A welcome reboot
As unique as its predecessor was , the Pixel 9 Pro Fold is a welcome reboot that is so much squeamish to utilize for prolonged periods . Both screen are ( mostly ) with child , the body-build is slender and light and everything just feels more high - end .
Pros
Cons
Key Features
Introduction
Google has decided against releasing the Pixel Fold 2 , with the Pixel 9 Pro Fold lease its position .
This is more than just a name change to bring the foldaway in line with other theoretical account in the 9 Pro series ; it ’s a complete reboot of what a folding Pixel is .
I ’ve spent the last two weeks with the Pixel 9 Pro Fold , using it as my primary equipment and lay it through its pace to see if this is thebest foldable phone , or just another challenger to theOnePlus Open .
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Design
The Google Pixel 9 Pro Fold is a big departure from the pattern of the original Fold . The squat shape has been chuck , put back by a body not too unalike to the excellent OnePlus Open .
It ’s thinner , lighter and soft to hold as a result . Even though I was charmed by the unmated passport look of the original Fold , there ’s no denying the updated mannikin is an improvement – even if it lack those distinctive looks .
This is a very thin foldable . When it ’s closed up , it is approximately the same thickness as an iPhone 15 Pro Max inside one of Apple ’s cause , and throughout my testing it has sat well in my pouch without feel irritating . The size of it is also shorter than most ‘ large ’ speech sound , so it can be used in one hired man – depend on how big your work force are .
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I used the first Pixel Fold from Google for several months and that was a heavy equipment , sagging down pockets and making itself very noticeable .
It is rigid and sturdy too , with a hinge that actually rent the screen fold completely flat – something the master copy failed to do without some force . This is a very expensive gadget , so it ’s unspoilt that It feels like it ’s worth that price in terms of its build .
Like the other 9 Pro phones , matte is the finish of pick here – and it ’s very welcome . The flat side of meat and back have an almost satin finish , that feel lenient in hand . Two color are available , a fairly standard mordant ( Obsidian ) and white ( Porcelain ) .
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It seems that Google does n’t betray these in the want numbers to make offering it in more alternative color viable , but I would love a Pixel foldable in the Peony pink the even Pixel 9 comes in .
Now , foldables as a class are still more delicate than received phones , and there ’s no saying how well the 9 Pro Fold will last over time . Google articulate the hinge is made of an aerospace - grade high - strength aluminium layer , while there ’s Gorilla Glass Victus 2 across the front and back . It ’s IPX8 rated too , similar to Samsung ’s foldables , so it ’s okay in shallow water but not resistant to solid object .
Google has been on a sustainability push with its devices over the past few class , admit switching to a box that is 100 % free of plastic . The Al in the caparison , hinge and photographic camera is also 100 % recycle .
Screens
Google has worked to elevate the screen across the whole Pixel 9 range , and the two displays on the 9 Pro Fold are great . The outer 6.3 - inch control board feel just like a standard , small Android phone and it ’s basically the same size as the Pixel 9 Pro . The 20:9 scene ratio is welcome too , avoiding that tall , narrow pattern that ’s such a dissentious feature of the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold compass .
With any iteration of the Samsung Z Fold , I would always shy away from using the outer display as I found it too restrictive . The apps would front eldritch because they were all squashed , and the board was too narrow for video or lite games .
Unless I am typing out a quick message or answer a call , I would always open up the Z Fold . By having a more traditional out screen , my manipulation cases with the Pixel 9 Pro Fold change altogether . I reach the earphone less , and it just feels like I am using the Pixel 9 Pro – until I require to catch a YouTube TV or toy a plot on the larger intimate canvas .
That internal screen is big at 8 inches , with a 1 - 120Hz refresh charge per unit and a sharp 2076 x 2152 resolution . It ’s a very straight panel , so you will get sizable pitch-black measure on either side of the 16:9 television but on the whole , it ’s great . I much favour opening up a Google Doc or Excel spreadsheet or replying to an e-mail or Slack substance , on this screen than on a traditional sound exhibit .
One big issue with the original PIxel Fold was the way apps would fight with the internal view ratio , displaying incorrectly or sticking to their phone version and leaving loads of space devastate . With the tweaked aspect , and an extra year of app development , the issue does n’t seem as detectable now .
Google has upped the brightness over its first foldable incoming , with this fashion model able-bodied to hit 2700 nit in sure situation and a more sustained 1600 when playing back HDR television . The update realise a real and detectable divergence , both for general everyday economic consumption ( outdoor visibility is excellent ) and for video playback .
My biggest issue with the silver screen is the same issue I have had with innumerable foldables , including theZ Fold 6 – the crease . Google , like Samsung , has n’t managed to follow the lead of Honor and OnePlus in eradicating the visible fold that run down the center of the screen .
I ’ve always found look towards the crease on foldable telephone set vary count on personal preference . Some can just look past it and move on , whereas others find it the single biggest issue with these form of phone . I ’m for certain in the latter pack .
The crease here is annoying . It ’s plaguy when you turn tail your digit across it and feel the bobble and it ’s pestering when you ’re seem at the screen at an slant and the sun reflects off . The fact that the screen and its charge plate program pick up fingerprints and fulsome blot far quicker than a standard glass dialog box is also annoying .
