The new $1,500 Razr Ultra 2026 is one of the most controversial phones of the year — here's why

Nobody has a better lineup of foldables than Motorola, especially now that the Razr 2026 family is official. In addition to its three new flip-style phones, the Razr Fold is a fantastic addition that should keep Motorola’s name among the best foldable phones out there — offering a more robust option for those who crave power and productivity.

Yet, there’s a part of me that’s turned off by what Motorola is giving us this time, particularly with the Razr Ultra 2026. It’s receiving one of the steepest price hikes in recent memory: a $200 increase that jumps from $1,299 with the Razr Ultra 2025 to a staggering $1,499.

But the price itself isn't the only problem. Consumers need to be convinced that the latest model is actually worth the premium over the previous version. With the Razr Ultra 2026, however, that’s a tough sell, making it one of the most controversial phones of the year. Let me tell you why.

The specs don’t lie

Before anything else, I suggest analyzing the spec sheet above comparing the Razr Ultra 2026 and the Razr Ultra 2025. You’ll notice a pattern as you scroll down the list that validates my claim: the Razr Ultra 2026 is shaping up to be one of the most controversial releases of the year.

No, your eyes aren’t playing tricks on you — the specs are practically identical. Just last week, I wrote about how Motorola was clearing out existing Razr Ultra 2025 inventory to make way for this replacement. That phone saw an insane 46% discount, made even better by the fact that you were getting a 1TB storage upgrade for free.

While there are some notable refinements — like the shift to a 5,000 mAh silicon-carbon battery and faster charging speeds — the core hardware remains largely unchanged. Knowing that, it’s tough to justify springing for the newer model when the previous one can still be found for $799. Am I right?

Save 47%

Motorola Razr Ultra 2025 (1TB): was $1,499 now $799 at Motorola

The Motorola Razr Ultra 2025 is a premium foldable phone that packs a massive 7-inch display with an equally sizable 4-inch outer screen, all in a design that's 0.28-inches at its thinnest point. For something that svelte, it's also impressive that it's the longest lasting foldable phone that Tom's Guide has tested.

View Deal

Silicon-carbon switch is still good news

Despite the controversies, the upgraded 5,000 mAh silicon-carbon battery is a welcome addition that should keep the Razr Ultra among the leaders in our the best phone battery life list. The OnePlus 15 has already proven that this emerging tech is a recipe for reaching that once-impossible two-day mark, and I suspect the Razr Ultra 2026 will show that foldables can finally keep pace with traditional flagships.

Another major advantage of this battery isn't just longevity, it’s indirectly tied to the phone's design. If Motorola hadn’t made the switch, the phone would have undoubtedly been bulkier. Because silicon-carbon batteries are so densely packed, Motorola can fit a much higher capacity into the same physical footprint.

While I’m optimistic about the impact this upgrade will have, there’s still a part of me that knows it could be even better.

Recycling last year’s chipset

This isn’t the first time Motorola has done this because the Razr Plus 2025 famously used the same chipset as its predecessor, but the decision to stick with the Snapdragon 8 Elite for the Ultra 2026 feels like a setback. While battery life will undoubtedly improve thanks to the silicon-carbon tech, I can only imagine how much better it could have been with the new Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 3 — the same silicon powering rivals like the Galaxy S26 Ultra and OnePlus 15.

The power efficiency of the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 is undisputed, and it provides significantly more computational muscle. While most users likely won’t notice a day-to-day performance gap, my colleagues and I have already benchmarked what the latest Qualcomm silicon can do.

Knowing the Razr Ultra 2026 won't see those same meaningful gains is a bit of a letdown.

More money for essentially the same phone

I really hope other manufacturers take note here, because the asking price for the Razr Ultra 2026 is way off the mark. Perhaps a $50 increase would’ve been manageable, but a whopping $200 jump is downright outlandish for a phone spec’d almost identically to its predecessor.

Sure, there are new AI features that could help offset the cost — like the AI-powered wardrobe feature in Google Photos making its debut here — but it'll likely roll out to other devices soon. It also doesn't help that for an additional $400, you can step up to the far more capable Razr Fold. Not only is its price justified by how it's packing the latest Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 chipset, but also features a much more robust triple camera system, including a dedicated telephoto lens with 3x optical zoom.

I’m not sure if Motorola intentionally sought out this kind of attention, but the controversy here is undeniable.

Follow Tom's Guide on Google News and add us as a preferred source to get our up-to-date news, analysis, and reviews in your feeds. Subscribe to Tom's Guide on YouTube and follow us on TikTok.

More from Tom's Guide

• Apple just unveiled cheaper App Store subscriptions — here's how they work
• iPhone Ultra could be the start of a whole new era at Apple
• iPhone Fold will reportedly have 'four selling points' — here's how it will stand out