Google actually went massive this yr on the subject of smartphone releases and selections. Not solely did they provide us a Pixel 9, Pixel 9 Professional, and Pixel 9 Professional XL, we’ve acquired a 4th possibility – they gave us their latest foldable, the Pixel 9 Professional Fold. That is Google’s follow-up to the unique Pixel Fold, it prices $1,799, and there are some massive modifications for this 2nd entry.
I’ve spent the previous couple of weeks with this system off and on as I dance between a common Pixel 9 Professional and this new foldable. So I’ve acquired form of a lot to say on it each as a result of there’s loads occurring and in addition as a result of properly, we didn’t evaluate the authentic Pixel Fprevious. That is our first time diving into Google’s view for the way a cellphone that folds in half can operate.
Let’s dive into this. That is our Pixel 9 Professional Fold evaluate.
What do I like in regards to the Pixel 9 Professional?
Design. Relating to design, this new Pixel 9 Professional Fold suits proper in with the opposite Pixel 9 collection gadgets. It carries comparable colours and metallic finishes, the digital camera housing has modified, and it must be straightforward to inform that this is part of the Pixel 9 line. That mentioned, it’s a massive change from the unique Pixel Fold, which was somewhat shorter when closed and somewhat wider when opened.
For this cellphone, Google says that they actually centered on making it a cellphone first in the hand that then unfolds to have this giant show on the inside. I assume they actually nailed the design on this as somebody who doesn’t love foldables. And I do have some complaints right here (that I’ll get to later), but it does really feel like a cellphone in your hand, plus it’s so straightforward to use as a cellphone as a result of the entrance show actually is the excellent measurement and is very comparable to the common Pixel 9 Professional’s measurement.
There’s good weight to it, the all-metal body and {hardware} really feel premium, and the hinge folds the system collectively completely, leaving no gaps when closed. The matte black (Obsidian) coloration I’ve been testing does a superb job of repelling fingerprints, the buttons are in acquainted spots, and the ability button doubles as a fingerprint reader.
When unfolded you’ve got this very giant show to play with. That inside show has symmetrical bezels round it, in contrast to the unique that had essentially the most unfinished look of a foldable I’ve ever seen. This system seems correctly made and as if nice care went into how polished it must be. It’s basically a sq., although, so whereas some content material shows in a humorous means, it’s not so giant that you may’t work together with it.
The Pixel 9 Professional Fold seems like a grown-up foldable, which is saying loads for a tool line that’s solely in its 2nd era.
Battery life. Google slapped a 4650mAh battery into this Pixel 9 Professional Fold, which is barely beneath the authentic Pixel Fprevious when it comes to capability, however it has the new Tensor G4 chip inside and so it’s simply an environment friendly little beast. Like the Pixel 9 Professional and the remainder of the Pixel 9 collection, I’m discovering actually nice battery life.
On most days, we’re speaking up to 4 hours of use (display on time) and going to mattress with 30% battery remaining. On a couple of days throughout testing the place I actually hammered it, I noticed up to 4.5-5 hours of use and nonetheless 45% battery remaining. This is actually nice battery life, however I’m additionally simply not that shocked figuring out how good the general Pixel 9 has been on this division. I feel the place I’m shocked on some stage is the truth that I’m seeing battery life this good and there are two screens to energy, considered one of which is a big 8-inch OLED panel at as much as 120Hz.
As far as charging, there is each wi-fi and wired charging, but so far the wi-fi facet has been a bit finicky, simply as a result of of the measurement of the digital camera housing and the placement of the charging coil (it doesn’t work with the Pixel Stand 2). So I haven’t actually been ready to check that a lot. For wired charging, Google is basically solely calling this “Quick Charging” with an official pace ranking of 21W. I’m seeing proper round 20W on a fairly highly effective charger that’s sitting on my desk, so I suppose Google is right.