I understand why the bend is there , but when others have do to direct it out , it ’s hard to swallow when the 9 Pro Fold is such an expensive sound .
Performance
Aside from the design and some scene of the camera , the Google Pixel 9 Pro Fold is just another phallus of the Pixel 9 Pro family . It has the sameTensor G4chipset as the Pixel 9 Pro XL , meaning it ’s a equal to performing artist that impresses in AI performance but not so much in GPU oink , and the same 16 GB RAM .
The gap has widened even further with the Snapdragon rival in benchmark examination , with results from the Pixel 9 Pro turn up more comparable to the Tensor G3 than the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 - equipped competition .
When liken to the A17 Pro chipset inside the iPhone 15 Pro Max is not far off doubling the multi - core test event in Geekbench . While it might look a bit weak on paper , I ca n’t say I have been frustrated by pure carrying out throughout my daily use of the phone . Games play well , apps open up quickly and everything feels liquid .
Where carrying into action is super spanking is in AI task . The Pixel Studio image generator can whip up images in a few seconds , and the various AI photo editing whoremonger finish up without any foresighted waits . These are the tasks where Google is prioritise the processing business leader of Tensor , and it does show .
The 9 Pro sheepfold , like the Pixel 9 Pro XL , does get hot during play – even during short bouts in canonical titles . In more graphically intensive titles , a 20 - second turn of gambling can lead the metal sides feeling perceptibly warm . Even when charging the phone buzz off far warm than I am used to .
On one occasion during the brushup process , my partner picked up the earpiece while it was on charge and was perceptibly surprised by quite how warm it was .
Elsewhere , the Pixel 9 Pro has all the common high - oddment Android telephone features . There ’s a firm fingermark sensing element built into the power headstone , nano and eSIM living , Wi - Fi 7and Bluetooth 5.3 . surety is handle by the Titan M2 processor , and there are safety features like car crash detection .
Camera
The cameras on the Pixel 9 Pro Fold are n’t the same as the ones on the other two 9 Pro serial phones . Space remain tight on such a sparse gimmick , and that ’s clearly led to sacrifice having to be made .
There ’s a primary 48 - megapixel f/1.7 tv camera on the back , but the ultrawide and telephoto zoom cameras are 10.5MP and 10.8MP respectively putting them below the 9 Pro and 9 Pro XL . Neither of these lowly cameras are standout , and I was bit disappointed with the result from both .
In my examination , the fully grown loss is the zoom timbre where the miserable megapixel sensor has to rely on AI more to keep blastoff detailed . Considering the Pixel 9 Pro XL is one of the better phones for zoom on the mart , the Fold falls well below that .
The independent photographic camera stands out well as the best of the triplet – and Google ’s howling look-alike processing continue to give all shots a lovely contrast - hard look that I really care . It ’s a minuscule more natural than results from theiPhone 15 ProorGalaxy S24 Ultra , with softer skin tones and less emphasis on saturated colours ,
gloomy light bear on to be a stiff point for the phone , even if the Pixel is n’t the dark fighter it once was . Images obviate being overbrightened , instead matching realness tight and colouration are n’t artificially pumped out .
There are two 10MP selfie cameras ( one on the inside , one on the screening screen ) both of which have the same specs , so you’re able to practice them both look on the scenario without sacrifice calibre .
Google ’s late Pixel phones have become known for their cortege of AI exposure and editing instrument . Alongside some new additions , all the old classic are present and all perform a little bit better than they have done before . There are also a few Fold exclusive camera software tricks , like being able to stick a cark image on the outer display to watch the care of kids who have dwindle tending spans .
Zoom Enhance boost the contingent of cropped photograph , and the newAdd Mefeature leave lensman to get in on chemical group guessing . append Me is violent , assure even the taker of the photo can get in the action . It ’s a little bit of an elaborate process for it to make for , and often arms and ankles can calculate very singular in the last , yet if you do n’t look too closely the results can be impressive .
As my co-worker Lewis noted in hisPixel 9 Pro XL review , there ’s still secure argumentation as to whether these heavily AI - powered tools interpret ‘ true ’ picture taking and the GenAI features are not really for me even if they are fun to mess around with .
Battery Life
The 4650mAh battery inside the Pixel 9 Pro is smaller than the cell inside the original Pixel Fold . However , throughout my testing , I have been getting through the day – although only just . come from the Pixel 9 Pro XL where I was getting well into 24-hour interval two even with heavy usage , this is a slight unsatisfying but not rare for foldables .
Judging the battery sprightliness here can be cunning , as it change so much depending on how the phone is used . For example , one day I adjudicate not to open it up and look at the inside screen at all , with the result being that I had over 60 % succus leave alone at the closing of the day , Another daylight I focussed solely on the inside screen , afford it up for everything and the phone pip 0 % before I rifle to bed at midnight .
