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Introducing the Motorola Razr Ultra (2026): A Flagship Foldable
Motorola’s 2026 spring lineup is truly shaping up to be one of its most impressive, and leading the charge is the new Razr Ultra. Having previously tested the Razr Fold, I recently had the opportunity to spend extensive time with its flagship flip phone counterpart. While it shares much of the same sleek design and aesthetic language as its predecessor, the true advancements lie beneath the surface.
As I delved deeper into its capabilities, the distinctions became remarkably clear. The 2026 Razr Ultra stands as a significant upgrade over the 2025 model, delivering substantial enhancements in performance, efficiency, and notably, battery life. This isn’t just an iteration; it’s a meaningful evolution in the foldable phone space.
First and foremost, the Razr Ultra truly shines in its display and audio systems, creating an immersive multimedia experience. The internal screen is a stunning seven-inch Extreme AMOLED display, which is Pantone Validated to ensure exceptionally accurate colors. With HDR10+ support, it delivers excellent dynamic range and consistently strong visual output.
On-screen animations are incredibly smooth, thanks to a rapid 165Hz refresh rate. Whether you’re scrolling through content or navigating apps, everything appears fluid and remarkably responsive without any noticeable lag. It truly elevates the visual interaction to a premium level.
The audio system is equally impressive, even surpassing the Razr Fold’s system with richer, fuller sound. The Ultra model features stereo speakers expertly fine-tuned with Dolby Atmos and the added capability of outputting Spatial Audio. These technologies work in harmony to create an immersive bubble of sound around you, complemented by superior bass that gives audio output a satisfying punch.
During my testing, I found myself captivated by a Bob Ross compilation livestream, a testament to the phone’s audio prowess. The warmth and clarity the speakers brought to his voice made the stream an unexpectedly enthralling experience. This device truly understands how to deliver an engaging multimedia journey.
The external display on the 2026 Razr Ultra largely mirrors that of its 2025 predecessor, maintaining a sharp four-inch panel with a 1272 x 1080 pixel resolution. It’s also protected by Corning Gorilla Glass Ceramic 3 and offers the same convenient features like media controls and notification management. The key upgrade here is its transition to an Extreme AMOLED screen, delivering the same deep contrast and vibrant colors as the larger inner display.
Elegant Design and Robust Build
The Razr Ultra continues Motorola’s tradition of visually striking designs, available in two distinctive colors: Pantone Orient Blue, which appears quite purple to my eye, and Pantone Cocoa, a muted brown. I tested the latter, and while brown smartphones can be controversial, I believe shoppers will appreciate this particular finish.
I distinctly remember the mixed reactions to leaked images of the iPhone 16’s rumored brown finish, but the Razr Ultra’s execution is entirely different. I am particularly fond of the faux wood paneling on the back, which gives the device a uniquely rustic and sophisticated look. This aesthetic is beautifully complemented by its metallic brown edges.
Returning from the previous generation is the titanium-reinforced hinge, a crucial component contributing to the Razr Ultra’s overall durability. The entire folding mechanism feels incredibly sturdy, and closing the phone produces a satisfying, solid thump. This attention to detail speaks volumes about its premium construction.
Capture Every Moment: Camera Performance
On its rear, the Razr Ultra boasts a capable dual-camera system, featuring a powerful 50MP main sensor with optical image stabilization (OIS) for consistently sharp shots. This is paired with a versatile 50MP ultrawide + macro fusion lens, offering dual functionality within a single optic.
However, it’s worth noting a limitation: the fusion lens is restricted to a 2x zoom, which doesn’t offer the same versatility as a dedicated telephoto lens. For comparison, the Razr Fold’s telephoto lens supports a more expansive 6x zoom. Despite this, the Razr Ultra’s camera system generally delivers awesome results.
A major contributor to its overall image quality is Ultra HDR, an advanced image format that significantly enhances color vibrancy, highlights, and shadows. One of my favorite shots captured with this phone beautifully rendered a vibrant mural, showcasing its detailed stucco patterning and strong contrast that made the colors truly pop and added impressive depth.
Powerhouse Performance and Enduring Battery Life
As the flagship model in its series, the 2026 Razr Ultra houses Motorola’s most powerful hardware configuration. It’s driven by a Snapdragon 8 Elite processor, complemented by a generous 16GB of RAM and 512GB of storage. Furthermore, it integrates a Qualcomm Adreno 830 GPU and a Qualcomm AI Engine NPU, marking significant performance upgrades over the previous generation.
One of our main criticisms of the 2025 Razr Ultra was its tendency to throttle under heavy loads, such as during gaming sessions or large file downloads. Motorola has commendably addressed this issue in the new model. After running various benchmark tests and extensive real-world usage, it’s clear the Razr Ultra is a consistently fast and powerful smartphone, with apps opening almost instantly and on-screen animations remaining fluid.
The device offers ample power for demanding workloads, from video editing to high-end gaming, though it does have its limits. While the Snapdragon system-on-chip is supported by optimized software for stable, sustained performance, I did experience minor stuttering during intense gaming sessions with titles like Arknights: Endfield and Honkai: Star Rail. Though brief, it was noticeable.
During a 3DMark Wildlife Stress Test, which simulates repeated heavy GPU workloads, the Razr Ultra became quite warm, leading to a slight throttling of its hardware to manage temperatures. While this is a niche scenario most users are unlikely to encounter in everyday use, it’s a possibility worth mentioning. Importantly, it did not overheat outside of this specific stress test.
Battery life on the Razr Ultra is robust, offering solid endurance. In a continuous YouTube livestream test on the inner screen, the phone lasted approximately 24 hours on a single charge, which is impressive. With more efficient, typical usage, you could comfortably expect the phone to last for several days, keeping you powered throughout your busy schedule.
Pricing and Final Thoughts
The 2026 Motorola Razr Ultra is currently available through the company’s official website for $1,500. At the time of writing, Motorola is also sweetening the deal with a promotional bundle that includes a 4-pack of Moto Tags and the Moto Buds 2 Plus at no additional cost. Like the Razr Fold, the Razr Ultra comes in a single hardware configuration.
While I found the Razr Ultra to be an excellent phone, its premium price tag is undeniable. As with many Motorola Razr models, our advice is to consider purchasing it when it’s on sale, which often happens after its initial launch. Buyers seeking a more budget-friendly flip-style foldable might explore alternatives such as Samsung’s Galaxy Z Flip 7, currently priced around $1,020 for the 512GB model, or even last year’s Razr Ultra model for potentially greater savings.
Source: ZDNet – AI
