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Pros
- Alcantara fabric in orient blue looks gorgeous
- Battery life is solid
- Cover display is a delight to use
Cons
- The $1,500 price
- Oversaturated colors in photos
- Can’t wirelessly charge at its top speed
- Digital video zoom is bad
The new Motorola Razr Ultra is the best flip phone I’ve tested. But you shouldn’t buy it.
The new foldable phone is identical to the 2025 Razr Ultra whose battery life, useful cover screen and playful design impressed us enough to receive a CNET Editor’s Choice Award. But the new Razr Ultra costs $1,500, $200 more than last year. Insert the proverbial record skip.
At a time when Motorola is the dominant maker of clamshell-style foldable phones in the US, the 2026 Razr Ultra’s nosebleed price and relatively minor upgrades make it hard to recommend. It’s unclear how much the ongoing RAM shortage — due to the demand for memory in AI data centers — is to blame. It’s why Samsung raised its prices earlier this year, but Motorola didn’t say as much. In a statement to CNET, a Motorola representative said, “Pricing is always subject to change based on market conditions.” So yeah, it’s probably the RAM.
The 4-inch cover screen on the 2026 Motorola Razr Ultra is a shortcut gem.
The new Ultra and last year’s model have identical screens, cover displays, dimensions, weight, Snapdragon 8 Elite processors, cameras and build. So what do you get for that extra $200? The 2026 Ultra comes in new colors, has a new type of battery and a cutting-edge camera sensor similar to the one in Xiaomi’s Leica Leitzphone. In my testing, I found that the battery lasted as long as the 2025 Ultra, and that the new camera takes photos that look borderline psychedelic because of the way it oversaturates colors. There are also some nifty new video wallpapers for the cover screen, more AI tools, a novel twist to zoom in “camcorder” mode and it runs Android 16.
Look, $1,500 is a lot for anything in an economy where daily essentials cost more. It’s hard to recommend a $1,500 phone, no matter how good I think it is. And I do think the Motorola Razr Ultra 2026, even with its shortcomings, is good. Just wait for it to go on sale before you buy one.
Should you buy the 2026 Razr Ultra?
The main display does have a crease where it folds in half. But in use, I don’t notice it unless my finger slides across it.
The answer comes back to the price, which will make it a “no” for most people. However, Motorola usually plans its pricing to be discounted and I imagine that’s the case here. There’s a world where the price drops by a couple of hundred dollars or more during a sale later this summer or fall.
Remember that Motorola sells a series of Razr models. If you don’t want to spend $1,500, there’s the Razr Plus for $1,100 and the baseline Razr for $800. You also might find the 2025 Razr Ultra discounted. Its $1,300 price dropped to $800 for a Mother’s Day sale, so it’s always worth keeping an eye out for discounts, especially around shopping events like Prime Day or Black Friday.
The 2026 Razr Ultra’s Alcantara design is a beaut
This Razr Ultra is gorgeous.
The 2026 Razr Ultra is the best-looking phone I’ve seen this year. My review loaner was in Pantone orient blue, which looks purple a lot of the time. I’m talking Joker from Batman purple! The new Ultra has a gorgeous Alcantara fabric back — think high-end autos like Porsches. Remember, a fabric back doesn’t crack if you drop it. I have noticed that mine collects lint easily, though, and I’m just waiting for the Razr Ultra to be on the wrong end of some pasta sauce or red wine.
The new Ultra keeps the amazing 4-inch cover display from last year, which is still outstanding to use and offers the best experience on any 2026 flip phone. The internal display gets brighter, reaching 5,000 nits peak brightness (up from 4,500 nits on the Ultra 2025). It’s not always an obvious difference, but under the California sunshine, I’ll take every extra bit of brightness I can get.
The 2026 Razr Ultra takes colorful photos
The main camera has a new sensor that better protects the brightest parts of your photos, allowing them to retain more detail and shading.
