Verdict
The Google Pixel Fold is a good - looking alternative to the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4 , but with issues with the flexible joint , crease and more , it ’s clear that it ’s a first - gen equipment with improvements needed . It would ’ve been moderately more acceptable had the price not been quite so gamey , putting off all but the most dedicated Pixel rooter .
Pros
Cons
Key Features
Introduction
Google ’s long - awaited ledger entry into the folding market , the Pixel Fold , is n’t quite the winner you might wait it to be .
certain , the book - expressive style foldable has a circumstances going for it ; it gasconade a nice , declamatory external presentation , Pixel - quality cameras with some of the better results from a foldable and the top - mountain pass Pixel software experience . But when you ’re paying £ 1749/$1799 for the pleasure , you expect the best of the best – and that ’s not really the case here .
The Google Pixel Fold looks and feels like a first - gen foldable , and while that would ’ve been ok a few years ago , thecompetition is fierce in 2023 . It means factors like a flexible joint that does n’t completely unfold flat , a notable exhibit creese and a generally with child build really go against it .
Google has also take up some interesting ( read : modification ) approaches to app financial backing on the foldable that may leave you more than a footling frustrated .
The Google Pixel Fold is a great first - gen foldable , then , the problem is that it ’s just a yoke of geezerhood too of late .
Design and displays
The Google Pixel Fold , though lark about the overall book - style foldable design we ’ve seen from the ilk of Samsung , Honor and Oppo , feel distinctly different from those equipment – but not in a good mode .
The Pixel Fold yell “ I ’m a first - gen foldable ” in a turn of ways that really hurts its overall appeal , especially when considering it ’s the most expensive wide available folding right now .
true , it ’s not really that noticeable when folded – the near - gapless design of the Pixel Fold looks cleaner than that of theGalaxy Z Fold 4 , and the agiotage materials also help elevate the look – but the flaws are obvious once unfolded .
For one , the crease is the most big that I ’ve come across in 2023 , obvious not only when looking at the 7.6 - column inch OLED display anywhere else but head - on , but also when swipe across the filmdom and feel that noted dip . It ’s not only wider than the likes of the Z Fold 4 , but the dip feels a little deeper too .
While that could be forgiven on early foldables , we ’re now get to the point where advances in hinge tech allow for a near crease - less experience on foldables like theOppo Find N2 FlipandMotorola Razr 40 Ultra . It ’s always there and , I must let in , it kind of ruined the experience .
That ’s further intensify by the fact that the Pixel Fold does n’t spread out completely flat , alternatively wobbling on its spine or resting on the rearward television camera bump when sat unfolded on a table .
The slightly raised , rather thick , plastic bezel also give it a bit of an aged look compared to more bezel - less alternatives , and it ’s also quite sizable in the hand , weighing in at a not - unreal 283 g. For comparability , the Z Fold 4 measure in at 263 g , and so is 20 g lighter .
That would ’ve all been venial had the Google Pixel Fold launched alongside early versions of foldables like theGalaxy Z Fold , which also suffered from early build issues , but it did n’t . It appeared in 2023 instead , where competition are now at a much more ripe point in development , peculiarly in terms of flexible joint and showing tech .
That ’s not to say the Google Pixel Fold does n’t have anything going for it ; it ’s the thinnest foldable around at 5.3 mm thick when unfolded , and even when folded at 12.2 mm , it ’s not that much chummy than somecandybar speech sound . The hinge is also solid , allowing you to fish the pen up display like a laptop when watching videos on YouTube .
I ’m also a swelled fan of the overall size and frame of the foldable ; it ’s much little and nester than you might expect , closer in design to the Oppo Find N2 than the grandiloquent - and - narrow Galaxy Z Fold 4 . The 5.8 - inch FHD+ panel is a high - last one too , cavort the same120Hz refresh rateand OLED tech as the internal panel , and it ’s plenty bright at 1200 nits , meaning there ’s not much of a via media when using the out presentation .
In fact , with such a far-famed kris on the inner show and the deficiency of apps that take advantage of all that blind real estate – something I descend to a little by and by – I find myself using the extraneous exhibit much more often than with other foldables . If I were to put a number on it , I ’d say around 80 % of my time was spend on the out show .
It ’s a shame , as the 120Hz refresh rate , organic light-emitting diode - powered colours and deep Black and gamy - atomic number 75 1840 x 2208 resolution of the interior display in reality make for a neat wake experience when binge content .
So , while I ’m a buff of the overall face and look of the Google Pixel Fold , it need more work before it can truly compete in the wider foldable market .
Cameras
While the overall design screams ‘ first - propagation machine ’ the same ca n’t be said for the Pixel Fold ’s photographic camera apparatus . That should n’t come up as much of a surprise given how we ’ve praised various Pixel smartphones for their AI - infused camera chop in the past , but foldables have a bit of a reputation for not being quite as up to as their candybar brethren .
