Price and Storage: Expensive All Around
No matter how you slice it, these phones are expensive. Foldable phones generally cost more than their slab-style counterparts, and these top-of-the-line models are no exception.
Samsung’s Z Flip 7 starts at $1,099.99 for 256GB of storage, while a 512GB model costs $1,219.99. Both versions come with 12GB of RAM and run on the Samsung Exynos 2500 system-on-a-chip, which we’ve yet to test.
Galaxy Z Flip 7 (Credit: Eric Zeman)
The Razr Ultra starts with 512GB for $1,299.99, or $80 more than the 512GB Z Flip 7. The Ultra has 16GB of RAM, 4GB more than the Flip 7. If you need even more room for your apps, photos, and videos, a 16GB/1TB version of the Razr Ultra is available for $1,499.99. The Ultra is powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite, which is the top mobile processor available right now.
In short, the base version of the Razr Ultra costs $200 more than the Flip 7, but has twice the storage, 4GB more RAM, and a more capable processor.
Winner: Tie
Size and Design: Mostly the Same
Both the Z Flip 7 and the Razr Ultra feature designs that harken back to the early aughts when cell phones flipped open and snapped shut. These modern flips are generally taller, thinner, and more square than the originals, but work in a similar way. Both phones are generally the same size. The Galaxy Z Flip 7 measures 6.56 by 2.96 by 0.26 inches (HWD) in its open position and 3.37 by 2.96 by 0.54 inches when flipped closed. It weighs 6.63 ounces and has a 4.1-inch cover display and a 6.9-inch main display.
Razr Ultra (Credit: Sarah Lord)
The Razr Ultra is taller, thicker, and heavier than the Flip 7, but not by much. It measures 6.75 by 2.91 by 0.28 inches open and 3.47 by 2.91 by 0.62 inches. It weighs 7.02 ounces and has a slightly smaller 4-inch cover screen to go along with its slightly larger 7-inch main display.
They both have aluminum frames and reinforced hinges for lasting durability. The Flip 7 protects its outer display with Corning Gorilla Glass Victus 2, while the Ultra uses the tougher Corning Gorilla Glass Ceramic.
Z Flip 7 (Credit: Eric Zeman )
Each phone has an IP48 rating, which means it is protected from dust and other particles 1mm and larger and can withstand a dunk in about 5 feet of water for about 30 minutes.
The Flip 7 is available in Blue Shadow, Coral Red, Jetblack, or Mint, though the latter is a Samsung.com exclusive. Motorola worked with Pantone to create the colors for its phones. The Ultra is available in Cabaret (pink), Mountain Trail (wood), Rio Red, or Scarab (black).
Winner: Tie
Displays: Useful Outer Screens
The Z Flip 7 and the Razr Ultra both feature large outer displays, though one phone’s screen is more useful than the other. The Flip 7’s 4.1-inch Super AMOLED cover screen has a resolution of 1,048 by 948 pixels and a variable refresh rate between 60 and 120Hz. It reaches 2,600 nits of peak brightness, and while it looks impressive, it’s limited. You can only use about 20 apps on the outer display, and many of them require you to open the phone in order to access advanced features. Samsung’s outer display philosophy is more in line with the flip phones of old, wherein the outer screen was meant to provide glanceable information only. Samsung has certainly expanded the usability of the front display, but has yet to give it full access to all the phone’s apps.
Razr Ultra (Credit: Sarah Lord)
Motorola takes the opposite approach and treats the front display like a full extension of the phone. The 4-inch pOLED external screen features a resolution of 1,272 by 1,080 pixels with a variable refresh rate up to 165Hz. It gets brighter than the Flip 7 at 3,000 nits. The best part? You can give the outer display access to your apps and use them without opening the device. Wanna play Genshin Impact? You can do it from the front display. Write an email, browse online, or reply to a text? All of this can be done on the outside screen.
There are fewer differences between the phones when it comes to the main displays. The Flip 7 has a 6.9-inch Dynamic AMOLED 2x main screen with a resolution of 2,520 by 1,080 pixels and an adaptive refresh rate between 1 and 120Hz. Like the front display, it reaches 2,600 nits of peak brightness. The Razr Ultra has a slightly larger 7-inch AMOLED main screen with a resolution of 2,992 by 1,224 pixels and a dynamic 165Hz refresh rate. It gets considerably brighter than the Flip 7, topping out at 4,500 nits. No matter how you look at it, the Razr Ultra has brighter, more useful displays.
