Motorola officially launched the Razr Fold in Vietnam on August 19, marking the brand’s first book-style foldable since returning to the Vietnamese market.

The device arrives with several headline features, including a cover screen with a refresh rate of up to 165Hz, a large 6,000mAh battery and a camera system that, according to DXOMARK, currently ranks first among foldable smartphones.

Yet its VND49.99 million (about $1,900) price puts the Razr Fold firmly in premium territory - and could make the decision considerably harder for Vietnamese consumers given the alternatives already on the market.

A large 2K display inside, 165Hz screen outside

The Razr Fold features an 8.1-inch main display with 2K resolution, a peak brightness of up to 6,200 nits and a 120Hz refresh rate.

On the outside is a 6.6-inch display capable of reaching a 165Hz refresh rate and peak brightness of up to 6,000 nits.

When unfolded, the device measures just 4.7mm thick. It weighs 243 grams.

Folded, its thickness increases to 9.9mm.

The upper edge houses the speaker system and microphone, while the right side carries the power and volume buttons. Along the bottom are the SIM tray, USB Type-C charging port, speaker and microphone.

Three 50MP cameras and up to 100x zoom

Motorola has equipped the Razr Fold with three 50-megapixel rear cameras.

The ultrawide camera offers a field of view of up to 122 degrees and supports 4K video recording at 60 frames per second with Dolby Vision.

Its telephoto camera uses a Sony LYTIA 600 sensor, providing 3x optical zoom and digital plus AI-assisted zoom of up to 100x. It can also record 4K video at 60fps with Dolby Vision.

The main camera is built around a Sony LYTIA 828 sensor with 2.4-micrometer pixels and a 1/1.28-inch sensor size. It features optical image stabilization and multidirectional all-pixel autofocus, while supporting 8K video recording with Dolby Vision.

According to DXOMARK, the camera system currently places the Razr Fold at the top of its foldable smartphone camera rankings.

Snapdragon 8 Gen 5 and a 6,000mAh battery

Inside, the Razr Fold runs on Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Gen 5 processor and packs a 6,000mAh battery.

Motorola opened pre-orders in Vietnam on the evening of August 19, setting the retail price at VND49.99 million, or approximately $1,900.

Those specifications make for a capable premium foldable, but they also expose what could be the device’s biggest problem: at this price, buyers have reason to expect very few compromises.

The Snapdragon 8 Gen 5 is not Qualcomm’s newest and most powerful flagship mobile chipset. The three rear cameras, while sophisticated, all use 50MP sensors, while the display crease has not been optimized as completely as on some competing foldables currently available.

Nearly $1,900 puts the Razr Fold against formidable rivals

The price becomes particularly significant when the Razr Fold is compared with other premium foldables available to Vietnamese buyers.

At VND49.99 million, Motorola’s new model is only cheaper than the Oppo Find N6 among the devices cited here.

The Find N6 uses the newer Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 processor and features a 200MP main camera. It also incorporates Oppo’s second-generation Titanium Flexion hinge technology, designed to make the crease considerably less visible.

Samsung’s Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra presents another alternative. It offers a more powerful configuration and also features a 200MP main camera.

More importantly for price-conscious buyers, current promotions at Vietnamese retail chains have brought the Samsung foldable down to around VND43.5-44 million ($1,650-$1,670) - below the Razr Fold’s launch price.

That leaves Motorola with an unusual proposition.

The Razr Fold offers an exceptionally fast cover display, a large battery and an ambitious camera system. Its thin unfolded profile is another notable strength.

But at nearly $1,900, those advantages will have to be compelling enough to overcome rivals offering stronger headline specifications - in some cases, for less money.

For Motorola, therefore, the Razr Fold’s challenge in Vietnam may not be proving that it is a premium foldable. It will be convincing buyers that it is worth paying a premium for.

Le My