Shows. The 2 shows that Google included on the Pixel 9 Professional Fold are each fairly nice. The skin panel is a 6.3″ OLED show at 1080p and with a refresh fee from 60Hz to 120Hz. It’s in all probability similar to the panel within the non-Professional Pixel 9. After which for the within show, you get a big 8″ OLED (LTPO) at 2076 x 2152 with a refresh fee from 1 to 120Hz. Each panels can hit peak brightness of 2700 nits, so they’re straightforward to see in out of doors settings and help HDR. The entrance panel is protected by Gorilla Glass Victus 2, whereas the within show solely has ultra-thin glass defending it, so go straightforward on it.
Like the opposite Pixel 9 gadgets, you’ve got restricted show coloration controls (Adaptive or Pure is it), however they do present restricted coloration shifts if you aren’t wanting immediately at them. I hold mine set to Adaptive and that helps darken blacks, in all probability by ramping distinction, and that helps content material actually pop with out being offensive.
Brightness ranges are sometimes a bit low through the day for my liking, so I’ve seen that I shift the brightness slider usually. I do like how low these ranges can go although, as somebody who spends an excessive amount of time with a display in my face when in mattress.
Contact responsiveness on each shows is great. They’re nearly as good because the panels within the Pixel 9 Professional and that surprises me some with the within show. Folding shows have come to date and this Pixel 9 Professional Fold actually exhibits that. It seems nearly as good as another show, but it may be folded in half. However talking of touching it, one other shock is in the way in which this inside panel feels. Gone are the times of folding panels feeling like icky plastic. This feels very near a standard show, plus the center crease isn’t that giant and I haven’t seen it but until I am going particularly in search of it.
I do have one criticism and that’s that I want Google would discover a approach to closely apply an anti-reflective coating to the within show. This factor shines and displays something close to me in ways in which I really feel like I haven’t seen from different shows.
Software program. The Pixel expertise that Google makes use of on its different Pixel gadgets is right here as you may count on, together with Android 14 since Android 15 (nonetheless) isn’t out on the time of this evaluate. And since this can be a foldable with two shows, you do get to make the most of the pill UI that Google has been steadily engaged on in recent times as a little bit of a bonus. That principally means a side-by-side notification shade, entry to a taskbar always, app pairing (that may be saved as shortcuts), and a slight change to the app switcher.
I don’t actually need to spend an excessive amount of time on the software program and options, as a result of we’ve already talked about it in our Pixel 9 Professional and Pixel 9 evaluations. Like, when you have owned a Pixel cellphone, you realize what that is like. All the AI stuff is right here too, with a Gemini Superior subscription included, digital camera and picture enhancing instruments, Google’s Recorder app, Circle to Search, and so forth. It runs Tensor G4, so that you get the entire latest and greatest options first.
What I do love is that Google hasn’t tried to dramatically change the expertise simply because this can be a foldable. As an alternative, you get a really acquainted Pixel software program strategy that has sufficient options to offer you some energy, but nonetheless stays out of your means by not overdoing it. After which as a result of this doubles as a pill, there are significant additions (just like the stuff I simply talked about) to show issues up a notch.
I actually admire the taskbar and having the ability to swap to my most-used apps, entry the common search, and scroll by way of the app drawer at any second, irrespective of the display I’m on. App splitting and app pairs are tremendous helpful and simple to determine, plus the house display setups match from the quilt show to the within. Every little thing flows seamlessly from cellphone expertise to pill.
I really feel like so many foldables and tablets need to inform you the entire time that they’re tablets and there are particular options that it’s best to use, but Google is right here doing the other. As an alternative of creating two dramatically completely different cellphone and pill experiences, they’ve as a substitute given you an ideal mix of the 2.
Oh, and I ought to in all probability point out that as a result of this can be a Pixel 9 collection system, it can see 7 years of OS, safety, and Pixel Drop updates. This cellphone shall be up to date far longer than you’ll ever hold it.
Digital camera: The Pixel 9 Professional Fold doesn’t have the identical digital camera as the opposite two Pixel 9 Professional gadgets and that does come off a bit like an enormous detrimental at first look. It appears to me that if you wish to identify one thing the identical, it ought to in all probability meet the others in considered one of their most necessary departments. Sadly, that is the place Google needed to make a sacrifice and I’m guessing it’s due to how massive the digital camera modules are within the Pixel 9 Professional gadgets and the way skinny they needed to maintain this Pixel 9 Professional Fold.
