I’d take the Motorola Razr over the Galaxy Z Flip 7 FE any day

If there’s one thing I like, it’s a flip phone. If there are two things I like, they’re flip phones and good values. For a long time, only one device checked both boxes, and it was Motorola’s base-level Razr. Now, though, there’s a new competitor in town: Samsung’s Galaxy Z Flip 7 FE. At a glance, it looks like everything that a Samsung fan on a slightly tighter budget might want, yet I can’t see it pulling me away from the Razr that I already like so much.

Here’s why in a battle of the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 7 FE vs Motorola Razr (2025), I’m picking the Razr every time.

I’ve never shied away from the fact that Samsung’s Flex Window experience isn’t my favorite. Sure, its collection of widgets is excellent — they’re probably the most reliable way to check the weather, adjust my Spotify playlist, and keep up with my hectic calendar — but I only see widgets as half the battle. As soon as I need to go deeper on my cover screen, the Galaxy Z Flip tends to give up while the Razr keeps pushing forward.

I mean, until Samsung gives up on Good Lock and gives me one unified app drawer experience on the Flex Window, I will always recommend the Razr’s simple setup. Essentially, Motorola’s approach to opening apps on its 3.6-inch cover screen is to let you opt into any apps and hope for the best. Usually, it works out pretty well. I’ve had no problems swiping through Instagram, dealing kudos on Strava, or placing a quick order on GrubHub. Maybe I have to adjust the window above or below the camera cutouts now and then, but I’ve yet to find an app that won’t play ball.

On the other hand, Samsung limits the apps optimized for its 3.4-inch Flex Window to little more than YouTube, Google Maps, and Google Messages. At least, I haven’t found any others that work in the default app drawer, because I’m too quick to install Good Lock and set up a secondary drawer for everything I’ll actually use. Granted, I appreciate not having to modify the window every time a button gets lost behind the cameras, but I’m not sure if that’s enough to outweigh the odd folder-like shape. Also, Samsung’s unlisted refresh rate lags behind the Razr’s 120Hz cover screen, no doubt about it.

On top of looking for the best cover screen experience I can get, I’ve always subscribed to the idea that a flip phone should look as fun as it feels. If I pull a tiny, Klondike Bar-shaped phone out of my pocket, I want people to take notice. I want something fun and different that will get at least one or two people to turn their heads and ask a question, especially if they had an original Razr back in the day, if only because it allows me to talk about my favorite type of Android phone.

As you might imagine, I think the Razr (2025) checks that box much better than the Galaxy Z Flip 7 FE. Between its fun, Pantone-partnered colors and funky textures and materials, it’s far more enjoyable to pull the Razr out of my pocket and turn it over in my hand. I wasn’t sure that the nylon-inspired Gibraltar Sea version that I received for review would have enough grip on its back panel, but I was happy to be proven wrong, and I continue to display it on my desk right alongside the last few generations of Motorola flip phones. And, if nylon isn’t your speed, Motorola has a pair of leather-inspired options in Parfait Pink and Spring Bud or an acetate-paneled Lightest Sky that might work instead.

Samsung’s mid-level flip phone, on the other hand, pulls directly from the previous Galaxy Z Flip 6, but it skips the one thing that made that design enjoyable: the colors. Samsung carried almost every last millimeter of its Galaxy Z Flip 5 into the Galaxy Z Flip 6, relying on new colors to spice up the overall style. Now, its first foldable Fan Edition is doing the same. It looks and feels identical, from the folder-shaped Flex Window to the flat-sided frame to the 6.7-inch internal AMOLED panel.

The only problem is that the colors Samsung is counting on couldn’t be more bland — you can get the Galaxy Z Flip 7 FE in black, or you can get it in white. Even Henry Ford would probably get bored with these color options before long. Perhaps the most disappointing part of the limited color options for the Galaxy Z Flip 7 FE is that it feels so unlike Samsung. I’m used to getting my choice of fun shades from the Fan Edition series, with the Galaxy S24 FE coming in options like Blue and Mint to break me out of the simple grays.

