Pixel 9 Professional Fold doesn’t see any YoY enchancment in bend check

The hinge nonetheless isn’t the weakest a part of Pixel 9 Professional Fold in a sturdiness and bend check, in addition to subsequent teardown, from JerryRigEverything. 

The Gorilla Glass Victus 2 cowl display screen (Actua) “scratches at a degree six with deeper groves at a degree seven,” whereas the Extremely Skinny Glass inside show (Tremendous Actua) scratches at a degree two, with fingernails additionally capable of trigger injury. 

The outside of the cellphone is manufactured from an “aerospace-grade high-strength aluminum alloy,” together with the floor of the hinge. The precise internals of the hinge is “multi-alloy metal.”

When uncovered to dust and sand, we hear the hinge begin grinding since there’s no mud safety (IPX8). 

A closed bend check reveals no issues for the Pixel 9 Professional Fold, however the points come up when it’s open and bent from the again. Regardless of the left/proper again panels assembly and masking the backbone of the hinge, “there doesn’t seem like a complete lot of resistance.”

At concern are the case’s antenna traces subsequent to the hinge, which is what occurred final yr. On this bend check, it’s the pair on the quilt display screen aspect, with stated show popping off from the case somewhat than breaking. In the meantime, the hinge itself, like on the unique, survives. 

Compared, Samsung’s Z Fold 6 survived a comparable check, with the 2 halves locking out and in the end not catastrophically bending. 

The video proceeds right into a teardown, with iFixit additionally performing one yesterday. Beneath the quilt display screen is the bigger battery, whereas the opposite half has the smaller cell and the motherboard round it. Like on the slab-style telephones this yr, the USB-C is by itself board for simpler restore. 

We see the vapor chamber beneath the battery and Tensor G4, with an fascinating commentary from Zach: “Many of the thermal warmth dissipation occurs from the bottom, or inner aspect of the machine when the display screen is closed, flowing from the processor to the massive vapor chamber after which into the middle of the Fold, which is an fascinating transfer for the reason that heart of the cellphone has that plastic folding display screen which I don’t assume can be tremendous nice for letting warmth out…”