Key Takeaways
- The Pixel 9 Professional Fold presents a wider cowl show that makes it really feel nearly like a standard smartphone when it is closed.
- Google’s 2nd gen Fold has a refined construct with a squared-off hinge and strong over all really feel, making it a standout from the competitors.
- Regardless of a number of software-related efficiency points, the Pixel 9 Professional Fold delivers nice pictures and spectacular AI options.
E book-style foldables simply have not labored with the way in which I take advantage of a smartphone — till now.
Do not get me unsuitable, I just like the Galaxy Z Fold 6, the important thing competitors for Google’s Pixel 9 Pro Fold within the North American market. It is a solid-feeling smartphone, and this 12 months, Samsung refined the foldable’s design in a number of significant methods. The system feels nice when unfolded, however utilizing its Cowl Show stays a painfully cramped expertise. Typing is annoying, looking the web with Firefox feels too confined, and, on prime of that, the higher half of the system is oddly heavy, making it really feel just like the Galaxy Z Fold 6 may tumble out of my hand at any second.
The oddly named Pixel 9 Professional Fold (simply name it the Fold 2, Google) solves this drawback with its wider cowl show and impressively skinny design. I would not go as far as to say it feels precisely like a standard smartphone when it is not unfolded, nevertheless it’s far nearer than I anticipated. This has reworked how I take advantage of the foldable, and for the primary time, I really feel like I can fit a book-style foldable smartphone in my life.
Whereas I am going to spend a while discussing the Pixel 9 Professional Fold’s digital camera and AI options on this evaluate, I take a a lot deeper dive into this performance in my
Pixel 9
and
Pixel 9 Pro
collection opinions.
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Pixel 9 Professional Fold
Google’s Pixel 9 Professional Fold goals to unravel the unique Pixel Fold’s key points due to its thinner and lighter design, Tensor G4 chip and extra fluid hinge.
- Wider cowl show
- Refined, sturdy construct
- Inside display screen seems nice
- Heavy, cumbersome design
- Digital camera lags behind Pixel 9 Professional
- Occasional software program efficiency points
Value, availability, and specs
Out there now beginning at $1,799
Google’s Pixel 9 Professional Fold is offered beginning at $1,799 in porcelain and obsidian, directly from Google and a number of other different retailers. The foldable’s 6.3-inch, 60-120Hz OLED exterior show has a decision of 1080 x 2424 pixels. Brightness reaches 1,800 nits for HDR, with peak brightness at 2,700 nits. The unfolded 8-inch, 1-120Hz inside ultra-thin glass display screen, which Google calls its (LPTO) Tremendous Actua Flex show, includes a decision of two,076 x 2,152 pixels. Its brightness hits 1,600 nits for HDR and a pair of,700 nits at peak brightness.
Different specs embody 16GB of RAM, both 256GB or 512GB of storage, and Google’s Tensor G4 chip. The rear triple-camera setup features a foremost f/1.7 48-megapixel broad shooter, an f/2.2 10.5-megapixel ultra-wide digital camera, and an f/3.1 10.8-megapixel telephoto digital camera able to as much as 5x optical zoom. The entrance digital camera is an f/2.2 10-megapixel lens, and the inside digital camera can also be an f/2.2 10-megapixel shooter.
When folded, the Pixel 9 Professional Fold is 10.5mm thick, and when unfolded, it is a skinny 5.1mm. The foldable smartphone weighs roughly 9oz (about 256g) and includes a 4,650 mAh battery. It is also IPX8 licensed, that means it could actually deal with being submerged in 39 inches (roughly 1 meter) of water for as much as half-hour. Since it is a foldable, I would not suggest anybody truly take a look at this, nevertheless it’s good to know the very costly smartphone will not die if it by chance will get slightly moist.
Pixel 9 Professional XL construct and design
Google’s new foldable presents a notable design improve over the unique Pixel Fold
To say the Pixel 9 Professional Fold is almost a whole redesign in comparison with the unique Pixel Fold would nearly be an understatement. Throughout my roughly week-long expertise with the system, it has been, at occasions, troublesome to understand simply how far Google’s burgeoning foldable line has are available such a brief time period. With all of those modifications, there’s quite a bit to unpack design-wise.
