Google Pixel 9 Pro Fold – know when to fold’em, know when to hold’em (a very deep-dive smartphone review)

The Google Pixel 9 Pro Fold is an 8”/6.3” foldable phone/tablet that, once you use it, makes it damned hard to go back to a boring flat glass slab.

But in Kenny Rogers’s The Gambler song, he adds ‘Know when to walk away…” So, I want to review this from the ‘smitten’ angle and then tell you why this phone will or won’t suit you.

Upfront here are the basic philosophies and raison d’etre – why Google built this.

This is primarily about an 8” 1:1 ratio screen that allows you to see more.

Does it allow you to do more? Not really, because most apps are formatted for 16:9 portrait. You only get a larger image, sometimes flowing off the screen edge. Still, those apps that recognise the format are great to use. Me—I hate the split on-screen keyboard but love the screen space. There is no stylus—its use may damage the screen.

Its arch-nemesis, the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold6, has a 7.6” 10.5:9 ratio (Google would be 9:9) and suffers a similar fate, even less usable.

Below are screenshots (same scale) showing the internal screens of the Pixel 9 Fold (Left) and Samsung Fold6 (Right) and the quite extraordinary difference in the usable area.

The secondary reason is the 6.3” 2424 x 1080, 20:9 cover screen

This is the same ratio as the Pixel 9 and most other smartphones. You can do anything on this; the 1080 resolution does not confuse video playback.

Samsung persists with a 6.3”, 2376 x 968, 27:11 (approx. 22:9) ratio – tall and thin.

Here are a few screenshots. Look, I know I am being picky about a few pixels, but the Pixel is wider and has more usable space.

The tertiary driver was to develop a [range of] phones that could handle the AI needs.

Google developed the Tensor G4, and I will be the first to admit that it is not as fast as the Qualcomm SD3 Gen 2 or 3 – it’s quite a deal slower. But we don’t all need a Lamborghini to do the shopping, and from an AI and productivity perspective, it is fit for purpose.

If you want to read about Google Gemini AI, have a quick peek at the Pixel 9 review. The link is below.

If you desperately want a Foldable, it is this or the Samsung Fold6

For all other readers, know when to walk away and swap over to our Google Pixel 9, 9 Pro and 9 Pro XL – a very deep-dive review.

It is an excellent fold, and in many ways, it offers a superior experience to Samsung (review soon).

Our main caveats:

• Only for city and suburb phone reception.
• Cannot mount an external SSD, so it is not for vloggers and videographers
• The 8-bit/16.7M colour screen is not for those needing pro-level colour accuracy or video/still image accurate preview. See 8-bit versus 10-bit screen colours. What is the big deal? Typical users will love the screen.
• Not for PWM-sensitive people

New ratings in 2024

We use Fail (below expectations), Pass (meets expectations) and Exceed (surpasses expectations or is the class leader) against many of the items below. We occasionally give a Pass(able) rating that is not as good as it should be and a Pass ‘+’ rating to show it is good but does not quite make it to Exceed. You can click on most images for an enlargement.

We are also tightening up on grading. From now on, Pass, for example, means meeting expectations for the price bracket. We consider a Pass mark to be 70+/100 with extra points added for class-leading and excellence.

Australian Review: Google Pixel 9 Pro Fold

Brand	Google
Model	Pixel 9 Pro Fold
Model Number	GGH2X
RAM/Storage Base	16/256GB
Price base	$2699 16/256GB $2899 16/512GB
Warranty months	24-months
Tier	Fold Premium
Website	Product Page
From	Google Online, Harvey Norman, JB H-Fi, Office Works. Telcos offer monthly phone repayment and mobile data plans: Optus, Telstra, and Vodafone.
Country of Origin	China
Company	Google is a giant company that started with a search engine and is now one of the largest advertising platforms in the world. It is behind the Android and Chrome operating systems. Beginning with the Pixel 8, Google has made AI-enhanced phones with its Google Gemini Nano, cloud, and DeepMind technology, which Samsung and others use.
More	CyberShack Google news and reviews CyberShack smartphone news and reviews
Test date	August 2024
Ambient temp	10-27°
Release	September 2024
Other models not for Australia (Don’t buy)	The warranty is only valid with genuine Australian stock. Wi-Fi 6E/7 requires Australian firmware for its bands. A genuine phone has the R-NZ C-Tick About Phone>Regulatory Labels and the AU warranty under About>Phone>Limited Warranty.

