The Pixel 9 Pro Fold embargo lifted about two weeks ago, and back when it launched, I didn’t feel like I genuinely put the handset through its paces, so I wanted to use it more before releasing a full-fledged review. I’ve been using the Pixel 9 Pro Fold as my primary and often only device since I got it, and I have a lot to share.
However, before I discuss how much I love the Pixel 9 Pro Fold, let’s briefly discuss the handset’s price. In Canada, the foldable phone costs $2,399 CAD, which is extremely expensive for any device. Of course, if you compare apples to apples, the Galaxy Z Fold 6 costs $2,549, making it pricier than Google’s foldable.
Either way, this is a premium device, and it’s not for everyone. I didn’t buy this handset; Google gifted me the review device. So, while I love this phone, it’s not for everyone.
Biggest foldable screen in Canada
The 9 Pro Fold is a hefty device weighing 257g, making it probably the heaviest smartphone sold in the Canadian market. Even Samsung’s Z Fold 6 and the OnePlus Open are lighter than Google’s massive foldable. I thought this was pretty noticeable, and it took me a few days to get accustomed to the weight. At first, I thought it would bother me, but by the fourth or fifth day of using the handset, I stopped noticing its weight and could appreciate its thinness completely.
The Pixel 9 Pro Fold is thinner than the other foldables on the Canadian market. Even when folded, it’s only 2mm thicker than other phones like the iPhone 16 Pro Max and Pixel 9 Pro XL. I enjoy holding the 9 Pro Fold. I have the Obsidian colour variant, and it looks slim and sexy. For most of the day, I have the phone in a case — Google gave me a case, so I figured I should use it — but whenever I take it out, I think, “Wow, this is a hot device.” The handset also comes in Porcelain, but I think the Obsidian is sleeker. I wish it also came in Hazel, but maybe next year.
When looking at the front of the handset, you’ll notice a bit more bezel on the left-hand side. I think this makes the Fold a bit dated compared to the Z Fold 6; however, I’ve pointed it out to many others throughout my time with the device, and most don’t even notice. The OnePlus Open has this type of bezel as well.
And obviously, the best part of the 9 Pro Fold’s design is its wide aspect ratio on the front display. I spoke to some of the people behind the Pixel 9 Pro Fold’s design, and they said that Google wanted users to have the same phone experience as the Pixel 9 or Pixel 9 Pro when using the front screen. The front of the 9 Pro Fold is the same as the Pixel 9 Pro, which is excellent compared to the Z Fold 6, which hosts a Cover Display with a thin aspect ratio.
When you open the handset, you see a beautiful 8-inch display, more significant than any other phone available in Canada. I love using this large screen; it’s fantastic, and I enjoy watching content and playing tons of games on it. With a 2076 x 2152-pixel resolution, alongside a 120Hz refresh rate and HDR10+, everything I’ve watched on this screen looks great. In part of my testing of the Tensor G4 chip, I played games on the 9 Pro Fold and found that even these looked great on that vast 8-inch display.
Tensor G4 + 16GB of RAM = very capable
I know people hate on Google’s Tensor chipsets, but in my experience, the Tensor G4 seems quite capable. I’ve written full articles, played games, and watched full movies, while also multitasking by having two windows at the same time, or going back and forth between apps, and the handset chugs along smoothly.
I’ve used the Pixel 9 Pro Fold to play titles like Have a Nice Death, Death’s Door, Limbo, Hollow Knight, and Tunic; I even tried Black Myth Wukong via streaming. These games ran like a dream, and I had no problems whatsoever. I would even feel the device to see if it was getting warm, and its temperature was never an issue. Even after all of these titles, I’ve tackled a lot more and hadn’t a problem with the 9 Pro Fold. Seriously, I have no complaints about the Pixel 9 Pro Fold’s power and thought it was competent. Games played smoothly; there wasn’t any lag either, and I was happy to beat several bosses in Have a Nice Death with the 9 Pro Fold and its large 8-inch display.
That said, the phone isn’t perfect. I’m having some potential Bluetooth issues with the device when I connect it to the GameSir G8+ controller. I thought that it was the accessory’s fault, but now, using it with the iPhone 16 Pro Max, I haven’t had any hiccups. Manually connecting the gamepad to the Pixel 9 Pro Fold fixes this problem. However, I haven’t had any issues using it with the Pixel Buds.
Regarding actual benchmarking, the Pixel 9 Pro Fold offers a 1,920 single-core score and a 4,596 multi-core score in Geekbench 6, which isn’t the most impressive on the market. It falls short of Apple’s latest iPhone and Samsung handsets, but benchmarks aren’t everything.
The Tensor G4 chipset also powers the AI capabilities on the Pixel 9 Pro Fold. I wrote a lot about AI in my Pixel 9 Pro XL review and 9 Pro Fold Review in Progress, sharing how useful and quick I found Gemini Live and the other AI features like Screenshot-based Gemini queries and the Pixel Studio app. I’ve played with these features on the Pixel 9 Pro Fold, and the experience is still speedy and fluid.
The handset could use work in terms of battery life. If I play games or watch content, the phone won’t even make it to dinner time. When I’m not taking pictures or playing many games, the device could make it to the end of the day – around 10pm for me. Pretty much, you’ll be good if you’re going in for a day at the office and listening to music, and you’re heading back home around 5-6, and plan to charge it before heading to bed around 10/11pm. However, don’t expect it to make it to the next day. When I was travelling around Berlin, I brought a portable charger around to make sure I could top off the battery when it started getting low.
Zoo Pics
The Pixel 9 Pro Fold takes decent shots. As mentioned before, I went to Berlin and New York with the device, capturing some memorable moments. I went to the Berlin Zoo and captured the beautiful oranges of a Siberian tiger’s fur and the vivid blue plumage of a kookaburra. When I took selfies with the primary shooter, the details in my beard were also great.
The pictures were good; you can see them all below, but the Pixel 9 Pro XL delivered better shots than the 9 Pro Fold. But if we compare apples with apples, I thought the 9 Pro Fold could grab better pictures than the Z Fold 6, and with a 5x optical shooter and 127-degree ultrawide, it can take wider and further shots than Samsung’s foldable. The 9 Pro Fold’s primary shooter didn’t falter in low light, either.
True Love
As I mentioned at the beginning of this review, the Pixel 9 Pro Fold is expensive. However, it’s hard not to love the device. The Pixel 9 Pro Fold is a huge upgrade compared to the original Pixel Fold. Though it lacks the Pixel 9 Pro’s cameras, with 16GB of RAM, a Tensor G4 chip that keeps it chugging along smoothly, Gemini and other AI features, and that beautiful 8-inch display, there aren’t many faults with the handset.
During my review, I mentioned that there could be some screen bleeding issues. Honestly, I haven’t been able to replicate them, so it could have been a user error.
The Pixel 9 Pro Fold is perfect for someone who wants the best folding phone on the Canadian market. These people tend to be power users who like to work from their handsets. Those with long commutes should use the 9 Pro Fold to watch videos or play games with the phone’s 8-inch display. And if you love a killer selfie, like myself, the 9 Pro Fold’s ability to take selfies with the primary shooter works like a dream.
While the Pixel 9 Pro might be the best Android phone I’ve ever used, the Pixel 9 Pro Fold is the Android phone I never want to go a day without.
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