You’re getting a predominant 48MP sensor (f/1.7, 82° area of view) that has been paired with 10.5MP ultra-wide (f/2.2, 127° area of view) and 10.8MP telephoto (f/3.1, 23° area of view) lenses. It’s basically the identical setup that we had on the unique Pixel Fold.
So far as the picture-taking expertise goes, I’ve acquired to be sincere right here and admit that taking photos with this beast is a little bit of a chore. It’s such a heavy and hulking system that I’ve discovered myself hesitating to seize it as usually to take images of my each day life. That’s not one thing that occurs with a standard cellphone. That mentioned, as soon as I get the braveness to tug this foldable system out, it does so like another Pixel.
The digital camera app is generally easy-to-use, with all of Google’s typical digital camera modes, like Photograph, Portrait, Night time Sight, Panorama, and the brand new Add Me. There are easy toggles to get to video mode or to vary focal lengths/between lenses, view latest photos, or flip from rear to selfie cameras.
Since this can be a foldable with an enormous cowl display, Google will allow you to open the system up and let the quilt show act as your viewfinder and the primary digital camera take selfies of you. This principally offers you the final word selfie machine that ought to crush each different selfie from any non-foldable cellphone. I’ve tried to make use of this a couple of occasions and it may be a little bit of a complicated mess to get out and in of, however the outcomes are fairly nice.
Now, for the outcomes, that is the place you might be in all probability questioning how massive of successful you’ll soak up digital camera high quality by going with the Pixel 9 Professional Fold over a daily Pixel 9 Professional or 9 Professional XL. I don’t assume you’ll take a lot of 1.
You’ll see within the many digital camera samples beneath that the primary 48MP digital camera is sort of good in virtually any state of affairs. From low-light close-ups to portraits, landscapes, and photos of meals or beer, this digital camera is nearly as good as different Pixel gadgets. It’s a sturdy predominant digital camera that loves a blue sky, can discover hidden particulars in shadows with out flattening a picture, and usually finds the correct softness for backgrounds. It is a digital camera it’s best to really feel assured in always.
However returning to the comparability to the Pixel 9 Professional, I assumed it is likely to be greatest to indicate a few examples of the way it compares at 5x, since that’s principally the place the cuts got here. The Pixel 9 Professional has a 48MP Quad PD telephoto sensor, whereas the Pixel 9 Professional Fold is a ten.8MP Twin PD digital camera. What I feel you’ll discover is that greens flip somewhat brown on the Fold and that the objects additional within the distance begin to lose element. Nonetheless, for essentially the most half, I feel most individuals will wrestle to search out main variations. The processing is bringing each so shut collectively.
Pixel 9 Professional Fold vs. Pixel 9 Professional
Pixel 9 Professional Fold vs. Pixel 9 Professional
So yeah, onto some extra samples which have merely been resized to higher work on our web site. I feel this digital camera is sort of good and viewing images on it’s much more enjoyable, because of that massive inside show.
The higher model of foldable. Because the resident foldable hater across the Android house, I’ll say that that is no doubt the higher type of foldable. I feel flip telephones are, properly, unhealthy and I refuse to make use of them as a result of they’ve this tiny display on the entrance that simply forces you to should unfold your cellphone again and again all day lengthy to do the only of duties. It’s a tiresome motion that I don’t get pleasure from.
With this model of foldable, you get a cellphone on the entrance that’s the excellent measurement and form, so you can do all the pieces you do on a regular cellphone on the entrance – with out having to open the system. Then you additionally occur to have the bonus of an 8-inch pill on the inside for these occasions you need to watch movies on an even bigger display, you need to multitask somewhat bit and run two apps on the identical time, or there’s simply stuff you wish to view in an even bigger format, like images. Once more, I don’t actually like foldables as a common concept in apply and I’m unsure that that is the house that I’ll ever come again to full time, however this Pixel 9 Professional Fold actually comes near getting me to change. It has been lots of enjoyable to make use of over the previous couple of weeks.