First impression – love it – Pass+

I am a candidate for a foldable. I need more screen real estate, but I also need great phone reception (living in a black spot area), a mountable external SSD, an excellent camera, and a 10-bit screen. Yes, I am picky, but my job demands that.

Last year, I fell in lust with the OPPO Find N3 Fold, the most advanced foldable smartphone in 2023. It had it all—Qualcomm SD8 gen 2, a 7.82”, 1:1, 1-bit/1.07 billion colour Dolby Vision capable screen, terrific phone reception, and more. Alas, it sold out so quickly that I missed out. The critical point is that it ate the Samsung Fold5 for breakfast.

I understand that the 2024 version will only be marketed as the OnePlus Open, and according to reviews, it eats the Fold6 for breakfast, but it will not be sold here. Damn.

So, as much as I like the Pixel 9 Pro Fold and the Samsung Fold6, neither meets my needs, so I’m back to boring glass slabs.

The phone looks superb. The 6.3” cover screen is the same as the Pixel 9, and because it’s a 1080p screen in 20:9 format, it is way more usable than the Fold6. It is a good thing, too, because using this helps prolong the life of the internal screen.

Lasting impression – Compromises

It is easy to like a foldable, but the format demands compromises. For example, the camera sensors must be smaller to fit the thin frame—ditto for smaller batteries. Heat management is an issue—foldables throttle terribly under load. Add their soft plastic internal screen (about Mohs hardness 3), and they are not for enthusiastic gamers.

The Pixel 9 Pro Fold is for people who know its limitations and happy to live with them.

Some reviewers have commented:

• They do not like the D-shape, which allows for the fold flat hinge at the left edge. You cannot please everyone.
• The slightly larger internal bezels and rounded corners detract a little from the squared-off Fold6. Is there no pleasing people? I have lived with this for over a month, and the rounded corners make it very pocketable over the square Samsung—I like it.
• Samsung’s UI 6.1.X (over Android 14) is said to be easier to use and has more features. Yes, it does, but the UI is becoming increasingly bloated. You must also have a Google account (8000 words and simple English) and a Samsung account that is 40,000 words in ten nested policies with privacy implications.
• Google uses Pure Android 14. The phone will get seven OS upgrades and seven years of security patches (as will Samsung). The finishing touches are being put on Android 15, which will include far more support for foldable formats and a new Android Desktop (like Samsung Dex or Motorola Ready For) that works over the USB-C 3.2 Gen 2 port via USB-C to USB-C or HDMI-connected monitors.
• There is an obvious internal screen crease. It is no more than Samsung—OPPO nailed the almost invisible crease. In my opinion, it is now a non-issue. The only issue facing all foldables and flips is longevity. Will the screen outlast the seven OS updates?

My take is that the knockers can buy Samsung, while those in the know will go with the Pixel 9 Pro Fold.

Screen – Pass with one caveat, well, maybe two

The internal screen is big, bright, and beautiful. Its 1:1 ratio (almost square) is the largest on the market.

The cover screen is also big, bright, and beautiful. Its 20:9 ratio (the same as the Pixel 9 and most smartphones) makes it eminently usable, obviating the need to open the phone as often.

The caveats apply to a narrow group of users.

• 8-bit/16.7 million colours means it cannot match the preview screen colours to the 10-bit colour photo and video image. It also cannot decode Dolby Vision, downmixing it to the inferior HDR10.
• Pulse Width Modulation (PWM) dims the OLED screen. It uses a Samsung AMOLED screen with 240/480Hz repeating PWM until you reach about 80% brightness. This flicker would severely affect PWM-sensitive people.

