Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 6 vs. Motorola Razr Plus (2024): Which flip phone will win?

A Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 6 vs. Motorola Razr Plus (2024) showdown figures to be one of the most significant foldable phone face-offs this year. Last year's models were evenly matched in the battle to be the best foldable phone, so we're excited to see what Samsung and Motorola have planned for an encore.

We won't have to wait much longer for the Galaxy Z Flip 6 . Samsung has set a date for its next Galaxy Unpacked event , where the updated flip phone figures to be one of the new foldables introduced by the phone maker. (The Galaxy Z Fold 6 is also expected to debut at the event.) We're looking for a new chipset, larger cover display and additional Galaxy AI features to make the Galaxy Z Flip 6 stand out from the crowd.

Meanwhile, Motorola has stolen some of the Galaxy Z Flip's thunder by already announcing its latest foldable Razr phones. The Motorola Razr Plus (2024) is the higher-end of the two new models and it gets a processor bump, a larger cover display and some AI capabilities of its own. So yes, these are still two evenly matched phones.

A full Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 6 vs. Motorola Razr Plus (2024) face-off will have to wait until Samsung's phone finally arrives and we get to spend more time with the Razr. But here's how this showdown is shaping up, based on our Motorola Razr Plus (2024) hands-on time and what the rumor mill has told us about the Galaxy Z Flip 6.

Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 6 vs. Motorola Razr Plus (2024) specs

Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 6 vs. Motorola Razr Plus (2024) price

Thanks to the Motorola Razr Plus (2024)'s debut, we already know how much that phone will cost — the same $999 starting price that Motorola charged for last year's Plus. That gets you a phone with 12GB of RAM and 256GB of storage.

If the Galaxy Z Flip 6 retains the price of the Galaxy Z Flip 5 , then you're looking at a pair of $999 phones. However, one leaker has claimed that the cost of Samsung foldables will go up by $100 this year. That would mean a $1,099 Galaxy Z Flip 6.

We're not sure how much credence to give to that rumor. On the one hand, it comes from someone with a pretty good track record when it comes to intel on unannounced phones; on the other hand, it would put the Z Fold 6 at a pricing disadvantage just when there's more competition in the market for foldable phones. We hope for further clarity on the Galaxy Z Flip 6's price before Samsung's July 10 Unpacked event.

Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 6 vs. Motorola Razr Plus (2024) design

Don't expect sweeping changes to either phone, which will retain the same basic flip phone-esque look of their predecessors. No changes are rumored for the Galaxy Z Flip 6's waterdrop hinge, though the phone could be a little thicker, as Samsung's expected to try a bigger battery in the new model. An early Flip rumor tipped the phone to feature a thicker version of ultra-thin glass to make its display surface harder and better disguise the crease that can appear where the device folds in two.

Likewise, the Motorola Razr Plus (2024) looks a lot like the 2023 version, though Motorola did adjust the hinge to make the phone snap open and close with more snap. The Razr Plus now features IPX8 water-resistance so it can take a dunk in shallow water and live to tell the tale. (That matches the water resistance rating on the Galaxy Z Flip 5 and, one presumes, its successor.)

You can pick up the Motorola Razr Plus in midnight blue, spring green, peach fuzz and hot pink. Rumored color options for the Galaxy Z Flip 6 include blue, mint, silver, yellow and shadow. We'd guess that last one is Samsung's take on black or gray.

Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 6 vs. Motorola Razr Plus (2024) display

Samsung made its big change to the Flip's cover display last year, when the exterior panel increased from a 1.9-inch strip to a more expansive 3.4-inch screen. Samsung reportedly plans to boost the screen size again to 3.9 inches, which would allow for more apps to run on the Z Flip 6's external screen.

If Samsung had hoped to dwarf the Motorola Razr Plus (2024)'s screen, it had better brace itself for disappointment. Motorola also increased the size of its cover display, which is now 4 inches. It supports an always-on display as well, and when in a tent position, it can widgets of your choosing.

We're focusing on the cover displays because that's where the big changes are happening. Motorola's Razr Plus continues to offer a 6.9-inch interior screen, while the Galaxy Z Flip 6 should retain a 6.7-inch panel. Motorola does claim the Razr Plus can achieve a peak brightness of 3,000 nits, which is certainly brighter than what the 2023 version of the phone mustered. We haven't heard anything about improvements to the brightness of the Galaxy Z Flip 6 panel, with last year's phone promising 1,600 nits of brightness. (We measured 1,504 nits in our testing.)

Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 6 vs. Motorola Razr Plus (2024) cameras

In the past, the Motorola Razr Plus has claimed the better camera specs, and the 2024 edition of the foldable looks to build on that. The main camera gets an upgraded sensor — 50MP instead of the 12MP shooter in the Motorola Razr Plus (2023). In a more controversial move, Motorola has dropped the ultrawide lens on its foldable phone, replacing it with a 50MP telephoto lens supporting a 2x zoom. That's good news if you like to zoom on shots, but not so good if you prefer the wider field of view an ultrawide lens affords.

Big changes could be afoot for the Galaxy Z Flip 6 as well. After using a 12MP sensor fot the main camera since the very first Flip, Samsung may turn to a 50MP sensor this time around. The 12MP ultrawide lens is expected to remain in place.

Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 6 vs. Motorola Razr Plus (2024) performance

Samsung has always packed its foldables with the best silicon available, and it sounds like the Galaxy Z Flip 6 will be no exception. Rumors tip the new foldable to feature the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3, Qualcomm's top chipset which is found in many Android flagships.

The Motorola Razr Plus also features a system-on-chip from Qualcomm's 8 series, but it's not the fastest chip of the bunch. The Snapdragon 8s Gen 3 is a lower-cost variation on the regular Gen 3. It's got the neural engine to support AI features, but it's not as fast as the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3.

In other words, while the Motorola Razr Plus will offer AI features — more on those in a bit — it's likely not going to have the horsepower to keep up with the Galaxy Z Flip 6, assuming Samsung's phone uses the regular Snapdragon 8 Gen 3. We'll have to run benchmarks on both phones to confirm this, though.

Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 6 vs. Motorola Razr Plus (2024) battery life and charging

Battery life has not always been a part of the Flip's appeal, though the Galaxy Z Flip 5 took steps to correct that, with a time on our battery test that more or less matched the average smartphone's result. Samsung could improve on that performance thanks to the better power efficiency of the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chipset as well as a bigger battery. Some rumors have suggested that the Galaxy Z Flip 6 will feature a 4,000 mAh battery, though regulatory filings indicate that the battery may be closer in size to the Galaxy Z Flip 5's 3,700 mAh power pack.

The Motorola Razr Plus (2023) outlasted the Z Flip 5 last year, if only by 16 minutes in our test. Motorola did find room for a 4,000 mAh battery in the 2024 — the 2023 version used a 3,800 mAh power pack — so we'd expect to see some improvement in longevity this time around.

In addition to its bigger battery the Motorola Razr Plus (2024) also supports 40W charging, up from 30W on the 2023 version. The Galaxy Z Flip 5 charges at 25W wired, and we've heard nothing to suggest Samsung is improving things this year.

Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 6 vs. Motorola Razr Plus (2024) software

You'd expect Samsung's emphasis on AI-powered features to be quite an edge for the Galaxy Z Flip 6, which is likely to ship with all the Galaxy AI capabilities Samsung introduced with the Galaxy S24 before extending them to older phones via a software update. Prior to Galaxy Unpacked, Samsung has hinted very strongly that the phones arriving in July's Galaxy Unpacked will have Galaxy AI features that take advantage of their unique form factors.

Still, the Motorola Razr Plus (2024) is a pretty formidable competitor on the AI front. The phone has Google's Gemini Nano chatbot on-board, and you can even work with the chatbot from the Razr's cover display. A number of Moto AI features will also be available later on, allowing you to record meetings or get a summary of notification using voice commands.

On the software support front, Samsung will probably have Motorola beat, as Samsung offers a full seven years of software and security protection to recent flagships — a policy that will likely include the Galaxy Z Flip 6. The Motorola Razr Plus (2024) provides a comparatively limited three years of Android updates with an extra year of security protection.

Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 6 vs. Motorola Razr Plus (2024) outlook

The Motorola Razr Plus (2024) has stormed out of the gate, with some very impressive changes to its chipset, cover display and main camera. The addition of AI tools should keep Motorola's foldable in the conversation with Samsung's Galaxy AI capabilities.

For a true comparison, though, we're going to need to wait until the Galaxy Z Flip 6 debuts at Galaxy Unpacked in July. Only then will we have a better idea of who would win a Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 6 vs. Motorola Razr Plus (2024) face-off.

More from Tom's Guide

• Motorola Razr 2024 — 20 years later, is the flip phone cool again?
• 5 ways Motorola Razr (2024) beats Razr Plus (2024)
• Galaxy Z Flip 6 vs Galaxy Z Flip: What's changing