The cameras are basically the same as last year’s model, with one upgrade that will make photography nerds salivate. The main wide-angle camera now has a LOFIC sensor: Lateral Overflow Integration Capacitor (rolls off the tongue). The camera can better protect the highlights in your photos, so the brightest parts of your image don’t blow out to solid white. Instead, photos retain more detail and shading.
Enlarge Image
The main camera does really well when the sun is low in the sky. Notice the color and detail in the buildings under bright sunlight.
However, that LOFIC sensor ramps up the color saturation a lot.
Enlarge Image
The Razr Ultra does a good job at balancing this scene taken right after sunset, but the color is almost too vibrant. This isn’t how it looked in real life.
I did a mini-camera shootout between last year’s Ultra and the new one. Look at the images below of an atrium with a compluvium. The photos from both Ultra phones look similar, but notice how the underside of the roof is slightly darker in the corners of the new Ultra’s photo. The colors in the 2026 Ultra’s image are more saturated, especially in the wood tones and the tree’s green leaves.
In the images of palm trees below, you can see how saturated the green grass and palm fronds in the 2026 Ultra’s photo are. It didn’t look that green in real life, folks. Notice the sidewalk and street on the right side of the images — can you see how the details and colors are more pronounced?
I also noticed something strange. If you look at the tops of the palm trees in the 2026 Razr Ultra image, there’s a pronounced visible halo effect where the leaves and branches meet the blue sky. In fact, I spotted that soft white edging in many of the new Ultra’s photos when trees were photographed against the sky. It looks as if the camera, in trying to balance the bright sky, has done a poor job of combining multiple exposures during the capture process.
Another image where the tree has a strange “halo” around its top.
The image below, of the Mission Basilica in San Francisco, shows it at its worst. Between that halo cutout around the edges of the trees and the increased saturation, the result is a very artificial-looking photo.
In this photo of the Mission Basilica, the trees have a “halo” around the edges that might be the result of poor alignment between HDR image layers.
That’s not to say that I haven’t gotten some truly wonderful images from the new Razr Ultra. I have and here are a bunch below.
I Took 200 Photos With the Motorola Razr Ultra and Here’s What I Learned
See all photos
And because of its size and shape, the Ultra is perfect for candid moments like the cover-screen selfie I got with CNET’s Abrar Al-Heeti at Google I/O.
We are at Google I/O and clearly thrilled.
I hope Motorola can tweak the color and tuning of the Razr Ultra’s main camera, because it could be outstanding at photography with just a bit of help.
Then there’s the 2026 Razr Ultra’s videos
The heavy color saturation is even worse in video recordings. Check out the embedded review video to see examples. If you’re planning on zooming in while shooting video, I wouldn’t. Digital zoom for video on the new Razr Ultra is bad. The image just falls apart.
Watch this: I Tested the Razr Ultra 2026 and Think Motorola Has Lost Its Mind
The battery life on the 2026 Razr Ultra is great
The phone has a 5,000-mAh battery.
Thanks to new technology, the new Ultra’s battery life is great. The phone has a silicon-carbon battery, a new type of lithium-ion battery in which the negative electrode is made of silicon and carbon. This chemical combo gives the battery more capacity: 5,000 mAh compared to 4,700 mAh on last year’s model.
The good news is that, in my testing, the new Razr Ultra lasts a day and some change on a single charge. But so did the 2025 Razr Ultra, with its more common lithium-ion battery, when I reviewed it. I think the brighter main screen might be eating up some of the gains from the new battery but there were times where, with light use (like on a weekend) it made it a day and a half before needing a charge — which on a foldable phone is kind of unbelievable.
The 2026 Razr Ultra charges fast
The $1,500 flip phone supports a maximum charging speed of 68 watts, but doesn’t come with the plug.