Screen specs

Size	8″/6.3″
Type	Foldable LPTO OLED/Actua OLED (same as Pixel 9)
Flat, Curve, 2D, 3D	Flat with top right o-hole/flat with centre top o-hole
Resolution	2152 x 2076/2424 x 1080
PPI	373/422
Ratio	1:1 approx./20:9
Screen to Body %	89%/86.1%
Colours bits	8-bit/16.7m colours Google calls this 24-bit (3 x 8-bit RGB)
Refresh Hz, adaptive	1-120Hz/60 or 120Hz
Response 120Hz	N/A
Nits typical, test	Not disclosed. Test 100% window 1150 nits.
Nits max, test	1600/1800 nits HDR 100% window (1450/1400) 2700/2700 nits Peak 5% window (tested 2550/2315)
Contrast	Infinite 2M:1
sRGB	It has Natural or Adaptive (saturated) settings. 100+% coverage
DCI-P3	Not disclosed (Natural setting 95% of 16.7m colour space.
Rec.2020 or other	N/A Note there are no calibration settings.
Delta E (<4 is excellent)	1.3/2
HDR Level	Internal and external HDR10/HLG/HDR10+ (No Dolby Vision)
SDR Upscale	No
Blue Light Control	No
PWM if known	120Hz <50% brightness 240Hz >50% Brightness 240Hz cycle is very low and will affect PWM-sensitive users.
Daylight readable	Yes
Always on Display	Yes
Edge display	No
Accessibility	All Android features
DRM	L1 for FHD, SDR and HDR (should be available)
Gaming	<2ms GTG
Screen protection	No/Gorilla Glass Victus
Comment	This is an 8-bit/16.7m colour screen, while flagships have 10-bit/1.07 billion colour screens (except for Samsung). We can see the difference between the photo and video image preview and the result. The screen does not support Dolby Vision (it should). PWM is among the most severe we have seen, and sensitive users must look elsewhere.

Processor: Tensor G4 – Pass

Google designs its silicon and contracts with Samsung to make it. It is loosely based on the 4nm Samsung Exynos 2400, the same Samsung modem and Mali GPU as the Pixel 8 Tensor G3.

As usual, Google reviewers cannot benchmark the phone until it is released publicly. Therefore, we delay the review until we can run the tests.

OK, it is slower than the Fold6 SD8 Gen 3, but it gets the job done.

Interestingly, it has 16GB of RAM, including a dedicated 4GB AI carveout. Perhaps this accounts for its good AI speed.

AI benchmarks

We have run the new AI benchmarks, but they bear no resemblance to the official trillion operations per second (TOPS), so they are more for your interest. We have also benchmarked the Samsung Fold6; some of those benchmarks are way too challenging to accept at face value.

For example, AiTuTu shows Samsung with 15X more AI power than the Pixel, yet Geekbench AI NNAPI, the Pixel has nearly 6X AI capacity. We will be testing more, but someone is ‘gaming’ the results.

	Pixel 9 Pro Fold	Samsung Fold6
Geekbench 6 single/multicore	1750/3017	2230/6830
Geekbench AI NNAPI	270/4148/6019	444/431/948
AiTuTu	97,494	1,481,101 (this seems way to high)
AI Benchmark 5	765	3161
GFLOPS	14.74	21.40
GINOPS	19.14	27.15
Open CL	6587	12,116
Vulkan	7043	14,016

For the first time, we will not comment on the Tensor G4 speed (or lack thereof😁) because we accept Google’s assertion that it is fast enough for AI, productivity, and content consumption. It gave us a lag-free experience, which is expected of a premium handset.

The GPU is rather old-school and does not support ray tracing for games. Indeed, the excessive throttling/heat, the GPU’s lower performance and the soft interior screen mean keen gamers should look elsewhere.