The Google Pixel Fold is n’t quite capable of vie with true top - end flagships like theXiaomi 13 ProandSamsung Galaxy S23 Ultra(that cost less , might I add ) , but its compounding of 48MP main , 10.8MP ultrawide and 18.8MP 5x telephotograph lenses does fold the gap considerably .
The chief lens is , of course , the best all - rounder out of the three lens system , subject of delivering pin - sharp detail , vivacious color that ’s not as OTT on the saturation as the likes of Samsung and impressive HDR capableness , even on absurdly bright days . It ’s a television camera that want piffling to no campaign to capture a cracking - quality snap , a process that ’s near - instantaneous , by the style .
Skin tones also look more born and true - to - life than some contend candybar flagships , rent alone foldables .
You ’ve also got all the ready to hand little tweaks of Google ’s Camera app to enjoy , with small details like being able-bodied to change the colour temperature of the icon from the main view finder adding extra versatility to the experience .
Night Sight – Google ’s brand name of night photography – is available , but the solution are n’t quite the same as what you ’ll get from the large 1 - inch sensor of the like of theVivo X90 Proin that it does n’t artificially clear up dark environments . Instead , it hold an effigy much closer to what you see with the naked middle , with decent quantity of igniter and detail on fling depending on the subject , and it ’s pretty speedy too .
The master 48MP cracker bonbon is flanked by a 10.8MP ultrawide lens that , while not taking advantage ofpixel binningtech to advance detail and igniter like the main sensor , manages to deliver shots that closely match the color tone and overall lineament of the main lens .
There ’s very little border distortion too , providing a clean 120 - grade FOV nonpareil for capturing scene and radical shots , though the f/2.2 aperture means it ’s not corking as light degree drop – even with AI - infused Night Sight on hand .
The 10.8MP telephotograph lens and its 5x optical zoom deliver a level of versatility you do n’t often find in foldables , delivering pin - incisive close - ups with a splendid born bokeh that I actually opt to the software - powered Portrait mode that can sometimes miss small details with its border detection technical school .
The phone is n’t capped at 5x though ; using Google ’s Super Res Zoom technical school , it can pass on digital soar level of 20x with some of the more detailed results I ’ve seen at such an utmost digital zoom . It ’s still a bit oil painting - esque , but you could at least make out some of the smaller details like the brickwork and the individual parts of the firedrake in the below icon :
As well as the main rear camera setup , you ’ve dumbfound a 9.5MP selfie camera on the external display and an 8MP selfie television camera imbed within the bezel of the upcountry video display . The interior display camera is the weakest of them all , though it ’s assumed you ’d only really expend it for video recording calls – specially with a slightly higher - Ra selfie camera on the international display and the power to take selfies using the rearward cameras when completely spread out .
Of naturally , the camera is only half the news report ; you ’ve also got hatful of AI - power photo editing shaft to flirt around with , ranging fromMagic Eraserwhich does an admirable job at removing people and other distractions ( as long as it ’s on a relatively mere background , anyway ) to Magic Unblur to bring those blurry shots back into focus . These are tools that , until very lately , were entirely uncommitted for Pixel smartphones .
In nitty-gritty , the camera setup is one of the gravid reasons to opt for the Google Pixel Fold over most other record book - style foldables on the food market in 2023 .
Performance and software
The master reason to opt for a Google Pixel smartphone in general , away from the camera art , is Google ’s stock ( and AI - focused ) approaching to Android . That ’s just as true of the Google Pixel Fold as thePixel 7 Pro , though it ’s arguably more of import here as the ledger - style foldable is in dire need of a bespoke software experience – something that no producer has yet to snap .
It largely comes down to app support , an yield that molest all book - manner foldables . You see , the comparatively boxy aspect ratio on go is specific to foldable display , and apps designed for the taller vista ratios of standard smartphones do n’t look correct .
Sure , app developer can add specific supporting – something all Google apps offer , as well as third - company apps like Slack and TikTok – but most popular apps , including Facebook , Instagram and even my banking app , do n’t . The solution from Samsung , Huawei , Oppo and carbon monoxide is to allow you to force the app to run in full - screen mode , though with the caveat that chemical element of the app might not work by rights .
Google ’s solution , on the other hand , is to plainly not allow you to run any app in full - screen fashion unless it has specific reenforcement for the aspect proportion . While some unsupported apps do indeed break on the big silver screen , there are slew of apps – like Reddit and Facebook – that work dead fine on the likes of the Galaxy Z Fold 4 . On the Pixel Fold , however , you ’ll be using either a 16:9 or 4:3 cropped opinion of the app .
I get why Google has gone down this route , fundamentally ensuring that all apps go right on the internal video display , but at a microscope stage where very few democratic apps boast native support , it does feel like it stifles the experience . It also meant that I used the internal showing much less than other Word - style foldables I ’ve reviewed , simply because I could n’t use most apps in full - screen mode .
The aspect ratio is great for rip - cover multitasking as the display run two stock Android apps side - by - side with batch of space , idealistic for the more productivity - focus out there , but that ’s not something I found myself doing all that often .