In a cool design twist, the hinge is totally squared, giving the Pixel 9 Professional Fold a novel design aptitude that helps it stand out from different smartphones.
First off, there’s now a fairly sizable digital camera bump on the again that homes the rear digital camera array. I discussed this in my Pixel 9 and Pixel 9 XL review, however I am not keen on the brand new digital camera bump. It isn’t a deal-breaker, nevertheless it seems prefer it was plopped onto the rear of the smartphone in a haphazard method. I a lot favor the Pixel 8’s visor-like array or the center-set digital camera bump the unique Pixel Fold provided.
Identical to the Pixel 9 Professional line, the world surrounding the digital camera bump includes a premium-feeling matte again that does a good job of repelling grease and smudges. The perimeters of the system are squared off but additionally rounded, making it simpler to grip when folded and unfolded. In a cool design twist, the hinge is totally squared, giving the Pixel 9 Professional Fold a novel design aptitude that helps it stand out from different smartphones.
Talking of the hinge, it feels much more strong this 12 months. That stated, it is not fairly as fluid because the Z Fold 6’s hinge, and it makes an odd crackling noise, nevertheless it’s shut. Fortunately, the brand new hinge design additionally permits the system to fold fully flat with out feeling such as you’re pushing the foldable show previous its restrict, as with the unique Fold.
The Pixel 9 Professional Fold’s bezels have been diminished each inside and out of doors the telephone, they usually look similar to the Z Fold 6’s. For those who put a case on Google’s foldable (and also you most likely ought to, given it is a dear telephone), the bezels seem artificially expanded. This clearly is not the case, nevertheless it barely cheapens the look of the Pixel 9 Professional Fold and is value protecting in thoughts in the event you plan to make use of a case.
I am unable to actually think about utilizing the Pixel 9 Professional Fold, or any foldable smartphone, with out a sturdy case.
Google despatched me the official Pixel 9 Pro Fold case alongside the smartphone, and I am impressed with it to date. I am at all times nervous about dropping foldable smartphones, no matter how sturdy they really feel, and the case presents a bit of additional peace of thoughts. Nonetheless, the a part of the case that runs alongside the hinge and the quilt display screen’s bezels attaches with adhesive that can probably put on away over time (I additionally would have most popular the case to cowl the whole hinge). Nonetheless, I am unable to actually think about utilizing the Pixel 9 Professional Fold, or any foldable smartphone, with out a sturdy case.
Total, the Pixel 9 Professional Fold’s {hardware} feels far more refined and sturdy than the unique Fold, nevertheless it’s nonetheless a foldable. For those who’re the kind of one who drops their telephone incessantly, a folding smartphone most likely is not for you.
Pixel 9 Professional Fold show
The foldable’s expansive 8-inch display screen feels and appears nice
First off, the Pixel 9 Professional Fold options the identical 6.3-inch exterior show measurement because the Pixel 9 Professional, making it truly comfy to make use of when folded. Because of this when it is folded, it seems and looks like a barely thicker common smartphone, not like the unique Pixel Fold, which had a shorter and barely too-wide show that I discovered very awkward to carry with one hand throughout my temporary time utilizing it.
Together with the show measurement, the truth that it is solely 10.5mm thick, in comparison with the Galaxy Z Fold 6’s 12.1mm, contributes to creating the Pixel 9 Professional Fold really feel extra like an everyday smartphone when utilizing its exterior display screen. Trying on the Pixel 9 Professional Fold when it is fully flat is actually spectacular and jogs my memory of seeing the super-thin M4 iPad Pro for the primary time. Foldable display screen know-how has come a great distance in a really quick interval, and that is on show right here with Google’s newest foldable.
For me, the lacking hyperlink relating to book-style foldable smartphones is the usable cowl display screen. (As a result of I’m tired of scratching review devices, I rapidly put a glass display screen protector on it, which you’ll see in a number of pictures on this evaluate.) In my week with the foldable, I’ve primarily used the Pixel 9 Professional Fold like an everyday smartphone. It is solely once I need to watch Netflix, YouTube, use the Kobo app to learn a e-book, or learn one of many numerous articles I’ve saved in Pocket, that I open the foldable smartphone and use its expansive 8-inch display screen. With regards to studying or watching video content material, the bigger 8-inch display screen is an absolute pleasure to make use of.