Google has a USB-C 3.2 Gen 2 port but only allows charging and an ALT DP 1.4 phone mirror over USB-C to USB-C or HDMI. It does not allow an external SSD to be mounted for live storage, making it unattractive to videographers and vloggers. This is a shame as it has such a good camera.

Overall, the SoC is fit-for-purpose.

Tensor G4 specs

Brand, Model	Google Tensor G4 fabricated by Samsung Titan M2 security chip NPU (same specs as Pixel 8)
nm	4
Cores	1 x 3.1GHz, 3 x 2.6GHz, 4 x 1.95GHz
Modem	Samsung Exynos 5400c
AI TOPS OR Multi-thread Integer Operations Per Second (INOPS) GINOPS = billion	On charge Geekbench AI CPU backend 1632/1585/2370 Geekbench AI GPU backend 5625/730/693 Geekbench AI NNAPI backend 270/4148/6019 Geekbench AI QNN – N/A AiTuTu 97494 AI Benchmark 5 765 14.74 GFLOPS 19.14 GINOPS
Geekbench 6 Single-core	1750
Geekbench 6 multi-core	3017
Like	Single Core SD8 Gen 2 Muti-Core SD7+ Gen 2
GPU	Mali-G715 MP7 940MHz 2526.7 GFLOPS Ray tracing is not supported.
GPU Test
Open CL	6587
Like	SD8 Gen 2
Vulcan	7043
RAM, type	16GB LPDR5 with 4GB reserved for AI
Storage, free, type	256GB UFS 3.1 (197GB free)
micro-SD	No
CPDT internal seq. Read MBps sustained	756 – slower than Pixel 9 @1140 Jass Maximum 1410.47
CPDT internal seq. write MBps sustained	293 – faster than Pixel 9 @148.3 Jazz Maximum 342.25
CPDT microSD read, write MBps	N/A
CPDT external (mountable?) MBps	Files finds it as an OTG for cut and paste but not as a mountable device and will not speed test.
Comment	Independent benchmarks https://nanoreview.net/en/soc-compare/google-tensor-g4-vs-google-tensor-g3 show about a 10% improvement over Tensor G3. It has the same GPU clocked slightly higher at 940MHz.

Throttle – Passable

Google appears to have slowed the processor down by about 10% from the Pixel 9 series to manage better heat issues associated with foldables.

Throttle test	Battery
Max GIPS	269874
Average GIPS	225074
Minimum GIPS	149510
% Throttle	35%
CPU Temp	50°
Comment	Google may have limited the battery’s top speed (GIPS) by about 15-20% compared to the Pixel 9 Pro XL to manage heat.

This graph below is usual because it shows how tries to recover from throttling, then succumbs ad infinitum.

Comms – Pass+

We had to rerun these tests several times with two Wi-Fi 7 routers as the results varied wildly. As we are unsure if this is the Pixel, the routers or the NBN, the results reflect the best test.

I suspect that a firmware update may be needed for Australian Wi-Fi 7 bands and MLO band aggregation. This was a similar issue to that we experienced last year with the Pixel 8 series (which are now rock solid).

Overall, the speeds are acceptable but nowhere near the Pixel 9 Pro XL results.

Wi-Fi Type, model	Wi-Fi 7 BE Tri-band 2.4/5/6Ghz
Test 2m -dBm, Rx/Tx Mbps	-46/2100/1666
Test 5m	-50/1980/1521
Test 10m	-58/1164/1005
BT Type	5.3
GPS single, dual	Dual-band GNSS GPS, GLONASS, Galileo, QZSS, BeiDou, NavIC
USB type	USB-C 3.2 Gen 2, 10Mbps
ALT DP, DeX, Ready For	It supports screen mirror from the June 2024 update.
NFC	Yes
Ultra-wideband	Yes
Sensors
Accelerometer	Yes
Gyro	Yes
e-Compass	Yes
Barometer	Yes
Gravity	No
Pedometer	No
Ambient light	Yes
Hall sensor	Yes
Proximity	Yes
Other	No Thermometer
Comment	It has a USB-C 3.2 Gen 2 10Gbps interface and now allows Alt DP 1.4 screen mirroring. However, it does not allow mountable external SSDs, which is a real issue for vloggers and videographers.

