The brand new Motorola Razr 70 Extremely – known as the Motorola Razr Extremely (2026) within the US – has simply been introduced and I acquired to spend a while with it. At first look, you could be tempted to dismiss it as one more iterative replace, however there’s slightly extra occurring right here than you’ll first spot.
However I perceive the temptation: the Motorola Razr 70 Extremely begins at £1,199.99 within the UK, whereas the Razr 60 Extremely is discounted to as little as £799.99 direct from Motorola.
With that in thoughts, what does the Razr 70 Extremely get that’s new and the way does it higher the earlier machine?
There are upgrades to the Razr 70 Extremely within the digicam and battery departments, two areas the place prospects at all times need extra. Whereas the remainder of the cellphone is far the identical, it’s these two areas that make the largest adjustments.
Motorola simply launched 8 telephones: From Razr foldable to funds G
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Greater battery, with out the bloat
Beginning with the battery, I wasn’t capable of check the endurance throughout my hands-on time, however Motorola has elevated the battery capability to 5000mAh from 4700mAh on the Razr 60 Extremely.
This has been achieved with no improve within the cellphone’s weight and with out it getting any thicker.
This leaves the Razr 70 Extremely with a battery that’s considerably better in capability than the 4300mAh of the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 7, its important rival. Motorola doubles down on this benefit, providing 68W charging and though this isn’t new, it signifies that topping up the cellphone occurs in a flash.
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That’s positively a tick in the correct field for the Razr 70 Extremely, which maintains the design it beforehand supplied. Whereas the cellphone appears the identical, it’s the finishes the place Motorola maintains a novel attraction.
The Razr 70 Extremely is available in Pantone Orient Blue with an Alcantara texture, or Pantone Cocoa, with a wooden veneer (each proven beneath). This isn’t only a steel and glass sandwich like the remainder of the market; it’s one thing extra.
Motorola tells me that by way of its partnerships with manufacturers like Alcantara and Pantone, it was making an attempt to show the dialog away from simply the {hardware} specs.
A digicam change that issues
Whereas everybody loves endurance (particularly with out having to hold a cellphone that’s fatter), boosting the digicam is one thing that issues to potential consumers – and no matter how essential design is on the Motorola Razr, the digicam stays central to the expertise.
In our evaluate of the Razr 60 Extremely, we known as out a particular weak spot of the digicam, saying that it “struggled with publicity and shadows, which means images have been typically left over- or underexposed”.
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The large change within the Razr 70 Extremely is the transfer to a LOFIC sensor for the principle digicam. It’s nonetheless 50Mp with an f/1.8 aperture, however the brand new sensor know-how is particularly designed to extend the dynamic efficiency. Motorola says that it boosts dynamic vary by a whopping 6x.
That is backed up by a brand new picture processing pathway, together with quicker shot-to-shot instances and higher energy effectivity – one thing that each the brand new Razr 70 Extremely and common Razr 70 profit from.
From the time I’ve spent with the Razr 70 Extremely, I can’t make a closing judgement on the digicam efficiency, however it’s a technological transfer in the correct course and one thing we’ll totally discover in our evaluate.
There are a few new options for the digicam, together with a intelligent Body Match possibility which helps you to line up a photograph you wish to take, earlier than handing the cellphone to another person to allow them to take an image of you throughout the body on the display.
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It’s designed to cease strangers from taking horrible images of you – and like Google’s Add Me function on telephones just like the Pixel 10, it’s easy to make use of.
The second addition that’s thrilling is Rotate to Zoom. In camcorder mode (a function from the Razr that was launched in 2024), now you can zoom out and in by gently rotating the cellphone. It’s a refined gesture, and so long as you retain it gradual, you possibly can zoom out and in whereas the video stays steady.
It’s so significantly better than touching the display or making an attempt to pinch or the rest – it’s a extremely intelligent addition to the video operate.
Consolidation in design moderately than a revolution in efficiency
In case you’re on the lookout for {hardware} upgrades within the new Razr 70 Extremely, then I’m mainly on the finish of the listing: there’s a transfer to 5000 nits on the principle show over 4500 nits beforehand, however that’s about it.
With that, the expertise is far the identical because it was earlier than: the Snapdragon 8 Elite stays with no change from the 2025 mannequin and the shows are in any other case the identical as they have been earlier than.
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I discovered it nonetheless completely quick within the temporary time I had to make use of it and whereas shopping for older {hardware} on this form of flagship folding cellphone, at this worth, is tough to endorse, in actuality, folding telephones aren’t gaming telephones and Snapdragon 8 Elite is greater than succesful.
I didn’t get lengthy to discover the software program, however a lot of it appears much like present Motorola gadgets, just like the Motorola Signature that I just lately reviewed. Whereas a lot of that is near inventory Android, the introduction of Moto AI has seen this drifting in direction of a barely extra cluttered method.
There’s been a rise in bloatware and app recommendations, information and adverts showing on the lockscreen, in addition to a change to the apps tray that can add in Moto AI looking out the place you least anticipate it.
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However that’s not the tip of the story about software program and would possibly show you how to make your choice: the Razr 60 Extremely solely has 3 years of OS updates and 4 years of safety updates, whereas the Razr 70 Extremely has 3 years of OS updates and 5 years of safety updates.
A 12 months of that has already handed, so when you’re planning to maintain your cellphone longer than two years, then choosing the brand new mannequin is suggested – though it doesn’t stand as much as Samsung’s 7-year replace promise, with Motorola nicely behind the curve right here.
Preliminary verdict
The Motorola Razr 70 Extremely stays a pretty folding cellphone with Motorola’s use of colors and supplies rather more thrilling than rivals.
Foldable telephones are already a head turner and utilizing enjoyable supplies makes them rather more of a press release – and I’m all for that – though Samsung’s rival is slimmer and that makes a distinction in folding gadgets.
The transfer to a better worth signifies that the Moto Razr 70 Extremely is costlier than the Galaxy Z Flip 7 (although the upcoming Galaxy Z Flip 8 would possibly change that), transferring the Extremely into difficult territory.
At first look, it’s a greater cellphone than the earlier mannequin with that new battery and boosted digicam sensor and a few neat new options – however the temptation to avoid wasting a piece of money and purchase the 2025 mannequin stays – however do contemplate software program updates earlier than you make your choice.
Keep tuned for a full evaluate quickly.