This provides me a comparatively normal-feeling smartphone that may rework right into a sprawling pill once I need it to, and that is form of the dream, proper? On a facet be aware, I discover myself utilizing the outside show or one half of the inside show when the Pixel 9 Professional Fold’s display screen is open to look at content material on YouTube whereas doing senseless duties like washing the dishes or preparing for mattress. The propped-up show presents an ideal viewing expertise, making it simpler to passively look at content material when your consideration is split.
With all that raving positivity out of the way in which, the Pixel 9 Professional Fold’s folded expertise is not excellent. First off, it is fairly heavy. This implies utilizing the foldable for lengthy intervals with one hand is not an ideal expertise, and when it is unfolded, the system can really feel fairly unwieldy on account of its bigger measurement. The truth is, I truly favor the Galaxy Z Fold 6’s 7.6-inch inside display screen as a result of it is simpler and extra pure to carry in any orientation.
Nonetheless, I might take the comfy 20:9 entrance display screen facet ratio, provided that’s how I take advantage of the Pixel 9 Professional Fold more often than not. It is value noting you can nonetheless really feel and see the fold within the display screen when the smartphone is fully flat. It is most likely nearly as seen because the Galaxy Z Fold 6’s crease. I did not discover it to be a lot of a difficulty, however in the event you have been hoping the Pixel 9 Professional Fold could be the primary system to remove the dreaded fold, you may be dissatisfied with Google’s second-generation foldable — it’s there, and you’ll nonetheless see it.
The show high quality is crisp and clear, it doesn’t matter what content material you are consuming, however the folding display screen is sadly troublesome to view beneath direct daylight.
Just like the Galaxy Z Fold 6, the Pixel 9 Professional Fold’s folding show looks like glass and does not have the plasticky really feel of earlier foldable smartphones. The show high quality is crisp and clear, it doesn’t matter what content material you are consuming, however the folding display screen is sadly troublesome to view beneath direct daylight, regardless of its spectacular 2,700 nits of peak brightness (which is definitely 100 nits greater than the Fold 6, although the display screen seems dimmer when evaluating each units). I principally used the foldable indoors throughout my time with it, however beneath direct daylight, the folding display screen may be fairly arduous to see.
Pixel 9 Professional Fold digital camera
AI options and digital camera instruments galore
I will not dive too deeply into the Pixel 9 Professional Fold’s digital camera efficiency, however its digital camera capabilities lag behind the Pixel 9 Professional and Pixel 9 Professional XL. The primary f/1.7 48-megapixel digital camera presents very comparable high quality, however the f/3.1 10.8-megapixel telephoto lens includes a larger aperture, regardless of nonetheless providing as much as 5x optical zoom, resulting in grainier pictures in low gentle. The ultra-wide additionally measures in at f/2.2 10.5 megapixels, lagging behind the opposite units within the Pixel 9 lineup and snapping pictures that are not fairly as sharp. The ten-megapixel f/2.2 selfie and inside digital camera additionally don’t evaluate to the spectacular f/2.2 42-megapixel shooter the Pixel 9 Professional presents. Basically, pictures typically are likely to lack the distinction the Pixel 9 and Pixel 9 Professional collection’ cameras supply.
With all of this in thoughts, does the Pixel 9 Professional Fold snap good pictures? Sure, it positively does, they simply gained’t be one of the best on the market, and given the foldable’s value, that is disappointing. Then again, this could possibly be a trade-off value making in the event you’re offered on the smartphone-tablet dream. For those who’re within the Pixel 9 Professional Fold, you’re probably shopping for it since you need the power to hold a pill round in your pocket, fairly than a pictures powerhouse. Nonetheless, the choice to not supply the identical digital camera array within the Pixel 9 Professional Fold because the Pixel 9 Professional is disappointing, given Samsung’s Galaxy Fold 6 options practically the identical shooters because the Galaxy S24 Extremely.
