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The Pixel 9 Pro Fold comes with a Tensor G4 chipset, Gemini AI bundled and other Pixel niceties in an expensive package.
The second generation Pixel Fold is part of the 9 series and brings many improvements.
The entry of Google’s foldable devices was silent, but the second year showed its seriousness for the segment. The Pixel 9 Pro Fold got wider distribution this year, including India, which surprised quite a few people. The company usually keeps all the launch cards close to its chest, so when it announced all the Pixel 9 series models in the country, people were excited.
Speaking of the Pixel 9 Pro Fold, Google’s second-generation foldable device seems to build on the promise of its first model, but the competition in the Fold space is tougher than before, which means the stakes are also higher for a product priced at Rs. 1,72,999 in the country. The new design and overall overhaul matter, and you get them with the latest Tensor G4 chipset, but is that enough to convince buyers? We have the opportunity to test the device to find a definitive answer.
Fresh design, Premium Outlook
Google’s second foldable phone has undergone a major transformation. The entire design language has been revamped, including the large camera island at the back. The metal body along with the redesigned hinge looks much more durable and the best part is that the Pixel 9 Pro Fold doesn’t leave any gaps when you close it.
The form factor is slightly smaller than that of the Samsung Galaxy Fold 6, but wider and, most importantly, the heaviest foldable on the market at 257 grams. The slim profile definitely appeals, but the overall usability of the foldable is skewed by the size of your hands.
The bezels are still there looking right at you, which will annoy some, especially when the asking price is so high. Google has done a good job with the design of the Pixel 9 Pro Fold, we would like to see more things develop with the next model.
The big impact on the display
Pixel 9 Pro Fold screens have bright, crisp and easy-to-view content. You get a 6.3-inch OLED panel on the outside, while the internal screen is an 8-inch LTPO OLED display, which is larger than Samsung’s but slightly smaller than Vivo’s foldable. The 120Hz refresh rate is adaptive on the main display, while the external screen is fixed at the refresh rate, which isn’t ideal for a premium device.
The bezels are hard to ignore, giving the Pixel 9 Pro Fold a book-like feel. The size is peculiar to the 9 Pro Fold, but you get used to the size, and using the main screen to watch movies can be addictive as long as you’re dealing with the old 16:9 aspect ratio, which is still the preferred mode for shows.
The foldable version of Pixel UI
The version of Android running on the Pixel 9 Pro Fold looks a lot like the stock UI. There are some handy tools added for the foldable, but you’d think the competition has a better knack for making the software optimized for the form factor.
The overall experience is smooth and the controls are easy to dial, but you wish the UI was more intuitive for the device and behaved like it should be running on two screens. Yes, there is a dual screen mode for opening two apps at the same time, but that’s about it. Having said that, the AI features add another layer of interaction with the foldable and the implementation is much more polished in this regard.
The tensor puzzle
When you see devices like the iQOO 12 with a Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chipset selling for around Rs 50,000, you have to wonder why the Tensor G4-powered Pixel 9 series costs so much. The same goes for the Pixel 9 Pro Fold, which gets 16GB of RAM, but the hardware limits its purpose and potential.
That’s not all, you only get the 256GB storage option domestically, so Google clearly sees the person buying the cloud storage to make up for the lack of space, which will eventually become a problem. The Pixel 9 Pro Fold’s benchmark results show its limitations, and they become apparent while playing high-graphics games or using the camera to capture high-definition videos.
Not the best pixel cameras
Google uses a triple camera system that includes a 48MP sensor with OIS, a 10MP telephoto lens with OIS, and a 10.5MP ultra-wide lens. The resulting images are good, but not up to the usual Pixel standards and definitely no match for the Pixel 9 Pro XL.
Daylight images are detailed and colors look natural, but you sense that something is off with the output, especially when you compare it to the competition in this space.
Cheat where it counts
The Pixel 9 Pro Fold packs a decent chunk of battery that should ideally be good enough for long-term support, but it’s not.
It’s deceptively average for the size and packaging, and we’re not sure if it’s getting better over time or if it’s just normal behavior. The Pixel 9 Pro Fold’s charge times don’t offer much of an advantage either, and the combination of the two makes the foldable phone less desirable.
The Pixel 9 Pro Fold lets Google show off its hardware prowess, but for the high price you get a product that craves more power, finesse, and other attributes that round out the package.