4/5G – City and suburbs only – Pass

The Samsung Exynos modem is this phone’s Achilles heel. Like all other Samsung Exynos and most MediaTek modems, it can only find the nearest tower, albeit at reasonable signal strength.

This means it is only recommended for major cities, suburbs, and regional cities with good tower coverage. If you live in a poor reception area, please read our reader experiences with Telstra Bluetick and learn how to understand the signal strength you get at home.

Another minor issue is that the modem only supports DSDS (dual SIM, dual standby), where only one SIM can be active simultaneously. Qualcomm SD8 Gen 2 and later modems support DSDA (dual SIM, dual active), where both work independently and simultaneously.

The 4G signal is OK, but the 5G is unusable. It cannot find any other towers.

SIM	Single SIM and eSIM
Active	Single Active
Ring tone single, dual	Single
VoLTE	Yes
Wi-Fi calling	Yes
4G Bands	B1/2/3/4/5/7/8/12/13/14/17/18/19/20/21/25/26/28/29/30/32/38/39/40/41/42/46/48/66/71
Comment	All Australian and international bands
5G sub-6Ghz	n1/2/3/5/7/8/12/14/20/25/26/28/29/30/38/40/41/48/66/70/71/75/76/77/78/79
Comment	All sub-6GHGz bands
mmWave	It appears to have this despite Google saying it did not. Bands n257 / n258 / n260 / n261 – may need a firmware update.
Test Boost Mobile, Telstra
DL/UL, ms	78.1/14.7/31ms – good
Tower 1 -dBm, fW or pW	From -82 to -90, 1 to 6.3pW It picked up a 5G signal, but unusable.
Tower 2	No
Tower 3	No
Tower 4	No
Comment	Strictly a city and suburbs phone where there is good tower coverage.

Battery – Pass+

First, a brickbat—no charger is supplied—and it loses points for that. The rationale is that you can use any PD or PPS charger to stop e-waste. Second, it only has a 21W cable and 7.5W Qi charge, characteristic of the fold format.

Typical users will get a full day between charges. Power uses will get 5-10 hours.

Using the internal screen only adds about a 15% battery overhead.

Battery specs

mAh	4650mAh Two batteries – capacity unknown but allows for dual charging to cut time.
Charger, type, supplied	21W capable Use a Google 45W charger for $49.99 PD: 5V/3A/15W, 9V/3A/27W, 20V/2.25A/45W PPS up to 11V/3A, 16V/3A/48W and 21V/2.25A/47.25W
PD, QC level	PD 3.1 and PPS
Qi, wattage	7.5W
Reverse Qi or cable.	Yes 2.5W
Test (60Hz or adaptive screen)	Adaptive – all tests using internal screen.
Charge 0-100%	1 hour 30 minutes It tends to charge at 9V/2A/18W. We did not have the genuine 45W charger.
Charge Qi, W Using Belkin Boost Charge 15W fast wireless charge	Over three hours. Make sure that the coils match up with your charge pad; otherwise, it may not work. There is no fast charge.
Video loop 50%, aeroplane	14 hours 34 minutes
PC Mark 3 battery	15 hours Accubattery 17 hours 49 minutes
GFX Bench Manhattan battery	Hung – out of memory
GFX Bench T-Rex gaming	643.3 minutes 3340 frames
Drain 100-0% full load screen on	4 hours Accubattery 5 hours
mA Full load screen on	1600-1650mA
mA Watt idle Screen on	500-500mA
Estimate loss at max refresh	Tested on Adaptive
Estimate typical use	Google advertises up to 24 hours of typical use. Heavy users (gamers) will get 4-5 hours of screen time. We are impressed that the internal screen overhead is relatively small—perhaps 10-15% more battery use.
Comment	We think it’s a retrograde step not to include a charger inbox, but we understand the ecological issues.