The entire key AI options are right here, together with the controversial “Reimagine,” which lets you add practically something to footage with prompts; Magic Eraser, which removes objects from photos with a fast circle; Zoom Improve for pictures; Gemini/Gemini Stay, and extra. With regards to AI-powered options, Google didn’t maintain something again from the Pixel 9 Professional Fold. “Made You Look,” which reveals a cute animation on the exterior display screen to get a child’s consideration when snapping a photograph, isn’t one thing I’ll use fairly often, however I can see it coming in useful given how troublesome it’s to keep up a toddler’s focus. There’s additionally Twin Display Preview, which shows a preview of the {photograph} you are taking on the outer display screen. Once more, I probably will not use this function typically, however I can see it being helpful in the event you take pictures of individuals incessantly.
Pixel 9 Professional Fold efficiency
Respectable battery life and benchmark efficiency
Efficiency has been respectable throughout my roughly week-long expertise with the Pixel 9 Professional Fold. I’ve encountered a number of situations of slowdown and apps which have randomly crashed or lagged. Generally, apps additionally get caught when transitioning between the quilt display screen and the principle display screen. I don’t suppose that is the fault of Google’s Tensor G4 chip, however fairly a difficulty with the Pixel 9 Professional Fold’s software program expertise not being as easy because the extra mature foldable OS like One UI on the Galaxy Fold 6.
That stated, the expertise has been typically strong by way of efficiency. Battery life isn’t mind-blowing, however I may get roughly a full day (till round 7 p.m.) earlier than needing to prime up. Extra intensive actions, like watching motion pictures or enjoying video games, have a tendency to empty the battery a bit extra rapidly than my expertise with the Pixel 9 or Pixel 9 Professional XL. I believe this probably has to do with the truth that the exterior show doesn’t function LTPO know-how, that means it could actually solely go from 60-120Hz and never 1-120Hz just like the Pixel 9 Professional line’s display screen or the Pixel 9 Professional Fold’s inside show.
Relating to Geekbench 6 benchmarks, the Pixel 9 Professional Fold scores 2,969 for single-core and 4,777 for multi-core.
Pixel 9 Professional Fold software program
App optimization and multitasking
Not each app takes full benefit of the Pixel 9 Professional Fold’s 8-inch unfolded show, however the telephone is an unlimited enchancment over the unique Fold. It may nonetheless be irritating at occasions, although. For instance, some apps are oddly lower off on the inside display screen. Nonetheless, for essentially the most half, the vast majority of apps look as you’d anticipate in panorama and portrait mode when the Pixel 9 Professional Fold’s display screen is unfolded. Just like Samsung’s foldables, all the important thing apps take full benefit of the bigger 8-inch display screen, together with Gmail, Docs, Preserve, YouTube, and extra.
The expertise of splitting two apps between either side of the folding show is great and simple to do, due to the taskbar that seems if you swipe up from the underside of the smartphone. You are restricted to only two apps, not like the Galaxy Z Fold 6, however I haven’t discovered this to be a difficulty. I am unable to consider a state of affairs the place I’d need greater than two apps operating on the identical time on my telephone.
The Pixel 9 Professional Fold’s sound lags behind different units within the Pixel 9 lineup. It may get loads loud, nevertheless it sounds hole and simply distorts at greater volumes. The truth is, I am truly stunned at how lackluster it’s in comparison with different high-end smartphones.
Do you have to purchase the Google Pixel 9 Professional Fold?
There’s quite a bit to love about Google’s 2nd gen foldable
The Pixel 9 Professional Fold is extraordinarily costly at $1,799, but when I have been available in the market for a book-style foldable, I might decide it over the Galaxy Z Fold 6 as a result of I recognize its wider cowl show, which permits me to make use of the system like a standard smartphone. This fulfills the dream of getting a tiny pill in my pocket always, and I favor that over a barely extra comfortable-to-use inside folding display screen. Nonetheless, there are compromises, together with its hefty weight and digital camera specs that lag behind the top-tier Pixel 9 Professional collection.
…If the thought of carrying each a smartphone and a large pill round with you always is interesting, there’s quite a bit to love about Google’s Pixel 9 Professional Fold.
Does the Pixel 9 Professional Fold nonetheless snap glorious pictures? Positively. However they don’t seem to be pretty much as good as what the Pixel 9 Professional and Pixel 9 Professional XL are able to taking. Nonetheless, if the thought of carrying each a smartphone and a large pill round with you always is interesting, there’s quite a bit to love about Google’s Pixel 9 Professional Fold.
This system was offered to Pocket-lint by Google.
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Pixel 9 Professional Fold
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