The flip phone supports a max 68-watt speed and in CNET’s 30-minute charging test, it went from empty to 52%, which is good. But last year’s Ultra also supports 68-watt wired charging and hit 55%. Samsung’s Galaxy Z Flip 7 added 59% in the same time and only needs a 25-watt charger to do so.
I should note that to get that top 68-watt speed, your wall plug needs to support TurboCharge power delivery. I ran my tests with a $60 plug that Motorola lent me — the Razr Ultra doesn’t come with it. It’s one thing not to include a charger in the box of a $1,500 phone, and another to charge folks an extra $60 for one that actually lets it hit that speed.
The Razr Ultra supports 30-watt wireless charging, but good luck finding a charger that works at that speed. In fact, a Motorola representative told me that “the 30-watt figure represents the device’s maximum supported capability using proprietary technology under ideal conditions.”
Motorola doesn’t sell a 30-watt wireless charger. There aren’t third-party ones that would work either. It’s like having a car that can go 300mph but lacks a transmission to put it in drive. Sigh.
Final thoughts on the 2026 Motorola Razr Ultra
I like the Razr Ultra so much, but between its price and shortcomings, it’s tough to recommend.
The first modern Razr foldable phone arrived in 2020 and debuted at a $1,495 price, $5 less than this version, and with retro styling that I still miss. In nearly every way, the new Razr Ultra in 2026 is a giant improvement over that first model.
But it’s not competing in the same market as six years ago. Features improved, the Razr line expanded to three models, and prices went down — for a while. Now, asking $1,500 for small improvements (and, in some cases, poorer photos) compared to 2025’s model is a tough sell.
While Motorola has extended its software support. You get three years of OS updates and five years of security patches. The 2025 Razr Ultra received only four years of security updates. Even if you opt for last year’s model to save money, you’re looking at a couple of years before the OS becomes outdated. By comparison, Samsung offers seven years of OS and security updates on its Galaxy Z Flip 7. Also consider that in a matter of weeks, we’re likely to see the Galaxy Z Flip 8. So if you can hold off on getting a new clamshell foldable phone, you might have another option that costs less, lasts longer, and offers better resale value.
Motorola Razr Ultra 2026 spec vs. Razr Ultra 2025, Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 7, Razr Plus 2026
| Motorola Razr Ultra 2026 | Motorola Razr Ultra (2025) | Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 7 | Motorola Razr Plus 2026 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cover display size, tech, resolution, refresh rate | 4-inch pOLED, 1,272×1,080 pixels; up to 165Hz variable refresh rate | 4-inch pOLED, 2,992×1,224 pixels, up to 165Hz variable refresh rate | 4.1-inch AMOLED; 1,048×948 pixels; 120Hz refresh rate | 4-inch pOLED; 1,272×1,080 pixels; up to 165Hz variable refresh rate |
| Internal display size, tech, resolution, refresh rate | 7-inch AMOLED; 2,992×1,224 pixels; up to 165Hz variable refresh rate | 7-inch AMOLED; 1,272×1,080 pixels, up to 165Hz variable refresh rate | 6.9-inch AMOLED; 2,520×1,080 pixels; 1 to 120Hz refresh rate | 6.9-inch pOLED; FHD+; 2,640×1,080 pixels; up to 165Hz variable refresh rate |
| Pixel density | Cover: 417 ppi; Internal: 464 ppi | Cover: 417 ppi; Internal: 464 ppi | Cover: 342ppi; Internal: 397ppi | Cover: 417 ppi; Internal: 413 ppi |
| Dimensions (inches) | Open: 2.91×6.75×0.28 in; Closed: 2.91×3.47×0.62 in | Open: 2.91×6.75×0.28 in; Closed: 2.91×3.47×0.62 in | Open: 2.96×6.56×0.26 in; Closed: 2.96×3.37×0.26 in | Open: 2.91×6.75×0.28 in; Closed: 2.91×3.47×0.6 in |
