Moto Razr Ultra (left) vs. Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 8 (right)
Cesar Cadenas/Kerry Wan/ZDNET
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If you’re the retro type, or you just want a small, pocketable device, a flip phone is the way to go. In the U.S., you can buy a flip phone from two smartphone makers: Motorola and Samsung. Samsung just launched the Galaxy Z Flip 8 at its Unpacked event, and Motorola recently launched the Razr Ultra (2026). Sure, there are other flip phones out there, but these are your two top choices.
Also: I turned my Moto Razr into a tiny workstation – and wrote this entire story on it
Motorola also has two smaller devices: the Moto Razr and the Moto Razr Plus, but to level the playing field, we’ll focusing on the flagships. Wondering whether to go with Samung’s new offering or Motorola’s? Let’s break it down.
Specifications
Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 8
Moto Razr Ultra (2026)
Cover display
4.1-inch AMOLED, 120Hz, 2,600 nits
4-inch AMOLED, 165Hz, 3,000 nits
Inner display
6.9-inch AMOLED, 120Hz, 2,600 nits
7-inch AMOLED, 165Hz, 5,000 nits
Weight
180g
199g
ProcessorQualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite MobileRAM/Storage12GB / 256GB, 12GB / 512GB16GB / 512 GBBattery4,300mAh with 25W wired charging, 15W Wireless
5,000mAh with 68W wired charging, 30W wireless
Cameras50MP main, 12MP ultrawide, 10MP selfie50MP wide, 50MP ultrawidePrice Starting at $1,199
Starting at $1,499
Choose the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 8 if…
Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 8 in pink
Adam Doud / ZDNET
1. You want the best specs
Funny enough, neither of these phones really upgraded their specifications this year, relying instead largely on software experiences to justify the new model. That said, Samsung was already starting from a position of strength, and it upgraded the one specification that people generally look for: the processor.
The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 8 comes with the latest Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 for Galaxy, while the Moto Razr Ultra stood pat with last year’s Snapdragon 8 Elite. Don’t let the names fool you; technically the 8 Elite is the 4th generation, so it’s only one generation behind the Gen 5 version. However, that’s not great for future proofing and raw power.
Kerry Wan/ZDNET
It’s not that the latest processor will get you a ton of noticeable benefits on day one. But your videos will export a little quicker, your apps will load a little faster. Going forward, you might notice the Razr struggling to keep up, especially as more and more AI-powered features get integrated into your workflow.
2. You want to save some money, without compromise
The Razr Ultra costs $400 more than the base Galaxy Z Flip 8. If you want a better parallel, the 512GB Flip 8 is $1,399.99 which is still $100 less than the Razr Ultra. Considering the Razr Ultra is using older parts, this is just silly. Though to be fair, the Razr Ultra has more memory at 16GB. This one isn’t as cut-and-dry, but the fact of the matter is you can buy an equivalent phone for less money if it has Samsung on the label.
Also: I went hands-on with the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 8, but it’s not the upgrade I expected
This all comes with a giant caveat though — Motorola pricing. It’s the company’s M.O. to start a price high and bring it down after several months. The Moto Razr ultra is still priced at $1,499 as of this writing, almost two months after its initial release, so it’s likely the price will start to fall in the near future. I’m talking as early as the next Amazon Prime Day or Black Friday. So, if you don’t need to rush out to the store right now, a little patience might be in order.
3. You value the Samsung ecosystem
Samsung has a huge ecosystem of devices, even beyond mobile. If you have a Samsung TV, you can control it with your Samsung phone. If you have a Samsung laptop, you can use your Samsung phone as a webcam. The Samsung Galaxy Ring works best with a Samsung device on the other end. The Samsung watch can act as a shutter button for your phone’s camera. It’s all interconnected, and a ton of fun.
Also: Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra vs. Motorola Razr Ultra: This one is the better value
Motorola is working with a more limited ecosystem, which includes Lenovo laptops, which is great, but other accessories are mobile accessories. There aren’t any TVs or refrigerators, or washer/dryers with Motorola’s logo on them. Motorola also doesn’t have a smart ring, and its smart watch is not WearOS, so its capabilities are limited (though the Moto watch is significantly cheaper than Samsung’s). All that being said, if you have already bought into the Samsung ecosystem, you’ll be better off with a Samsung phone.
You should buy the Moto Razr Ultra if…
The Moto Razr Ultra 2026 is Motorola’s latest flagship foldable
Adam Doud / ZDNET
1. You want the best software… with a caveat
Motorola software is famously clean and easy to use. Motorola was once the property of Google, and the two continue to have a close relationship to this day. In fact, its software runs very close to stock Android in many respects. Motorola also has intuitive gestures built into the phone with the chop-chop gesture to turn on the flashlight, and the twist gesture to turn on the camera. I genuinely miss those when I don’t use a Motorola phone.
Also: I’ve tested every Motorola foldable phone in 2026 so far – how to pick between Fold and Ultra
Plus, Motorola treats the cover screen as a playground and let’s you decide what to put on it. Samsung to this day has a roadblock that prevents you from using any app you want on the cover screen without jumping through a hoop. It has gotten better with the software, but I’d like to see Samsung just get rid of that restriction.
The big caveat is that Motorola is famously bad at shipping software and security updates. It has gotten better over the years, but it still lags days, weeks, and even months behind basically everyone else when it comes to timely updates. Whether or not you care about that is up to you, of course.
2. You want the best cameras
Motorola was historically not known for its cameras, but it has really righted the ship in that regard with the latest generations. Now, the cameras are on par with any other flagship on the market, and certainly just as good as any foldable. There are some complaints that video quality lags behind, and that’s fair, but the overall quality you’ll get out of a Razr camera will generally be better than Samsung’s.
Cesar Cadenas/ZDNET
Megapixels aren’t everything, but Motorola ships three 50-megapixel cameras for Wide, UltraWide, and selfie cameras, making them the only flip foldables with triple 50-megapixel cameras. That’s mainly a number for the advertisers, but it still points to a camera quality you can depend on.
3. You care about battery and charging
Samsung introduced silicon carbon batteries in its foldables this year, but it’s still taking a very conservative approach. The Samsung phone has a 4,300 mAh cell while the Motorola Razr Ultra has a 5,000 mAh battery. That means the Motorola phone will last longer, and its versatility with the cover display will conserve battery that much more. Once you jump through Samsung’s hoops to install any app you want on the cover screen, that advantage gets zeroed out.
Also: Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 vs. Z Flip 8: I compared both models, and here’s the one to buy
However, the Moto Razr Ultra charged faster with both wired and wireless charging as well at 68W and 30W respectively. Not only will your phone last longer, but it will top up faster, which can be a big deal if you’re headed out for an evening after a long day. It’s one of those “have it and not need it” things that you really miss when you do need it.
Writer’s choice
This is a genuinely hard choice. You would do fine with either option. While the Samsung Z Flip 8 offers a superior hardware experience, it’s hard to discount Motorola’s software features. Motorola just flat out knows what it’s doing with software, and to be honest, a lack of updates doesn’t really bother me. Plus, as much as I pointed out that Samsung’s ecosystem experience is better, I prefer how smart connect works with a PC, so I have to give the nod to Motorola on this one and go with the Razr Ultra. But believe me when I tell you: it’s a very close race.
