Google Pixel 9 Professional Fold assessment: A grown-up, glowed-up foldable

Rising up. It’s one thing all of us do, and units do too. Whereas there’s been little or no innovation in mainstream smartphones currently, foldable telephones have been maturing over the previous few years and at last appear to be coming into their very own. It’s like they’re within the younger grownup part of their lives, whereas the traditional “candybar” handset has largely been discovered. At the least, on the surface, anyway.

If foldables are the merchandise, then corporations like Samsung and Google are the dad and mom, and every of these two has taken a unique strategy. Samsung has been extra experimental, letting its child flail round within the playground, falling off swings and cracking its face. Google seems to have been extra cautious, maybe sheltering its product earlier than releasing it for the primary time final 12 months. And let’s not discuss concerning the elephant in (or lacking from) the room — Apple might be ready until its foldable is mature sufficient to skip straight to highschool earlier than exposing it to the world.

All that’s to say the Pixel 9 Professional Fold appears like a glowed-up younger grownup, prepared for actuality. Although it could have been extra apt to name this the Pixel Fold 2 (because it’s solely Google’s second foldable), I can see why the corporate needs us to think about it as a part of the 9-series. With the Pixel 9 Professional Fold, the complete Pixel 9 lineup feels refined and well-equipped to tackle the competitors. And perhaps even win our hearts.

Google

Google’s second foldable is all grown up, with refined {hardware}, superior cameras and long-lasting battery. It simply must iron out a couple of software program quirks to complete maturing.

Execs

• Slick design
• Higher cameras than the competitors
• Thinner and lighter than earlier mannequin
• Runs cooler than earlier than

Cons

• Nonetheless costly
• Some software program quirks

$1,799 at Google

The Pixel 9 Professional Fold’s design

One in all my favourite issues concerning the Pixel foldable is its side ratio. In comparison with the Galaxy Z Fold 6, which my colleague Sam Rutherford has described as extra like a thin baton, the Pixel 9 Professional Fold feels extra like a standard telephone when folded. The truth is, the Pixel 9 Professional Fold is a lot an extension of the Pixel 9 collection that its 6.3-inch exterior show is just about the identical measurement because the Pixel 9 and 9 Professional.

However as a result of that panel is encased in a body designed to accommodate a hinge for the versatile inside display, the Fold truly appears to be like extra comparable in measurement to my iPhone 15 Professional Max. Once I picked them each up, the Pixel 9 Professional Fold felt a bit heavier, however I guessed that it was in all probability near the iPhone 14 Professional Max in weight. I used to be improper — the Pixel 9 Professional Fold is definitely 17 grams heavier than the iPhone 14 Professional Max and 36 grams greater than the 15 Professional Max. Extra importantly, at 257 grams (9.06 ounces), the Pixel foldable is eighteen grams heavier than the Galaxy Z Fold 6.

It might not be the lightest foldable round, however the Pixel 9 Professional Fold actually ranks among the many thinnest. When open, its profile measures simply 5.1mm (0.2 inches) thick, whereas Samsung’s Z Fold 6 is barely thicker at 5.6mm.

Numbers alone don’t inform the complete story. Small dimensions look good on paper, however the best way the Pixel 9 Professional Fold feels to carry is a major a part of its evolution. Final 12 months’s mannequin felt somewhat unfinished, with a little bit of a duct-tape vibe to its development. This time, the machine feels strong, because of its “aerospace-grade high-strength aluminum alloy” and “matte again with satin steel body.” The exterior display and rear are lined with Gorilla Glass Victus 2, serving to it’s extra scratch-resistant.

In fact, as is normally the case with foldables, sturdiness is a priority and one thing that we will solely gauge with time. The excellent news is, Sam not too long ago revealed a sturdiness report after a year with the original Pixel Fold, and the machine not solely withstood the wear and tear and tear of every day life, but additionally survived being within the common neighborhood of an energetic toddler for 12 complete months.

Some fast last notes on the Pixel 9 Professional Fold’s design: In the event you’re right-handed, you may respect that the underside proper nook of the telephone (when folded) is barely curved. It rests properly in opposition to your palm and is marginally extra gratifying than the expertise for many who are left-handed, who won’t just like the sharper angle of the underside left nook. I used the Fold in each fingers and didn’t discover this a serious concern, however our videographer Hayato Huseman didn’t just like the design for left-handed use.

I even have a minor criticism that the machine is difficult to open with out first getting a fingernail in between the 2 halves, however I count on this may get simpler in time. Extra annoying is the slight creak each time I open the telephone, however this acquired smoother over time. From time to time, there’s additionally a mildly regarding rattle once I shake the Fold, which is one thing my pal Julian Chokkattu at Wired dropped at my consideration, so it feels like an issue that isn’t distinctive to our unit.

