This week, Motorola unveiled its new flip foldables, which boast dust resistance (IP48) – a rare feature on foldables. Also this week, Samsung’s mid-rangers drop even lower but there are some alluring alternatives.
The Razrs first. The Motorola Razr 60 Ultra features a proper flagship chipset, the Snapdragon 8 Elite, unlike the “s” chip of its predecessor. It has a large, bright 7” 4,000 nits display with a higher resolution (1224p+, up from 1080p+) and a 4” cover display. Motorola also increased the battery capacity significantly (4,700mAh, 700mAh more than the previous Ultra) and charge speed (68W/30W, up from 45W/15W). The new model has three 50MP cameras: 1/1.56” main with OIS and 8K video, 50MP ultra-wide (instead of 2x tele) and 50MP selfie.
The Motorola Razr 60 is a more modest improvement over the previous model, though that IP48 rating counts for a lot. The Dimensity 7400X chipset is a concern for long-term performance, but the larger 4,500mAh battery (30W/15W) is appreciated. This model has a 6.9” 1080p+ inner and 3.6” cover displays. The cameras are 50MP main and 13MP, plus a 32MP selfie.
A couple of weeks ago, the Samsung Galaxy A56 8/256GB model was on sale, now the 8/128GB variant is available as well.
But hold on – the Samsung Galaxy S24 is down to €490, if you go for the Cobalt Violet color. Note that there are only a few units left and the other colorways are €100 more. But if you can get it at €490, it’s a better deal than the A56. Sure, the Euro model uses an Exynos 2400, but it’s nicer than the Exynos inside the A-series model. And you get a telephoto camera, DeX, wireless charging, a higher IP rating and other goodies suitable for a flagship.
Next up, the Samsung Galaxy A36 is a bit cheaper than it was a couple of weeks ago – an 8/128GB phone is €325 now, was €350. This is quite similar to the A56, but with a Snapdragon 6 Gen 3 instead of an Exynos 1580, UFS 2.2 storage instead of 3.1, a plastic frame instead of aluminum and an 8MP ultra-wide camera instead of 12MP. You can find a more detailed comparison here.
But let’s also look at two Xiaomi offerings that are cheaper than the A35. The Poco X7 Pro boasts a Dimensity 8400 Ultra (with all-big CPU cores) and an IP69 rating. It has a 6.67” 1220p+ 12-bit display and a 50+8MP camera. The global model has a large 6,000mAh battery with 90W charging.
The Redmi Note 14 Pro 5G gives up performance (it has a Dimensity 7300 Ultra), battery life (5,110mAh with 45W charging) and even water resistance (IP68) compared to the Poco. Both cost the same, so what gives? The Redmi is armed with a 200MP main camera, which offers great 2x and decent 4x zoom photos. It’s a larger sensor too, 1/1.4″ vs. 50MP 1/1.95″, so wide shots will look better as well.
The Realme 14 Pro is discounted significantly once you include the €50 voucher. However, the phone’s Dimensity 7300 Energy chip and sole 50MP camera on the back (we’re not counting the 2MP depth sensor) don’t look great for this price. This phone is focused on durability (IP69, MIL-STD-810H) and battery (6,000mAh, 45W) instead. The 6.77” 10-bit OLED display is pretty good too, especially with 4,500 nits peak brightness.
The Redmi Note 14 5G is €100 less than the Galaxy A36. While it doesn’t have the 200MP main camera of the Pro, it does have a 108MP sensor. The Dimensity 7025 Ultra chipset is comparable to the 7030, but this phone also offers a microSD slot and a 3.5mm headphone jack. The 6.67” display has lower resolution (1080p+) than the Pro and misses out on the GG Victus 2 protection. Water resistance is lower too, IP64. The 5,110mAh battery with 45W charging is the same, though.
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