Google Pixel 9 Pro Fold
Announced September 4, 2024
PixelMeter The PixelMeter is our 1–100 aggregate of reviewer scores from trusted publications and creators. Weighted by source tier — not a raw average, and not PetaPixel’s own review.
Reviewer Consensus
Strong
Google Pixel 9 Pro Fold is a sleek, premium-feeling foldable that excels as a daily driver thanks to its thin design, bright displays, and thoughtful software. That said, it falls short of its peers in raw performance, charging speed, and camera hardware, making it a difficult recommendation for those seeking the absolute best imaging or multitasking capabilities.
Weighted from 52 reviewer scores
Pros
- Solid, versatile camera performance
- Bright and responsive inner and outer displays
- Intuitive software and multitasking experience
- Long-term software and security update commitment
- Refined, thin, and lightweight industrial design
Cons
- High price point
- Inferior camera hardware compared to standard Pixel 9 Pro models
- Slow charging speeds and lack of included charger
- Underwhelming processor performance
- Bulky and heavy physical design
- Launch price $1,799 (USD)
- Main camera 48MP f/1.7 + 10MP Ultrawide + 10MP 5x Telephoto
- Video 4K 60p
- Display 6.3-inch / 8-inch LTPO OLED 120Hz
- Chipset Tensor G4 16GB
What the Reviewers Say
All 52 expert reviews, weighted into the PixelMeter score.
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- PetaPixel 6/10
If you care about AI features and want the flexibility of years of updates, the Pixel 9 Pro Fold focuses a lot on those things. If you want the best camera array on a phone that folds, this $1,800 one isn’t it.
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If you’re really keen on a folding phone, the Pixel 9 Pro Fold is an excellent option. However, for photographers, you’ll take a hit on image quality compared with the regular, cheaper Pixel 9 Pro.
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[T]his is my favorite flagship foldable ever to come out so there you have it.
- The Verge 8/10
It’s a minor feature, but “Made You Look” — which uses the outer display to show an adorable animation to catch a kid’s attention — works exactly as advertised. Yet it uses the outer screen’s selfie camera, which isn’t great in low light.
- WIRED 6/10
[I]t does its job well if a mini tablet is what you want—I prefer using it over the Galaxy Z Fold 6—but Google needs to work on its feature parity so that you don't feel like you're missing out on the latest and greatest [...]
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The Google Pixel 9 Pro Fold is the best folding phone-tablet hybrid design yet and is a massive leap over its predecessor.
- Android Authority 9/10
The Pixel 9 Pro Fold is among the best foldable phone experiences in the world; it’s an impressive piece of premium hardware, and Google’s Pixel-ified version of Android is as elegant and thoughtful as ever.
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As unique as its predecessor was, the Pixel 9 Pro Fold is a welcome reboot that is so much nicer to use for extended periods. Both screens are (mostly) great, the build is thinner and lighter and everything just feels more high-end.
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The Google Pixel 9 Pro Fold is a good smartphone despite being a mediocre camera phone. By recycling already middle-of-the-road camera hardware from its predecessor, the phone’s camera falls behind the OnePlus Open and Honor Magic V3 in every respect other than telephoto reach.
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It falls short of the flat Pixel 9 Pro in many ways, but it makes up the difference when you open up the tablet hidden in your phone.
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The Pixel 9 Pro Fold is a strong follow up to Google's first foldable phone with a huge 8-inch display, slim design and longer battery life.
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Google's second foldable is all grown up, with refined hardware, superior cameras and long-lasting battery. It just needs to iron out a few software quirks to finish maturing.
- Digital Trends 9/10
The Google Pixel 9 Pro Fold is an entertainment powerhouse. It's a truly excellent foldable and one I think you'll love.
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Odd name notwithstanding, this is about as close as it gets to being the perfect upgrade from its predecessor. There are a few qualms here and there, but I'm hoping that this is a sign that we can expect future foldable phones from Google.
- Android Police 8/10
It's just too bad it can't live up to the "Pro" in its title — or the multitasking skills seen on other foldables, for that matter.
- PhoneArena 6.9/10
When it comes to pure raw power, it's outshined by its contemporaries, for sure. That said, the Google software still runs smooth and snappy, it still has more than a decent camera, and the promise of a long software support period.
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If this is your first foldable, this is a great option. I actually prefer the hardware here over the Galaxy Z Fold 6, but it’s not perfect, and at $1,799 you probably want it to be close to perfect.
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Coming from someone who has never been the biggest fan of foldables, I think the Pixel 9 Pro Fold is without a doubt a device to consider buying. I have thoroughly enjoyed my time with this new foldable from Google, which I can’t believe I’m actually saying out loud.
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The Pixel 9 Pro Fold isn't just a full-fledged member of the Pixel 9 family this year, but it's also a big improvement over its predecessor.