On the bright side, though, Samsung’s use of Armor Aluminum and Gorilla Glass Victus 2 is just a bit tougher than the Razr’s panel of original Gorilla Glass Victus. Both budget-minded flip phones pack IP48 ratings, which are plenty good against water, but you’ll want to be careful about trips to the beach.

If there’s one advantage I cannot hand to the Razr (2025), it’s software support. Despite spending time owned by Google and running the far lighter, smoother Android skin, Motorola’s commitment to keeping that software up to date lags far behind what Samsung has to offer. Its mere three years of Android updates and four years of security patches is only about half of what Samsung has to offer, and will leave the Razr watching from the sidelines by the time Android 18 rolls around. The Galaxy S24 FE, on the other hand, will get seven years of Android and security support, carrying it comfortably into the 2030s.

My issues with Samsung’s Flex Window probably tell you which Android skin I prefer overall. Although I’ll have to upgrade my Razr (2025) a few years before my Galaxy Z Flip, I’d much rather have the light, Pixel-esque Hello UX in my pocket, jumping through its simple, organized app drawer and keeping myself from getting lost in its menus. Everything about exploring and customizing a Razr makes navigating the Galaxy Z Flip 7 FE feel like a cumbersome mess of menus — and that’s before you install Good Lock.

Motorola’s clean, color-coordinated themes and reliance on the default Google apps make its overall software experience much cleaner and easier to recommend. Sure, there’s usually still a bit of bloatware, but it’s easier to purge one or two apps like Facebook and Netflix than to decide between Samsung’s internet browser, in-house Gallery app, and Microsoft-based extras like OneDrive and Outlook.

Of course, if you’re willing to explore customization, you might find that Samsung’s Good Lock modules are worth every penny. Clever twists like DIY Home allow you to make your home screen into just about any level of organized grid or absolute chaos that you desire, while several star-based modules (like MultiStar, RegiStar, QuickStar, and NaviStar) give you control over everything from your navigation buttons to the finer parts of your settings menu. I prefer to keep my Android experience as clean as possible, so I only really download MultiStar because I need it for better control over the Flex Window, but you might find that Samsung’s extras are right up your alley.

I get the idea of the Galaxy Z Flip 7 FE on paper — it’s almost the same as the motivation behind Motorola’s base Razr. However, in practice, I think it misses what makes the Razr (2025) so good. Where Motorola’s entry-level flip phone feels like a distinct launch, offering its own design, its own cameras, and a meaningfully cheaper price, the Galaxy Z Flip 7 FE feels like a rebadged Galaxy Z Flip 6, but without as much power and not nearly as much of a discount off the price of the Galaxy Z Flip 7.

The base Razr starts at just $699, making it a pretty reasonable bet for anyone looking to upgrade to a flagship phone. It’s more affordable than the Galaxy S25, the Pixel 9, or even the iPhone 16, which should convince at least a few prospective buyers to try something new. It’s a full $300 cheaper than the mid-level Razr Plus and around $500 less expensive than the top-end Razr Ultra, but has enough of an identity to stand apart from either one.

The Galaxy Z Flip 7 FE, on the other hand, starts at $899 — one of the toughest price points in flagships. It’s more expensive than most base options, yet slightly more affordable than beasts like the Pixel 9 Pro and Galaxy S25 Plus, making it a way to save a little bit of money. However, by keeping that $100, you’re downgrading your charging speed, ditching a third rear camera, risking a lower IP rating, and limiting yourself to simple color options like black and white. Maybe none of that is a dealbreaker to you, but it changes how I see Samsung’s new offering.

Where the Razr (2025) is a fun, colorful flip phone that could be a great way to get your foot in the door, the Galaxy Z Flip 7 FE is a near-flagship with the wrong set of cuts. It’s caught between two worlds, and I’d much rather pick the flip phone that knows where it stands.