Sound – Pass

The sound hardware is basic and lacks Dolby Atmos processing and an EQ. It has separate amps for the left and right speakers, which helps to balance the sound from each.

Like previous Pixels, it is not overly loud but within acceptable limits.

Speakers	Same-sized landscape stereo speakers (same side as USB-C)
Tuning	N/A
AMP	2 x CS35L41 (for stereo) 5W @1% THD
Dolby Atmos decode	No
Hi-Res	No
3.5mm	No
BT Codecs	SBC, AAC, royalty-free aptX and HD, LDAC
Multipoint	Yes
Dolby Atmos (DA)	No, but it has a spatial audio switch for speakers and headphones
EQ	No
Mics	3 with noise cancelling
Test dB – all on EQ flat DA off
Volume max	80
Media (music)	74
Ring	75
Alarm	75
Notifications	75
Earpiece	70
Hands-free	It’s a little low volume, but otherwise, it’s OK. Clear Call setting reduces noise.
BT headphones	Excellent BT signal but only supports a limited range of codecs.

Sound Quality – Passable

I called the Pixel 8 and 9 ‘one of the worst music sound signatures’, and this is even worse.

It has no bass (20-200Hz), and an unexplained mid-dip from 300-500Hz takes the life out of the music. Fortunately, it recovers between 2-5kHz definition for clear voice. The treble is harsh, but there is some vitality as the 10-20kHz treble kicks in.

Google, please fix this. It takes all the joy out of audio/video consumption. Use headphones!

Deep Bass 20-40Hz	Nil
Middle Bass 40-100Hz	Nil
High Bass 100-200Hz	Almost none – starts slow build to 300Hz
Low Mid 200-400Hz	Almost nil – a long, slow build
Mid 400-1000Hz	Savagely dips as if there is no volume, then slowly builds again to 2kHz.
High-Mid 1-2kHz	Slow build to 2kHz
Low Treble 2-4kHz	Flat to approx. 5kHz
Mid Treble 4-6kHz	Linear decline to 10kHz
High Treble 6-10kHz	Linear decline to 10kHz then flattens to 20kHz.
Dog Whistle 10-20kHz	Flattish
Sound Signature type	I called the Pixel 8 and 9 ‘one of the worst music sound signatures’, and this is even worse. There is no bass, and the unexplained mid-dip takes the life out of the music. Fortunately, it recovers between 2-5kHz definition for clear voice. The treble is harsh, but there is some vitality as the 10-20kHz treble kicks in.
Soundstage	The speakers are well-balanced, and the sound stage is as wide as the phone. It does not support Dolby Atmos but has a Spatial Audio setting for speakers and headphones. It expands the 2D sound stage nicely, as far out as 30cm, but does not add any 3D height.
Comment	If you like listening to audio or video on phone speakers this is not for you.

Build – Pass+

Foxconn’s build quality is top-drawer. However, there is one repairability issue, precisely the same as the iPhone or other foldables. Removing the front screen to replace some internal components will break the screen. We have a teardown video below, and it looks reasonably repairable.

Size (H X W x D)	Flat open 155.2 mm (height) x 150.2 mm (width) x 5.1 mm (depth) Closed: 155.2 mm (height) x 77.1 mm (width) x 10.5 mm (depth excludes camera bar)
Weight grams	257
Front glass	Gorilla Glass Victus 2 external screen
Rear material	Gorilla Glass Victus 2 Mohs 6
Frame	100% recycled aluminium with lay-flat hinge.
IP rating	IPX8
Colours	Porcelain Obsidian
Pen, Stylus support	No
In the box
Charger	No
USB cable	1m USB-C to USB-C 2.0 3W cable
Buds	No
Bumper cover	No
Comment	No

Tear Down – lets see what is inside

Android 14 – Exceed

This is meant for Android 15, which has many foldable enhancements—we should see it by the end of the year.

No matter, 14 is damned good, and with 7 OS upgrades, who cares?

Please ignore the Safety features – most are currently only for the USA.