| Dimensions (millimeters) | Open: 73.99×171.48×7.19mm; Closed: 73.99×88.12×15.69mm | Open: 73.99×171.48×7.19mm; Closed: 73.99×88.12×15.69mm | Open: 75.2×166.7×6.5mm; Closed: 75.2×85.5×13.7mm | Open: 73.99×171.42×7.09mm; Closed: 73.99×88.09×15.32mm |
| Weight (grams, ounces) | 199g (7 oz) | 199g (7 oz) | 188g (6.63 oz.) | 189g (6.67 oz) |
| Mobile software | Android 16 | Android 15 | Android 16 | Android 16 |
| Cameras | 50-megapixel (wide), 50-megapixel (ultrawide) | 50-megapixel (wide), 50-megapixel (ultrawide) | 50-megapixel (wide), 12-megapixel (ultrawide) | 50-megapixel (wide), 50-megapixel (ultrawide) |
| Internal screen camera | 50-megapixel | 50-megapixel | 10-megapixel | 32-megapixel |
| Video capture | 4K | 4K | 4K | 4K |
| Processor | Snapdragon 8 Elite | Snapdragon 8 Elite | Samsung Exynos 2500 | Snapdragon 8s Gen 3 |
| RAM/storage | 16GB + 512GB | 16GB + 512GB, 1TB | 12GB + 256GB, 12GB + 512GB | 12GB + 256GB |
| Expandable storage | None | None | None | None |
| Battery | 5,000 mAh | 4,700 mAh | 4,300 mAh | 4,500 mAh |
| Fingerprint sensor | Side | Side | Yes | Side |
| Connector | USB-C | USB-C | USB-C | USB-C |
| Headphone jack | None | None | None | None |
| Special features | IP48 rating, 68-watt wired charging, 30-watt wireless charging, 5-watt reverse charging, dual stereo speakers, Corning Gorilla Glass Ceramic cover display, 3,000 nits peak brightness on cover display, 5,000 nits peak brightness on main display, 5G (sub-6). hall sensor, proximity sensor | IP48 rating, 68-watt wired charging, 30-watt wireless charging, 5-watt reverse charging, dual stereo speakers, Corning Gorilla Glass Ceramic cover display, 3,000 nits peak brightness on cover display, 4,500 nits peak brightness on main display, 5G. | One UI 8, IP48 water resistance, 25W wired charging, Qi wireless charging, Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 5.4, Galaxy AI | IP48 rating, Corning Gorilla Glass Victus on front, titanium-reinforced hinge, 2,400 peak brightness on cover display; 3,000 nit peak brightness on main display, 5G (sub-6), Wi-Fi 6/6E, Wi-Fi 7, 45-watt wired charging, 15-watt wireless charging, 5-watt reverse charging. |
| US price starts at | $1,500 (512GB) | $1,300 (512GB) | $1,100 (256GB) | $1,100 (256GB) |
How we test phones
Every phone CNET’s reviews team tests is used in the real world. We test a phone’s features, play games and take photos. We examine the display to see if it’s bright, sharp and vibrant. We analyze the design and build to see how it is to hold and whether it has an IP rating for water resistance. We push the processor’s performance to the extremes using standardized benchmark tools like GeekBench and 3DMark, along with our own anecdotal observations navigating the interface, recording high-resolution videos and playing graphically intense games at high refresh rates.
All the cameras are tested in a variety of conditions, from bright sunlight to dark indoor scenes. We try out special features like night mode and portrait mode, and compare our findings against similarly priced competing phones. We also check out the battery life by using it daily, as well as running a series of battery drain tests.
We take into account additional features like support for 5G, satellite connectivity, fingerprint and face sensors, stylus support, fast charging speeds and foldable displays, among others, that can be useful. We balance all of this against the price to give you the verdict on whether that phone, whatever price it is, actually represents good value. While these tests may not always be reflected in CNET’s initial review, we conduct follow-up and long-term testing in most circumstances.