I’ve saved app pairs that I usually return to, I’ve consumed far an excessive amount of YouTube and Twitch on it, and I’ve actually seen how a lot much less time I’ve spent on my iPad. I’m about to go on a few journeys and am weirdly contemplating bringing this over my Pixel 9 Professional. I assumed I had made the choice to change again to the common 9 Professional, however as I kind this, I’m having second ideas. Are you able to consider it?
Efficiency. I hold evaluating this to the Pixel 9 Professional, however you form of should when the specs and {hardware} are so comparable. I’m going to do it once more for efficiency, which is sort of good. The Tensor G4 chip inside with the 16GB RAM and both 256GB or 512GB storage carry out as you want them to. Whereas I’m properly conscious that Tensor chips aren’t going to win benchmark awards, they do what you want them to. This system is quick whether or not you might be utilizing the smaller cowl show or the bigger inside show, it’ll deal with all your apps, the transitions between all the pieces are buttery easy, and battery life has been stellar due to improved effectivity.
What’s bugging me?
Weight, measurement, that backside left nook. My largest criticism – and it’s in all probability at all times going to be the case with foldables like this, the ones that begin as a cellphone and open into a pill – is simply the weight and measurement. To carry round one of these gadgets, you actually have to commit to the concept that you want each a cellphone and a pill as a result of this factor weighs loads.
The Pixel 9 Professional Fold is 9.1oz (257g). For comparability, the common Pixel 9 Professional that I’ve been carrying round is at 7.0oz (199g). These two ounces are loads in your hand, your pocket, or in any state of affairs the place you might be shifting. As somebody who will get out on these imply Portland streets to maintain my physique in some type of previous man working form, this system wasn’t enjoyable to deliver alongside.
Tright here’s additionally a thickness to this that you have to get used to as you maintain it, there’s the opening and closing it continuous requirement (which takes fairly a little bit of effort and isn’t a one-hand transfer), and when its folded up, that backside left nook can positive irritate your left palm. Google has a minimum of carried out an honest job of trying to spherical these sharper nook components, however as a left-hand holder of telephones, it has been a wrestle at occasions.
Once more, the massive concept right here is that it’s essential be able to decide to this measurement of system. The value is one factor, however the weight and the opening and shutting of it want your full consideration. The load is definitely down 30g from the unique Pixel Fold, but it’s nonetheless one thing I can’t assist however level out.
Movies and video games on inside show. My ultimate criticism actually simply comes down to the inside show. It’s form of an odd decision as I talked about earlier, as it’s basically a sq. at a decision of 2076 x 2152. When you might be watching content material, like any kind of video or taking part in any sport, you might be going to have these black bars on the high and backside beneath the content material (or off to the edges). Most apps and video resolutions aren’t constructed to take up this form of show. You may in all probability get used to it or try to pressure some apps to develop to the complete display, they only might look funky.
Do you have to purchase the Pixel 9 Professional Fold?
Coming from somebody who has by no means been the most important fan of foldables, I feel the Pixel 9 Professional Fold is no doubt a tool to think about shopping for. I’ve completely loved my time with this new foldable from Google, which I can’t consider I’m truly saying out loud.
I feel Google actually nailed this concept {that a} foldable of this sort must be a cellphone first and seems like a cellphone within the hand when folded up, with a standard form and backbone. That permits you to use the system as you’ll a standard cellphone, however then there’s this superb 8-inch pill ready for you at any second. And that 8-inch pill is an effective pill that showcases the most important strides Google has made with Android for greater screens, making means for easy multitasking, consuming media, enhancing images, and doing something that will require (or look higher) on a bigger show.
The digital camera expertise nonetheless lives as much as the Pixel identify, battery life has been superb for me, the {hardware} is at a stage that meets the value level, and because of Google’s software program help, the funding you make right here must be value it over a few years to come back.
Store Pixel 9 Professional Fold Offers: Amazon | Finest Purchase | Google