We would typically discuss AI features but have covered these in other documents. To be fair, those interested in AI will have read all they can before deciding to purchase.

It is critical to note that this is pure Android, which makes upgrading and transitioning from other Android phones easy—it works. Other brands use proprietary User Interfaces, Google app substitutes, and switching programs that make it hard to leave that brand – 10 points to Google.

Android	14
Security patch date	5 August 2024 – Current
UI	Pure Android
OS upgrade policy	Seven years
Security patch policy	Seven years – monthly updates
Bloatware	None One year’s subscription to Gemini Advanced, and after that, $32.99/month
Other	Safety- US only at present Emergency SOS Crisis alerts Car Crash Detection Safety Check18 Emergency Location Service Emergency contacts and medical info Android Earthquake Alerts System
Comment	Pure Android and the best upgrade policy, bar none.
Security
Fingerprint sensor location, type	Power key. Difficult for left-handers
Face ID	Secure Face unlock – fast and accurate
Other	Tensor M2 Chip
Comment	VPN by Google One at no extra cost End-to-end security designed by Google Multi-layer hardware security: Tensor security core, Titan M2 security chip and Trusty (Trusted Execution Environment) Seven years of OS, security and Feature Drop updates from launch Anti-malware and anti-phishing protection, including support for passkeys Automatic security checks and privacy controls with Security and Privacy Hub Camera and mic toggles Private Compute Core Android System Intelligence Android Messages end-to-end encryption and Android backup encryption Learn more at g.co/pixel/security and g.co/pixel/certifications.

Google Pixel 9 Pro Fold rear camera

Due to space constraints for a foldable, the sensors must be physically smaller, so they let in less light (f-stop) and have fewer megapixels.

We don’t profess to be camera experts—we test for point-and-shoot cameras like Joe and Jane Average. But the camera experts at DXOMARK gave it a score, and it is pretty good.

• Pixel 9 Pro/XL: 158 (top camera in Australia)
• Pixel 9: 154
• Pixel 9 Fold: 141 (same as iPhone 13 Pro Max)
• Samsung Fold6: 133

DXOMARK found (and we concur)

• The photo score was 150 (almost perfect).
• The video score was 131 (which dragged the average down).
• Screen preview colours were not accurate (only matters if you are a photophile or videophile).
• Bokeh average (disable AI for better results)
• Telephoto and Ultrawide sensors suffered from being 10MP but did a good job.
• In every test except telephoto, it exceeded Samsung Fold6 scores.
• Video using 10-bit HDR showed too much noise in low light. Instead of pushing the video to 4K@60, shoot it at 1080p@30/60 with full EIS/OIS stabilisation.

Photo samples

Rear camera specs

Rear Primary	Wide
MP	48MP bins to 12
Sensor	Likely, Sony IMX787 60MP cropped to 48MP, as used in the Pixel 8a and 7a.
Focus	Dual Pixel PDAF Multi-zone laser AF
f-stop	1.7
um	0.8
FOV° (stated, actual)	82 (70.5 – 82.9)
Stabilisation	OIS/EIS
Zoom
Rear 2	Ultrawide/macro
MP	10.5MP
Sensor	Likely Samsung S5K3J1
Focus	PDAF
f-stop	2.2
um	1.22
FOV (stated, actual)	127
Stabilisation	No
Zoom
Rear 3	Telephoto
MP	10.8MP
Sensor	Likely Samsung S5K3J1
Focus	AF
f-stop	3.1
um	1.22
FOV (stated, actual)	23
Stabilisation	OIS/EIS
Zoom	5X Optical 20X Hybrid
Rear 4	No ToF
Special	Spectral and flicker sensor
Video max	4K@60
Flash	dual LED
Auto-HDR	Selectable
	Pro controls Super Res Zoom up to 20x Add Me Macro Focus Night Sight Hands-free Astrophotography Portrait mode Face Unblur Long Exposure Real Tone Panorama Top Shot Frequent Faces Dual Screen preview Rear Camera Selfie Tabletop mode hands-free shots Made You Look Manual white balancing Editing features Magic Editor Magic Eraser Best Take Photo Unblur Zoom Enhance Portrait Light
QR code reader	Yes
Night mode	Auto

Pixel 9 Pro Fold selfie/s

There are two – on the cover and to the right of the inside screen. Both are 10MP with fixed focus. The results are average, and it uses a lot of AI to get accurate colours. Interestingly, there is a setting to save selfies in the same colour as the screen preview.

