Google Pixel Fold Review

The Pixel Fold shows how far ahead Samsung’s folding phones actually are

The Google Pixel Fold offers a comfortable 5.8-inch outer screen for daily tasks and a big 7.6-inch inner screen and is expensive but fun, but it is not at the level of a Samsung or Apple mobile.

After extensively using the Google Pixel Fold for a week, I must confess that despite some minor software hiccups, I have developed a genuine fondness for it. This well-built foldable phone offers a commendable hybrid tablet and phone experience, along with an exceptional selfie camera. However, it shares a common setback with other foldable devices, including Samsung’s offerings—it comes with a steep price tag of $1,800, making it hard to justify the expense when other phones provide similar experiences for far less.

The Pixel Fold boasts a responsive 5.8-inch exterior touchscreen that unfolds to unveil a spacious 7.6-inch interior display, essentially transforming into a small tablet. Let’s address the elephant in the room right away—the phone does exhibit a visible crease at the center when unfolded, much like Samsung’s Galaxy Z Fold 4. Surprisingly, I found that I quickly acclimated to the crease and it became less bothersome over time. Both the exterior and internal displays offer ample brightness for comfortable use in direct sunlight, comparable to the impressive screen of the Pixel 7 Pro. The on-screen motion is smooth, colors are vibrant, and the contrast is excellent.

The polished stainless steel hinge of the Pixel Fold feels a tad stiffer than that of the Galaxy Z Fold 4, but it opens and closes with relative ease. Similar to the Galaxy Z Fold 4, the Pixel Fold doesn’t lie completely flat when open due to its camera bump, a minor inconvenience. However, unlike its Samsung counterpart, the Pixel Fold closes seamlessly without any noticeable gap, resulting in a sleeker appearance and enhanced screen protection when carried in a pocket or bag.

Personally, I find the Pixel Fold’s compact and wide design more appealing than the long and narrow form factor of Samsung’s foldable phones. The Pixel Fold’s broader dimensions make it convenient for tasks such as writing emails, watching videos, taking photos, and playing games on the exterior screen, without requiring unfolding to access the larger display. In contrast, the Galaxy Z Fold 4’s exterior screen is too narrow for anything beyond basic activities like reading emails or light web browsing. As someone with larger hands, I find it cumbersome to utilize the Galaxy Z Fold 4 without opening the phone for other tasks.

Considering a device with dual screens, battery life can be hit or miss. Google claims that the Pixel Fold can last between 24 to 33 hours on a single charge, a claim that aligns with my testing experience. During two consecutive days of intense usage, involving hours of streaming YouTube, gaming, and checking various apps like TikTok and Instagram, the device had approximately 16% battery remaining when I retired for the night around midnight. On lighter usage days, the Pixel Fold comfortably lasted closer to 30 hours, which surpasses the battery life of most current flagship Android phones.

The Pixel Fold is equipped with Google’s custom Tensor G2 chip, the same powerful processor found in the Pixel 7 lineup. It runs an optimized version of Android 13 designed for foldable phones, incorporating split-screen multitasking and a taskbar. Overall, the performance is solid, but it’s worth noting that not all apps have been fully optimized to take advantage of the tailored Android version. Google’s own suite of apps, including Gmail, YouTube, Calendar, Maps, and Home, look fantastic on the Pixel Fold, as do popular apps like Asphalt 9, Netflix, WhatsApp, Hulu, Spotify, and TikTok. However, certain apps like Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Uber, and Lyft have yet to optimize their interfaces for the larger screen, resulting in unsightly black bars. While this isn’t a significant drawback for me personally, it may pose a greater concern for others. Considering the hefty price tag, I had hoped for a complete full-screen experience.

To mitigate the issue, Google allows users to shift apps from the left to the center or right of the screen by double-tapping the black bars. Additionally, two unoptimized apps can be used side by side on the larger interior screen. However, these workarounds result in a considerable amount of unused space, which detracts from the overall visual appeal. Samsung offers a more extensive range of fully optimized apps that utilize the entire screen when the Galaxy Z Fold 4 is unfolded.

When owning a phone that can transform into a tablet, one naturally expects a tablet-like experience. Unfortunately, the Pixel Fold falls slightly short in this regard. Google has established a reputation for delivering outstanding photography capabilities with its Pixel lineup, and the Pixel Fold is nearly on par with the flagship Pixel 7 phones.

Although the camera hardware isn’t identical, the Pixel Fold still manages to produce impressive images thanks to Google’s exceptional software optimization. The photos captured by the Pixel Fold closely resemble those from the Pixel 7 Pro, with the exception of telephoto images, which lack the same level of sharpness. While the 5x optical zoom experience isn’t exceptional, it’s worth noting that telephoto lenses are seldom used by most individuals. Similar compromises in image quality are present in Samsung’s foldable devices compared to their flagship phones. Nevertheless, the main and ultrawide cameras on the Pixel Fold deliver accurate colors, excellent contrast, and sharp images in various lighting conditions, matching the quality seen in the Pixel 7 phones.

For selfies, the Pixel Fold features a 9.5-megapixel camera on the exterior and an 8-megapixel inner display camera, which perform admirably, though not on par with the main camera system—this is consistent with most smartphones’ front-facing cameras.

One advantage of owning a folding phone is the ability to utilize the rear camera for selfies. By tapping the rear camera selfie icon in the Camera app and turning the phone around, you can capture high-quality selfies. The rear selfie option is accompanied by a user-friendly prompt, making the process straightforward. As a result, the presence of selfie and inner display cameras on the Pixel Fold almost seems redundant, as better-quality self-portraits can be obtained using the phone’s primary camera lenses.

In conclusion, I have developed a genuine fondness for the Pixel Fold. However, there’s no denying the hefty price tag that accompanies it. For $1,800, one could purchase a Pixel 7 Pro and an iPad, invest in a decent MacBook Pro, or even cover a month’s rent or mortgage payment. While foldable phones are no longer a novelty, Google’s reputation for delivering excellent hardware at a more affordable price led us to hope for a competitive price point for the Pixel Fold. Unfortunately, it aligns with the cost of Samsung’s Galaxy Z Fold 4, placing it out of reach for most consumers.

If you have the financial means and desire a larger smartphone display, the Pixel Fold’s design offers an appealing option. I particularly appreciate the usefulness of its exterior screen for quick tasks such as responding to messages and composing emails, while the unfolded interior display is perfect for enjoying movies and games. I am genuinely impressed by the hardware, and I intend to use it extensively over the next few months to assess its performance in daily use. However, for the majority of individuals, a massive screen at all times is unnecessary, and the price tag that accompanies the latest technology remains prohibitively high for most consumers.