasks without having to unfold the device, while the 8.1-inch internal 2K LTPO display feels truly massive for watching content, multitasking, or even using the rear cameras as a high-end selfie setup with the outer screen acting as a viewfinder.
Both screens were incredibly bright, even in direct sunlight, and opening and closing the device was smooth and easy. Most importantly, the crease was minimal. It’s still there, of course, but it didn’t immediately catch the eye when in use, which is exactly what you’d expect from a premium foldable at this price.
One thing that stands out, though, is that the Razr Fold doesn’t feel like a first attempt so much as a calculated next step. Motorola has spent the last few years perfecting its Razr flip phones, and this work clearly contributes to that. These devices proved that there is a real demand for a sleek, compact foldable that feels normal for everyday use – not experimental or flimsy.
The Razr Fold feels like Motorola is taking these lessons and scaling them up, while learning from its competitors. The same design goal is here – finesse, balance and a more refined approach to foldable hardware – but now extended to a full-size, productivity-focused device that must stand alongside Samsung and Google at the top of the market.
This is where things get interesting. Because if flip phones proved that Motorola could create foldable devices that people actually wanted to live with, the Razr Fold asks a bigger question: Does that same formula still work when everything gets bigger, heavier, and significantly more expensive?
The battery could also become one of the Razr Fold’s biggest differentiators in the US market. Motorola uses a silicon-carbon battery here, allowing for a large 6,000mAh cell while keeping the phone incredibly thin. It also supports fast charging up to 80W (with the right charger), which should make charging noticeably faster than many competitors. Motorola promises all-day battery life, and this new battery technology plays a big part in that talk.
The Moto Pen Ultra is another notable addition. Pen support has long been a favorite feature of Galaxy Fold users that disappeared with the last generation, the Fold 7, and Motorola’s offering the same flexibility helps position the Razr Fold as a true productivity-focused device. Writing with him was fluid and natural; However, like Samsung’s stylus, it’s still an additional purchase rather than included in the box.
The cameras, however, will likely be Motorola’s biggest test.
This is where Samsung and Google have built strong reputations, and Motorola still has something to prove. On paper, the setup looks promising: a 50 MP Sony LYTIA main sensor, a 50 MP ultra-wide and macro combo lens, and a 50 MP 3x periscope telephoto lens. There’s also a Super Zoom mode that pushes up to 100x with backend processing to add clarity – and in my brief testing, photos were quick to capture and looked impressive.
Motorola also adds some genuinely useful features beyond the raw specs. FrameMatch, also available on the upcoming Razr Ultra, Razr Plus, and Razr, has established itself as one of the smartest camera tools, especially for solo travelers. You first take a reference photo of the background, which creates a layering guide for the next person taking your photo and helps them match the framing almost perfectly. It’s simple, but it’s exactly the kind of handy feature that seems more useful than flashy AI for AI’s sake.
And yes, of course, there’s AI here too – because there has to be some in 2026 – with deep integrations from Google alongside Motorola’s Moto AI suite. But software will likely be the second major test after cameras. Good equipment is one thing; long-term support and genuinely useful features will determine whether people actually abandon Samsung or Google.
Still, after a first glance, the Razr Fold appears to be Motorola’s most serious attempt at a true high-end foldable – and a solid showing for a first-generation device. The hardware is absolutely there: it’s thin, refined, powerful, and packed with flagship-level specs.
All that remains is for Motorola to prove that cameras – and software – can keep up. We’ll test it soon enough and offer our full verdict on how it compares to the Galaxy Z Fold 7, Pixel 10 Pro Fold, and other foldables.
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