Front	Selfie – on external display and internal display – two
MP	10MP
Sensor	Likely Samsung S5K3J1
Focus	Fixed – an actual loss over Pixel 9 PDAF
f-stop	2.2
um	1.22
FOV (stated, actual)	87 (77.8 – 88.5)
Stabilisation	No
Flash	Screen Fill
Zoom	No
Video max	4K@60fps
Features	Video features (front and rear) Video Boost Night Sight Video Audio Magic Eraser Macro Focus Video 10-bit HDR video (rear camera only) Cinematic Pan Slo-mo video support up to 240 FPS 4K timelapse with stabilisation Astrophotography timelapse Optical image stabilisation for video Fused Video Stabilisation Cinematic Pan video stabilisation (4K, 1080p) Locked video stabilisation (4K, 1080p) Active video stabilisation (1080p) Video formats: HEVC (H.265) and AVC (H.264) Rear Camera Selfie video Audio Stereo recording Speech enhancement Wind noise reduction Audio zoom
Comment	DXOMARK camera test Pixel 9 Pro 158 Pixel 9 154 Pixel 9 Fold 141 (same as iPhone 13 Pro Max) Samsung Fold6  133

Some examples of Google Pixel 9 AI

CyberShack’s view – Google Pixel 9 Pro Fold – know when to fold’em, know when to hold’em, know when to walk away (or run)

I want to buy a foldable, but I would choose neither the Pixel 9 Pro Fold nor the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold6. Yes, to the OPPO if it ever brings a comparable successor to the N3 Fold to Australia.

That is not because either are poor phones in any way, but they don’t meet my needs. And that was the sole purpose of this review – I really want a foldable. If you really want one, too, it is all about acceptable compromise.

Let me segue. Some time ago, my wife wanted to trade up from her Mazda MX-6 Turbo, which went like a scalded cat. She looked at several cars and settled on the very sexy-looking Alfa Romeo. The test drive was spectacular – more than a Mazda turbo match. She (and I) were in lust with it! My wife asked where the cupholders were. It had six ashtrays and none of the former, so she did not buy it.

That is how I feel about the current crop of foldables. The ideal is a mix of the best bits of each—a SamGoogle!

The Pixel 9 Pro Fold grew on me. I love the 1:1 ratio internal screen; the 20:9 external screen is the same as other Pixels and smartphones—very usable. It has a few foibles:

• The screen crease is slightly more noticeable (than the OPPO N3 Fold and Samsung Fold6)
• The Tensor G4 is an adequate but not a stellar performer.
• City/suburbs phone reception strength
• Overall, it is a delight to use and edges past the Fold6.

Google Pixel 9 Pro Fold ratings

Features	85
	Google has produced the penultimate (next to ultimate), leaving room for the Pixel 10 Fold to improve.
Value	85
	You have a choice of the Samsung Fold6 or this. The prices are similar, so it comes down to preference.
Performance	75
	The Tensor G4 throttles. It is reasonably well behind the Samsung S24U on a ‘speeds and feeds’ basis, but that is not this phone’s criteria.
Ease of Use	80
	We are talking about hardware, software and AI. Pure Android is a real bonus, but Samsung’s UI 6.1 does a little more, albeit you need to have a Samsung account and the privacy issues that it raises. Google AI is pure Gemini and pretty much the same as Samsung uses that, too. Hardware-wise, I lean to the more usable screen real estate of Pixel 9 Pro Fold.
Design	80
	I don’t mind Google styling – it is different in a sea of glass slabs.
Rating out of 10	81