It ’s a standardised story in other tests . An minute of Netflix on the expectant 8 - column inch screen took off 9 % , whereas the same test on the outer exhibit saw a pearl of 5 % . This is n’t surprising , and I am not sure who would take to learn something on the out screen – yet it express how usage dictates how long the battery can last .
lodge is deadening , and the Pixel 9 Pro Fold ca n’t mate the 37w speeds offer by the 9 Pro XL . A full accusation can take over 100 minutes , with a 30 - minute succus - up get the phone from 0 - 46 % . As a equivalence , the OnePlus can go from 0 - 100 % in 46 minutes .
Software & AI
Google has launched the recent Pixel series in the first place than usual this class . My guess is that the reason behind this was to get ahead of Apple unveiling theiPhone 16 .
One side effect is that Android 15 is not quite ready yet , so instead of launch with the year ’s late Android update the Pixel 9 Pro will run for on Android for a few more months . Rest assured the Pixel 9 range will be one of the first that get update when it ’s ready .
This is far from an outlet though , as annual Android update do n’t contribute much these day and many of the Android 15 lineament are still here . There are still plenty of new software program feature film here , many of which are focussed on – you infer it – AI .
Before I delve into the ( mostly ) wonderful world of Gemini , the Pixel 9 Pro Fold also has to make consumption of that big screen somehow .
OnePlus has really put the legal profession when it come to software on a foldable phone with its fantasticCanvasfeature , which lets you incline multiple apps all next to each other . Google ’s efforts are far less challenging , but there ’s still enough here to make it feel like you’re able to be more productive on here than on a received phone .
The multitasking features are good , with two apps able to be used side - by - side and resize . A handy wharf appears with a flick from the bottom of the sieve and this gives quick admission to apps , which can then be puff to either side of the screen . It ’s all very straight and user - friendly .
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shut the phone and a spry swipe on the out covert impart up the app you were using on the interior , while launch the flock when you ’re in an app will see it take over the bigger internal board .
Apps are also generally very good at making the most of the screen , with the tweaked aspect ratio – equate to the original Fold – let for much better compatibility . Some apps will jump into their larger pill version , wee-wee use of the bragging filmdom , while others – Instagram , for model – debase out .
There is a handful of Pixel - sole apps installed here , and many of them are quite useful . I have a go at it the new Pixel Screenshots app , which collects all your screenshots that congest up a phone and reserve them to be searched through with text thanks to AI . I ’ve already used this multitudinous times and it works exceptionally well . There ’s an updated Weather app that not only reckon gorgeous but offers daily weather reports , too .
Pixel Studio is another interesting increase , leaning in on the Tensor G4 ’s power to generate images on - gimmick . studio apartment works like other AI epitome generators : describe what you desire to see andPixel Studiocreates it in a few seconds based on the prompts . You ’ve got several style of image to opt from , and unless you ’re asking it to create an image of a substantial person there are n’t too many restriction on what can be created .
These three apps work as they do due to the phone ’s focal point on AI . The Tensor G4 ’s power to tend multimodal AI on - machine , allows it to process images and sound alongside text for warm responses . For instance , I could take a snap of a works , ask the new Gemini Live helper what it ’s in the picture and it ’ll regain an answer .
Gemini Liveworks alongside Google Assistant , offer a far more natural and conversational - focused helper . It works very well , although it ’s not a completely barren service . You get a yr of the Google One subscription which includes Gemini Live science admit , but after that it ’s £ 17.99/$20 a month .
These newer AI features join the older extras that have become bromide on Pixel speech sound . Call Assist ( still a US exclusive , for now ) summarises calls , while the photographic camera app is full of delete lineament that utilise generative AI .
The long - term package hope continues to be industry - leading , fit only by Samsung ’s flagship phones , and it is beneficial enough to plump for a Pixel a compete gadget . You get seven year of oculus sinister upgrades , security plot of land and Pixel Feature Drops which stand for the experience will only continue to improve over metre .
Should you buy it?
There ’s no other machine that has these AI smarts , such a long software program promise and hardware quite this good . If you ’re after a Pixel , but need something that stand a little more then the 9 Pro Fold is a right choice .
Picking a foldable still comes with sacrifices , and there are a few here . The cover crease , slow charging and small barrage fire life are a few of them . But really , the biggest reason to just go for the received Pixel 9 Pro XL is the good ternion of cameras .
Final Thoughts
After a few weeks of function , it all makes sense . As alone as its predecessor was , the Pixel 9 Pro Fold is a welcome reboot that is so much overnice to use for extended periods . Both screen are ( mostly ) great , the form is thin and light and everything just feel more eminent - end .
Issues remain , not least with the obvious CRT screen crease and inefficient chipset , but there ’s every chance this could be thebest foldaway phonewe’ve test this yr .
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How we test
We quiz every mobile phone we brush up exhaustively . We utilise manufacture - standard test to liken features decently and we use the phone as our main equipment over the reexamination period . We ’ll always tell you what we find and we never , ever , live with money to go over a product .
retrieve out more about how we test in ourethics policy .
FAQs
No , you only get a USB - degree centigrade to USB - blow cable length in the box .
Google has promised seven years of OS upgrade for the Pixel 9 collection , including the Fold .
Test Data
Full Specs
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