I’ve requested Google if this is a matter with simply our assessment samples or if it’s extra widespread and in line with the corporate “that is anticipated conduct that is as a result of telephoto digital camera VCM (voice coil motor). You’ll possible discover this on Pixel 9 Professional and 9 Professional XL as nicely.” I’ll say that I hear the same (although much less pronounced) sound once I shake my iPhone 15 Professional Max the identical means, so this might simply be the optical picture stabilization system shifting about.

A story of two Pixel 9 Professional Fold shows

Collect up, side ratio nerds, have we acquired an journey in intricate numbers for you! Although final 12 months’s Pixel Fold had a 5.8-inch exterior show with an ungainly 17.4:9 side ratio, this 12 months’s mannequin is way more intuitive. It’s the identical 6.3-inch 20:9 display as the usual Pixel 9, making it a extra acquainted measurement and form. I’m somewhat bummed that it has the 1,080 x 2,424 decision and 60-120Hz adaptive refresh price of the bottom Pixel 9, versus the sharper panel on the Professional (which fits all the way down to 1Hz), but it surely’s not an enormous drawback.

Sam identified that there’s the teeniest change within the Pixel Fold’s inside display. The unique was slightly below 5.875 inches large when held in panorama, and whereas the brand new Pixel Fold’s inside show is similar measurement in the identical orientation, in portrait mode it’s truly 5.625 inches large. This implies the Pixel 9 Professional Fold’s inside show has an virtually sq. 1:1 side ratio that’s 8 inches large diagonally, which is bigger than its predecessor’s 7.6-inch panel.

This doesn’t dramatically enhance issues if you’re viewing widescreen content material, and Sam would even name it a “very tiny downgrade” in that state of affairs. The brand new display dimensions will make extra of a distinction if you’re gaming and multitasking than watching movies. The tweak seems to be extra for compatibility, and I nonetheless needed to dwell with empty house on both aspect of movies (in each portrait and panorama orientations) once I performed YouTube clips in fullscreen mode.

I ought to level out that the interior show does truly go all the way down to 1Hz, however has a decrease pixel density because of its 2,076 x 2,152 decision. I wasn’t ever blown away by both show, although, and merely discovered them perfunctory. They each go as much as 2,700 nits of peak brightness, and are straightforward sufficient to learn in daylight, although the entrance display can rise up to 1,800 nits with HDR whereas the one inside solely goes to 1,600 nits with HDR.

The Pixel 9 Professional Fold’s cameras and pictures options

Google’s unique foldable already had higher cameras than Samsung’s newest, providing an extended optical zoom, sharper photos and superior low-light efficiency. So although it’s barely disappointing that the Pixel 9 Professional Fold doesn’t include many {hardware} upgrades, what it does convey continues to be higher than the Z Fold 6. The truth is, Sam says the Pixel 9 Professional Fold has one of the best cameras on any foldable you should purchase within the US.

Google has saved the principle sensor at 48 megapixels and upgraded the ultra-wide digital camera to allow macro focus. You’ll nonetheless discover a 5x optical zoom on the telephoto digital camera, which is longer than the 3x possibility on Samsung’s Z Fold 6. What’s attention-grabbing is that with the Pixel 9 Professional Fold, Google needed to tweak its digital camera {hardware} to “match our distinctive extremely skinny structure,” which is a reasonably spectacular engineering feat.

When it got here all the way down to precise photos, the Pixel persistently outshot the Z Fold 6, with Sam going so far as to say it’s “typically a tier degree greater.” Colours are brighter and extra correct, and the telephoto {hardware} makes a noticeable distinction in zoomed-in photographs. That’s even earlier than utilizing Google’s Zoom Improve software program, too. Given Samsung has been utilizing the identical sensor for the principle digital camera for the final three years, that doesn’t appear shocking, but it surely’s actually a disgrace that those that shelled out $1,900 for the Z Fold 6 are caught with poorer specs right here. It’s unusual too, contemplating Samsung’s important sensor is a higher-res 50MP.

It’s value noting that Google’s main {hardware} replace additionally gave the Pixel 9 Professional Fold extra of an edge, since having the ability to use its ultra-wide digital camera as a macro shooter made its close-up photographs higher than Samsung’s. Plus, Google continues to steer in low-light pictures, producing sharper, extra vibrant and higher uncovered photos than the Z Fold 6.

The truth is, software program is the place the Pixel cameras proceed to shine. Google added new options like Add Me and Made You Look this 12 months, with the latter being an unique to the Professional Fold. Is sensible, since that makes use of the interior and exterior screens. Whilst you have the digital camera app open on the within, tapping an icon above the shutter button permits you to select between twin display, rear digital camera selfie or Made You Look. Choosing the final one brings up 4 choices of various cartoon animations, and the respective character seems on the surface show. The rooster, or fish, or blob will dance round and make noises to get the eye of your topic. That is meant to work predominantly on youngsters, although I think about it’ll additionally pique the curiosity of cats and canine. I attempted it out totally on adults, and acquired a slew of images of my associates wanting incredulously on the digital camera. Principally this works for individuals aged one and up!