App living apart , the Pixel Fold ’s approach toAndroid 13is about as great as they fall . As well as a clean , prosperous - to - utilize UI with Material You customisation , Google uses theTensor G2 ’s AI prowess to its advantage with ready to hand additional feature of speech like Now Playing , functionality that automatically notes down songs that you get wind throughout the day , and the ability to just say “ discontinue ” to dismiss an early morning alarm .
It ’s these pocket-sized elements that flux together to pitch a great overall experience , and one that ’ll continue to improve with Google ’s software hope of 5 geezerhood of updates , though interestingly , it has yet to affirm the OS / security fleck tear .
permit ’s just hope that more third - party developer leap on the bandwagon and work on native support for their apps , because that ’s the real dealbreaker , not just for the Google Pixel Fold , but book - style foldables in general .
Software experience aside , performance is solid . It ’s powered by the same Google Tensor G2 chipset receive in the like of thePixel 7and Pixel 7 Pro , along with 12 GB of RAM and either 256 G or 512 GB of storage depending on the variant you opt for .
As noted in other Pixel revue , the Tensor G2 is n’t the powerhouse of processing big businessman you ’d expect from a flagship , often chase after behind phone with Snapdragon chipsets , but that ’s because the Tensor G2 focuses more on AI processing power than pure graphical grunt – hence why the Pixels boast so much AI - powered tech compared to other Android phones .
Besides , everyday use is reactive with no lag or stammer regardless of what I confound at it , be it split - screen multitasking or running graphically - intensive secret plan with gamey artwork options enable . plainly put , while it might not beat other 2023 flagships in benchmark trial run , the real - world experience on offering from the Pixel Fold is pantry smooth .
Battery life
Google has bring forth a bit of an infamous reputation when it comes to the battery life of its smartphones , in particular following the dismission of the peculiarly terribleGoogle Pixel 4back in 2019 . Though bombardment life has ameliorate on more recent models of Pixel , it ’s still not quite up there – it ’ll get you through a day of habit , but not much else .
With not one but two 120Hz presentation to superpower , it should follow as no surprisal that the Google Pixel Fold ’s 4821mAh cell does n’t take the Pixel barrage fire life to the next degree .
I ’ve found that it can just about get me through my fair day of texting , take snaps , listening to music and sending the episodic electronic mail , with around 20 % leave in the tank . That ’s with exercise split between the cover song and internal presentation , with more use on the exterior than the internal for general day - to - day activity .
Your mileage may vary , peculiarly if you terminate up using the big home display for observe videos or split - projection screen wile more often than I did .
That ’s largely backed up by bench mark , with an time of day of HDR Netflix playback on the internal display enfeeble 8 % , while 30 minutes of promiscuous gameplay took 6 % .
That would ’ve been manageable if the Google Pixel Fold charged quicker , but instead , it ’s capped at the same rather slow 30W as most other Pixel smartphones , regaining 48 % in 30 bit and a full bearing in just over an hour and a half .
Admittedly , fast charging on foldables is still in its infancy , but it feel like an sphere where the Pixel Fold , in particular , would ’ve benefited . At least there ’s 7.5W wireless institutionalize on offer , making it more commodious to top up while work at a desk .
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Should you buy it?
Google ’s Pixel Fold design and hinge mechanism may not be the best around , but it render a versatile shooting experience .
Google has blocked the power to carry unsupported apps in full - filmdom manner like most book - style choice , seriously limiting what you may do with the internal display for now .
Final Thoughts
The Google Pixel Fold will be a majuscule foldable – just probably not until the secondly - gen equipment . There ’s a lot of promise from the folding , but early manufacture issues like a noticeable crease and a hinge that does n’t open entirely flat break it from being an exigent recommendation , especially at the ultra - mellow toll .
There ’s also the issue with app support . While other manufacturers give you the exemption to force unsupported apps into a full screen view , the same ca n’t be said for the Pixel Fold , relegating you to a view with large black bars .
It ’s not dead in the water supply though ; the tv camera offering is impressive for a folding , rescue that famed Pixel photography experience thoroughgoing with AI shooting modes and a plethora of editing tools .
So , while it ’s a valiant first effort from Google , it feels like it ’s a year or two too late . If you ’re after a more milled book - flair foldable phone , then I recommend theSamsung Z Fold 4andHonor Magic Vs . It ’s also deserving checking out ourbest folding phonelist for further pick .
Trusted Score
How we test
We test every mobile phone we review thoroughly . We use industry - standard tryout to compare feature of speech properly and we use the phone as our main twist over the review period . We ’ll always say you what we find and we never , ever , accept money to retrospect a product .
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FAQs
While there ’s no debris tribute on offer , the Pixel Fold offers a water immunity military rating of IPX8 .
No . You get a USB - C to USB - hundred cable television in the box , with a USB - ampere-second to USB - A arranger for use with honest-to-god charging brick .
Test Data
Full Specs
