The Indian foldable phone market is exploding, offering a dazzling array of choices, from budget-friendly clamshells to flagship-level book-style devices. But amidst this exciting landscape, one question looms large: is Google’s Pixel 9 Pro Fold, with its hefty price tag, truly worthy of its "Pro" branding? This in-depth review dives deep into the phone’s design, display, software, performance, cameras, and battery life, comparing it to key competitors to determine whether it lives up to the hype and justifies its premium cost.
Google Pixel 9 Pro Fold Review: Design – Beauty and the Beast
The Pixel 9 Pro Fold boasts the slimmest design among current Indian foldables. Folded, it’s remarkably thin, especially compared to the OnePlus Open, thanks to a thinner camera bump. Unfolded, its slender profile is equally impressive. The overall aesthetic is minimalist and sleek, what the reviewer describes as "Swedish" in its design philosophy. However, this elegance comes at a cost: at 257 grams, it’s the heaviest foldable in its segment. This weight significantly impacts one-handed use and overall comfort. "The Pixel 9 Pro Fold sure looks cool. It has a slimmer, leaner and minimalist avatar, but it’s also the heaviest foldable in the segment," the reviewer notes.
In a direct comparison with the Vivo X Fold 3 Pro, the reviewer finds the Vivo surprisingly more comfortable. While the Pixel is thinner, the Vivo’s slightly narrower design, lighter weight (21 grams lighter), and curved edges contribute to a better in-hand feel. "The Pixel 9 Pro Fold (left) is slimmer and flatter, while the Vivo X Fold 3 Pro (right) is easier to hold thanks to its curved edges and bevelled corners," observes the reviewer.
The reviewer expresses disappointment with Google’s departure from the original Pixel Fold’s unique passport-sized design. The original’s design ensured it always opened in tablet mode (horizontally), eliminating the need for reorientation when watching videos. This newer, smartphone-first approach results in a narrower cover display and the need to rotate the device – a clear design compromise.
The chassis is made of aluminum alloy, contributing to its thin profile. The reviewer notes: "It’s barely 1mm thick near the hinge, and while it looks sleek, it also feels quite delicate." This raises concerns about durability, especially given the device’s slim frames and potential for damage near the hinge. The IPX8 water resistance is a positive aspect, but the reviewer cautions that “the warranty will not cover any damage caused by water.”
The bezels surrounding the main foldable display are impressively thin, almost appearing like a glossy sticker, showcasing Google’s commitment to the sleek design. However, the reviewer finds that the overall build finish lacks the premium feel of the Pixel 9 Pro XL, noting sharp buttons, port cutouts, and minor gaps between the cover glass and the metal frame.
Google Pixel 9 Pro Fold Review: Display – Actually Good
The Pixel 9 Pro Fold features a 6.2-inch, 1080 x 2424 pixels, full-HD+, 120Hz OLED cover display and an 8.03-inch, 2076 x 2152 pixels, 120Hz LTPO OLED main display. Only the main display features LTPO technology, which helps save battery life.
Both displays exhibit punchy colors in Adaptive mode, which are toned down in Natural mode. The reviewer recommends switching to Adaptive mode for video consumption, as Natural mode compromises contrast. The reviewer also notes that the well-rounded corners of the device eat into the viewable area of the display. This is particularly noticeable on the cover display which "appears squarish" due to the shape limitations of the foldable form factor.
The reviewer highlights the main display’s size, stating that its usability is maximized when the device is held horizontally. However, this necessitates reorientation when watching videos fullscreen (non-cropped view). The squarish aspect ratio is better suited for multitasking than for dedicated video viewing. The reviewer adds “there’s tons of wasted space above and below (letterboxing), making the square aspect ratio better for multitasking,” noting the phone is not ideal for full-screen video. The reviewer concludes that the Pixel 9 Pro XL is a better choice for movie-watching due to its larger display and better battery life. The main display’s crease is noticeable despite the thinner bezel surrounding it, similar to other foldable devices, despite the thin bezel. The cover display bezels are thicker than the main display.
Google Pixel 9 Pro Fold Review: Software – AI-tastic
The Pixel 9 Pro Fold runs on Pixel UI based on Android 14, boasting a 7-year software commitment for OS, security, and Pixel Drop updates. The software experience is thoughtfully designed for the foldable form factor, including subtle animations, like icons and widgets moving inward when closing the device and a smooth lock-screen clock animation. Notably, "the Pixel 9 Pro Fold is the only foldable to offer a proper tablet-style split notification tray with toggles on the left and notifications on the right" according to the reviewer.
Despite improved animations, the multitasking capabilities are disappointing. It offers only basic split-screen functionality for two apps, falling behind competitors like the OnePlus Open, which allows for more sophisticated multitasking with up to three apps simultaneously.
