The new Motorola Razr is now available to buy and it's the most desirable smartphone in years, but there are 6 key reasons why you shouldn't buy it

moto razr
Motorola/YouTube
  • The new Motorola Razr can now be bought from Verizon and Walmart online, or in their stores, and it's the most desirable smartphone I've seen in years, and yet it's not a phone that people who care about functionality and value should buy.
  • It has a high price tag, less-powerful specs, fewer features, and foldable-smartphone technology still has a long way to go before it's as reliable as regular smartphones. 
  • And even though you're paying $1,500 for it, Motorola warned users that "bumps and lumps" under the screen are normal. 
  • Instead, the new Razr will appeal to those who value fashion and design. After all, it looks like the iconic Razr from the mid 2000s that's been modernized into an ultra-sleek smartphone with a long, foldable screen.
  • Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.
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Motorola's new Razr foldable smartphone is now available to buy, and whether you remember the original Motorola Razr from the mid 2000s or not, the new Razr is the most desirable smartphone in years.

It taps into nostalgia without appearing dated in any way. And the way it folds is the best we've seen in any foldable smartphone so far because it makes your phone smaller when you're not using it — perfect for freeing up space in your pocket or bag. 

It's also more about looks rather than function and value, and there's certainly a good number of people who won't mind some of the new Razr's shortcomings when it looks so good. With that in mind, there are 6 good reasons a smartphone user shouldn't run out and buy the new Motorola Razr, at least until these 6 things are addressed in future models. 

Check it out:

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At $1,500, the new Motorola Razr costs less than other foldable smartphones. But it's still a phone, and it costs hundreds more than even the priciest traditional smartphones.

moto razr 6
Motorola

Phones these days are expensive, like the $1,000 iPhone 11 Pro and the Samsung Galaxy S10, which started at $900 at launch. And the larger versions of those phones started above the $1,000 mark, too. But they're still a few hundred short of the new Razr's $1,500 price tag.

Considering pure value, the new Razr doesn't make the best case, even if it's among the cheaper foldable smartphones we've seen. 

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It has decent specs, but they're still not up to par with other high-end Android flagships.

moto razr 4
Motorola

The new Razr has 6 GB of RAM, which is fine but on the low end compared to other flagship Android smartphones. 

The real point of concern with the new Razr is its chip. It runs on a Qualcomm Snapdragon 710 from 2018, while most high-end Android phones run on the Snapdragon 855 from 2019.

The Snapdragon 710 is will likely run apps and features just fine for most people. Still, we haven't tried the new Razr on a day-to-day basis to see how it holds up.

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The new Motorola Razr doesn't have many of the features you'd expect from a $1,500 high-end Android smartphone.

moto razr
Motorola

Some of the more notable missing features we've come to expect in expensive, high-end Android phones include:

  • A triple-lens, or even dual-lens, camera system.
  • Advanced facial recognition.
  • A large battery.
  • A charger with over 18W of charging power for faster charging.
  • Wireless charging.
  • Water and dust resistance with an official IP rating.
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Foldable smartphones are still in their infancy, which means they're fragile and the tech for foldable screens will improve over time in future models.

moto razr hinge
Motorola

Phone engineers and designers have just figured out how to give smartphones foldable screens in a commercially available device. Now, they need time to perfect the tech. 

They still need to figure out how to make foldable screens more durable and how to give foldable smartphones the same kind of water and dust resistance that have become standard on most smartphones these days. 

Your best bet is to wait a few years for those engineers and designers to nail down foldable smartphone technology until it's as reliable as the smartphone in your hands right now. 

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With the infancy of foldable screen technology, there's going to be some growing pains, like "bumps and lumps" in the screen.

moto razr bumps lumps
YouTube/Motorola

Motorola released a video detailing how to care for the new $1,500 Razr foldable smartphone, and it took the opportunity to tell you that "bumps and lumps" under the screen are normal. 

Those bumps and lumps are likely a result of the foldable screen, as the screen itself isn't protected by a sheet of glass like most phones, which would normally mask any bumps. Indeed, to make screens foldable, the screen has to be flexible, and glass isn't very flexible. 

Just in case you didn't know, the new Razr is designed to work with Verizon, and not other carriers. So if you don't have Verizon, there's little point in considering the new Razr.

moto razr 2
Motorola

Indeed, the new Razr is primarily designed to work on Verizon's networks. It may work with other carriers, but you won't get the full coverage and speeds you're used to. Basically, if you don't have Verizon, the new Razr isn't available to you. 

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