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You don't have to worry, but I like the fact that when you immediately come in an area where there's very, very dull lighting, almost at night, when I closed all the lights, for example, my wife asked all the lights to be closed at night, but I still like to work [...]
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So that's the Google Pixel 9 Pro Fold for 2024 and because of the aspect ratio of the main display on the outside I really like it.
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It definitely is one of my favorite foldables today, and Google's got a lot of things right: the ergonomics, the software experience, the support.
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The Pixel 9 Pro Fold is extremely expensive at $1,799, but if I were in the market for a book-style foldable, I would pick it over the Galaxy Z Fold 6 because I appreciate its wider cover display, which allows me to use the device like a normal smartphone.
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Don't think of the Pixel 9 Pro Fold as simply an upgrade over the original Google foldable – this is a completely rethought and redesigned phone that's a giant leap forward, making it the best foldable that (lots of) money can buy.
- SlashGear 9/10
The Google Pixel 9 Pro makes Google's foldable Android experience feel professional. While the average smartphone user probably won't find enough added value in the foldable display to pay the premium, the device does deliver on what it promises.
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The Pixel 9 Pro Fold is a giant leap forward on the hardware front, with design, dimensions and displays to challenge the class leaders.
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The Google Pixel 9 Pro Fold is one of the most well-made and premium-feeling book-style foldables money can buy, and it’s a delight to live with.
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The Google Pixel 9 Pro Fold is an impressive smartphone, bringing Grade-A cameras, and stellar AI, but it can fall short in the performance department.
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This year, I’m scoring the new Google Pixel 9 Pro Fold ahead of the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6.
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I may never have the combination of deep pockets and genuine interest that'll motivate me to purchase a foldable phone. But if I ever do, the Pixel 9 Pro Fold would most likely be at the top of my list.
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The Google Pixel 9 Pro Fold makes a strong claim to being the best foldable phone on the planet right now, and at the same time is also arguably the best phone Google has ever made—perhaps better than the Pixel 9 Pro, even.
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[T]his is an absolute beast.
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[T]he anxiety of using it and the fear of another hardware failure does loom like the sword of Damocles over my neck, and that is a big problem.
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It is a good phone, and if you like Pixel stuff, if you want a foldable, this is probably the right phone for you.
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For me, the Google Pixel 9 Pro Fold is still the most likable foldable on the market, and what more do you need?
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The Google Pixel 9 Pro Fold is our favorite foldable phone released to date.
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[I]t's probably still my favorite folding phone I've used so far, and now that it's a little bit cheaper it's actually a good deal too.
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The Pixel 9 Pro Fold delivers all the Google software goodness wrapped in some of the finest folding hardware, making it one of the best book-style folding phones available in the US.
- Pocket Tactics 8/10
The Pixel 9 Pro Fold is a huge improvement on the original design and is one of the most polished and premium-feeling foldable devices on the market today. It's not a perfect phone, but despite some shortcomings, the overall experience is excellent and a delight to live with.
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As a foldable, I think it accomplishes what Google set out to do.
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I’ll have to send this back eventually and return to my tried-and-true iPhone, but I can already tell I’ll miss having everything visible on just one pocket-size screen.
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The Pixel 9 Pro Fold is a huge improvement on the original Pixel Fold in nearly every way and addresses the many problems that it had. [...] Connectivity is where I believe Google has sacrificed the most on this device — that is, where it has made too many compromises.
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From its bright, adaptive displays to its versatile camera features and AI-driven tools, this device redefines what a smartphone can do.
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Of course not, but as far as I'm concerned, it is up there as not only one of the best foldable devices that you can get right now, but one of the best devices, period.
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[T]his is still the phone that I'll choose for the foreseeable future, and I'll be saying goodbye to my beloved Z Fold 6, and here's why.
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Okay, that's better." So, maybe folding phones aren't really for me, but maybe Apple has to tell me what I want again.
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Not the best option for photographers or content creators if you want to stay completely up to-date in terms of what you can get.
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All in all, I've been enjoying this phone a lot. It's fun, it's different, and it's really well built, but it does have its limitations, and if this is going to be your one and only phone, I'm not sure I could recommend it at that price.
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As a second generation foldable, Google's done a solid job with the Google Pixel 9 Pro Fold. It's got dependable cameras and a cover display that feels like a regular phone but unfolds into a spacious 8 inch tablet, all wrapped in a very sleek package.
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Realistically this is a fantastic phone. Performance feels like flagship, it's built like a flagship and as far as actually using it goes the Google Pixel 9 Pro Fold is a flagship device.
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Honestly, I did not expect this to be my favorite phone of 2024, but here we are. Google's done a lot right here.
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Even though the Google Pixel 9 Pro Fold might not appear to be the best foldable on paper for most people, it's the best choice for me personally, and I'd choose it over the others any day.
