Foldable phones tend to cost a little more than their unfolding siblings, but the standard Razr 50 aims at keeping costs down and value up.
Flagship high-priced phones may well be where most of the action is in foldable phones, but we’re beginning to see some of that technology trickle down to lower price points.
For the past couple of years, there have been two players in foldable clamshell phones, as Motorola and Samsung battle it out for the best of the bunch, with devices that venture past the $1500 mark. That’s a high-priced phone, with anything north of that typically flagship and expensive.
But not everything has to be that costly, evident by some of the approaches Motorola has been taking. For the past couple of years, there have been two variants of the Moto Razr, one of which was more of a high-end mid-range play, and the other properly high-end overall.
This year is no different, and while the Razr 50 Ultra impressed us earlier in the year, there is now another on the way aimed at keeping costs down, while the value stays up.
The latest model is the Razr 50 (sans “Ultra”), a device that sports a bit of a resemblance to the previous Razr 40 Ultra, but changes some of the hardware options.
For instance, it’ll sport the same 3.6 inch screen on the outside, making it similar albeit smaller to the 4 inch on the 50 Ultra. However, the chip has been changed, with the Razr 50 sporting a MediaTek Dimensity 7300X distinct to the Snapdragon on the other models. There’s also 8GB RAM and 256GB storage, and the camera is switched from a wide and telephoto to a wide and ultra-wide, much like the older Razr.
Aspects seem similar between the high-end and mid-range, with both models in the Razr 50 range sporting a 6.9 inch Full HD pOLED display that just so happens to fold up.
However, there’s a difference in price, with the more premium Razr 50 Ultra costing $1699, while the Razr 50 will save $500, fetching an Australian recommended retail price of $1199. For many, that will be a considerable saving, and one that could be easily justified.
“At Motorola, we are continually adapting to meet changing consumer needs and emerging technologies,” said Kurt Bonnici, Head of Motorola for the Greater Asia Pacific.
“The Razr family combines innovation and style in a practical design, redefining the possibilities of smartphones,” he said.
While a less pricey foldable is a win, one catch could be where the phone is ranged, with Optus taking point on this one. Specifically, the Razr 50 will be available at Optus stores outright and on plans, though Motorola hasn’t confirmed whether the phone would be unlocked for customers of any carrier to use.
For now, you can expect to find the Razr 50 at Optus stores shortly, while its Razr 50 Ultra sibling as more availability, while previous models can be found about the place if you look.