The phone’s AI features are a highlight. The playful "Made You Look" feature is mentioned by the reviewer.
Other notable AI features detailed include Dual Screen on Meet (allowing users to show front and rear camera outputs simultaneously during video calls) and Dual-Screen mode for Live Transcribe (offering real-time translation of over 120 languages). Car Crash Detection is also included, with Emergency SOS planned for a future update.
Google Pixel 9 Pro Fold Review: Performance – Pretty Average
The Pixel 9 Pro Fold is powered by the Google Tensor G4 processor, coupled with 16GB of RAM and 256GB of storage. While these specifications are respectable, the reviewer notes occasional UI stuttering and lack of smoothness when compared to the Pixel 9 Pro XL in various applications. The reviewer suggests that “the culprit here is the stricter battery optimizations.” They also criticize the limited 256GB storage, particularly as competitors often offer 512GB or more. While a free 2TB Gemini Advanced plan (for one year) is included, it doesn’t fully compensate for the lack of local storage.
Benchmark results (compared to Vivo X Fold 3 Pro):
- AnTuTu v10: Pixel 9 Pro Fold (Cover/Main): 11,15,037 / 10,65,151, Vivo X Fold 3 Pro: 20,51,650 / 20,63,526
- Geekbench Single Core: Pixel 9 Pro Fold (Cover/Main): 1,872 / 1,651, Vivo X Fold 3 Pro: 2,143 / 2,167
- Geekbench Multi Core: Pixel 9 Pro Fold (Cover/Main): 3,734 / 3,971, Vivo X Fold 3 Pro: 6,562 / 6,800
Gaming performance is mixed. Call of Duty: Mobile performs adequately, while Genshin Impact shows significant stuttering at maximum settings. Touch responsiveness feels less accurate than expected on the main display.
The phone heats while using the camera outdoors, which the reviewer points out doesn’t seem to affect camera performance thanks to vapor chamber cooling.
Google Pixel 9 Pro Fold Review: Cameras – Not What We Expected
The camera system, including the 48-megapixel main camera, 10.8-megapixel 5X telephoto camera, and 10.5-megapixel ultrawide camera, performs below expectations, especially when compared to the Pixel 9 Pro XL and the Vivo X Fold 3 Pro. The reviewer feels that “there’s nothing “Pro” about the Pixel 9 Pro Fold’s cameras.” Images from the main camera are somewhat soft indoors, with decent but not exceptional resolution and detail. While outdoor shots have natural colours, detail is moderate, and purple fringing is noticeable. Low-light performance, although decent in terms of detail, crushes blacks.
Portrait mode is limited to 1.5X and 2X, generating results significantly inferior to the Pixel 9 Pro XL due to the aging camera sensors. Images lack detail and contrast, and edge detection is notably poor, introducing artifacts and cutting off hair, ears and glasses. Even the telephoto camera struggles in low light, despite utilizing Night Sight mode. The ultrawide camera provides passable results, while video recording is decent in good lighting but quite noisy at night.
Google Pixel 9 Pro Fold Review: Battery – A Bit Below Expectations
The Pixel 9 Pro Fold has a 4,650mAh battery. Battery performance yields a full day of moderate use. However, the reviewer’s video loop tests returned disappointing results of only 12 hours 50 minutes on cover display and only 8 hours and 8 minutes using the main display which is below average for a foldable phone. They state “These numbers are below average for a foldable device.”
Charging is slow with modest 21W wired charging and 7.5W wireless (Qi) charging. A full wired charge takes 1 hour 45 minutes with a 61W PD charger – comparable to the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6 but slower than many competing foldables.
Google Pixel 9 Pro Fold Verdict
“Google’s neatly laid out software and segment-leading AI tricks may come to the 9 Pro Fold’s rescue, which finds itself in the hands of Pixel fans who have been desperately waiting for the foldable to reach Indian shores. But its dated camera system desperately needs an upgrade and does not fit the “Pro” moniker that Google’s chasing for its foldable.”
The Pixel 9 Pro Fold’s strengths lie in its software and AI features, potentially appealing to loyal Pixel users. However, its shortcomings in camera quality, performance, battery life and limited storage significantly hamper its overall value proposition, especially considering the competition. “If you are looking for your first foldable, Samsung’s Galaxy Z Fold 6 and OnePlus’s Open offer extended repair warranties to give you better peace of mind and both of these, like the Vivo X Fold 3 Pro, are priced lower than Google’s foldable Pixel.” The reviewer ultimately concludes that the Vivo X Fold 3 Pro, with better performance, camera capabilities, and a more attractive price, is a strong alternative despite the Pixel’s advantages in software. The phone lacks the overall polish and refinement expected of a premium "Pro" device.
