I haven’t used something besides an iPhone as my each day driver since 2015, nor have I usually used a laptop computer other than my MacBook for productiveness since then. That’s a decade of almost full immersion into the Apple ecosystem. I wouldn’t take into account myself a fanboy; I simply appreciated the comfort of all of it. However after having a look on the price ticket of the flagship iPhone 16 Professional Max and the comparatively minor upgrades it presents (even over my iPhone 12), the Motorola Razr 60 Extremely has caught my eye.
Its specs aren’t confirmed but, however the leak we noticed this morning comes from OnLeaks — a supply that’s not often mistaken on this topic. Foldable telephones are in every single place now (and Apple is rumored to be engaged on one, too), however the price ticket is the most important impediment for most individuals. The Razr 60 Extremely is anticipated to start out at $1,000 — lower than I paid for my present cellphone — and outclass even the iPhone 16 Professional Max when it comes to energy.
The Razr 60 Extremely outclasses Apple in nearly each means
As a journalist, the principle draw for the Apple ecosystem has largely been the Notes app. I can jot down ideas and observations on the go and have them ready on my laptop computer once I get dwelling, however that characteristic is definitely achieved by way of third-party functions. It isn’t sufficient to persuade me to purchase one other iPhone with barely any upgrades. The principle promoting level for the iPhone 16 was Apple Intelligence, and everyone knows how that’s turned out to this point.
The rising price of electronics has made me extra fastidiously take into account how I spend my cash, and the improve to the iPhone 16 Professional Max simply doesn’t seem to be sufficient. It solely has 8GB of RAM, and regardless of Apple’s claims, that isn’t sufficient. The Razr 60 Extremely has as much as 16GB of RAM, and whereas it maxes out at 512GB of inner storage, that’s greater than sufficient for a cellphone.
The iPhone 16 Professional Max could be a bit troublesome to make use of one-handed due to its dimension. Whereas that’s a perk for some individuals, I’ve all the time been a fan of mid-sized telephones reasonably than large bricks. A foldable strikes simply the suitable steadiness, giving me the choice to open all of it the way in which once I need to learn one thing or browse the online, or preserving it shut whereas I rapidly reply to messages all through the day.
Retina shows don’t supply the worth they as soon as did
At one time, Apple’s Retina shows have been top-of-the-line. Don’t get me unsuitable, they’re nonetheless glorious — however AMOLED screens match them in most any means that issues, and the Razr 60 Extremely helps a refresh fee as much as 165Hz versus the 120Hz for the 16 Professional Max. Meaning smoother animations. Its max brightness of 4,500 nits far outstrips the 16 Professional Max’s 2,000 nit peak brightness, too.
I need a transparent decision and textual content greater than I care about coloration accuracy. I need to have the ability to simply see textual content whereas studying. The one content material I have a tendency to look at on my cellphone is Instagram and TikTok vids, and I don’t want cutting-edge shows to look at kittens frolic within the grass (though it by no means hurts.)
If I targeted on images, I would fear extra about coloration accuracy. Because it stands, although, other than snapping footage of my very own cats, I don’t use my cellphone digital camera for a lot.
However that additionally isn’t a priority, because the Razr 60 Extremely is alleged to have a dual-camera setup with two 50MP sensors, on prime of a 50MP entrance digital camera for all my selfie wants. By uncooked numbers, that beats the 16 Professional Max’s 48MP sensors, though the Apple Digicam Interface structure may give it an edge — we received’t know till we get hands-on with the Razr 60 Extremely.
The Motorola Razr 60 Extremely seems prefer it provides much more bang for the buck than a brand new iPhone would. It additionally has Gemini AI integration, which places it forward of the iPhone 16 line when it comes to something greater than bare-bones AI performance.
Whereas switching from Apple to a unique platform would end in some misplaced integration (and the necessity to switch years of notes to a different service), the leap in efficiency — and the associated fee financial savings — nearly makes it really feel worthwhile. I haven’t but made up my thoughts whether or not to change, however as my iPhone 12 nears the top of its practical lifespan, it’s positively one thing I’m contemplating. The final smartphone I had earlier than switching to iPhone was a Razr, and it feels oddly applicable to bookend the expertise with one other cellphone from the identical household.
I can also’t discuss switching with out mentioning the look of the Razr 60 Extremely. That wood-grain look holds a selected attraction, as does the forest inexperienced coloration possibility. After years of comparatively boring iPhone choices, it will be good to leap to a handset that appears so significantly better.