Whenever you’re able to edit your photos, you’ll discover the identical suite of instruments which can be on the Pixel 9 Professional. Meaning issues like Magic Editor, Reimagine and Autoframe are additionally out there to spruce up your photographs. I received’t retread floor we already lined in that assessment, however like we talked about earlier than, these generative-AI options are considerably efficient however sometimes problematic. I like utilizing it to create extra bushes or greenery within the background so I can middle my associates in a candid photograph, however discover it regarding that Reimagine may very well be used to add “wrecks, disasters and corpses” to pictures, in line with The Verge.

In the event you can keep away from the problematic AI instruments, although, it’s heartening to see that the Pixel 9 Professional Fold can ship images which can be nearly as good as those I acquired from my iPhone 15 Professional Max. In any case, you’re paying $1,800, try to be getting flagship-level cameras.

Efficiency and in use

Neither Sam nor I’ve had greater than every week with the Pixel 9 Professional Fold, so it’s somewhat too early to speak about longterm efficiency and every day use. Generally, although, to this point we’ve seen the brand new Fold runs easily and coolly, identical to the opposite Pixel 9 Execs. That’s largely because of the Tensor G4 processor and built-in vapor chamber, and naturally, perhaps I simply haven’t had the Fold lengthy sufficient but it surely by no means acquired too heat.

I loved watching YouTube with Threads open subsequent to it on the interior display, and the bigger canvas additionally made Instagram photos simpler to scrutinize. I want extra apps have been appropriate with the larger format, although, since my current favourite video games like Fruit Merge don’t develop to the complete width and as a substitute sit within the center, flanked by two bars of empty house.

It’s additionally unusual that flexing the display, which is meant to routinely swap appropriate apps right into a half-and-half format, solely works in panorama mode. Meaning in case you open YouTube, bend the Pixel 9 Professional Fold barely and flip it so the rear digital camera is on the highest left nook, you’ll see movies take up the highest half of the show. The underside portion is the place the title, description, feedback and different movies sit.

This format is intuitive, and is sensible within the panorama orientation the place the clip you’re watching is propped up for simpler viewing. I simply want there was an equal if you’re holding the Fold in portrait mode that may make the feedback take up the correct half of the show as a substitute of the awkward column it presently makes use of.

Sam’s expertise with the Galaxy Z Fold 6 leads him to search out Samsung’s taskbar “a contact higher for energy customers,” since you may set it to at all times stick round it doesn’t matter what app you’re on. This makes it simpler to launch apps in splitscreen or simply leap between duties. It’s additionally value noting that Google doesn’t help stylus enter, whereas Samsung does, and the latter’s DeX multitasking software program is helpful for productiveness. The Pixel Fold doesn’t have such an interface the place apps seem in floating home windows, although I do like when appropriate apps show additional columns or sidebars after they’re on the larger display.

Nonetheless, these are typically minor quibbles that really feel straightforward sufficient to resolve with software program updates you may obtain over time. In the event you’re not an influence consumer or itching to make use of a stylus together with your foldable, the Pixel 9 Professional Fold is a strong possibility over the Galaxy Z Fold 6.

The Pixel 9 Professional Fold’s battery life

The Pixel 9 collection has been delivering significantly good outcomes on our video rundown battery check and the Pixel 9 Professional Fold isn’t any exception. When operating on simply the exterior show, the Fold clocked 27 hours and 9 minutes, which is principally the identical as what the usual Pixel 9 acquired. When utilizing simply the inside display, the Fold lasted 23 hours and 22 minutes, which is spectacular for a way a lot bigger the panel is.

These numbers are about two to a few hours higher than the Galaxy Z Fold 6, which notched 25 hours and 19 minutes when folded and 20:07 when open. The brand new Pixel Fold additionally beat its predecessor and the OnePlus Open, as neither of these even handed the 20-hour mark on our check.

Wrap-up

Though the Pixel 9 Professional Fold is barely Google’s second foldable machine, it’s already come a great distance. It each appears to be like and feels higher than earlier than, with a measurement and form that’s extra just like an ordinary telephone when closed. When open, the machine is straightforward to carry and supplies a roomier canvas for gentle multitasking and gaming. Plus, in comparison with its important competitors within the US, the Pixel Fold 2 (spiritually anyway) has a superior digital camera sport and longer battery life. It’s additionally $100 cheaper than the Galaxy Z Fold 6, although it’s nonetheless fairly dear at $1,800.

Google’s foldable line nonetheless has some quirks to work out, however that’s all a part of rising up. For a tool that’s solely been round for 2 generations, the Pixel 9 Professional Fold is a strong foldable for anybody trying to dip their toe into versatile telephones that may double as tablets.