Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5 vs Motorola Razr 40 Ultra: Can Samsung dethrone the best Flip smartphone in 2023?

Samsung just concluded its Galaxy Unpacked 2023 event for its foldable smartphones. While the Galaxy Z Fold 5 featured minor upgrades and the hefty price tag, the Galaxy Z Flip 5 was the star of the show, with its larger cover display that offered more functionality than ever before.

However, the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5 isn’t the only clamshell folding smartphone to make considerable upgrades to its cover display. The recently launched Motorola Razr 40 Ultra also brings a large cover screen. In fact, the Razr 40 Ultra has the largest external display in the segment. But how does it compare against the Galaxy Z Flip 5?

Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5 vs Motorola Razr 40 Ultra: Specs Comparison

Aesthetics

The Motorola Razr 40 Ultra features a mix of metal and glass or vegan leather, depending on the variant you choose. The Razr 40 Ultra also folds flat and comes in a few attractive shades. The overall design is more streamlined, while the IP52 rating does offer some resistance to splashes of water.

The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5 features an Armor Aluminium frame and has complete glass protection. For the first time, Samsung has also eliminated the gap and has a superior IP8X rating but more on that later. The Galaxy Z Flip 5 airs of the side of subtility though.

Judging by aesthetics alone, Motorola does look the better of the two. While the Galaxy Z Flip 5 does feature a better build on paper, although we have come across several stories that say otherwise.

Display

The Motorola Razr 40 Ultra features a larger screen than the Galaxy Z Flip 5, both on the inside and out. Both the Galaxy Z Flip 5 and Razr 40 Ultra feature LTPO AMOLED panels for their primary display, although the latter offers a higher 165Hz refresh rate. Moreover, the Razr 40 Ultra also has a 144Hz cover screen for smoother navigation.

Performance

When it comes to performance, the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5’s Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chip, which is customised for the device, does hold a clear advantage on-paper. However, the Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 chip is quite capable and can achieve just about anything its successor can.

Cameras

We haven’t tested the camera system of either phone, although on-paper Motorola does seem to have an edge. However, Samsung’s software prowess cannot be ignored here. Judging by past experiences, the Galaxy Z Flip 5 should offer better camera performance, easily edging out the Razr 40 Ultra. But Samsung’s hardware is pretty much the same as the previous generation.

Battery

Motorola incorporates an ever-so larger battery on the Razr 40 Ultra, although the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chip on the Z Flip 5 is more efficient, so it is safe to say battery life should be more or less the same on both devices.

However, the Motorola Razr 40 Ultra arrives with faster charging and an adapter in the box, which is a rarity on Samsung smartphones, irrespective of the price tag. You do get faster wireless charging on the Z Flip 5, although we prefer the adapter in the box.

Brand Experience

Experience does feel like an important factor when it comes to foldables. While Samsung is the most experienced foldable smartphone brand in India, the Motorola Razr was the first clamshell folding phone in the world. Moreover, the Galaxy Z Flip smartphones of the past haven’t been all that reliable.

Then there’s the IP8X rating, which is definitely an advantage in Samsung’s corner, although Samsung, like most brands, do no cover liquid damage even during the warranty period. It is too early to talk about the Razr 40 Ultra’s durability issues as it only just hitting the Indian market.

Pricing

The Motorola Razr 40 Ultra features a price tag of Rs 89,999 for the 8GB/256GB variant. The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5 price in India is set at Rs 99,999 for the base 8GB/256GB model and Rs 1,09,999 for the 8GB/512GB variant.

Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5 vs Motorola Razr 40 Ultra: Final Thoughts

We won’t comment on the software experience just yet as we have yet to experience both devices. But does the Galaxy Z Flip 5 do enough to dethrone the Razr 40 Ultra has as the best flip smartphone in India this year. In our opinion, no, on paper, it simply does not. However, paper very rarely tells the full story and as with any foldable, experience is everything.