CNET reviews: The best flip phones
The Motorola Razr has a number of great features and it won't break the bank. Credit: CNET/James Martin
The Motorola Razr Plus and Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 6 are among the newest wave of clamshell-style foldable phones. The current iteration of flip phones with folding screens have been around for four years now.
These new flip phones have large cover displays, good cameras, and aside from folding in half are just like using a regular candy-bar-style phone.
WHAT Motorola Razr Plus
THE COST $799.99
AVAILABLE FROM motorola.com
Taken on its own terms, the Motorola Razr Plus is outstanding. It's also a delight to use. The 4-inch cover screen makes the Razr feel like two phones in one. You can use pretty much any app on the outer display, as well as respond to messages, watch videos, make video calls and even play games — all without opening up the Razr Plus.
Add to that a long battery life, fast charging, improved cameras and an IPX8 rating that certifies that the Razr Plus will survive temporary dunking and you realize just how much value Motorola has poured into its flagship foldable.
WHAT Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 6
THE COST $1,099.99
AVAILABLE FROM samsung.com
For better or worse, Samsung's Galaxy Z Flip 6 foldable is packed with AI. It can take a rough sketch and turn it into artwork or help you have a conversation in French or Korean. The new autofocus/autozoom feature lets you prop the phone in a half-open position and the Z Flip 6 will automatically zoom in or out (switching between the main and ultrawide cameras) to get a photo that best suits the moment.
Samsung's latest clamshell style foldable has a new 50-megapixel main camera; a smaller hinge and crease; a larger battery and a Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 3.
WHAT Motorola Razr
THE COST $599.99
AVAILABLE FROM The 2024 Motorola Razr is impressive and won't break the bank. Yes, you'll have to make some compromises when it comes to camera quality, but you'll still generally get high-quality images on both the rear and internal cameras. The phone also has great battery life (it can last for over a day and a half), and that crease in the internal display is hardly noticeable when you're using your phone like usual.
The biggest selling point is that 3.6-inch cover screen, which is convenient for quickly replying to a text, pulling up the camera and controlling your music. The coolest feature is External Display Preview mode, which shows a preview of the photo you're snapping using the cover screen.
The following CNET staff contributed to this story: technology reporter Abrar Al-Heeti, senior editor Lisa Eadicicco, managing editor Patrick Holland and copy editor Jim Hoffman. For more reviews of personal technology products, visit cnet.com.
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Newsday Live Music Series: Long Island Idols Newsday Live presents a special evening of music and conversation with local singers who grabbed the national spotlight on shows like "The Voice," "America's Got Talent,""The X-Factor" and "American Idol." Newsday Senior Lifestyle Host Elisa DiStefano leads a discussion and audience Q&A as the singers discuss their TV experiences, careers and perform original songs.
