Last year, Google’s Pixel Fold was a successful first attempt at a foldable device, and this year, Google has not only renamed its successor, but improved the device in just about every way that users might care about.
At least, that’s my impression after using the Pixel 9 Pro Fold for just a few minutes.. Google has renamed its new foldable smartphone to place it in the Pixel 9 family, but it is definitely a successor to the old Pixel Fold. With a huge internal display and a surprisingly thin form factor, the Pixel 9 Pro Fold may be worth a look for those with money to spare and an interest in a giant smartphone.
Pixel 9 Pro Fold Hands-on: Thinness is the charm
As you’d expect, the camera viewfinder is huge.
Credit: Kimberly Gedeon/Mashable
Having reviewed a variety of foldable smartphones over the years, I’ve had a short hands-on time with the Pixel 9 Pro Fold and have come away quite impressed.
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First off, Google is touting the 8-inch internal display as the “largest ever on a smartphone.” That’s a bit of an exaggeration, but when you see it in action, it quickly becomes clear why. With up to 2,700 nits of peak brightness, an adaptive refresh rate of 1-120Hz, and a resolution of 2076 x 2152, everything looks vibrant, smooth, and crystal clear. This has always been my favorite foldable form factor, as the large internal screen is very useful for watching videos and reading books. — That hasn’t changed here. This is definitely wonderful Here’s how to do that on your phone.
But Google’s more impressive feat is the outer display you use when the phone is folded. Last year’s Pixel Fold had a 5.8-inch outer screen that simply felt too condensed and short compared to a regular smartphone. This year, Google has upgraded it to a much taller 6.3-inch display. When used one-handed, it looks and feels exactly like the Pixel 9. You could use it all day without folding it if you wanted to.
Look how thin it is.
Credit: Kimberly Gedeon/Mashable
But that’s not the only cool thing Google did with the Pixel 9 Pro Fold: It’s super thin. — Like Really It’s incredibly thin: unfolded, it’s just 0.20 inches thick, thinner than the OG Google Pixel Fold’s 0.22 inches. It weighs 257 grams, which is heavier than a single-screen smartphone but still acceptably light.
If you’re interested in a foldable and have $1,700 to spare, it’s worth checking this out.