Winner: Razr Ultra
Battery and Connectivity: One Is Better at Both
Samsung increased the size of the Galaxy Z Flip 7’s battery this year, bumping its capacity up to 4,300mAh from the 4,000mAh of the Flip 6. Samsung says this should be enough for 31 hours of video playback without needing to recharge. We test our batteries by running a 1080p video on loop over Wi-Fi with the screen set to full brightness, but have not yet been able to test Flip 7.
We have tested the massive 4,700mAh battery on the Razr Ultra, and it delivers. It lasted 22 hours and 3 minutes on a single charge, making it one of the longest-lasting flip phones we’ve seen. It’s unlikely the Flip 7 will beat this number, but it still should offer enough battery life to get through a whole day without needing to plug it in.
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Galaxy Z Flip 7 (Credit: Eric Zeman )
The Flip 7 supports 25W wired charging, 15W wireless charging, and 5W reverse wireless charging. The Ultra can support up to 68W wired charging, 30W wireless charging, and 5W reverse charging. Both phones require you to provide your own charging bricks and wireless charging pads.
In terms of connectivity, the Z Flip 7 supports all flavors of 5G, including sub-6GHz, C-band, and mmWave. The Razr Ultra, on the other hand, doesn’t support the faster mmWave technology, but does connect with sub-6GHz and C-band 5G.
Both phones can connect to Wi-Fi 7 networks. The Flip 7 is compatible with Bluetooth version 5.4; Motorola doesn’t specify which version of Bluetooth the Ultra uses.
Winner: Razr Ultra
Cameras: Neither Is Amazing
Both the Flip 7 and the Ultra have a 50MP main camera with optical image stabilization (OIS). This Flip 7 also includes a 12MP ultra-wide camera with a 123-degree FoV and a 10MP selfie camera with an 85-degree FoV. We’ve yet to test the camera on the Flip 7, but it is identical to the system found on the Flip 6. We thought the Flip 6’s images looked clear, but were oversaturated.
Recommended by Our Editors
Galaxy Z Flip 7 (Credit: Eric Zeman )
The Ultra’s ultra-wide camera has a 50MP sensor with a 122-degree field of view and also works as a macro camera. The selfie camera has a 50MP sensor, too. We found the cameras on the Ultra to be the phone’s weakest link, though we thought the main camera did a good job capturing daylight scenes.
Winner: Tie (for now)
Software and AI: The Latest Chatbots Are on Board
The Flip 7 is one of the first phones to come preinstalled with Android 16 and Samsung’s One UI 8. It will also receive seven years of OS upgrades and security patches.
The Motorola Razr shipped with Android 15 and will eventually be upgraded to Android 16, though it’s unclear when. Unfortunately, it won’t get too many more upgrades than that. Motorola only offers the Ultra three years of OS upgrades and four years of security support.
Razr Ultra (Credit: Sarah Lord)
Both phones have AI baked into the system. The Flip 7 receives all of Samsung’s Galaxy AI goodies, including Circle to Search, Gemini Live, Note Assist, and Transcript Assist. It also packs Gemini Live AI Mode, a new feature that lets you have a conversation with Gemini Live from the outer screen.
The Razr Ultra is backed by Moto AI and includes a dedicated Moto AI key on the side of the phone. With its Catch Me Up feature, you can get a summary of your notifications, and with the Pay Attention feature, you can have it transcribe meeting notes. When in tent mode, you can glance at the display to activate Moto AI using the Look and Talk feature. You also get AI features from Perplexity, Meta, Google, and Microsoft, which partnered with Motorola to create Moto AI.
While the usefulness of AI features may be debatable, years of OS and software support are not, which gives Samsung the decisive edge.
Winner: Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 7
Which Flip Phone Is Right for You?
Samsung and Motorola both make excellent flip phones. They have fun and appealing designs, bright external screens, excellent battery life, and a full complement of AI tools. We still need to test the Galaxy Z Flip 7 before we can give you definitive buying advice, but based on the specs, these are our initial recommendations:
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If you need a flip phone with a lot of storage and the most powerful processor, you should get the Motorola Razr Ultra.
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The Galaxy Z Flip 7 is a better choice if you want to save some money and don’t need the absolute top specs.
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If epic battery life is important to you, get the Razr Ultra. It lasts all day and then some on a single charge.
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The Galaxy Z Flip 7 is the phone to get if you value long-term OS and security support.
We’re in the process of texting the Galaxy Z Flip 7 now, so check back soon for our full review.
