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Pixel 9 Pro Foldable
A more refined product
Google’s Pixel 9 Pro Fold aims to fix the original Pixel Fold’s main issues with a thinner and lighter design, Tensor G4 chip, and a sleeker hinge.
Strong Points- Improved hinge
- Overall quality improvements
- A more refined look
Cons- Smartphones are still expensive
- There are still noticeable creases
- Not the same camera setup as the Pixel 9 Pro
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Pixelfold
Google’s first foldable
Google’s first foldable device is a solid one, but unfortunately it’s held back by software issues and minor complaints about build quality.
Strong Points- Ideal for first-time foldable users
- The cover display is a great size
- Great camera results
Cons- Software and build quality are lackluster
- It’s expensive
- Battery life is average
During its recent Made by Google hardware keynote, the eponymous tech giant unveiled its second-generation foray into the foldable smartphone market: the Pixel 9 Pro Fold. The new device replaces last year’s original Pixel Fold, and is currently available for pre-order for a jaw-dropping $1,700.
Google’s new pocket tablet isn’t officially being marketed as the Pixel Fold 2, but it’s definitely a direct successor. With that in mind, let’s compare both generations of Google’s foldable tablet and see what specific changes the company has made to this year’s product.
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Pricing, Specifications and Availability
All the Basics
The Pixel 9 Pro Fold will cost $1,799 and is expected to ship in September 2024. It’s equipped with a new Tensor G4 processor and 16GB of RAM. In contrast, the original Pixel Fold will be released in May 2023 and features an older Tensor G2 chip and 12GB of RAM.
Both foldable smartphones will be launched at the same price and offer 256GB of storage in the base configuration. IPX8 water resistance, Ultra Wideband (UWB), and NFC are present on both models, but only the new Pixel 9 Pro Fold comes with iPhone-like satellite SOS support.
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Pixel 9 Pro Foldable Google Pixel Folding brand Google Google Sonic Tensor G4, Titan M2 security processor Google Tensor G2 screen Internal Screen – 2076 x 2152 pixel resolution OLED (373 PPI), External Display – 1080 x 2424 pixel resolution OLED (422 PPI), 1800 nits (HDR), 2700 nits (peak brightness) 5.8 inch, OLED, 2092 x 1080, 120Hz (cover) / 6.7 inch OLED, UTG, 2208 x 1840, 120Hz (main) battery 4650mAh 4821mAh, 30W fast charging, wireless charging operating system Android 14 Android Front camera 10MP f/2.2, 10MP inner camera 9.5MP, f/2.2 (cover) / 8MP, f/2.0 (main) Rear camera 48MP f/1.7 wide-angle, 10.5MP f/2.2 ultra-wide-angle, 10.8MP f/3.1 telephoto 48MP f/1.7 main, 10.8MP f/2.2 ultra-wide, 10.8MP f/3.05 telephoto size Folded – 155.2H x 77.1W x 10.5D inches, Unfolded – 6.1H x 5.9W x 0.2D inches 139.7 x 79.5 x 12.1mm (folded), 139.7 x 158.7 x 5.8mm (unfolded), 283g color Obsidian, Procerin Obsidian, porcelain Weight 9.1 oz (257 g) 283g
Design and Build
The Pixel 9 Pro Fold’s hardware makes the original Pixel Fold look like a beta version
The Pixel 9 Pro Fold is the latest book-style foldable phone in the broader Pixel 9 lineup, and it looks and feels exactly like it should: It retains the Pixel’s general design language, and for the most part the device is very similar to the original Pixel Fold.
Like other new Pixel 9 devices, there’s a focus on an angular design and an overall sharper build than we’ve seen so far. The camera array is distinctly “Pixel” in appearance, but the lenses are split into two more rectangular sections rather than the traditional bar shape.
The Pixel 9 Pro Fold will be available in the same Obsidian and Porcelain colors as the first-generation Pixel Fold. Unfortunately, more expressive Pixel colors like Bay Blue and Coral Pink aren’t available at the moment.
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screen
Google’s new foldable is brighter than the previous generation
The Pixel 9 Pro Fold’s inner and outer displays are similar to the original Pixel Fold from a technical standpoint: the inner OLED screen has a resolution of 2076 x 2152 pixels, while the outer OLED screen has a resolution of 1080 x 2424 pixels. These are slightly different panel resolutions than the previous model, which had an inner display of 1840 x 2208 and a cover display of 1080 x 2092. Overall, pixel density is roughly comparable on both devices.
Google claims the main display has a peak brightness of 2700 nits, up from 1450 nits on the previous model, and this is probably the most noticeable change when you look at both displays side by side.
But the biggest change you can immediately notice, even without turning the display on, is the significantly reduced size of the display’s bezels. The Pixel Fold has relatively large bezels compared to other foldable phones on the market, such as the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6, so this new slimmer phone is a big step forward in both aesthetics and screen-to-body ratio.
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Google’s new Tensor G4 processor unveiled alongside the Pixel 9 Pro Fold
Google/Pocket-lint
The $1,799 Pixel 9 Pro Fold comes with 256GB of storage, 16GB of RAM, and the same new Google Tensor G4 chip as the other new Pixel 9 devices. As mentioned, last year’s Pixel Fold runs on the older Tensor G2 with 12GB of RAM.
To get a better idea of how much better the G4 performs compared to last year’s chip, we’ll need to test it in real-world environments, rather than just using simulated benchmarks. Unfortunately, from a hardware perspective, Google’s processor doesn’t seem quite capable of competing with strong competitors from Qualcomm and Apple.
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camera
Despite having “Pro” in the name, the camera hardware is inferior to what the company’s slab phones offer.
The Pixel 9 Pro Fold, like the original Pixel Fold, comes with a triple rear camera setup: a 48MP wide-angle, 10.5MP ultra-wide-angle, and 10.8MP telephoto setup, which roughly matches the camera hardware found on last year’s model.
As with the original Pixel Fold, it’s a shame Google hasn’t built its top-of-the-line camera hardware into the package, reserving it for the Pixel 9 Pro and Pixel 9 Pro slab-style phones. It’s likely due to internal space constraints, but it’s still less than ideal given the MSRP.
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Verdict: Is the Pixel 9 Pro Fold a worthy successor to last year’s Pixel Fold?
Value Proposition
Google’s new Pixel 9 Pro Fold has a starting price of $1,799, which isn’t exactly cheap. Thankfully, while the price hasn’t gone up compared to last year’s Pixel Fold, it hasn’t gone down at all.
Top Picks
Pixel 9 Pro Foldable
Google’s Pixel 9 Pro Fold aims to fix the original Pixel Fold’s main issues with a thinner and lighter design, Tensor G4 chip, and a sleeker hinge.
Best Value
Google Pixel Folding
The Pixel Fold takes Google’s smartphones in a new direction by using next-generation screen tech and offering a premium Pixel option. It’s a very high-quality phone, but it’s clear that there’s still work to be done to optimize apps for a better experience.
It’s clear that for foldable Android phones to really take off, prices will need to come down significantly. This is Google’s second Fold product, and the company seems to be prioritizing adding refinement and ease of use that wasn’t present in the original Pixel Fold release.
Fortunately, prices will likely come down over time as Google begins to make gains in the foldable smartphone market. For now, the Pixel 9 Pro Fold is a solid improvement over the Pixel Fold, and looks physically more refined than the company’s previous offerings.
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