Google Pixel 9 Pro Fold: Everything you need to know
GoogleGoogle’s second foldable smartphone is now official. It’s not called the Pixel Fold 2, but the Pixel 9 Pro Fold. Here’s everything you need to know about the device.
Google jumped on the foldable phone bandwagon last year with the Pixel Fold. It wasn’t perfect, but it was certainly a step in the right direction. The tech giant got the phone’s dimensions right, equipping it with a wide cover screen, unlike the narrow outer panel of the Galaxy Z Fold 5.
The second generation of Google’s foldable phone has a lot more to offer. The Pixel 9 Pro Fold is both taller and slimmer than its predecessor, and it comes with powerful hardware out of the box. It is also promised to receive 7 years of software updates, just like its Pixel 9 siblings.
Where to buy
The new Pixel 9 Pro Fold will be available for purchase starting September 4. However, you can pre-order the device from the Google Store now. It will eventually be available at third-party retailers like Best Buy, Amazon, and others.
You’ll be able to get the smartphone in Porcelain and Obsidian color options. Google is also offering free storage upgrades for orders placed from now until September 5.
Price
GoogleThe Pixel 9 Pro Fold starts at $1,799 for the 256GB trim, the same as its predecessor. This makes the smartphone cheaper than the $1,899 Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6 but pricier than the $1,700 OnePlus Open. If you want the 512GB storage model, you’ll have to pay $1,919.
Design
Google has given the Pixel 9 Pro Fold a complete overhaul, making it taller and slimmer than the original Pixel Fold. The smartphone has a square shape, with a height difference of approximately 15.5mm compared to the Pixel Fold, surpassing even Samsung’s Galaxy Z Fold 6 in that department.
The most significant change is the camera bump, now positioned in the top left corner. There are three lenses: a main wide-angle lens, an ultrawide lens, and a telephoto lens with periscopic zoom.
GoogleThis design marks a departure from previous Tensor-powered Pixel phones, which were known for their camera bar that resembled a visor.
The Pixel 9 Pro Fold is impressively thin, measuring 10.5mm when folded and a mere 5.1mm when unfolded. It also weighs less at 257 grams, making it much more comfortable to use. Google has upgraded the hinge, allowing the foldable to unfold completely flat—something the first-gen Pixel Fold could not do. Additionally, it’s IPX8 water-resistant.
Display
| Display specs (rumored) | Outer Display | Inner Display |
| Size | 6.3-inch | 8.0-inch |
| Resolution | 1080 x 2424 pixels | 2076 x 2152 pixels |
| Refresh rate | 120 Hz | 120 Hz |
| PPI | 422 | 373 |
| Brightness | 2700 nits (peak) | 2700 nits (peak) |
The Pixel 9 Pro Fold features a 6.3-inch outer display, a significant upgrade from the 5.8-inch panel on the Pixel Fold, and comparable to the 6.31-inch OnePlus Open. It offers a resolution of 1,080 x 2,424, a 120 Hz refresh rate, 422 PPI, and a peak HDR brightness of 1,800 nits (with a maximum of 2,700 nits).
In comparison, the Pixel Fold’s outer display has a resolution of 1,080 x 2,092, a 120 Hz refresh rate, resulting in 408 PPI, and a declared HDR brightness of 1,200 nits.
Moving to the inner displays, the Pixel 9 Pro Fold steps up with an 8.0-inch inner display. It offers a nearly squarish aspect ratio with a 2076 x 2152 pixels resolution, 120 Hz refresh rate, 373 PPI, and 1,600 nits of HDR brightness.
The Pixel Fold presents a 7.6-inch screen with a 2,208 x 1,840 resolution, 120 Hz refresh rate, 380 PPI, and 1,000 nits of HDR brightness.
Specs
| Specification | |
| Processor | Tensor G4 |
| RAM | 16GB |
| Battery | 4650 mAh |
| Charging | 21W |
| Display (unfolded) | 7.9-inch 120Hz AMOLED |
| Cameras | 48MP + 10.8MP + 10.5MP rear, 10MP + 10MP front |
| Price | Starting at $1799 |
Google skipped the Tensor G3 for its foldable and opted for the latest Tensor G4. This is the same chipset that powers the Pixel 9 smartphones.
Alongside the new chipset, the Pixel 9 Pro Fold also features 16GB of RAM and 256GB and 512GB of storage. By comparison, last year’s Pixel Fold shipped with a base 12GB of LPDDR5 RAM and 256GB of storage.
The foldable comes with a 48MP main shooter alongside a 10.5MP telephoto lens (5x optical zoom) and an updated 12MP ultrawide module. There are two 10MP selfie cameras on both internal and external panels.
Google has packed the phone with a 4,650 mAh battery which it claims will last 24 hours of normal use. Wired charging is capped at 21W.
Performance
GoogleThe Pixel Fold being added to the Pixel 9 series means it gets a more powerful processor. While the Pixel Fold had the Tensor G2, Google has equipped the Pixel 9 Pro Fold with the Tensor G4.
The Tensor G4 has a 1+3+4 core configuration with the Cortex-X4 serving as the prime/flagship. There are also three middle Cortex-A720 cores and four little Cortex-A520 cores. The original Tensor and G2 had a 2+2+4 core configuration, while the G3 opted for 1+4+4.
On Geekbench 6, the Pixel 9 and its Tensor G4 recorded a single-core score of 1653 and a multi-core score of 3313. Those numbers are far behind the performance of chipsets like the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3, which, when we tested on the OnePlus 12, scored 2273 points in the single-core test and 7006 points in the multi-core test.
Software
The Pixel 9 Pro Fold runs Android 14 out of the box and is promised to receive 7 years of software updates. It includes new Gemini AI features, such as on-device Gemini Nano, Pixel Screenshots, an improved Magic Editor, and the Add Me functionality, which allows users to insert people into photos who weren’t originally part of them.
Should you get the Pixel 9 Pro Fold?
If you’re only looking for a Google foldable, the Pixel 9 Pro Fold is worth getting. If not, pick up the OnePlus Open or Galaxy Z Fold 5, and you won’t regret your purchase. Samsung has launched the Galaxy Z Fold 6 with several improvements. You may want to check out that one as well.